Fighting 
 
 Indians ! 
 
 A. F. MULFORD. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 7th United States Cavalry 
 
 Ouster s Favorite Regiment 
 BY 
 
 AMI FRANK MULFORD 
 
 n 
 
 Member of Company " M." 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 PAUL LINDSLEY MULFORD 
 CORNING, N. Y. 
 
LOAN STACK 
 
FOREWORD. 
 
 These chronicles of stirring events were written 
 since my discharge from the Seventh United States 
 Cavalry, with both legs paralyzed, due to injuries 
 received at the time of the final surrender. This 
 regiment was made famous by that intrepid Com 
 mander, General George A. Custer, and by the effi 
 cient service of its units which hastened the end of 
 Indian hostilities in the Great Northwest 
 
 Sitting Bull was the most resourceful War Chief 
 ever known, at the time of the Custer Massacre he 
 led the largest and best equipped force of Indian 
 Warriors that ever attacked United States soldiers 
 The object of the uprising was to gain, and hold 
 absolute possession of the lands of their ancestors, 
 for themselves, for their children and their children s 
 children, for all time. These hostiles, five thousand 
 strong, were attacked by a few hundred soldiers led 
 by Custer, June 25th, 1876, and Custer and his men 
 were all killed. Not on was spared. 
 
 This Massacre marked the beginning of the end 
 Uncle Sam met the challenge. Hostiles bands were 
 hunted down, and Sitting Bull was captured. 
 
 The next year Chief Joseph, realizing that Indians 
 could not by force get or hold possession of their hunt 
 ing grounds, attempted to lead a general exodus of 
 natives into British America. Joseph had under his 
 command, for the protection of the mass of refugees, 
 a fighting force larger and better armed than were 
 the soldiers under Miles, to whom he surrendered. 
 
 The careful preparation of " copy " for this book, 
 taking the reader from the recruiting office at Fort 
 Leavenworth, through the Bad Lands of the North 
 west, picturing the actualities of my soldier life in 
 the Big Campaign that ended Indian hostilities, has 
 prevented the tedium of many an hour of unbearable 
 idleness. 
 
 A. F. MULFORD, 
 
 Late Trumpeter Co. M, 7th U. S. Cavalry. 
 Corning, N. Y., March 25, 1878. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 
 
 CHAPTER ONE. 
 
 Arrive On Foot and Alone at Fort Leavenworth, Having 
 
 Decided to Join the Seventh Cavalry Become a Soldier 
 
 It s Mush, Mush, Mush ! Eyes the the Front ! 
 
 IN 1876, Leavenworth, Kansas, was a small, dusty, 
 straggling attempt at a city, and although it boasted 
 of modern government and did have a Mayor, it was 
 way behind many smaller Eastern towns in the 
 matter of push, population, vim, capital, and manu- 
 facturies that now abound there. 
 
 Money was tight and hard to get, and although 
 there was plenty of work, there were a great many 
 out of employment, and to make it still worse, also 
 were out of money which was the case with one 
 man I will make you acquainted with before we are 
 through with this history. 
 
 There was a poor mud road leading from the city 
 to Fort Leavenworth, and one mild evening a 
 young man might have been seen trudging wearily 
 up the hill. He soon reached the Fort and inquired 
 the way to the Adjutant s office, and also asked if 
 there was a recruiting officer at the Fort ? 
 
 No trouble to find them, and I soon enter the 
 office and stand in the presence of one of Uncle 
 Sam s own officers ! 
 
 Who can describe my feelings ? I can t ! There 
 was a hot streak, a cold streak, and twenty-five or 
 thirty other streaks, all streaking it together ! 
 
 I saluted in true, formal military style, (or I tried 
 to) as I entered and found that the Adjutant was 
 really awake ; I at first thought that he was asleep. 
 
 Putting on a bold front, I asked: 
 
 " Sir, can I enlist in the army ?" 
 
 The officer looked at me a moment, then asked: 
 
6 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 " Have you ever been in the service ?" 
 
 " No, Sir ; I have not, but I think that I should like 
 it, if there was plenty to do," I replied. 
 
 If I had of known then a tith of what I know now 
 about the Regular Army, I do not think that the offi 
 cers, or Uncle Sam, would have ever been troubled 
 with business on my account. 
 
 After looking me over from head to foot, and 
 quietly smiling, the Adjutant accompanied me to the 
 door and said to a soldier who was standing 
 near: " Sargeant, take this man to your mess for to 
 night ! We will examine him in the morning !" 
 
 Following the Sargeant, I soon reached the men s 
 quarters, but a short distance away. Arriving there I 
 was shown to a wash-trough, and, after removing a 
 coating of Kansas dirt, I was conducted to the mess 
 room, where I was soon taking in with eyes and 
 mouth. 
 
 It was a long room, no chairs, bare wooden tables, 
 wooden benches to sit on; a tin plate, with a knife 
 and fork beside each, arranged in order, are all we 
 see on the tables. 
 
 Soldiers soon march in and seat themselves at the 
 tables, and then in come the suppers ! 
 
 What s this dish that is set before us ? 
 
 Mush and molasses ! 
 
 Yes, that is what stares us in the face and makes 
 us turn pale ! If there is anything on earth we hate 
 it is mush, and now, after leaving our home in far 
 away Corning, N. Y., to run right onto such a stack 
 of ill-smelling mush, makes us feel like saying a bad 
 word, but as bad words are in the mush category 
 with us, we only say damn and present a bold front to 
 the inevitable. 
 
 I did not intend to mention this very unwelcome 
 ration at the start, but I have heard it said that when 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 7 
 
 one has an understanding at the beginning of an 
 engagement, he wins half the battle, so I decided to 
 find out all about this mush question on the start, 
 and asked: 
 
 " Sargeant, how often do you have mush in the 
 regular army ?" 
 
 " Good Lord, man don t talk so loud !" replied the 
 Sargeant. " I have been in the army for nigh onto 
 twenty-one years, and during that time I have eaten 
 mush on an average once a day !" 
 
 "Gee-Whiz!" 
 
 I summon up all my reserve nerve, and ask 
 in a low but very distinct voice : 
 
 " Do they have mush on the frontier ?" 
 
 " No ! I heard that they once issued an order to 
 that effect, but the men threatened to mutiny, and 
 since that time they have not dared to mention the 
 subject west of the Missouri river." 
 
 " What regiment is there west of the Missouri 
 river, Sargeant ?" I asked, a bright ray of hope flitting 
 across my gizzard. 
 
 " The Seventh Cavalry ! The crack Cavalry regi 
 ment of the whole army ! It was Custer s old regiment, 
 and they are equal to ten thousand cow-boys ! They 
 are terrors !" 
 
 " Sargeant, if I enlist I am going to join the Seventh 
 Cavalry, I want no mush on my plate ! " 
 
 However, my persistence prevailed, and I manage 
 to make out a meal on bread and coffee, thanks to 
 the Sargeant, and soon after roll into a blanket and 
 soon am dreaming. No rest for me that night. 
 
 The bugle sounds bright and early the next 
 morning, and I hustle out to see the men as they fall 
 in for roll-call. 
 
 After a hearty breakfast of beef stew and bread, 
 washed down with coffee, I hang around and get a 
 
8 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 good many ideas as to the way business is conducted 
 in one of Uncle Samuel s western forts in time of 
 peace. 
 
 After guard mount, I accompany the Sargeant 
 to the Adjutant s office, and await examination. Soon 
 the orderly calls me into the presence of that monarch 
 of all he surveys ! 
 
 I am sharphy questioned, looked over and jumped 
 around; my eyes tested, and teeth examined in 
 much the same manner that horse-jockeys look over 
 a horse; height and weight taken, and then pass over 
 to the hands of the Surgeon. He trots me around for 
 a while in the suit of clothes that I was born in, and 
 as he finds no spavins or ringbones, I pass examina 
 tion and am sworn in, 
 
 Now I am a soldier, and at once draw a uniform 
 and a sutler s check ! 
 
 Now I am expected to, and must do, recruit duty, 
 and what that duty consisted of is detaileo in the 
 following chapter. I assure you I da not put it at its 
 worst; I try to dress it in a smile and put on its best 
 bib, for that is bad enough to make a man regret 
 the day he held up his right hand and swore to wade 
 in gore for the sake of his beloved country. 
 
 Everything was new to me, and I kept both eyes 
 and ears open, resolved to learn all there was to be 
 known, hoping thereby to save myself many hard 
 tasks, and harder reprimands, and unbearable lec 
 tures ! I always hated a lecture of any kind. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 
 
 CHAPTER TWO 
 
 Taming the Festive Recruit Kitchen Work and Other 
 
 Jobs Drill, Drill, Drill ! Three Quickly Learned Bugle 
 
 Calls Marching Orders Much Excitement. 
 
 I soon found that life at the Recruiting Depot was 
 not an eenviable one for newly enlisted men, whether 
 a work-shirker or one ambitious to learn by routine 
 experience the ways and duties of a soldier. Invar 
 iably, the recruit is expected at all times to do the 
 little jobs and the dirty work ripe old soldiers know 
 so well how to avoid. The recruit is the one that has 
 an extra amount of dishes to wash, of wood to cut, 
 water to carry, potatoes to peel, slops to empty, 
 floors to scrub, knives and forks to scour, and is very 
 often jollied into heel-balling belts and burnishing 
 equipment in fact impelled to do the very work that 
 the non-coms, non-commisioned officers, should do 
 for themselves. 
 
 If there is any dirt to be shoveled, the recruits are 
 sure to be on that particular detail. 
 
 See him now, when he gets a breathing spell. Say, 
 don t he look like the ideal soldier ; dressed in a suit 
 of new clothes Uncle Sam s very best each and 
 every garment much too large for him. 
 
 Notice that complacent, peaceful look on his face 
 and that serene smile ! He is happy now, and why 
 should he not be happy ! 
 
 He is not detailed on fatigue (work), to-day ; he 
 gets three feeds a day, has a pound of nigger-heel 
 all to himself, and is not expected to know anything ! 
 
 Oh, happy lot and lots more. 
 
 But, see ! Why the sudden change ? His face 
 turns pale, the smile has vanished. 
 
 Is he sick ? 
 
 No! 
 
 The Orderly Bugler has just sounded Fatigue 
 Call, and although he has been a soldier for only two 
 
10 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 days, he knows what it means ; and he has also 
 learned two other calls that he can whistle without a 
 break. One is Recall From Fatigue, and the other is 
 Mess Call! 
 
 He will be among the first to answer the calls last 
 mentioned, and if not detailed to wait on table, he 
 will try to be the first to enter the mess room, and 
 will make the spuds and beef disappear in a manner 
 that is truly astonishing. 
 
 It often happens that a recruit is detailed in the 
 Adjutant s Office, and it is then that he is respected 
 by all the " old hosses," as he now has or thinks he 
 has a way of knowing the plans and intentions of 
 all the officers in the whole army. 
 
 It is now his time to get even. He does so. When 
 he comes to mess he will report that so many 
 men are to be detailed to-morrow for extra police, on 
 some new improvement that has struck the fancy of 
 the Commanding Officer, or that the troops at the 
 Fort are soon to be sent to relieve a company on the 
 far frontier ! 
 
 Anything that will cause the most misery to the 
 old soldiers will be meat for the Adjutant s under 
 study for the time being, 
 
 How they will rave when they find out that they 
 have been fooled ! 
 
 But it is when recruits have accumulated to about 
 a dozen that the life of a soldier truly begins. First 
 comes the setting-up drill, which is very trying to 
 one not accustomed to it. It is executed in the 
 following manner : 
 
 The recruits are formed in a line, or as near in a 
 line as they can be got, with head up, eyes fifteen 
 paces to the front; then they are ordered to place their 
 palms together, to step forward, bend over and 
 touch the floor with the tips of the fingers, without 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 11 
 
 bending the knees or in any way spoiling the rigidity 
 of their positions ! 
 
 Try it, if you think it is easy ! 
 
 Other physical stunts follow. 
 
 Then comes salute, fours right and left, and so on 
 through the whole school of the soldier. 
 
 It is fun to see them, especially if they have a 
 big headed Lance Sargeant in command. 
 
 Finally marching orders come to our relief and 
 there is no more drill for the present. Wardrobes 
 are looked over, buttons sewed on, and all must be 
 got ready for the trip to regimental headquarters. 
 
 There is not a bit of regret expressed by the be 
 ginners at the order to move, as they are now sure of 
 being on an equal footing with the rest of their 
 regiment, and free from the many petty persecutions 
 of the old coffee-cooling Infantrymen at the Fort. 
 
 Now all citizens clothing must be disposed of r 
 and so a pass is obtained, and away we go heel and 
 toe to the City of Leaven worth A visit is paid to 
 Our Uncle, the pawn , broker and dealer in worn 
 clothing, etc., and a new suit of clothes is soon ex 
 changed for a very small sum of cash. 
 
 We take in all there is to be seen in Leavenworth, 
 not forgetting the stuff in the bottle that cheers and 
 dazzles, and then again climb the hill that leads to the 
 Fort, fall in at Retreat and again at Tattoo, and at Taps 
 we go to bed to dream of being ridden by buffaloes, 
 hugged by snakes, and scalped by Indians and then 
 roasted alive, and so on until the bugle calls the weary 
 one in the morning. 
 
 We assist in sorting and transferring an enormous 
 amount of company property, and with an occasional 
 wrestle with the rust on the Parrot and Rodman guns 
 on the parade, pass away the time that intervenes 
 between the receipt of the order to move, and the time 
 that we do move. 
 
12 SEVENTH CAV ALRY 
 
 CHAPTER THREE 
 
 Gather at Railroad Station to Entrain for Fort Snelling 
 Bother the Agent Board Excursion Yacht at River 
 side While Awaiting Train" Inspect " the Craft ! 
 
 SEPTEMBER 23d, 1876, orders were received at the 
 Adjutant s Office for all Cavalrymen at Fort Leaven- 
 worth to be sent, at once, to join their regiments. 
 
 There were thirty of us, all for the Seventh Cav 
 alry and all young and full of what some folks would 
 call deviltry, and I will now try and give you an 
 account, of what we did on our way out, and also 
 how we cooked those ducks, chewed hard-tack, and 
 amused the people and ourselves on the long journey 
 to the front. 
 
 We fell in on the evening of September 23d, and 
 after listening to a short but emphatic speech from 
 Lieutenant Russell, the officer who was to act as our 
 business manager on the trip, who spoke of how well 
 he knew we would behave ourselves and what would 
 be done to those who did not obey orders and keep 
 quiet, we were marched to the depot, each man car 
 rying his bundle of extra clothing and kit. 
 
 I said we were marched to the railroad depot, 
 but now that I know what the word march, keep step, 
 dress to the right, and the numerous other orders, 
 not so very mildly given, mean, I must own up that 
 we walked or straggled ! 
 
 When we arrived at the depot the Lieutenant told 
 us to break-ranks, don t know what he meant by 
 that command, as every man of that whole thirty 
 had a rank of his own in fact, we must have appear 
 ed like a very rank lot of soldiers ! 
 
 We spread ourselves out over the depot platform; 
 haversacks, canteens, bundles and boots, thrown in a 
 promiscuous heap. Then we amused ourselves for 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 13 
 
 the half -hour that we had to wait for the train to 
 arrive by asking the ticket agent and train dispatcher 
 how far it was to Omaha, and how much it would 
 cost to ride to the Black Hills on a Government pass ! 
 We bother him until he hardly knows which way the 
 train was going, and until, at his request, the Lieu 
 tenant ordered us to keep out of that depot ! 
 
 This was a deadener on us, so, to get square with 
 ticket agent and the Lieutenant, and drive away 
 dull care, we went down to the river s edge where we 
 had noticed a small pleasure yacht tied up, while the 
 excursionists were up at the Fort seeing how the 
 soldiers lived, and putting on " lugs " generally. 
 
 There was no one to guard the yacht, as undoubt 
 edly the parties had decided that it would be perfect 
 ly safe to leave it alone, being so near the Fort, and 
 here being so many soldiers around to guard things; 
 but they were mistaken, in the kind of soldiers that 
 were around there at that time, or they would have 
 left some one on the yacht to watch and pray ! 
 
 It was too much for our feelings to be so near 
 that yacht and not board her, so, accordingly we 
 walked across the norrow stage-plank, and at once 
 formed ourselves into a Board of Inspectors ! 
 
 We were very careful not to disturb anything. 
 But we thought there ought to be a little more steam, 
 and accordingly opened the draft and let her zip, and 
 she did zip ! 
 
 Next we visited the cabin and examined lunch 
 baskets and the ice-box Oh, that ice box ! We were 
 agreeably surprised to find bottles of different calibre 
 and color, which, on farther investigation, were 
 found to contain very good articles of cold tea, por 
 ter and bottled stout ! 
 
 Of course the seats had to be turned over, so that 
 the dust and the smoke would not blow on the cush 
 ions and ruin them. Pictures on the cabin walls had 
 
14 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 to be rearranged and classified. Some of the pictures 
 looked best when hung bottom-up, or sideways. 
 
 A noise that sounded like a connon caused us to 
 rush to the engine-room, where it was found that the 
 steam was up in the forties, and still climbing for all 
 it was worth ! 
 
 It was almost train time, and as the " Inspectors " 
 wanted to see the machinery in operation, out came 
 the go-a-head lever. But the valve did not respond as 
 we thought it would, and we had^to hustle to get out 
 of the way of a stream of hot water ! 
 
 The next lever was pulled with better results. 
 
 You should have seen that engine start for the 
 bank, and of course it took the boat with it ! 
 
 The engine was only about three-horse power, but 
 the were big horses, and knew when to get a gait on 
 them. It did not make much noise, nor drive the bow 
 of the boat into the bank very far at the first clip, but 
 it started to dig a tunnel, and was just going out of 
 sight towards the Fort when our picket reported 
 danger; and we left the boat to its work. It would 
 strike and fall back for another clip, and we were 
 having great fun watching it, when our train whistled 
 and the gentle voice of the Lieutenant ordered us to 
 Kail in, and stop your damned fooling !" 
 
 The only man that literally obeyed the order to 
 fall in tripped over a pile of bundles and he did fall in, 
 and he knocked two other men in in so going ! 
 
 The " Inspectors " were in such a such a hurry to 
 get to their proper places in line, that they forget to 
 stop the engine, but they did securely tie down the 
 whistle-cord, and we could hear that little whistle 
 "blowing fog signals long after we were out of sight of 
 the railroad depot ! 
 
 After we were rounded up in our car, and were 
 moving along on our way towards St. Paul, we held 
 a conflab and after due deliberation, it was unani- 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 15 
 
 mously decided that the yacht and engine were both 
 dandies, and that the said excursionists were a most 
 accommodating aggregation. Furthermore, that they 
 had our most hearty thanks for the splendid feast 
 prepared for our benefit, and that we would never 
 take particular pains to find out how they admired 
 things as they were rearranged for them during their 
 absence to the Fort ! 
 
 We also decided that the engineer would know 
 how to stop the engine, get the boat out of the bank, 
 gravel out of the pump, repack the valves and piston, 
 which we had tinkered with in order to see that they 
 were in a proper and safe condition, and which our 
 limited time did not allow us to replace for immediate 
 operation. 
 
 It was also concluded that if the engineer did not 
 stop the engine in less then a week, the boat would 
 dig a tunnel seventeen hundred feet into the bank, 
 and be the means of undermining the Fort. It was 
 further agreed that if ever any of us were so unfor 
 tunate as to meet the engineer, or any of his crew, 
 we would ask if there was any reward for the arrest 
 and conviction of the persons who indulged their 
 inventive tendencies in this kind of experiment, and 
 if there was, they should apply for the reward in the 
 herein before mentioned escapade and when the said 
 reward was secured it was to be turned into the 
 general fund for the benefit of the grasshopper 
 sufferers. We then transacted other business, and 
 adjourned to meet at the call of the Lieutenant. 
 
 After many narrow escapes from the guards who 
 were stationed at the car doors we arrived at Fort 
 Snelling, then one of the foremost recruiting stations 
 in the department. An order was issued for us to 
 be held there until the arrival of a large party of 
 recruits, who were expected from St. Louis, then we 
 were all to go forward together. 
 
16 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER FOUR 
 
 At Fort Snelling, Minn. Recruit Disciplined A Trip to 
 
 Minne-Ha-Ha Falls On the Move Fun at Fargo 
 
 Cars Searched for Ducks Railroad Accident. 
 
 FORT SNELLING, Minn., is situated on a high bluff 
 overlooking the Missouri river, and was at that time 
 was garrisoned by Company C, Twentieth Infantry, 
 and I must say that they were the meanest lot of 
 Regulars it was ever my lot to come in contact with, 
 or to be connected with in any manner. 
 
 They kept us recruits busy from Guard Mount 
 until Retreat, digging cellars, drawing dirt, grading, 
 setting out trees, sawing wood, etc. 
 
 A recruit " kicked " against doing this kind of 
 work day after day. He said to the officer in charge 
 of the work : 
 
 " I did not enlist to farm and use the pick and 
 shovel. I enlisted to carry a gun and march like any 
 other soldier." 
 
 He got the gun, and with it a knapsack containing 
 about fifty pounds of brick, which he had to carry on 
 parade for three days, when he was glad to take a 
 pick and shovel and resume farm work. He never 
 after that made a " kick " although he ventured a 
 deal of " cussing " on the side. 
 
 Company C, 20th Infantry, was at that time com 
 posed of dude soldiers, pets of dress parade officers. 
 I never heard any of them to growl but once. That 
 was one morning at Guard Mount, when the guard 
 were marched in review, and the wife of the Com 
 manding Officer, who was on the porch with their 
 baby as the paraders passed by, told him to " Trot 
 them around again, Pa.; it pleases the baby ! Hear 
 him laugh!" 
 
 We lonely and homesick recruits laughed in our 
 sleeves when we overheard expressions of indignation 
 among the " baby entertainers " over the incident. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 17 
 
 The old wooden block house, where hostile Reds 
 were once most successfully Penned, is now used for 
 a wood house. 
 
 The old fort is about four miles from St. Paul, and 
 although it shows the wear and tear of age, it remains 
 an impressive witness of the bravery of Minnesota s 
 hardy pioneers. 
 
 Near the Fort is an Indian battle ground, where 
 many years ago the brave Penn and his old-fashioned 
 soldiers fought and whipped three times their num 
 ber of as fierce hostiles as ever trod a war path. 
 
 Favored with passes, one rainy day, our squad 
 visited the famous Minne-ha-ha Falls, which are 
 about two miles from Fort Snelling. The proprietor 
 of the only hotel at that place, much disgruntled, 
 promptly treated us to an invitation to " Please to go 
 back to the Fort, and not do drilling on my lawns." 
 
 Such is the gratitude shown the poor, misguided 
 men, who offer their services and their appetites to 
 the government, for the protection of the cow-boys 
 and sutlers on the frontier ! 
 
 However, we agreed to cut our visit short if the 
 said proprietor would come across with a bite and a 
 drink, threatening to put his establishment out of 
 commission in case our reasonable and friendly re 
 quest was not complied with. 
 
 We got the bite ! 
 
 Never before did I realize how much cayenne 
 pepper could be incorporated in a sandwich. Oh, they 
 were hot but they were worth all they cost. For 
 the drink, we were given a dipper and told to all help 
 ourselves to the water. 
 
 After climbing over the fence and interviewing 
 the landlord s fine turnip patch, we concluded to call 
 the accounts square, and with many thanks, and 
 to the relief of the proprietor, we fell in for the Fort, 
 
18 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 and were soon at that " Government Workhouse," as 
 we then called it. 
 
 Somehow or other particulars of our little time at 
 the Falls reached our Commanding Officer, and 
 thereafter not one of our bunch received a pass. 
 
 We laid at the Fort about ten days, and no more 
 recruits coming, we were order forward. We were 
 glad to get away from that place, and did not address 
 very kindly language to members of the Infant-ry 
 who were at the railroad station to see us off. 
 
 We were kindly treated by the people along the 
 line of the railroad. At some of the stations baskets 
 of apples and lunches were handed in through the 
 windows of the cars for the soldiers. 
 
 How well I remember one aged lady, who handed a 
 pie and some cakes through a window of our car, and 
 on our thanking her for her kindness, said : " My 
 only son was killed in the Custer massacre." She 
 wanted do all she could to brighten our way, for she 
 knew we would have poor food and many hardships 
 after we reached the hostile-infested Northwest. 
 
 As the train started on, we gave that woman as 
 hearty cheers as ever split the air. When she bade us 
 good-bye, she hoped the Indian war would be over 
 before we reached the front. 
 
 It does not cost much to do these little kindly acts 
 and this one was wonderfully helpful. 
 
 Cheers greeted us on arrival at the different places 
 along the railroad, and we all seemed to grow bigger, 
 and some wished we had at hand a few hostiles to 
 practice on. 
 
 Opportunities for fun were many, and eagerly 
 cultivated. 
 
 Many a time the train s bell-rope was given a 
 yank, and the engineer would stop the train and 
 come back and help the conductor locate the cause of 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 19 
 
 the emergency signal. And didn t the train crew 
 pour forth sulphureous vapors in volcanic quantities ! 
 
 We ate raw salt bacon, drank cold coffee, and 
 gnawed hard-tack, and were as jolly a lot of fellows 
 as ever filled a car. 
 
 Did you ever attempt to eat a hard-tack ! If not, 
 try to bite a piece out of an old fire-brick. I do not 
 wonder the Government examines a man s teeth so 
 carefully before he is enlisted ; it should provide steel 
 teeth and a file with which to sharpen them. 
 
 After a two days ride we arrive at Fargo, a small 
 Frontier town on the Northern Pacific Railroad. Here 
 we were to lay over for the night. Our car was 
 placed on a side track near the depot. 
 
 Oh, what a feast we had that night ! The Lieuten 
 ant had telegraphed ahead to the proprietor of a 
 restaurant, and on our arrival we were treated to hot 
 coffee, soft bread <:nd baked potatoes. Yes, and there 
 was one thing more, and it was over a year before I 
 tasted it again. It was butter cow s butter, the real 
 article, good and fresh, not a rancid double-acting 
 foundry product. 
 
 Didn t we love that Lieutenant but we did not 
 tell him so, as we were afraid that one of the waiter 
 girls who had him in tow, might not like it. We all 
 resolved to make him remember that splendid supper 
 served aboard the car. I guess we succeeded. But 
 girls will be girls, and shoulder straps are catching. 
 
 After supper two men were detailed to guard the 
 car doors, and ordered not to permit a man to pass. 
 
 But, notwithstanding this precaution, every mem 
 ber of our party, except the guards, did go out and 
 view the town that night. But not one of the bunch 
 passed through a door-way of the car. 
 
 This town had had a lively experience with a large 
 party of recruits, a few weeks before, when merchants 
 
20 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 lost large quantities of tobacco, fruits and vegetables. 
 So on this occasion all stores were closed for the 
 night at an early hour. 
 
 We passed a very comfortable night. 
 
 A Pullman hunting car was standing near the 
 depot, its sides pretty well covered with the game 
 secured that day by a party of hunters who had hired 
 the car. During the night one of our boys brought 
 to our car an armful of wild ducks, and reported 
 hunting extra good in that locality. 
 
 The ducks were very carefully stowed away in the 
 coal box of our car and artistically covered over with 
 soft coal. Now we would have a feast, if we could only 
 pass muster in the morning, and I do not think that 
 there was ever a party of soldiers more anxious to 
 leave town then we were. 
 
 Our train was to leave Fargo at 7:30 in the morn 
 ing. At about 7:00 we saw the Lieutenant and a 
 couple of men coming our way. When they got to the 
 car the Lieutenant surprised us all by saying to the 
 guard at the door: 
 
 "Did any man passed you in the night. !" 
 
 " No, Sir," was the truthful reply. 
 
 The Lieutenant then if urther astonished us by say 
 ing that there had been two dozen ducks stolen from 
 the side of the hunting car during the night, and he 
 then ordered all the men to open their bundles, so 
 that the men with him could make a search for the 
 missing game. 
 
 The bundles were opened, their contents pulled 
 over, and not the least sign of a duck was to be 
 found ! Then the callers looked under every seat 
 in the racks at the sides of the car, and in fact they 
 looked in every place big enough to hold a duck, 
 except the coal box. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 21 
 
 After searching for nearly twenty long minutes 
 they gave it up, and saying that they were sorry to 
 have put us to so much bother, and expressing regret 
 that they had even suspected us. Then one of them 
 went to the hunting car and returned with a box of 
 cigars, which he passed around, and left the car, to 
 the great relief of yours truly ! 
 
 Another day was spent on the road between Fargo 
 and Bismarck, the train at times running so slow that 
 the men could often jump off and run ahead and ask 
 the engineer for a chew, or run ahead and try to flag 
 the train ! The reason the train went so slow was 
 explained to me by the conductor, as being due to 
 alkali water foaming in the boiler of the locomotive, 
 
22 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER FIVE. 
 
 We Arrive at Bismarck In Camp Hancock Cook Those 
 
 Missing Ducks March Six Miles Across the Prairie 
 
 to Fort A. Lincoln Crow Indians Friendly. 
 
 WE ARRIVE at Bismarck, Dakota Territory, about 
 8 o clock in the evening, and are at once marched to 
 Camp Hancock, on the Main street, where we hang 
 up for the night. We were dirty, tired and hungry, 
 and were very glad that our journey was so near 
 its end. 
 
 Bismarck was a thriving town of about five 
 thousand inhabitants, notorious for its many dance- 
 halls, gambling dens and crime holes of all kinds. 
 
 There was a large floating population of the 
 the worst characters from the East and reckless 
 frontier toughs. Brawls and murders were frequent, 
 mostly due to the consumption of a vicious whiskey 
 manufactured not for from town. The buildings 
 used for trade and commerce were of wood, cheaply 
 knocked together, in a spread out way, high in front 
 with a low shanty in the rear. The dwellings were 
 mostly shacks. 
 
 Camp Hancock consisted of a row of old log huts 
 or sheds which were built for the accommodation 
 of the soldiers who guarded the workmen when the 
 railroad was being built. The quarters were roomy 
 and airy, and I guess the part we occupied had been 
 used as a cattle-shed, as the indications pointed that 
 way, Nevertheless we got along as well as soldiers 
 on the march generally do, for if there is a good 
 place available it is occupied by the officers. 
 
 After getting ourselves sorted out a little we 
 built a fire in an old stove standing in one end 
 of the room, and all hands \ set to work to undress 
 the ducks we had secured from the hunting party, 
 and as we had no hot water, and the ducks were cold 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 23 
 
 and stiff, you can imagine what time a we had, 
 and how the game looked when we got through. You 
 could not tell what they were originally. 
 
