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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10030-0.txt b/10030-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b3f746 --- /dev/null +++ b/10030-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10364 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10030 *** + + THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY + + KNOWN AS BUFFALO BILL + + THE FAMOUS HUNTER, SCOUT AND GUIDE. + + _AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY_. + + 1879 + + + + +To GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN, THIS BOOK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED +BY THE AUTHOR. + +[Illustration: Yours Sincerely, W. F. Cody] + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +The life and adventures of Hon. William F. Cody--Buffalo Bill--as told +by himself, make up a narrative which reads more like romance than +reality, and which in many respects will prove a valuable contribution +to the records of our Western frontier history. While no literary +excellence is claimed for the narrative, it has the greater merit of +being truthful, and is verified in such a manner that no one can doubt +its veracity. The frequent reference to such military men as Generals +Sheridan, Carr, Merritt, Crook, Terry, Colonel Royal, and other officers +under whom Mr. Cody served as scout and guide at different times and in +various sections of the frontier, during the numerous Indian campaigns +of the last ten or twelve years, affords ample proof of his +genuineness as a thoroughbred scout. + +There is no humbug or braggadocio about Buffalo Bill. He is known far and +wide, and his reputation has been earned honestly and by hard work. By a +combination of circumstances he was educated to the life of a plainsman +from his youth up; and not the least interesting portion of his career is +that of his early life, passed as it was in Kansas during the eventful +and troubleous times connected with the settlement of that state. +Spending much time in the saddle, while a mere boy he crossed the plains +many times in company with bull-trains; on some of these trips he met +with thrilling adventures and had several hairbreadth escapes from death +at the hands of Indians. Then, for a while, he was dashing over the +plains as a pony-express rider. Soon afterwards, mounted on the high seat +of an overland stagecoach, he was driving a six-in-hand team. We next +hear of him cracking the bull-whacker's whip, and commanding a +wagon-train through a wild and dangerous country to the far West. During +the civil war he enlisted as a private, and became a scout with the Union +army; since the war he has been employed as hunter, trapper, guide, scout +and actor. As a buffalo hunter he has no superior; as a trailer of +Indians he has no equal. For many years he has taken an active part in +all the principal Indian campaigns on the Western frontier, and as a +scout and guide he has rendered inestimable services to the various +expeditions which he accompanied. + +During his life on the plains he not only had many exciting adventures +himself, but he became associated with many of the other noted plainsmen, +and in his narrative he frequently refers to them and relates many +interesting incidents and thrilling events connected with them. He has +had a fertile field from which to produce this volume, and has frequently +found it necessary to condense the facts in order to embody the most +interesting events of his life. The following from a letter written by +General E. A. Carr, of the Fifth Cavalry, now commanding Fort McPherson, +speaks for itself: + + * * * * * + +"I first met Mr. Cody, October 22d, 1868, at Buffalo Station, on the +Kansas Pacific railroad, in Kansas. He was scout and guide for the seven +companies of the Fifth Cavalry, then under Colonel Royal, and of which I +was ordered to take the command. + +"From his services with my command, steadily in the field for nine +months, from October, 1868, to July, 1869, and at subsequent times, I am +qualified to bear testimony to his qualities and character. + +"He was very modest and unassuming. I did not know for a long time how +good a title he had to the appellation, 'Buffalo Bill.' I am apt to +discount the claims of scouts, as they will occasionally exaggerate; and +when I found one who said nothing about himself, I did not think much of +him, till I had proved him. He is a natural gentleman in his manners as +well as in character, and has none of the roughness of the typical +frontiersman. He can take his own part when required, but I have never +heard of his using a knife or a pistol, or engaging in a quarrel where it +could be avoided. His personal strength and activity are such that he can +hardly meet a man whom he cannot handle, and his temper and disposition +are so good that no one has reason to quarrel with him. + +"His eye-sight is better than a good field glass; he is the best trailer +I ever heard of; and also the best judge of the 'lay of country,'--that +is, he is able to tell what kind of country is ahead, so as to know how +to act. He is a perfect judge of distance, and always ready to tell +correctly how many miles it is to water, or to any place, or how many +miles have been marched. + +"Mr. Cody seemed never to tire and was always ready to go, in the darkest +night or the worst weather, and usually volunteered, knowing what the +emergency required. His trailing, when following Indians or looking for +stray animals or game, is simply wonderful. He is a most extraordinary +hunter. I could not believe that a man could be certain to shoot antelope +running till I had seen him do it so often. + +"In a fight Mr. Cody is never noisy, obstreperous or excited. In fact, I +never hardly noticed him in a fight, unless I happened to want him, or he +had something to report, when he was always in the right place, and his +information was always valuable and reliable. + +"During the winter of 1868, we encountered hardships and exposure in +terrific snow storms, sleet, etc., etc. On one occasion, that winter, Mr. +Cody showed his quality by quietly offering to go with some dispatches to +General Sheridan, across a dangerous region, where another principal +scout was reluctant to risk himself. + +"On the 13th of May, 1869, he was in the fight at Elephant Rock, Kansas, +and trailed the Indians till the 16th, when we got another fight out of +them on Spring Creek, in Nebraska, and scattered them after following +them one hundred and fifty miles in three days. It was at Spring Creek +where Cody was ahead of the command about three miles, with the advance +guard of forty men, when two hundred Indians suddenly surrounded them. +Our men, dismounted and formed in a circle, holding their horses, firing +and slowly retreating. They all, to this day, speak of Cody's coolness +and bravery. This was the Dog Soldier band which captured Mrs. Alderdice +and Mrs. Weichel in Kansas. They strangled Mrs. Alderdice's baby, killed +Mrs. Weichel's husband, and took a great deal of property and stock from +different persons. We got on their trail again, June 28th, and followed +it nearly two hundred miles, till we struck the Indians on Sunday, July +11th, 1869, at Summit Spring. The Indians, as soon as they saw us coming, +killed Mrs. Alderdice with a hatchet, and shot Mrs. Weichel, but +fortunately not fatally, and she was saved. + +"Mr. Cody has since served with me as post guide and scout at Fort +McPherson, where he frequently distinguished himself. + +"In the summer of 1876, Cody went with me to the Black Hills region where +he killed Yellow-Hand. Afterwards he was with the Big Horn and +Yellowstone expedition. I consider that his services to the country and +the army by trailing, finding and fighting Indians, and thus protecting +the frontier settlers, and by guiding commands over the best and most +practicable routes, have been far beyond the compensation he has +received. His friends of the Fifth Cavalry are all glad that he is in a +lucrative business, and hope that he may live long and prosper. +Personally, I feel under obligations to him for assistance in my +campaigns which no other man could, or would, have rendered. Of course I +wish him, and his, every success." + +E. A. CARR, Lt. Col. 5th Cav., Brev. Maj. Gen'l U. S. Army. FORT +McPHERSON, NEBRASKA, July 3d, 1878 + + * * * * * + +Buffalo Bill is now an actor, and is meeting with success. He owns a +large and valuable farm adjoining the town of North Platte, Nebraska, and +there his family live in ease and comfort. He has also an extensive +cattle ranch on the Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, +his partner being Major Frank North, the old commander of the celebrated +Pawnee scouts. While many events of his career are known to the public, +yet the reader will find in this narrative much that will be entirely new +and intensely interesting to both young and old. + +THE PUBLISHER. + + + + +Illustrations. + + +THE AUTHOR, PORTRAIT, ON STEEL + +YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES + +SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT + +BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO + +BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY + +EXCITING SPORT + +STAKING OUT LOTS + +MY FATHER STABBED + +MY FATHER'S ESCAPE + +LIFE OR DEATH + +BOYISH SPORT + +TWO TO ONE + +KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN + +A PRAIRIE SCHOONER + +WILD BILL (PORTRAIT) + +HOLDING THE FORT + +CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE + +RAFTING OS THE PLATTE + +RIDING PONY EXPRESS + +SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN IN-THE-FACE + +CHANGING HORSES + +ATTACK ON STAGE COACH + +ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER + +THE HORSE THIEVES DEN + +MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES + +BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH HIDE + +"NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES" + +WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS + +WILD BILL'S DUEL + +GENERAL GEO. A. CUSTER (Portrait) + +DEPARTING RICHES + +TONGUES AND TENDERLOINS + +THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES + +THE MAN WHO FIRED THE GUN + +BUFFALO BILL + +"DOWN WENT HIS HORSE" + +THE FIRE SIGNAL + +KIT CARSON (Portrait) + +A GOOD HORSE + +A BIG JOKE + +AMBUSHING THE INDIANS + +WHOA THERE! + +DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO GENERAL SHERIDAN + +THE TWO TRAMPS + +CARRYING DISPATCHES + +GEN'L PHIL. SHERIDAN (PORTRAIT) + +BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE + +BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP + +"INDIANS!" + +GENERAL E. A. CARR (PORTRAIT) + +A CRACK SHOT + +A HARD CROWD + +CAMPING IN THE SNOW + +A WELCOME VISITOR + +ANTELOPES + +THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS + +ROBBING A STAGE COACH + +INDIAN VILLAGE + +THE KILLING OF TALL BULL + +AN OLD BONE + +A WEDDING CEREMONY + +A RIDE FOR LIFE + +PRAIRIE DOG VILLAGE + +McCARTHY'S FRIGHT + +FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY + +SPOTTED TAIL (PORTRAIT) + +GRAND DUKE ALEXIS (PORTRAIT) + +INDIAN EXERCISES + +TWO-LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO + +AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION? + +TEXAS JACK (PORTRAIT) + +RIFLES + +STUDYING THE PARTS + +BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS + +LEARNING THE GAME + +GETTING SATISFACTION + +A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND + +SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT + +CLOSE QUARTERS + +ONE OF THE TROUPE + + + + +Contents + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHILDHOOD. + +Early Days in Iowa--A Brother's Death--The Family Move to a New +Country--Incidents on the Road--The Horse Race--Our "Little Gray" +Victorious--A Pleasant Acquaintance--Uncle Elijah Cody--Our New +Home--My Ponies. + +CHAPTER II. + +EARLY INFLUENCES. + +Dress Parade at Fort Leavenworth--The Beautiful Salt Creek Valley--The +Mormon Emigrants--The Wagon Trains--The Cholera--A Lively Scene--My First +Sight of Indians--"Dolly" and "Prince"--A Long-Lost Relative Turns +up--Adventurous Career of Horace Billings--His Splendid +Horsemanship--Catching Wild Horses. + +CHAPTER III. + +BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. + +My Indian Acquaintances--An Indian Barbecue--Beginning of the Kansas +Troubles--An Indiscreet Speech by my Father, who is Stabbed for his +Boldness--Persecutions at the Hands of the Missourians--A Strategic +Escape--A Battle at Hickory Point--A Plan to Kill Father is Defeated by +Myself--He is Elected to the Lecompton Legislature--I Enter the Employ of +William Russell--Herding Cattle--A Plot to Blow Up our House--A Drunken +Missourian on the War-Path. + +CHAPTER IV. + +YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. + +At School--My First Love Scrape--I Punish my Rival, and then Run Away--My +First Trip Across the Plains--Steve Gobel and I are Friends once +more--Death of my Father--I Start for Salt Lake--Our Wagon Train +Surprised by Indians, who Drive us off, and Capture our Outfit--I Kill my +First Indian--Our Return to Leavenworth--I am Interviewed by a Newspaper +Reporter, who gives me a Good "Send-Off." + +CHAPTER V. + +IN BUSINESS. + +My Second Trip Across the Plains--The Salt Lake Trail--Wild Bill--He +Protects me from the Assault of a Bully--A Buffalo Hunt--Our Wagon Train +Stampeded by Buffaloes--We are Taken Prisoners by the Mormons--We Proceed +to Fort Bridger. + +CHAPTER VI. + +HARD TIMES. + +A Dreary Winter At Fort Bridger--Short Rations--Mule Steaks--Homeward +Bound in the Spring--A Square Meal--Corraled by Indians--A Mule +Barricade--We Hold the Fort--Home Again--Off for the West--Trapping on +the Chugwater And Laramie Rivers--We go to Sleep In a Human Grave--A +Horrifying Discovery--A Jollification at Oak Grove Ranch--Home Once +More--I go to School--The Pike's Peak Gold Excitement--Down the Platte +River on a Raft--I Become a Pony Express Rider. + +CHAPTER VII. + +ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. + +Trapping on Prairie Dog Creek--An Accident whereby we Lose one of our +Oxen--I Fall and Break my Leg--Left Alone in Camp--Unwelcome Visitors--A +Party of Hostile Sioux Call upon me and Make Themselves at Home--Old +Rain-in-the-Face Saves my Life--Snow-Bound-A Dreary Imprisonment--Return +of my Partner--A Joyful Meeting--We Pull Out for Home--Harrington Dies. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. + +Introduction to Alf. Slade--He Employs me as a Pony Express Rider--I Make +a Long Ride--Indians Attack an Overland Stage Coach--Wild Bill Leads a +Successful Expedition against the Indians--A Grand Jollification at +Sweetwater Bridge--Slade Kills a Stage Driver--The End of the Spree--A +Bear Hunt--I fall among Horse Thieves--My Escape--I Guide a Party to +Capture the Gang. + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAST DRIVING. + +Bob Scott, the Stage Driver--The Story of the Most Reckless Piece of +Stage Driving that ever Occurred on the Overland Road. + +CHAPTER X. + +QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. + +The Civil War--Jayhawking--Wild Bill's Fight with the McCandless Gang of +Desperadoes--I become Wild Bill's Assistant Wagon-Master--We Lose our +Last Dollar on a Horse Race--He becomes a Government Scout--He has a Duel +at Springfield. + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SOLDIER. + +Scouting against the Indians in the Kiowa and Comanche country--The +Red-Legged Scouts--A Trip to Denver--Death of my Mother--I Awake one +Morning to Find myself a Soldier--I am put on Detached Service as a +Scout--The Chase after Price--An Unexpected Meeting with Wild Bill--An +Unpleasant Situation--Wild Bill's Escape from the Southern Lines--The +Charge upon Price's Army--We return to Springfield. + +CHAPTER XII. + +A WEDDING. + +I Fall in Love--A Successful Courting Expedition--I am Married--The +Happiest Event of my Life--Our Trip up the Missouri River--The +Bushwhackers Come after me--I become Landlord of a Hotel--Off for the +Plains once more--Scouting on the Frontier for the Government--A Ride +with General Custer--An Expedition from Fort Hays has a Lively Chase +after Indians--Cholera in Camp. + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A MILLIONAIRE. + +A Town Lot Speculation--"A Big Thing"--I become Half-Owner of a +City--Corner Lots Reserved--Rome's Rapid Rise--We consider ourselves +Millionaires--Dr. Webb--Hays City--We Regard ourselves as Paupers--A Race +with Indians--Captain Graham's Scout after the Indians. + +CHAPTER XIV. + +EARNING A TITLE. + +Hunting for the Kansas Pacific--How I got my Name of "Buffalo Bill"--The +Indians give me a Lively Chase--They get a Dose of their own +Medicine--Another Adventure--Scotty and myself Corraled by Indians--A +Fire Signal brings Assistance--Kit Carson. + +CHAPTER XV. + +CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. + +A Buffalo Killing Match with Billy Comstock--An Excursion party from St. +Louis come out to Witness the Sport--I win the Match, and am declared the +Champion Buffalo Killer of the Plains. + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A COURIER. + +Scouting--Captured by Indians--A Strategic Escape--A Hot Pursuit--The +Indians led into an Ambush--Old Satanta's Tricks and Threats--Excitement +at Fort Larned--Herders and Wood-Choppers Killed by the Indians--A +Perilous Ride--I get into the wrong Pew--Safe, arrival at Fort +Hays--Interview with General Sheridan--My ride to Fort Dodge--I return +to Fort Larned--My Mule gets away from me--A long Walk--The Mule Passes +In his Chips. + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN APPOINTMENT. + +General Sheridan appoints me Guide and Chief of Scouts of the Fifth +Cavalry--The Dog Soldiers--General Forsyth's Fight on the Arickaree Fork. + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCOUTING. + +Arrival of the Fifth Cavalry at Fort Hays--Out on a Scout--A little +Skirmish with Indians--A Buffalo Hunt--A False Alarm in camp--A Scout on +the Beaver--The Supply Camp is Surprised--Arrival of General Carr--The +new Lieutenant and his Reception--Another Indian Hunt--An Engagement--A +Crack Shot--I have a little Indian fight of my own--Return to Fort +Wallace--While hunting Buffaloes with a small Party, we are Attacked by +Fifty Indians. + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A TOUGH TIME. + +A Winter's Campaign in the Canadian River Country--Searching for +Penrose's Command--A Heavy Snow-Storm--Taking the Wagon Train down a +Mountain Side--Camp Turkey--Darkey Deserters from Penrose's +Command--Starvation in Penrose's Camp--We reach the Command with +Timely Relief--Wild Bill--A Beer Jollification--Hunting +Antelopes--Return to Fort Lyon. + +CHAPTER XX. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + +A Difficulty with a Quartermaster's Agent--I give him a Severe +Pounding--Stormy Interview with General Bankhead and Captain Laufer--I +put another "Head" on the Quartermaster's Agent--I am Arrested--In the +Guard-House--General Bankhead Releases me--A Hunt after Horse +Thieves--Their Capture--Escape of Bevins--His Recapture--Escape of +Williams--Bevins Breaks Out of Jail--His Subsequent Career. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A MILITARY EXPEDITION. + +The Fifth Cavalry is Ordered to the Department of the Platte--Liquids +_vs._ Solids--A Skirmish with the Indians--Arrival at Fort +McPherson--Appointed Chief of Scouts--Major Frank North and the Pawnee +Scouts--Belden the White Chief--The Shooting Match--Review of the Pawnee +Scouts--An Expedition against the Indians--"Buckskin Joe." + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A DESPERATE FIGHT. + +Pawnees _vs_. Siouxs--We strike a Large Trail--The Print of a Woman's +Shoe--The Summit Springs Fight--A Successful Charge--Capture of the +Indian Village--Rescue of a White Woman--One hundred and forty Indians +Killed--I kill Tall Bull and Capture his Swift Steed--The Command +proceeds to Fort Sedgwick--Powder Face--A Scout after Indian +Horse-Thieves--"Ned Buntline"--"Tall Bull" as a Racer--Powder Face wins a +Race without a Rider--An Expedition to the Niobrara--An Indian Tradition. + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. + +I make my Home at Fort McPherson--Arrival of my Family--Hunting and Horse +Racing--An Indian Raid--Powder Face Stolen--A Lively Chase--An Expedition +to the Republican River Country--General Duncan--A Skirmish with the +Indians--A Stern Chase--An Addition to my Family--Kit Carson Cody--I am +made a Justice of the Peace--A Case of Replevin--I perform a Marriage +Ceremony--Professor Marsh's Fossil-Hunting Expedition. + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUNTING EXPEDITIONS. + +The Grand Hunt of General Sheridan, James Gordon Bennett, and other +Distinguished Gentlemen--From Fort McPherson to Fort Hays--Incidents of +the Trip--"Ten Days on the Plains"--General Carr's Hunting Expedition--A +Joke on McCarthy--A Search for the Remains of Buck's Surveying Party, who +had been Murdered by the Indians. + +CHAPTER XXV. + +HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. + +The Grand Duke Alexis Hunt--Selection of a Camp--I Visit Spotted +Tail's Camp--The Grand Duke and Party arrive at Camp Alexis--Spotted +Tail's Indians give a Dance--The Hunt--Alexis Kills his First +Buffalo--Champagne--The Duke Kills another Buffalo--More Champagne--End +of the Hunt--Departure of the Duke and his Party. + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGHT-SEEING. + +My Visit in the East--Reception in Chicago--Arrival in New York--I am +well Entertained by my old Hunting Friends--I View the Sights of the +Metropolis--Ned Buntline--The Play of "Buffalo Bill"--I am Called Upon to +make a Speech--A Visit to my Relatives--Return to the West. + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HONORS. + +Arrival of the Third Cavalry at Fort McPherson--A Scout after Indians--A +Desperate Fight with Thirteen Indians--A Hunt with the Earl of Dunraven--A +Hunt with a Chicago Party--Milligan's Bravery--Neville--I am Elected to +the Nebraska Legislature. + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN ACTOR. + +I resolve to go upon the Stage--I resign my Seat in the +Legislature--Texas Jack--"The Scouts of the Plains"--A Crowded House--A +Happy Thought--A Brilliant _Début_--A Tour of the Country. + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +STARRING. + +The Theatrical Season of 1873-74--Wild Bill and his Tricks--He Leaves us +at Rochester--He becomes a "Star"--A Bogus "Wild Bill "--A Hunt with +Thomas P. Medley, an English gentleman--A Scout on the Powder River and +in the Big Horn Country--California Joe--Theatrical Tour of 1874 and +1875--Death of my son, Kit Carson Cody. + +CHAPTER XXX. + +A RETURN TO THE PLAINS. + +The Sioux Campaign of 1876--I am appointed Guide and Chief of Scouts of +the Fifth Cavalry--An Engagement with eight hundred Cheyennes--A Duel +with Yellow Hand--Generals Terry and Crook meet, and cooperate Together. + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +DANGEROUS WORK. + +Scouting on a Steamboat--Captain Grant Marsh--A Trip down the Yellowstone +River--Acting as Dispatch Carrier--I Return East and open my Theatrical +Season with a New Play--Immense Audiences--I go into the Cattle Business +in company with Major Prank North--My Home at North Platte. + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +CONCLUSION. + +A Cattle "Round-up"--A Visit to My Family in our New Home--A Visit from +my Sisters--I go to Denver--Buying more Cattle--Pawnee and Nez-Perces +Indians Engaged for a Theatrical Tour--The Season of 1878-79--An +experience in Washington--Home Once More. + + + + +THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHILDHOOD. + + +My _début_ upon the world's stage occurred on February 26th, 1845. The +scene of this first important event in my adventurous career, being in +Scott county, in the State of Iowa. My parents, Isaac and Mary Ann Cody, +who were numbered among the pioneers of Iowa, gave to me the name of +William Frederick. I was the fourth child in the family. Martha and +Julia, my sisters, and Samuel my brother, had preceded me, and the +children who came after me were Eliza, Nellie, Mary, and Charles, born in +the order named. + +At the time of my birth the family resided on a farm which they called +"Napsinekee Place,"--an Indian name--and here the first six or seven +years of my childhood were spent. When I was about seven years old my +father moved the family to the little town of LeClair, located on the +bank of the Mississippi, fifteen miles above the city of Davenport. Even +at that early age my adventurous spirit led me into all sorts of mischief +and danger, and when I look back upon my childhood's days I often wonder +that I did not get drowned while swimming or sailing, or my neck broken +while I was stealing apples in the neighboring orchards. + +I well remember one day that I went sailing with two other boys; in a few +minutes we found ourselves in the middle of the Mississippi; becoming +frightened at the situation we lost our presence of mind, as well as our +oars. We at once set up a chorus of pitiful yells, when a man, who +fortunately heard us, came to our rescue with a canoe and towed us +ashore. We had stolen the boat, and our trouble did not end until we had +each received a merited whipping, which impressed the incident vividly +upon my mind. I recollect several occasions when I was nearly eaten up by +a large and savage dog, which acted as custodian of an orchard and also +of a melon patch, which I frequently visited. Once, as I was climbing +over the fence with a hatful of apples, this dog, which had started for +me, caught me by the seat of the pantaloons, and while I clung to the top +of the fence he literally tore them from my legs, but fortunately did not +touch my flesh. I got away with the apples, however, by tumbling over to +the opposite side of the fence with them. + +It was at LeClair that I acquired my first experience as an equestrian. +Somehow or other I had managed to corner a horse near a fence, and had +climbed upon his back. The next moment the horse got his back up and +hoisted me into the air, I fell violently to the ground, striking upon my +side in such a way as to severely wrench and strain my arm, from the +effects of which I did not recover for some time. I abandoned the art of +horsemanship for a while, and was induced after considerable persuasion +to turn my attention to letters--my A, B, C's--which were taught me at +the village school. + +My father at this time was running a stage line, between Chicago and +Davenport, no railroads then having been built west of Chicago. In 1849 +he got the California fever and made up his mind to cross the great +plains--which were then and for years afterwards called the American +Desert--to the Pacific coast. He got ready a complete outfit and started +with quite a party. After proceeding a few miles, all but my father, and +greatly to his disappointment, changed their minds for some reason and +abandoned the enterprise. They all returned home, and soon afterwards +father moved his family out to Walnut Grove Farm, in Scott county. + +[Illustration: YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES.] + +While living there I was sent to school, more for the purpose of being +kept out of mischief than to learn anything. Much of my time was spent in +trapping quails, which were very plentiful. I greatly enjoyed studying +the habits of the little birds, and in devising traps to take them in. I +was most successful with the common figure "4" trap which I could build +myself. Thus I think it was that I acquired my love for hunting. I +visited the quail traps twice a day, morning and evening, and as I had +now become quite a good rider I was allowed to have one of the farm +horses to carry me over my route. Many a jolly ride I had and many a +boyish prank was perpetrated after getting well away from and out of the +sight of home with the horse. + +There was one event which occurred in my childhood, which I cannot recall +without a feeling of sadness. It was the death of my brother Samuel, who +was accidentally killed in his twelfth year. + +My father at the time, being considerable of a politician as well as a +farmer, was attending a political convention; for he was well known in +those days as an old line Whig. He had been a member of the Iowa +legislature, was a Justice of the Peace, and had held other offices. He +was an excellent stump speaker and was often called upon to canvass the +country round about for different candidates. The convention which he was +attending at the time of the accident was being held at a cross-road +tavern called "Sherman's," about a mile away. + +Samuel and I had gone out together on horseback for the cows. He rode a +vicious mare, which mother had told him time and again not to ride, as it +had an ugly disposition. We were passing the school house just as the +children were being dismissed, when Samuel undertook to give an +exhibition of his horsemanship, he being a good rider for a boy. The +mare, Betsy, became unmanageable, reared and fell backward upon him, +injuring him internally. He was picked up and carried amid great +excitement to the house of a neighbor. + +I at once set out with my horse at the top of his speed for my father, +and informed him of Samuel's mishap. He took the horse and returned +immediately. When I arrived at Mr. Burns' house, where my brother was, I +found my father, mother and sisters there, all weeping bitterly at +Samuel's bedside. A physician, after examining him, pronounced his +injuries to be of a fatal character. He died the next morning. + +My brother was a great favorite with everybody, and his death cast a +gloom upon the whole neighborhood. It was a great blow to all of the +family, and especially to father who seemed to be almost heart +broken over it. + +Father had been greatly disappointed at the failure of his California +expedition, and still desired to move to some new country. The death of +Samuel no doubt increased this desire, and he determined to emigrate. +Accordingly, early in the spring of 1852, he disposed of his farm, and +late in March we took our departure for Kansas, which was then an +unsettled territory. Our outfit consisted of one carriage, three wagons +and some fine blooded horses. The carriage was occupied by my mother and +sisters. Thus we left our Iowa home. + +[Illustration: SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT.] + +Father had a brother, Elijah Cody, living at Weston, Platte county, +Missouri. He was the leading merchant of the place. As the town was +located near the Kansas line father determined to visit him, and thither +our journey was directed. Our route lay across Iowa and Missouri, and the +trip proved of interest to all of us, and especially to me. There was +something new to be seen at nearly every turn of the road. At night the +family generally "put up" at hotels or cross-road taverns along the way. + +One day as we were proceeding on our way, we were met by a horseman who +wanted to sell his horse, or trade-him for another. He said the horse had +been captured wild in California; that he was a runner and a racer; that +he had been sold by his different owners on account of his great desire +to run away when taking part in a race. + +The stranger seemed to be very frank in his statements, and appeared to +be very anxious to get rid of the animal, and as we were going to Kansas +where there would be plenty of room for the horse to run as far as he +pleased, father concluded to make a trade for him; so an exchange of +animals was easily and satisfactorily effected. + +The new horse being a small gray, we named him "Little Gray." + +An opportunity of testing the racing qualities of the horse was soon +afforded. One day we drove into a small Missouri town or hamlet which lay +on our route, where the farmers from the surrounding country were +congregated for the purpose of having a holiday--the principal amusement +being horse-racing. Father had no trouble in arranging a race for Little +Gray, and selected one of his teamsters to ride him. + +The Missourians matched their fastest horse against him and were +confident of cleaning out "the emigrant," as they called father. They +were a hard looking crowd. They wore their pantaloons in their boots; +their hair was long, bushy and untrimmed; their faces had evidently never +made the acquaintance of a razor. They seemed determined to win the race +by fair means or foul. They did a great deal of swearing, and swaggered +about in rather a ruffianly style. + +All these incidents attracted my attention--everything being new to +me--and became firmly impressed upon my memory. My father, being +unaccustomed to the ways of such rough people, acted very cautiously; and +as they were all very anxious to bet on their own horse, he could not be +induced to wager a very large sum on Little Gray, as he was afraid of +foul play. + +"Wa-al, now, stranger," exclaimed one of the crowd, "what kind o' critter +have you got anyhow, as how you're afraid to back him up very heavy?" + +"I'll bet five to one agin the emergrant's, gray," said another. + +"I'm betting the same way. I'll go yer five hundred dollars agin a +hundred that the gray nag gits left behind. Do I hear any man who wants +to come agin me on them yer terms?" shouted still another. + +"Hi! yer boys, give the stranger a chance. Don't scare him out of +his boots," said a man who evidently was afraid that my father +might back out. + +Father had but little to say, however, and would not venture more than +fifty dollars on the result of the race. + +"Gentlemen, I am only racing my horse for sport," said he, "and am only +betting enough to make it interesting. I have never seen Little Gray run, +and therefore don't know what he can do;" at the same time he was +confident that his horse would come in the winner, as he had chosen an +excellent rider for him. + +Finally all the preliminaries of the contest were arranged. The judges +were chosen and the money was deposited in the hands of a stake-holder. +The race was to be a single dash, of a mile. The horses were brought side +by side and mounted by their riders. + +At the signal--"One, two, three, go!"