Part 11 (2/2)

”I do not think that _General_ Sully brought supplies along for more than his own men,” replied Al, putting emphasis upon the t.i.tle, for he resented the disrespectful tone used by the emigrant. ”However,” he added, ”I will ask the quartermaster.”

He jumped from the wagon and, followed by the two emigrants, sought Lieutenant Bacon.

”Why, I never heard of such bra.s.s,” exclaimed the latter in an undertone when Al had found him and explained the demands of the emigrants. ”Of course we haven't any supplies for these fellows. Why didn't they bring along enough to last them?”

He turned to the men and repeated what Al had already told them. But they were stubborn and declined to accept the quartermaster's refusal.

Indeed, they became angry and began condemning the General, the Northwestern Indian Expedition, and the army, in unmeasured terms.

”Now, that will do,” at last exclaimed Lieutenant Bacon, sharply, tired of their insolence. ”I'll take you to General Sully and he can decide the matter.”

When the question had been explained to him, the General was plainly irritated but he held his temper in check.

”I have not enough supplies here now to outfit this post until next Spring and to carry my army through the coming campaign,” said he. ”Some of my boats are now busy bringing up supplies which were left at Farm Island, that there may be sufficient to take us through. Why didn't you bring enough yourselves to last you?”

”Because we was told we could get 'em from you,” replied one of the men.

”Who told you that?”

”Well, them that ought to know,” answered the other, evasively.

”They were mistaken,” said the General. ”I simply cannot let you have supplies.”

”Well, it's a blamed funny thing,” exclaimed one of the emigrants, a.s.suming a tone of outraged virtue, ”if a General and a great big army can let poor emigrants starve to death; folks that are goin' out, riskin' their lives and everything to settle up wild land and make this here country great.”

”You're going out from motives of pure patriotism alone, I suppose?”

asked the General, sarcastically. ”You're not going because there's gold out there and you want to make your fortunes?”

”Well, maybe we can make a livin',” answered the emigrant who had done most of the talking, a little abashed, ”but we'll build up the country, just the same.”

”That's very true,” the General replied, earnestly, ”and I'm willing to do all that I can to help you through, so long as it does not seriously interfere with the objects of the campaign I am here to make against the Indians. You can certainly understand that I must and will obey my orders from the Government, regardless of any other considerations. I will afford protection to your train as far as my army is going, but more than that I cannot promise. As for supplies, I am satisfied that you have enough with you to carry you through if you exercise care in their use. I do not believe that men would start out on such an expedition as yours with insufficient food. Am I not right?” He leaned forward in his camp chair and gave the men a searching look. Their eyes fell and they moved their feet uneasily. But the General's glance demanded an answer to his question.

”Mebbe we could scratch along,” admitted one of them, reluctantly.

”So I thought,” said the General. ”You merely figured that by getting army supplies while you were with the troops you could be less sparing with your own. But I can't accommodate you. Good-day.”

He turned to other matters, and his disappointed visitors took themselves away, still grumbling.

Ten days after the troops had arrived on the site of the new fort, a mere naked tract of virgin land perhaps never before trodden by the feet of white men, they were ready to leave it behind them, covered with an extensive and well-built military post which was destined to be occupied by United States soldiers for many years to come. A few lodges of Indians which had come in and surrendered at Fort Rice had confirmed the reports of those at Fort Sully concerning the great encampment of sixteen hundred lodges of hostiles a.s.sembled in a strong position somewhere near the head of Heart River or on the Little Missouri. They claimed that they had experienced the greatest difficulty in getting away from the hostile camp, and had finally been able to do so only on the plea of buffalo-hunting. They further declared that the hostiles were confident in their strength and were boasting that they would utterly destroy the army of white soldiers if the latter should venture to attack them. So there was a prospect of plenty of excitement in store when, on the morning of July 18, General Sully, unalarmed by such reports, started westward with his army with wagons loaded, troops fully equipped and liberally supplied with ammunition, and horses and mules freshly shod.

Just before starting, the General went on board the _Island City_ to give some parting instructions to Captain Lamont, who was under orders to proceed up the Missouri and the Yellowstone, in company with the _Chippewa Falls_, under Captain Hutchison, and the _Alone_, under Captain Rea, to meet the column with fresh supplies when it should reach the Yellowstone. The _Island City_ was loaded chiefly with corn for the horses, but she carried also a considerable quant.i.ty of barrelled pork for the troops, and most of the building materials for the intended post on the Yellowstone; while the _Chippewa Falls_ and the _Alone_ carried chiefly rations.

”Now, don't fail me, Captain,” said the General, as he turned to leave the _Island City's_ deck and follow his troops, already winding out of sight across the plateau and up through a break in the westward bluffs.

”My animals will probably find poor picking out in that rough country we are going through, and they'll need corn.”

”We'll be there waiting for you, General, if human exertions can do it,”

replied Captain Lamont. ”But you must remember that the Yellowstone has never been navigated before, and I don't know what snags or rocks we may run into.”

”You can make it, and you must,” said the General, ”and don't forget the place you are to meet me,--the Bra.s.seau Trading House, about sixty miles above the mouth.”

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