 After a good deal of skirmishing one of the men 
 found on old tin boiler. It only leaked in five places. 
 It took us twenty minutes to stuff the holes up with 
 old pieces of shirt, and it would sizzle. We then filled 
 it with water and tore the ducks up as best we could 
 and threw them in, and while one man did duty at 
 the fire,|the rest went out to forage for onions, salt, 
 pepper, or anything that lay loose. Chagrined because 
 we were suspected of stealing the ducks, we had 
 resolved to have them cooked in a proper manner, 
 even if we hid have to break our good r esolutions to 
 doit. 
 
 It was not far from 12 o clock, midnight, when the 
 ducks were pronounced ready and we all gathered 
 around the boiler and then began our attack on the 
 duckery. We had no knives and forks, nor plates, 
 nothing but our dirtyhands and fingers, but that did 
 .not worry us much, as we had the best of appetites, 
 Two men would take a duck; and then there 
 would be a trial of strength with one duck in the 
 middle and a man each side, and the tough birds 
 were dismantled. What fun, and also what a least. 
 It must be acknowledged that they were, to quote 
 Puck, " Right smart, tol ble good," as stated at the 
 time, 
 
 Puck, as we had named him, was a young man 
 from Hoosierville, Hooppole County, Ill-noise, (as he 
 pronounced it), and he was a thoroughbred, too. He 
 got on our car at Morehead, and asked us if we could 
 carry him through, as he was out skads. We soon 
 had him dressed up in a suit of blue, and that uniform 
 passed him through to Bismarck, and as he expressed 
 it, "It was party tol ble done !" 
 
 It is not very often that one can beat his way on 
 
24 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 the Western roads, and it is a good recommend in 
 this part of the county for a young man to say, in 
 reply to the question: 
 
 " How did you get here ?" 
 
 " I came through on my wit and muscle I" 
 
 After a hastey and scant breakfast in the morning 
 we shoulder our packs, and start for Fort A. Lincoln, 
 whose garrison flag could be seen on the hill, six 
 miles distant. The Lieutenant had an ambulance to 
 ride in, and he was not decent enough to tell us to 
 put our bundles in it, as there was plenty of room to 
 do. Our luggage was quite heavy. Oh, what a hard 
 march that was for so short a distance. 
 
 Only six miles across the prairie, but our bundles 
 made it seem twenty, and a small bundle will get 
 very heavy in a little while on such a tramp. Each 
 of us was carrying all his worldy goods and chattels. 
 
 I suppose it was done to help toughen our muscles, 
 as the officers are great for that, though they like to 
 have it done by others. I thought we would never get 
 to the Fort. 
 
 After over an hour s march we arrived at the 
 river, and there had to wait about an hour for the 
 steam ferry boat to get up steam and come across 
 for us. 
 
 We passed away the time while we were waiting 
 for the boat, sitting on the muddy bank, and 1 ook- 
 ing over to the Promised Land, where the camp could 
 be plainly seen from where we were. It looked like a 
 large village of low white huts, and the horses resem 
 bled a herd of cattle as they were grazing on the 
 prairie below the camp. I had never before seen so 
 many horses together there were twelve hundred 
 of them and it was a scene well worthy of a place 
 on canvass. Finally the boat came across for us, and 
 we are soon on board, bag and bagage. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 25 
 
 Over we go, and as scon as the boat touches the 
 far shore we jump off and scramble up the bank as 
 best we can. We pass though quite a crowd of 
 Indians Crows who utter their gutteral " how-how " 
 as we pass them. On we go, passing a saw mill and 
 sutler s store, and then turn to the left and pass along 
 by the guard-house where General Custer once held 
 Rain-in-the-Face, a notorious Indian guilty of killing 
 two white men. Rain-in-the-Face was captured by 
 Col. Tom Custer. The Indian escaped, took part in 
 the Little Big Horn massacre, two years later, and 
 there in revenge cut the heart from Colonel Tom 
 Custer, brother of the General. 
 
 We cross the parade and halt before the Adjutant s 
 office, where the Lieutenant makes his report. 
 
 Our arrival at the Fort is announced by the fireing 
 of one gun, and I think that if the President of the 
 United Stated is entitled to fifty, that there should 
 have been two hundred fired for us. 
 
 All the members of the 7th Cavalry not on duty 
 gathered as near us ?s they dared to, and they seem 
 ed to act as though they feared the stars and bars, 
 but would like to get a whack at the man who wore 
 them ! They laughed heartily at our very best 
 attempts to stand at "attention," which command is 
 generally given T-E-N-tion, with all the accent on the 
 ten. 
 
 There we had to stand for nearly an hour, while 
 the Captains were selecting, or drawing cuts, to see 
 who should have such and such a man for his collec 
 tion ef dogs, as that is about all they seem to think 
 that a private soldier amounts to. 
 
 Finally, at about twelve o clock, noon, we are all 
 selected and assigned to the different companies; and 
 I, for the first time, become a high-private in Com 
 pany " M," Vth U. S. Regular Cavalry, and start 
 with my First Sergeant, John Ryan, to join my 
 company at their camp on the prairie, about one- 
 fourth of a mile below the Cavalry s winter quarters. 
 
26 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER SIX. 
 
 Seventh Cavalry Camp The Soldiers Are a Rough-and- 
 
 Lot Our First Meal in Camp Pup-Tents My 
 
 First Cavalry Drill Was Some Thriller. 
 
 I WAS amazed and depressed, with the appearance 
 of the camp. My patriotism went below zero as I saw 
 how unkempt the soldiers were unshaved, uniforms 
 flayed and dirty ; many with their hair nearly down 
 to their collars; gaunt and hungry-looking, yet, 
 withal, as good and jolly a lot of men as I ever met. 
 A hearty welcome, was given us recruits ; soon we 
 were real comrades. What a difference between the 
 real soldiers we now met, and those paper collar 
 dudes at Fort Snelling ! 
 
 Sure these Seventh Cavalry vets laugh at our 
 blunders, and have fun at our expense, but if you are 
 in need of anything they have you can have it for the 
 asking ; and if you want a friend who will stand by 
 you through thick and thin, they are the boys to 
 tie to. 
 
 I joined the Company at dinner, when I for the 
 first time take my tin cup and tin plate and follow the 
 crowd to the Cook s tent. There each applicant is 
 supplied a plateful of baked beans, a cup of bean 
 soup, and about one fourth of a loaf of good soft white 
 bread. Then back to our tent we go, and eat our 
 dinner, and it did taste good. Our morning s march 
 had given us an appetite worth while, and we clean 
 the eatables all up. 
 
 One of the men said to me, 
 
 " Let me take your plate, and I will get you some 
 more !" 
 
 I decline his friendly offer with thanks, and sug 
 gest that if my appetite lasts I will make a big hole 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 27 
 
 in the appropriation for food. He comes back with, 
 " It is a good plan to feed up to the limit when you 
 get a chance, for you will need a hump like a camel, 
 to draw on, when you get in the field." 
 
 I was assigned to one of the pup-tents, with two 
 other men. We were soon settled and ready for 
 callers, and the soldiers were not slow in coming to 
 see the recruits. The vets all wanted to know what 
 was going on in the outside world. 
 
 We tell our callers all the news we know of, and 
 a few of the latest stories, and they meet us on 
 aqual terms, and are all are happy. 
 
 The pup-tents are made of four pieces of canvas, 
 the sections buttoned together, with a short stake at 
 each end and a ridge-piece. The tent, in position, is 
 only about three feet high and four feet long. You 
 enter at one end that is you crawl in and you have 
 to stay crawled until you come out. Pup-tents are 
 good to keep the sun off but not much protection 
 when it rains. 
 
 While in this camp I had my first experience in 
 mounted cavalry drill, and as I have undertaken to 
 give you a personally conducted trip, I will give you 
 everything just as I found it. 
 
 Back in the days when I was a farmer boy, in the 
 township of Lindley, N. Y., I excelled as a rider of 
 horses and took especial delight in riding bareback. 
 
 But somehow this was different ! 
 
 Indeed it was fun, fun of the funniest kind for 
 the spectators. 
 
 First, you are given a horse to ride bare-back, and 
 you have to jump your mount oyer ditches and rail 
 fences. This is to give you confidence in your ability 
 to ride. You do not mind it much after the first 
 round. 
 
28 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 Next, you are given a horse with an army saddle 
 on, and you smile to yourself and say in your mind, 
 that now you will show that you can ride. You soon 
 find that you are in for a circus, and destined to be 
 the cause of unlimited fun for the onlookers. 
 
 As you are about to mount, the stirrup straps are 
 crossed in the saddle, and when you innocently 
 attempt to straighten them back in their proper 
 places, 
 
 " Let those stirrups alone, and mount !" comes the 
 order. 
 
 Scared out what little sense I had when I entered 
 the camp, (for it was " Your s Most Respectfully "), I 
 climb onto the saddle. 
 
 The horse, an old one and onto his job, puts on a 
 horse grin and gets down to business. 
 
 As soon as I get aboard, I am ordered to, 
 
 " Put your feet in the stirrups !" 
 
 To do so, I must draw my knees up to my chin. 
 
 Feeling like a misquito that has been detected 
 trying to suck blood out of a wax figure, I await what 
 is to come next. It comes all of a sudden. The horse 
 starts ahead in great shape and I try to keep in con 
 tact with him. The best I can do, is to meet the 
 saddle half way every time it comes up ! 
 
 Oh, what a ride ! What delicious fun ! 
 I take a tumble, regain my feet, and, having the 
 bridle rein in hand, manage to regain the saddle, and 
 the performance continues for near an hour. I was all 
 in, however, when ordered to dismount and " tie the 
 horse to the line," which I do most gladly and with all 
 possible expedition. This done, as I turned away 
 from the head of the horse, back went its ears, 
 and with a quick swing it lunged forward and took a 
 not very gentle nip where saddle- blisters were already 
 in evidence, and held on. With a jerk that almost 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 29 
 
 tears away the seat of my trousers, I break away ; my 
 initiation drill is over, and I meander down the Com 
 pany street, tired, discouraged, mad, homesick. 
 
 Oh, that nip ! Why did not that horse select some 
 other portion of my anatomy ? I had rather give an 
 ear, that to lose a much longed-for pleasure of 
 sitting down and giving the place the hard saddle 
 had pounded a square deal. 
 
 The next day all recruits were drilled with their 
 Company, each recruit fully armed and equipped, and 
 when we mounted each one painfully reminded of 
 yesterday s exhibition performance. 
 
 When the Sergeant dismisses us from drill, we 
 greenies take a bee-line for the sutler, who has the 
 exclusive privilege of suppling strong drink to 
 soldiers, and we each took several doses of medicine. 
 His treatment was so effectual, that we return to the 
 pup tents much relieved. 
 
30 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER SEVEN. 
 
 Repair Telegraph Line Between Bismarck and Fort A. 
 
 Lincoln Sioux Indians Ugly Ordered to Standing 
 
 Rock Rerservation Indians Hold War Dance. 
 
 OUR COMMAND laid in camp at Fort A. Lincoln for 
 ;about three weeks, the men doing guard, picket and 
 police duty by turns. I was detailed to take three 
 men and repair the Government telegraph line, which 
 extended from the telegraph office in the railroad 
 station at Bismarck to the Adjutant s office at the 
 Cavalry carnp. 
 
 There were numerous wood choppers in the bot 
 tom lands on the Bismarck side of the river, and they 
 were not careful whether they fell a tree across the 
 wire or not. There were no insulators at the office, 
 so I got a lot of ale and wine bottles and used the 
 necks of them for insulators, and they were an orna 
 ment to the scraggy cot ton wood poles we had to use. 
 I also had a fine time stretching a new wire across 
 the Missouri river near the camp, as the steamboat 
 had broken the old one down with its smoke-stack. 
 After nearly a week of hard work we got the line so 
 we could work it all right, and then I " spelled " the 
 regular operator at the camp. 
 
 This kind of work was finally stopped by an order 
 that came, to the effect that the 7th Cavalry must 
 take to the field again, and go to Standing Rock 
 Indian Agency, and there disarm the Indians and 
 take their ponies excepting one to each tepee. 
 
 Now we looked for trouble to begin, as there 
 was a large body of the ugly Sioux at that point and 
 they were getting the Agency Indians rather uneasy, 
 and all were reported as getting ready to go to join 
 Sitting Bull. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 31 
 
 We were soon on the go, and were glad to get 
 away from camp duty, and all looked ahead to the 
 eighty miles that were between us and the reds as 
 about the proper distance for an outing, and not 
 too far from winter quarters. 
 
 As we were moving along on our third day out, 
 the regiment was suddenly halted, and the order 
 passed along the whole line for the men to " Dismount 
 and tighten saddle-girths !" 
 
 The old soldiers said that now we were in for a 
 run, as there had been a scout seen to hurry up 
 to the Commanding Officer, and deliver some kind of 
 a message, whereupon the command was at once 
 halted. We have ten of the Crow Indian scouts with 
 us, and as they are deadly enemies of the Sioux they 
 did good work. They go ahead and keep a sharp 
 look-out for hostiles and ambushes. They are enlisted f: 
 and draw the same pay and rations that a private 
 soldier does, and for the work they do deserve more 
 praise and pay than they ever get. They will do 
 more head scouting than a white scout, and are more 
 valuable as dispatch carriers, as they arealway ready, 
 day or night, to carry dispatches to any part of the 
 country, and will be a good many miles on their 
 journey before a white scout thinks of getting started. 
 
 Saddle-girths were tightened, arms looked to and 
 loaded, blankets and kits on the saddles tightened up, 
 and all made ready for a good shaking up, as there 
 will be no stopping to pick up anything that is 
 dropped. 
 
 In less timethan it takes to write this we are in 
 the saddles again, and forward we move. 
 
 " Forward at a trot !" sounds the headquarters 
 trumpet, and we prick our horses with the spurs, 
 and trot it is. 
 
32 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 We rise to the top of the bluff behind which we 
 had halted, and then we can see the Indians. There 
 are over a thousand of them ! 
 
 They were less then two mile away, and were 
 riding their ponies in a circle on the open prairie. It 
 is a beautiful sight, especially to us poor devils who 
 had never seen any Indians but those that stand in 
 front of the cigar stores and held the wooden toma 
 hawk and cigars. It is a lively scene and worth 
 going miles to see. 
 
 "Ta-ta-ta-ta-te-ta-te-ta-te-ta-ta-a-a!" goes the trumpet, 
 and away goes the whole command at a charge, 
 direct for the Indians. Our sabres are drawn and 
 slung to our wrists by the slip-knots, we hold our 
 revolvers in hand ready for instant use, as we put 
 the spurs to our horses and urge them ahead with 
 a yell that echoes from bluff to bluff and through the 
 ravines all around us. 
 
 Will they stand ! They outnumber us, and we 
 think that they mean to give us battle ! On we go, 
 horses doing their best, and still we urge them for 
 more speed ! 
 
 As we get within a mile of them the Indians sud 
 denly turn their ponies and scamper back toward 
 the Agency ! 
 
 They are afraid to tackle us on the open prairie. 
 That would give us too good a chance ! Neither do 
 they like the looks of those wagons that suddenly 
 stop and turn around ! Those wagons would have 
 soon unloaded a part of their load in their ranks, and 
 a cannon is just what they will not face ! 
 
 The " wagons, " as they are called by the Indians, 
 were two Rodman and Gatling guns ! 
 
 After a very lively chase of eight miles we arrived 
 at the Agency, and the Indians gether on the prairie 
 just below us in their village. A few rounds are fired 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 33 
 
 from one of the "wagons" to show the reds what they 
 can do, and as the balls whistle over their heads and 
 make the dirt fly a half-mile ahead of them and 
 their camp, they are completely cowed. 
 
 Had they charged us in a body there is no doubt 
 but what they would have won the battle, as they 
 were five to our one, and were all armed with rifles 
 and revolvers, most of them having new repeating 
 rifles, and they could handle them mounted better 
 than our troops, as they were used to fighting in 
 that manner 
 
 An interpreter was sent to parley with them, and 
 to give them plainly to understand that the United 
 States troops had been sent from Fort Rice and Fort 
 A. Lincoln, to get their guns and ponies. That they 
 must yield, and then they would be cared for. That 
 the Government wanted peace, not war. 
 
 After waiting for a long time, during which the 
 the reds held a pow-wow among themselves and were 
 much divided, finally a few squaws appeared bringing 
 some old rifles and carbines. Although we knew 
 the braves were well equipped with arms and am- 
 amunition, we could could not find where they had 
 hidden them. 
 
 We camped that night about half a mile from the 
 Indian village part way between their village and 
 the agency. There I first heard their barbaric songs 
 and music in a most disgusting setting. The reds 
 kept us awake nearly all night, with their unearthly 
 howlmgs and cha-ce-ga pounding a drum similar to 
 the rim of a cheese box, with a tightly stretched 
 tanned head, and as unmusical as such a contrive 
 must of necessity be. 
 
 Here for tr\e first time I saw a war dance, as they 
 are given in native war-councils and the reds were 
 
34 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 not at all abashed by the presence of group of Uncle 
 Sam s soldiers as on-lookers. 
 
 The braves were painted in the highest style of 
 Indian art. They numbered over two hundred. Some 
 wore bloomer-like costumes, made of light blue and 
 bright red calico. The Indian like the Negro, wants 
 bright colors, and they will have them too. Others 
 wore old army shirts and moccasins, the latter being 
 worn by"all. The greater number were dressed in 
 primitive costumes a breech-clout, moccasins and 
 beaver anklets, a necklace of bear claws, and a 
 girdle. All were decorated with wing and tail feath 
 ers plucked from large birds of flight, and tin whistles 
 
 were numerous. Many were nearly naked. 
 
 One brave, who was practically naked, had cover- 
 his person with an assortment of bright colored 
 pigments, and then, with his finger-nails had scratched 
 the colors off in odd streaks. Around his body was a 
 belt from which hung rabbit-tails, and from his rear 
 there hung a large bustle of eagle feathers. 
 
 The " orchestra " was composed of chosen braves, 
 who sat on the ground, sang war songs, songs of the 
 chase, and chanted boastingly, all the while pounding 
 in unison on their che-se-gas. 
 
 Not a squaw took part in the dance. The squaws 
 sat, or crouched, on the ground, around the dancers, 
 and occasionally, (while the orchestra-chorus gave 
 way), grunted out their approval as some warior told 
 of his victories when on the war path, and how he 
 had inflicted torture. 
 
 As a " curtain raiser," the braves marched into the 
 ring and blowing whistles continuously while they 
 jumped and shied about, twisting their bodies into 
 every conceivable position, keeping time to the beat 
 ing of the che-ce-gas. They lifted a foot and put 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 35 
 
 down with a thud, then repeat the step with the 
 other foot, and so on, all the time shouting " Hi-pa ! 
 Hi-ya! Ho-ya! He-pa!" mingled in between their 
 dronings, boastings, and the shrill tones of whistles. 
 
 In the very center of the ring, was a large iron 
 kettle, containing a cooked dog. As the dance deep 
 ened in fervor, a young brave with simulated shyness 
 as if expecting an attack by the dog, struck it with 
 tomahawk and hunting knife, cut off some meat, 
 dipped a hand into the stew, and giving a fierce war- 
 whoop he tossed the bit of meat into the fire. 
 
 As the young brave finished the ceremony, shouts 
 of approval were given by his associates while the 
 squaws grunted again and again. The ceremony 
 depicted the approach to, attack on, and killing of a 
 white soldier by an Indian. The act of dipping his 
 hand into the liquid, was to symbolize their belief 
 that a warrior having killed a foe, who wets his hand, 
 or hands, in the victim s blood, will be given the 
 power to destroy all other foes. 
 
 All the braves, two or three at a time, went through 
 the same ceremony. They were Agency fed Indians 
 preparing to take the war-path ! 
 
 Then the music and noise making ceased, and an 
 old chief addressed the braves in their own tongue, 
 urging united resistence to the whites. Other chiefs 
 made like appeals. 
 
 All said and done, it was a war-meeting. We 
 now knew what to expect ! 
 
 Indian men are far better looking than Indian 
 women. This is due to the practical enslavement of 
 the squaws, who have to do all the hard work cook 
 the food, care for game, dress hides, make clothing, 
 cut and carry wood, submit to gross indignities. The 
 braves are, with rare exceptions, hard taskmasters. 
 
36 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER EIGHT. 
 
 Death at the Fort Solemn Funeral Attempts at Escape 
 
 Officer With Grit Chronic Trouble Maker Gets 
 
 Bob-Tail Discharge Drummed Out of Camp. 
 
 ONLY one man died at Fort Rice during the 
 whole winter, W. Baker, of " D " Company. He died 
 with the diphtheria, and was buried with military 
 honors, which were conducted in the following manner- 
 
 The body was dressed in full uniform and placed 
 in a neat coffin, and resting in a ward at the hospital* 
 was viewed by all the men at the Post. After all 
 take final look upon the silent face that was but a 
 short time before wreathed in smiles, the Companies 
 were formed in line in front of the hospital, and 
 as the body was carried out, they presented arms, the 
 trumpets were played and the coffin was placed 
 on the two gun caissons which had been joined, 
 were trimmed with black, and draped with the 
 the garrison flag the flag that Baker had helped to 
 unfurl so many times. 
 
 Hitched to the caissons were six horses, each with 
 a large black plume on its head, and each led by a 
 dismounted trooper. Then came the horse that Baker 
 had ridden. It was saddled bridled, equipped as for 
 a march, and his boots were tied in the stirrups with 
 the heels to the front. This horse was led by two 
 troopers. 
 
 Then followed the four companies of the 7th Cav 
 alry" A," " A" " H," " M, " with carbines reversed 
 and on foot. The line led by eight trumpeters, 
 playing the funeral march, slowly crossed the parade, 
 pased the guard-house; where the guard stood with 
 arms at a present, then to the cemetery, a short 
 distance away. 
 
 Arrived at the cemetery the troops were formed 
 on three sides of the grave. The burial service was 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 37 
 
 then read by the Post Adjutant. Then the firing 
 party fired three rounds over the open grave. Then 
 Taps were sounded by one of the trumpeters, and we 
 marched back to the Fort, all much impressed by the 
 scene we had just witnessed. 
 
 There was a great deal of trouble with the pri 
 soners at the guard-house during the winter. 
 
 There are men in the regular army of the same 
 class as those that keep police courts busy. As often 
 as they get cash enough to get drunk on, such men 
 go on a spree. These nuisances should be fired, for 
 the good of the service. 
 
 Company "M" was afflicted with one of the worst 
 of the species. His name was Smith. He was a New 
 York City bum. He was in the guard-house the 
 most of the time. He would get drunk, pick quarrels 
 and fight on the least chance. He was the lowest of 
 type. He and a number of chronic bums from other 
 companies, caused guards a great deal of trouble. 
 
 When detailed for guard duty, (before I was pro 
 moted to the position of Trumpeter), again and 
 again I have received orders " Not to permit a prison 
 er to escape ; to shoot a prisoner making such an 
 attempt if he did not halt when ordered to !" I never 
 had trouble with a prisoner placed in my charge. 
 
 When new to the service, on an occasion when I 
 was detailed to guard and placed in charge of some 
 prisoners required to chop wood some distance from 
 camp, the Officer of the Day told me I must " shoot 
 any prisoner who attempted a get-away and failed to 
 halt when ordered to do so." For my own protection 
 I most respectfully asked the officer to deliver the 
 order to shoot to me in writing, and signed. " Then," 
 I added, " I will either bring all my prisoners in, or 
 will furnish jobs for the Surgeon and Undertaker." 
 
 The officer declined to do this. 
 
38 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 Evidently the drastic order or suggestion was not 
 meant to be taken literally. Those on guard duty 
 must keep within the bounds of reason. 
 
 The bums get bottles of liquor at the sutler s 
 store. The sutler is permitted to sell intoxicants. 
 
 But to return to Smith. 
 
 On an occasion when Smith and six others were 
 prisoners in the guard-house, every one of them in 
 shackles, they dug out and made a temporary get 
 away. Smith was the leader. These men wore the 
 shakles while digging a tunnel under a couple of the 
 logs that, standing on end, three feet in the earth, 
 formed the guard house walls. It was an old stockade. 
 
 The jail-break took place shortly before daybreak. 
 It was quickly discovered. The fugitives were soon 
 captured all but Smith. He was not found until near 
 night the next day, when Lieutenant Eckerson dis 
 covered Smith riding an army horse a couple of miles 
 from camp, and brought him back. 
 
 Smith afterwards told that he had hiden for 
 a whole day in the loft directly over the room 
 occupied by the guard at the guard-house ! How he 
 got there was never found out. Smith would not 
 tell. 
 
 Soon after this Smith was given a bobtail discharge 
 and escorted out of camp by a guard of soldiers. He 
 was told not to show himself here again. 
 
 A bobtail discharge is one with the character clause 
 torn off, and is considered the most disgraceful one a 
 soldier can receive. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 39 
 
 CHAPTER NINE. 
 
 Seventh Calvary Makes an Early Morning Dash Captures 
 
 a Large Herd of Indian War Ponies The Reds 
 
 Greatly Surprised Legend of Standing Rock. 
 
 EARLY the morning after the War Dance and 
 Pow-Wow at the Indian village, Boots and Saddles 
 was sounded, and in a few minutes our cavalrymen 
 were speeding across the prairie in the direction of 
 the ponies the Indians had refused to surrender on 
 demand. These animals were grazing about a mile 
 from the Indian village. The red warriors swarmed 
 from their tepees and started in the direction of their 
 ponies. Our Rodman was wheeled into position and 
 a couple of shells, the fuses cut short, exploded but 
 a short distance ahead of the reds. Most of the pack 
 whirled about and speeded for their tepees, others 
 stood iresolute and bewildered. The Catling guns 
 sang rapidly for a few seconds, and how those 
 reds, so boastful at their war dance the night before, 
 did "beat it!" 
 
 The pony herd was completely surrounded by the 
 Cavalry. After a brief confab between our Com 
 mander and a number of Chiefs, the captured ponies 
 were driven directly to our camp, and a mounted 
 guard placed in charge of them. 
 
 Then these reds were at our mercy. They are, 
 as a general thing, not good fighters on foot. 
 
 We hunted for more ponies and arms, but without 
 result. No doubt some of their best war ponies had 
 been driven away during the night. We found one 
 fine war pony tied down on the ground, hidden in a 
 clump of sage brush, within a mile of the Agency. 
 
 If these so-called warriors possessed the courage 
 to fight us, we would have had our hands full, but 
 they were afraid of the " big heap guns." There is 
 
40 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 no doubt but the Rodman and Catling guns kept us 
 out of a terrible fight, and probably prevented defeat 
 with all its occompanying horrors. 
 
 There is an Indian legend about the origin of 
 Standing Rock. It runs about as follows : 
 
 " Long ago there was young squaw, the beauty of 
 the tribe and loved by all, who married a young chief 
 who was powerful as a warrior. In a battle with 
 another tribe this chief was killed. As soon as his 
 squaw learned of his death, she took their infant and 
 went out on the prairie, where she stood and mourned 
 the loss of her brave until she turned to stone !" 
 
 The story is believed by the Indians. There is the 
 Standing Rock to prove it. The rock, as it stands, 
 suggests the form of a squaw with a papoose slung 
 on her back. 
 
 Indians passing that way and many that made 
 made pilgrimages for the purpose placed choice bits 
 of meat, also medicine bags, at the foot of Standing 
 Rock. They say that the spirits of the chief and his 
 squaw come and get the offerings and take them to 
 Happy Huntings, where they dwell in joy supreme, 
 a place no pale face can enter. 
 
 : There are a good many Indians here, Colonel," 
 one of the officers remarked to Colonel Sturges. 
 
 " The good Indians are up there on those poles," 
 was the Colonel s reply, as the pointed towards a 
 ridge, not far away, where the reds placed the bodies 
 of their dead. 
 
 The body is rolled tightly in a blanket or a buffalo 
 skin, (together with his hunting and fighting equip 
 ment if a brave), with pipe, tobacco, and medicine 
 bags to keep evil spirits away. After the body has 
 
FIGHTING INDIA NS 41 
 
 been prepared in this way it is placed on a scaffold of 
 poles, elevated eight or ten feet above ground. 
 
 Should the dead be a warrior, his favorite pony is 
 tied to one of the supporting poles, and left there to 
 starve to death. This proceedure is to provide the 
 dead with a mount on which to ride in the hereafter. 
 
 The Colonel s only son was killed in the Custer 
 Massacre, and undoubtedly he meant what he said. 
 ***** 
 
 After spending a few days at Standing Rock 
 Agency, our command took the back trail for Fort 
 Rice and Fort A. Lincoln, where the men were to go 
 into Winter quarters. We had about two thousand 
 ponies taken from the Indians at the Agency, and a 
 wagon load of old guns, sabres and revolvers, among 
 the latter some of the old-time flint-lock variety. 
 
 Our trip thus far had been but a mild kind of an 
 outing, and nothing happened on our return to break 
 the dull monotony of the march. 
 
 We passed a great many Indians on the way to 
 Agency, and they gave us a wide berth. They were 
 anxious to reach the Agency, there to pass the Win 
 ter, living and recruiting at the expense of the 
 Government to go on the war-path in the Spring. 
 
 We passed a farm where two years ago a settler 
 had been raided by a war-party of Sioux. The settler, 
 his wife and son were killed and scalped, the daugh 
 ter was spared. The farm stock and all property the 
 savages could use was stolen, the rest was burned. 
 
 The girl, only eleven years of age, was taken to 
 their village, where she was compelled to marry a 
 young warrior and do his work the same as an old 
 squaw would. This was told by an Indian who was 
 one of the party. He also said that the girl went 
 crazy, recently, and with her infant in her arms 
 and plunged into the Missouri river, mother and 
 child being drowned. 
 
42 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 The place where the settler, wife and son were 
 murdered, was now the site of a substantial log cabin, 
 surrounded by grain fields, while in front of the open 
 door three little settlers watched the soldiers ride past. 
 
 I was told how a white man, captured by Indian 
 warriors, was turned over to their squaws to be 
 tortured. His clothing was all stripped from his body 
 by the squaws, who then threw him on the ground 
 and tied his out-seretched arms and legs to firmly 
 driven stakes. Then they stuck numerous pitch-pine 
 splinters into his body, and set the protruding ends 
 on fire, and then the squaws danced about the 
 victim of their cruelty. When he would scream in 
 agony they would spit on him and call him a coward. 
 This torture was continued for several hours, and 
 reached its climax when one of the squaws cut a piece 
 of flesh from the man s thigh and thrust it into his 
 mouth and he became a raving maniac. 
 