--off they started like a flash. The +Missouri horse took the lead for the first quarter of a mile; at the +half-mile, however, he began to weaken. The Missourians shouted +themselves hoarse in urging their horse, but all to no avail. The Little +Gray passed him and continued to leave him farther and farther behind, +easily winning the race. + +The affair created a great deal of enthusiasm; but the race was conducted +with honor and fairness, which was quite an agreeable surprise to my +father, who soon found the Missourians to be at heart very clever +men--thus showing that outside appearances are sometimes very deceptive; +they nearly all came up and congratulated him on his success, asked him +why he had not bet more money on the race, and wanted to buy Little Gray. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "when I drove up here and arranged for this race, I +felt confident that my horse would win it. I was among entire strangers, +and therefore I only bet a small amount. I was afraid that you would +cheat me in some way or other. I see now that I was mistaken, as I have +found you to be honorable men." + +"Wa-all, you could have broke _me_" said the man who wanted to bet the +five hundred dollars to one hundred, "for that there nag o' yourn looks +no more like a runner nor I do." + +During our stay in the place they treated us very kindly, and continued +to try to purchase Little Gray. My father, however, remained firm in his +determination not to part with him. + +The next place of interest which we reached, after resuming our journey, +was within twenty miles of Weston. We had been stopping at farm houses +along the road, and could not get anything to eat in the shape of bread, +except corn bread, of which all had become heartily tired. As we were +driving along, we saw in the distance a large and handsome brick +residence. Father said: "They probably have white bread there." + +We drove up to the house and learned that it was owned and occupied by +Mrs. Burns; mother of a well-known lawyer of that name, who is now living +in Leavenworth. She was a wealthy lady, and gave us to understand in a +pleasant way, that she did not entertain travelers. My father, in the +course of the conversation with her, said: "Do you know Elijah Cody?" + +"Indeed, I do," said she; "he frequently visits us, and we visit him; we +are the best of friends." + +"He is a brother of mine," said father. + +"Is it possible!" she exclaimed; "Why, you must remain here all night. +Have your family come into the house at once. You must not go another +step today." + +The kind invitation was accepted, and we remained there over night. As +father had predicted, we found plenty of white bread at this house, and +it proved quite a luxurious treat. + +My curiosity was considerably aroused by the many negroes which I saw +about the premises, as I had scarcely ever seen any colored people, +the few, being on the steamboats as they passed up and down the +Mississippi river. + +The next day my father and mother drove over to Weston in a carriage, +and returned with my Uncle Elijah. We then all proceeded to his house, +and as Kansas was not yet open for settlement as a territory, we remained +there a few days, while father crossed over into Kansas on a prospecting +tour. He visited the Kickapoo agency--five miles above Weston--on the +Kansas side of the Missouri river. He became acquainted with the agent, +and made arrangements to establish himself there as an Indian trader. He +then returned to Weston and located the family on one of Elijah Cody's +farms, three miles from town, where we were to remain until Kansas should +be thrown open for settlement. After completing these arrangements, he +established a trading post at Salt Creek Valley, in Kansas, four miles +from the Kickapoo agency. + +One day, after he had been absent some little time, he came home and said +that he had bought two ponies for me, and that next morning he would take +me over into Kansas. This was pleasant news, as I had been very anxious +to go there with him, and the fact that I was now the owner of two ponies +made me feel very proud. That night I could not sleep a wink. In the +morning I was up long before the sun, and after an early breakfast, +father and I started out on our trip. Crossing the Missouri river at the +Rialto Ferry, we landed in Kansas and passed along to Fort Leavenworth, +four miles distant. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +EARLY INFLUENCES. + + +General Harney was in command at Fort Leavenworth at the time of our +visit, and a regiment of cavalry was stationed there. They were having a +dress parade when we rode up, and as this was the first time that I had +ever seen any soldiers, I thought it was a grand sight. I shall never +forget it, especially the manoeuvres on horseback. + +After witnessing the parade we resumed our journey. On the way to my +father's trading camp we had to cross over a high hill known as Salt +Creek Hill, from the top of which we looked down upon the most beautiful +valley I have ever seen. It was about twelve miles long and five miles +wide. The different tributaries of Salt Creek came down from the range of +hills at the southwest. At the foot of the valley another small +river--Plum Creek, also flowed. The bluffs fringed with trees, clad in +their full foliage, added greatly to the picturesqueness of the scene. + +While this beautiful valley greatly interested me, yet the most novel +sight, of an entirely different character, which met my enraptured gaze, +was the vast number of white-covered wagons, or "prairie-schooners," +which were encamped along the different streams. I asked my father what +they were and where they were going; he explained to me that they were +emigrant wagons bound for Utah and California. + +At that time the Mormon and California trails ran through this +valley, which was always selected as a camping place. There were at +least one thousand wagons in the valley, and their white covers lent +a pleasing contrast to the green grass. The cattle were quietly +grazing near the wagons, while the emigrants were either resting or +attending to camp duties. + +A large number of the wagons, as I learned from my father, belonged to +Majors & Russell, the great government freighters. They had several +trains there, each consisting of twenty-five wagons, heavily loaded with +government supplies. They were all camped and corraled in a circle. + +While we were viewing this scene, a long wagon train came pulling up the +hill, bound out from Fort Leavenworth to some distant frontier post. The +cattle were wild and the men were whipping them fearfully, the loud +reports of the bull-whips sounding like gun-shots. They were +"doubling-up," and some of the wagons were being drawn by fifteen yokes +of oxen. I remember asking my father a great many questions, and he +explained to me all about the freighting business across the great +plains, and told me about the different government posts. + +Pointing over to the army of wagons camped below us, he showed me which +were the Mormons' and which were the Californians', and said that we must +steer clear of the former as the cholera was raging among them. Five +hundred had died that spring--1853--and the grave-yard was daily +increasing its dimensions. The unfortunate people had been overtaken by +the dreadful disease, and had been compelled to halt on their journey +until it abated. + +While we were looking at the Mormons they were holding a funeral service +over the remains of some of their number who had died. Their old cemetery +is yet indicated by various land-marks, which, however, with the few +remaining head-boards, are fast disappearing. + +We passed on through this "Valley of Death," as it might then have been +very appropriately called, and after riding for some time, my father +pointed out a large hill and showed me his camp, which afterwards +became our home. + +There was another trading-post near by, which was conducted by Mr. +M.P. Rively, who had a store built, partly frame, and partly of logs. +We stopped at this establishment for a while, and found perhaps a +hundred men, women and children gathered there, engaged in trading and +gossipping. The men had huge pistols and knives in their belts; their +pantaloons were tucked in their boots; and they wore large +broad-rimmed hats. + +To me they appeared like a lot of cut-throat pirates who had come ashore +for a lark. It was the first time I had ever seen men carrying pistols +and knives, and they looked like a very dangerous crowd. Some were buying +articles of merchandise; others were talking about the cholera, the +various camps, and matters of interest; while others were drinking whisky +freely and becoming intoxicated. It was a busy and an exciting scene, and +Rively appeared to be doing a rushing trade. + +At some little distance from the store I noticed a small party of +dark-skinned and rather fantastically dressed people, whom I ascertained +were Indians, and as I had never before seen a real live Indian, I was +much interested in them. I went over and endeavored to talk to them, but +our conversation was very limited. + +That evening we reached our camp, which was located two miles west of +Rively's. The first thing I did was to hunt up my ponies, and from my +father's description of them, I had no difficulty in finding them. +They were lariated in the grass and I immediately ran up to them +supposing them to be gentle animals. I was greatly mistaken, however, +as they snorted and jumped away from me, and would not allow me to +come near them. + +My father, who was standing not far distant, informed me that the ponies +were not yet broken. I was somewhat disappointed at this; and thereupon +he and one of his men caught one of the animals and bridled her, then +putting me on her back, led her around, greatly to my delight. I kept +petting her so much that she soon allowed me to approach her. She was a +beautiful bay, and I named her "Dolly;" the other pony was a sorrel, and +I called him "Prince." + +In the evening some Indians visited the camp--which as yet consisted only +of tents, though some logs had been cut preparatory to building +houses--and exchanged their furs for clothing, sugar and tobacco. Father +had not learned their language, and therefore communicated with them by +means of signs. We had our supper by the camp-fire, and that night was +the first time I ever camped out and slept upon the ground. + +The day had been an eventful one to me, for all the incidents were full +of excitement and romance to my youthful mind, and I think no apology is +needed for mentioning so many of the little circumstances, which so +greatly interested me in my childhood's days, and which no doubt had a +great influence in shaping my course in after years. My love of hunting +and scouting, and life on the plains generally, was the result of my +early surroundings. + +The next morning father visited the Kickapoo agency, taking me along. He +rode a horse, and putting me on my pony "Dolly," led the animal all the +way. He seemed anxious to break me in, as well as the pony, and I +greatly enjoyed this, my first day's ride on a Kansas prairie. + +At the Kickapoo village I saw hundreds of Indians, some of whom were +living in lodges, but the majority occupied log cabins. The agent resided +in a double-hewed log house, one of the apartments of which was used as a +school for the Indians. The agency store was opposite this structure. + +All the buildings were whitewashed, and looked neat and clean. The +Kickapoos were very friendly Indians, and we spent much of our time among +them, looking about and studying their habits. + +After a while we returned to our own camp, and just as we arrived there, +we saw a drove of horses--there were three or four hundred in +all--approaching from the west, over the California trail. They were +being driven by seven or eight mounted men, wearing sombreros, and +dressed in buckskin, with their lariats dangling from their saddles, and +they were followed by two or three pack-mules or horses. They went into +camp a little below us on the bank of the stream. + +Presently one of the men walked out towards our camp, and my father +called to me to come and see a genuine Western man; he was about six feet +two inches tall, was well built, and had a light, springy and wiry step. +He wore a broad-brimmed California hat, and was dressed in a complete +suit of buckskin, beautifully trimmed and beaded. He saluted us, and +father invited him to sit down, which he did. After a few moments +conversation, he turned to me and said: + +"Little one, I see you are working with your ponies. They are wild yet." + +I had been petting Dolly and trying to break her, when my father called +me to come and look at the Californian. + +"Yes," I replied, "and one of them never has been ridden." + +"Well, I'll ride him for you;" and springing lightly to his feet, he +continued: "come on. Where is the animal?" + +Accordingly we all went to the place where Prince was lariated. The +stranger untied the rope from the picket pin, and taking a half-loop +around the pony's nose, he jumped on his back. + +In a moment he was flying over the prairie, the untamed steed rearing and +pitching every once in a while in his efforts to throw his rider; but the +man was not unseated. He was evidently an experienced horseman. I watched +his every movement. I was unconsciously taking another lesson in the +practical education which has served me so well through my life. + +The Californian rode the pony until it was completely mastered, then +coming up to me, jumped to the ground, handed me the rope, and said: + +"Here's your pony. He's all right now." + +I led Prince away, while father and the stranger sat down in the shade of +a tent, and began talking about the latter's horsemanship, which father +considered very remarkable. + +"Oh, that's nothing; I was raised on horseback," said the Californian; "I +ran away from home when a boy, went to sea, and finally landed in the +Sandwich Islands, where I fell in with a circus, with which I remained +two years. During that time I became a celebrated bare-back rider. I then +went to California, being attracted there by the gold excitement, the +news of which had reached the Islands. I did not go to mining, however, +but went to work as a _bocarro_-catching and breaking wild horses, great +numbers of which were roaming through California. Last summer we caught +this herd that we have brought with us across the plains, and are taking +it to the States to sell. I came with the outfit, as it gave me a good +opportunity to visit my relatives, who live at Cleveland, Ohio. I also +had an uncle over at Weston, across the river, when I ran away, and +to-morrow I am going to visit the town to see if he is there yet." + +[Illustration: BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO] + +"I am acquainted in Weston," said father, "and perhaps I can tell you +about your uncle. What is his name?" + +"Elijah Cody," said the Californian. + +"Elijah Cody!" exclaimed father, in great surprise; "why Elijah Cody is +my brother. I am Isaac Cody. Who are you?" + +"My name is Horace Billings," was the reply. + +"And you are my nephew. You are the son of my sister Sophia." + +Both men sprang to their feet and began shaking hands in the heartiest +manner possible. + +The next moment father called me, and said: "Come here, my son. Here is +some one you want to know." + +As I approached he introduced us. "Horace, this is my only son. We call +him little Billy;" and turning to me said: "Billy, my boy, this is a +cousin of yours, Horace Billings, whom you've often heard me speak of." + +Horace Billings had never been heard of from the day he ran away from +home, and his relatives had frequently wondered what had become of him. +His appearance, therefore, in our camp in the guise of a Californian was +somewhat of a mystery to me, and I could hardly comprehend it until I had +heard his adventurous story and learned the accidental manner in which he +and father had made themselves known to each other. + +Neither father nor myself would be satisfied until he had given us a full +account of his wanderings and adventures, which were very exciting to me. + +Late in the afternoon and just before the sun sank to rest, the +conversation again turned upon horses and horsemanship. Father told +Billings all about Little Gray, and his great fault of running away. +Billings laughed and said Little Gray could not run away with him. + +After supper he went out to look at the horse, which was picketed in the +grass. Surveying the animal carefully, he untied the lariat and slipped a +running noose over his nose; then giving a light bound, he was on his +back in a second, and away went the horse and his rider, circling round +and round on the prairie. Billings managed him by the rope alone, and +convinced him that he was his master. When half a mile away, the horse +started for camp at the top of his speed. Billings stood straight up on +his back, and thus rode him into camp. As he passed us he jumped to the +ground, allowed the horse to run to the full length of the lariat, when +he threw him a complete somersault. + +[Illustration: BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY.] + +"That's a pretty good horse," said Billings. + +"Yes, he's a California horse; he was captured there wild," replied +father. The exhibition of horsemanship given by Billings on this +occasion was really wonderful, and was the most skillful and daring feat +of the kind that I ever witnessed. The remainder of the evening was spent +around the camp, and Horace, who remained there, entertained us with +several interesting chapters of his experiences. + +Next morning he walked over to his own camp, but soon returned, mounted +on a beautiful horse, with a handsome saddle, bridle and lariat. I +thought he was a magnificent looking man. I envied his appearance, and my +ambition just then was to become as skillful a horseman as he was. He had +rigged himself out in his best style in order to make a good impression +on his uncle at Weston, whither father and I accompanied him on +horseback. + +He was cordially received by Uncle Elijah, who paid him every possible +attention, and gave me a handsome saddle and bridle for my pony, and in +the evening when we rode out to the farm to see my mother and sisters, I +started ahead to show them my present, as well as to tell them who was +coming. They were delighted to see the long-lost Horace, and invited him +to remain with us. When we returned to camp next day, Horace settled up +with the proprietor of the horses, having concluded to make his home with +us for that summer at least. + +Father employed him in cutting house logs and building houses, but this +work not being adapted to his tastes, he soon gave it up, and obtained +government employment in catching United States horses. During the +previous spring the government herd had stampeded from Fort Leavenworth, +and between two and three hundred of the horses were running at large +over the Kansas prairies, and had become quite wild. A reward of ten +dollars was offered for every one of the horses that was captured and +delivered to the quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth. This kind of work of +course just suited the roaming disposition of Billings, especially as it +was similar to that in which he had been engaged in California. The +horses had to be caught with a lasso, with which he was very expert. He +borrowed Little Gray, who was fleet enough for the wildest of the +runaways, and then he at once began his horse hunting. + +[Illustration: EXCITING SPORT.] + +Everything that he did, I wanted to do. He was a sort of hero in my eyes, +and I wished to follow in his footsteps. At my request and with father's +consent, he took me with him, and many a wild and perilous chase he led +me over the prairie. I made rapid advances in the art of horsemanship, +for I could have had no better teacher than Horace Billings. He also +taught me how to throw the lasso, which, though it was a difficult thing +to learn, I finally became, quite skillful in. + +Whenever Horace caught one of the horses which acted obstinately, and +would not be led, he immediately threw him to the ground, put a saddle +and bridle on him, and gave me Little Gray to take care of. He would then +mount the captive horse and ride him into Fort Leavenworth. I spent two +months with Horace in this way, until at last no more of the horses were +to be found. By this time I had become a remarkably good rider for a +youth, and had brought both of my ponies under easy control. + +Horace returned to assist father in hauling logs, which were being used +in building a dwelling for the family who had moved over from Missouri. +One day a team did not work to suit him, and he gave the horses a cruel +beating. This greatly displeased father, who took him to task for it. +Horace's anger flew up in a moment; throwing down the lines he hurried to +the house, and began packing up his traps. That same day he hired out to +a Mormon train, and bidding us all good-bye started for Salt Lake, +driving six yokes of oxen. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. + + +During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log house, and father +continued to trade with the Indians, who became very friendly; hardly a +day passed without a social visit from them. I spent a great deal of time +with the Indian boys, who taught me how to shoot with the bow and arrow, +at which I became quite expert. I also took part in all their sports, and +learned to talk the Kickapoo language to some extent. + +Father desired to express his friendship for these Indians, and +accordingly arranged a grand barbecue for them. He invited them all to be +present on a certain day, which they were; he then presented them with +two fat beeves, to be killed and cooked in the various Indian styles. +Mother made several large boilers full of coffee, which she gave to them, +together with sugar and bread. There were about two hundred Indians in +attendance at the feast, and they all enjoyed and appreciated it. In the +evening they had one of their grand fantastic war dances, which greatly +amused me, it being the first sight of the kind I had ever witnessed. + +My Uncle Elijah and quite a large number of gentlemen and ladies came +over from Weston to attend the entertainment. The Indians returned to +their homes well satisfied. + +My uncle at that time owned a trading post at Silver Lake, in the +Pottawattamie country, on the Kansas river, and he arranged an excursion +to that place. Among the party were several ladies from Weston, and +father, mother and myself. Mr. McMeekan, my uncle's superintendent, who +had come to Weston for supplies, conducted the party to the post. + +The trip across the prairies was a delightful one, and we remained at the +post several days. Father and one or two of the men went on to Fort Riley +to view the country, and upon their return my uncle entertained the +Pottawattamie Indians with a barbecue similar to the one given by father +to the Kickapoos. + +During the latter part of the summer father filled a hay contract at Fort +Leavenworth. I passed much of my time among the campers, and spent days +and days in riding over the country with Mr. William Russell, who was +engaged in the freighting business and who seemed to take a considerable +interest in me. In this way I became acquainted with many wagon-masters, +hunters and teamsters, and learned a great deal about the business of +handling cattle and mules. + +It was an excellent school for me, and I acquired a great deal of +practical knowledge, which afterwards I found to be of invaluable +service, for it was not long before I became employed by Majors & +Russell, remaining with them in different capacities, for several years. + +The winter of 1853-54 was spent by father at our little prairie home in +cutting house logs and fence rails, which he intended to use on his farm, +as soon as the bill for the opening of the territory for settlement +should pass. This bill, which was called the "Enabling act of Kansas +territory," was passed in April, 1854, and father immediately pre-empted +the claim on which we were living. + +The summer of that year was an exciting period in the history of the new +territory. Thousands and thousands of people, seeking new homes, flocked +thither, a large number of the emigrants coming over from adjoining +states. The Missourians, some of them, would come laden with bottles of +whisky, and after drinking the liquor would drive the bottles into the +ground to mark their land claims, not waiting to put up any buildings. + +The Missourians, mostly, were pro-slavery men, and held enthusiastic +meetings at which they expressed their desire that Kansas should be a +slave state and did not hesitate to declare their determination to make +it so. Rively's store was the headquarters for these men, and there they +held their meetings. + +[Illustration: STAKING OUT LOTS.] + +At first they thought father would coincide with them on account of his +brother Elijah being a Missourian, but in this they were greatly +mistaken. At one of their gatherings, when there were about one hundred +of the reckless men present, my father, who happened also to be there, +was called upon for a speech. After considerable urging, he mounted the +box and began speaking, as nearly as I can recollect, as follows: + +"Gentlemen and Fellow-citizens: You have called upon me for a speech, and +I have accepted your invitation rather against my will, as my views may +not accord with the sentiments of the rest of this assembly. My remarks, +at this time, will be brief and to the point. The question before us +to-day is, shall the territory of Kansas be a free or a slave state. The +question of slavery