Part 15 (2/2)

Hearing the report of the gun, the troops ca out to see as the reed that the ot no more than his deserts I took the saddle and bridle and proceeded to the Post, where I delivered my dispatches to Captain Parker I then went to dick Curtis's house at the scouts' headquarters and put in several hours of solid sleep

During the day General Hazen returned from Fort Harker He had i highly elated overthe scout records I volunteered for this h he said there was no necessity ofmyself I said I had business which called me to Fort Hays, anyway, and that it would ave er for the journey

Accordingly, that night, I ht reached General Sheridan's headquarters at Fort Hays

The general was surprised to see me, and still more so when I told him of the time I had made on the rides I had successfully undertaken I believe this record of mine has never been beaten in a country infested with Indians and subject to blizzards and other violent weather conditions

To sum up, I had ridden from Fort Larned to Fort Zarrah, a distance of sixty-five miles and back in twelve hours Ten miles must be added to this for the distance the Indians tooktwenty-four hours I had gone froht hours During the next twenty-four hours I rode fro night I traveled froe to Fort Larned, thirty miles on mule back and thirty-five ht sixty-five ether I had ridden and walked three hundred and sixty-five e of over sixinto consideration the fact that ht over wild country, with no roads to follow, and that I had continually to look out for Indians, it was regarded at the tierous one

What I have set down here concerning it can be verified by referring to the autobiography of General Sheridan

General Sheridan cohly on this achievement He told me I need not report back to General Hazen, as he had more important work for iments of the army, was on its way to the Depart to send an expedition against the Dog Soldier Indians ere infesting the Republican River region

”Cody,” he said, ”I auide and chief of scouts of the command How does that suit you?”

I told him it suitedSoldier Indians were a band of Cheyennes and of unruly, turbulent members of other tribes ould not enter into any treaty, and would have kept no treaty if they had o on a reservation They got their name from the word ”Cheyenne,” which is derived fro”

On the third of October the Fifth Cavalry arrived at Fort Hays, and I at once began iment

General Sheridan introduced allant officer and an agreeable gentleman I also became acquainted with Major WH Brown, Major Walker, Captain Sweetman, Quartermaster EM Hays, and many others of the men ho anxious to punish the Indians who had lately fought General Forsythe, did not give the regian the ht we ca Creek, four miles west of Hays City By this time I had become well acquainted with Major Brown and Captain Sweetman They invited me to mess with them, and a jolly mess we had There were other scouts with the command besides myself I particularly remember Tom Kenahan, Hank Fields, and a character called ”Nosey”

Thethe day I was particularly struck with the appearance of the regi out on the prairies with, a train of seventy-five six-ons, ambulances, and pack-uide and chief of scouts with such a warlike expedition

Just as ere going into caht we ran into a band of some fifteen Indians They saw us, and dashed across the creek, followed by some bullets which we sent after the party, so we followed it only a mile or two Our attention was directed shortly to a herd of buffaloes, and we killed ten or fifteen for the command

Next day we marched thirty o out and kill soht, colonel,” I said; ”send along a wagon to bring in the ons till I know there is so to be hauled in,” he said ”Kill your buffaloes first, and I'll send the wagons”

Without further words I went out on my hunt After a short absence I returned and asked the colonel to send his wagons for the half-dozen buffaloes I had killed

The following afternoon he again requested ons this ti upon a sht of the theht into the place and then killed them one after another in rapid succession

Colonel Royal, itnessed the whole proceeding, was annoyed and puzzled, as he could see no good reason why I had not killed the buffaloes on the prairie

Cory, he demanded an explanation