 Finally, tiring of the sport, they left him, jet alive 
 and tied to the stakes, on the open prairie. There 
 the body, or what was left of it after supplying food 
 for prowling animals, was found a few days later and 
 buried by a party of miners. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 43 
 
 CHAPTER TEN. 
 
 In Winter Quarters Post Duties The Day s Round of 
 Trumpet Calls Camp Amusements Trip to Stand 
 ing Rock Guest of a Zealous Missionaries. 
 
 WE ARRIVED at Fort Rice about the first of Decem 
 ber, and then had to work pretty hard, getting the 
 forage and hay to the stables, as the corn had been 
 left on the bank of the river during the summer by 
 the steamers. Stables had to be repaired, and wood 
 cut and drawn to the post for the cold weather that 
 was sure to reach that portion of the country at an 
 eary date. 
 
 The arms captured from the Indians at Standing 
 Rock Agency were turned over to the Ordinance 
 Officer, and the ponies were, on their arrival at Fort 
 A. Lincoln, placed in change of herders and started 
 for St. Paul, where they were to be sold for the bene 
 fit of the Government. 
 
 I learne d that only about 700 ponies reached St. 
 Paul, the rest having " got lost." Uncle Sam is easy ! 
 
 We passed the winter at Fort Rice, going through 
 the following routine day after day : 
 
 At the first streak of daylight in the morning 
 First Gall for Reveille would be sounded by the Trum 
 peter of the Guard, and ten minutes later Assembly. 
 Then all would fall in for the company parades, and 
 stand at parade rest while Assembly was sounded by 
 all the trumpeters. 
 
 At 6:30 Mess Call would announce that the scorch 
 ed hash, or slftmgullion, as we called it, was ready, 
 when the men would repair to the mess room. We 
 had potatoes, soft bread, bacon, bean soup, baked 
 beans, and beef stews for changes, and, taken as a 
 whole, we lived pretty well, especially before our old 
 First Sergeant, John Ryan, was discharged by reason 
 
44 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 of his term of enlistment expiring. He was the best 
 non-com in the 7th. That is what his men thought. 
 He was always ready to see that the men got all they 
 were entitled to, whether there was a big company 
 fund or not. 
 
 At 7:30, Sick Gall would assemble those who were 
 either sick, or wished to get rid of some duty, to the 
 Dispensary, where the Surgeon would examine them 
 and prescribe for them. Those who were able to be 
 around were marked for " Quarters " which meant 
 that they were free from all duty and must stay in 
 there quarters, and those who were very sick, were 
 assigned to a cot in the Hospital. 
 
 It frequently happened that some of the patients 
 would have a "big head," or be too lazy to breathe 
 freely, when they would go on the sick report, and 
 try to pay off on the Doctor to get rid of duty, but it 
 would not take him very long to tumble to their 
 racket, and how his eyes would twinkle ! Then what 
 a dose they would get ! Castor Oil, Jalop; anything to 
 keep them moving would be administered in a good 
 big dose ! Doctor Taylor would see that it was taken, 
 too ! After the dose was down the mark was for 
 extra duty, which meant that the man was to be given 
 an extra amount of the work he was trying to avoid. 
 
 At 8th o clock Fatigue Call would be sounded, and 
 the men that had been detailed the evening before 
 would start out for the work that was to be done that 
 day. The Guards go to the guard-house, the Saddler 
 would go to his little log hut and work at repairing 
 halters and saddles, the sawmill men would go to the 
 Government mill and saw lumber to be used in the 
 different buildings, the Quartermaster s men would 
 report at the store-houses, the Stable Police to the 
 stables, Kitchen Police to the kitchens and mess room. 
 There was always plenty to do, but none of it hard 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 45 
 
 enough to hurt a man. No soldier ever over works. 
 
 At 9 o cock there would be First Call for Guard 
 Mounting, then Assembly of Guard Details, and 
 Trumpeters, when the Trumpeters from the different 
 companies would gather on the parade and play a 
 march while the guard details marched out and were 
 received and placed in proper position on the parade 
 by the Sergeant Major, when they would be reported 
 to the Adjutant as ready for inspection. The Trump 
 eters would then play a waltz while the guard was 
 being inspected. 
 
 The new guard would then march in review, or to 
 the Guard House, where they would relieve the old 
 guard and take charge of the prisoners and all pro 
 perty that was to be guarded. The man chosen by 
 the Adjutant as the cleanest and with the best look, 
 ing equipment, would report to the Commanding 
 Officer as his Orderly, a position all tried to get, as 
 an Orderly did not have to stand guard nor do much 
 of anything but buzz the hired girl in the kitchen, 
 and eat up all the cold victuals he could find. This 
 was called " dog robbing," a very suitable name ! 
 
 After guard mounting, Water and Stable Calls 
 would summons every man not on other duty, to the 
 stables. Each man wore a white frock and overalls, 
 and they were a prim-looking Jot as they marched to 
 to the stables. The horses would be led to the river 
 for water, then returned to the stables and groomed 
 for a whole hour under the immediate direction of 
 the First Sergeant, and weo to the man who did not 
 give his horse strict attention and a thorough going 
 over with currycomb and brush. The shirker would 
 have an hour or more added to his work, and there 
 he had to stay when the rest went to their quarters 
 and had nothing to do for almost a whole hour. 
 
 Recall would be sounded at 12 o clock, and all 
 
46 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 work would be dropped and preparations made for 
 dinner. 
 
 First Sergeant s Call would follow, and the First 
 Sergeants would go to the Adjutant s Office and get 
 their morning reports. 
 
 Twelve-Thirty Mess Call would announce that 
 dinner was ready, and the men, also, were pretty 
 sure to be ready. 
 
 One o clock would again be the time for Fatigue 
 Call, when the different details would proceed to kill 
 time, as they had been doing all the forenoon. 
 
 If the weather was fine, Drill Call would be sound 
 ed at 2:30, and then the men would put on their belts 
 and sabres, and their longest faces, and fall in. Some 
 times it would be dismounted drill, and at other times 
 mounted, and then for a change me would have target 
 practice, and once a great while best of all no drill 
 or target practice. 
 
 At 4:00 o clock Recall would announce that the 
 time had come to cease work and drill. Then the 
 privates would don their white suits and be ready for 
 Water and Stable Call, which was sounded at 4:30, 
 when the " Government ghosts " would again march 
 to the stables and water and groom the horses. 
 
 At sunset, First Gall, then Assembly, would be 
 sounded, when the men would assemble on the Com 
 pany parades and answer to their names as they were 
 called by the First Sergeants, after which Retreat 
 would be sounded by all the trumpeters, and the 
 evening gun would be fired at the last note. 
 
 The men would now have nothing to do until 8:30, 
 when First Call for Tattoo and then Assembly, would 
 again call them to the parades, when the trumpeters 
 would play Tattoo; then, the roll being called, 
 they would be reported to the Adjutant, and the day 
 would close with Taps, sounded by the Trumpeter of 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 47 
 
 the Guard at exactly 9 o clock, when all lights in the 
 men s quarters must be extinguished. 
 
 All would then be still except the click of billiard 
 balls in the Officers Club room at the Sutler s. 
 
 Each hour the guards would call out something 
 like this : " Post Number 2, ten o clock and all s 
 well !" 
 
 This kind of soldiering gets very monotonous 
 after a while, and then the boys get permissioon to 
 have a stag-dance, when we have fun all by ourselves 
 and no officers to bother us. We dance all the popu 
 lar dances and take turns being the opposite sex. 
 
 We would also practice with foils, boxing gloves, 
 and on horizontal bars, and even handle little, wicked 
 pasteboard cards. 
 
 Every way and everything that could be thought 
 of would be brought into use to help pass away the 
 time, as vou may rest assured that thirty-five miles 
 from a post office, and mail only once a week, was a 
 very lonely location. 
 
 While the days were slowly dragging along in this 
 manner, we had a visit from the Paymaster, and we 
 were right glad to see him, too. After paying the 
 troops here, he was going to Standing Rock, and pay 
 troops at that place. 
 
 I asked the Captain for permission to accompany 
 the Paymaster and his escort to Standing Rock. I was 
 given a pass for three days with permission to use 
 my horse if I wanted to. So I joined the escort that 
 went with the Paymaster down to the Agency. 
 
 We left Fort Rice early in the morning, with the 
 temperature 13 degrees below zero. 
 
 My horse was all horse that day. He had got but 
 little exercise since we went into Winter quarters. 
 He would not walk. Often he had all his feet in the 
 air at once. My mount had a good time ! 
 
48 SEVENTH CAV ALRY 
 
 We crossed the Missouri river on the ice, and 
 then kept along with the ambulance, that carried 
 the paymaster and his clerk. Our ride was a long and 
 cold one, but there were no exciting incidents in it, 
 We did not arriye at the Agency until about dark on 
 the same day, having marched over forty-five miles. 
 
 We put our horses out in the shed, and then start 
 ed for the Catholic Indian Mission which is but a short 
 distance from the Agency, and were very cordially 
 received by Fathers Martin and Chrisostum, and 
 were soon seated at a table that was just loaded with 
 good things. We had a regular feast. 
 
 After supper we walked down to the Infantry 
 quarters and spent a very pleasant evening with the 
 men. It was here that I learned much of the way 
 that the Indian Agents rob the Indians and cause 
 most of the Indians wars. 
 
 After Tattoo we returned to the Mission for the 
 night, and slept in a clean warm bed that night, for 
 the first time in nearly a year ! 
 
 In the morning we attended the services in the 
 Chapel, and then visited around all day. I spent a 
 good portion of th time at the Indian village that I 
 helped take the ponies from in the Fall. The Indians 
 were all very friendly. 
 
 I returned to the Mission again that night. There 
 an Indian couple got married that night. They were 
 as tickled as a boy with a new gun. The man was 
 about forty and the squaw nearly as old, and they 
 had three children to start housekeeping on. 
 
 We started on our return trip in the morning, glad 
 that we had taken the " vacation," but sore and lame. 
 My horse was as lively as when he left the stable 
 at Fort Rice. : There is no place like home," we 
 thought when we arrived in sight of the garrison 
 and were mighty glad to take our place beside the 
 warm fire at Fort Rice. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 49 
 
 CHAPTER ELEVEN. 
 
 Indians at Home Garments of Adults of Both Sexes 
 
 Much Alike Untidy and Preyed Upon by Vermin 
 
 Little Lads Skilful With Bow and Arrow. 
 
 DID YOU ever see Indians in their own homes ? I 
 will try and give you a description of them as they 
 appeared to me, and I have no doubt but that it will 
 be news to many who have been in the habit of read- 
 Ing the firey, untamed stories that are enclosed in 
 yellow covers. 
 
 Come with me to the prairie back of the post 
 sutler s at Fort Rice, where there are represented 
 three different branch tribes of Indians Crow, Reeve 
 and Sioux. They live in there own wild style, and 
 visits to their villages and camps, and on all their 
 special ceremonies, recalls to my mind the great 
 curiosity they were to rne; and with a desire to learn 
 of them, and from them, I paid particular attention 
 to all that happened. 
 
 In the first place, as you near the village, you 
 observe what to you looks like a woman, with a long 
 blanket thrown over her head, standing in front 
 of one of the tepees. Holding your nose for the 
 stench is terrible; worse than that of a soap factory or 
 tannery aroma. You approach as near as you think 
 is safe, when all at once the supposed woman turns 
 towards you, and you see that it is a man. 
 
 The dress of the sexes is very similar. With their 
 blankets on it is almost impossible to tell them apart 
 until they speak ! You approach nearer, are greeted 
 with a gutteral " how-how " and respond " how. " This 
 is the common practice of Simon-pure savages of 
 the Far West. Look at his dress if it can be called 
 dress or anything else see what is it made of, and 
 how it is made ? Well, it is made of three pieces of 
 blanket, one piece for each leg, and the third and 
 
50 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 larger piece is shirt, vest and coat. The legs are 
 made by sewing the pieces together up one side, and 
 a strip of the same material comes up on the outside 
 and fastens into the belt, which holds it up. The 
 other leg is made in the same manner. Take a pair 
 of old pants, cut the front and back out of them, and 
 you have an extra good pair of Indian pants. 
 
 The great and only redeeming feature of this kind 
 of pants is that they cannot be put on back side in 
 front, as there is neither back or front in them ! A 
 necktie of rabbit-tails or beaver fur is worn around 
 the wrists don t know why, and I do not think that 
 the Indian does, either, as I never found a red that 
 could, or who would tell. His hair is long with bits 
 of fur tied onto the end of each one of the braids, 
 at each side of the head, and a bunch of eagle feath 
 ers stuck in the scalp-lock, a small bunch of hair 
 braided together on the top of the head. His feet are 
 covered with moccasins, made from the hide of the 
 deer or buffalo, and trimmed with many different 
 colored beads. A large knife stuck in a rudely con- 
 stucted sheath, is at his belt, always ready for 
 instant use. 
 
 The squaws dress in much the same manner, with 
 the one exception that they sometimes have a short 
 skirt made of some fancy-colored calico. They are all 
 dirty, lousy, and lazy. I have sat and watched Indians 
 hunt vermin on their bodies, much after the same 
 manner that monkeys do in their cages at the 
 circus. See her thrust her hand in under her blanket ! 
 Do not be afraid. She is not after her knife they all 
 carry them, too she is after the gay and happy louse. 
 
 In this same manner I have seen white ladies in 
 Louisiana go after the gay and festive flea ! 
 
 Indians and a lice are always the closest of 
 neighbors, and have much in common 
 
 This is all there is of an Indian, unless it is the 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 51 
 
 smell, and you would not be allowed to carry that 
 around with you, eyen in an assafetida factory. 
 
 That stringy-looking stuff hanging on those long 
 poles is meat that is being jerked. Help yourself to 
 some and see how it tastes. Those long strings there 
 are not carpet-rags, they are the inwards of a beef 
 and will be roasted and eaten for dinner ; can t you 
 tay and take dinner with them ? Take some of this, 
 it is the very choicest delicacy that they have, and 
 cannot be bought it is dog meat, and very highly 
 prized by them. 
 
 I have watched the little Indian boys, as with their 
 bows and arrows, they hunted the blackbirds that 
 hung around the post, and they kill a great many of 
 them. See that little fellow there, not over three 
 foot high and about six years old. See how he creeps 
 along on tip-toe towards the birds. How his eyes 
 sparkle, like a cat s that is watching a mouse; he does 
 not make the least bit of noise as he gets nearer and 
 nearer to his game. Now he stops and raises his bow 
 slowly before his face, and with hardly a pause the 
 arrow is let loose, and he gives a grunt of satisfac 
 tion as one of the birds turns over on its back. No 
 wonder reds are the best of hunters as that is all 
 
 they do. 
 
 ***** 
 
 One morning just after guard mount, a long, lank, 
 consumptive-looking soldier entered the dispensary, 
 holding on to his lower jaw, just as though he was 
 afraid that it would get away from him, and groan 
 ing all the time. No use to ask what is the matter, 
 it is evident that he is a victim of intense tooth 
 ache. He not only has the tooth ache, but has arrived 
 at that stage of the game when a man decides to 
 have the blasted thing pulled, if it takes the whole top 
 of his head off. 
 
 " Steward," he calls out, " Give me some chloro 
 form. I have a tooth to come out, and can t stand the 
 
52 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 operation without taking something." While the 
 Steward was getting ready to do the job, Jim gazed 
 out of the window groaning and wishing he was dead. 
 
 As he sat there he saw one of the company 
 laundresses and the wife of an officer approach and 
 pass each other, coming from opposite sides of the 
 parade. Both ladies were togged in their finest fix 
 ings, were equally proud and dignified, and they 
 passed each other with eyes front and nose up, as if 
 each thought she owned the whole reservation, with 
 the troops thrown in. 
 
 It was evident that both ladies just ached to look 
 back and see what the other had on. The Laundress 
 controlled her curiosity. Not so the other lady. She 
 looked back, continuing her grand march as she did 
 so, and disastrous was the result. She encountered 
 a plebian wheelbarrow, which had no respect of class 
 or caste. The wheelborrow reared up and knocked 
 her hat off, and the lady sat down on the parade 
 with the wheel end of the wheelbarrow on her lap. 
 Then there was a mix-up, with striped hose much in 
 evidence, until the lady got the barrow to lie quiet 
 for a moment, when she sprang to her feet, recap 
 tured her hat, and headed for her quarters. 
 
 Jim saw all this, and as the lady rose to her feet 
 and gave the vicious wheelbarrow a parting kick, 
 he let laughter have full sway. The tooth-ache had 
 disappeared. 
 
 " Steward, never mind the go-to-sleep. Haw, haw, 
 haw ! Get your forcips and yank that tooth right out 
 quick. Hee-he, haw-haw ! I m tickled to death and 
 the tooth is asleep. He-haw ; ha-ha-haw-he-haw ! Out 
 with her before she wakes up." 
 
 The Steward obeyed the order and the tooth was 
 out before Jim got over being " tickled." 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 53 
 
 CHAPTER TWELVE. 
 
 Missouri River Over Its Banks Camp s Wood Choppers 
 
 In Peril Midnight Search for Missing Men The 
 
 Writer Promoted to the Position of Trumpeter. 
 
 ALL THE FUEL we had during the Winter was 
 cotton wood. When green, cotton wood will not burn 
 even fairly well. Men are detailed to go up the river 
 for about six miles and chop dead cottonwood trees. 
 The wood is hauled in on army wagons. Chopping 
 wood under such circumstances was not a desirable 
 job, but it had to be done. 
 
 The company detail for this duty consisted of a 
 Sergeant and three choppers. They took guns, am 
 munition, and plenty of grub, and would camp out 
 for a week at a time. 
 
 While our company detail was up there, there 
 came a few days of thawing weather. The river rose 
 rapidly, the ice went out, and soon the Missouri was 
 over its banks, and the bottom lands under water. 
 
 Men were sent to see if the wood-choppers were 
 safe, but could not get within a mile of the camp, and 
 came back with a report that the camp was flooded, 
 and not a chopper could be seen or heard, as the 
 river covered the whole bottom, thereabouts, from 
 bluff to bluff. 
 
 Here was a nice pickle. Something must be done. 
 The river continued to rise. Captain French and 
 Lieutenant Gersham, came to the company quarters 
 and asked for volunteers to go the relief of the men 
 at the wood camp. There were plenty of the men 
 willing to go, as the Sergeant, Paddy Ryan, was 
 popular with the boys ; and, favorite or not, our men 
 were not the kind to refuse to do all they could to 
 help any one in distress. 
 
 I had been promoted to be one of the Company 
 trumpeters, a few days before, and was proud of my 
 
54 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 " Stripes and Bugle." I asked permission to go with 
 the rescue party, and being accepted, I suggest that I 
 take my bugle along, as I could make the missing 
 men hear its call, and thus let the men know that 
 help was near, even if we could not reach them. 
 
 We started from the Fort about 12 o clock at 
 night, aboard a covered wagon drawn by four horses. 
 It was bitter cold and getting colder. A few miles out 
 our horses were traveling in water up to their bodies, 
 but we keep on until we reach a sice stream that 
 was so rapid and deep that we were compelled to 
 halt. 
 
 Here we halloed, fired guns and revolvers, and 
 I sounded my trumpet again and again with all the 
 power at the disposel of 165 pounds avoirdupois. We 
 were within a mile of the wood choppers. We sought 
 higher land, and, building a rousing fire near the 
 edge of the water, waited for daylight. 
 
 As soon as it was light enough to get our bearings 
 we made another attempt to reach the wood choppers, 
 but deep water and the ice that had formed in still 
 places during the night made impossible nearer 
 approach to our objective. 
 
 The crest of the flood passed towards noon, and 
 soon the water began to go down. Then Comrade 
 Atkins and myself, waded on about half-a-mile and 
 came to a wide and deep gully, where the water was 
 swift, and which we could not cross. Here we fired 
 a few shots and I blowed calls on my trumpet, then 
 we returned to our army wagon, and after warming 
 up at the open fire, our detail rode back to the Fort. 
 
 We had heard nothing from the wood camp and 
 did not know whether the men were dead or alive. 
 
 The water continued to fall during the night and 
 the next morning Lieutenant Eckerson, of Company 
 B, mounting a mule, rode to the cottonwoods, 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 55 
 
 where he found the men all alive. Sergeant Ryan 
 and one of the men were in a tree, the others on the 
 roof of the log cabin. Thus, exposed to the elements, 
 these soldiers had spent a day and a night. 
 
 All the men were victims of the low temperature. 
 They were taken to the Hospital as soon as they 
 were brought to the Fort. The feet of one of the 
 men were so badly frozen that it was necessary to 
 remove all his toes. They were on the sick list for a 
 long time, but eventually were marked " duty," and 
 returned to their companies, ready for anything. 
 
 When Lieutenant Eckerson rode into the wood 
 camp on the mule, Sergeant Ryan, partly delirous, 
 began to make a verbal report of the items of Gov 
 ernment property in his charge. The Lieutenant 
 stopped him, saying: 
 
 " Damn the Government property ! It is you men 
 that I want to get out of this place." 
 
 Sergeant Ryan afterwards told me, while we were 
 celebrating his return to duty, that in the cotton- 
 wood tree, he heard my trumpet, and it was the 
 sweetest music that ever reached his ears. 
 
 Of course this was not Fighting Indians, but I 
 have learned that the duty of a soldier, out this way, 
 consists more of downright work than anything 
 else. 
 
 I had a better time after I became a trumpeter. 
 
 I now take my turn as the Trumpeter of the 
 Guard, and blow garrison calls, and I do not have to 
 share in police duty or standing guard. 
 
 A trumpeter is the Captain s hitching post, and 
 does not get a great deal of time in which to gather 
 moss. He is liable at any time, and especially when 
 in the field, to be called to carry dispatches and 
 orders, not always a pleasant task, especially in a 
 section where scalp-hunting hos tiles are numerous. 
 
56 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 
 
 Desertions Numerous Reasons for Desertions Snobbery 
 
 of Officers Resented Bad Solders and Bad Officers 
 
 Birds of a Feather Comradeship With Custer. 
 
 TOWARDS SPRING the men began to desert, and 
 check roll-calls were ordered. These calls were made 
 as follows : Sometime during the night, the Captain 
 or a Lieutenant would come to the Company quarters 
 and with the First Sergeant, would go from bunk to 
 bunk, (waking up those asleep), and require each 
 man to give his name, which would be checked of as 
 "present." 
 
 The object of this, was to prevent a man in case 
 he deserted getting much of a start if he succeeded 
 in getting away from the post. As soon as a man 
 was missed, details were started in various directions 
 and here was where the Indian scouts did their best 
 work. They would get on the track of a deserter 
 and follow him wherever he went, and as there is a 
 pretty good reward for bringing in a deserter, they 
 were very anxious to find him. 
 
 If a man did not answer when his name was called 
 and the Sergeant did not know where he was, he 
 would be marked absent without leave, and unless he 
 could give a good account of himself at the next roll- 
 call to the guard-house he must go. 
 
 Our company did not lose a man all that Winter, 
 but other companies lost from one to ten men, and I 
 never heard of a deserter being returned after he 
 had a ten or twelve hours start. 
 
 ***** 
 
 There has been a great deal said and written 
 about desertions from the army while on frontier 
 service, the causes, and best remedies. 
 
 I believe the principal cause of desertions is the 
 manner in which many of the harsh officers treat 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 57 
 
 enlisted men ; is due to the lack of true manhood 
 rather than lack of knowledge. This applies to men 
 put through the military " cracker machine " on the 
 Hudson at West Point. Too many of the lads sent 
 there, are spoiled and ever after disdain life s common 
 duties, be it in the army or elsewhere. Bad officers 
 are sure to spoil good soldiers. 
 
 As a rule an army officer does not mix with or 
 recognize the fact that elnisted men have any rights 
 or attributes to be respected. There is, socially, 
 an impassable gulf between enlisted men and their 
 officers I qualify this broad statement by adding, 
 " with rare exceptions." General George A. Custer 
 was one of the rare exceptions. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln, was one of the common people. 
 He never forgot the enduring rock of ages from 
 which he was hewn. 
 
 Those who founded this nation, founded it on the 
 fundamental principle, set forth in the Declaration of 
 Independence, " that all men are created equal, 
 that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 
 unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, 
 Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." 
 
 The aloofness of officers and harsh treatment of 
 thair man, cause a great deal of discontent, and hurts 
 the service. 
 
 I know of commissioned officers whose evil ways 
 are notorious. No decent man would care for their 
 comradeship. But there as good men in the ranks of 
 the army as there among the officers, or in any other 
 station in life. 
 
 In my company we have one printer, one tele 
 graph operator, a doctor, two lawyers, three profes 
 sors of languages, one harness maker, four cooks 
 and bakers, two blacksmiths, one jeweler, three 
 school teachers, also farmers, lumbermen, peddlers, 
 railroad men and day laborers. 
 
58 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 
 
 Spring Breaks at Last Seventh Cavalry Begins Active 
 
 Campaign Start from Fort Rice Cavalryman s 
 
 Outfit So me Horses Are Peculiar Farewells. 
 
 SPRING broke at last, when we hailed with delight 
 the order that came for the four companies of the 7th 
 Cavalry, then at Fort Rice, Dakota Territory, to 
 prepare for active field service and proceed at once to 
 Fort A. Lincoln, there to join the remainder of the 
 regiment, and to report to General S. D. Sturges. 
 
 Those who have never been in the army, or who 
 have never seen a regiment pack up and be in the 
 saddle on fifteen minutes notice, know nothing of the 
 excitement, and you might say flutter, we were in, as 
 that order was read out to us at dress parade, at 
 Retreat, on the evening of April 16th, 1877. 
 
 All had rather endure the hardships of an active 
 compaign, and take the chances of being killed by an 
 Indian, than remain in quarters and be abused 
 by stiff-necked officers during the Summer. 
 
 I will now give you a brief description of what had 
 to be done in two days, for we were to start 
 in that time. There were four companies of the 
 Seventh at Fort Rice, A, D, H and M, each one 
 hundred strong, and that meant that four hundred 
 horses must be shod in that time, a night and day job 
 work night and day by all that could work at that 
 trade. All the saddles, bridles and halters had to 
 be looked over, and repaired where necessary, which 
 was quite a job for the company saddlers and their 
 help. 
 
 Saddlebags, canteens, haversacks, lariats, hobbles, 
 tin cup , picket pins, revolvers, ammunition, nosebags 
 for horses, and all the other necessary accessories 
 that go to make up a Cavalryman s outfit, had to be 
 
FIGHTING INDIA NS 59 
 
 got out of the storehouses and issued. Oh, no, there 
 was not much to be done. 
 
 Each man has a box, or chest, that he keeps his 
 personal property and kit in, and all these must be 
 packed and placed in*the company storehouse. We 
 were not to take anything but a change of clothing, 
 all to be carried on the saddle, and a good soldier 
 will make his load as light as possible for his horse. 
 
 Each man bought a soft wide-rimmed felt cam 
 paign hat from the sutler, and we had to pay a good 
 big price for the out-of-date things, too. 
 
 We were all packed and ready to move by the 
 morning of the 18th of April, and after bidding good 
 bye to those who were to remain at the post 
 during our absence, we mounted, and with all the 
 trumpeters at the head of the column playing the 
 tune of " The Girl I left Behind Me; we marched 
 through the parade and out of the post, and were at 
 last in the field. We marched about one-fourth of 
 a mile, and went into came for the night. 
 
 The trumpets used in the Cavalry have no valves. 
 but are nevertheless full of music, and a good player 
 will make himself heard a long distance. We 
 had trumpets of different keys, which we used 
 in the Fort. With these, and each man tooting when 
 his turn came, we made pretty fair music. 
 
 As we passed out of the north gate of the garrison 
 H Company, of the Seventeenth Infantry, passed in 
 at the east gate. They were to guard the post during 
 our absence, and protect the wives and children of 
 absent officers, always provided with luxuries. " How 
 we hate to leave the Gigger," was a remark made on 
 all sides by the boys. The Gigger was as black a 
 wench as ever supplied a soldier with scraps of pie 
 and cake from a Captain s pantry. She was a 
 terror ! 
 
60 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 There were but a few women attached to our 
 command two laundresses to each company and 
 they were ladies in every sense of the word, and 
 were respected by the common herd more then were 
 the wives of the officers. Officers wives in the army 
 seem to act just as though they had a right to give 
 orders to the privates, but they are the only ones that 
 the rules do not recognize and provide for. When a 
 command is on the move, there is transportation 
 furnished for the laundresses, but their places at 
 that time are nearly always usurped by painted 
 dolls. Surgeon Taylor s wife was considered the only 
 lady " across the parade." The writer of this will 
 always remember her, with his best wishes for the 
 prosperity of both herself and little stranger. 
 
 As an illustration of the uncertainty of coming 
 back, I will here relate an incident that happened 
 the morning we left the post: The companies were 
 standing in line, ready to mount, only waiting for the 
 " Bulldozer," Lieutenant-Colonel Elmer Otis, to bid 
 good-bye to his family for about the dozenth time, 
 
 when First Sergeant M , of D Company, asked 
 
 permission to go to his quarters and bid his wife and 
 children a last good-bye. His request was granted, he 
 mounted his horse and galloped to the quarters, and 
 was there met by his wife and children. They were 
 all in tears. 
 
 He quickly dismounts and folding his wife in his 
 arms, said : " Mary, I have some kind of presentment 
 which tells me that I shall not return with the boys 
 when they come back in the Fall. I will go where 
 duty calls me and may God take care of you and the 
 little ones. If I fall do not forget me ! Good-bye, 
 little wife." 
 
 He kisses them all, and then mounting his horse, 
 is soon in his position at the head of his company, 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 61 
 
 and as the command moves off is seen to brush his 
 sleeve across his eyes more then once. 
 
 His presentment, or whatever it was, came true 
 He was shot through the lungs at the battle of Snake 
 Creek, on the morning of Chiet Joseph s surrender to 
 General Miles. 
 
 As a general thing the officers of a regiment are 
 very cranky after they leave good quarters, for field 
 duty, and this occasion did not prove an exception. 
 
 Jimminey whiz; how certain officers made the man 
 hunt tactict ! 
 
 It was impossible to please them. It was first one 
 thing and then another. 
 
 Captain French s horse " Big-head " gave him a 
 great deal of trouble, and as a matter of course riled 
 him. Oh, what a horse that was. He would go along 
 all right for a while, and then the first thing you 
 knew he would take it into his head to walk on 
 the other side of the company; and, not being parti 
 cular where he went, or how he got there, he would 
 take a side carom on the company, and through he 
 would go knocking the men out of the line, in spite 
 of all that the Captain could do to try and stop him . 
 I have seen the other officers laugh at the antics of 
 that sorrel. The Captain said that it was the only 
 horse he ever mounted that he could not handle, but 
 that he had to give up beat on that one. 
 