in itself is a broad one, and one which I do not care +at this time and place to discuss at length. I apprehend that your motive +in calling upon me is to have me express my sentiments in regard to the +introduction of slavery into Kansas. I shall gratify your wishes in that +respect. I was one of the pioneers of the State of Iowa, and aided in its +settlement when it was a territory, and helped to organize it as a state. + +"Gentlemen, I voted that it should be a _white_ state--that negroes, +whether free or slave, should never be allowed to locate within its +limits; and, gentlemen, I say to you now, and I say it boldly, that I +propose to exert all my power in making Kansas the same kind of a state +as Iowa. I believe in letting slavery remain as it now exists, and I +shall always oppose its further extension. These are my sentiments, +gentlemen and let me tell you--" + +He never finished this sentence, or his speech. His expressions were +anything but acceptable to the rough-looking crowd, whose ire had been +gradually rising to fever heat, and at this point they hooted and hissed +him, and shouted, "You black abolitionist, shut up!" "Get down from that +box!" "Kill him!" "Shoot him!" and so on. Father, however, maintained his +position on the dry-goods box, notwithstanding the excitement and the +numerous invitations to step down, until a hot-headed pro-slavery man, +who was in the employ of my Uncle Elijah, crowded up and said: "Get off +that box, you black abolitionist, or I'll pull you off." + +Father paid but little attention to him, and attempted to resume his +speech, intending doubtless to explain his position and endeavor to +somewhat pacify the angry crowd. But the fellow jumped up on the box, and +pulling out a huge bowie knife, stabbed father twice, who reeled and fell +to the ground. The man sprang after him, and would have ended his life +then and there, had not some of the better men in the crowd interfered in +time to prevent him from carrying out his murderous intention. + +The excitement was intense, and another assault would probably have been +made on my father, had not Rively hurriedly carried him to his home. +There was no doctor within any reasonable distance, and father at once +requested that he be conveyed in the carriage to his brother Elijah's +house in Weston. My mother and a driver accordingly went there with him, +where his wounds were dressed. He remained in Weston several weeks before +he was able to stir about again, but he never fully recovered from the +wounds, which eventually proved the cause of his death. + +[Illustration: MY FATHER STABBED] + +My uncle of course at once discharged the ruffian from his employ. The +man afterwards became a noted desperado, and was quite conspicuous in the +Kansas war. + +My father's indiscreet speech at Rively's brought upon our family all of +the misfortunes and difficulties which from that time on befell us. As +soon as he was able to attend to his business again, the Missourians +began to harass him in every possible way, and kept it up with hardly a +moment's cessation. Kickapoo City, as it was called, a small town that +had sprung into existence seven miles up the river from Fort +Leavenworth, became the hot-bed of the pro-slavery doctrine and the +headquarters of its advocates. Here was really the beginning of the +Kansas troubles. My father, who had shed the first blood in the cause of +the freedom of Kansas, was notified, upon his return to his trading post, +to leave the territory, and he was threatened with death by hanging or +shooting, if he dared to remain. + +[Illustration: MY FATHER'S ESCAPE] + +One night a body of armed men, mounted on horses, rode up to our house +and surrounded it. Knowing what they had come for, and seeing that there +would be but little chance for him in an encounter with them, father +determined to make his escape by a little stratagem. Hastily disguising +himself in mother's bonnet and shawl, he boldly walked out of the house +and proceeded towards the corn-field. The darkness proved a great +protection, as the horsemen, between whom he passed, were unable to +detect him in his disguise; supposing him to be a woman, they neither +halted him nor followed him, and he passed safely on into the +corn-field, where he concealed himself. + +The horsemen soon dismounted and inquired for father; mother very +truthfully told them that he was away. They were not satisfied with her +statement, however, and they at once made a thorough search of the house. +They raved and swore when they could not find him, and threatened him +with death whenever they should catch him. I am sure if they had captured +him that night, they would have killed him. They carried off nearly +everything of value in the house and about the premises; then going to +the pasture, they drove off all the horses; my pony Prince afterward +succeeding in breaking away from them and came back home. Father lay +secreted in the corn-field for three days, as there were men in the +vicinity who were watching for him all the time; he finally made his +escape, and reached Fort Leavenworth in safety, whither the pro-slavery +men did not dare to follow him. + +While he was staying at Fort Leavenworth, he heard that Jim Lane, Captain +Cleveland and Captain Chandler were on their way from Indiana to Kansas +with a body of Free State men, between two and three hundred strong. They +were to cross the Missouri river near Doniphan, between Leavenworth and +Nebraska City; their destination being Lawrence. Father determined to +join them, and took passage on a steamboat which was going up the river. +Having reached the place of crossing, he made himself known to the +leaders of the party, by whom he was most cordially received. + +The pro-slavery men, hearing of the approach of the Free State party, +resolved to drive them out of the territory. The two parties met at +Hickory Point, where a severe battle was fought, several being killed; +the victory resulted in favor of the Free State men, who passed on to +Lawrence without much further opposition. My father finally left them, +and seeing that he could no longer live at home, went to Grasshopper +Falls, thirty-five miles west of Leavenworth; there he began the +erection of a saw-mill. + +While he was thus engaged we learned from one of our hired workmen at +home, that the pro-slavery men had laid another plan to kill him, and +were on their way to Grasshopper Falls to carry out their intention. +Mother at once started me off on Prince to warn father of the coming +danger. When I had gone about seven miles I suddenly came upon a party of +men, who were camped at the crossing of Stranger Creek. As I passed along +I heard one of them, who recognized me, say, "That's the son of the old +abolitionist we are after;" and the next moment I was commanded to halt. + +[Illustration: LIFE OR DEATH.] + +Instead of stopping I instantly started my pony on a run, and on looking +back I saw that I was being pursued by three or four of the party, who +had mounted their horses, no doubt supposing that they could easily +capture me. It was very fortunate that I had heard the remark about my +being "the son of the abolitionist," for then I knew in an instant that +they were _en route_ to Grasshopper Falls to murder my father. I at once +saw the importance of my escaping and warning father in time. It was a +matter of life or death to him. So I urged Prince to his utmost speed, +feeling that upon him and myself depended a human life--a life that was +dearer to me than that of any other man in the world. I led my pursuers a +lively chase for four or five miles; finally, when they saw they could +not catch me, they returned to their camp. I kept straight on to +Grasshopper Falls, arriving there in ample time to inform him of the +approach of his old enemies. + +That same night father and I rode to Lawrence, which had become the +headquarters of the Free State men. There he met Jim Lane and several +other leading characters, who were then organizing what was known as the +Lecompton Legislature. + +Father was elected as a member of that body, and took an active part in +organizing the first legislature of Kansas, under Governor Reeder, who, +by the way, was a Free State man and a great friend of father's. + +About this time agents were being sent to the East to induce emigrants to +locate in Kansas, and father was sent as one of these agents to Ohio. +After the legislature had been organized at Lawrence, he departed for +Ohio and was absent several months. + +A few days after he had gone, I started for home by the way of Fort +Leavenworth, accompanied by two men, who were going to the fort on +business. As we were crossing a stream called Little Stranger, we were +fired upon by some unknown party; one of my companions, whose name has +escaped my memory, was killed. The other man and myself put spurs to our +horses and made a dash for our lives. We succeeded in making our escape, +though a farewell shot or two was sent after us. At Fort Leavenworth I +parted company with my companion, and reached home without any further +adventure. + +My mother and sisters, who had not heard of my father or myself since I +had been sent to warn him of his danger, had become very anxious and +uneasy about us, and were uncertain as to whether we were dead or alive. +I received a warm welcome home, and as I entered the house, mother seemed +to read from the expression of my countenance that father was safe; of +course the very first question she asked was as to his whereabouts, and +in reply I handed her a long letter from him which explained everything. +Mother blessed me again and again for having saved his life. + +While father was absent in Ohio, we were almost daily visited by some of +the pro-slavery men, who helped themselves to anything they saw fit, and +frequently compelled my mother and sisters to cook for them, and to +otherwise submit to a great deal of bad treatment. Hardly a day passed +without some of them inquiring "where the old man was," saying they would +kill him on sight. Thus we passed the summer of 1854, remaining at our +home notwithstanding the unpleasant surroundings, as mother had made up +her mind not to be driven out of the country. My uncle and other friends +advised her to leave Kansas and move to Missouri, because they did not +consider our lives safe, as we lived so near the headquarters of the +pro-slavery men, who had sworn vengeance upon father. + +Nothing, however, could persuade mother to change her determination. She +said that the pro-slavery men had taken everything except the land and +the little home, and she proposed to remain there as long as she lived, +happen what might. Our only friends in Salt Creek valley were two +families; one named Lawrence, the other Hathaway, and the peaceable +Indians, who occasionally visited us. My uncle, living in Missouri and +being somewhat in fear of the pro-slavery men, could not assist us much, +beyond expressing his sympathy and sending us provisions. + +In the winter of 1854-55 father returned from Ohio, but as soon as his +old enemies learned that he was with us, they again compelled him to +leave. He proceeded to Lawrence, and there spent the winter in attending +the Lecompton Legislature. The remainder of the year he passed mostly at +Grasshopper Falls, where he completed his saw-mill. He occasionally +visited home under cover of the night, and in the most secret manner; +virtually carrying his life in his hand. + +In the spring of this year (1855) a pro-slavery party came to our house +to search for father; not finding him, they departed, taking with them my +pony, Prince. I shall never forget the man who stole that pony. He +afterwards rose from the low level of a horse thief to the high dignity +of a justice of the peace, and I think still lives at Kickapoo. The loss +of my faithful pony nearly broke my heart and bankrupted me in business, +as I had nothing to ride. + +One day, soon afterwards, I met my old friend, Mr. Russell, to whom I +related all my troubles, and his generous heart was touched by my story. +"Billy, my boy," said he, "cheer up, and come to Leavenworth, and I'll +employ you. I'll give you twenty-five dollars a month to herd cattle." + +I accepted the offer, and heartily thanking him, hurried home to obtain +mother's consent. She refused to let me go, and all my pleading was in +vain. Young as I was--being then only in my tenth year, my ideas and +knowledge of the world, however, being far in advance of my age--I +determined to run away from home. Mr. Russell's offer of twenty-five +dollars a month was a temptation which I could not resist. The +remuneration for my services seemed very large to me, and I accordingly +stole away and walked to Leavenworth. + +Mr. Badger, one of Mr. Russell's superintendents, immediately sent me +out, mounted on a little gray mule, to herd cattle. I worked at this for +two months, and then came into Leavenworth. I had not been home during +all this time, but mother had learned from Mr. Russell where I was, and +she no longer felt uneasy, as he had advised her to let me remain in his +employ. He assured her that I was all right, and said that when the herd +came in he would allow me to make a visit home. + +Upon my arrival in Leavenworth with the herd of cattle, Mr. Russell +instructed his book-keeper, Mr. Byers, to pay me my wages, amounting to +fifty dollars. Byers gave me the sum all in half-dollar pieces. I put the +bright silver coins into a sack, which I tied to my mule, and started +home, thinking myself a _millionaire_. This money I gave to mother, who +had already forgiven me for running away. + +Thus began my service for the firm of Russell & Majors, afterwards +Russell, Majors & Waddell, with whom I spent seven years of my life in +different capacities--such as cavallard-driver, wagon-master, pony +express rider and driver. I continued to work for Mr. Russell during +the rest of the summer of 1855, and in the winter of 1855-56 I +attended school. + +Father, who still continued to secretly visit home, was anxious to have +his children receive as much of an education as possible, under the +adverse circumstances surrounding us, and he employed a teacher, Miss +Jennie Lyons, to come to our house and teach. My mother was well +educated--more so than my father--and it used to worry her a great deal +because her children could not receive better educational advantages. +However, the little school at home got along exceedingly well, and we all +made rapid advances in our studies, as Miss Lyons was an excellent +teacher. She afterwards married a gentleman named Hook, who became the +first mayor of Cheyenne, where she now lives. + +The Kansas troubles reached their highest pitch in the spring of 1856, +and our family continued to be harassed as much as ever by our old +enemies. I cannot now recollect one-half of the serious difficulties that +we had to encounter; but I very distinctly remember one incident well +worth relating. I came home one night on a visit from Leavenworth, being +accompanied by a fellow-herder--a young man. During the night we heard a +noise outside of the house, and soon the dogs began barking loudly. We +looked out to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and saw that the +house was surrounded by a party of men. Mother had become accustomed to +such occurrences, and on this occasion she seemed to be master of the +situation from the start. Opening a window, she coolly sang out, in a +firm tone of voice: "Who are you? What do you want here?" + +"We are after that old abolition husband of yours," was the answer from +one of the crowd. + +"He is not in this house, and has not been here for a long time," said +my mother. + +"That's a lie! We know he is in the house, and we are bound to have him," +said the spokesman of the party. + +I afterwards learned they had mistaken the herder, who had ridden home +with me, for my father for whom they had been watching. + +"My husband is not at home," emphatically repeated my heroic mother--for +if there ever was a heroine she certainly was one--"but the house is full +of armed men," continued she, "and I'll give you just two minutes to get +out of the yard; if you are not out by the end of that time I shall order +them to fire on you." + +She withdrew from the window for a few moments and hurriedly instructed +the herder to call aloud certain names--any that he might think of--just +as if the house was full of men to whom he was giving orders. He followed +her directions to the very letter. He could not have done it any better +had he rehearsed the act a dozen times. + +The party outside heard him, as it was intended they should, and they +supposed that my mother really had quite a force at her command. While +this little by play was being enacted, she stepped to the open window +again and said: + +"John Green, you and your friends had better go away or the men will +surely fire on you." + +At this, point the herder, myself and my sisters commenced stamping on +the floor in imitation of a squad of soldiers, and the herder issued his +orders in a loud voice to his imaginary troops, who were apparently +approaching the window preparatory to firing a volley at the enemy. This +little stratagem proved eminently successful. The cowardly villains began +retreating, and then my mother fired an old gun into the air which +greatly accelerated their speed, causing them to break and run. They soon +disappeared from view in the darkness. + +The next morning we accidentally discovered that they had intended to +blow up the house. Upon going into the cellar which had been left open on +one side, we found two kegs of powder together with a fuse secreted +there. It only required a lighted match to have sent us into eternity. My +mother's presence of mind, which had never yet deserted her in any trying +situation, had saved our lives. + +Shortly after this affair, I came home again on a visit and found father +there sick with fever, and confined to his bed. One day my old enemy rode +up to the house on my pony Prince, which he had stolen from me. + +"What is your business here to-day?" asked mother. + +"I am looking for the old man," he replied. "I am going to search the +house, and if I find him I am going to kill him. Here, you girls," said +he, addressing my sisters, "get me some dinner, and get it quick, too, +for I am as hungry as a wolf." + +"Very well; pray be seated, and we'll get you something to eat," said one +of my sisters, without exhibiting the least sign of fear. + +He sat down, and while they were preparing a dinner for him, he took out +a big knife and sharpened it on a whetstone, repeating his threat of +searching the house and killing my father. + +I had witnessed the whole proceeding, and heard the threats, and I +determined that the man should never go up stairs where father was lying +in bed, unable to rise. Taking a double-barreled pistol which I had +recently bought, I went to the head of the stairs, cocked the weapon, and +waited for the ruffian to come up, determined, that the moment he set +foot on the steps I would kill him. I was relieved, however, from the +stern necessity, as he did not make his appearance. + +The brute was considerably intoxicated when he came to the house, and the +longer he sat still the more his brain became muddled with liquor, and he +actually forgot what he had come there for. After he had eaten his +dinner, he mounted his horse and rode off, and it was a fortunate thing +for him that he did. + +Father soon recovered and returned to Grasshopper Falls, while I resumed +my cattle herding. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. + + +In July, 1856, the people living in the vicinity of our home--feeling the +necessity of more extensive educational facilities for their children +than they had yet had--started a subscription school in a little log +cabin on the bank of the creek, which for a while proved quite a success. +My mother being very anxious to have me attend this school, I acceded to +her oft-repeated wishes, and returning home, I became a pupil of the +institution. I made considerable progress in my studies--such as they +were--and was getting along very well in every other respect, until I +became involved in my first love affair. + +Like all school-boys, I had a sweetheart with whom I was "dead in +love"--in a juvenile way. Her name was Mary Hyatt. Of course I had a +rival, Stephen Gobel, a boy about three years my senior--the "bully" +of the school. He was terribly jealous, and sought in every way to +revenge himself upon me for having won the childish affections of +sweet little Mary. + +The boys of the school used to build play-houses or arbors among the +trees and bushes for their sweethearts. I had built a play-house for +Mary, when Steve, as we called him, leveled it to the ground. We +immediately had a very lively fight, in which I got badly beaten. The +teacher heard of our quarrel and whipped us both. This made matters worse +than ever, as I had received two thrashings to Steve's one; I smothered +my angry feelings as much as possible under the humiliating +circumstances, and during the afternoon recess built another play-house, +thinking that Gobel would not dare to destroy a second one; but I was +mistaken, for he pushed the whole structure over at the first +opportunity. I came up to him just as he finished the job, and said: + +"Steve Gobel, the next time you do that, I'll hurt you." And I meant it, +too; but he laughed and called me names. + +[Illustration: TWO TO ONE.] + +At recess, next morning, I began the construction of still another +playhouse, and when I had it about two-thirds finished, Steve slyly +sneaked up to the spot and tipped the whole thing over. I jumped for him +with the quickness of a cat, and clutching him by the throat for a moment +I had the advantage of him. But he was too strong for me, and soon had me +on the ground and was beating me severely. While away from home I had +someway come into possession of a very small pocket dagger, which I had +carried about with me in its sheath, using it in place of a knife. During +the struggle this fell from my pocket, and my hand by accident rested +upon it as it lay upon the ground. Exasperated beyond measure at Steve's +persistence in destroying my play-houses, and smarting under his blows, I +forgot myself for the moment, grasped the dagger and unthinkingly thrust +it into Steve's thigh. Had it been larger it would probably have injured +him severely; as it was, it made a small wound, sufficient to cause the +blood to flow freely and Steve to cry out in affright: + +"I am killed! O, I am killed!" + +The school children all rushed to the spot and were terrified at +the scene. + +"What's the matter?" asked one. + +"Bill Cody has killed Steve Gobel," replied another. + +The uproar reached the teacher's ear, and I now saw him approaching, with +vengeance in his eye and a big club in his hand. I knew that he was +coming to interview _me_. I was dreadfully frightened at what I had done, +and undecided whether to run away or to remain and take the consequences; +but the sight of that flag-staff in the school teacher's hand was too +much for me. I no longer hesitated, but started off like a deer. The +teacher followed in hot pursuit, but soon became convinced that he could +not catch me, and gave up the chase. I kept on running, until I reached +one of Russell, Major & Waddell's freight trains which I had noticed +going over the hill for the west. Fortunately for me I knew the +wagon-master, John Willis, and as soon as I recovered my breath I told +him what had happened. + +"Served him right, Billy," said he, "and what's more, we'll go over and +clean out the teacher." + +"Oh, no; don't do that," said I, for I was afraid that I might fall +into the hands of the wounded boy's friends, who I knew would soon be +looking for me. + +"Well, Billy, come along with me; I am bound for Fort Kearney; the trip +will take me forty days. I want you for a cavallard driver." + +"All right," I replied, "but I must go home and tell mother about it, and +get some clothes." + +"Well then, to-night after we make our camp, I'll go back with you." + +The affray broke up the school for the rest of the day as the excitement +was too much for the children. Late in the afternoon, after the train had +moved on some considerable distance, I saw Steve's father, his brother +Frank, and one of the neighbors rapidly approaching. + +"Mr. Willis, there comes old Gobel, with Frank and somebody else, and +they are after me--what am I going to do?" I asked. + +"Let 'em come," said he, "they can't take you if I've got anything to say +about it, and I rather think I have. Get into one of the wagons--keep +quiet and lay low. I'll manage this little job. Don't you fret a bit +about it." + +I obeyed his orders and felt much easier. + +Old Gobel, Frank and the neighbor soon came up and inquired for me. + +"He's around here somewhere," said Mr. Willis. + +"We want him," said Gobel; "he stabbed my son a little while ago, and I +want to arrest him." + +"Well, you can't get him; that settles it; so you needn't waste any of +your time around here," said Willis. + +Gobel continued to talk for a few minutes, but getting no greater +satisfaction, the trio returned home. + +When night came, Willis accompanied me on horseback to my home. Mother, +who had anxiously searched for me everywhere--being afraid that something +had befallen me at the hands of the Gobels--was delighted to see me, +notwithstanding the difficulty in which I had become involved. I at once +told her that at present I was afraid to remain at home, and had +accordingly made up my mind to absent myself for a few weeks or +months--at least until the excitement should die out. Mr. Willis said to +her that he would take me to Fort Kearney with him, and see that I was +properly cared for, and would bring me back safely in forty days. + +Mother at first seriously objected to my going on this trip fearing I +would fall into the hands of Indians. Her fears, however, were soon +overcome, and she concluded to let me go. She fixed me up a big bundle of +clothing and gave me a quilt. Kissing her and my sisters a fond farewell, +I started off on my first trip across the plains, and with a light heart +too, notwithstanding my trouble of a few hours before. + +The trip proved a most enjoyable one to me, although no incidents +worthy of note occurred on the way. On my return from Fort Kearney I +was paid off the same as the rest of the employees. The remainder of +the summer and fall I spent in herding cattle and working for Russell, +Majors & Waddell. + +I finally ventured home--not without some fear, however, of the Gobel +family--and was delighted to learn that during my absence mother had had +an interview with Mr. Gobel, and having settled the difficulty with him, +the two families had become friends again, and I may state, incidentally, +that they ever after remained so. I have since often met Stephen Gobel, +and we have had many a laugh together over our love affair and the affray +at the school-house. Mary Hyatt, the innocent cause of the whole +difficulty, is now married and living in Chicago. Thus ended my first +love scrape. + +In the winter of 1856-57 my father, in company with a man named J.C. +Boles, went to Cleveland, Ohio, and organized a colony of about thirty +families, whom they brought to Kansas and located on the Grasshopper. +Several of these families still reside there. + +It was during this winter that father, after his return from Cleveland, +caught a severe cold. This, in connection with the wound he had received +at Rively's--from which he had never entirely recovered--affected him +seriously, and in April, 1857, he died at home from kidney disease. + +This sad event left my mother and the family in poor circumstances, and I +determined to follow the plains for a livelihood for them and myself. I +had no difficulty in obtaining work under my old employers, and in May, +1857, I started for Salt Lake City with a herd of beef cattle, in charge +of Frank and Bill McCarthy, for General Albert Sidney Johnson's army, +which was then being sent across the plains to fight the Mormons. + +Nothing occurred to interrupt our journey until we reached Plum Creek, on +the South Platte river, thirty-five miles west of Old Fort Kearney. We +had made a morning drive and had camped for dinner. The wagon-masters and +a majority of the men had gone to sleep under the mess wagons; the cattle +were being guarded by three men, and the cook was preparing dinner. No +one had any idea that Indians were anywhere near us. The first warning we +had that they were infesting that part of the country was the firing of +shots and the whoops and yells from a party of them, who, catching us +napping, gave us a most unwelcome surprise. All the men jumped to their +feet and seized their guns. They saw with astonishment the cattle running +in every direction, they having been stampeded by the Indians, who had +shot and killed the three men who were on day-herd duty, and the red +devils were now charging down upon the rest of us. + +I then thought of mother's fears of my falling into the hands of the +Indians, and I had about made up my mind that such was to be my fate; but +when I saw how coolly and determinedly the McCarthy brothers were +conducting themselves and giving orders to the little band, I became +convinced that we would "stand the Indians off," as the saying is. Our +men were all well armed with Colt's revolvers and Mississippi yagers, +which last, carried a bullet, and two buckshots. + +The McCarthy boys, at the proper moment, gave orders to fire upon the +advancing enemy. The volley checked them, although they returned the +compliment, and shot one of our party through the leg. Frank McCarthy +then sang out, "Boys, make a break for the slough yonder, and we can then +have the bank for a breast-work." + +[Illustration: KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN.] + +We made a run for the slough which was only a short distance off, +and succeeded in safely