Part 3 (1/2)

This proved to be a luckyon Penrose was concerned; for the route he had taken on the west side of the streaon train as far in one day as Penrose had in seven His coh tableland so steep that not even a pack ed to retrace his steps a long way, thus losing three days' time, as we afterward learned

From this point on, for several days, we had no trouble in following Penrose's trail, which led us in a southeasterly direction toward the Canadian River No Indians were seen, nor any signs of the in advance of the co my name from a little bunch ofbrush on the opposite bank, and upon looking closely at the spot, I saw a negro

”Sakes alive! Massa Bill, anized as one of the colored soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry I next heard him say to some one in the brush: ”Co out, ”Massa Bill, is you got any hawdtack?”

”Nary a hardtack; but the wagons will be along presently, and then you can get all you want,” said I

”Dat's de best news I's heerd foah sixteen long days, Massa Bill,” said he

”Where's your command? Where's General Penrose?” I asked

”I dun'no',” said the darky; ”we got lost and we's been starvin' eber since”

By this tied from their place of concealment They had deserted Penrose's co condition--and were trying to make their way back to Fort Lyon General Carr concluded, from what they could tell him, that General Penrose was so definite, for they knew not where they were the learned that General Penrose's troops were in such bad shape, General Carr ordered Major Brown to start out the nextwith two companies of cavalry and fifty pack mules loaded with provisions, and tosoldiers I accompanied this detachment, and on the third day out we found the half-famished soldiers caht, indeed For over teeks the men had had only quarter rations, and were now nearly starved to death Over two hundred horses and ue and starvation General Penrose, fearing that General Carr would not find him, had sent back a company of the Seventh Cavalry to Fort Lyon for supplies; but no word had as yet been heard froht to the cowith his force, took co the senior officer and ranking General Penrose After selecting a good caons and sent them back to Fort Lyon for fresh supplies He then picked out five hundred of the besthis pack train with hi the rest of the troops at the supply ca the Canadian River, but found no signs of Indians General Carr then went back to his caon train cath, our horses andbecome sufficiently recruited to return, we returned to Fort Lyon, arriving there in March, 1869, where the com to the Department of the Platte, whither it had been ordered

III

PURSUING THE SIOUX

When the Fifth Cavalry was ordered to the Department of the Platte, we moved from Fort Wallace down to Sheridan, and in a few days started on another expedition after the hostile Indians The second day out, on reaching the North Fork of the Beaver and riding down the valley toward the streae fresh Indian trail On examination I found it to be scattered all over the valley on both sides of the creek, as if a very large village had recently passed that way

Judging froht that there could not be less than four hundred lodges, or between twenty-five hundred and three thousand warriors, woalloped back to the command, distant about three miles, and reported the news to General Carr, who halted the regi a few round as possible, so that he could keep the troops out of sight until we could strike the creek

We went into camp on the Beaver, and the General ordered Lieutenant Ward to take twelve men and myself and follow up the trail for severalI was soon convinced, by theslowly, and hunting as they journeyed We went down the Beaver on this scout about twelveour horses well concealed under the banks of the creek, so as not to be discovered

At this point, Lieutenant Ward andour horses behind us, crawled to the top of a high knoll, where we could have a good view for some miles distant down the stream We peeped over the summit of the hill, and not over three ht, and thousands of ponies grazing around on the prairie Looking over to our left, on the opposite side of the creek we observed two or three parties of Indians co in, loaded doith buffalo meat

”This is no place for us, Lieutenant,” said I; ”I think we have important business at the caree with you,” said he, ”and the quicker we get there the better it will be for us”

We quickly descended the hill and joined the men below Lieutenant Ward hurriedly wrote a note to General Carr, and handing it to a corporal, ordered him to make all possible haste back to the coallop, and Lieutenant Ward said, ”We will march slowly back until we meet the troops, as I think the General will soon be here, for he will start i my note”

In a few minutes we heard two or three shots in the direction in which our dispatch courier had gone, and soon afterhi around the bend of the creek, pursued by four or five Indians The Lieutenant, with his squad of soldiers and ed upon them, when they turned and ran across the stream

”This will not do,” said Lieutenant Ward; ”the whole Indian village will no that soldiers are near by”

”Lieutenant, give me that note, and I will take it to the General,” said I

He gladly handedridden a short distance, I observed another party of Indians, also going to the village with ave the at them so boldly, it surprised them, and they did not knohat to ot between them and our camp By this ti their buffalo meat loose from their horses, they came after me at the top of their speed; but as their steeds were tired out, it did not taketo leave them far in the rear

I reached the command in less than an hour, delivered the dispatch to General Carr, and inforler sound ”boots and saddles,” and all the troops, with the exception of two co in the direction of the Indian camp