 " Old Sugar," a large bay stallion was bad enough, 
 but " Hog " was rightly named, as he was worse then 
 any hog I ever saw for contrariness; you can drive a 
 hog, but you could neither drive, ride or back that 
 horse where he did not want to go. 
 
62 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN. ^ 
 
 First Night Out We Fight an Intensely Hot Prairie Fire 
 
 Set by Hostile Indians Cavalry Horses Rush Into 
 
 Camp for Protection Again at Fort A. Lincoln. 
 
 THE FIRST DAY out from Fort Rice We marched 
 only 18 miles, and then went into camp at about 5 
 o clock at Dry Springs ravine. This place gets its 
 name from the many little springs there, but which 
 hardly ever contain enough water to fill a canteen. 
 We happened to strike them at the right time, and 
 found plenty of good water. 
 
 We pitched our tents, fed and groomed our horses 
 and picketed them out to graze, after which I was 
 initiated into the mystery of frying hard-tack and 
 also lost my first ration of bacon in the operation 
 The bacon was first fried, and then the tack was 
 fried in the grease, after which the mess was placed 
 in hot water, and then the tack become tender and 
 nice. I got things rather mixed up, and set my bacon 
 and tack on fire, and so had to skirmish for a supper. 
 
 After Retreat, Tattoo and Taps, and swapping a 
 few stories, we crawled in our pup-tent, rather tired 
 but otherwise feeling first rate, and were soon sleeping 
 as sound as a man could sleep in any bed. The 
 officers have roomy wall-tents and folding cots to 
 help them worry though the hardships, but the 
 common herd who have all the work to do, take up 
 with the worst there is, and our work is increased by 
 so many men being detailed to wait on the officers. 
 
 The camp is soon very still, no noise except that 
 made by the horses, as they graze near by, and the 
 hourly call of the guards and pickets, ending with, 
 "All s well!" 
 
 Suddenly the Fire Call is sounded by Chinkey 
 Martin, Trumpeter of the Guard, and we hustle out 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 63 
 
 of our tents. Fire out here, and not a house or any 
 other building within eighteen miles of us ! Yes, it 
 was a fire, and before we got through with it, it 
 found it was the hottest and most stubborn fire we 
 ever faced. 
 
 The prairie was on fire, and the flames were com 
 ing our way with the speed of a tornado. We hear 
 the flames roar and crackle, in the distance, as they 
 flash our way, fed by dead grass and dry sage-brush. 
 
 For a moment the camp is in confusion, and then 
 Assembly is sounded, and every man demonstrates 
 what discipline will do. The men fall in as coolly as 
 if they were to parade, instead of attacking the most 
 dangerous foe they ever encountered. 
 
 Each man was ordered to secure a section of pup- 
 tent, and as soon as we did so, the order was given, 
 " Right f award, four s right, double quick," and for 
 ward we go to meet the on-rush of flames. We did not 
 stop until right at the edge of the flames. Then we 
 whip the fire with the sections of pup-tents. Soon we 
 begin to fall back ; the heat is intense ; another 
 company rushes to our relief fighting the flames while 
 we get a few breaths of cooler air, and then come 
 to the relief of this company. So it goes, turn about. 
 Meanwhile the horses, as though they realized that 
 there was peril for them in the prairie fire, run to the 
 camp, crowd in among the tents, and with nostrils 
 dilated, stand and snort. Army horses are not in 
 clined to stampede. I think that the reason for this, 
 is because they have horse-sense, and in a time of 
 peril turn for protection to the men who feed and 
 groom them. I have noticed that a Cavalryman who 
 abuses or neglects his horse, is pretty sure to be 
 un-horsed on a march and compelled to walk. 
 
 After two hours of hard work the fire was put out 
 where its onrush endangered the camp, and the tired 
 men returned to their tents, or what was left of them. 
 
64 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 While the men were working at the fire, doing 
 their best and getting results, Colonel Otis, standing 
 back where the air was breatheable, shouted: 
 
 " Put that fire out ! ! Company M, move to the 
 right!" 
 
 The Colonel s orders were not kindly received. He 
 riled some of the men, and they retorted : 
 
 " Give that calf more rope !" 
 
 " Somebody sit on the Bulldozer !" 
 
 " I want to go home to my ma !" 
 
 Col. Otis was so disliked by privates and company 
 officers, that, such remarks were not unusual. But 
 when he did get after a man, his name was Dennis. 
 
 The prairie fire that endangered the camp was 
 whipped out, the horses were taken back to their 
 pasturage by details eppointed to look after them, and 
 soon all was quiet again. 
 
 An hour later, and again the Fire Call! The wind 
 had changed, and the prairie fire, having turned our 
 flank, was coming our way from another direction. 
 We met the flames as before, and soon beat them out 
 but got no more sleep that night. 
 
 We had met the Red Demon, in the Red Demon s 
 own country, and won out. 
 
 We cooked and eaten our breakfasts, groDtned the 
 horsand were in the saddle at five on the march 
 towards Fort Lincoln, which we soon could see. The 
 Fort presented a pretty picture. The old fort topped 
 a bluff, the cavalry barracks were at the foot of the 
 bluff, with the cavalry camp with its many white 
 tents near by and many horses and cattle, in separate 
 herds, feeding on the open prairie not far away. All 
 formed a picture that is not ever seen east of the 
 Missouri river. 
 
 Away to the right is seen the city of Bismarck, 
 teeming with activity ; stretches of the crooked river 
 are glimpsed at intervals. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 65 
 
 It is Sunday, but Government orders do not pay 
 attention to the Sabbath. On we go, over the undu 
 lating bottom land, that would make glad many a 
 farmer in the East. No stones, no stumps or hard 
 heads to plow or mow around a strip of land from 
 two to twenty miles wide, and about eighty miles 
 long. 
 
 We arrive at our camping place, where we join 
 other troops, at about 2 o clock in the afternoon. 
 
 Guidons Out, is ordered, and soon another ward is 
 added to the famous military city on the Northwest 
 frontier. We have " A " tents in this camp. They are 
 roomy and comfortable. 
 
 The commissioned officers of our command are 
 welcomed by their brother officers and entertained 
 and soon the care of the entire camp is left to the 
 non-coms. 
 
 We spent two days sharpening sabres, and wonder 
 what that was for, for we did not have much faith in 
 our present commanders as being eager to lead us on 
 a charge against any considerable body of hostile 
 reds. 
 
 With drills and camp work we pass away the time 
 until April 27th. That was pay-day, with muster and 
 inspection we had not been paid in four months. 
 
 The Seventh Cavalry is now all together, twelve 
 companies each one hundred strong, and we make 
 quite a city. Out tents are pitched in the form of a 
 triangle, with the horses lariated out in the rear. 
 
 We are ordered to move. On the morning of May 
 1st we are packed up and at the bank of the river, 
 our company waiting its turn in crossing on steam 
 boats that are there for that purpose. 
 
 We are ferried across on the steamer Far West. 
 From 5 o clock in the morning until 9 at night, there 
 is an almost unceasing sound of trumpets, and com- 
 
66 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 mands given by officers. After crossing the river we 
 go into camp on the large open prairie, which 
 stretches from the river to the city of Bismarck, 
 nearly six miles distant. 
 
 The regiment laid in this camp one day. Many 
 visitors from Bismarck came to the camp. 
 
 Entrenching tools were issued, a straight trowel 
 concern, and we find them very handy to fry bacon 
 on. 
 
 Considerable excitement was created that day, by 
 the first appearance of one of the new Black Hills 
 stages, or gunboats as we call them. They consist of a 
 very heavy and large stage with a 2-pound Mountain 
 Howitzer mounted on top. They also have twelve 
 Winchester repeating rifles inside, with plenty of 
 ammunition in little pockets near the windows, or 
 rather port-holes. 
 
 These stages are run form Bismarck to the Black 
 Hills, and despite all their arms and caution, are 
 very frequently held up, by white as well as red 
 devils, who rob the passengers and take valuables 
 generally. 
 
 The Regimental band came out from the Cavalry 
 barracks, and we were treated to some first-class 
 music, as they are one of the crack bands of the army. 
 
 You should have heard the boys cheer when the 
 band struck up General Custer s favorite/ Garryowen." 
 We fairly made the land tremble, when, after a 
 few minutes rest, they played that beautiful and 
 stirring piece, "Custer s Last Charge !" This is what 
 should be called a mechanical piece, as the imita 
 tions of gun fire is produced by a machine which was 
 invented for that purpose, and it is a good one, too. 
 The air itself is lively, but when they add the sounds 
 of carbines, rifles and trumpets, you respond in your 
 most hearty manner. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 67 
 
 How we wish the brave and manly Custer was 
 with us. He was a fighter, a kind commander, and 
 a gentleman, in every sense of the word. Custer 
 did not want a detail at the close of a hard day s 
 march, to put up his tent and wait on him. No, not 
 he. "Boys make yourselves as comfortable as you can," 
 was all he wanted at that time. He would eat his 
 hard-tack and bacon and roll in his blanket under 
 the nearest tree or bush, and fall asleep, but it did 
 not take much to wake him up, and when his eyes 
 were open he was awake all over ! 
 
 " Follow me, Boys!" was his order for a charge, 
 and who would not follow such a commander. 
 
 West Point did not spoil General Custer. He 
 was always and ever an exemplary man, an ideal 
 American, a true Soldier. 
 
 A few days before General Custer started on the 
 scouting expediton that resulted in the destruction of 
 himself and comrades, he received an order from the 
 Department Commander, General Terry, which said: 
 
 " It is of course impossible to give you any definite 
 instructions in regard to this movement ; and were it not 
 impossible to do so, the Department Commander places 
 too much confidence in your zeal, energy, and ability to 
 v/ish to impress upon you precise orders, which might 
 hamper your action when nearly in contact with the 
 enemy." 
 
68 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 
 
 Begin Active Campaign Seventh Cavalry Marches Out 
 
 of Bismarck With General Sturges in Command 
 
 Strenuous Times in the Land of Hostiles. 
 
 MAY the fourth finds us packed up and in the 
 saddle at 8 o clock, and away we go, across the level 
 bottom land, up a low lying hill, and are soon in the 
 city of Bismarck, the budding Metropolis of the Far 
 West. 
 
 How the people cheered ! Everybody was out to 
 see us pass through. They see many new faces in 
 the Seventh and know that many members of the 
 old regiment are at rest in the Bad Lands of the 
 Yellowstone. 
 
 We heard a spectator say to a companion, " If 
 Custer was only here with them !" And if Custer 
 had been, how the people would have cheered him ! 
 
 First came the field musicians. The band had 
 been left behind, to furnish music for the ladies. 
 
 There were twenty-five trumpeters, each mounted 
 on a splendid black horse, the Chief Trumpeter ex- 
 cepted; he rides a large buckskin. 
 
 We play " The Girl I Left Behind Me," and "That 
 Little German Band." 
 
 Next comes General Sturges, Regimental Com 
 mander, and Lieutenant-Colonel Otis, Commander of 
 the First Battalion, and Major Merrill, Commander of 
 the Second Battalion. 
 
 Then follows the twelve companies of the Seventh 
 Cavalry, neary every cavalyman a veteran, in columns 
 of four s, with their company colors fluttering gaily 
 in the breeze, and with their sabres at a present. 
 Oh, it is a glorious sight ! No circus parade ever 
 equaled it. Cheer them, citizens ; it is probably the 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 69 
 
 last time you will ever have a chance ! And how they 
 do cheer ! The men salute and pass along, not speak 
 ing a word. 
 
 The artillery follows close behind the men, their 
 Rodman and Catling guns casting a shadow over the 
 little mountain Howitzers, that rumble along by their 
 sides; these little breech-loaders are small but will do 
 their full share of duty before they return. The red 
 trimmed unf orms of the artillerymen cast a strange 
 colored glare before your eyes, after looking at the 
 yellow of the Cavalry so long, 
 
 Ah, do not forget the wagon train, for on that 
 depends the life of the regiment, horses and all ! 
 Here it comes ! See the six-mule teams strain on the 
 heavily loaded wagons. Sixty-eight wagons, and all 
 loaded with hard-tack, beans, coffee, camp equipage, 
 and oats and corn for the horses and mules. And 
 then comes the cattle herd, that is our meat on foot, 
 and it will all be welcome. 
 
 We p^ss out of Main street and up over the bluffs, 
 and are soon out of sight of all civilization. 
 
 All ride along in silence, and many have grave 
 doubts of ever coming back. The failure of the com 
 mand last Summer, with the loss of so many good 
 men on the Big Horn, make the chances of returning 
 seem rather slim. 
 
 After marching along in this formation until about 
 4 o clock in the afternoon, we halt and go into camp 
 for the night. 
 
 Here we meet the greatest bothers that ever ap 
 pear in a Cavalry camp women ! Two daughters 
 and a son of General Sturges, have been riding in an 
 ambulance all day. So they are tired, and must have 
 a wall tent put up for their special benefit. A detail 
 is made to do this work, and another detail of soldiers 
 
70 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 to look after the requirements of the young ladies 
 and the lad out on a frolic. 
 
 This compels details to delay the erection of their 
 own shelters, cooking their suppers and giving the 
 proper attention to their horses. It was really too 
 bad that the young ladies got tired, but do you think 
 that they thanked the soldiers for doing what they 
 could to made them comfortable, Oh, no ! The men 
 do the work and the officers get the thanks. 
 
 What a difference between the conduct of such 
 camp followers, and the wife of Gen. Custer, who 
 would ride all day beside the General, when on a 
 march. And when it was time to camp for the night, 
 she would dismount, and care for her horse she 
 never wanted a special detail. She was a Cavalry 
 woman. 
 
 The headquarters ladies and the lad left us next 
 morning, in one of the ambulances under an escort, 
 LO return to Fort A. Lirmlri, with nothing to do all 
 Summer but enjoy themselves. They will have an 
 army band to provide music for numerous society 
 functions and young officers for dancing partners. 
 
 We enjoyed a lively thunderstorm during the 
 afternoon, and got a thorough soaking. No dry beds 
 for the men that night. 
 
 We have no change of clothing now, so will have 
 to get dry as best we can, and the best way is to roll 
 up in your saddle blanket and sweat it out, all the 
 time getting full benefit of the aroma that arises from 
 the sweat from your horse s sides and back, as it 
 creeps up out of the blanket. 
 
 The horses are tied to the line that is stretched 
 between the companies, each given a quart of oats, 
 groomed we carry our currycombs and brushes 
 with us and then are lariated out so that they 
 may pick all the feed possible till morning, men being 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 71 
 
 detailed to watch them the whole night long, by turns, 
 otherwise a great many of them would be lost by 
 getting tangled up in their lariats. Besides the lariats 
 a rope about fifty feet long tied in the ring on the 
 halter, the other end fastened in a swivel-ring on the 
 end of a picket pin ; the horses are hoppled with a 
 strap reaching from a front to a hind foot, and buck 
 led around the legs near the hoofs. Thus hoppled 
 horses cannot travel as fast as a man can run, and are 
 easily caught when they make a break. 
 
 Finally the usual routine of Retreat, Tattoo and 
 Taps, having been gone through with, we lie down 
 to sleep, but do we sleep ? Not much ! At about ten 
 o clock at night it begins to rain and blow, and we 
 have another splendid thunder shower ! Tents are 
 blow down and go flying in every disection, and things 
 are mixed up in great shape. We take it all in good 
 part, only the men that are sent to pitch the officers 
 tents, do any growling. We catch a few winks of 
 sleep and are glad that it is no worse. 
 
72 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 
 
 Fort Stevenson and Berthol Indian Agency In a Rough 
 
 Country Have Fishing Contest Heavy Rains Are 
 
 Active Sitting Bull Seeking for Trouble. 
 
 ON WE GO, day after day. May 7th we march 
 through Fort Stevenson. We are halted at the post 
 long enough for the officers to get a drink. Then on 
 we march. Oh, what a difference will be seen in the 
 officers after they have one drink to cut the ragged 
 edges out of their throats. 
 
 Fort Stevenson is a small, three-company post, on 
 the east bank of the Missouri river, and is garrisoned 
 by three companies of the Fifth Infantry. They have 
 about the same duties to do that we did when we 
 were in Winter quarters, but no horses to care for. 
 Many of them said they wished they were where they 
 would not be abused so much, but we told them they 
 would only find that place out of the army. They 
 said it was just like doing chores at a poor house for 
 your board and clothes, They looked as though they 
 lived petty well, anyway, and I guess they found 
 plenty of time to make love to the squaws, as there 
 were many of these creatures around there. 
 
 We passed near Berthol Indian Agency, and 
 camped about one mile from It. Now we see the 
 Indians for certain, there being about five hundred 
 of the Reeve-Sioux at Berthol. 
 
 Peaceable ? Yes, if you are a big crowd and well 
 armed. A great many of these reds came to our camp 
 with potatoes, onions, moccasins and bead-work of 
 different kinds, which they wanted to sell. They 
 were not treated very well by the men and no 
 wonder, as they are a dirty, thieving lot, and were 
 the worst beggars I ever was. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 73 
 
 They would approach you, and holding out a hand 
 that would make a blacksmith blush, would say in 
 their gutteral tones: 
 
 "How! Sar-koo-mar-koo?" This means, how do 
 you do, what are you going to give me ? I bought a 
 pair of buckskin leggins and moccasins of them, and 
 they came in good after my boots had given out, as 
 there are no worse boots made then those that are 
 issued to the Cavalry. They also had milk to sell, 
 and our mess feasted on Mountain Stew, potatoes 
 and bacon, and were happy. They do not raise the 
 potatoes for their own use, but sell them to the 
 different wagon trains almost constantly going to and 
 from the river posts above ; and also to the wheel- 
 borrow steamboats that ply their trade on the upper 
 Missouri and Yellowstone rivers. 
 
 May 10th my company was rear guard, and we 
 had a picnic ! We found three of the 7th Cavalry 
 men on the roadside, where they had fallen from 
 their horses, and were too full to get back on their 
 horses. They had got petty full at the Agency, and 
 with a bottle in their pockets, had tried to keep up 
 their spirits and the march at the same time, but had 
 made a failure of it. When they had fallen off their 
 horses, the Captains had, with lack of humanity, 
 ordered all the Government property taken from 
 these men, and left them to get into camp as best they 
 could. We placed them in one of the wagons, and 
 that is how they came to be able to answer to their 
 namef at roll-call that night, and were saved from 
 being reported as deserters. Oh, no, you cannot get 
 any intoxicating liquors at the Indian Agency unless 
 you call for it and have the money to pay for it, at 
 therate of one dollar for a half -pint. 
 
 This is a very rough section of the country, 
 being mostly bluffs and bad-lands. The prairie fires 
 has burned the grass from nearly all the bottoms, 
 
74 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 and it was quite difficult to find a good place for our 
 horses to graze at night. Some of the horses already 
 begin to show the effects of the trips, and more than 
 one cavalryman will soon have to foot it along with 
 the wagon train, as we take no extra horses along for 
 the men. Each officer has two for his own use, and 
 it does not seem to make much difference to them 
 whether the men have to walk or not. 
 
 The prairies are nearly covered with flowers, of 
 many kinds, some of them being equal to a great 
 many hot-house plants and as for variety there seems 
 to be no end. 
 
 Game, such as antelope, jack-rabbits, wild ducks, 
 prairie chickens, gophers, rattlesnakes, and buffalo- 
 chips, is quite plentiful. We march from fifteen to 
 twenty-five miles a day, not being able to go any 
 faster on account of the wagon train. 
 
 On the twelfth we had quite a big scare. A scout 
 carne in and reported that Sitting Bull had crossed 
 the river at Fort Peck, about one hundred and fifty 
 miles above our camp, and had murdered the whole 
 garrison, (two companies of Infantry), and either car 
 ried off or burned all the government property at that 
 place. If this is true the prospects for clasping hands 
 across the bloody chasm are yery good indeed, and 
 when it come time to shake, (which we doubt with 
 the present men in command), Sitting Bull will find 
 that the Custer Avengers are right on top of the heap- 
 We were named the Custer Avengers, while in camp 
 near Bismarck, and hope to be able to live up to the 
 name. 
 
 We now have an extra picket detail and guard 
 mount, to protect againt a surprise by the Indians, 
 or red devils, as they are commonly called by the 
 men. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 75 
 
 I think that if the Government would hire a few 
 farmers to go along with the command, we would 
 not have to wait so much for the wagon train, as then 
 the farmers would go to work and fix the roads in 
 less time then it take the engineer corps, and it 
 would give West Pointers plenty of time to stand 
 and draw plans while the command crossed the bad 
 places and pushed ahead. I shall recommend this 
 plan in my next report to the Government ! 
 
 Sunday, May 13. Broke camp at 5 o clock. After 
 marching 18 miles we camp. We now find plenty of 
 fish, and as soon as the carnp duties are done, we 
 grab a hunk of fat bacon for bait and go fishing. Cat- 
 fishes and suckers take to bacon ieadily, and a kind of 
 chub was also our reward. We cook and eat a fish 
 supper. 
 
 Another generous shower visits us during the 
 night. Let them come. We do not not catch cold. 
 
 We marched the 14th and 15th of May in about the 
 same routine. The only thing out of the usual course 
 that happened, was that while stepping out of an am 
 bulance one of the hospital stewards slipped and fell r 
 breaking a leg between the ankle and knee. The bone 
 stuck out through the flesh and skin several inches. 
 This man had been in three Indian battles, and did 
 not get even a scratch, and when this accident took 
 place he declared, " It was darn mean to use a fellow 
 in this way." 
 
 Broke camp May 16th at 7 A. M. Marched 18 
 miles and camped on the banks of Little Muddy 
 River. This is a small creek-like stream, and gets its 
 name from the large amount of mud and small quan 
 tity of water it contains. The only way to get a 
 drink, here, is to take a mouthful of the mixture, and 
 squeeze the mud out in your mouth, and swallow the 
 water. 
 
76 SEVENTH CAV ALRY 
 
 Two men were sunstruck to day. The heat was 
 terrible. 
 
 We were in the saddle bright and early on the 
 morning of the 17th, In three hours we reach Fort 
 Buford, Montana Territory. This is a large post, 
 situated nearly opposite the point where the Yellow 
 stone river enters the Missouri. It is garrisoned by 
 five Infantry Companies and countless mosquitoes ! 
 
 Our regiment was halted here long enough for the 
 officers to get refreshments, when we moved to the 
 bank of the river, and at 3 o clock camped on a muddy 
 bottom. No grass to speak of, considerable low 
 brush, and too many prairie dogs holes and rattle 
 snakes for comfort. 
 
 Soon there was a furious thunder storm, with 
 continous flashes of lightning, while the water poured 
 down. But we did not care much, it was so pleasant 
 to have it rain so we could not drill ! 
 
 My bunkieand I bought some, eggs so we thought 
 from the steamboat Far West, and the eggs proved 
 to be too far west; that is the chicks had been picked 
 too soon. So we had no eggs for breakfast, but we 
 did not care much, as they only cost us fifty cents a 
 dozen. We compounded a fairly appetizing relish of 
 pulverized hard-tack, bacon and raisins, boiled in 
 condensed milk. 
 
 The rumor that Mr Sitting Bull has captured 
 Fort Peck has no foundation. However, he is report 
 ed to be about one hundred miles above this place r 
 waiting for us. His party conisits of thirteen 
 hundred well armed warriors. 
 
 Our men are all in good spirits, and the sutler at 
 Fort Buford is having a big trade. The demand for 
 rattlesnake poison is brisk. 
 
 During the evening a party of Infantryman 
 came down from Fort Buford, and there was 
 a general exchange of stories. We were inclined to 
 believe that our visitors stretched their stories a little 
 too much, but we did not say so. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 77 
 
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 
 
 Our Captain Makes a Social Call His Orderly Left Out 
 
 in Rain Double- Acting Frying Pans General Miles 
 
 Captures Reds Our Force Ordered to Hurry. 
 
 MAY 17th. This morning it rained and the wind 
 was so strong that it was almost impossible to keep a 
 tent up. So we stood around in the rain, and after 
 vain attempts to keep our fires going, we just stood 
 and shivered, while waiting for the weather to 
 ease up. 
 
 I had the pleasure of going to the Fort with my 
 Captain, as his Orderly. When we arrived there, I 
 had the exquisite pleasure of standing out in the 
 driving rain and serving as a " hitching post," getting 
 wet through and through, with " Old Sugar " trying 
 every few moments to nip an ear offfas an intimation 
 that it was time to go. But the Captain staid on and 
 on ; he had a good time. The only difference between 
 us was, that I did no enjoy myself and did get wet on 
 the outside, while the Captain did enjoy himself and 
 did not get wet on the outside ; but I will bet what 
 little soul I have left, that in the morning my head 
 will feel better than his does, and it will not be neces 
 sary to have my hat stretched over the top of a hard 
 tack box, so I can get it on. 
 
 The Second Battalion crossed the river this after 
 noon, to get out of the mud, and went into camp on 
 the side of a ridge about half a mile from the 
 Yellowstone, a short distance from the Missouri. We 
 had packed our saddles, expecting to move, but must 
 remain in the mud another night. 
 
 May 20th. Another nice rainy night and the 
 officers cross ; their "A" tents were blown during the 
 night and men had to turn out and fix them. The 
 wood is green and covered with ice we cannot make 
 
78 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 It burn. We are to remain in this camp for the day ; 
 as it is so muddy that the teams cannot move the 
 wagons. What a fine time this would be for an 
 Indian surprise half the command on each side of 
 river. 
 
 So passes another dreary any and night. 
 
 May 21st. It is till raining. Anything dropped 
 is pretty sure to be lost. It is astonishing how deep 
 the mud can get and yet hold bottom. We waded 
 through mud to the river, and had to back most of 
 the rations and ammunition, as the mud was so deep 
 that six mules haul a wagon that is only partly 
 loaded. But as work is the principal part of a sol 
 dier s job, we do not mind it. After the officers cots, 
 tents, miscellaneous belongings and heavy chests are 
 stowed on the boat, we lead our horses aboard and 
 soon cross the stream. We camp near the Second 
 Battalion, on high ground, but the rain continues. 
 
 May 22d. Still in camp. Mud begins to show up. 
 
 By the way, those combination frying-pans and 
 trench-spades that Uncle Sam so kindly furnished us, 
 free of cost, are very handy. You place the handle 
 out straight and remove the cover, and then have a 
 nice little plate to lay your tark and bacon on, while 
 the part with the handle on makes a frying-pan that 
 is large enough for all ordinary purposes. When you 
 have finished your meal, just place any food you have 
 left in the frying-pan part of the device, place the tin 
 plate cover in position on top of it, and then bend 
 the handle over the top of the plate and fasten in the 
 catch. The bottom of the frying-pan part is made 
 oval, shaped so it will not sit down. 
 
 We are now " at home " wherever night overtakes 
 us, happy is clams. We go over a mile from camp 
 to get wood. Such is our life on the Upper Missuri. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 79 
 
 General Call was sounded bright and early, on the 
 morning of May 23d, by Chief Trumpeter Hardy. At 
 6:30 we are once more in the saddle, going on our 
 way rejoicing. I say rejoicing, because it has stopped 
 raining, and being up out of the mud there is a fair 
 opportunity for our clothes to dry. 
 
 Antelope are seen on all sides. No hunting is 
 permitted, except by company details. 
 
 An Indian scout came in to-day and reported that 
 General Miles has captured about 200 more Indians, 
 nearly all of them belonging to the Cheyenne-Sioux 
 tribe. These he said were mostly old men, squaws 
 and children, who let themselves be captured that 
 they may be fed by the Government while their war 
 riors are on the war-path. Many young braves, 
 anxious to get a standing among their people as real 
 warriors, are stealing away from reservations and 
 joining Sitting Bull. They go armed with rifles and 
 ammunition, purchased of white traders. 
 
 It begins to look as though these Indian scouts 
 come in and report the first thing they think of, in 
 order to make the Commanding Officer belief that 
 they are doing good work. 
 
 General Miles is waiting for our Regiment to join 
 his command, which our men are anxious to do. He 
 is a success as an Indian Fighter. . We are eager to 
 get on the trail of Sitting Bull, and if we can force 
 him to give battle, we will share the fate of Custer 
 and his men, or capture the greatest War Chief that 
 ever " dug up the hatchet." 
 
 We are camped to-night on the bank of the Yel- 
 owstone, about twenty-five miles from Fort Buford. 
 The prairie grass is about six inches high and our 
 horses enjoy it hugely. We now have a change of 
 diet ; hard-tack, bacon and coffee for breakfast ; raw 
 bacon and tack for dinner ; fried bacon and hard bread 
 for supper. If our hunters have good luck, which 
 
80 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 they always do when Neeley is out, we feast on 
 antelope meat. It is very tender and tastes similar 
 to pork tenderloin but is a great deal better. The 
 antelope is a species of small deer of a gray -brown 
 color. They have a patch of white on their rumps 
 which they spread out when they run from you, and 
 this makes them a difficult mark. Their hair is 
 brittle. 
 
 We are told that we will strike buffalo in a day or 
 two, if the Indians do not drive them north. We hope 
 to live high on Indian " beef steak." 
 
 Delayed during the day by wagons getting stuck 
 in the mud, but nevertheless marched 25 miles. 
 
 May 24. In the saddle at an early hour. Rained 
 most of the night. 
 
 A Lieutenant and three men arrived from the 
 camp of General Miles, on Tongue river. They 
 brought a despatch from General Miles to General 
 Sturges, to hasten his advance, as the Indians were 
 increasing their activites. Orders were at once given 
 for the command to draw extra rations from our 
 supply boat, the Far West, and then push ahead and 
 join General Miles, making the 118 miles in four days; 
 but our boys think this hustle will soon lose its grip, 
 for our commanding officer does not seem to care to 
 get in contact with the hostiles. But perhaps he is 
 working out a plan of campaign that he keeps from 
 his command. 
 
 General Sturges is an older officer than General 
 Miles, and that may account for " the milk in the 
 cocoanut." 
 
 It is enough to provoke a Deacon to see so much 
 game on every hand, and not be allowed to take a 
 shot at it. We have strict orders not to fire a gun 
 without orders from the Commanding Officer. The 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 81 
 
 scouts keep his mess supplied with an abundance of 
 game. 
 
 We march twenty-one and one-half miles and go 
 into camp for the night. The distances marched are 
 measured by a meter connected with a wheel on an 
 ambulance. 
 