reaching it, bringing with us the wounded +man. The bank proved to be a very effective breast-work, affording +us good protection. We had been there but a short time when Frank +McCarthy, seeing that the longer we were corraled the worse it would +be for us, said: + +"Well, boys, we'll try to make our way back to Fort Kearney by wading in +the river and keeping the bank for a breast-work." + +We all agreed that this was the best plan, and we accordingly proceeded +down the river several miles in this way, managing to keep the Indians at +a safe distance with our guns, until the slough made a junction with the +main Platte river. From there down we found the river at times quite +deep, and in order to carry the wounded man along with us we constructed +a raft of poles for his accommodation, and in this way he was +transported. + +Occasionally the water would be too deep for us to wade, and we were +obliged to put our weapons on the raft and swim. The Indians followed us +pretty close, and were continually watching for an opportunity to get a +good range and give us a raking fire. Covering ourselves by keeping well +under the bank, we pushed ahead as rapidly as possible, and made pretty +good progress, the night finding us still on the way and our enemies +still on our track. + +I being the youngest and smallest of the party, became somewhat tired, +and without noticing it I had fallen behind the others for some little +distance. It was about ten o'clock and we were keeping very quiet and +hugging close to the bank, when I happened to look up to the moon-lit sky +and saw the plumed head of an Indian peeping over the bank. Instead of +hurrying ahead and alarming the men in a quiet way, I instantly aimed my +gun at the head and fired. The report rang out sharp and loud on the +night air, and was immediately followed by an Indian whoop, and the next +moment about six feet of dead Indian came tumbling into the river. I was +not only overcome with astonishment, but was badly scared, as I could +hardly realize what I had done. I expected to see the whole force of +Indians come down upon us. While I was standing thus bewildered, the men, +who had heard the shot and the war-whoop and had seen the Indian take a +tumble, came rushing back. + +"Who fired that shot?" cried Frank McCarthy. + +"I did," replied I, rather proudly, as my confidence returned and I saw +the men coming up. + +"Yes, and little Billy has killed an Indian stone-dead--too dead to +skin," said one of the men, who had approached nearer than the rest, and +had almost stumbled upon the corpse. From that time forward I became a +hero and an Indian killer. This was, of course, the first Indian I had +ever shot, and as I was not then more than eleven years of age, my +exploit created quite a sensation. + +The other Indians, upon learning what had happened to their "advance +guard," set up a terrible howling, and fired several volleys at us, but +without doing any injury, as we were so well protected by the bank. We +resumed our journey down the river, and traveled all night long. Just +before daylight, Frank McCarthy crawled out over the bank and discovered +that we were only five miles from Fort Kearney, which post we reached in +safety in about two hours,--shortly after _reveille_--bringing the +wounded man with us. It was indeed a relief to us all to feel that once +more we were safe. + +Frank McCarthy immediately reported to the commanding officer and +informed him of all that had happened. The commandant at once ordered a +company of cavalry and one of infantry to proceed to Plum Creek on a +forced march--taking a howitzer with them--to endeavor to recapture the +cattle from the Indians. + +The firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell had a division agent at Kearney, +and this agent mounted us on mules so that we could accompany the troops. +On reaching the place where the Indians had surprised us, we found the +bodies of the three men whom they had killed and scalped, and literally +cut into pieces. We of course buried the remains. We caught but few of +the cattle; the most of them having been driven off and stampeded with +the buffaloes, there being numerous immense herds of the latter in that +section of the country at that time. The Indian's trail was discovered +running south towards the Republican river, and the troops followed it to +the head of Plum Creek, and there abandoned it, returning to Fort Kearney +without having seen a single red-skin. + +The company's agent, seeing that there was no further use for us in that +vicinity--as we had lost our cattle and mules--sent us back to Fort +Leavenworth. The company, it is proper to state, did not have to stand +the loss of the expedition, as the government held itself responsible for +such depredations by the Indians. + +On the day that I got into Leavenworth, sometime in July, I was +interviewed for the first time in my life by a newspaper reporter, and +the next morning I found my name in print as "the youngest Indian slayer +on the plains." I am candid enough to admit that I felt very much elated +over this notoriety. Again and again I read with eager interest the long +and sensational account of our adventure. My exploit was related in a +very graphic manner, and for a long time afterwards I was considerable of +a hero. The reporter who had thus set me up, as I then thought, on the +highest pinnacle of fame, was John Hutchinson, and I felt very grateful +to him. He now lives in Wichita, Kansas. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN BUSINESS. + + +In the summer of 1857, Russell, Majors & Waddell were sending a great +many trains across the plains to Salt Lake with supplies for General +Johnston's army. Men were in great demand, and the company was paying +teamsters forty dollars per month in gold. An old and reliable +wagon-master, named Lewis Simpson--who had taken a great fancy to me, and +who, by the way, was one of the best wagon-masters that ever ran a bull +train--was loading a train for the company, and was about to start out +with it for Salt Lake. He asked me to go along as an "extra hand." The +high wages that were being paid were a great inducement to me, and the +position of an "extra hand" was a pleasant one. All that I would have to +do would be to take the place of any man who became sick, and drive his +wagon until he recovered. I would have my own mule to ride, and to a +certain extent I would be a minor boss. + +My mother was very much opposed to my taking this long trip, as I would +be absent nearly a year, and there was a possibility that something +might arise to prevent me from ever coming back, as we could not often +tell how the Mormon difficulty would terminate. Then again, owing to the +Indians, a journey over the plains in those days was a perilous +undertaking. She said that as I had recently returned from the plains, +and had had a narrow escape from death at the hands of the Indians, she +did not want me to risk my life a second time. I told her that inasmuch +as I had determined to follow the plains for an occupation, nothing +could now stop me from going on this trip, and if it became necessary I +would run away. + +Seeing that it was impossible to keep me at home, she reluctantly gave +her consent, but not until she had called upon Mr. Russell and Mr. +Simpson in regard to the matter, and had obtained from the latter +gentleman his promise that I should be well taken care of, if we had to +winter in the mountains. She did not like the appearance of Simpson, and +upon inquiry she learned, to her dismay, that he was a desperate +character, and that on nearly every trip he had made across the plains he +had killed some one. Such a man, she thought, was not a fit master or +companion for her son, and she was very anxious to have me go with some +other wagon-master; but I still insisted upon remaining with Simpson. + +"Madam, I can assure you that Lew. Simpson is one of the most reliable +wagon-masters on the plains," said Mr. Russell, "and he has taken a great +fancy to Billy. If your boy is bound to go, he can go with no better man. +No one will dare to impose on him while he is with Lew. Simpson, whom I +will instruct to take good care of the boy. Upon reaching Fort Laramie, +Billy can, if he wishes, exchange places with some fresh man coming back +on a returning train, and thus come home without making the whole trip." + +This seemed to satisfy mother, and then she had a long talk with Simpson +himself, imploring him not to forget his promise to take good care of her +precious boy. He promised everything that she asked. Thus, after much +trouble, I became one of the members of Simpson's train. Before taking +our departure, I arranged with Russell, Majors & Waddell that when my pay +should fall due it should be paid over to mother. + +As a matter of interest to the general reader, it may be well in this +connection to give a brief description of a freight train. The wagons +used in those days by Russell, Majors & Waddell were known as the "J. +Murphy wagons," made at St. Louis specially for the plains business. They +were very large and were strongly built, being capable of carrying seven +thousand pounds of freight each. The wagon-boxes were very +commodious--being as large as the rooms of an ordinary house--and were +covered with two heavy canvas sheets to protect the merchandise from the +rain. These wagons were generally sent out from Leavenworth, each loaded +with six thousand pounds of freight, and each drawn by several yokes of +oxen in charge of one driver. A train consisted of twenty-five wagons, +all in charge of one man, who was known as the wagon-master. The second +man in command was the assistant wagon-master; then came the "extra +hand," next the night herder; and lastly, the cavallard driver, whose +duty it was to drive the lame and loose cattle. There were thirty-one men +all told in a train. The men did their own cooking, being divided into +messes of seven. One man cooked, another brought wood and water, another +stood guard, and so on, each having some duty to perform while getting +meals. All were heavily armed with Colt's pistols and Mississippi yagers, +and every one always had his weapons handy so as to be prepared for any +emergency. + +The wagon-master, in the language of the plains, was called the +"bull-wagon boss"; the teamsters were known as "bull-whackers"; and the +whole train was denominated a "bull-outfit." Everything at that time was +called an "outfit." The men of the plains were always full of droll +humor and exciting stories of their own experiences, and many an hour I +spent in listening to the recitals of thrilling adventures and +hair-breadth escapes. + +Russell, Majors & Waddell had in their employ two hundred and fifty +trains, composed of 6,250 wagons, 75,000 oxen, and about eight thousand +men; their business reaching to all the government frontier posts in the +north and west, to which they transported supplies, and they also carried +freight as far south as New Mexico. + +[Illustration: A PRAIRIE SCHOONER.] + +The trail to Salt Lake ran through Kansas to the northwest, crossing the +Big Blue river, then over the Big and Little Sandy, coming into Nebraska +near the Big Sandy. The next stream of any importance was the Little +Blue, along which the trail ran for sixty miles; then crossed a range of +sand-hills and struck the Platte river ten miles below Old Fort Kearney; +thence the course lay up the South Platte to the old Ash Hollow Crossing, +thence eighteen miles across to the North Platte--near the mouth of the +Blue Water, where General Harney had his great battle in 1855 with the +Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. From this point the North Platte was +followed, passing Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and +then on to Fort Laramie, where the Laramie River was crossed. Still +following the North Platte for some considerable distance, the trail +crossed this river at old Richard's Bridge, and followed it up to the +celebrated Red Buttes--crossing the Willow creeks to the Sweet Water, +passing the great Independence Rock and the Devil's gate, up to the Three +Crossings of the Sweet Water, thence past the Cold Springs, where, three +feet under the sod, on the hottest day of summer, ice can be found; +thence to the Hot Springs and the Rocky Ridge, and through the Rocky +Mountains and Echo Cañon, and thence on to the Great Salt Lake valley. + +We had started on our trip with everything in good shape, following +the above described trail. During the first week or two out, I became +well acquainted with most of the train men, and with one in +particular, who became a life-long and intimate friend of mine. His +real name was James B. Hickok; he afterwards became famous as "Wild +Bill, the Scout of the Plains"--though why he was so called I never +could ascertain--and from this time forward I shall refer to him by +his popular nickname. He was ten years my senior--a tall, handsome, +magnificently built and powerful young fellow, who could out-run, +out-jump and out-fight any man in the train. He was generally admitted +to be the best man physically, in the employ of Russell, Majors & +Waddell; and of his bravery there was not a doubt. General Custer, in +his "Life on the Plains," thus speaks of Wild Bill: + + * * * * * + +"Among the white scouts were numbered some of the most noted of their +class. The most prominent man among them was 'Wild Bill,' whose highly +varied career was made the subject of an illustrated sketch in one of the +popular monthly periodicals a few years ago. 'Wild Bill' was a strange +character, just the one which a novelist might gloat over. He was a +plains-man in every sense of the word, yet unlike any other of his class. +In person he was about six feet and one inch in height, straight as the +straightest of the warriors whose implacable foe he was. He had broad +shoulders, well-formed chest and limbs, and a face strikingly handsome; a +sharp, clear blue eye, which stared you straight in the face when in +conversation; a finely shaped nose, inclined to be aquiline; a +well-turned mouth, with lips only partially concealed by a handsome +moustache. His hair and complexion were those of the perfect blonde. The +former was worn in uncut ringlets, falling carelessly over his powerfully +formed shoulders. Add to this figure a costume blending the immaculate +neatness of the dandy with the extravagant taste and style of the +frontiersman, and you have Wild Bill.... Whether on foot or on horseback, +he was one of the most perfect types of physical manhood I ever saw. + +"Of his courage there could be no question; it had been brought to the +test on too many occasions to admit of a doubt. His skill in the use of +the pistol and rifle was unerring; while his deportment was exactly the +opposite of what might be expected from a man of his surroundings. It was +entirely free from all bluster or bravado. He seldom spoke himself unless +requested to do so. His conversation, strange to say, never bordered +either on the vulgar or blasphemous. His influence among the frontiersmen +was unbounded, his word was law; and many are the personal quarrels and +disturbances which he has checked among his comrades by his simple +announcement that 'This has gone far enough,'--if need be followed by the +ominous warning that when persisted in or renewed the quarreler 'must +settle it with me.' + +"Wild Bill was anything but a quarrelsome man; yet no one but him could +enumerate the many conflicts in which he had been engaged, and which had +almost always resulted in the death of his adversary. I have a personal +knowledge of at least half a dozen men whom he had at various times +killed, one of these being at the time a member of my command. Others had +been severely wounded, yet he always escaped unhurt. + +"On the plains every man openly carries his belt with its invariable +appendages, knife and revolver--often two of the latter. Wild Bill always +carried two handsome ivory-handled revolvers of the large size; he was +never seen without them.... Yet in all the many affairs of this kind in +which Wild Bill has performed a part, and which have come to my +knowledge, there was not a single instance in which the verdict of twelve +fair-minded men would not have been pronounced in his favor." + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: WILD BILL.] + +Such is the faithful picture of Wild Bill as drawn by General Custer, who +was a close observer and student of personal character, and under whom +Wild Bill served as a scout. + +The circumstances under which I first made his acquaintance and learned +to know him well and to appreciate his manly character and +kind-heartedness, were these. One of the teamsters in Lew. Simpson's +train was a surly, overbearing fellow, and took particular delight in +bullying and tyrannizing over me, and one day while we were at dinner he +asked me to do something for him. I did not start at once, and he gave me +a slap in the face with the back of his hand,--knocking me off an +ox-yoke on which I was sitting, and sending me sprawling on the ground. +Jumping to my feet I picked up a camp kettle full of boiling coffee which +was setting on the fire, and threw it at him. I hit him in the face, and +the hot coffee gave him a severe scalding. He sprang for me with the +ferocity of a tiger, and would undoubtedly have torn me to pieces, had it +not been for the timely interference of my new-found friend, Wild Bill, +who knocked the man down. As soon as he recovered himself, he demanded of +Wild Bill what business it was of his that he should "put in his oar." +"It's my business to protect that boy, or anybody else, from being +unmercifully abused, kicked and cuffed, and I'll whip any man who tries +it on," said Wild Bill; "and if you ever again lay a hand on that +boy--little Billy there--I'll give you such a pounding that you won't get +over it for a month of Sundays." From that time forward Wild Bill was my +protector and intimate friend, and the friendship thus begun continued +until his death. + +Nothing transpired on the trip to delay or give us any trouble whatever, +until the train struck the South Platte river. One day we camped on the +same ground where the Indians had surprised the cattle herd, in charge of +the McCarty brothers. It was with difficulty that we discovered any +traces of anybody ever having camped there before, the only landmark +being the single grave, now covered with grass, in which we had buried +the three men who had been killed. The country was alive with buffaloes. +Vast herds of these monarchs of the plains were roaming all around us, +and we laid over one day for a grand hunt. Besides killing quite a +number of buffaloes, and having a day of rare sport, we captured ten or +twelve head of cattle, they being a portion of the herd which had been +stampeded by the Indians, two months before. The next day we pulled out +of camp, and the train was strung out to a considerable length along the +road which ran near the foot of the sand-hills, two miles from the river. +Between the road and the river we saw a large herd of buffaloes grazing +quietly, they having been down to the stream for a drink. + +Just at this time we observed a party of returning Californians coming +from the West. They, too, noticed the buffalo herd, and in another moment +they were dashing down upon them, urging their steeds to the greatest +speed. The buffalo herd stampeded at once, and broke for the hills; so +hotly were they pursued by the hunters that about five hundred of them +rushed through our train pell-mell, frightening both men and oxen. Some +of the wagons were turned clear round, and many of the terrified oxen +attempted to run to the hills, with the heavy wagons attached to them. +Others turned around so short that they broke the wagon tongues off. +Nearly all the teams got entangled in their gearing, and became wild and +unruly, so that the perplexed drivers were unable to manage them. + +The buffaloes, the cattle, and the drivers, were soon running in every +direction, and the excitement upset nearly everybody and everything. Many +of the cattle broke their yokes and stampeded. One big buffalo bull +became entangled in one of the heavy wagon-chains, and it is a fact that +in his desperate efforts to free himself, he not only actually snapped +the strong chain in two, but broke the ox-yoke to which it was attached, +and the last seen of him he was running towards the hills with it hanging +from his horns. A dozen other equally remarkable incidents happened +during the short time that the frantic buffaloes were playing havoc with +our train, and when they had got through and left us, our outfit was very +badly crippled and scattered. This caused us to go into camp and spend a +day in replacing the broken tongues, and repairing other damages, and +gathering up our scattered ox-teams. + +The next day we rolled out of camp, and proceeded on our way towards the +setting sun. Everything ran along smoothly with us from that point until +we came within about eighteen miles of Green river, in the Rocky +mountains--where we camped at noon. At this place we had to drive our +cattle about a mile and a half to a creek to water them. Simpson, his +assistant, George Woods and myself, accompanied by the usual number of +guards, drove the cattle over to the creek, and while on our way back to +camp, we suddenly observed a party of twenty horsemen rapidly approaching +us. We were not yet in view of our wagons, as a rise of ground +intervened, and therefore we could not signal the train-men in case of +any unexpected danger befalling us. We had no suspicion, however, that we +were about to be trapped, as the strangers were white men. When they had +come up to us, one of the party, who evidently was the leader, rode out +in front and said: + +"How are you, Mr. Simpson?" + +"You've got the best of me, sir," said Simpson, who did not know him. + +"Well, I rather think I have," coolly replied the stranger, whose words +conveyed a double meaning, as we soon learned. We had all come to a halt +by this time, and the strange horsemen had surrounded us. They were all +armed with double-barreled shot guns, rifles and revolvers. We also were +armed with revolvers, but we had had no idea of danger, and these men, +much to our surprise, had "got the drop" on us, and had covered us with +their weapons, so that we were completely at their mercy. The whole +movement of corraling us was done so quietly and quickly that it was +accomplished before we knew it. + +"I'll trouble you for your six shooters, gentlemen," now said the +leader. + +"I'll give 'em to you in a way you don't want," replied Simpson. + +The next moment three guns were leveled at Simpson. "If you make a move +you're a dead man," said the leader. + +Simpson saw that he was taken at a great disadvantage, and thinking it +advisable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on his +part, he said: "I see now that you have the best of me, but who are +you, anyhow?" + +"I am Joe Smith," was the reply. + +"What! the leader of the Danites?" asked Simpson. + +"You are correct," said Smith, for he it was. + +"Yes," said Simpson, "I know you now; you are a spying scoundrel." + +Simpson had good reason for calling him this and applying to him a much +more opprobrious epithet, for only a short time before this, Joe Smith +had visited our train in the disguise of a teamster, and had remained +with us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he had +gone or why he had come among us. But it was all explained to us now that +he had returned with his Mormon Danites. After they had disarmed us, +Simpson asked, "Well, Smith, what are you going to do with us?" + +"Ride back with us and I'll soon show you," said Smith. + +We had no idea of the surprise which awaited us. As we came upon the top +of the ridge, from which we could view our camp, we were astonished to +see the remainder of the train men disarmed and stationed in a group and +surrounded by another squad of Danites, while other Mormons were +searching our wagons for such articles as they wanted. + +"How is this?" inquired Simpson. "How did you surprise my camp without a +struggle? I can't understand it." + +"Easily enough," said Smith; "your men were all asleep under the +wagons, except the cooks, who saw us coming and took us for returning +Californians or emigrants, and paid no attention to us until we rode up +and surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we woke +them up, and told them that all they had to do was to walk out and drop +their pistols--which they saw was the best thing they could do under +circumstances over which they had no control--and you can just bet +they did it." + +"And what do you propose to do with us now?" asked Simpson. + +"I intend to burn your train," said he; "you are loaded with supplies +and ammunition for Sidney Johnson, and as I have no way to convey the +stuff to my own people, I'll see that it does not reach the United +States troops." + +"Are you going to turn us adrift here?" asked Simpson, who was anxious to +learn what was to become of himself and his men. + +"No; I hardly am as bad as that. I'll give you enough provisions to last +you until you can reach Fort Bridger," replied Smith; "and as soon as +your cooks can get the stuff out of the wagons, you can start." + +"On foot?" was the laconic inquiry of Simpson. + +"Yes sir," was the equally short reply. + +"Smith, that's too rough on us men. Put yourself in our place and see how +you would like it," said Simpson; "you can well afford to give us at +least one wagon and six yokes of oxen to convey us and our clothing and +provisions to Fort Bridger. You're a brute if you don't do this." + +"Well," said Smith, after consulting a minute or two with some of his +company, "I'll do that much for you." + +The cattle and the wagon were brought up according to his orders, and the +clothing and provisions were loaded on. + +"Now you can go," said Smith, after everything had been arranged. + +"Joe Smith, I think you are a mean coward to set us afloat in a hostile +country, without giving us our arms," said Simpson, who had once before +asked for the weapons, and had had his request denied. + +Smith, after further consultation with his comrades, said: "Simpson, +you are too brave a man to be turned adrift here without any means of +defense. You shall have your revolvers and guns." Our weapons were +accordingly handed over to Simpson, and we at once started for Fort +Bridger, knowing that it would be useless to attempt the recapture of +our train. + +When we had traveled about two miles we saw the smoke arising from our +old camp. The Mormons after taking what goods they wanted and could carry +off, had set fire to the wagons, many of which were loaded with bacon, +lard, hard-tack, and other provisions, which made a very hot, fierce +fire, and the smoke to roll up in dense clouds. Some of the wagons were +loaded with ammunition, and it was not long before loud explosions +followed in rapid succession. We waited and witnessed the burning of the +train, and then pushed on to Fort Bridger. Arriving at this post, we +learned that two other trains had been captured and destroyed in the same +way, by the Mormons. This made seventy-five wagon loads, or 450,000 +pounds of supplies, mostly provisions, which never reached General +Johnson's command, to which they had been consigned. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HARD TIMES. + + +As it was getting very late in the fall, we were compelled to winter at +Fort Bridger; and a long, tedious winter it was. There were a great many +troops there, and about four hundred of Russell, Majors & Waddell's +employees. These men were all organized into militia companies, which +were officered by the wagon-masters. Some lived in tents, others in +cabins. It was known that our supplies would run short during the winter, +and so all the men at the post were put on three-quarter rations to begin +with; before long they were reduced to one-half rations, and finally to +one-quarter rations. We were forced to kill our poor worn-out cattle for +beef. They were actually so poor that we had to prop them up to shoot +them down. At last we fell back on the mules, which were killed and +served up in good style. Many a poor, unsuspecting government mule passed +in his chips that winter in order to keep the soldiers and bull-whackers +from starvation. + +It was really a serious state of affairs. The wood for the post was +obtained from the mountains, but having no longer any cattle or mules to +transport it, the men were obliged to haul it themselves. Long lariats +were tied to the wagons, and twenty men manning each, they were pulled to +and from the mountains. Notwithstanding all these hardships, the men +seemed to be contented and to enjoy themselves. + +The winter finally passed away, and early in the spring, as soon as we +could travel, the civil employees of the government, with the teamsters +and freighters, started for the Missouri river; the Johnson expedition +having been abandoned. On the way down we stopped at Fort Laramie, and +there met a supply train bound westward. Of course we all had a square +meal once more, consisting of hard tack, bacon, coffee and beans. I can +honestly say that I thought it was the best meal I had ever eaten; at +least I relished it more than any other, and I think the rest of the +party did the same. + +On leaving Fort Laramie, Simpson was made brigade wagon-master, and was +put in charge of two large trains, with about four hundred extra men, who +were bound for Fort Leavenworth. When we came to Ash Hollow, instead of +taking the usual trail over to the South Platte, Simpson concluded to +follow the North Platte down to its junction with the South Platte. The +two trains were traveling about fifteen miles apart, when one morning +while Simpson was with the rear train, he told his assistant +wagon-master, George Woods and myself to saddle up our mules, as he +wanted us to go with him and overtake the head train. + +We started off at about eleven o'clock, and had ridden about seven miles +when--while we were on a big plateau, back of Cedar Bluffs--we suddenly +discovered a band of Indians coming out of the head of a ravine, half a +mile distant, and charging down upon us at full speed. I thought that our +end had come this time, sure. Simpson, however, took in the situation in +a moment, and knowing that it would be impossible to escape by running +our played-out mules, he adopted a bolder and much better plan. He jumped +from his own mule, and told us to dismount also. He then shot the three +animals, and as they fell to the ground he cut their throats to stop +their kicking. He then jerked them into the shape of a triangle, and +ordered us inside of the barricade. + +All this was but the work of a few moments, yet it was not done any too +soon, for the Indians had got within three hundred yards of us, and were +still advancing, and uttering their demoniacal yells or war-whoops. There +were forty of the red-skins and only three of us. We were each armed +with a Mississippi yager and two Colt's revolvers. + +"Get ready for them with your guns, and when they come within fifty +yards, aim low, blaze away and bring down your man!" + +Such was the quick command of Simpson. The words had hardly escaped from +his mouth, when the three yagers almost simultaneously belched forth +their contents. We then seized our revolvers and opened a lively fire on +the enemy, at short range, which checked their advance. Then we looked +over our little barricade to ascertain what effect our fire had produced, +and were much gratified at seeing three dead Indians and one horse lying +on the ground. Only two or three of the Indians, it seemed, had +fire-arms. It must be remembered that in those days every Indian did not +own a needle gun or a Winchester rifle, as they now do. Their principal +weapons were their bows and arrows. + +Seeing that they could not take our little fortification, or drive us +from it, they circled around us several times, shooting their arrows at +us. One of the arrows struck George Wood in the left shoulder, inflicting +only a slight wound, however, and several lodged in the bodies of the +dead mules; otherwise they did us no harm. + +The Indians finally galloped off to a safe distance, where our bullets +could not reach them, and seemed to be holding a council. This was a +lucky move for us, for it gave us an opportunity to reload our guns and +pistols, and prepare for the next charge of the enemy. During the brief +cessation of hostilities, Simpson extracted the arrow from Wood's +shoulder, and put an immense quid of tobacco on the wound. Wood was then +ready for business again. + +[Illustration: HOLDING THE FORT.] + +The Indians did not give us a very long rest, for with, another desperate +charge, as if to ride over us, they came dashing towards the mule +barricade. We gave them a hot reception from our yagers and revolvers. +They could not stand, or understand, the rapidly repeating fire of the +revolvers, and we again checked them. They circled around us once more +and gave us a few parting shots as they rode off, leaving behind them +another dead Indian and a horse. + +For two hours afterwards they did not seem to be doing anything but +holding a council. We made good use of this time by digging up the ground +inside the barricade with our knives and throwing the loose earth around +and over the mules, and we soon had a very respectable fortification. We +were not troubled any more that day, but during the night the cunning +rascals tried to burn us out by setting fire to the prairie. The buffalo +grass was so short that the fire did not trouble us much, but the smoke +concealed the Indians from our view, and they thought that they could +approach close to us without being seen. We were aware of this, and kept +a sharp look-out, being prepared all the time to receive them. They +finally abandoned the idea of surprising us. + +Next morning, bright and early, they gave us one more grand charge, and +again we "stood them off." They then rode away half a mile or so, and +formed a circle around us. Each man dismounted and sat down, as if to +wait and starve us out. They had evidently seen the advance train pass on +the morning of the previous day, and believed that we belonged to that +outfit and were trying to overtake it; they had no idea that another +train was on its way after us. + +Our hopes of escape from this unpleasant and perilous situation now +depended upon the arrival of the rear train, and when we saw that the +Indians were going to besiege us instead of renewing their attacks, we +felt rather confident of receiving timely assistance. We had expected +that the train would be along late in the afternoon of the previous day, +and as the morning wore away we were somewhat anxious and uneasy, at its +non-arrival. + +At last, about ten o'clock, we began to hear in the distance the loud and +sharp reports of the big bull-whips, which were handled with great +dexterity by the teamsters, and cracked like rifle shots. These were as +welcome sounds to us as were the notes of the bag-pipes to the beseiged +garrison at Lucknow, when the reinforcements were coming up and the +pipers were heard playing, "The Campbells are Coming." In a few moments +we saw the lead or head wagon coming slowly over the ridge, which had +concealed the train from our view, and soon the whole outfit made its +appearance. The Indians observed the approaching train, and assembling in +a group they held a short consultation. They then charged upon us once +more, for the last time, and as they turned and dashed away over the +prairie, we sent our farewell shots rattling after them. The teamsters, +seeing the Indians and hearing the shots, came rushing forward to our +assistance, but by the time they reached us the red-skins had almost +disappeared from view. The teamsters eagerly asked us a hundred questions +concerning our fight, admired our fort and praised our pluck. Simpson's +remarkable presence of mind in planning the defense was the general topic +of conversation among all the men. + +When the teams came up we obtained some water and bandages with which to +dress Wood's wound, which had become quite inflamed and painful, and we +then put him into one of the wagons. Simpson and myself obtained a +remount, bade good-bye to our dead mules which had served us so well, and +after collecting the ornaments and other plunder from the dead Indians, +we left their bodies and bones to bleach on the prairie. The train moved +on again and we had no other adventures, except several exciting buffalo +hunts on the South Platte, near Plum Creek. + +We arrived at Fort Leavenworth about the middle of July, 1858, when I +immediately visited home. I found mother in very poor health, as she was +suffering from asthma. My oldest sister, Martha, had, during my absence, +been married to John Crane, and was living at Leavenworth. + +During the winter at Fort Bridger I had frequently talked with Wild Bill +about my family, and as I had become greatly attached to him I asked him +to come and make a visit at our house, which he promised to do. So one +day, shortly after our return from Fort Bridger, he accompanied me home +from Leavenworth. My mother and sisters, who had heard so much about him +from me, were delighted to see him and he spent several weeks at our +place. They did everything possible to repay him for his kindness to me. +Ever afterwards, when he was at or near Leavenworth, Wild Bill came out +to our house to see the family, whether I was at home or not, and he +always received a most cordial reception. His mother and sisters lived in +Illinois, and he used to call our house his home, as he did not have one +of his own. + +I had been home only about a month, after returning from Fort Bridger, +when I again started out with another train, going this time as +assistant wagon-master under Buck Bomer. We went safely through to Fort +Laramie, which was our destination, and from there we were ordered to +take a load of supplies to a new post called Fort Wallach, which was +being established at Cheyenne Pass. We made this trip and got back to +Fort Laramie about November 1st. I then quit the employ of Russell, +Majors & Waddell, and joined a party of trappers who were sent out by +the post trader, Mr. Ward, to trap on the streams of the Chugwater and +Laramie for beaver, otter, and other fur animals, and also to poison +wolves for their pelts. We were out two months, but as the expedition +did not prove very profitable, and was rather dangerous on account of +the Indians, we abandoned the enterprise and came into Fort Laramie in +the latter part of December. + +Being anxious to return to the Missouri river, I joined with two others, +named Scott and Charley, who were also desirous of going East on a visit, +bought three ponies and a pack-mule, and we started out together. We made +rapid progress on our journey, and nothing worthy of note happened until +one afternoon, along the banks of the Little Blue River, we spied a band +of Indians hunting on the opposite side of the stream, three miles away. +We did not escape their notice, and they gave us a lively chase for two +hours, but they could find no good crossing, and as evening came on we +finally got away from them. + +We traveled until late in the night; when upon discovering a low, deep +ravine which we thought would make a comfortable and safe camping-place, +we stopped for a rest. In searching for a good place to make our beds, I +found a hole, and I called to my companions that I had found a fine place +for a nest. One of the party was to stand guard while the others slept. +Scott took the first watch, while Charley and I made a bed in the hole. + +While clearing out the place we felt something rough, but as it was dark +we could not make out what it was. At any rate we concluded that it was +bones or sticks of wood; we thought perhaps it might be the bones of some +animal which had fallen in there and died. These bones, for such they +really proved to be, we pushed one side and then we lay down. But +Charley, being an inveterate smoker, could not resist the temptation of +indulging in a smoke before going to sleep. So he sat up and struck a +match to light his old pipe. Our subterranean bed-chamber was thus +illuminated for a moment or two; I sprang to my feet in an instant for a +ghastly and horrifying sight was revealed to us. Eight or ten human +skeletons lay scattered upon the ground. + +The light of the match died out, but we had seen enough to convince us +that we were in a large grave, into which, perhaps, some unfortunate +emigrants, who had been killed by the Indians, had been thrown; or, +perhaps, seeking refuge there, they had been corraled and then killed on +the spot. If such was the case, they had met the fate of thousands of +others, whose friends have never heard of them since they left their +eastern homes to seek their fortunes in the Far West. However, we did not +care to investigate this mystery any further, but we hustled out of that +chamber of death and informed Scott of our discovery. Most of the +plains-men are very superstitious, and we were no exception to the +general rule. We surely thought that this incident was an evil omen, and +that we would be killed if we remained there any longer. + +[Illustration: CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE.] + +"Let us dig out of here quicker than we can say Jack Robinson," said +Scott; and we began to "dig out" at once. We saddled our animals and +hurriedly pushed forward through the darkness, traveling several miles +before we again went into camp. Next morning it was snowing fiercely, +but we proceeded as best we could, and that night we succeeded in +reaching Oak Grove ranch, which had been built during the summer. We +here obtained comfortable accommodations and plenty to eat and +drink--especially the latter. + +Scott and Charley were great lovers and consumers of "tanglefoot," and +they soon got gloriously drunk, keeping it up for three days, during +which time they gambled with the ranchmen, who got away with all their +money; but little they cared for that, as they had their spree. They +finally sobered up, and we resumed our journey, urging our jaded animals +as much as they could stand, until we struck Marysville, on the Big Blue. +From this place to Leavenworth we secured first-rate accommodations along +the road, as the country had become pretty well settled. + +It was in February, 1859, that I got home. As there was now a good school +in the neighborhood, taught by Mr. Divinny, my mother wished me to attend +it, and I did so for two months and a half--the longest period of +schooling that I ever received at any one time in my life. As soon as the +spring came and the grass began growing, I became uneasy and +discontented, and again longed for the free and open life of the plains. + +The Pike's Peak gold excitement was then at its height, and everybody was +rushing to the new gold diggings. I caught the gold-fever myself, and +joined a party bound for the new town of Auraria, on Cherry Creek, +afterwards called Denver, in honor of the then governor of Kansas. On +arriving at Auraria we pushed on to the gold streams in the mountains, +passing up through Golden Gate, and over Guy Hill, and thence on to +Black Hawk. We prospected for two months, but as none of us knew anything +about mining we met with very poor success, and we finally concluded that +prospecting for gold was not our forte. We accordingly abandoned the +enterprise and turned our faces eastward once more. + +[Illustration: RAFTING ON THE PLATTE.] + +When we struck the Platte River, the happy thought of constructing a +small raft--which would float us clear to the Missouri and thence down to +Leavenworth--entered our heads, and we accordingly carried out the plan. +Upon the completion of the raft we stocked it with provisions, and "set +sail" down the stream. It was a light craft and a jolly crew, and all was +smooth sailing for four or five days. + +When we got near old Julesburg, we met with a serious mishap. Our raft +ran into an eddy, and quick as lightning went to pieces, throwing us all +into the stream, which was so deep that we had to swim ashore. We lost +everything we had, which greatly discouraged us, and we thereupon +abandoned the idea of rafting it any farther. We then walked over to +Julesburg, which was only a few miles distant. This ranch, which became a +somewhat famous spot, had been established by "Old Jules," a Frenchman, +who was afterwards killed by the notorious Alf. Slade. + +The great pony express, about which so much has been said and written, +was at that time just being started. The line was being stocked with +horses and put into good running condition. At Julesburg I met Mr. George +Chrisman, the leading wagon-master of Russell, Majors & Waddell, who had +always been a good friend to me. He had bought out "Old Jules," and was +then the owner of Julesburg ranch, and the agent of the pony express +line. He hired me at once as a pony express rider, but as I was so young +he thought I would not be able to stand the fierce riding which was +required of the messengers. He knew, however, that I had been raised in +the saddle--that I felt more at home there than in any other place--and +as he saw that I was confident that I could stand the racket, and could +ride as far and endure it as well as some of the older riders, he gave me +a short route of forty-five miles, with the stations fifteen miles apart, +and three changes of horses. I was required to make fifteen miles an +hour, including the changes of horses. I was fortunate in getting +well-broken animals, and being so light, I easily made my forty-five +miles on time on my first trip out, and ever afterwards. + +I wrote to mother and told her how well I liked the exciting life of a +pony express rider. She replied, and begged of me to give it up, as it +would surely kill me. She was right about this, as fifteen miles an hour +on horseback would, in a short time, shake any man "all to pieces"; and +there were but very few, if any, riders who could stand it for any great +length of time. Nevertheless, I stuck to it for two months, and then, +upon receiving a letter informing me that my mother was very sick, I gave +it up and went back to the old home in Salt Creek Valley. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. + + +My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home very +long, and in November, after the recovery of my mother, I went up the +Republican River and its tributaries on a trapping expedition in company +with Dave Harrington. Our outfit consisted of one wagon and a yoke of +oxen for the transportation of provisions, traps, and other necessaries. +We began trapping near Junction City, Kansas, and then proceeded up the +Republican River to the mouth of Prairie Dog Creek, where we found plenty +of beavers. + +Having seen no signs of Indians thus far, we felt comparatively safe. We +were catching a large number of beavers and were prospering finely, when +one of our oxen, having become rather poor, slipped and fell upon the +ice, dislocating his hip, so that we had to shoot him to end his misery. +This left us without a team; but we cared little for that, however, as we +had made up our minds to remain there till spring, when, and it was +decided, that one of us should go to the nearest settlement and get a +yoke of oxen with which to haul our wagon into some place of safety where +we could leave it. + +We would probably have pulled through the winter all right had it not +been for a very serious accident which befell me just at that time. +Spying a herd of elk, we started in pursuit of them, and creeping up +towards them as slyly as possible, while going around the bend of a sharp +bluff or bank of the creek I slipped and broke my leg just above the +ankle. Notwithstanding the great pain I was suffering, Harrington could +not help laughing when I urged him to shoot me, as he had the ox, and +thus end my misery. He told me to "brace up," and that he would bring me +out "all right." "I am not much of a surgeon," said he, "but I can fix +that leg of yours, even if I haven't got a diploma." + +He succeeded in getting me back to camp, which was only a few yards from +the creek, and then he set the fracture as well as he knew how, and made +me as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances. We then +discussed the situation, which to say the least, looked pretty blue. +Knowing that, owing to our mishaps, we could not do anything more that +winter, and as I dreaded the idea of lying there on my back with a broken +leg for weeks, and perhaps months, I prevailed upon Harrington to go the +nearest settlement--about 125 miles distant--to obtain a yoke of cattle, +and then come back for me. + +This he consented to do; but before leaving he gathered plenty of wood, +and as the ground was covered with snow, I would have no difficulty in +getting water if I had a fire. There was plenty of fresh meat and other +provisions in the "dug-out," so that I had no fears of starvation. The +"dugout," which we had built immediately after we had determined to +remain there all winter, was a very cosy hole in the ground, covered with +poles, grass and sod, with a fireplace in one end. + +Harrington thought it would take him twenty days or more to make the +round trip; but being well provided for--for this length of time--I +urged him to go at once. Bidding me good-bye he started on foot. After +his departure, each day, as it came and went, seemed to grow longer to me +as I lay there helpless and alone. I made a note of each day, so as to +know the time when I might expect him back. + +[Illustration: SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN-IN-THE-FACE.] + +On the twelfth day after Harrington left me, I was awakened from a sound +sleep by some one touching me upon the shoulder. I looked up and was +astonished to see an Indian warrior standing at my side. His face was +hideously daubed with paint, which told me more forcibly than words could +have done that he was on the war-path. He spoke to me in broken English +and Sioux mixed, and I understood him to ask what I was doing there, and +how many there were with me. + +By this time the little dug-out was nearly filled with other Indians, who +had been peeping in at the door, and I could hear voices of still more +outside as well as the stamping of horses. I began to think that my time +had come, as the saying is, when into the cabin stepped an elderly +Indian, whom I readily recognized as old Rain-in-the-Face, a Sioux chief +from the vicinity of Fort Laramie. I rose up as well as I could and +showed him my broken leg. I told him where I had seen him, and asked him +if he remembered me. He replied that he knew me well, and that I used to +come to his lodge at Fort Laramie to visit him. I then managed to make +him understand that I was there alone and having broken my leg, I had +sent my partner off for a team to take me away. I asked him if his young +men intended to kill me, and he answered, that was what they had proposed +to do, but he would see what they had to say. + +The Indians then talked among themselves for a few minutes, and upon the +conclusion of the consultation, old Rain-in-the-Face turned to me and +gave me to understand that as I was yet a "papoose," or a very young man, +they would not take my life. But one of his men, who had no fire-arms, +wanted my gun and pistol. I implored old Rain-in-the-Face to be allowed +to keep the weapons, or at least one of them, as I needed something with +which to keep the wolves away. He replied that as his young men were out +on the war path, he had induced them to spare my life; but he could not +prevent them from taking what ever else they wanted. + +They unsaddled their horses as if to remain there for some time, and sure +enough they stayed the remainder of the day and all night. They built a +fire in the dug-out and cooked a lot of my provisions, helping themselves +to everything as if they owned it. However, they were polite enough to +give me some of the food after they had cooked it. It was a sumptuous +feast that they had, and they seemed to relish it as if it was the best +lay-out they had had for many a long day. They took all my sugar and +coffee, and left me only some meat and a small quantity of flour, a +little salt and some baking powder. They also robbed me of such cooking +utensils as they wished; then bidding me good-bye, early in the morning, +they mounted their ponies and rode off to the south, evidently bent on +some murdering and thieving expedition. + +I was glad enough to see them leave, as my life had undoubtedly hung by a +thread during their presence. I am confident that had it not been for my +youth and the timely recognition and interference of old Rain-in-the-Face +they would have killed me without any hesitation or ceremony. + +The second day after they had gone it began snowing, and for three long +and weary days the snow continued to fall thick and fast. It blocked the +door-way and covered the dug-out to the depth of several feet, so that I +became a snowbound prisoner. My wood was mostly under the snow, and it +was with great difficulty that I could get enough to start a fire with. +My prospects were gloomy indeed. I had just faced death at the hands of +the Indians, and now I was in danger of losing my life from starvation +and cold. I knew that the heavy snow would surely delay Harrington on his +return; and I feared that he might have perished in the storm, or that +some other accident might have befallen him. Perhaps some wandering band +of Indians had run across him and killed him. + +I was continually thinking of all these possibilities, and I must say +that my outlook seemed desperate. At last the twentieth day +arrived--the day on which Harrington was to return--and I counted the +hours from morning till night, but the day passed away with no signs of +Harrington. The wolves made the night hideous with their howls; they +gathered around the dug-out; ran over the roof; and pawed and scratched +as if trying to get in. + +Several days and nights thus wore away, the monotony all the time +becoming greater, until at last it became almost unendurable. Some days I +would go without any fire at all, and eat raw frozen meat and melt snow +in my mouth for water. I became almost convinced that Harrington had been +caught in the storm and had been buried under the snow, or was lost. Many +a time during that dreary period of uncertainty, I made up my mind that +if I ever got out of that place alive, I would abandon the plains and the +life of a trapper forever. I had nearly given up all hopes of leaving the +dug-out alive. + +It was on the twenty-ninth day, while I was lying thus despondently +thinking and wondering, that I heard the cheerful sound of Harrington's +voice as he came slowly up the creek, yelling, "whoa! haw!" to his +cattle. A criminal on the scaffold, with the noose around his neck, the +trap about to be sprung, and receiving a pardon just at the last moment, +thus giving him a new lease of life, could not have been more grateful +than I was at that time. It was useless for me to try to force the door +open, as the snow had completely blockaded it, and I therefore anxiously +awaited Harrington's arrival. + +"Hello! Billy!" he sang out in a loud voice as he came up, he evidently +being uncertain as to my being alive. + +"All right, Dave," was my reply. + +"Well, old boy, you're alive, are you?" said he. + +"Yes; and that's about all. I've had a tough siege of it since you've +been away, and I came pretty nearly passing in my chips. I began to +think you never would get here, as I was afraid you had been snowed +under," said I. + +He soon cleared away the snow from the entrance, and opening the door he +came in. I don't think there ever was a more welcome visitor than he was. +I remember that I was so glad to see him that I put my arms around his +neck and hugged him for five minutes; never shall I forget faithful Dave +Harrington. + +"Well, Billy, my boy, I hardly expected to see you alive again," said +Harrington, as soon as I had given him an opportunity to draw his breath; +"I had a terrible trip of it, and I didn't think I ever would get +through. I was caught in the snow-storm, and was laid up for three days. +The cattle wandered away, and I came within an ace of losing them +altogether. When I got started again the snow was so deep that it +prevented me from making much headway. But as I had left you here I was +bound to come through, or die in the attempt." + +Again I flung my arms around Dave's neck and gave him a hug that would +have done honor to a grizzly bear. My gratitude was thus much more +forcibly expressed than it could have been by words. Harrington +understood this, and seemed to appreciate it. The tears of joy rolled +down my cheeks, and it was impossible for me to restrain them. When my +life had been threatened by the Indians I had not felt half so miserable +as when I lay in the dug-out thinking I was destined to die a slow death +by starvation and cold. The Indians would have made short work of it, and +would have given me little or no time to think of my fate. + +I questioned Harrington as to his trip, and learned all the details. He +had passed through hardships which but few men could have endured. Noble +fellow, that he was. He had risked his own life to save mine. + +After he had finished his story, every word of which I had listened to +with eager interest, I related to him my own experiences, in which he +became no less interested. He expressed great astonishment that the +Indians had not killed me, and he considered it one of the luckiest and +most remarkable escapes he had ever heard of. It amused me, however, to +see him get very angry when I told him that they had taken my gun and +pistol and had used up our provisions. "But never mind, Billy," said he, +"we can stand it till the snow goes off, which will not be long, and then +we will pull our wagon back to the settlements." + +A few days afterwards Harrington gathered up our traps, and cleaned the +snow out of the wagon. Covering it with the sheet which we had used in +the dug-out, he made a comfortable bed inside, and helped me into it. We +had been quite successful in trapping, having caught three hundred +beavers and one hundred otters, the skins of which Harrington loaded on +the wagon. We then pulled out for the settlements, making good headway, +as the snow had nearly disappeared, having been blown or melted away, so +that we had no difficulty in finding a road. On the eighth day out we +came to a farmer's house, or ranch, on the Republican River, where we +stopped and rested for two days, and then went on to the ranch where +Harrington had obtained the yoke of cattle. We gave the owner of the team +twenty-five beaver skins, equal to $60, for the use of the cattle, and he +let us have them until we reached Junction City, sending his boy with us +to bring them back. + +At Junction City we sold our wagon and furs and went with a government +mule train to Leavenworth--arriving there in March, 1860. I was just able +to get around on crutches when I got into Leavenworth, and it was several +months after that before I entirely recovered the use of my leg. + +During the winter I had often talked to Harrington about my mother and +sisters, and had invited him to go home with me in the spring. I now +renewed the invitation, which he accepted, and accompanied me home. When +I related to mother my adventures and told her how Harrington had saved +my life, she thanked him again and again. I never saw a more grateful +woman than she was. She asked him to always make his home with us, as she +never could reward him sufficiently for what he had done for her darling +boy, as she called me. Harrington concluded to remain with us through the +summer and farm mother's land. But alas! the uncertainty of life. The +coming of death when least expected was strikingly illustrated in his +case. During the latter part of April he went to a nursery for some +trees, and while coming home late at night he caught a severe cold and +was taken seriously sick, with lung fever. Mother did everything in her +power for him. She could not have done more had he been her own son, but +notwithstanding her motherly care and attention, and the skill of a +physician from Leavenworth, he rapidly grew worse. It seemed hard, +indeed, to think that a great strong man like Harrington, who had braved +the storms, and endured the other hardships of the plains all winter +long, should, during the warm and beautiful days of spring, when +surrounded by friends and the comforts of a good home, be fatally +stricken down. But such was his fate. He died one week from the day on +which he was taken sick. We all mourned his loss as we would that of a +loved son or brother, as he was one of the truest, bravest, and best of +friends. Amid sorrow and tears we laid him away to rest in a picturesque +spot on Pilot Knob. His death cast a gloom over our household, and it was +a long time before it was entirely dispelled. I felt very lonely without +Harrington, and I soon wished for a change of scene again. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. + + +As the warm days of summer approached I longed for the cool air of the +mountains; and to the mountains I determined to go. After engaging a man +to take care of the farm, I proceeded to Leavenworth and there met my old +wagon-master and friend, Lewis Simpson, who was fitting out a train at +Atchison and loading it with supplies for the Overland Stage Company, of +which Mr. Russell, my old employer, was one of the proprietors. Simpson +was going with this train to Fort Laramie and points further west. + +"Come along with me, Billy," said he, "I'll give you a good lay-out. I +want you with me." + +"I don't know that I would like to go as far west as that again," +replied I, "but I do want to ride the pony express once more; there's +some life in that." + +"Yes, that's so; but it will soon shake the life out of you," said he. +"However, if that's what you've got your mind set on, you had better come +to Atchison with me and see Mr. Russell, who I'm pretty certain, will +give you a situation." + +I replied that I would do that. I then went home and informed mother of +my intention, and as her health was very poor I had great difficulty in +obtaining her consent. I finally convinced her that as I was of no use on +the farm, it would be better and more profitable for me to return to the +plains. So after giving her all the money I had earned by trapping, I +bade her good-bye and set out for Atchison. + +I met Mr. Russell there and asked him for employment as a pony +express-rider; he gave me a letter to Mr. Slade, who was then the stage +agent for the division extending from Julesburg to Rocky Ridge. Slade +had his headquarters at Horseshoe Station, thirty-six miles west of +Fort Laramie and I made the trip thither in company with Simpson and +his train. + +Almost the very first person I saw after dismounting from my horse was +Slade. I walked up to him and presented Mr. Russell's letter, which he +hastily opened and read. With a sweeping glance of his eye he took my +measure from head to foot, and then said: + +"My boy, you are too young for a pony express-rider. It takes men for +that business." + +"I rode two months last year on Bill Trotter's division, sir, and filled +the bill then; and I think I am better able to ride now," said I. + +"What! are you the boy that was riding there, and was called the youngest +rider on the road?" + +"I am the same boy," I replied, confident that everything was now all +right for me. + +"I have heard of you before. You are a year or so older now, and I think +you can stand it. I'll give you a trial anyhow and if you weaken you can +come back to Horseshoe Station and tend stock." + +That ended our first interview. The next day he assigned me to duty on +the road from Red Buttes on the North Platte, to the Three Crossings of +the Sweetwater--a distance of seventy-six miles--and I began riding at +once. It was a long piece of road, but I was equal to the undertaking; +and soon afterwards had an opportunity to exhibit my power of endurance +as a pony express rider. + +One day when I galloped into Three Crossings, my home station, I found +that the rider who was expected to take the trip out on my arrival, had +got into a drunken row the night before and had been killed; and that +there was no one to fill his place. I did not hesitate for a moment to +undertake an extra ride of eighty-five miles to Rocky Ridge, and I +arrived at the latter place on time. I then turned back and rode to Red +Buttes, my starting place, accomplishing on the round trip a distance of +322 miles. + +[Illustration: I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED HORSES] + +Slade heard of this feat of mine, and one day as he was passing on a +coach he sang out to me, "My boy, you're a brick, and no mistake. That +was a good run you made when you rode your own and Miller's routes, and +I'll see that you get extra pay for it." + +Slade, although rough at times and always a dangerous character--having +killed many a man--was always kind to me. During the two years that I +worked for him as pony express-rider and stage-driver, he never spoke an +angry word to me. + +As I was leaving Horse Creek one day, a party of fifteen Indians "jumped +me" in a sand ravine about a mile west of the station. They fired at me +repeatedly, but missed their mark. I was mounted on a roan California +horse--the fleetest steed I had. Putting spurs and whip to him, and lying +flat on his back, I kept straight on for Sweetwater Bridge--eleven miles +distant--instead of trying to turn back to Horse Creek. The Indians came +on in hot pursuit, but my horse soon got away from them, and ran into the +station two miles ahead of them. The stock-tender had been killed there +that morning, and all the stock had been driven off by the Indians, and +as I was therefore unable to change horses, I continued on to Ploutz's +Station--twelve miles further--thus making twenty-four miles straight run +with one horse. I told the people at Ploutz's what had happened at +Sweetwater Bridge, and with a fresh horse went on and finished the trip +without any further adventure. + +[Illustration: ATTACK ON STAGE COACH.] + +About the middle of September the Indians became very troublesome on the +line of the stage road along the Sweetwater. Between Split Rock and Three +Crossings they robbed a stage, killed the driver and two passengers, and +badly wounded Lieut. Flowers, the assistant division agent. The +red-skinned thieves also drove off the stock from the different stations, +and were continually lying in wait for the passing stages and pony +express-riders, so that we had to take many desperate chances in running +the gauntlet. + +The Indians had now become so bad and had stolen so much stock that it +was decided to stop the pony express for at least six weeks, and to run +the stages but occasionally during that period; in fact, it would have +been almost impossible to have run the enterprise much longer without +restocking the line. + +While we were thus nearly all lying idle, a party was organized to go +out and search for stolen stock. This party was composed of +stage-drivers, express-riders, stock-tenders, and ranchmen--forty of them +altogether--and they were well-armed and well-mounted. They were mostly +men who had undergone all kinds of hardships and braved every danger, and +they were ready and anxious to "tackle" any number of Indians. Wild Bill +(who had been driving stage on the road and had recently come down to our +division) was elected captain of the company. + +It was supposed that the stolen stock had been taken to the head of +Powder River and vicinity, and the party, of which I was a member, +started out for that section in high hopes of success. + +Twenty miles out from Sweetwater Bridge, at the head of Horse Creek, we +found an Indian trail running north towards Powder River, and we could +see by the tracks that most of the horses had been recently shod and were +undoubtedly our stolen stage stock. Pushing rapidly forward, we followed +this trail to Powder River; thence down this stream to within about forty +miles of the spot where old Fort Reno now stands. Here the trail took a +more westerly course along the foot of the mountains, leading eventually +to Crazy Woman's Fork--a tributary of Powder River. At this point we +discovered that the party whom we were trailing had been joined by +another band of Indians, and, judging from the fresh appearance of the +trail, the united body could not have left this spot more than +twenty-four hours before. + +Being aware that we were now in the heart of the hostile country and that +we might at any moment find more Indians than we had "lost," we advanced +with more caution than usual, and kept a sharp lookout. As we were +approaching Clear Creek, another tributary of Powder river, we discovered +Indians on the opposite side of the creek, some three miles distant; at +least we saw horses grazing, which was a sure sign that there were +Indians there. + +The Indians thinking themselves in comparative safety--never before +having been followed so far into their own country by white men--had +neglected to put out any scouts. They had no idea that there were any +white men in that part of the country. We got the lay of their camp, and +then held a council to consider and mature a plan for capturing it. We +knew full well that the Indians would outnumber us at least three to one, +and perhaps more. Upon the advice and suggestion of Wild Bill, it was +finally decided that we should wait until it was nearly dark, and then, +after creeping as close to them as possible, make a dash through their +camp, open a general fire on them, and stampede the horses. + +This plan, at the proper time, was most successfully executed. The dash +upon the enemy was a complete surprise to them. They were so overcome +with astonishment that they did not know what to make of it. We could not +have astonished them any more if we had dropped down into their camp from +the clouds. They did not recover from the surprise of this sudden charge +until after we had ridden pell-mell through their camp and got away with +our own horses as well as theirs. We at once circled the horses around +towards the south, and after getting them on the south side of Clear +Creek, some twenty of our men--just as the darkness was coming on--rode +back and gave the Indians a few parting shots. We then took up our line +of march for Sweetwater Bridge, where we arrived four days afterwards +with all of our own horses and about one hundred captured Indian ponies. + +The expedition had proved a grand success, and the event was celebrated +in the usual manner--by a grand spree. The only store at Sweetwater +Bridge did a rushing business for several days. The returned +stock-hunters drank, and gambled and fought. The Indian ponies, which had +been distributed among the captors, passed from hand to hand at almost +every deal of the cards. There seemed to be no limit to the rioting, and +carousing; revelry reigned supreme. On the third day of the orgie, Slade, +who had heard the news, came up to the bridge and took a hand in the +"fun," as it was called. To add some variation and excitement to the +occasion, Slade got in to a quarrel with a stage-driver and shot him, +killing him almost instantly. + +[Illustration: ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER.] + +The "boys" became so elated as well as "elevated" over their success +against the Indians, that most of them were in favor of going back and +cleaning out the whole Indian race. One old driver especially, Dan Smith, +was eager to open a war on all the hostile nations, and had the drinking +been continued another week he certainly would have undertaken the job, +single-handed and alone. The spree finally came to an end; the men +sobered down and abandoned the idea of again invading the hostile +country. The recovered horses were replaced on the road, and the stages +and pony express were again running on time. + +Slade, having taken a great fancy to me, said: "Billy, I want you to come +down to my headquarters, and I'll make you a sort of supernumerary rider, +and send you out only when it is necessary." I accepted the offer, and +went with him down to Horseshoe, where I had a comparatively easy time of +it. I had always been fond of hunting, and I now had a good opportunity +to gratify my ambition in that direction, as I had plenty of spare time +on my hands. In this connection I will relate one of my bear-hunting +adventures. One day, when I had nothing else to do, I saddled up an extra +pony express horse, and arming myself with a good rifle and pair of +revolvers, struck out for the foot hills of Laramie Peak for a bear-hunt. +Riding carelessly along, and breathing the cool and bracing autumn air +which came down from the mountains, I felt as only a man can feel who is +roaming over the prairies of the far West, well armed, and mounted on a +fleet and gallant steed. The perfect freedom which he enjoys is in itself +a refreshing stimulant to the mind as well as to the body. Such indeed +were my feelings on this beautiful day, as I rode up the valley of the +Horseshoe. Occasionally I scared up a flock of sage-hens or a +jack-rabbit. Antelopes and deer were almost always in sight in any +direction, but as they were not the kind of game I was after, on that +day, I passed them by, and kept on towards the higher mountains. The +further I rode the rougher and wilder became the country, and I knew that +I was approaching the haunts of the bear. I did not discover any, +however, although I saw plenty of tracks in the snow. + +About two o'clock in the afternoon, my horse having become tired, and +myself being rather weary, I shot a sage-hen, and dismounting, I +unsaddled my horse and tied him to a small tree, where he could easily +feed on the mountain grass. I then built a little fire, and broiling the +chicken and seasoning it with salt and pepper, which I had obtained from +my saddle-bags, I soon sat down to a "genuine square meal," which I +greatly relished. + +After resting for a couple of hours, I remounted and resumed my upward +trip to the mountains, having made up my mind to camp out that night +rather than go back without a bear, which my friends knew I had gone out +for. As the days were growing short, night soon came on, and I looked +around for a suitable camping place. While thus engaged, I scared up a +flock of sage-hens, two of which I shot, intending to have one for supper +and the other for breakfast. + +By this time it was becoming quite dark, and I rode down to one of the +little mountain streams, where I found an open place in the timber +suitable for a camp. I dismounted, and after unsaddling my horse and +hitching him to a tree, I prepared to start a fire. Just then I was +startled by hearing a horse whinnying further up the stream. It was +quite a surprise to me, and I immediately ran to my animal to keep him +from answering, as horses usually do in such cases. I thought that the +strange horse might belong to some roaming band of Indians, as I knew of +no white men being in that portion of the country at that time. I was +certain that the owner of the strange horse could not be far distant, +and I was very anxious to find out who my neighbor was, before letting +him know that I was in his vicinity. I therefore re-saddled my horse, +and leaving him tied so that I could easily reach him I took my gun and +started out on a scouting expedition up the stream. I had gone about +four hundred yards when, in a bend of the stream, I discovered ten or +fifteen horses grazing. + +On the opposite side of the creek a light was shining high up the +mountain bank. Approaching the mysterious spot as cautiously as possible, +and when within a few yards of the light--which I discovered came from a +dug-out in the mountain side--I heard voices, and soon I was able +distinguish the words, as they proved to be in my own language. Then I +knew that the occupants of the dug-out, whence the voices proceeded, were +white men. Thinking that they might be a party of trappers, I boldly +walked up to the door and knocked for admission. The voices instantly +ceased, and for a moment a deathlike silence reigned inside. Then there +seemed to follow a kind of hurried whispering--a sort of +consultation--and then some one called out: "Who's there?" + +"A friend and a white man," I replied. + +The door opened, and a big, ugly-looking fellow stepped, forth and said: + +"Come in." + +I accepted the invitation with some degree of fear and hesitation, which +I endeavored to conceal, as I saw that it was too late to back out, and +that it would never do to weaken at that point, whether they were friends +or foes. Upon entering the dug-out my eyes fell upon eight as rough and +villainous looking men as I ever saw in my life. Two of them I instantly +recognized as teamsters who had been driving in Lew Simpson's train, a +few months before, and had been discharged. + +They were charged with the murdering and robbing of a ranchman; and +having stolen his horses it was supposed that they had left the country. +I gave them no signs of recognition however, deeming it advisable to let +them remain in ignorance as to who I was. It was a hard crowd, and I +concluded that the sooner I could get away from them the better it would +be for me. I felt confident that they were a band of horse-thieves. + +"Where are you going, young man; and who's with you?" asked one of the +men who appeared to be the leader of the gang. + +"I am entirely alone. I left Horseshoe station this morning for a bear +hunt, and not finding any bears, I had determined to camp out for the +night and wait till morning," said I; "and just as I was going into camp, +a few hundred yards down the creek, I heard one of your horses whinnying, +and then I came up to your camp." + +[Illustration: THE HORSE THIEVES' DEN.] + +I was thus explicit in my statement in order, if possible to satisfy the +cut-throats that I was not spying upon them, but that my intrusion was +entirely accidental. + +"Where's your horse?" demanded the boss thief. + +"I left him down the creek," I answered. + +They proposed going after the horse, but I thought that that would never +do, as it would leave me without any means of escape, and I accordingly +said, in hopes to throw them off the track, "Captain, I'll leave my gun +here and go down and get my horse, and come back and stay all night." + +I said this in as cheerful and as careless a manner as possible, so as +not to arouse their suspicions in any way, or lead them to think that I +was aware of their true character. I hated to part with my gun, but my +suggestion of leaving it was a part of the plan of escape which I had +arranged. If they have the gun, thought I, they would surely believe that +I intended to come back. But this little game did not work at all, as one +of the desperadoes spoke up and said: + +"Jim and I will go down with you after your horse, and you can leave your +gun here all the same, as you'll not need it." + +"All right," I replied, for I could certainly have said nothing else. +It became evident to me that it would be better to trust myself with +two men than with the whole party. It was apparent that from this time +on, I would have to be on the alert for some good opportunity to give +them the slip. + +"Come along," said one of them, and together we went down the creek, and +soon came to the spot where my horse was tied. One of the men unhitched +the animal and said: "I'll lead the horse." + +"Very well," said I, "I've got a couple of sage-hens here. Lead on." + +I picked up the sage-hens, which I had killed a few hours before, and +followed the man who was leading the horse, while his companion brought +up the rear. The nearer we approached the dug-out the more I dreaded the +idea of going back among the villainous cut-throats. + +My first plan of escape having failed, I now determined upon another. + +[Illustration: MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES.] + +I had both of my revolvers with me, the thieves not having thought it +necessary to search me. It was now quite dark, and I purposely dropped +one of the sage-hens, and asked the man behind me to pick it up. While he +was hunting for it on the ground, I quickly pulled out one of my Colt's +revolvers and struck him a tremendous blow on the back of the head, +knocking him senseless to the ground. I then instantly wheeled around, +and saw that the man ahead who was only a few feet distant, had heard the +blow and had turned to see what was the matter, his hand upon his +revolver. We faced each other at about the same instant, but before he +could fire, as he tried to do, I shot him dead in his tracks. Then +jumping on my horse, I rode down the creek as fast as possible, through +the darkness and over the rough ground and rocks. + +The other outlaws in the dug-out, having heard the shot which I had +fired, knew there was trouble, and they all came rushing down the creek. +I suppose, by the time they reached the man whom I had knocked down, +that he had recovered and hurriedly told them of what had happened. They +did not stay with the man whom I had shot, but came on in hot pursuit of +me. They were not mounted, and were making better time down the rough +canõn than I was on horseback. From time to time I heard them gradually +gaining on me. + +At last they had come so near that I saw that I must abandon my horse. So +I jumped to the ground, and gave him a hard slap with the butt of one of +my revolvers, which started him on down the valley, while I scrambled up +the mountain side. I had not ascended more than forty feet when I heard +my pursuers coming closer and closer; I quickly hid behind a large pine +tree, and in a few moments they all rushed by me, being led on by the +rattling footsteps of my horse, which they heard ahead of them. Soon I +heard them firing at random at the horse, as they no doubt supposed I was +still seated on his back. As soon as they had passed me I climbed further +up the steep mountain, and knowing that I had given them the slip, and +feeling certain that I could keep out of their way, I at once struck out +for Horseshoe station, which was twenty-five miles distant. I had hard +traveling at first, but upon reaching lower and better ground, I made +good headway, walking all night and getting into the station just before +daylight,--foot-sore, weary, and generally played out. + +I immediately waked up the men of the station and told them of my +adventure. Slade himself happened to be there, and he at once organized +a party to go out and hunt up the horse-thieves. Shortly after daylight +twenty well-armed stage-drivers, stock-tenders and ranchmen were +galloping in the direction of the dug-out. Of course I went along with +the party, notwithstanding I was very tired and had had hardly any rest +at all. We had a brisk ride, and arrived in the immediate vicinity of +the thieves' rendezvous at about ten o'clock in the morning. We +approached the dug-out cautiously, but upon getting in close proximity +to it we could discover no horses in sight. We could see the door of the +dug-out standing wide open, and we then marched up to the place. No one +was inside, and the general appearance of everything indicated that the +place had been deserted--that the birds had flown. Such, indeed, proved +to be the case. + +We found a new-made grave, where they had evidently buried the man whom I +had shot. We made a thorough search of the whole vicinity, and finally +found their trail going southeast in the direction of Denver. As it would +have been useless to follow them, we rode back to the station; and thus +ended my eventful bear-hunt. We had no more trouble for some time from +horse-thieves after that. + +During the winter of 1860 and the spring of 1861 I remained at Horseshoe, +occasionally riding pony express and taking care of stock. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAST DRIVING. + + +It was in the spring of 1861, while I was at Horseshoe, that the +eastern-bound coach came in one day loaded down with passengers and +baggage, and stopped for dinner; Horseshoe being a regular dinner +station as well as a home station. The passengers consisted of six +Englishmen, and they had been continually grumbling about the slow time +that was being made by the stages, saying that the farther they got East +the slower they went. + +"These blarsted 'eathens don't know hanything habout staging, hany-'ow," +remarked one of them. + +"Blarst me bloody heyes! they cawn't stage in this country as we do in +Hingland, you know," said another. + +Their remarks were overheard by Bob Scott, who was to drive the coach +from Horseshoe to Fort Laramie, and he determined to give them +satisfaction before they got over his route. Scott was known to be the +best reinsman and the most expert driver on the whole line of the road. +He was a very gentlemanly fellow in his general appearance and conduct, +but at times he would become a reckless dare-devil, and would take more +desperate chances than any other driver. He delighted in driving wild +teams on the darkest nights, over a mountain road, and had thus become +the hero of many a thrilling adventure. + +It happened on this day he was to drive a team of six pony express +horses, which had been only partially broken in as a stage team. As the +stock-tenders were hitching them up, Bob, who was standing by, said, +"I'll show them Englishmen that we 'blarsted heathens' do know something +about staging in this country." We all knew from Bob's looks that +something was up. + +It required several men to hitch up this frisky team, as a man had to +hold on to each one of the horses by the bits, while they were stringing +them out. The Englishmen came out from dinner, and were delighted to see +the horses prancing and pawing as if anxious to start. + +"Ha! my deah fellah, now we will 'ave a fine ride this hafternoon," said +one of them. + +"By Jove! those are the kind of 'orses they hought to 'ave on hall the +teams," remarked another. + +"Are you the lad who is going to drive to-day?" asked another of Bob. + +"Yes, gentlemen," answered Bob, "I'll show you how we stage it in +this country." + +Bob mounted the box, gathered the lines, and pulling the horses strongly +by the bits, he sang out to the Englishmen, "All aboard!" Bob's companion +on the box was Capt. Cricket; a little fellow who was the messenger of +the coach. After everybody was seated, Bob told the stock-tenders to +"turn 'em loose." + +We, who were standing around to see the stage start out, expected it +would go off at a lively rate. We were considerably surprised, therefore, +when, after the horses had made a few lively jumps, Bob put on the big +California brakes and brought them down to a walk. The road, for a +distance of four miles, gradually rose to the top of a hill, and all the +way up this ascent, Bob held the impatient team in check. + +"Blarst your heyes, driver, why don't you let them go?" exclaimed one of +the passengers, who had all along been expecting a very brisk ride. Every +once in a while they would ask him some such question, but he paid no +attention to them. At last he reached the top of the hill, and then he +suddenly flung three of the lines on the left side of the team, and the +other three on the right side. He then began "playing the silk to +them,"--that is to say, he began to lash them unmercifully. The team +started off like a streak of lightning, so to speak, without a single +rein being held by the driver. Bob cried out to the Englishmen, saying, +"Hold on, gentlemen, and I'll give you a lively ride, and show you how +to stage it in the Rocky Mountains." + +[Illustration: BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH RIDE.] + +His next movement was to pull the lamps out of the sockets and throw them +at the leaders. The glass broke upon their backs and nearly set them +wild, but being so accustomed to running the road, they never once left +the track, and went flying on down the grade towards the next station, +eight miles distant, the coach bouncing over the loose stones and small +obstacles, and surging from side to side, as an eggshell would in the +rapids of Niagara. Not satisfied with the break-neck rate at which they +were traveling, Bob pulled out his revolver and fired in rapid +succession, at the same time yelling in a demoniacal manner. + +By this time the Englishmen had become thoroughly frightened, as they saw +the lines flying wildly in every direction and the team running away. +They did not know whether to jump out or remain in the coach. Bob would +occasionally look down from his seat, and, seeing their frightened faces, +would ask, "Well, how do you like staging in this country now?" The +Englishmen stuck to the coach, probably thinking it would be better to do +so than to take the chances of breaking their necks by jumping. + +As the flying team was nearing the station, the stock tender saw that +they were running away and that the driver had no control over them +whatever. Being aware that the pony express horses were accustomed to +running right into the stable on arriving at the station, he threw open +the large folding doors, which would just allow the passage of the team +and coach into the stable. The horses, sure enough, made for the open +doorway. Capt. Cricket, the messenger, and Scott got down in the boot of +the coach to save themselves from colliding with the top of the stable +door. The coach would probably have passed through into the stable +without any serious damage had it not been for the bar or threshold that +was stretched across the ground to fasten the doors to. This bar was a +small log, and the front wheels struck it with such force that the coach +was thrown up high enough to strike the upper portion of the door frame. +The top of the coach was completely torn off, and one of the passenger's +arms was broken. This was the only serious injury that was done; though +it was a matter of surprise to all, that any of the travelers escaped. + +The coach was backed out, when the running gear was found to be as good +as ever. The top was soon patched up, a change of team was made, and Bob +Scott, mounting the box as if nothing had happened, took the reins in +hand, and shouted, "All aboard!" The Englishmen, however, had had enough +of Bob Scott, and not one of the party was willing to risk his life with +him again. They said that he was drunk, or crazy or both, and that they +would report him and have him discharged for what he had already done. + +Bob waited a few minutes to give them an opportunity to take their seats +in the coach, but they told him most emphatically that he could drive on +without them, as they intended to wait there for the next stage. Their +traps were taken off, and Bob drove away without a single passenger. He +made his usual time into Fort Laramie, which was the end of his run. The +Englishmen came through on the next day's coach, and proceeded on to +Atchison, where they reported Bob to the superintendent of the line, who, +however, paid little or no attention to the matter, as Bob remained on +the road. Such is the story of the liveliest and most reckless piece of +stage-driving that ever occurred on the Overland stage road. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. + + +Having been away from home nearly a year, and having occasionally heard +of my mother's poor health, I determined to make her a visit; so +procuring a pass over the road, I went to Leavenworth, arriving there +about June 1st, 1861, going from there home. The civil war had broken +out, and excitement ran high in that part of the country. My mother, of +course, was a strong Union woman, and had such great confidence in the +government that she believed the war would not last over six months. + +Leavenworth at that time was quite an important outfitting post for the +West and Southwest, and the fort there was garrisoned by a large number +of troops. While in the city one day I met several of the old, as well as +the young men, who had been members of the Free State party all through +the Kansas troubles, and who had, like our family, lost everything at the +hands of the Missourians. They now thought a good opportunity offered to +retaliate and get even with their persecutors, as they were all +considered to be secessionists. That they were all secessionists, +however, was not true, as all of them did not sympathize with the South. +But the Free State men, myself among them, took it for granted that as +Missouri was a slave state the inhabitants must all be secessionists, and +therefore our enemies. A man by the name of Chandler proposed that we +organize an independent company for the purpose of invading Missouri and +making war on its people on our own responsibility. He at once went about +it in a very quiet way, and succeeded in inducing twenty-five men to join +him in the hazardous enterprise. Having a longing and revengeful desire +to retaliate upon the Missourians for the brutal manner in which they had +treated and robbed my family, I became a member of Chandler's company. +His plan was that we should leave our homes in parties of not more than +two or three together, and meet at a certain point near Westport, +Missouri, on a fixed day. His instructions were carried out to the +letter, and we met at the rendezvous at the appointed time. Chandler had +been there some days before us, and, thoroughly disguised, had been +looking around the country for the whereabouts of all the best horses. He +directed us to secretly visit certain farms and collect all the horses +possible, and bring them together the next night. This we did, and upon +reassembling it was found that nearly every man had two horses. We +immediately struck out for the Kansas line, which we crossed at an Indian +ferry on the Kansas river, above Wyandotte, and as soon as we had set +foot upon Kansas soil we separated with the understanding; that we were +to meet one week from that day at Leavenworth. + +[Illustration: NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES.] + +Some of the parties boldly took their confiscated horses into +Leavenworth, while others rode them to their homes. This action may look +to the reader like horse-stealing, and some people might not hesitate to +call it by that name; but Chandler plausibly maintained that we were only +getting back our own, or the equivalent, from the Missourians, and as the +government was waging war against the South, it was perfectly square and +honest, and we had a good right to do it. So we didn't let our +consciences trouble us very much. + +We continued to make similar raids upon the Missourians off and on during +the summer, and occasionally we had running fights with them; none of the +skirmishes, however, amounting to much. + +The government officials hearing of our operations, put detectives upon +our track, and several of the party were arrested. My mother, upon +learning that I was engaged in this business, told me it was neither +honorable nor right, and she would not for a moment countenance any such +proceedings. Consequently I abandoned the jay-hawking enterprise, for +such it really was. + +About this time the government bought from Jones and Cartwright several +ox-trains, which were sent to Rolla, Missouri, all being put in charge of +my old and gallant friend, Wild Bill, who had just become the hero of the +day, on account of a terrible fight which he had had with a gang of +desperadoes and outlaws, who infested the border under the leadership of +the then notorious Jake McCandless. In this fight he had killed +McCandless and three of his men. + +The affair occurred while Wild Bill was riding the pony express in +western Kansas. + +The custom with the express riders, when within half a mile of a +station, was either to begin shouting or blowing a horn in order to +notify the stock tender of his approach, and to have a fresh horse +already saddled for him on his arrival, so that he could go right on +without a moment's delay. + +One day, as Wild Bill neared Rock Creek station, where he was to change +horses, he began shouting as usual at the proper distance; but the +stock-tender, who had been married only a short time and had his wife +living with him at the station, did not make his accustomed appearance. +Wild Bill galloped up and instead of finding the stock-tender ready for +him with a fresh horse, he discovered him lying across the stable door +with the blood oozing from a bullet-hole in his head. The man was dead, +and it was evident that he had been killed only a few moments before. + +In a second Wild Bill jumped from his horse, and looking in the direction +of the house he saw a man coming towards him. The approaching man fired +on him at once, but missed his aim. Quick as lightning Wild Bill pulled +his revolver and returned the fire. The stranger fell dead, shot through +the brain. + +"Bill, Bill! Help! Help! save me!" Such was the cry that Bill now heard. +It was the shrill and pitiful voice of the dead stock-tender's wife, and +it came from a window of the house. She had heard the exchange of shots, +and knew that Wild Bill had arrived. + +He dashed over the dead body of the villain whom he had killed, and just +as he sprang into the door of the house, he saw two powerful men +assaulting the woman. One of the desperadoes was in the act of striking +her with the butt end of a revolver, and while his arm was still raised, +Bill sent a ball crashing through his skull, killing him instantly. Two +other men now came rushing from an adjoining room, and Bill, seeing that +the odds were three to one against him, jumped into a corner, and then +firing, he killed another of the villains. Before he could shoot again +the remaining two men closed in upon him, one of whom had drawn a large +bowie knife. Bill wrenched the knife from his grasp and drove it through +the heart of the outlaw. + +[Illustration: WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS.] + +The fifth and last man now grabbed Bill by the throat, and held him at +arm's length, but it was only for a moment, as Bill raised his own +powerful right arm and struck his antagonist's left arm such a terrible +blow that he broke it. The disabled desperado, seeing that he was no +longer a match for Bill, jumped through the door, and mounting a horse he +succeeded in making his escape--being the sole survivor of the Jake +McCandless gang. + +Wild Bill remained at the station with the terrified woman until the +stage came along, and he then consigned her to the care of the driver. +Mounting his horse he at once galloped off, and soon disappeared in the +distance, making up for lost time. + +This was the exploit that was on everybody's tongue and in every +newspaper. It was one of the most remarkable and desperate hand to hand +encounters that has ever taken place on the border. + +I happened to meet Wild Bill at Leavenworth as he was about to depart for +Rolla; he wished me to take charge of the government trains as a sort of +assistant under him, and I gladly accepted the offer. Arriving at Rolla, +we loaded the trains with freight and took them to Springfield, Missouri. + +On our return to Rolla we heard a great deal of talk about the +approaching fall races at St. Louis, and Wild Bill having brought a fast +running horse from the mountains, determined to take him to that city and +match him against some of the high-flyers there; and down to St. Louis we +went with this running horse, placing our hopes very high on him. + +Wild Bill had no difficulty in making up a race for him. All the money +that he and I had we put up on the mountain runner, and as we thought we +had a sure thing, we also bet the horse against $250. I rode the horse +myself, but nevertheless, our sure thing, like many another sure thing, +proved a total failure, and we came out of that race minus the horse and +every dollar we had in the world. + +Before the race it had been "make or break" with us, and we got "broke." +We were "busted" in the largest city we had ever been in, and it is no +exaggeration to say that we felt mighty blue. + +On the morning after the race we went to the military headquarters, where +Bill succeeded in securing an engagement for himself as a government +scout, but I being so young failed in obtaining similar employment. Wild +Bill, however, raised some money, by borrowing it from a friend, and then +buying me a steamboat ticket he sent me back to Leavenworth, while he +went to Springfield, which place he made his headquarters while scouting +in southeastern Missouri. + +One night, after he had returned from a scouting expedition, he took a +hand in a game of poker, and in the course of the game he became involved +in a quarrel with Dave Tutt, a professional gambler, about a watch which +he had won from Tutt, who would not give it up. + +Bill told him he had won it fairly, and that he proposed to have it; +furthermore, he declared his intention of carrying the watch across the +street next morning to military headquarters, at which place he had to +report at nine o'clock. + +Tutt replied that he would himself carry the watch across the street at +nine o'clock, and no other man would do it. + +Bill then said to Tutt that if he attempted anything of the kind, he +would kill him. + +A challenge to a duel had virtually been given and accepted, and +everybody knew that the two men meant business. At nine o'clock the next +morning, Tutt started to cross the street. Wild Bill, who was standing on +the opposite side, told him to stop. At that moment Tutt, who was +carrying his revolver in his hand, fired at Bill but missed him. Bill +quickly pulled out his revolver and returned the fire, hitting Tutt +squarely in the forehead and killing him instantly. + +Quite a number of Tutt's friends were standing in the vicinity, having +assembled to witness the duel, and Bill, as soon as Tutt fell to the +ground, turned to them and asked if any one of them wanted to take it up +for Tutt; if so, he would accommodate any of them then and there. But +none of them cared to stand in front of Wild Bill to be shot at by him. + +Nothing of course was ever done to Bill for the killing of Tutt. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SOLDIER. + + +In the fall of 1861 I made a trip to Fort Larned, Kansas, carrying +military dispatches, and in the winter I accompanied George Long through +the country, and assisted him in buying horses for the government. + +The next spring, 1862, an expedition against the Indians was organized, +consisting of a volunteer regiment, the Ninth Kansas, under Colonel +Clark. This expedition, which I had joined in the capacity of guide and +scout, proceeded to the Kiowa and Comanche country, on the Arkansas +river, along which stream we scouted all summer between Fort Lyon and +Fort Larned, on the old Santa Fe trail. We had several engagements with +the Indians, but they were of no great importance. + +In the winter of 1862, I became one of the "Red Legged Scouts,"--a +company of scouts commanded by Captain Tuff. Among its members were some +of the most noted Kansas Rangers, such as Red Clark, the St. Clair +brothers, Jack Harvey, an old pony express-rider named Johnny Fry, and +many other well known frontiersmen. Our field of operations was confined +mostly to the Arkansas country and southwestern Missouri. We had many a +lively skirmish with the bushwhackers and Younger brothers, and when we +were not hunting them, we were generally employed in carrying dispatches +between Forts Dodge, Gibson, Leavenworth, and other posts. Whenever we +were in Leavenworth we had a very festive time. We usually attended all +the balls in full force, and "ran things" to suit ourselves. Thus I +passed the winter of 1862 and the spring of 1863. + +Subsequently I engaged to conduct a small train to Denver for some +merchants, and on reaching that place in September, I received a letter +stating that my mother was not expected to live. I hastened home, and +found her dangerously ill. She grew gradually worse, and at last, on the +22d of November, 1863, she died. Thus passed away a loving and +affectionate mother and a noble, brave, good and loyal woman. That I +loved her above all other persons, no one who has read these +reminiscences can for a moment doubt. + +Previous to this said event my sister Julia had been married to a +gentleman named J.A. Goodman, and they now came to reside at our +house and take charge of the children, as my mother had desired that +they should not be separated. Mr. Goodman became the guardian of the +minor children. + +I soon left the home now rendered gloomy by the absence of her whom I had +so tenderly loved, and going to Leavenworth I entered upon a dissolute +and reckless life--to my shame be it said--and associated with gamblers, +drunkards, and bad characters generally. I continued my dissipation about +two months, and was becoming a very "hard case." About this time the +Seventh Kansas regiment, known as "Jennison's Jay-hawkers," returned from +the war, and re-enlisted and re-organized as veterans. Among them I met +quite a number of my old comrades and neighbors, who tried to induce me +to enlist and go south with them. I had no idea of doing anything of the +kind; but one day, after having been under the influence of bad whisky, I +awoke to find myself a soldier in the Seventh Kansas. I did not remember +how or when I had enlisted, but I saw I was in for it, and that it would +not do for me to endeavor to back out. + +In the spring of 1864 the regiment was ordered to Tennessee, and we got +into Memphis just about the time that General Sturgis was so badly +whipped by General Forrest. General A. J. Smith re-organized the army to +operate against Forrest, and after marching to Tupalo, Mississippi, we +had an engagement with him and defeated him. This kind of fighting was +all new to me, being entirely different from any in which I had ever +before engaged. I soon became a non-commissioned officer, and was put on +detached service as a scout. + +After skirmishing around the country with the rest of the army for some +little time, our regiment returned to Memphis, but was immediately +ordered to Cape Girardeau, in Missouri, as a confederate force under +General Price was then raiding that state. The command of which my +regiment was a part hurried to the front to intercept Price, and our +first fight with him occurred at Pilot Knob. From that time for nearly +six weeks we fought or skirmished every day. + +I was still acting as a scout, when one day I rode ahead of the command, +some considerable distance, to pick up all possible information +concerning Price's movements. I was dressed in gray clothes, or Missouri +jeans, and on riding up to a farm-house and entering, I saw a man, also +dressed in gray costume, sitting at a table eating bread and milk. He +looked up as I entered, and startled me by saying: + +"You little rascal, what are you doing in those 'secesh' clothes?" Judge +of my surprise when I recognized in the stranger my old friend and +partner, Wild Bill, disguised as a Confederate officer. + +"I ask you the same question, sir," said I without the least hesitation. + +"Hush! sit down and have some bread and milk, and we'll talk it all over +afterwards," said he. + +I accepted the invitation and partook of the refreshments. Wild Bill +paid the woman of the house, and we went out to the gate where my horse +was standing. + +"Billy, my boy," said he, "I am mighty glad to see you. I haven't seen or +heard of you since we got busted on that St. Louis' horse-race." + +"What are you doing out here?" I asked. + +"I am a scout under General McNiel. For the last few days I have been +with General Marmaduke's division of Price's army, in disguise as a +southern officer from Texas, as you see me now," said he. + +"That's exactly the kind of business that I am out on to-day," said I; +"and I want to get some information concerning Price's movements." + +"I'll give you all that I have;" and he then went on and told me all that +he knew regarding Price's intentions, and the number and condition of his +men. He then asked about my mother, and when he learned that she was dead +he was greatly surprised and grieved; he thought a great deal of her, for +she had treated him almost as one of her own children. He finally took +out a package, which he had concealed about his person, and handing it to +me he said: + +"Here are some letters which I want you to give to General McNiel." + +"All right," said I as I took them, "but where will I meet you again?" + +"Never mind that," he replied; "I am getting so much valuable information +that I propose to stay a little while longer in this disguise." Thereupon +we shook hands and parted. + +It is not necessary to say much concerning Price's raid in general, as +that event is a matter of recorded history. I am only relating the +incidents in which I was personally interested either as one of the +actors or as an observer. + +Another interesting and I may say exciting episode happened to me a day +or two after my unexpected meeting with Wild Bill. I was riding with the +advance guard of our army, and wishing a drink of water, I stopped at a +farmhouse. There were no men about the premises, and no one excepting a +very fine and intellectual looking lady and her two daughters. They +seemed to be almost frightened to death at seeing me--a "yank"--appear +before them. I quieted their fears somewhat, and the mother then asked me +how far back the army was. When I told her it would be along shortly, she +expressed her fears that they would take everything on the premises. They +set me out a lunch and treated me rather kindly, so that I really began +to sympathize with them; for I knew that the soldiers would ransack their +house and confiscate everything they could lay their hands on. At last I +resolved to do what I could to protect them. After the generals and the +staff officers had passed by, I took it upon myself to be a sentry over +the house. When the command came along some of the men rushed up with the +intention of entering the place and carrying off all the desirable +plunder possible, and then tearing and breaking everything to pieces, as +they usually did along the line of march. + +"Halt!" I shouted; "I have been placed here by the commanding officer as +a guard over this house, and no man must enter it." + +This stopped the first squad; and seeing that my plan was a success, I +remained at my post during the passage of the entire command and kept out +all intruders. + +It seemed as if the ladies could not thank me sufficiently for the +protection I had afforded them. They were perfectly aware of the fact +that I had acted without orders and entirely on my own responsibility, +and therefore they felt the more grateful. They urgently invited me to +remain a little while longer and partake of an excellent dinner which +they said they were preparing for me. I was pretty hungry about that +time, as our rations had been rather slim of late, and a good dinner was +a temptation I could not withstand, especially as it was to be served up +by such elegant ladies. While I was eating the meal, I was most agreeably +entertained by the young ladies, and before I had finished it the last of +the rear-guard must have been at least two miles from the house. + +Suddenly three men entered the room, and I looked up and saw three +double-barreled shot-guns leveled straight at me. Before I could speak, +however, the mother and her daughters sprang between the men and me. + +"Father! Boys! Lower your guns! You must not shoot this man," and similar +exclamations, were the cry of all three. + +The guns were lowered, and then the men, who were the father and +brothers of the young ladies, were informed of what I had done for them. +It appeared that they had been concealed in the woods near by while the +army was passing, and on coming into the house and finding a Yankee +there, they determined to shoot him. Upon learning the facts, the old man +extended his hand to me, saying: + +"I would not harm a hair of your head for the world; but it is best that +you stay here no longer, as your command is some distance from here now, +and you might be cut off by bushwhackers before reaching it." + +Bidding them all good-bye, and with many thanks from the mother and +daughters, I mounted my horse and soon overtook the column, happy in the +thought that I had done a good deed, and with no regrets that I had saved +from pillage and destruction the home and property of a confederate and +his family. + +Our command kept crowding against Price and his army until they were +pushed into the vicinity of Kansas City, where their further advance was +checked by United States troops from Kansas; and then was begun their +memorable and extraordinary retreat back into Kansas. + +While both armies were drawn up in skirmish line near Fort Scott, Kansas, +two men on horseback were seen rapidly leaving the Confederate lines, and +suddenly they made a dash towards us. Instantly quick volleys were +discharged from the Confederates, who also began a pursuit, and some five +hundred shots were fired at the flying men. It was evident that they were +trying to reach our lines, but when within about a quarter of a mile of +us, one of them fell from his horse to rise no more. He had been fatally +shot. His companion galloped on unhurt, and seven companies of our +regiment charged out and met him, and checked his pursuers. The fugitive +was dressed in Confederate uniform, and as he rode into our lines I +recognized him as Wild Bill, the Union scout. He immediately sought +Generals Pleasanton and McNiel, with whom he held a consultation. He told +them that although Price made a bold showing on the front, by bringing +all his men into view, yet he was really a great deal weaker than the +appearance of his lines would indicate; and that he was then trying to +cross a difficult stream four miles from Fort Scott. + +It was late in the afternoon, but General Pleasanton immediately ordered +an advance, and we charged in full force upon the rear of Price's army, +and drove it before us for two hours. + +If Wild Bill could have made his successful dash into our lines earlier +in the day, the attack would have been made sooner, and greater results +might have been expected. The Confederates had suspected him of being a +spy for two or three days, and had watched him too closely to allow an +opportunity to get away from them sooner. His unfortunate companion who +had been shot, was a scout from Springfield, Missouri, whose name I +cannot now remember. + +From this time on, Wild Bill and myself continued to scout together until +Price's army was driven south of the Arkansas River and the pursuit +abandoned. We then returned to Springfield, Missouri, for a rest and for +supplies, and Wild Bill and myself spent two weeks there in "having a +jolly good time," as some people would express it. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A WEDDING. + + +It was during the winter of 1864-65, while I was on detached service at +military headquarters, at St. Louis, that I became acquainted with a +young lady named Louisa Frederici, whom I greatly admired and in whose +charming society I spent many a pleasant hour. The war closing in +1865, I was discharged, and after a brief visit at Leavenworth I +returned to St. Louis, having made up my mind to capture the heart of +Miss Frederici, whom I now adored above any other young lady I had ever +seen. Her lovely face, her gentle disposition and her graceful manners +won my admiration and love; and I was not slow in declaring my +sentiments to her. The result was that I obtained her consent to marry +me in the near future, and when I bade her good-bye I considered myself +one of the happiest of men. + +Meantime I drove a string of horses from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney, +where I met my old friend Bill Trotter, who was then division stage +agent. He employed me at once to drive stage between Kearney and Plum +Creek, the road running near the spot where I had my first Indian fight +with the McCarthy brothers, and where I killed my first Indian, nearly +nine years before. I drove stage over this route until February, 1866, +and while bounding over the cold, dreary road day after day, my thoughts +turned continually towards my promised bride, until I at last determined +to abandon staging forever, and marry and settle down. Immediately after +coming to this conclusion, I went to St. Louis, where I was most +cordially received by my sweetheart; it was arranged between us that our +wedding should take place on the 6th day of March, following. + +At last the day arrived, and the wedding ceremony was performed at the +residence of the bride's parents, in the presence of a large number of +invited friends, whose hearty congratulations we received. I was +certainly to be congratulated, for I had become possessed of a lovely +and noble woman, and as I gazed upon her as she stood beside me arrayed +in her wedding costume, I indeed felt proud of her; and from that time +to this I have always thought that I made a most fortunate choice for a +life partner. + +An hour after the ceremony we--my bride and myself--were on board of a +Missouri river steamboat, bound for our new home in Kansas. My wife's +parents had accompanied us to the boat, and had bidden us a fond farewell +and a God-speed on our journey. + +During the trip up the river several very amusing, yet awkward +incidents occurred, some of which I cannot resist relating. There +happened to be on board the boat an excursion party from Lexington, +Missouri, and those comprising it seemed to shun me, for some reason +which I could not then account for. They would point at me, and quietly +talk among themselves, and eye me very closely. Their actions seemed +very strange to me. After the boat had proceeded some little distance, +I made the acquaintance of several families from Indiana, who were _en +route_ to Kansas. A gentleman, who seemed to be the leader of these +colonists, said to me, "The people of this excursion party don't seem +to have any great love for you." + +"What does it mean?" I asked; "What are they saying? It's all a +mystery to me." + +"They say that you are one of the Kansas jay-hawkers, and one of +Jennison's house burners," replied the gentleman. + +"I am from Kansas--that's true; and was a soldier and a scout in the +Union army," said I; "and I was in Kansas during the border ruffian war +of 1856. Perhaps these people know who I am, and that explains their +hard looks." I had a lengthy conversation with this gentleman--for such +he seemed to be--and entertained him with several chapters of the +history of the early Kansas troubles, and told him the experiences of +my own family. + +In the evening the Lexington folks got up a dance, but neither the +Indiana people, my wife or myself were invited to join them. My +new-found friend thereupon came to me and said: "Mr. Cody, let us have a +dance of our own." + +"Very well," was my reply. + +"We have some musicians along with us, so we can have plenty of music," +remarked the gentleman. + +"Good enough!" said I, "and I will hire the negro barber to play the +violin for us. He is a good fiddler, as I heard him playing only a +little while ago." The result was that we soon organized a good string +band and had a splendid dance, keeping it up as long as the Lexington +party did theirs. + +The second day out from St. Louis, the boat stopped to wood up, at a +wild-looking landing. Suddenly twenty horsemen were seen galloping up +through the timber, and as they came nearer the boat they fired on the +negro deckhands, against whom they seemed to have a special grudge, and +who were engaged in throwing wood on board. The negroes all quickly +jumped on the boat and pulled in the gang plank, and the captain had only +just time to get the