 May 25th. Were in the saddle and on our way 
 early, but were held up again and again by the wagon 
 train. The pioneers have hard work opening a way 
 so the wagons could get along at all. We traveled 
 through a bottom of sage brush and prickly pears, 
 and again camped on the Yellowstone. 
 
 The steamer Benton passed down the river to-day 
 on her return trip from Post Number Two, on the 
 Big Horn river. The steamer Far West keeps along 
 with us, and is having a slow time of it. 
 
 "Wash-ta-Cha-Ah," or Good Wood, a scout, to-day 
 gave me a fine quarter of antelope. 
 
 Marched twenty-five and one-fourth miles. 
 
 May 26th. After a soaking rain in the morning 
 we are off, and at night camp on the bank of Glen dive 
 Creek. Another rumor brouget in by one of our 
 scouts, is to the effect that 500 Indians have left 
 Standing Rock Indian Agency and are on their way 
 to join the hostiles north of us. 
 
 Nineteen miles forward to-day. There is a supply 
 camp here at Glendive, guarded by two companies of 
 Infantry. This is one of the prettiest spots I have 
 yet seen, and on the side of one of the bluffs, glisten 
 ing in the sun, is a large mass of what I am told is 
 mica, of good quality. 
 
 Day after day we march over wild country, where 
 roaming bands of hostiles w^tch our movements but 
 keep beyond reach. They have keen judgment as to 
 the distance our rifles will carry. 
 
82 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER NINETEEN. 
 
 Hostile Spies Numerous and Bold Race With a Young 
 
 Antelope Elks Appear General Miles Requests Our 
 
 Commander to Speed Up Indians Capture Mail. 
 
 SUNDAY, but only in name. There was an alarm 
 last night, given by the mounted pickets. We turned 
 out in short order, and were all ready for the fun to 
 begin, when we found that a small party of reds had 
 tried to creep up on a picket, and on being discover 
 ed had fired their guns and taken to the bluffs. 
 
 No use to try to capture them. They know every 
 rod of these Bad-Lands, and easily get away. 
 
 Broke camp early in the morning and made a still 
 march. Our route led us through Bad-Lands over 
 bluffs, across alkali bottoms where the dust from the 
 grass made breathing a torture and caused eyes to 
 smart and swell ; but through it we must go. The 
 horses are thirsty and it is difficult to keep them from 
 drinking the alkali water. This water is extremely 
 repulsive, in taste and smell. It stands in small ponds 
 and the salty vapors that rise settle on the grass 
 and sage bush all about, forming a coating similar to 
 frost. It gives great trouble to Indians and whites. 
 M arched 29 miles and camped on Sunday Creek. 
 
 May 28th. We start early on our seemingly end 
 less march. There was an interesting incident, when 
 a young antelope appeared along the line of march, 
 and ran ahead and some of the officers gave chase. 
 Though only about four months old it gave the horses 
 a lively race for over a mile, when an officer rode up 
 beside it and bending over grasped it by the back and 
 lifted it aboard his saddle. After giving the little 
 fellow a good ride, it was placed on the ground, and 
 followed after for some distance, when it turned 
 aside. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 83 
 
 We saw three large elk to-day, but the Captain 
 could not get near enough for a shot. They were big 
 fellows and had amazingly large spreads of antlers. 
 
 We also caught sight of a small herd of buffalo. 
 After a hard but short run our detail succeeded in 
 bringing one of them to the ground. We had "Indian 
 beef " for supper. 
 
 Another despatch came in from General Miles for 
 our command to hurry up. We would be compelled 
 to make long detours to accommodate our wagons 
 but by putting in more hours could gain one day in 
 three. We are only fifty miles from Tongue River 
 Cantonment, General Miles s headquarters, and one 
 forced march would land us there in a day ; but our 
 Commander does not seem inclined to "hurry up !" It 
 is common talk among the men, that General Sturges 
 is cranky because he is under orders to report with 
 his command to General Miles, a younger officer. 
 
 A man of Troop E was sun-struck to-day. He was 
 brought in in the ambulance. 
 
 Passed the United States Mail this afternoon. It 
 was on the way to Fort Buford. The mail train con 
 sisted of a white man, with long hair, well armed, 
 and two ponies ; he rode one and the other carried 
 the mail on a pack-saddle. Think of this for bravery ! 
 For sixty dollars per month this man travels alone in 
 a hostile country with the valuable mail. These mail 
 carriers are the best scouts in the country and hardly 
 ever fail to deliver their mail safely and promptly. 
 Once in a while a mail carrier is killed and scalped 
 by reds, who take all he has, even his clothes. 
 
 Thirty-five Indian warriors were seen to-day ahead - 
 of the command They were spies from Sitting Bull s 
 camp, and watched us closely, and then went to a 
 distant bluff and started signal fires, to let their head 
 quarters know our location, our strength, and the 
 direction in which we were moving. These signal 
 
84 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 fires can be seen a great distance, and as manipulated 
 by the Indians are an efficient means of com 
 munication 
 
 Struck a good camping place at 5 o clock in the 
 afternoon and up went our tents for the night. Our 
 march was 18 1-2 miles, to get 10. Wood and alkali 
 water abundant. 
 
 May 29th. To-day General Sturges received word 
 from General Miles, to the effect that Sturges is to 
 wait for Miles, who will join him in a day. We then 
 expect to take pack mules and push ahead, with fair 
 prospects of getting in contact with hostiles. 
 
 Camped in a large bottom, surrounded by high 
 bluffs, with plenty of wood and good water, and grass 
 abundant. Our horses are in bad shape. They require 
 plenty of good feed and potable water. A mount 
 has a heavy load to carry as it is all a man can do to 
 throw the packed saddle on the horse s hack, and to 
 this burden is added the weight of a man. 
 
 The following morning my company was ordered 
 out on a scout. We took one day s rations, and were 
 soon in the saddle, with rain falling quite hard. We 
 went straight away some twenty-five miles, and then 
 took a circle to the left and returned to camp, not 
 having seen a hostile that day. Our route was 
 through some of the worst country I ever saw ; over 
 bottoms covered with prickly pears, cactus and sage ; 
 through bad-lands ; over and along bluffs where it 
 seemed that a horse could not keep on its feet, but 
 at any moment would tumble to the gullies below ; 
 along steep ridges that looked as though the 
 earth while in a molten state had boiled over. We 
 passed through places where masses of volcanic 
 formation suggested the wreckage of large stone 
 buildings, torn to pieces, the ruins of long ages gone. 
 Many of the blocks were as square as though chisel- 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 85 
 
 ed out, and not a few of them lay in about the same 
 shapes that sticks of a woodpile would, if piled up 
 straight and nice, and then tipped over. 
 
 Our Indian scout, " John- Climb-the-B luff" as we 
 call him, was right at home here. He would hurry 
 and climb to the top of a cliff, and if the route was 
 one we could get throug he would signal for us to 
 come on ; otherwise he would wave for us to stop 
 while he searched for an opening, and when he found 
 one would beckon us on. It was a day of most inter 
 esting adventure. 
 
 Generally speaking, this is a bad country. It is 
 a proper place for Indians. Here the reds have game 
 in abundance. But it has minerals, restricted farming 
 and range possibilites, and other possibilites that lure 
 the whites. No decent white man would be content 
 to live the life of a savage. A white who is a hunter, 
 is good for nothing else. But, as things have gone 
 since the frontier line began its westward sweep trom 
 the Atlantic seaboard, three centuries ago, whites will 
 continue their drive, until the last frontier has been 
 wiped out. An out here in the Bad-Lands the 
 desperate aborigines are making their final stand ! 
 ***** 
 
 Here s a Wild West Classic, of unknown origin, 
 that is handed about the camp, keenly enjoyed by the 
 men, who are mailing copies " to the home folks :" 
 
 DAKOTA S WAIL. 
 
 To the west of Minnesota, 
 
 And among the treacherous Sioux, 
 There you will find Dakota, 
 
 Where the skies are never blue ! 
 So, stranger, come and find a home 
 
 If bad fortune you d pursue 
 In this glorious land, of blizzards grand, 
 
 Where they fasten clothes on with glue! 
 
86 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 It is not a mazy woodland 
 
 Where the alligator crawls, 
 But some level and more Bad Land, 
 
 With poor streams and waterfalls, 
 Where Uncle Samuel gives a farm 
 
 To every one that calls 
 A farm of land, great big Bad Land, 
 
 Where the water always falls ! 
 
 Upon the plains the buffalo 
 
 No longer can be found, 
 And in the streams thin fishes grow 
 
 That scarcely weigh a pound ; 
 From mountains of snow rivers flow, 
 
 That in the Springtime rile ; 
 And impelled by steam, boats ply the stream, 
 
 For fifty cents per mile. 
 
 Here nature plies her fingers 
 
 To portray her darkest page ; 
 Here no happy boyhood lingers, 
 
 The lads are bent with age ! 
 Here nature sends her fiercest winds, 
 
 And with sickness you engage ; 
 A land of stealth, there is no wealth 
 
 Here poverty is all the rage ! 
 
 In Dakota there are mountains 
 
 Up near Montana s line, 
 Where poor water springs in fountains, 
 
 And hills will not grow pine. 
 And, Oh ! tis here the pioneer 
 
 His pouch with no grub fills 
 Black, stern and bold, where the rich are sold, 
 
 Is this land of Black Hills! 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 87 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY. 
 
 Food Supply Short Uncle Sam Plays Hide and Seek With 
 
 Sitting Bull Urgent Demands for Tobacco The 
 
 Trumpeters Tune Up A Birthday Party. 
 
 MAY 31st. Very rainy and blustering in the early 
 morning, followed by clearing, and then a light fall of 
 snow, and then sunshine. Had to skirmish for fuel ; 
 the supply was scant. But little stir in camp all day. 
 Men laid around rolled up in blankets to keep warm. 
 
 June 1st. Still waiting for General Miles. We 
 are to move to a better camping place, to get 
 wood and water and to give the horses better grazing. 
 
 We are now short of rations, but expect a supply 
 to-day. The teams have been gone two days, and as 
 they did not have far to go, there is uneasiness on 
 their account. If they or stuck in the mud, or have 
 been captured by Indians, we will become desperate. 
 Two of our non-coms were placed under arrest to-day 
 for going on a hunt for something to eat. They were 
 released and returned to duty a few hours later. Dis 
 cipline must be maintained ! With game so abundant 
 and near by, it is a shame that hunting details are 
 not sent out. The men plan to help themselves, if 
 the food shortage is not soon relieved. That would 
 be a serious reflection on our commanding officer. 
 
 Company M went out to-day on another scout. 
 We got a thorough soaking before we returned to 
 camp. Sitting Bull is not inclined to take the initia 
 tive, but various commands of our forces are ready 
 to close in on his massed warriors at the first oppor 
 tunity. He is a crafty red-skin. 
 
 June 2d. A splendid morning ; the sun shone out 
 bright and hot. 
 
 Moved camp about two miles to get grazing for 
 the horses. A scout came in at sun-down, bringing 
 mail for our regiment. It was received with delight. 
 I opened a late paper (three months [late), and saw 
 
88 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 eggs quoted at 120 a dozen. We would gladly give 
 120 each for reasonably fresh eggs. 
 
 The latest in regard to the command of General 
 Miles, is that he is on the way and may be expected 
 at any time, but it is not believed possible for him to 
 reach us soon, because mud is now so deep that teams 
 could not get through with necessary supplies. 
 
 There are no hostiles in this section now, but they 
 are reported to be gathering in large numbers near 
 the Blue Grass Mountains and Milk River, about 60 
 miles from our camp. 
 
 June 4th Sunday again. Weather fine. Two 
 scouts just rode in, their ponies covered with foam. 
 They reported a party of Sioux warriors crossing the 
 river three miles above our camp. General Sturges 
 has sent a wagon train, under strong guard, to the 
 riyer, to bring in supplies left there by a stean er. 
 
 We hang pretty close to camp, while scouting 
 parties are out to find out what the Sioux are doing ; 
 our scouts report that there are no hostiles anywhere 
 near us. 
 
 On the afternoon of the 5th we had mounted 
 drill ; but to my mind our horses need food and rest 
 more that such exercise ; many of them are so worn 
 down as to be unfit for service. 
 
 Sergeant M , of Company M, was Right 
 Principal Guard for Colonel Otis, and on coming to 
 Battalion, Right Front into Line, got way out in front 
 of the Battalion, into the position that belonged to the 
 Colonel. If there is anything that the Colonel dotes 
 on, it is his position ; that must not be encroached on. 
 So the expected happened. He exploded ! 
 
 " What are you doing here in front of the Battal 
 ion ?" he shouted at the startled Sergeant. 
 
 " I was trying to get in position and you crowded 
 me out !" the Sergeant replied, saluting. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 89 
 
 " \V here are you from ; where do you belong ?" the 
 angry Colonel asked. 
 
 " From Boston, Sir," replied the rattled Sergeant. 
 
 " I wish you had staid there !" said the Colonel as 
 he rode off to find another Right Principal Guide. 
 
 A very cold evening. As I was Trumpeter of the 
 Guard, I spent the night on the side of a bluff, nearly 
 a mile from camp, with the pickets, so I would be at 
 hand, if we were approached by hostiles during the 
 night, and could sound the General Alarm and arouse 
 the camp. 
 
 Two Indian scouts came in and reported Indian 
 trails and a camp of reds a few miles out. Company 
 H was routed out and at once started on a tour of 
 inspection, with orders to bring in all Indians they 
 can find. Captain Benteen started out, delighted 
 with the order. He is not the man to run away from 
 an opportunity to have a little fun with the reds. 
 
 A team started under guard, for Tongue River, 
 after tobacco. Most of the men have been without 
 this ration for three days, and are getting desperate. 
 This morning a member of Company B, tobacco 
 hungry, dropped in at Headquarters, and asked 
 General Sturges for a chew ! The General complied 
 and asked the man how long he had been out of the 
 weed. Emboldened by his success, the man replied : 
 
 " Over a week, and if I do not get a supply soon I 
 will skin out and go where I can get it." 
 
 He was soon under guard. 
 
 I have seen men neary crazy due to their unsatis 
 fied longing for tobacco. It is often sold for ten 
 dollars a pound by men who win large quantities of 
 it at poker. 
 
 June 6th. We had Battalion drill this forenoon, 
 which was immediately followed by rain. 
 
90 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 June 7th. More rain ! Continued in camp. 
 
 On the 8th of June we broke camp early in the 
 morning, and were happy to be once more on the go. 
 It is much more soul satisfying to march through 
 constantly changing scenery, than to stay in camp 
 and drill. We had gone a short distance, when the 
 command was suddenly halted and ordered to camp. 
 This action is much like that of a man who is not 
 firmly decided whether to do a job of work ; he 
 begins, then suddenly throws aside his tools and 
 sits down. 
 
 Luck was with us this time. We soon had our 
 tents pitched, on the banks of Cherry Creek. This is 
 an ideal camping place, as far as grass and water are 
 concerned, but we have to carry wood about a mile. 
 
 General Sturges to-day issued an order for all the 
 trumpeters to practice calls, marches and quicksteps 
 one hour each day, when in camp. 
 
 Snow storm this evening. 
 
 June 9th. We had drill by companies in the fore 
 noon and Battalion drill in the afternoon. Just as the 
 drill was over, it was our luck to be treated to a nice 
 shower, so instead of being able to take a nap, we 
 curl up in our pup-tents and roll from side to side, 
 trying to dodge the rain that seeps through the thin 
 canvas. These tents are just heavy enough to shed 
 the sun, but are not good for anything else, unless it 
 is good to whip a grass fire with. 
 
 June 10th. Sunday, as usual, no religious service. 
 
 June 11. In camp. During the afternoon and 
 evening Colonel Otis gave a birthday party, enter 
 taining the commissioned officers. The festivities 
 were held in a hospital wall tent pitched near head 
 quarters, with all the company guidons stuck in the 
 ground around it. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 91 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE. 
 
 Short Marches Numerous Mounted Indians Race Into 
 
 Our Camp Mounted Target Practice Fascinating 
 
 Pest of Egypitan Locusts Miles City. 
 
 JUNE 13. Broke camp at 9 o clock and marched 
 a single mile. Camped and drilled until the horses 
 were nearly tired out. 
 
 One of our Indian scouts in telling a companion 
 about the cars he had seen in Bismarck, described 
 them as " Heap wagon ; no hoss !" and that is about 
 what this expedition has amounted to so far, " Heap 
 march ; no fight !" 
 
 Company B ordered out on a scout towards Dead- 
 wood, where hostiles are reported on the rampage. 
 They took rations for thirty days. 
 
 June 14th, rained most of the day. One company 
 was sent on a scout to Big Horn river. 
 
 After Battalion drill on the 15th, just after we got 
 our horses " on the line," there was a cry of "Indians" 
 from the pickets, and we saw way off on the prairie 
 mounted men coming our way, with their horses on 
 the run. We were quickly formed in line in front of 
 the officers, and thought that there was a job of real 
 work cut out for us. On they c^me, past the pickets 
 and right up to the Command. They were Indians for 
 sure, but they were our own scouts. They had been 
 out on a scout and were racing their vigorous and 
 well-kept ponies back to camp. 
 
 Didn t we shout at the discovery ! And didn t the 
 picket catch it for giving the alarm. But the picket 
 had obeyed orders to give an alarm on the approach 
 of a body of Indians. 
 
 June 15th, 1877. A fine day but rather cool. We 
 have Battalion drill and target practice in the after- 
 
92 SEVENTH C A V A L R Y 
 
 noon. Mounted target practice is fascinating. The 
 target is made from pieces of hard-tack boxes 
 shaped to resemble a man standing erect. The com 
 pany is formed in a right front into line, and then the 
 men file off from the right of the line, with horses at 
 a walk. They do not stop their horses, but as they 
 pass the target they try to see how many bullets they 
 can put through the tack man, firing from the should 
 er ; that means having the muzzle of your revolver 
 held on a level with the shoulder, and then firing as 
 soon as the arm is extended. 
 
 As soon as the men get so that they can hit the 
 target with their horses on a walk, at thirty paces 
 from it, they go at a trot, then lope, and at last as fast 
 as their horses can run. It is very exciting, both to 
 man and beast, and it is considered good shooting to 
 hit a target and load and hit it again, in a distance of 
 not more than forty yards, and your horse on a 
 dead run all the time. 
 
 After drilling and taking care of our horses, the 
 men loaf around, sleep, tell stories, or sing. Here 
 I must tell you of our singers, as they are called, 
 Henry Humer, Robert McNeil, " Whitey " Cane, and 
 " Boots, " the basso profundo ! They are as good a 
 lot of singers as can be found in the army. 
 
 Col. Otis often asks them to sing his favorite for 
 him, " Mother, Kiss Me In My Dreams." They will 
 sing it for him, but they know he hates to hear 
 " Susan Jane" the " One-Horse Open Shay" and 
 other pieces of that kind, and generally end it up 
 with one or the other of them, You can just bet it 
 makes us smile, and we encore our songsters. 
 
 June 17th. A hot, sultry day, and in the after 
 noon the grasshoppers came in great numbers. They 
 were so thick that they formed a cloud between the 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 93 
 
 earth and the sun, similar to an eclipse, for about an 
 hour. As the wind died out they settled to the ground, 
 completely covering everything. They chewed holes 
 in our tents, blanket, overcoats, etc., and one of the 
 men lost thirty rounds of ammunition, and when 
 questioned as to what had become of it, he said that 
 the grasshoppers had eaten it, brass shells and all. 
 
 They were the largest I ever saw, some of them 
 being over two inches in length. 
 
 The pests are called Egyptian locusts. 
 
 The man who carries the mail between Fort 
 Buford and Tongue River, came into camp this morn 
 ing on foot, minus mail and outfit. He reported that 
 he had been surprised by a party of hostiles as he 
 was eating and his ponies were resting, and had saved 
 himself by skulking through the sage bushes ; the 
 reds had taken the two ponies, the mail, and express 
 packages, and disappeared in great haste. 
 
 Company D, was immediately ordered to take 
 one day s rations, go to the place where the rob 
 bery took place, pick up the trail of the thieves and 
 capture or kill them and recover the mail. The mail 
 carrier was taken along, as also a number of Indian 
 scouts. 
 
 We are again short of rations. 
 
 Company I was ordered to report at Tongue Riyer 
 Post, in light marching order, which means no tents, 
 no extra clothing, no supplies. Company I got off this 
 morning. 
 
 There are indications of a general move on the 
 hostiles. There was mounted regimental drill and 
 target practice in the afternoon. 
 
 June 19. Weather fine. In the saddle at 7:30, go 
 five miles and camp on Cedar Creek. This stream 
 gets its name from a small grove of cedar trees on its 
 bank. 
 
94 SEVENTH CAV ALRY 
 
 Company D returned from their scout after the 
 mail thieves, and reported following the trail until 
 they overtook them, when the Indians scattered. Our 
 men did not recover anything. 
 
 General Call sounded bright and early the morn 
 ing of June 20th. We move forward 18 miles and 
 camp. Had a lively time with rattlesnakes as we 
 began camp work, but a free use of sabres soon 
 cleaned them out. Prickly pears and cactus are so 
 thick that we are given orders to camp at will, which 
 we did. The result was a general mix-up. 
 
 Two men on picket duty fired their guns at jack- 
 rabbits, and were ordered brought in. They were 
 taken before Colonel Otis, who lectured them and 
 placed them in charge of the guard, with orders that 
 the culprits be required to walk during marches for a 
 a whole week. One of the offenders said : " Got two 
 rabbits and are to have a vacation for a whole week !" 
 
 June 21st. Broke camp at 6 o clock, and after 
 marching 15 miles camp in a very fair place, with 
 good feed for the horses. We have now butchered 
 the last of our cattle, and will for a time be without 
 fresh meat, as we are out of the way of deer and 
 antelope. 
 
 Some of the men found what they termed lamb s 
 quarters, a tender and pleasant tasting edible weed, 
 which we gathered and cooked as we would dandelion 
 greens. They made excellent food. We also found 
 Indian wild onions in abundance which went very 
 well with the greens. We go a mile for water ; the 
 only fuel obtainable is " buffalo chips." 
 
 June 22. March four miles and camp on the banks 
 of Big Sunday Creek, only three and one-half miles 
 from Tongue River Cantonment. Miles City can be 
 seen in the distance ; a large assemblage of tents, log 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 95 
 
 houses and rough board huts, squatting on the V 
 shaped lands formed by the junction of the Tongue 
 and the Yellowstone rivers. There are groups of tall 
 cottonwood trees nearby. We see near the landing 
 stacks of forage for the cavalry, and the camp of 
 General Miles s renowned Eleventh Cavalry com 
 posed of members of the Fifth Infantry mounted on 
 ponies cuptured from the Indians. A quaint, but 
 useful, little ferry boat, guided from side to side of 
 the river by wires so adjusted that the current sup 
 plies the propelling power, keeps on the move. On 
 the flat land beyond Miles City are large stacks of 
 prairie grass, which will be hauled across the river as 
 soon as a sufficiently strong ice-bridge has been 
 constructed by Jack Frost. 
 
 This is Miles City, as seen from a distance. It is 
 a rough place, full of saloons, gambling hells, dance 
 halls and brothels. 
 
 Our present camp is the thirtieth we have occu 
 pied since April 21st, and during the interval we have 
 marched one thousand and three hundred miles ! 
 
 It is rumored that we are to go from here to Milk 
 Mountains, and there we will find plenty of big game. 
 These rumors are always interesting. 
 
96 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO. 
 
 Camp Where Rattlesnakes Are Numerous Wagon Train 
 
 Arrives From Miles City With Supplies for Man 
 
 and Beast At Last Ready to Close In On Reds. 
 
 JUNE 22d, 1877. Rattlesnakes are very thick here, 
 but no one has been bitten yet and all very carefu 1 
 not to be. While lying down on the ground to-day, to 
 take a nap, Captain French heard a slight rustle in 
 the sage bush near his head, and he was not long in 
 getting up either. On investgating with sabre he 
 found a fine rattler, and soon transferred its spirit to 
 the happy hunting grounds. 
 
 A wagon train with fifty wagons came in to-day 
 from Tongue River. They brought forage and rations. 
 The teamsters reported General Miles as fixing up 
 for a big campaign. 
 
 Ordered out on another scout, to-day, and while 
 out met a party of one hundred and fifty Indians. 
 They said they were out on a hunt, by permission of 
 General Miles, and as they had one of Miles s scouts 
 with them, we let them proceed on their way. The 
 scout who was with them, as I was then informed, 
 is a half-bread, who shot and killed a man at Cheyenne 
 Agency in 1876, but he has never been arrested or 
 even examined on the subject, and goes and comes 
 at will, being considered a hard case and owing to 
 his readiness with a gun, is considered a bad man to 
 tackle. He is reported to have married one of Sitting 
 Bull s daughters, and has been employed as a scout 
 by General Miles all Summer. He looks like a dirty, 
 lazy loafer, but must be a good scout, or else General 
 Miles would not have him around. He is also said to 
 be one of the scouts who refused to go into the last 
 Battle with Custer 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 97 
 
 On the morning of June 23d, I went up on one of 
 the bluffs, on a prospecting tour for moss agates. 
 There are splendid ones on the higher ridges. I found 
 a great many that would compare favorably with 
 any I ever saw in rings that cost as high as fifty 
 dollars. They are of different shades, shapes and 
 sizes, and many of them have inside what looks like 
 the shadow of a bush. 
 
 The headquarters team went to the post to-day, 
 and came back with some nice new and heavy 
 pup-tents for the officers. This looks like business. 
 Rained in the afternoon, and mail for our regiment 
 arrived from Tongue River. 
 
 June 24th. No moving orders yet. Bought a dozen 
 eggs. They turned out to be condensed chickens, but 
 the sutler charge d the small sum of one dollar and 
 twenty-five cents for them just the same. So our 
 surplus is again reduced, without any personal 
 benefit, It seemed rather hard to pay such prices, but 
 you must do it, The men in power will give one 
 man the exclusive privilege of accompanying the 
 regiment, and the sutler charges the men what he 
 has a mind to. Of course he does not charge the 
 officers as much as he does the men, and that makes 
 it all right in that quarter. Great pains are taken to 
 keep that wagon at the head of the train. 
 
 The question arises, " But why do soldiers buy of 
 the sutler if he charges such excessive prices ?" Well, 
 we all admit that we ought to pass up the sutler, but 
 if a man is sick and tired of tack and bacon, and has 
 only short allowances of that part of the time, and 
 has a chance to get anything different, even if it 
 takes a whole month s salary to procure one square 
 meal, he will make the venture. A man will pay 
 any price for a meal rather than endure the pangs of 
 extreme hunger. And if a soldier has not got the 
 
98 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 ready cash, he can easly get a sutler s check which 
 will buy just as much as cash, and the amount is 
 deducted from the soldier s pay by the Paymaster. 
 Sutler s should not be allowed to issue such checks, 
 and should be compelled to rely on their resources to 
 keep up with a command. 
 
 June 25th, 1877. This the anniversary of the 
 Custer Massacre on the Little Big Horn. The brave 
 General and his entire command, sent out by General 
 Terry, Department Commander, on a scout, were 
 trapped by Sitting Bull, whose fighting force was 
 twelve times as large. Now Setting Bull must know 
 his days are numbered. 
 
 This is a rainy day. Had inspection and mounted 
 drill, with sabre and revolver practice. In the after 
 noon it was very warm. We can see and hear the 
 steamboats on the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, 
 so do not consider we are entirely out of the world. 
 There are thirty -eight different steamers on the up 
 per Missouri this Summer. 
 
 June 27th, a fine day. Drill ! Drill ! Drill ! Some 
 of the horses are about all in. 
 
 Saw some unusually large meteors during the 
 evening. One of them was in sight for fully one 
 minute, lighting up the heavens for miles around, 
 and then it disappeared as suddenly as it came. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 99 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE. 
 
 Hurricane Sends Camp Tents Flying Wrong Bugle Call 
 
 Causes Confusion General Miles Takes Command 
 
 Big Drive Against Hostiles Is Under Way. 
 
 THE sun came out very hot the morning of July 
 1st, but thunder soon began to rumble, and large and 
 densely black clouds gathered in the distance, and 
 came direct for our camp. Tent pins were driven 
 deeper and preparations made to make the best 
 defense possible against the wind and rain. The 
 storm was furious. Tents flew around in the air. 
 The best we could do was to lie close to the ground. 
 We were afraid that the wind would blow that away 
 too. Occasionally we could hear hard words, as the 
 wind would take some man s hat or blanket and go 
 dancing over the prairie with it. We let things 
 amuse themselves, and when the storm was over 
 gathered what we could find and were soon house 
 keeping once more, but with parts of our houses 
 missing. Needless to say we got soaking wet most 
 of the officers included. 
 
 A trumpeter " got rattled," when the storm having 
 passed over, he was ordered to sound Stable Call, and 
 instead sounded General Call which is the signal to 
 take down tents, pack saddles and get ready to move* 
 The men got busy, but a moment later the trumpeter 
 " came out of it " and restored things to their proper 
 order by sounding first Recall and then Stable Call- 
 But didn t that trumpeter catch it at headquarters 
 where he was immediately wanted. He was given a 
 reprimand, and that closed the incident. As an ex 
 cuse, he said to the Adjutant, " There must have been 
 sand in my trumpet !" The Adjutant said, " You 
 need more sand in your gizzard !" 
 
100 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 July 2d, 1877. The only thing out of the usual 
 routine of camp duties that transpired to-day, was the 
 detailing of Cavalrymen to act as Artillerymen. 
 
 July 3d. Ordered to break camp at 3 o clock in 
 the morning. Something is going to happen ! 
 
 A despatch came in, saying that hostiles had ap- 
 peard in force near Glendive Creek, and that an 
 attack was feared. Help was asked for, and two 
 companies of the Second Cavalry, which were then 
 in camp at Tongue River, and five pieces of artillery 
 were put on the steamboat Kansas, and away they 
 went as fast as steam and current could take them. 
 They have orders to join us in three days, to march 
 north, if it is not necessary for them to stay at 
 Glendive. More rain in the evening. 
 
 July 4th, and hurrah for everyboyd ! 
 
 Broke camp at two o clock. No one but General 
 Miles knows where we are going, and he is not the 
 kind of a man to tell. 
 
 We made a still march of about twenty-four miles 
 and then went into camp. General Miles joined us in 
 the evening, with a wagon train of seventy wagons, 
 and one hundred pack mules. There seems to already 
 be a different look on the way things are to go. We 
 now have a man at the head who is not afraid of his 
 shadow, and who we think will make others hump 
 themselves to keep up with the precession. 
 
 General Miles, although a young man, seems to be 
 possessed of fine judgement, and does not put on as 
 much style when at work, as a clerk in the Adjutant s 
 tent. He is as brave as was General Custer, though 
 we miss in him that dash that caused General 
 Custer s death. He wants to see where he is going, 
 but when he sees he goes. He is called "Buffalo 
 Soldier " by the Indians, and they say that no bullet 
 can hurt him. We hope that none ever will. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 101 
 
 The ground was covered with a thin coat of snow 
 this morning, but it turned out to be very warm dur 
 ing the day. Camped on Custer Creek. Slight fall of 
 snow in the evening. 
 
 On the 5th of July, we broke camp at five o clock 
 in the morning. Company M was rear guard to-day, 
 and we had lots of fun helping the wagons out of the 
 mud, and over bad portions of the road. 
 
 Thermometer at 90 degrees in the shade of the 
 ambulance ; no water along the route only what we 
 can get out of the mud holes. 
 
 Our command now consists of nine companies of 
 the 7th Cavalry; two companies of the 2d Cavalry; 
 five companies of the 5th Infantry (which are mount 
 ed on captured Indian ponies), one heavy parrot gun 
 and one small breech-loading mountain howitzer. 
 
 We have seventy wagons, two hundred pack 
 mules, thirty Indian scouts, and four white . scouts. In 
 the commissary department they have twenty Cali 
 fornia and Texas packers, who pack, unpack, and 
 take care of the mules and attend to the cattle herd, 
 which now numbers about seventy head but will soon 
 be reduced to nothing if we do not get where there 
 are more buffalo. 
 
 After marching over twenty-eight miles we camp 
 ed on the banks of High Creek. This creek gets its 
 name from its high banks, which rise for hundreds 
 of feet on either side. 
 
 July 6th we were in the saddle at five o clock, and 
 headed for Idaho Territory, glad to be rid of the dull 
 monotony of camp life, but sorry that our horses are 
 not in better order, as they have nearly had the hides 
 drilled off from them. 
 
 It is a grand sight to look back and see the long 
 columns of troops and wagons crawling over the 
 prairie, the pack mules all following the gray horse 
 
102 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 with the bell on; and to see the big stacks of hard 
 tack boxes weave from side to side as the mules plod 
 steadily along. The gray horse is called the " Bell- 
 horse; " and the mules will follow it wherever it goes. 
 
 Watch that mule that is slyly getting out of the 
 line; do you know what he is going to do ? I do, and 
 so does that packer who is coming, with his horse on 
 a run. When a mule gets tired, or lazy, whichever it 
 is, or both together, he will step out of the line, and if 
 not watched very close, will lie down, and as the load 
 is so heavy that he can t get up with it on, they have 
 to be unpacked in order to get them up. 
 
 See him get down ; there he goes, flat on his side ! 
 
 Now the mule must be unpacked, whipped to his 
 feet, arid repacked when he gets back on all fours, 
 and the whip will be a propelling power to make him 
 hustle and catch up with the rest. It would not do 
 to let them all stop when one goes down as they 
 would all be apt to lie down, and it would detain the 
 whole command for near and hour waiting for the 
 mules to be unpacked, got on their feet and repacked 
 and in marching order again 
 
 A mule is no fool, and a fool is not a mule ; you 
 can bet on that every time. 
 
 The following conversation between Colonel Otis 
 and Major Merrill was overheard to-day by an 
 Orderly : 
 
 " Major, what name do you think the men use 
 when they refer to me ?" 
 
 " Don t know," the Major replied. 
 
 " Bulldozer T said the Colonel in an angry tone. 
 
 " That is nothing," said the Major, " they refer to 
 me as Four-Eyed-Son-of-a-Gun !" 
 
 And so it goes, " the men " have a nickname for 
 each officer some complimentary, some otherwise. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 103 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR. 
 
 Visit Battlefield of Former Campaign and Site of Former 
 
 Indian Village General Miles Orders Charge On 
 
 Fleeing Indians A Thrilling Adventure. 
 
 WE passed over the battlefield of 1874, where Gen 
 eral Stanley and his command were so badly cut up 
 by Sioux Indians. Bones were strewn on the ground 
 quite thick. Here is the skeleton of a horse and close 
 to it the skeleton of a man, the bare and bleached 
 bones glistening in the sunlight, and the whitened 
 skull looking grinningly up at us as we ride past. 
 Near these bones we notice a dozen or more empty 
 cartridge shells, sure proof that the soldier had died 
 in the line of duty. 
 
 " Will our bones ever lie and bleach in such a 
 place ?" we wonder as we go on to we know not 
 what! 
 
 We now ride over a beautiful table land, flat and 
 smooth as a barn floor. It forms a point made by the 
 Yellowstone River and High Creek, where they join; 
 then through bad-lands, cut up by deep ravines and 
 gulches. Not a spear of grass or a bit of cactus or 
 other growth relieves the eye. This is a land of 
 desolation. We enter a deep ravine, and along the 
 bottom we go, rock walls rise thirty, sixty, in places 
 a hundred feet above our heads on either side. What 
 a place for an ambuscade ! But our scouts are ahead 
 and it is safe to follow them. 
 
 Cutting sand and fine dust strike our faces, fill our 
 eyes and make breathing difficult. Look, there are 
 massive rocks ahead that block our way ; no, we take 
 a sharp turn to the right, and emerge from desolation 
 directly into paradise ! The finest, smoothest, largest 
 meadow I ever saw is right before me a mead 
 ow where a scythe has never been swung. The 
 rich grass brushes the legs of the cavalrymen as they 
 ride through it. 
 
104 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 Halt /sounds the trumpet. 
 
 Dismount /it sounds again, and we get off our 
 horses, remove the bits from their mouths and let 
 them eat and be happy while they can. We are to 
 wait here until the wagon train catches up with us. 
 
 General Miles is half a mile ahead of us with his 
 scouts. He is signaling. What does that mean ? 
 
 INDIANS ! 
 
 The trumpet sounds To Horse ! and we quickly 
 put the bits in our horses mouths, arnd are ready. 
 
 Mount ! goes the trumpet, and we mount. There 
 is no confusion, no misunderstanding the tones of the 
 trumpet, for it is in the hands of Chief Trumpeter 
 Hardy himself. 
 
 Forward /sounds the trumpet again, and forward 
 we go. We make for that bluff where we can see 
 General Miles. 
 
 When we had gone a quarter of a mile, we saw 
 saw some one leave the bluff and ride full speed to 
 intercept Trumpeter Hardy. The two meet, Trum 
 peter Hardy bends over in the saddle to receive an 
 order, sent by General Miles, and then as he straight 
 ens up there is a bright flash in the sunlight. He has 
 in hand the copper bugle he carried when he was with 
 Custer during the Civil War. See ! He raises it to 
 his lips and the tones of the bugle sound out clear 
 and strong. W hat melody ! But what is the order ? 
 
 Companies Right Into Line! and putting our 
 selves into that position in an instant, we ride 
 forward. 
 
 Gallop /is the next call. At last ! Aha, this is 
 something like it ! Just what we had heard about 
 but had given up all hopes of taking part in. 
 
 A Trumpeter of each company is with his Captain, 
 and another stays by the First Sergeant of the Com- 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 105 
 
 pany. It is the duty of these company trumpeters to 
 tell what the calls mean and to repeat them. 
 
 How our travel-worn horses do pull out, each do 
 ing its best. 
 
 Deploy Skirmishers, By the Right and Left Flank ! 
 is the next call sounded, and the six companies of 
 the Seventh Cavalary take their positions twenty 
 yards apart, with horses on a gallop. 
 
 CHARGE /commands the bugle of Chief Trum 
 peter Hardy. Twelve Company Trumpeters repeat 
 this call, and on we go as fast as we can make our 
 horses travel. We make the top of the bluff, and, 
 whew ! about two miles distant are about two score 
 mounted f Indian braves, and there may be several 
 thousand more behind that other bluff. On we rush 
 but will the reds stand ? No, they are off ! See 
 them lash their ponies ! Hear them yell ! Up hill 
 and down we keep up the chase, but get no nearer 
 the fugitives. Our horses are flecked with foam and 
 many of them begin to lag. The wagon train and 
 pack mules are out of sight. 
 
 We reach the top of a ridge, and on the flat land 
 below, quietly resting on the bank of Cherry Creek, 
 are our savages those two score Indians we have 
 been trying so hard to catch. We have been chasing 
 our own scouts, friendly Cheyennes and Crows, who 
 had that morning been sent on ahead to scout for 
 hostiles. 
 
 Recall was sounded, and Rally by Companies fol 
 lows. We are soon in proper trim. Word was then 
 passed along, that General Miles wishing to see now 
 the Seventh Cavalry would respond in an emergency 
 had instructed the scouts to make the fake run, and 
 they most successfully complied with his orders. 
 
 We went into camp. The wagon train and pack 
 mules came in late. 
 
106 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE. 
 
 Where Miles Defeated Sitting Bull in 1876 Bones Litter 
 
 The Battle Field Pownee Tom Secures Necklace 
 
 of Bear-Claws Crazy Jim s Strange Feast. 
 
 BROKE camp on the morning of July 7th at six 
 o clock, marched about ten miles and went into camp 
 on the battle field where a part of General Miles s 
 command had a tussle with a body of Sitting Bull s 
 warriors last Summer, and whipped twice their 
 own number. There are thousands of old tepee 
 poles and wooden pins lying on the ground, where 
 they were abandoned by the reds. The tepee poles 
 are from ten to twenty feet long, straight and 
 smooth, one end of most of them having been worn 
 to a sharp point, due to being dragged on the ground. 
 When moving their villages, the Indians fasten one 
 end of two or more tepee poles on the sides of a pony 
 and permit the other end to drag. On the back of 
 pony as well as on the dragging tepee poles unduly 
 heavy burdens are carried. 
 
 Buffalo bones are scattered all about this former 
 site of an Indian village. There are hundreds of deer 
 and buffalo hides staked down to the ground, which 
 shows that the squaws were engaged in their tanning 
 processes when surprised by the soldiers. The hides 
 were all hard and wrinkled, and were good for 
 nothing. 
 
 We explored the old village pretty thoroughly. 
 
 Manly little bags of paints and charms were found 
 as also an old carbine, an old flint-lock pistol, a few 
 axe-helves with the letters " U. S. Q. M. D." branded 
 on them, part of a coffee-mill the drawer of which 
 contained a quantity of beads and herbs done up in 
 bits of rags, and tied with pieces of sinew. 
 
 Several axes and the axe-helves, with the coffee- 
 mill, were relics of the Custer Massacre. A horse- 
 brush was found by one of the men, that still bore 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 107 
 
 upon its back the following inscription, cut in with a 
 knife : 
 
 " C. B., Co. F., 7th Cav., 1873." 
 
 This brush had belonged to a Sergeant in that 
 company, who was killed in the Indian campaign 
 of 1873. 
 
 My company was detailed for picket duty to-nght 
 and had just got the pickets posted, when around 
 came an order for the First Battalion to be ready to 
 start on a five day s scout at 5 o clock in the morning. 
 We were at once relieved from picket duty, and drew 
 extra amunition, and enough hard-tack and bacon to 
 keep us good and salty for six days. We did not get 
 but little sleep all night long. Now that General 
 Miles has left us, we expect to do nothing but fool 
 around from camp to camp, and drill what little life 
 our horses have out of them. 
 
 Broke camp the morning of July 8th at 5 o clock, 
 and taking a pretty fresh Indian trail, followed it until 
 about 5 o clock in the afternoon, then halted for the 
 night. Have to govern our marches now so as to 
 keep behind Indians that may be on the war-path, 
 and so that we will have water at the camps. March 
 thirty miles. We have no extra clothing but over 
 coats, and many of the men have not got that much, 
 as they have thrown their overcoats away in order to 
 lighten the load of their horse. 
 
 General Miles left us to go to Glendive, taking 
 Company E as an escort. 
 
 We pass abandoned tepee poles and other Indian 
 belongings in large quantities, indicating that the 
 reds ahead of us are in a hurry. 
 
 July 9th. Broke camp at 5 o clock and follow the 
 Indian trail. Marched over rough country. Saw 
 numerous antelope. Pass three dead ponies, and two 
 dead Indians. The bodies of the Indians had been 
 
108 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 placed on poles. It is probable that the ponies had 
 been sacrificed that their owners might enter the 
 Happy Hunting grounds in due and ancient form. 
 
 Pawnee Tom, a half-breed scout, shot and wound 
 ed a cinnamon bear, this afternoon. He left his pony 
 and crawled on his hands and knees nearly a thous 
 and yards to get near enough for a shot ; as soon as 
 the gun was fired the bear headed for a gulley 
 near by. By the time Tom had remounted his pony 
 the bear had disappeared, but he trailed the wounded 
 animal to its lair, and a second shot ended its life. As 
 the result of his bravery, Tom secured a necklace of 
 bear s claws, and will henceforth have a voice in the 
 councils of his tribe. 
 
 We find wild goose berries in abundance, but they 
 are exceedingly sour. 
 
 Saddles are kept packed all the time now, with 
 everything in readiness for a fight with hostiles at 
 any moment. At night our beds consist of our saddle- 
 blankets spread on the ground, and our saddles for 
 pillows, and they are good ones We lie down, shut 
 our eyes, imagine we are covered up, and go to sleep, 
 not to wake till morning ; unless it rains, when we 
 cover our heads with a corner of the blanket, roll 
 over, and are soon sound asleep again. 
 
 The morning of July 10th we broke camp at five 
 o clock, marched 33 miles, and went into camp on the 
 bank of Yellow Muddy Creek. This creek gets its 
 name from the yellow mud that colors the water ; and 
 it looked to me a good deal like mush. 
 
 We have an abundance of antelope meat, and book 
 it in different ways, the most common being to place 
 it on coals. Of course it tastes smokey and is more 
 or less scorched, but it is eaten with keen relish. 
 
 While riding my horse to water this evening, he 
 took it into his head to see what he could, and having 
 nothing on him but a halter and lariat I let him go it. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 109 
 
 I was given an exhilarating ride. After running about 
 a mile, and jumping over a ditch that was fully ten 
 feet across and twenty-five deep, I stopped him just 
 in time to prevent him from jumping into or over 
 the Captain s tent! 
 
 We killed a large number of rattlesnakes in the 
 camp, and Crazy Jim skinned, cooked, and ate one, 
 with as much relish as I ever saw a man eat a piece 
 of eel. He said it tasted a good deal like an eel, only 
 it was sweeter and not so tough. There was no one 
 in the company who wanted to borrow his frying pan 
 after that. He stuffed the skin of the snake full of 
 grass, and then wore it round his neck just as you 
 would a scarf. 
 
 Crazy Jim, or James Severs, as his name really is, 
 is from Indiana, and is a brave and ever-ready soldier. 
 He was named Crazy Jim on the campaign last year, 
 when, at the time of the massacre of the men on the 
 Little Big Horn, he saved a pack mule and its load of 
 ammunition from falling into the hands of the Indians, 
 at the risk of his own life. While he was after the 
 mule the Indians fired over one hundred shots at him, 
 but not a bullet happened to hit him, although they 
 caused dust to fly near hin in all directions. He is 
 now wearing one stripe on his dress coat sleeve, 
 showing that he has served one five years enlistment, 
 and is now on his second. He re-enlisted last winter 
 at Fort Rice, and says he will must have a furlough 
 this winter, as there is a girl digging leeks in Indiana 
 that he wants to see mighty bad, 
 
 We were up very early on the morning of 
 July llth, and were in the saddle at 3:45. I got per 
 mission of the Captain to hunt along the line of march 
 with Private Neeley. Antelope were very thick, but a 
 little sly. I shot my first antelope on this hunt. Neeley 
 shot five out of one herd, and we took the hind 
 
110 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 quarters of six of them on our horses and started to 
 join the command. They were a heavy load for our 
 poor animals. 
 
 We got nearly nine miles from the line of march 
 which I think is doing very well for two men in a 
 hostile country. While we were yet about three miles 
 from camp we saw three riders coming towards us, 
 and we did not wait to see what they wanted but 
 hurried on towards the camp as fast as our horses 
 could very well travel with the heavy loads we had. 
 We had no extra liking for a battle on the open 
 prairie with that kind of game, and on looking back 
 and seeing that they were running their ponies, and 
 seeing that we could not get to camp before they 
 overtook us, we rode up to the foot of a bluff, and 
 then led our horses to the top of it. We had not the 
 least doubt but that we were in for a fight and wanted 
 to have all the advantage on our side. We would 
 have given all the meat we had to have been in camp 
 at that particular time, but we did not intend to 
 surrender; oh, no ! 
 
 We waited in silence for nearly five minutes, and 
 as the men came nearer and they did not look so 
 much like Indians as they had but a short time before 
 and our Indians soon proved to be three men from 
 " E " Company, who, like ourselves, had been on a 
 hunt, and were looking for the camp. We went down 
 to them, and in answer to their inquiries as to what 
 what we were up there for, we said we were trying to 
 see if we could locate the camp. 
 
 Here was a chance for one of those hair-breadth 
 escapes so often read about, and I have no doubt but 
 that the majority of them are about as dangerous as 
 ours was. 
 
 There was a very hard thunder shower in the 
 evening, and of course we men got wet, but we have 
 got so used to being wet that it is no hardship, but it 
 is a little disagreeable. Marched twenty miles, and 
 camped on Red Water Creek. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 111 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX. 
 
 Patrol Marches Wearing Down Cavalry Horses Men Are 
 
 Impatient Chief Mule-Packer Murdered by Rival 
 
 Command Heads Back to Tongue River. 
 
 JULY 12th, I87& Broke camp this morning with 
 rain falling, the men out of sorts and rations getting 
 low. We do not seem to be doing anything likely to 
 get results merely fooling around out of reach of 
 hostiles. It strikes me as rather queer that Colonel 
 Otis should devote so much time to visiting aban 
 doned Indian village sites instead of getting in actual 
 contact with hostiles. 
 
 We are now to head back to the camp where our 
 wagon train is parked, whence we started forth on 
 this apparently resultless scouting expedition. We 
 have been scouting almost six days and are so near 
 our starting point that we can reach it in one day. 
 
 This has been a hard trip for our underfed and 
 travel-worn horses. To-day my horse lagged for the 
 first time. I touched him with the spurs, but he did 
 not respond ; then I dismounted and led him behind 
 the command, feeling sorry for the poor fellow. We 
 came in sight of camp when three miles away, and 
 my horse was rrore than three hours in covering the 
 distance. Several times I thought he was going to 
 fall down and die. 
 
 I have with this little horse kept pace with my 
 Captain all Summer, and he has had two large horses 
 at his disposal, changing mounts nearly every alter 
 nate day, so I think my mount has been an unusual 
 ly good one. The Captain is a great hunter and a 
 splendid shot I think the best in the whole regiment, 
 either with rifle or revolver. When out hunting, in 
 addition to my load, my horse has carried an Infantry 
 rifle with ammunition, for the Captain s use, and I 
 have followed him on many a wild chase in pursuit of 
 game, and when he has dismounted to take a shot, 
 
112 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 I have invariably been ready to hand him his gun and 
 hold his horse. 
 
 Marched 41 miles to-day. 
 
 July 13th. Broke camp at 8 o clock in the morn 
 ing and took our own trail back towards Tongue 
 River. No danger of finding hostiles on this trail ! 
 Went 16 miles and camped on Cherry Creek, in a 
 poor location. However, the ground is too rough to 
 drill on. 
 
 I rode my Lieutenant s extra horse to-day, as mine 
 was only able to carry itself. The men said I looked 
 like a mosquito on a hay-stack, and I guess they were 
 right, as it is the tallest and most rangy horse with 
 the command. I need a step-ladder to mount him 
 with. He is docile, willing, and an easy rider. 
 
 The Captain saw a bear near a ravine, about one 
 mile from the trail, and calling me to follow, started 
 for the game. I gave the big horse the rein and a 
 touch of the spurs, and away we went. The bear saw 
 us coming and turned and ran, and a bear can run ! 
 We fired at the bear with our revolvers but did not 
 hit it, so it did not stop to give battle, but soon was 
 out of sight in the ravine. I was surprised that the 
 big horse made such speed. We had not been back 
 in line long, when Colonel Otis rode alongside and 
 asked the Captain if he knew if Lieutenant Mathey 
 wanted to sell that horse. Evidently the Colonel was 
 looking for a horse that could run ! 
 
 July 14. Were in the saddle at 7 A. M. I rode 
 the Captain s Indian pony Pete, the most contrary 
 piece of pony I ever came in contact with. Could not 
 get the pony started when, the command pulled out 
 but after giving the balky beast the usual medi 
 cine and getting its nose in the right direction, I took 
 after the troops, and the pony made good time. 
 
 Marched 25 miles and camped where there was 
 excellent grass and good water for the horses. We 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 113 
 
 remained here a number of days, then marched back 
 to our former camping place on Sunday Creek, where 
 a few days were given to drilling. At 4 o clock in the 
 afternoon we received orders to report at Tongue 
 River, and an hour later were on the way. 
 
 At about 8 o clock, while the troops were moving 
 along silently and quietly, a rifle shot rang out. All 
 was excitement, and officers rode hurridly along, to 
 discover who had fired the gun. As they arrived at 
 the back end of the line, they discovered the packers 
 crowded around some one lying on the ground, and 
 were told that the Chief Packer had been shot in the 
 head and was unconscious, evidently dying. His com 
 rades said the Chief Packer and one of his men had 
 some words about the way the packing was done 
 and had called each other hard names. Finally the 
 man who did the shooting, swore that he would take 
 the position of Chief Packer when the pack mules 
 arrived at Tongue River, as he knew more about 
 packing than any other man with the outfit, then sud 
 denly wheeled his horse about, shot the Chief Packer 
 and rode off in the darkness. The chum of the dying 
 man a moment later, gun in hand, mounted a pony 
 and started in pursuit of the assassin. 
 
 The murdered man left a wife and three children 
 in one of the larger cities of Florida, where he owned 
 considerable property. Love of adventure, and a 
 desire to investigate the mining and agriculturial 
 inducements of the North-West, had prompted the 
 adventure that culminated in this dire tragedy. 
 
 The body was rolled in a blanket and placed in a 
 shallow grave by the side of the trail. 
 
 The affair was reported to General Miles, who sent 
 a detail with an ambulance for the body, which was 
 examined by the surgeons, enclosed in a coffin, and 
 buried in the Military Cemetery at Tongue River. 
 
114 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN. 
 
 Once More on the Yellowstone General Miles Extends 
 
 Aid to Destitue Tribe of Indians General Sturges 
 
 Fails to Accept Challenge of Bold Nez Perces. 
 
 WE reached the bank of the Yellowstone river at 
 about midnight, and it being too dark to pitch our 
 tents, we were ordered to unsaddle and rest as best 
 we could until morning. So off came the saddles and 
 down on the ground went the whole command, glad 
 to get a chance for a little rest. 
 
 Reveille was sounded bright and early in the morn 
 ing, and after a hasty breakfast we mount and 
 march one mile, when we camp on Tongue River, 
 nearly opposite and about one mile from the head 
 quarters of General Miles. 
 
 We can now look down on the Tongue- River-ites, 
 and are glad once more to be where we can see some 
 indications of civilization. 
 
 The location of the Cantonment at Tongue River 
 was the selection of General Miles, and does credit 
 to his knowledge and foresight. 
 
 There are about 500 Cheyenne Indians camped 
 near the Post. They are under the personal super 
 vision of General Miles. I am told that it was only 
 through his personal exertions that the warriors of 
 these Indians were prevented from taking the war 
 path, some time ago, when the man in charge of the 
 Agency failed to pay the annuity due them from the 
 Government. The chiefs complained to General Miles 
 that the man in charge of the Agency at the time was 
 " Heap cheat." Miles appealed in their behalf direct 
 to the Government at Washington, and was told the 
 appropriation for these Indians had been exhausted. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 115 
 
 He supplied their needs from his own scanty stores, 
 and told them he would see that they did not suffer. 
 
 The command remained in this camp several days 
 and then General Sturges was ordered to take six 
 companies of the Seventh Cavalry and head Chief 
 Joseph off from his attempt to escape into the great 
 wilderness north of the nation s boundary line. 
 
 The hardships of our Indian campaign now began 
 in earnest. We made forced marches and got in 
 ahead of Chief Joseph and his warriors and tribe s 
 people generally, at the foot of the Little Rocky 
 Mountains, in Montana Territory, Sept. ^8th, 1877. 
 Here General Sturges halted his command, and it 
 seemed that he wanted the Indians to take the 
 offensive. The reds advanced and a slight skirmish 
 ensued, and instead of leading a charge, Sturges 
 posted himself on a bluff, with a body guard, fully a 
 mile from the reds, and viewed proceedings through 
 his field glass. A bullet from a long-range gun in the 
 hands of an Indian who knew how to shoot, struck 
 the ground a short distance in front of the General, 
 who lowered his glass, remarking that it was getting 
 dangerous up there, and got out of danger. 
 
 At this time Lieutenant Hare went personally to 
 Major Merrill, and asked permission to lead his 
 company in a charge against the hostiles ; but, of 
 course, the request was refused. Prompt action was 
 what the men of the Old Seventh wanted. They all 
 felt that if " turned loose," they could and would 
 clean out Chief Joseph and his warriors in short 
 order. 
 
 Our loss in the long distance skirmish, which 
 lasted but a few minutes, was three men slightly 
 wounded ; the enemy loss was about the same. Their 
 long-range rifles are much more effective than our 
 short-range carbines, unless we get in close quarters- 
 
116 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 The number of warriors with Joseph, and also the 
 non-compatants, are much less than he had when 
 he started on his projected break for the Canadian 
 wilds. The patrol work of United States troops is 
 bewildering to the militant Indian chiefs, and the 
 young bucks are not leaving reservations for the 
 " war-path " in any considerable numbers. The 
 reds under Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse have found 
 " scalp hunting " poor business, and are dwindling. 
 
 But why prolong the unequal contest ! 
 
 After Chief Joseph had passed through the Gap in 
 the Mountains, General Sturges marched our force 
 around a range of the mountains, and then, permitting 
 the retreating Indians to again get away, followed 
 after them. We camped several nights where they 
 had camped the night before. At each camping place 
 the reds had erected breastworks, prepared to give us 
 battle. 
 
 If this is a war of attrition, they were getting the 
 food and we were getting appetites. Rations ran 
 short, until we had nothing to eat but buffalo meat 
 and bull-cherries. Finally we got where we could get 
 neither buffalo meat nor bull-cherries. Then we 
 butchered Indian ponies. This meat was good. 
 
 General Sturges issued a bombastic card of thanks 
 and as the document was being read by the Adjutant 
 you could hear men say, " We do not want wind 
 pudding ; give us something solid !" General Sturges 
 sent to General Howard for rations and Howard sent 
 us ammunition. A day later a wagon train arrived 
 from Fort Peck, with rations. Instead of hard bread 
 they brought flour, and salt pork that was spoiled. 
 Each man was issued a quart of flour and a chunk of 
 pork. We made flap-jacks. Taking a tin cup and 
 partly filling it with wheat flour, we would add water 
 and make a paste, and then add a piece of pork, and 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 111 
 
 cook the mess. It was difficult to dig it out of the 
 cup. It was worse than hard-tack and ancient bacon. 
 
 Sturges with six companies, every soldier fight 
 ing mad, loitered along. But when Miles was given 
 the " right of way," he pressed after the fugitive reds, 
 headed them off and forced Chief Joseph to surrender, 
 after a hard fighting that lasted three days. 
 
 I was mighty glad to be " on the job " at the Battle 
 of Snake River, and so were my comrades of Com 
 pany M, Seventh Cavalry. 
 
 Son e time before this event, while with Sturges, 
 I was ordered to take a despatch to General 
 Miles, and was to go alone over unknown land, liable 
 at any moment to meet hostiles. I could not refuse 
 to make the venture. Better lose my scalp than to 
 get the name of being a coward. 
 
 Receiving the necessary instructions as to route 
 and provided with a compass, at dusk I set forth on 
 the hazardous ride. To say that I was startled at 
 every little sound, would be putting it very mild. But 
 I kept on and arrived at my destination about noon 
 the next day. Never did a camp look so good to me 
 as that one did. And never again do I want to take 
 such a trip. It was over bluffs, along ravines, across 
 stretches of prairie, expecting to get a bullet from 
 the gun of a lurking hostile at any moment. It is no 
 wonder that at the age of twenty-four my hair is 
 streaked with gray. 
 
118 SEVENTH CAV ALRY 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT. 
 
 Graphic Account of Battle Between NezPerces and Troops 
 
 Commanded by General Miles Chief Joseph Forced 
 
 to Yield Emphasizes Dislike for Gen. Howard. 
 
 THE general interest in the battle between Nez 
 Perces warriors led by Chief Joseph, and the Cavalry 
 force with General Miles in Command, and the 
 surrender of the hostiles, demands more attention 
 than ever has appeared in print. It was the finale of 
 an important campaign ; it threw wide open the 
 door that had blocked the way for the settlement of 
 the Great North- West ; it stopped trespassing on the 
 soil of a friendly nation by disgruntled natives of this 
 country our wards, not wanted there, whose best 
 interests demanded that they should cease savagery 
 and live in peace with their white neighbors. 
 
 When Chief Joseph started forth on this final and 
 fateful campaign, he was in command of a large force 
 of superior and well equipped Indian warriors. With 
 these hostiles, it was a most sacred war. From the 
 time they left their homes in Oregon until they 
 were attacked by the command of General Miles on 
 Snake Creek, they had traveled sixteen hundred miles 
 and at a rate that would have killed a cavalry horse. 
 
 This was a wonderful trip. Chief Joseph did not 
 make it with warriors alone. He had with him all 
 the squaws, children and aged males of the tribe, 
 their tepees and other belongings. Joseph s movements 
 were retarded, and at times diverted, by strong 
 bodies of United States troops. He was able and 
 shrewd, and was keen in leading pursuing columns 
 along trails where their men and horses would suffer 
 most for want of food and water. 
 
 Chief Joseph s warriors had dwindled to about 
 three hundred ; every one of them hardened by the 
 difficulties of the march, able to go days without food 
 or water, and each brave carrying a gun made Jfor 
 use in hunting large game. They also had a number 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 119 
 
 of long range needle-guns, two of them being sup 
 plied with the most approved telescope sights. One 
 of the rifles was a heavy Creedmore, such as is used 
 by the most skilful shots in America on the celebrat 
 ed ranges. No doubt it was one of these rifles that 
 sent that bullet in the direction of General Sturges, 
 during the brief skirmish at the Gap in the Moun 
 tains, which caused him to lower his field-glass and 
 step out of range. 
 
 The failure of General Howard to land Chief 
 Joseph, is said to be due to the fact that Howard 
 started on the chase with his command not half sup 
 plied with equipment necessary for such a drive. 
 As a result, Howard s movements were hampered and 
 his fighting strength greatly reduced at the time when 
 his force should have been at its very best. 
 
 General Howard was not versed in Indian warfare. 
 He found there is a vast difference between Agency- 
 life and its treaty making and fighting Indians. It was 
 Howard s lack of tact that impelled Joseph and his 
 brother White Bird and the rest of the Nez Perces to 
 reject the demand of Howard. They did not want 
 to fight ; they wanted to escape to a land of refuge, 
 where they could live in peace. This is the Indians 
 side of the story. 
 
 Chief Joseph continued on his retreat through the 
 northern mountains. On August 9th General Gibbons 
 came into ineffectual contact with him at the Big 
 Hole Mountains. 
 
 When General Miles started from the mouth of 
 Tongue River, September 18th, to attack Chief 
 Jeseph, he had formed his plans so well that victory 
 was assured. He struck Chief Joseph s camp the 30th 
 of September, 1877, after marching twelve days, at 
 the very place he said he would before setting out 
 
120 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 from Tongue River. The men under Miles were 
 eager for the fray. As soon as the Indians were seen 
 General Miles, without hesitation, placed himself in 
 front of the troops, and at once the first order was 
 given. It was : 
 
 " CHARGE IT 
 
 The battle was on ! 
 
 Ahead went our three companies of the Seventh 
 Cavalry, direct for the Indians, each man trying to 
 be the first to draw blood. 
 
 Never was a more gallant charge made by any 
 troops. 
 
 The Second Cavalry had been ordered to round 
 up and look after the ponies of the reds, and this 
 placed the burden of the fight on the three companies 
 of the Seventh Cavalry. The charges on the reds 
 and on their ponies were simultaneous. 
 
 Two men reel in their saddles and fall to the 
 ground at the beginning of the charge. There is no 
 faltering, spurs hasten to the utmost the speed of the 
 horses. We soon come to where the ground is so 
 cut up by natural rifle-pits that our horses can ad 
 vance no further. The Indians are firing rapidly ; 
 our men are responding. 
 
 Halt ! is the shrill bugle command. 
 
 Then Dismount /and Prepare to Fight on Foot ! 
 
 And this is what was done, and with as much 
 coolness as though we were on parade, instead of 
 being where bullets are whistling. 
 
 As soon as our men dismount the carbines begin 
 to talk to the Indians so fast and with such good 
 results, that the fire of the reds slackens, as they take 
 to cover, but soon they arefiring more rapidly than 
 before. 
 
 General Miles gave orders for the men to shelter 
 themselves as much as they could and to make their 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 121 
 
 shots count. Men got behind anything that would 
 afford the least shelter, and some dug into the earth 
 with entrenching tools. We lay there and shot at 
 every moving thing seen above the tops of the breast 
 works of the reds. There are many men in the 
 command who never before were under fire, and they 
 are as aggressive and cool as the veterans. 
 
 A man falls on the right of the line or, rather, 
 rises and then falls ! He was lying down when a 
 rifle bullet hit him in the shoulder. He springs 
 to his feet in agony, and instantly falls, and rolls 
 behind a little pile of dirt, and tries to grasp his 
 carbine, but he cannot do so with hands benumbed, 
 and sinks back as though dead ! 
 
 There he lies until darkness makes it safe for 
 comrades to go to his relief. He was found alive, 
 and taken to the hospital tent on a stretcher, where 
 the Surgeon dressed the wound and he soon became 
 conscious. It is Private Deitline, of Company M. 
 The Surgeon says he is badly wounded, but will pull 
 through all right. Good, for we all like him ; he is 
 our Company Farrier. 
 
 Other wounded men are taken to the hospital. 
 We soon get over the nausea at first caused by the 
 sight of wounds and blood, and assist in caring for 
 the injured. 
 
 The First Sergeant of Company M is found dead, 
 shot through the lungs, while in the front row of little 
 ditches our men had dug in order to press closer to 
 the entrenched Indians ; he is the man who declared 
 when bidding his wife and children good-bye, as 
 our force left Fort Rice last Spring, that he had a 
 presentment that they would not see him again. 
 
 The body was placed in a grave, over which a 
 volley was fired. 
 
 During the battle, Lieutenant Eckerson with a few 
 men distinguished themselves, when horses attached 
 
122 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 to the mountain howitzer were shot while the piece 
 was being hauled into position. The Lieutenant 
 leaped from his horse, cut the traces, helped the men 
 place the gun in position, and fired shot after shot. 
 
 Trumpeter Herwood saved the life of his Captain 
 and thereby came near sacrificing his own. He saw 
 an Indian taking careful aim at the Captain, and de 
 liberately stepped in front of his officer receiving the 
 bullet in his own side. When bringing in the wounded 
 we found Harwood lying on the ridge where he had 
 fallen, and told Surgeon Havre that the man was so 
 badly wounded that we feared he would bleed to 
 death while being carried to the hospital. The Sur 
 geon made examination and said : " He can t live ; 
 take in those who have a chance to recover." The 
 next morning, while being attended to at the hospital 
 tent by Surgeon Havre, Trumpeter Herwood said : " I 
 am the man you left on the ridge to die ! If you are 
 going to probe my wound with a finger, as you did 
 last night, please cut the nail off !" 
 
 We dug rifle pits, both day and night and 
 got nearer and nearer the enemy. Chief Joseph s 
 entire camp was surrounded the first day of the 
 fight, but that was not enough to make him yield. 
 He had sufficient food and ammunition for a siege. 
 
 On ascertaining this fact, after Chief Joseph had 
 refused to surrender, General Miles had a series of 
 rifle pits dug that cut off the water supply of the reds. 
 Chief Joseph was not slow to discover this fact, and 
 seeing that he could not possibly escape from the trap 
 he was in, or defeat the white force, he held a council 
 at which it was decided to surrender to General 
 Miles ! This emphasized their dislike for General 
 Howard, the Department Commander, to whom they 
 attributed the troubles that had started them afield. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 123 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE. 
 
 Cavalrymen Cheer When a White Cloth is Displayed by 
 
 Hostiles Chief Joseph Hands His Rifle to Gen. Miles 
 
 White Bird Takes Flight Our Wounded. 
 
 WHEN the Nez Perces war chiefs decided to make 
 the surrender to General Miles, Chief Joseph had a 
 piece of white cloth displayed and came to to our 
 headquarters, all alcne. He was received by General 
 Miles, and in a subdued voice said his chiefs and 
 warriors wanted to surrender. 
 
 How we did cheer when that piece of white cloth 
 appeared ! Our work was done and well done, too ! 
 
 General Howard had arrived on the scene while 
 the battle was in progress, accompanied by an escort 
 of seventeen men. He commended General Miles, say 
 ing in what seemed a rather bombastic manner : 
 
 " General, I find everything all right. This is your 
 fight, and I want to say amen to everything that you 
 have done." 
 
 But notice the difference in tone of the report of 
 the matter issued by General Howard, and the gener 
 al order of General Miles, printed in the Chapter that 
 follows. 
 
 While Chief Joseph was on his way to meet 
 General Miles, at the time he surrendered, he passed 
 by General Howard without paying any attention to 
 to him, and walked deliberately up to Miles and 
 said : " I WANT TO SURRENDER TO YOU !" 
 
 As the noted Indian stood there a self-acknow 
 ledged prisoner, rifle in hand, his bearing was calm 
 and deliberate, he was indeed A BRAVE ! 
 
 Chief Joseph is about thirty-five years of age, five 
 feet ten inches in height. His clothing consisted of 
 blanket-trousers, beaded leggins, beaded buckskin 
 moccasins, and a fine blanket. His features are 
 regular, his black eyes are as piercing as an eagle s. 
 
124 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 His long black hair is gathered in a loose braid at 
 the back of his head, his scalp-lock is ornamented 
 with a cluster of feathers, and long braids hang in 
 front of his ears. 
 
 Such is the young man, who for a long time had 
 bid defiance to what he considered unjust and oppres 
 sive mandates on the part of the Government of the 
 United States, and who had repulsed in turn military 
 forces commanded by Howard, Sturges, and Gibbons, 
 and for three days had held out against General 
 Miles. 
 
 As he addressed General Miles, he handed the 
 General his rifle, with the muzzle pointed towards the 
 ground. When the weapon had thus changed hands 
 the Chief stepped to one side, saying "How !" as he 
 did so. Then several other chiefs and warriors who 
 had followed Chief Joseph, as in ceremonial order, 
 advanced one at a time, each surrendering his rifle to 
 General Miles. 
 
 To those privileged to witness this remarkable 
 scene, it did not seem as if these captives were 
 savages. Surely, they were Knights of the plains and 
 mountains and forests. Fairly defeated, they sur 
 rendered their weapons ; not lances and shields, but 
 death-dealing rifles, the very best that American in 
 ventors were able to produce. 
 
 The ceremony of surrender, one the part of the 
 Indians, began at 2 o clock in the afternoon on the 5th 
 day of October, 1877, and it continued in the same 
 deliberate manner till the close of day. From time 
 to time Indians left their rifle pits, singly or in small 
 groups, and coming to the headquarters of General 
 Miles gave themselves up as prisoners of war. Even 
 when night set in, the entire band had not given 
 themselves up, and our lines of sentinels were kept 
 posted. When the sun appeared next morning the 
 surrenders were continued. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 125 
 
 The first day 67 warrior and their squaws and 
 children came in, the next day the number was 
 increased to 290 men, women and children. Then we 
 took possession of their trenches and camp. Forty 
 wounded Indians were discovered. They were being 
 cared for by squaws. Only two dead Indians were 
 located. The disposition they had made of their dead 
 remained a mystery. We were certain that thirty or 
 more warriors were killed outright when we made 
 our first charge, and they lost many more during the 
 progress of the engagement. 
 
 " White Bird " failed to appear with the other 
 reds, and could not be located he had flown. 
 
 Our loss was two officers and twenty-six men 
 killed and four officers and forty -two men wounded. 
 
 I sustained an injury to my back, which seemed 
 of little moment, and caused me practically no trouble 
 for some time, but later developed spinal trouble 
 of so serious a nature that one side was partly and 
 my legs entirely paralyzed. While on scout duty 
 with a detail, in going down a mountain, my horse 
 stumbled, sending me headlong, and in falling the 
 horse landed across my body. I was soon back in 
 the saddle and continued with the detail. 
 
 The Indians having surrendered, the next thing to 
 be done was to provide transportation and convey 
 our sick and wounded to the Missouri river. There 
 were only three ambulances with the command, and 
 more than forty wounded to be carried. A number 
 of the heavy, jolting army wagons were requistioned, 
 and also travoys made on which to carry the wound 
 ed. A travoy is made by fastening a long pole on 
 each side of a pony, with the ends on the ground, 
 with a piece of heavy canvass swung hammock-like 
 between the poles. It is a crude device and a source 
 of constant torture to a patient as it is jolted along. 
 
126 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 The journey to the Missouri river ended October 
 20th, when our sick and wounded were transferred by 
 a steamboat to military hospitals at Forts Rice, Lin 
 coln and Buford for treatment. 
 
 The captive Nez Perces were taken to Bismarck, 
 and paraded through the main street of the city, with 
 Chief Joseph on an Indian pony in the lead. He was 
 " honor guest " at a banquet given that evening, and 
 conducted himself with dignity and reserve. 
 
 These Indians were for some time kept on exhibi 
 tion at Bismarck, and then were placed in cars and 
 
 shipped to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 
 
 ***** 
 
 Sergeant McDermott, who was killed at the Battle 
 of Snake Creek, was a gentleman. He was liked by 
 all the men in his Company, and respected by officers 
 and men throught the Regiment. 
 
 He was honorably discharged in June, by reason 
 of the expiration of his term of enlistment. He at 
 once re-enlisted and took a furlough for three months 
 to visit relatives and friends in the East. While there 
 enjoying himself, he learned that his Regiment was 
 to take part in a strenuous campaign against the 
 Indians. With true soldier spirit, he threw up his 
 furlough and hastened to join his Company, which he 
 reached in July. Asked by a comrade why he did 
 not stay his time out, Sergeant McDermott said : 
 
 " If the boys are in for a fight, I want to be with 
 them. When the campaign is over, I will take 
 another furlough and go and finish my visit." 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 127 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTY. 
 
 General Howard s Report of Operations Against and the 
 
 Surrender of the Nez Perces Indians Order of 
 
 General Miles Who Led Victorious Command. 
 
 THE documents that follow, form a part of the 
 historical record of the War with the Nez Perces, 
 and deserve the most careful perusal by all readers. 
 They have been discussed in the public press, and 
 for obvious reasons : 
 
 REPORT OF GENERAL HOWARD. 
 
 In the Field, Steamer Benton, 
 
 Missouri River, Oct. 10, 1877. 
 General P. H. Sheridan, 
 
 Commanding Division of the Missouri : 
 
 It is due you, as commander of this military divis 
 ion, to know the facts that I have already telegraphed 
 to General McDowell from the battlefield concerning 
 the final operations and surrender of the Nez Perces. 
 
 First, on the llth of September I assumed com 
 mand of General Sturges s troops after I had passed 
 him at Clarke s Fork, and he operated in conjunction 
 with my force proper till the close. 
 
 The advance, Sturges immediately commanding, 
 then made a forced march of eighty-five miles in two 
 days, struck the hostiles, captured quite a number of 
 their ponies, killed and wounded several warriors 
 and drove them beyond the Musselshell. 
 
 The 12th of September I sent from Clarke s Forks, 
 a despatch to General Miles showing him that the 
 Indians were making for the Musselshell country by 
 exceedingly long marches, and urging unusual acti 
 vity, and requesting him to make every effort in his 
 power to prevent the escape of the hostile band. 
 General Miles received the despatch at Tongue River 
 on the evening of the 16th, and promptly moved his 
 
128 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 command two battalions of the Second and Seventh 
 Cavalry, and one his own mounted Infantry on 
 the 17th, to the mouth of the Musselshell River. 
 
 Meanwhile, as he requested nine days to get into 
 position, I slowed my march to about fifteen miles a 
 day, knowing that the hostiles were watching me and 
 would do the same. They slackened their pace after 
 crossing the Missouri at Cow Island. 
 
 As soon as Miles found out that they were beyond 
 the Missouri he crossed where he was, and made 
 forced marches across our front to the north of Bear 
 Paw Mountain, and struck the Indians about seven 
 o clock A. M. of the 30th ult. They were cam ped 
 near a creek bottom, in a strong natural position, but 
 their numerous ponies, (now nearly worn out), were 
 scattered over the open country grazing. 
 
 Miles charged the camp and herd simultaneously 
 A desperate fight occurred, in which two officers and 
 twenty -five men were killed, and four officers and 
 forty-two men wounded. 
 
 The ponies were nearly all captured some seven 
 hundred ; but the Indians, hemmed in by Miles s 
 pickets, held out until after my arrival, (firing was 
 then going on), the evening of the fourth. I had with 
 me two friendly Nez Perces and an interpreter. The 
 two Nez Perces were sent the next morning into the 
 hostile camp. Through them the surrender was 
 arranged. A few Indians, including White Bird, 
 crept through the lines during the night. 
 
 A portion of my artillery and infantry and 
 Sturges s cavalry were brought up within twenty -five 
 miles of the battlefield ; but as the Sioux under 
 Sitting Bull continued quiet, I deemed it best, on 
 account of the difficulty of supplying the command, 
 to return the foot troops to the Missouri. 
 
 Sturges s cavalry were ordered to report back to 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 129 
 
 General Miles, and moved in conjunction with him 
 back to the mouth of the Musselshell. 
 
 I embarked my troops on the steamer Benton. On 
 account of Sitting Bull s proximity, I delayed their 
 departure from the 10th to the 13th, until Miles, bur 
 dened with the wounded and the Indian prisoners 
 375 in number had reached the Missouri. 
 
 Colonel Sturges and his regiment deserve special 
 credit for energetic, persistent and successful work. 
 
 General Miles and his command have and deserve 
 the great honor of the final battle and surrender, 
 while appreciation and gratitude are due our- officers 
 and men who engaged the hostiles in Idaho, have 
 cheerfully made forced marches for 1,600 miles, 
 were part of the last operating force north of the 
 Missouri, and were represented by their commander 
 at the surrender. 
 
 I directed General Miles to keep the prisoners till 
 next Spring, it being too late to send them to Idaho 
 by direct routes this Fall and too costly by steamer 
 or rail. 
 
 [Signed,] 0. 0. HOWARD, 
 
 Commanding Department. 
 
 ORDER OF GENERAL MILES. 
 
 In the Field, 
 Camp Near Bear Paw Mountain, M. T. 
 
 October 7th, 1877. 
 [General Orders No. 3J 
 
 The commanding officer takes great pleasure in 
 expressing to his command his congratulations 
 for the recent exhibition they have given 
 of the highest degree of endurance under hard 
 ship, and unyielding fortitude in battle. The secret 
 forced marches that enabled you to surprise the en- 
 
130 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 emy when in fancied security, the resistless charge 
 that at once shut them in the fastness of their camp, 
 and the courageous fight, with death and maiming 
 thick about you, are all your own. 
 
 In the entire success that has attended your 
 efforts, the capture of Chief Joseph and his followers, 
 the entire country will share, with gratitude to you 
 who have accomplished so much. 
 
 It is an added source of congratulation that Gen 
 eral 0. O. Howard, who has so persistently waged 
 war against these hostile Nez Perces and driven 
 them from the slope of the Pacific to this remote 
 country, was present to witness the completion of his 
 arduous and thankless undertaking. 
 
 [Signed,] N. A. MILES, 
 
 General in Command. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 131 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE. 
 
 Disabled Men Taken to Hospital at Fort Rice Many Are 
 jv, Weary Days Hospital Staff Commended The 
 Hardest Feature of Military Life. 
 
 WHILE we were on the way to the Missouri river, 
 I was at times in great distress, due to the injury 
 to my back sustained when my horse fell on me, as 
 heretofore noted. Our Surgeon gave me a " going 
 over " when we reached the river, and told me that 
 I must accompany the wounded to a hospital that 
 only rest and the best of care would prevent complete 
 collapse. He booked me for a steamboat ride down 
 the Missouri along with my sick and wounded com. 
 rades. 
 
 After a long and tedious ride on board the steam 
 boat, we arrive at Fort Rice, and the injured who 
 could do so walked to the army hospital, the others 
 being carried on stretchers. We were not a nice 
 looking lot. We were soon arranged in the ward 
 and once more greet Surgeon Taylor, who visits each 
 man, washes and dresses wounds, sees that proper 
 medicines are provided, and those that cannot wash 
 themselves are bathed and that all are provided 
 with clean under garments. He is ably assisted by 
 Steward VonClausen and three nurses from the 
 Infantry. 
 
 Assistant Steward Gallenne, who was shot in his 
 left ankle during our last fight with the Indians, had 
 the leg arnputed. He had a cot next to mine. We 
 agreed that if Sturges and Howard had pushed on 
 instead of taking it easy, they could have whipped 
 Chief Joseph before he struck the Fork, and that if 
 they had done so Gallenne would now be a leg ahead 
 and that my back and legs would not have been 
 rendered useless. 
 
132 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 We sat on our cots and talked over our army ex 
 periences, and acclaimed General Custer and General 
 Miles as our ideals of what commanders sent out to 
 end an Indian uprising should be. 
 
 As the days passed, and hospital patients began 
 to recover, we resorted to various sources of amuse 
 ment. Trumpeter Harwood, or Doctor Scroggs, was 
 a tremendous success he was a combined circus 
 and menagerie. He is the man shot through the 
 shoulder, whe was left on the battlefield to die after 
 the surgeon said he could not live to be taken to the 
 hospital, at our battle with Chief Joseph. There was 
 not a place in the hospital that he did not visit. He 
 would go around, feeling the pulses of different men, 
 get off comical remarks in explaining the disease or 
 wound ; to one he would prescribe a quart or more 
 of whiskey, to another a promotion, to another a 
 sutlership, to another a perpetual furlough under 
 full pay, etc. He would get men to laughing whom 
 he found despondent. 
 
 Dr. Scroggs was as solemn as the proverbial deacon 
 when Surgeon Taylor was in the ward. 
 
 Then there was McCurren, who was shot in the 
 hand and had also lost a finger, and always told the 
 Surgeon that the hand was so stiff and sore he could 
 not use it, yet as soon as the Surgeon had crossed the 
 parade to his quarters, he would grab a broom and 
 go through the manual of arms without flinching. He 
 was stiff and sore for a discharge, and he got it, too ! 
 
 Blacksmith Deitline was shot in the right shoulder 
 he is the man who sprang to his feet at the time he 
 was shot and he was severely wounded in the head 
 afterwards by a chance bullet as he lay on the 
 ground. He would tell the Surgeon how he felt, and 
 say he was not able to raise his arm, and asking the 
 Surgeon if he thought its use would ever be restored, 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 133 
 
 he would work the arm as much as he could, the 
 while wincing with pain. He was not working for a 
 discharge ; he wanted to recover from the injury. 
 
 There were others in the ward that were lively 
 and cheerful, and we did have fun at times. But it 
 was not fun to see the serious wounds dressed, and to 
 hear the men groan as a piece of bone was removed 
 or a bad spot was burned out with caustic. 
 
 There was a soldier in the ward who had lost his 
 reason, due a wound in the head. He almost const 
 antly talked about Indians, and after he had tried to 
 insert the tines of a table-fork in an ear to dig the 
 Indians out, he was placed in a straight jacket. The 
 day before that was done, fearing that the galvnic 
 battery would be used on him, he sneaked into the 
 dispensary and destroyed the machine. I had reason 
 to be sorry for that, as the galvanic battery was being 
 used daily in the treatment I received, and it was the 
 only one available. 
 
 The hardest feature of military life is to be a patient 
 in a military hospital. 
 
 On the 1st of December eight of us were able to 
 get about on crutches and were permitted to take 
 exercise out of doors. We would line up and race 
 for the sutler s store, the last man in to pay for the 
 cigars 
 
 Taken as a whole, the diet and the regular meals 
 at Fort Rice hospital were excellent and abundant. 
 Even fresh eggs were provided. Surgeon Taylor 
 each day inspected the kitchen and would taste and 
 smell of food prepared for the men, rejecting any 
 food that was not just what it should be. 
 
134 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO. 
 
 Custer and Miles Praised by Sick and Wounded Men As 
 
 Ideal Field Commanders Report of General Custer 
 
 of Repulse of Heavy Force of Indians. 
 
 As convalescence progressed, the men spent con. 
 siderable time in discussing the Indian campaigns in 
 which they had taken part, the different methods of 
 warfare with the reds, and their likes and dislikes of 
 commanding officers. Disapproval of commanders 
 who had failed to get results was unanimous, and the 
 men praised Custer and Miles to the limit. General 
 Custer had a " way of his own " as an Indian fighter, 
 and for a number of years had kept the hostiles busy 
 in the very section in which we had been campaign, 
 ing, and when Sitting Bull was " on the rampage," 
 we present an offical report he made while in the 
 field. It is illuminating and instructive : 
 
 OFFICIAL REPORT OF GENERAL CUSTER. 
 
 [ COPY.] 
 
 Headquarters Battalion Seventh Cavalry, 
 Pompey s Pillar, Yellowstone Riyer, Montana, 
 
 August 15th, 1873. 
 Acting Assistant A-ijutant-General Yellowstone 
 
 Expedition : 
 
 SIR, Acting under the instructions of the Brevet-Major- 
 General commanding, I proceeded at five o clock, on the 
 morning of the 4th instant, with one squadron of my 
 command, numbering about ninety men, to explore a route 
 over which the main column could move. Having reached 
 a point on the Yellowstone River, near the mouth of 
 Tongue River, and several miles in advance, and while 
 waiting the arrival of the forces of the expedition, six 
 mounted Sioux dashed boldly into the skirt of the timber 
 within which my command had halted and unsaddled, and 
 attempted to stampede our horses. Fortunately the 
 vedettes discovered the approach of the Indians in time to 
 give the alarm. A few well-directed shots soon drove the 
 Indians to a safe distance, where they kept up a series of 
 yells, occasionally firing a few shots. As soon as the 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 135 
 
 squadron could mount, I directed Captain Moylan to move 
 out in pursuit, at the same time I moved with the 
 troops in advance, commanded by First Lieutenant T. W. 
 Custer. Following the Indians at a brisk gait, my suspL 
 cions became excited by the confident bearing exhibited by 
 the six Sioux in our front, whose course seemed to 
 lead us near a heavy growth of timber which stood along 
 the river bank above us. When almost within rifle range 
 of this timber, I directed the squadron to halt, while I with 
 two orderlies, all being well mounted, continued after the 
 Sioux in order to develope their intentions. Proceeding a 
 few hundred yards in advance of the squadron, and keep 
 ing a watchful eye on the timber to my left, I halted. The 
 six Indians in my front also halted, as if to tempt further 
 pursuit. Finding all efforts in this direction unavailing, 
 their plans and intentions were quickly made evident, as 
 no sooner was it seen that we intended to advance no 
 farther, than with their characteristic howls and yells over 
 three hundred well-mounted warriors dashed in perfect 
 line from the edge of the timber, and charged down upon 
 Captain Moylan s squadron, at the same time endeavoring 
 to intercept the small party with me. As soon as the 
 speed of the thorough-bred on which I was mounted 
 brought me within hailing distance of Lieutenant Custer s 
 k oop, I directed that officer to quickly throw forward a 
 dismounted line of troopers, and endeavor to empty a few 
 Indian saddles. The order was obeyed with the greatest 
 alacrity, and as the Sioux came dashing forward, expect 
 ing to ride down the squadron, a line of dismounted 
 cavalrymen rose from the grass and delivered almost in 
 the faces of the warriors a volley of carbine bullets which 
 broke and scattered their ranks in all directions, and sent 
 more than one Sioux reeling from the saddle. This check 
 gave us time to make our dispositions to resist the sue. 
 ceeding attacks, which we knew our enemies would soon 
 make upon us. The great superiority of our enemies in 
 numbers, the long distance separating us from the main 
 command, and the belief, afterwards verified, that the 
 woods above us still concealed a portion of the savage 
 forces, induced me to confine my movements, at first, 
 
136 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 strictly to the defensive. The entire squadron (except the 
 horse-holders) was dismounted and ordered to fight on 
 .foot. The Indians outnumbering us almost five to one, 
 were enabled to envelope us completely between their 
 lines formed in a semicircle, and the river which flowed 
 at our backs. The little belt of timber in which we had 
 been first attacked formed a very good cover for our led- 
 horses, while the crest of a second table-land, convenient 
 ly located from the timber, gave us an excellent line of 
 defense. The length of our line and the numbers of the 
 enemy prevented us from having any force in reserve ; 
 every available officer and man was on the skirmish-line, 
 which was really our line of battle, even the number of 
 men holding horses had to be reduced, so that each horse- 
 holder held eight horses. Until the Indians were made to 
 taste quite freely of our lead they displayed unusual bold 
 ness, frequently charging up to our line and firing with 
 great deliberation and accuracy. Captain Moylan exer 
 cised command along the entire line ; Lieutenant Custer 
 commanded the center; my adjutant, Lieutenant James 
 Calhoun commander the right ; and Lieutenant Charles A. 
 Varnum, the left, The first Indian killed was shot from 
 his pony by "Bloody Knife," the Crow who acted 
 as my guide and scout. Soon after, Private Charles 
 P. Miller, of A troop, Seventh Cavalry, succeeded in send 
 ing a carbine bullet directly through the body of a chief 
 who had been conspicuous throughout the engagement. 
 At the same time it was known that our firing had dis 
 abled many of their ponies, while owing to our sheltered 
 position the only damage thus far inflicted upon us was 
 one man and two horses wounded, one of the latter shot 
 in three places. 
 
 Finding their efforts to force back our line unavailing, 
 the Indians now resorted to another expedient. By an 
 evidently preconcerted plan they set fire in several places, 
 to the tall grass which covered the ground in our front 
 hoping by this means to force us back to the rear, and 
 thus finish us at their pleasure. Fortunately for us there 
 was no wind prevailing at the time, while the grass was 
 scarcely dry enough to burn rapidly. Taking advantage 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 137 
 
 of the dense curtain of smoke which rose from the burning 
 grass, the Indians, by following the course of the flames, 
 could often contrive to obtain a shot at us at a compara 
 tively close range ; but my men, observing that there 
 was no danger to be apprehended from the slowly advanc 
 ing flames, could frequently catch an opportunity to send 
 a shot through a break in the curtain of smoke, and in this 
 way surprised the Indian by the adoption of his own 
 device. 
 
 The fight began at 11:30 A. M., and was waged without 
 cessation until three o clock, all efforts of the Indians to 
 dislodge us proving unsuccessful. The Indians had become 
 extremely weary, and had almost discontinued their 
 offensive movements, when my ammunition ran low. I 
 decided to mount the squadron and charge the Indians, 
 with the intention of driving them from the field. 
 
 Captain Moylan promptly had his men in the saddle, 
 and throwing twenty mounted skirmishers, under Lieuten 
 ant Varnum, the entire squadron moved forward at a trot. 
 No sooner did the Indians discern our intentions than, de 
 spite their superiority in numbers, they cowardly prepared 
 for flight, in which preparation they were greatly hastened 
 when Captain Moylan s squadron charged them and drove 
 them " pell-mell " for three miles. 
 
 Five ponies killed or badly wounded were left on the 
 battle ground or along the line of their flight. So rapidly 
 were they forced to flee that they abandoned and threw 
 away breech-loading arms, saddle equipments, clothing, 
 robes, lariats, and other articles comprised in an Indian 
 outfit. 
 
 Among the Indians who fought us on this occasion 
 were some of the identical warriors who committed the 
 massacre at Fort Phil. Kearney, and they no doubt intend 
 ed a similar program when they sent the six warriors to 
 dash up and attempt to decoy us into a pursuit past the 
 timber in which the savages hoped to ambush us. Had we 
 pursued the six warriors half a mile farther, instead of 
 halting, the entire band would have been in our rear. 
 
 So far as the troops attacked were concerned, the 
 Indians, to off-set their own heavy losses, had been able 
 
138 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 to do us no damage except to wound one man and two 
 horses ; but unfortunately two non-combatants, Veter 
 inary Surgeon John Hosinger, Seventh Cavalry, and Mr. 
 Baliran, of Memphis, Tenn., in endeavoring to come from 
 the main column to join the squadron in advance, were 
 discovered by the Indians during the attack, and being un 
 armed were overtaken and killed almost within view of 
 the battle-ground. Fortunately the Indians were so pressed 
 as not to be able to scalp or otherwise mutilate the 
 remains. 
 
 On the 8th instant we discovered the trail of a large 
 village, evidently to which the party that had attacked us 
 on the 4th belonged. The course of the trail led up the 
 Yellowstone, and apparently was not more than two days 
 old. Acting under the authority of the Brevert-Major- 
 General commanding, I ordered my command, consisting 
 of four squadrons of the Seventh Cavalry, in readiness to 
 begin the pursuit that night. The Brevert-Major-General 
 also directed the detachment of guides and Indian scouts 
 under Lieutenent Daniel H. Brush, 17th Infantry, to report 
 to me for temporary service. Leaving all tents and wag 
 ons behind: and taking with us rations for seven days, we 
 started in pursuit at 10 o clock on the night of the 8th in 
 stant, having waited until that hour until the moon should 
 enable us to follow the trail. Following the trail as rapid 
 ly as the rough character of the country would permit > 
 daylight next morning found us nearly thirty miles from 
 our starting-point. Concealing horses and men in a ravine 
 a halt of three hours was ordered to enable the horses to 
 graze and the men to obtain refreshments. Renewing the 
 march at eight o clock, the pursuit was continued without 
 halting until noon, when, to avoid discovery, as well as to 
 obtain needed rest for men and animals, it was decided to 
 conceal ourselves in the timber, and await the cover of 
 night to continue the pursuit. 
 
 Starting out at 6:30 P. M., the trail was followed rapid 
 ly for six miles, when, to our disappointment, we discov 
 ered that the Indians had taken to the river, and crossed 
 to the east side. In following their trail to this point it 
 was evident that the movement of the Indians was one of 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 139 
 
 precipitate flight, the result of the engagement on the 4th. 
 All along their trail and in their camping-places were to be 
 found large quantities of what constituted Indian equip 
 ments, such as lodge-poles, robes, saddle equipments, 
 arms, and cooking utensils In a hastily abandoned camp 
 ground nearly two hundred axes, besides a great many 
 camp-kettles and cups, were found. 
 
 My entire command was disappointed when the trail 
 showed that the Indians had crossed to the other side, par 
 ticularly as our rapid marching had carried us to the point 
 of crossing, the evening of the day on which the last of 
 the Indians had crossed over, so that one more march 
 would have enabled us to overhaul them. Bivouacking in 
 in a belt of timber on the river bank, we waited until day 
 light to begin to attempt to cross the command over the 
 river, which at this point is about six hundred yards wide. 
 At early dawn the entire command forded the river to an 
 island located in the middle of the channel ; but our diffi 
 culties in the way of crossing here began, as the volume 
 of water and the entire force of the current were to be 
 encountered between the island and the opposite bank 
 the current here rushes by with a velocity of about 7 miles 
 an hour, while the depth of the water was such that a horse 
 attempting to cross would be forced to swim several hun 
 dred yards. Still as we knew the Indians had not discovered 
 our pursuit, and were probably located within easy strik 
 ing distance of the river, it was most desirable that a 
 crossing should be effected. To accomplish this, Lieuten 
 ant Weston, Seventh Cavalry, with three accomplished 
 swimmers from the command, attempted to cross on a 
 log-raft, carrying a cable made of lariats. The current was 
 so strong that Lieutenant Weston s party were unah,le to 
 effect a landing, but were swept down the river nearly two 
 miles, and then forced to abandon the raft and swim 
 to shore. 
 
 Lieut. Weston, with characteristic perserverance and 
 energy, made repeated attempts afterwards to carry the 
 cable over, but although succeeding in reaching the oppo 
 site bank in person, was unable to connect the cable with 
 the shore. Almost the entire day was spent in these un- 
 
140 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 successful efforts, until finally a crossing in this manner 
 had to be abandoned. I then caused some cattle to be 
 killed, and by stretching the hides over a kind of basket- 
 frame prepared by the Crow guide, made what are known 
 among the Indians as bull-boats ; with these I hoped to be 
 able to connect the cable with the opposite bank at day 
 light next morning, but just at sunset a small party of 
 Indians were seen to ride down to the bank opposite us 
 and water their ponies. They discovered our presence, 
 and at once hastened away. Of course it was useless now 
 to attempt a surprise, and the intention to cross the river 
 the following morning was abandoned. 
 
 At early dawn the next day (the llth instant), the Indi 
 ans appeared in strong force on the river bank opposite 
 us, and opened a brisk fire upon us from their rifles. No 
 attention was paid to them until encouraged by this they 
 had collected at several points in full view, and within 
 range of our rifles, when about thirty of our best marks 
 men, having posted themselves along the bank, opened a 
 well-directed fire upon the Indians and drove them back to 
 cover. 
 
 In the meantime strong parties of Indians were report 
 ed by our pickets to be crossing the river below us, their 
 ponies and themselves being so accustomed to the river as 
 to render this operation quite practicable to them. Cap 
 tain French, commanding the right wing, was directed to 
 watch the parties crossing below, while Colonel Hart, com 
 manding the right wing, posted a force to discharge this 
 duty with regard to parties crossing above. It would haye 
 been possible, perhaps, for us to have prevented the Indi 
 ans from making a crossing, at least when they did, but I 
 was not only willing but anxious that as many of them 
 should come over as were so disposed. They were soon 
 reported as moving to the bluffs immediately in rear of us 
 from the river. Lieutenant Brush was directed to employ 
 his scouts in watching and reporting their movents a 
 duty which they discharged in a thorough manner. 
 
 While this was transpiring I had mounted my com 
 mand and formed it in line close under the bluffs facing 
 from the river, where we quietly waited the attack of the 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 141 
 
 Indians in our front. The sharp-shooting across the river 
 still continued, the Indians having collected some of their 
 best shots apparently armed with long-range rifles and 
 were attempting to drive our men back from the water s 
 edge. It was at this time that my standing orderly, Private 
 Tuttle, of E troop, Seventh Cavalry, one of the best 
 marksmen in my command, took a sporting 
 Springfield rifle and posted himself, with two other men, 
 behind cover on the river bank, and began picking off the 
 Indians as they exposed themselves on the opposite bank. 
 He had obtained the range of the enemy s position early 
 in the morning, and was able to place his shots wherever 
 desired. It was while so engaged that he observed an 
 Indian in full view near the river. Calling the attention 
 of his comrade to the fact, he asked him " to watch me 
 drop that Indian," a feat which he succeeded in perform 
 ing. Several other Indians rushed to the assistance of 
 their fallen comrade, when Private Tuttle, by a skilful and 
 rapid use of his breech-loading Springfield, succeeded in 
 killing two other warriors. The Indians, enraged no 
 doubt at this rough handling, directed their aim at Private 
 Tuttle, who fell pierced through the head by a rifle bullet 
 He was one of the most useful and daring soldiers who 
 ever served under my command. 
 
 About this time Captain French, who was engaged 
 with the Indians who were attacking us from below, suc 
 ceeded in shooting a warrior from his saddle, while several 
 ponies were known to be wounded or disabled. The Indi 
 ans now began to display a strong force in our front on 
 the bluffs. Colonel Hart was ordered to push a line of 
 dismounted men to the crest, and prevent the further ad 
 vance of the enemy towards the river. This duty was 
 handsomely performed by a portion of Captain Yates s 
 squadron. Colonel Hart had posted Lieutenant Charles 
 Braden and twenty men on a small knoll which command 
 ed our left. Against this party the Indians made their 
 first onslaught. A mounted party of warriors, numbering 
 nearly two hundred, rode boldly to within thirty yards of 
 Lieutenant Braden s position, when the latter and his com 
 mand delivered such a well-directed fire that the Indians 
 
142 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 were driven rapidly from that part of the field, after hav 
 ing evidently suffered considerable loss. 
 
 Unfortunately Lieutenant Braden received a rifle-ball 
 through the upper part of the thigh, passing directly 
 through the bone, but he maintained his position with 
 gallantry and coolness until he had repulsed the enemy. 
 Hundreds of Indians were now to be seen galloping up 
 and down along our front, each moment becoming bolder 
 owing to the smallness of our force which was then 
 visible. 
 
 $ !> Believing the proper time had arrived to assume the 
 offensive, orders to this effect were accordingly sent to 
 Colonel Hart and Captain French, the two wing com 
 manders. Lieutenant Weston was directed to move his 
 troop, L, up a deep ravine to our left, which would convey 
 him to the enemy s position, and as soon as an opportuni 
 ty occurred he was to charge them, and pursue the Indians 
 with all the vigor practicable. Immediately after, Captain 
 Owen Hale was directed to move his squadron, consisting 
 of E and K troops, in conjunction with L troop, and the 
 three to charge simultaneously. Similar dispositions were 
 ordered in the center and right. Lieutenant Custer, com 
 manding B troop, was ordered to advance and charge the 
 Indians in front of our center, while Captains Yates and 
 Moylan moved rapidly forward in the same direction. 
 
 Before this movement began, it became necessary to 
 dislodge a large party of Indians posted in a ravine behind 
 rocks in our front, who were engaged in keeping up a 
 heavy fire upon our troops while the latter were forming. 
 It was at this point that the horse of Lieutenant Hiram H. 
 Ketchum, Acting- Assistant- Adjutant-General of the expe 
 dition, was shot under him. My own horse was also shot 
 under me within a few paces of the latter. 
 
 The duty of driving the Indians engaged in sharp- 
 shooting entrusted to Lieutenant Charles A. Varnum, 
 Seventh Cavalry, with a detatchment of A troop of the 
 Seventh Cavalry, soon forced the Indians back from their 
 cover. 
 
 Everything being in readiness for a general advance, 
 the charge was ordered and the squadrons took the gallop 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 143 
 
 to the tune of "Garryowen," the band being posted im 
 mediately in rear of the skirmish line. The Indians had 
 evidently come out prepared to do their best, and with no 
 misgivings as to their success, as the mounds and high 
 bluffs beyond the river were covered with groups of old 
 old men, squaws, and children, who had collected there to 
 witness our destruction. In this instance the proverbial 
 power of music to soothe the savage breast utterly failed 
 for no sooner did the band strike up the cheery notes of 
 " Garryowen," and the squadrons advance to the charge, 
 than the Indians exhibited unmistakable signs of commo 
 tion, and their resistance became more feeble, until finally 
 satisfied of the earnestness of our attack they turned their 
 ponies heads and began a disorderly flight. The cavalry 
 put spurs to their horses and dashed forward in pursuit, 
 the various troop and squadron commanders vying with 
 one another as to who should head the advance. The ap 
 pearance of the main command in sight, down the valley, 
 at this moment, enabled me to relieve Captain French s 
 command below us, and he was ordered to join in the 
 pursuit. Lieutenant Mclntosh, commanding G troop, 
 moved his command up the valley at a gallop, and pre 
 vented many of the Indians from crossing. The chase was 
 continued with the utmost vigor until the Indians were 
 completely dispersed, and driven a distance of nine miles 
 from where the engagement took place, and they were 
 here forced back across the Yellowstone, the last pony 
 killed in the attack being shot fully eight miles from the 
 point of attack. 
 
 The number of Indians opposed to us has been estimat 
 ed by the various officers engaged as from eight hundred 
 to a thousand. My command numbered four hun 
 dred and fifty, including officers and men. The 
 Indians were made up of different bands of Sioux, princi 
 pally Uncpapas, the whole under command of " Sitting 
 Bull," who participated in the second day s fight, and who 
 for once has been taught a lesson he will not soon forget. 
 
 A large number of Indians who fought us were fresh 
 from their reservations on the Missouri river. Many of the 
 warriors engaged in the fight on both days were dressed 
 
144 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 in complete suits of the clothes issued at the agencies to 
 the Indians. The arms with which they fought us (several 
 of which we captured in the fight) were of the latest im 
 proved patterns of breech loading repeating rifles, and 
 their supply of metallic rifle-cartridges seemed unlimited, 
 as they were anything but sparing in their use. So amply 
 were they supplied with breech-loading rifles and ammu 
 nition that neither bows nor arrows were employed 
 against us. As an evidence that these Indians, at least 
 many of them, were recently from the Missouri river 
 agencies, we found provisions, such as coffee, in their 
 abandoned camps, and cooking and other domestic uten 
 sils, such as only reservation Indians are supplied with. 
 Besides, our scouts conversed with them across the river 
 for nearly an hour before the fight became general, and 
 satisfied themselves as to the identity of their foes. I 
 only regret that it was impossible for my command to 
 effect a crossing of the river before our presence was dis 
 covered, and while the hostile village was located near at 
 hand, as I am confident that we could have largely reduced 
 the necessity for appropriating for Indian supplies for 
 the coming Winter. 
 
 The losses of the Indians in ponies were particularly 
 heavy, while we know their losses in killed and wounded 
 were beyond all propertion to that which they were en 
 abled to inflict upon us, our losses being one officer badly 
 wounded, four men killed, and three wounded ; four 
 horses killed and four wounded. 
 
 Careful investigation justifies the statement that in 
 cluding both days battles, the Indians losses will number 
 forty warriors, while their wounded on the opposite bank 
 of the river may increase this number. 
 Respectfully submitted. 
 
 [Signed,] G. A. CUSTER, 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel 7th Cavalry, 
 Brevet-Major-General, U. S. A., Commanding. 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 145 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE. 
 
 On Scout to Little Big Horn Accompany Officers to Battle. 
 
 field Where Custer and All His Force Were Killed 
 
 Skeletons Strewn Over Scene of Battle, 
 
 ABOUT fourteen months after " Ouster s Last 
 Charge," on the Little Big Horn, while our force was 
 on Tongue River, I was included in a detail ordered 
 on a scout into the Big Horn country, and also to act 
 as escort of a few officers who wished to see the 
 battlefield where Custer and his men met death. 
 
 Some say that the distance from Tongue River, 
 near the mountains, to the battlefield, does not exceed 
 twenty -five miles ; others place the estimate at thirty 
 and none over thirty-five but we, after two long and 
 hard days ride from the head of the Little Horn in 
 the mountains, a point nearer than Tongue River, at 
 present General Miles s headquarters, carefully com 
 pute the distance to be at least forty -five miles. 
 
 Beginning with the noble table-land upon which 
 we stood, the ground gradually and gently fell to 
 wards the river, straightening out as level as a floor* 
 and with both sides clearly defined by the sparsely 
 shaded streams and the bluffs. 
 
 Beyond the water appeared the rugged embank 
 ment, extending from the south (where Reno held his 
 force while Custer and his command were struggling 
 in " the jaws of death,") to the limit of vision on the 
 north, standing perpendicular, save an occasional gap 
 through which some trickling stream contributed its 
 mite to the general volume of the Little Horn, or 
 through which entrance to the fords are made, and 
 through which we must ride if we would gain the 
 other side. 
 
146 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 Still farther back, towards the Rosebud, the silent 
 timberless, sandy Wolf Mountains loomed high, cast 
 ing a mild and pleasing shadow over the landscape, 
 while at the other extremity of the valley the gradual 
 divides, rich with verdure and bright-hued with full 
 blown flowers, completed as beautiful a scene as the 
 eye of an artist ever rested on, or the hand of a mas 
 ter ever transferred to canvas. 
 
 At last, after a weary march, and not without 
 the many little incidents which go to liven up, and 
 sometimes to still further depress the drooping spirits 
 of man and beast, we arrived at and entered the site 
 of the old Indian village, hard by which General 
 Custer and his men were trapped and slaughtered. 
 
 This camping place was about four miles long, a 
 half-mile wide, and located by the river side, upon a 
 depressed table-land with a thin growth of timber, 
 which at one time extended all over the bottom, but 
 the felling of the trees by the squaws to secure the 
 bark for food for ponies during the winters, had left 
 the central portion of the strip almost barren. 
 
 At the southern side, we passed through a dense, 
 bushy grove, covering three or four acres, where the 
 squaws and papooses were concealed when Custer 
 approached, and and until the Cavalry were securely 
 trapped. 
 
 Beyond this the ground presented a strange spec 
 tacle. Teepee and lodge poles were as thick as 
 they could stand, while all about camp equippage and 
 hides were scattered in confusion. 
 
 An outstanding feature was the great quantities of 
 leggins lying about, and the only explanation is, that 
 the Indians discarded them for articles of clothing 
 taken from the dead soldiers. 
 
 Farther down we saw six burial scaffolds, and on 
 the ground beneath them were the bones of as many 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 147 
 
 Indians, the skull of one of them having been pierced 
 by and still containing a rifle bullet. 
 
 It was nearly dark when we reached the lower 
 ford, about half-way through the abandoned Indian 
 village, where we camped for the night, wet, cold, 
 hungry and greatly fatigued. Supper was quickly 
 prepared, and after eating and taking a short smoke, 
 we spread our wet blankets on the ground, and all 
 turned in for the night ; but not to sleep, for coyotes 
 and wolves kept up their horrid din, as though angry 
 at being deprived of their accustomed nightly hunt 
 for scraps of muscle and flesh on bones scattered 
 about. 
 
 We had been lying down some time, when a yell 
 rent the air, and Jack Healey sprang to his feet shout 
 ing " snakes !" 
 
 Jack, while nearly asleep, had felt a cold, slimy 
 something crawl over his face, and then followed the 
 warning cry of " snakes !" 
 
 We were soon on our feet, quickly replenished the 
 dying fire, and with sabers in hand began to hunt for 
 the unwelcome intruders. No snakes were found, 
 but we found lizards, hundreds of the slimey green 
 things, and the slaughter continued until the last one 
 found was dead. Then we tried our blankets again 
 but dread of another attack by the repulsive things 
 did not allow us to fall asleep. Soon another man 
 felt one of the reptiles crawling over him, and then 
 all arose and there was another slaughter of lizards. 
 Sleep was out of the question. So we lay and sat 
 around until morning dawned. 
 
 After a hasty breakfast we passed on over the 
 battlefield, where a little over one year ago, General 
 George A. Custer and three hundred brave troopers 
 of the Seventh Cavalry, while in the line of duty, 
 were massacred by between three and four thousand 
 Indian warriors under the immediate command of 
 
148 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 Sitting Bull, Not one of the hostiles having part in 
 that masacre has ever been called to account for the 
 awful deed. Worse than that, some of these very 
 same savages, are now fed and supported by the gov 
 ernment they fought against, and are the forced 
 associates and companions of members of the Seventh 
 Cavalry ! 
 
 The bodies -of our dead had never been properly 
 buried. All these months had passed, yet the little 
 band whose brave deeds of heroism will ever remain 
 a matter of history, have not received decent burial. 
 Their bones, divested of clothing by the heartless and 
 brutal savages, and of flesh by wolves and other ani 
 mals, lie bleaching on the ground where they fell> 
 a said result of the failure of Major Reno to give 
 expected support. 
 
 Two days after the battle a small d achment was 
 sent to bury the bodies, but not one was given proper 
 interment graves were shallow, and dirt thrown but 
 sparsely over bodies was soon washed away by rains 
 or dug away by scavanger animals and birds. 
 
 Crossing the Little Horn, or Custer River as it is 
 now called, to the east side, a well-defined trail leads 
 up the gradual slope a quarter of a mile in length- 
 The ground is covered with sage brush, coarse 
 grass, prickley pears, and is destitute of rocks or 
 timber. We reach the summit, and see a ravine with 
 gentle sloping sides, near a half-mile in length and 
 free from rocks, timber, or anything that could fur 
 nish shelter. Nearby are the uncovered remains of 
 eighteen men, in six piles, with a piece of tepee pole 
 sticking in the ground at each pile. Upon one of 
 these " tombstones " hung a white sombrero, relic of a 
 member of the Seventh Cavalry, with two bullet holes 
 through it, and a long cut as if made with an axe ; 
 and near by we found an axe, with a dark stain on 
 the rusty blade, it having undoubtedly been used by 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 149 
 
 the squaws in their frenzied mutilation of the wound 
 ed and dead of the Curtis command. Near here were 
 the carcasses of two horses ; to the north, a few yards 
 away, were heaps of bones so mixed that it was not 
 possible to count the number of persons represented. 
 A little farther on, and another heap containing the 
 bones of three men appear beside the skeleton of a 
 horse, evidently killed to be used as a breastwork. 
 
 A heavy trail runs along the crest of the divide, 
 which separates the river from the ravine, and it was 
 thickly strewn with whitened bones, rotting equip 
 ments and clothing. 
 
 Three hundred yards up the trail, we came upon 
 the knoll where Custer and the remnant of his com 
 mand made their final stand. We picture him in our 
 mind, as he coolly loads and fires with the rest of the 
 men, frequently glancing over the bluffs to see if 
 Reno, whom he had so urgently requested to hasten 
 to his support, is at hand. Reno s utter failure to 
 respond is generally condemned. 
 
 This elevation of the battlefield is but a little 
 above the divide of which it is the terminus, and is, 
 apparently, a commanding position. But the enemy 
 were too powerful for the small body of troops who 
 were there. On top of the hill where Custer was 
 killed, we saw the skeletons of four men and 
 horses, among the latter being the skeleton of the 
 horse that Custer rode. 
 
 We return to Tongue River, with the picture of 
 that field of death vividly impressed on our mind, 
 and wondering if Custer and is men would have per 
 ished had Reno tried to fight his way to Custer s 
 rescue. Trump ter Martin says Reno could have got 
 there ; and Trumpeter Martin knows, as he is the 
 man Custer sent back to ask Reno to hurry to his 
 assistance. 
 
150 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR. 
 
 The Author Bids Farewell to His Comrades at Fort Rice 
 
 Army Hospital Receives Honorable Discharge on 
 
 Account of Total Disability Back Home ! 
 
 AT THE Fort Rice army hospital, our bunch of 
 victims of the final stand of Chief Joseph, passed 
 the Fall and part of the Winter, while there was a 
 gradual thinning out. 
 
 Some were discharged, others returned to quar 
 ters, and still others returned to duty, and yet there 
 were eighteen of us in the ward, but all considered 
 out of danger by Surgeon Taylor. 
 
 I was one day called to the office of the Command 
 ing officer, and as I entered, Colonel Otis looked up, 
 and in his gruff voice asked me if I wanted to go to 
 the Soldiers Home at Washington. (Otis had taken 
 " sick leave," on furlough, while the chase to overtake 
 Chief Joseph was on, and returned under escort to 
 Fort Rice.) 
 
 To his question I answered, " No, sir 1" 
 
 Otis then informed me that I was to be discharged 
 by reason of Surgeon Taylor s report that I was 
 incurable ; and that I could go home, if I had one, or 
 to the Regular Army Soldiers Home, either one I 
 chose. 
 
 His manner was gruff and anything but courteous 
 he ran true to form the only name by which he 
 was known among the men under his command when 
 he was in charge of a Battalion under Sturges 
 " wandering through the wilderness" " The Bull 
 dozer /" 
 
 I told Otis I thought I could die as well in one 
 place as another, and that I would go to what would 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 151 
 
 be my home. He said " All right," and I returned to 
 the Hospital, feeling rather blue. Here I was, not 
 twenty-four years of age, and to be discharged as 
 incurable / 
 
 Well, this meant 
 
 No longer to indulge in those long and tiresome 
 marches ! 
 
 No longer Drill ! Drill! Drill! 
 
 No more hard-tack and bacon! 
 
 Incurable 1 
 
 I would now have all I could do to keep up on 
 crutches. 
 
 Not a very pleasant outlook for a young man, but 
 no use murmuring. No use worrying. Lots of men 
 "have gone home dead, and I can wiggle I But I did 
 feel all out whack. 
 
 In a few days the Steward returned from the 
 Adjutant s office with his morning report, and coming 
 up to me as I sat on the edge of my cot, held out his 
 Tiand and said : " Old man, I wish that I was you ! 
 You are now your own boss, and will not have to do 
 dog s duty any more !" And then he handed me a 
 long envelope. 
 
 I looked at the address on the outside. It read : 
 "Mr, A. F, Muford, Hospital" 
 " Well," says I, " there must be something in it, if 
 they address me as Mr. after so many other names, 
 
 I opened the envelope and on the inside found a 
 sheet of sheep-skin, and on this piece of parchment, 
 filled in with Clerk Hall s best fist, were the following 
 words : 
 
152 SEVENTH CAV ALRY 
 
 ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 To whom it may concern: 
 
 Know ye, that Ami F. Mulford, a Trumpeter of 
 Captain T. H. French s Company " M," of the Seventh 
 (7) Regiment of Cavalry, who was enlisted the Fifth 
 day of September, one thousand eight hundred and 
 seventy-six, to serve five years, is hereby discharged 
 from the service of the United States in consequence 
 of Surgeon s Certificate of Disability. 
 
 Said Ami F. Mulford was born in Murdston, 
 County [this is a clerical error, it should read, 
 THURSTON, Steuben County} in the State of New 
 York, is 23 7-12 years of age, five feet five inches 
 high, light complexion, blue eyes, light hair, and by 
 accupation when enlisted, a clerk. 
 
 Given under my hand at Fort Rice, D. T., this 
 eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord 
 one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven. 
 [ Signed,] ELMER OTIS, 
 
 Lt.-Col. 7th Cav. Commanding. 
 Character Excellent. 
 
 [ Signed,] E. G. MATHEY, 
 
 Captain 7th Cavalry, 
 Commanding Detatchment. 
 
 I was no longer a soldier. 
 
 I am a citizen, and as such as good as any other 
 man, and my own boss ; I can now live or die, get fat 
 or starve to death, and it will be nobody s business. 
 
 Free, independent yet crippled for life. 
 
 In a few days I received my final statement, had 
 it cashed, and with nearly two hundred dollars in an 
 inside pocket, and my left leg in a sling, to keep it 
 from dragging on the ground, I take my crutches, 
 hobble to the door, and am helped aboard the stage 
 that is to take me to Bismarck, bid good-bye to com 
 rades, and with a last long look at Fort Rice, I start 
 for God s country ! 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 153 
 
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE. 
 
 The Westward Drive of the American Frontier Line A 
 
 Century of Indian Uprisings Ends When Conquest of 
 
 Natives is Completed by Surrender of Nez Perces. 
 
 THE native occupants of North America, had the 
 entire continent distributed or parcelled out, among 
 the various tribes, so that each knew the metes and 
 bounds of their own territory, and understood that 
 to venture onto the territory of another tribe was to 
 trespass that meant war. The various Indian tribes 
 had down through the ages worked out the practical 
 adjustment of their physical requirements so that 
 Mother Earth provided for all. The lesser tribes 
 in some instances formed federations, for mutual 
 protection against invasions by stronger bodies of 
 Indians as did the Iroquois tribes of New York and 
 Northwestern Pennsylvania the Mohawks, Oneidas, 
 Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas. The Iroquois 
 Federation was formed about 1550. In numbers the 
 Senecas were far in the lead. The Council House of 
 the Iroquois Federation as atOnondaga Lake; that of 
 the Senecas at Seneca Castle, at the foot of Seneca 
 Lake Each of the affiliated tribes had a Council of 
 its own, and also had equal representation at the 
 Federation Council Fire at Onondaga Lake. 
 
 A similar federation, composed of twelve tribes r 
 about half the total being Tuscarora Indians, 
 flourished in North Carolina, until they got into 
 trouble with encroaching whites about 1710, and were 
 defeated in a number of battles. In lj?12 the Tusca. 
 roras, being of Iroquois blood, were admitted to mem 
 bership in the Iroquois Federation before that known 
 as the Five Nations, thence on termed the Six 
 Nations. But so nicely had the land of the Federa 
 tion been adjusted to meet the requirements of the 
 original five tribes or nations that no territory 
 
154 SEVENTH CAVALRY 
 
 was alloted to the Tuscaroras as a tribe, but the 
 members were distributed among the Oneidas, Onon- 
 dagas, Senecas, Cayugas and Mohawks. Tuscaroras 
 liad no voice in the Councils of the Federation. 
 
 The immediate purpose of the Iroquois in forming 
 their Federation was to stop invasions of their lands 
 by the Hurons and other powerful tribes of the North 
 and Northwest. In 1612 the Seneca country was in 
 vaded from the north by a .French army, bent on con 
 quest, accompanied by a large number of Huron 
 warriors. The Senecas stood their ground and re 
 pulsed the invaders, inflicting great loss. The French 
 soldiers were armed with guns ; the Senecas with 
 bows and arrows, spears, war clubs, stone tomahawks 
 and darts thrown with throngs fastened to sticks. 
 
 The Indians had no written language. Property 
 in the various tribes was held in common. The 
 religious instinct found expression in many ways, in 
 the legends and activities of all the American Indians. 
 They believed in a Great Spirit, supreme over all, the 
 source of their being ; also in benificent spirits of less 
 degree, and in evil spirits who caused afflictions and 
 disasters. To the mind of an Indian, everything he 
 came in contact with, whether animate or inani > ate, 
 possessed spirit life and magic power. The para 
 mount idea of their Faith, was a Happy Hunting 
 Ground, of boundless extent, above the skies ; a land 
 of eternal Summer, of peace and plenty. 
 
 When charters were granted the colonies of 
 Massachusetts and of Connecticut,the grants covered 
 territory extending entirely across the continent 
 from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean ! 
 
 Those who fled from Old World oppressions, and 
 colonized the Atlantic sea board, did not consider 
 that the Indians had rights that should be respected. 
 
 Every effort on the part of the natives, to hold or 
 regain possession of land taken, by force or artifice, 
 
FIGHTING INDIANS 155 
 
 from them by the invading whites, but hastened the 
 inevitable end. 
 
 At a Treaty held in July, 1755, called by Sir Wil 
 liam Johnson, representing the English government, 
 with a view to adjusting troubles due to encroach 
 ments by whites on hunting grounds along the 
 Susquehanna River, the chief spokesman of the Six 
 Nations said : 
 
 " Brother : You desire us to unite and live togeth 
 er, and draw all our allies near us, but we shall have 
 no land left, either for ourselves or them, for your 
 people when they buy a small piece of land of us, by 
 stealing they make it large. We desire such things 
 may not be done, and that your people may not be 
 suffered to buy any more of our land." 
 
 The encroachments of the whites on the lands of 
 the Indians, have been unyielding and persistent, and 
 the so-called Frontier, extending from the northern to 
 the southern bounds of this government, was 
 pushed westward from the Atlantic Ocean, until it 
 was met in the far west by a frontier line moving 
 eastward from the Pacific Ocean, and then came the 
 final battle between United States troops, under 
 General Miles, and the Nez Perces warriors in the 
 Bad-Lands of the Great Northwest, where the curtain 
 was finally rung down, when Chief Joseph surrender 
 ed to General Miles, October 5th, 1877. 
 
Second Edition 
 
 Revised by A. F. Mulford 
 
 1879. 
 
f V