steamer out into the stream before the +bushwhackers--for such they proved to be--appeared on the bank. + +"Where is the black abolition jay-hawker?" shouted the leader. + +"Show him to us, and we'll shoot him," yelled another. + +But as the boat had got well out in the river by this time, they could +not board us, and the captain ordering a full head of steam, pulled out +and left them. + +I afterwards ascertained that some of the Missourians, who were with the +excursion party, were bushwhackers themselves, and had telegraphed to +their friends from some previous landing that I was on board, telling +them to come to the landing which we had just left, and take me off. Had +the villains captured me they would have undoubtedly put an end to my +career, and the public would never have had the pleasure of being bored +by this autobiography. + +I noticed that my wife felt grieved over the manner in which these +people had treated me. Just married, she was going into a new country, +and seeing how her husband was regarded, how he had been shunned, and +how his life had been threatened, I was afraid she might come to the +conclusion too soon that she had wedded a "hard customer." So when the +boat landed at Kansas City I telegraphed to some of my friends in +Leavenworth that I would arrive there in the evening. My object was to +have my acquaintances give me a reception, so that my wife could see +that I really did have some friends, and was not so bad a man as the +bushwhackers tried to make out. + +Just as I expected, when the boat reached Leavenworth, I found a general +round-up of friends at the landing to receive us. There were about sixty +gentlemen and ladies. They had a band of music with them, and we were +given a fine serenade. Taking carriages, we all drove to South +Leavenworth to the home of my sister Eliza, who had married George Myers, +and there we were given a very handsome reception. All this cheered up my +wife, who concluded that I was not a desperado after all. + +Having promised my wife that I would abandon the plains, I rented a hotel +in Salt Creek Valley--the same house by the way, which my mother had +formerly kept, but which was then owned by Dr. J.J. Crook, late surgeon +of the 7th Kansas. This hotel I called the Golden Rule House, and I kept +it until the next September. People generally said I made a good +landlord, and knew how to run a hotel--a business qualification which, it +is said, is possessed by comparatively few men. But it proved too tame +employment for me, and again I sighed for the freedom of the plains. +Believing that I could make more money out West on the frontier than I +could at Salt Creek Valley, I sold out the Golden Rule House, and started +alone for Saline, Kansas, which was then the end of the track of the +Kansas Pacific railway, which was at that time being built across the +plains. On my way I stopped at Junction City, where I again met my old +friend Wild Bill, who was scouting for the government; his headquarters +being at Fort Ellsworth, afterwards called Fort Harker. He told me that +they needed more scouts at this post, and I accordingly accompanied him +to that fort, where I had no difficulty in obtaining employment. + +During the winter of 1866-67, I scouted between Fort Ellsworth and Fort +Fletcher. In the spring of 1867 I was at Fort Fletcher, when General +Custer came out to go on an Indian expedition with General Hancock. I +remained at this post until it was drowned out by the heavy floods of Big +Creek, on which it was located; the water rose about the fortifications +and rendered the place unfit for occupancy; so the government abandoned +the fort, and moved the troops and supplies to a new post--which had been +named Fort Hays--located further west, on the south fork of Big Creek. It +was while scouting in the vicinity of Fort Hays that I had my first ride +with the dashing and gallant Custer, who had come up to the post from +Fort Ellsworth with an escort of only ten men. He wanted a guide to pilot +him to Fort Larned, a distance of sixty-five miles across the country. + +I was ordered by the commanding officer to guide General Custer to his +desired destination, and I soon received word from the General that he +would start out in the morning with the intention of making the trip in +one day. Early in the morning, after a good night's rest, I was on hand, +mounted on my large mouse-colored mule--an animal of great endurance--and +ready for the journey; when the General saw me, he said: + +"Cody, I want to travel fast and go through as quickly as possible, and I +don't think that mule of yours is fast enough to suit me." + +"General, never mind the mule," said I, "he'll get there as soon as your +horses. That mule is a good one," as I knew that the animal was better +than most horses. + +"Very well; go ahead, then," said he, though he looked as if he thought I +would delay the party on the road. + +For the first fifteen miles, until we came to the Smoky Hill River, +which we were to cross, I could hardly keep the mule in advance of the +General, who rode a frisky, impatient and ambitious thoroughbred steed; +in fact, the whole party was finely mounted. The General repeatedly told +me that the mule was "no good," and that I ought to have had a good +horse. But after crossing the river and striking the sand-hills, I began +letting my mule out a little, and putting the "persuaders" to him. He +was soon out-traveling the horses, and by the time we had made about +half the distance to Fort Larned, I occasionally had to wait for the +General or some of his party, as their horses were beginning to show +signs of fatigue. + +"General, how about this mule, anyhow?" I asked, at last. + +"Cody, you have a better vehicle than I thought you had," was his reply. + +From that time on to Fort Larned I had no trouble in keeping ahead of the +party. We rode into the fort at four o'clock in the afternoon with about +half the escort only, the rest having lagged far behind. + +General Custer thanked me for having brought him straight across the +country without any trail, and said that if I were not engaged as post +scout at Fort Hays he would like to have me accompany him as one of his +scouts during the summer; and he added that whenever I was out of +employment, if I would come to him he would find something for me to do. +This was the beginning of my acquaintance with General Custer, whom I +always admired as a man and as an officer. + +[Illustration: GENERAL CUSTER] + +A few days after my return to Fort Hays, the Indians made a raid on the +Kansas Pacific Railroad, killing five or six men and running off about +one hundred horses and mules. The news was brought to the commanding +officer, who immediately ordered Major Arms, of the Tenth Cavalry--which, +by the way, was a negro regiment,--with his company and one mountain +howitzer, to go in pursuit of the red-skins, and I was sent along with +the expedition as scout and guide. On the second day out we suddenly +discovered, on the opposite side of the Saline River, about a mile +distant, a large body of Indians, who were charging down upon us. Major +Arms, placing the cannon on a little knoll, limbered it up and left +twenty men to guard it; and then, with the rest of the command, he +crossed the river to meet the Indians. + +Just as he had got the men over the stream, we heard a terrific yelling +and shouting in our rear, and looking back to the knoll where the cannon +had been stationed, we saw the negroes, who had been left there to guard +the gun, flying towards us, being pursued by about one hundred Indians; +while another large party of the latter were dancing around the captured +cannon, as if they had got hold of an elephant and did not know what to +do with it. + +Major Arms turned his command back and drove the Indians from the gun. +The troops then dismounted and took position there. Quite a severe fight +ensued, lasting about two hours. Five or six of the soldiers, as well as +Major Arms, were wounded, and several of the horses were shot. The +Indians seemed to grow thicker and thicker, as if receiving +reinforcements from some large party. The colored troops, who had been +bragging all the way that if they could only see some Indians "dey would +blow 'em off de farm,"--which was a favorite expression of theirs,--were +now singing a different tune. Every time the Indians would make a charge +at us, the darkeys would cry out: + +"Heah dey cum;" "Dey must be ten thousand ob 'em;" "De whole country is +alive wid 'em;" "Massa Bill, does you tink we is eber agoin' to get out +o' heah?" and many other similar expressions. + +Major Arms, who was wounded and lying under the cannon--which, by the +way, had become useless,--called me up and asked if I thought there was +any show of getting back to the fort. I replied that there was. + +Orders were accordingly given by Major Arms for a retreat, the cannon +being left behind. During the movement several of our men were killed, +but as night came and dense darkness prevailed, we succeeded in making +good headway, and got into Fort Hays just at daylight next morning, in a +very played-out condition. + +During our absence the cholera had broken out at the post, and five or +six men were dying daily. It was difficult to tell which was the greater +danger--fighting Indians on the prairie, or facing the cholera in camp; +but the former was decidedly the more inviting. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A MILLIONAIRE. + + +Soon after returning to Fort Hays, I was sent with dispatches to Fort +Harker. After delivering the messages, I visited the town of Ellsworth, +about three miles west of Fort Harker, and there I met a man named +William Rose, a contractor on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, who had a +contract for grading near Fort Hays. He had had his stock stolen by the +Indians, and had come to Ellsworth to buy more. + +During the course of our conversation, Mr. Rose incidentally remarked +that he had some idea of laying out a town on the west side of Big Creek, +about one mile from the fort, where the railroad was to cross. He asked +my opinion of the contemplated enterprise, and I told him that I thought +it was "a big thing." He then proposed taking me as a partner in the +scheme, and suggested that after we got the town laid out and thrown open +to the public, we should establish a store and saloon there. + +Thinking it would be a grand thing to be half-owner of a town, I at once +accepted his proposition. We bought a stock of such articles as are +usually found in a frontier store, and transported them to the place on +Big Creek, where we were to found our town. We hired a railroad engineer +to survey the site and stake it off into lots; and we gave the new town +the ancient and historical name of Rome. To a "starter," we donated lots +to any one who would build on them, but reserved the corner lots and +others which were best located for ourselves. These reserved lots we +valued at fifty dollars each. + +Our modern Rome, like all mushroom towns along the line of a new +railroad, sprang up as if by magic, and in less than one month we had two +hundred frame and log houses, three or four stores, several saloons, and +one good hotel. Rome was looming up, and Rose and I already considered +ourselves millionaires, and thought we "had the world by the tail." But +one day a fine-looking gentleman, calling himself Dr. W.E. Webb, appeared +in town, and dropping into our store introduced himself in a very +pleasant way. + +"Gentlemen, you've got a very flourishing little town here. Wouldn't you +like to have a partner in your enterprise?" + +"No, thank you," said I, "we have too good a thing here to whack up +with anybody." + +My partner agreed with me, but the conversation was continued, and at +last the stranger said: + +"Gentlemen, I am the agent or prospector of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, +and my business is to locate towns for the company along the line." + +"We think we have the only suitable town-site in this immediate +locality," said Mr. Rose, "and as a town is already started, we have +saved the company considerable expense." + +"You know as well as I do," said Dr. Webb, "that the company expects to +make money by selling lands and town lots; and as you are not disposed to +give the company a show, or share with me, I shall probably have to start +another town near you. Competition is the life of trade, you know." + +"Start your town, if you want to. We've got the 'bulge' on you, and can +hold it," said I, somewhat provoked at his threat. + +But we acted too independently and too indiscreetly for our own good Dr. +Webb, the very next day after his interview with us, began hauling +material to a spot about one mile east of us, where he staked out a new +town, which he called Hays City. He took great pains to circulate in our +town the story that the railroad company would locate their round-houses +and machine shops at Hays City, and that it was to be _the_ town and a +splendid business center. A ruinous stampede from our place was the +result. People who had built in Rome came to the conclusion that they had +built in the wrong place; they began pulling down their buildings and +moving them over to Hays City, and in less than three days our once +flourishing city had dwindled down to the little store which Rose and I +had built. + +It was on a bright summer morning that we sat on a pine box in front of +our crib, moodily viewing the demolition of the last building. Three days +before, we had considered ourselves millionaires; on that morning we +looked around and saw that we were reduced to the ragged edge of poverty. +Our sanguine expectations of realizing immense fortunes were dashed to +the ground, and we felt pretty blue. The new town of Hays had swallowed +Rome entirely. Mr. Rose facetiously remarked that he felt like "the last +rose of summer," with all his lovely companions faded and gone, and _he_ +left blooming alone. I told him I was still there, staunch and true, but +he replied that that didn't help the matter much. Thus ends the brief +history of the "Rise, Decline and Fall" of Modern Rome. + +It having become evident to me that there was very little hope of Rome +ever regaining its former splendor and prosperity, I sent my wife and +daughter Arta--who had been born at Leavenworth in the latter part of +December, 1866--to St. Louis on a visit. They had been living with me +for some little time in the rear part of our "store." + +At this time Mr. Rose and myself had a contract under Schumacher, Miller +& Co., constructors of the Kansas Pacific, for grading five miles of +track westward from Big Creek, and running through the site of Rome. +Notwithstanding we had been deserted, we had some small hope that they +would not be able to get water at the new town, and that the people would +all soon move back to Rome, as we really had the best location. We +determined, therefore, to go on with our grading contract, and wait for +something better to turn up. It was indeed hard for us, who had been +millionaires, to come down to the level of common railroad contractors-- +but we had to do it, all the same. + +We visited the new town of Hays almost daily, to see how it was +progressing, and in a short time we became much better acquainted with +Dr. Webb, who had reduced us from our late independent to our present +dependent position. We found him a perfect gentleman--a whole-souled, +genial-hearted fellow, whom everybody liked and respected. Nearly +every day, "Doc." and I would take a ride over the prairie together +and hunt buffalo. + +On one occasion, having ventured about ten miles from the town, we spied +a band of Indians not over two miles distant, who were endeavoring to get +between us and the town, and thus cut us off. I was mounted on my +celebrated horse Brigham, the fleetest steed I ever owned. On several +subsequent occasions he saved my life, and he was the horse that I rode +when I killed sixty-nine buffaloes in one day. Dr. Webb was riding a +beautiful thoroughbred bay, which he had brought with him from the East. +Having such splendid horses, we laughed at the idea of a band of Indians +overtaking us on a square run, no matter how well they might be mounted; +but not caring to be cut off by them, we ran our steeds about three +miles towards home, thus getting between the braves and the town. The +Indians were then about three-quarters of a mile distant, and we stopped +and waved our hats at them, and fired some shots at long range. There +were thirteen in the party, and as they were getting pretty close to us, +we struck out for Hays. They came on in pursuit and sent several +scattering shots after us, but we easily left them behind. They finally +turned and rode off towards the Saline River. + +The Doctor thought this glorious sport, and wanted to organize a party to +go in pursuit of them, but I induced him to give up this idea, although +he did so rather reluctantly. The Doctor soon became quite an expert +hunter, and before he had remained on the prairie a year there were but +few men in the country who could kill more buffaloes on a hunt than he. + +Being aware that Rose and myself felt rather downhearted over our +deserted village, the Doctor one day said that, as he had made the +proprietors of Rome "howl," he would give us two lots each in Hays, and +did so. We finally came to the conclusion that our old town was dead +beyond redemption or revival, and we thereupon devoted our undivided +attention to our railroad contract. One day we were pushed for horses to +work on our scrapers--so I hitched up Brigham, to see how he would work. +He was not much used to that kind of labor, and I was about giving up the +idea of making a work-horse of him, when one of the men called to me that +there were some buffaloes coming over the hill. As there had been no +buffaloes seen anywhere in the vicinity of the camp for several days, we +had become rather short of meat. I immediately told one of our men to +hitch his horses to a wagon and follow me, as I was going out after the +herd, and we would bring back some fresh meat for supper. I had no +saddle, as mine had been left at the camp a mile distant, so taking the +harness from Brigham, I mounted him bareback and started out after the +game, being armed with my celebrated buffalo-killer, "Lucretia +Borgia,"--a newly-improved breech-loading needle gun, which I had +obtained from the government. + +While I was riding toward the buffaloes I observed five horsemen coming +out from the fort, who had evidently seen the buffaloes from the post, +and were going out for a chase. They proved to be some newly-arrived +officers in that part of the country, and when they came up closer, I +could see by the shoulder straps that the senior officer was a captain, +while the others were lieutenants. + +"Hello! may friend," sang out the captain, "I see you are after the same +game we are." + +"Yes, sir; I saw those buffaloes coming over the hill, and as we were +about out of fresh meat I thought I would go and get some," said I. + +They scanned my cheap-looking outfit pretty closely, and as my horse was +not very prepossessing in appearance, having on only a blind bridle, and +otherwise looking like a work-horse they evidently considered me a green +hand at hunting. + +"Do you expect to catch those buffaloes on that Gothic steed?" laughingly +asked the captain. + +"I hope so, by pushing on the reins hard enough," was my reply. + +"You'll never catch them in the world, my fine fellow," said the captain. +"It requires a fast horse to overtake the animals on these prairies." + +"Does it?" asked I as if I didn't know it. + +"Yes; but come along with us as we are going to kill them more for +pleasure than anything else. All we want are the tongues and a piece of +tender loin, and you may have all that is left," said the generous man. + +"I am much obliged to you, Captain, and will follow you," I replied. +There were eleven buffaloes in the herd and they were not more than a +mile from us. The officers dashed ahead as if they had a sure thing on +killing them all before I could come up with them; but I had noticed that +the herd was making towards the creek for water, and as I knew buffalo +nature, I was perfectly aware that it would be difficult to turn them +from their direct course. Thereupon, I started towards the creek to head +them off, while the officers came up in the rear and gave chase. + +The buffaloes came rushing past me not a hundred yards distant, with the +officers about three hundred yards in the rear. Now, thought I, is the +time to "get my work in," as they say; and I pulled the blind-bridle from +my horse, who knew as well as I did that we were out for buffaloes--as he +was a trained hunter. The moment the bridle was off, he started at the +top of his speed, running in ahead of the officers, and with a few jumps +he brought me alongside of the rear buffalo. Raising old "Lucretia +Borgia" to my shoulder, I fired, and killed the animal at the first shot. +My horse then carried me alongside the next one, not ten feet away, and I +dropped him at the next fire. + +As soon as one buffalo would fall, Brigham would take me so close to the +next, that I could almost touch it with my gun. In this manner I killed +the eleven buffaloes with twelve shots; and, as the last animal dropped, +my horse stopped. I jumped to the ground, knowing that he would not leave +me--it must be remembered that I had been riding him without bridle, +reins or saddle--and turning round as the party of astonished officers +rode up, I said to them: + +"Now, gentlemen, allow me to present to you all the tongues and +tender-loins you wish from these buffaloes." + +[Illustration: TONGUES AND TENDER LOINS.] + +Captain Graham, for such I soon learned was his name, replied: "Well, I +never saw the like before. Who under the sun are you, anyhow?" + +"My name is Cody," said I. + +One of the lieutenants, Thompson by name, who had met me at Fort Harker, +then recognized me, and said: "Why, that is Bill Cody, our old scout." He +then introduced me to the other officers, who were Captain Graham, of the +Tenth Cavalry, and Lieutenants Reed, Emmick and Ezekiel. + +Captain Graham, who was considerable of a horseman, greatly admired +Brigham, and said: "That horse of yours has running points." + +"Yes, sir; he has not only got the points, he is a runner and knows how +to use the points," said I. + +"So I noticed," said the captain. + +They all finally dismounted, and we continued chatting for some little +time upon the different subjects of horses, buffaloes, Indians and +hunting. They felt a little sore at not getting a single shot at the +buffaloes, but the way I had killed them had, they said, amply repaid +them for their disappointment. They had read of such feats in books, but +this was the first time they had ever seen anything of the kind with +their own eyes. It was the first time, also, that they had ever witnessed +or heard of a white man running buffaloes on horseback without a saddle +or a bridle. + +I told them that Brigham knew nearly as much about the business as I did, +and if I had had twenty bridles they would have been of no use to me, as +he understood everything, and all that he expected of me was to do the +shooting. It is a fact, that Brigham would stop if a buffalo did not fall +at the first fire, so as to give me a second chance, but if I did not +kill the buffalo then, he would go on, as if to say, "You are no good, +and I will not fool away time by giving you more than two shots." Brigham +was the best horse I ever owned or saw for buffalo chasing. + +Our conversation was interrupted in a little while by the arrival of the +wagon which I had ordered out; I loaded the hind-quarters of the youngest +buffaloes on it, and then cut out the tongues and tender loins, and +presented them to the officers, after which I rode towards the fort with +them, while the wagon returned to camp. + +Captain Graham told me that he expected to be stationed at Fort Hays +during the summer, and would probably be sent out on a scouting +expedition, and in case he was he would like to have me accompany him as +scout and guide. I replied that notwithstanding I was very busy with my +railroad contract I would go with him if he was ordered out. I then left +the officers and returned to our camp. + +That very night the Indians unexpectedly made a raid on the horses, and +ran off five or six of our very best work-teams, leaving us in a very +crippled condition. At daylight I jumped on old Brigham and rode to Fort +Hays, when I reported the affair to the commanding officer; Captain +Graham and Lieutenant Emmick were at once ordered out with their company +of one hundred colored troops, to pursue the Indians and recover our +stock if possible. In an hour we were under way. The darkies had never +been in an Indian fight and were anxious to catch the band we were after +and "Sweep de red debels from off de face ob de earth." Captain Graham +was a brave, dashing officer, eager to make a record for himself, and it +was with difficulty that I could trail fast enough to keep out of the way +of the impatient soldiers. Every few moments Captain Graham would ride up +to see if the trail was freshening and how soon we should be likely to +overtake the thieves. + +At last we reached the Saline river, where we found the Indians had only +stopped to feed and water the animals, and had then pushed on towards the +Solomon. After crossing the Saline they made no effort to conceal their +trail, thinking they would not be pursued beyond that point--consequently +we were able to make excellent time. We reached the Soloman before +sunset, and came to a halt; we surmised that if the Indians were camped +on this river, that they had no suspicion of our being in the +neighborhood. I advised Captain Graham to remain with the company where +it was, while I went ahead on a scout to find the Indians, if they were +in the vicinity. + +After riding some distance down the ravine that led to the river, I left +my horse at the foot of a hill; then, creeping to the top, I looked +cautiously over the summit upon the Solomon, below. I at once discovered +in plain view, not a mile away, a herd of horses grazing, our lost ones +among them; very shortly I made out the Indian camp, noted its lay, and +how we could best approach it. Reporting to Captain Graham, whose eyes +fairly danced with delight at the prospect of surprising and whipping +the redskins, we concluded to wait until the moon rose, then get into +the timber so as to approach the Indians as closely as possible without +being discovered, and finally to make a sudden dash into their camp, and +clean them out. We had everything "cut and dried," as we thought, but, +alas! just as we were nearing the point where we were to take the open +ground and make our charge, one of the colored gentlemen became so +excited that he fired off his gun. We immediately commenced the charge, +but the firing of the gun and the noise of our rush through the +crackling timber alarmed the Indians, who at once sprang to their +horses and were away from us before we reached their late camp. Captain +Graham called out "Follow me boys!" which we did for awhile, but in the +darkness the Indians made good their escape. The bugle then gave the +re-call, but some of the darkies did not get back until morning, having, +in their fright, allowed their horses to run away with them whithersoever +it suited the animal's pleasure to go. + +[Illustration: THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES.] + +We followed the trail the next day for awhile, but as it become evident +that it would be a long chase to overtake the enemy, and as we had +rations only for the day, we commenced the return. Captain Graham was +bitterly disappointed in not being able to get the fight when it seemed +so near at one time. He roundly cursed the "nigger" who fired the gun, +and as a punishment for his carelessness, he was compelled to walk all +the way back to Fort Hays. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +EARNING A TITLE. + + +It was about this time that the end of the Kansas Pacific track was in +the heart of the buffalo country, and the company was employing about +twelve hundred men in the construction of the road. As the Indians were +very troublesome, it was difficult to obtain fresh meat for the workmen, +and the company therefore concluded to engage the services of hunters to +kill buffaloes. Having heard of my experience and success as a buffalo +hunter, Messrs. Goddard Brothers, who had the contract for boarding the +employees of the road, met me in Hays City one day and made me a good +offer to become their hunter, and I at once entered into a contract with +them. They said that they would require about twelve buffaloes per day; +that would be twenty-four hams, as we took only the hind-quarters and +hump of each buffalo. As this was to be dangerous work, on account of the +Indians, who were riding all over that section of the country, and as I +would be obliged to go from five to ten miles from the road each day to +hunt the buffaloes, accompanied by only one man with a light wagon for +the transportation of the meat, I of course demanded a large salary. They +could afford to remunerate me well, because the meat would not cost them +anything. They agreed to give me five hundred dollars per month, provided +I furnished them all the fresh meat required. + +Leaving my partner, Rose, to complete our grading contract, I immediately +began my career as a buffalo hunter for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and +it was not long before I acquired considerable notoriety. It was at this +time that the very appropriate name of "Buffalo Bill," was conferred upon +me by the road-hands. It has stuck to me ever since, and I have never +been ashamed of it. + +During my engagement as hunter for the company--a period of less than +eighteen mouths--I killed 4,280 buffaloes; and I had many exciting +adventures with the Indians, as well as hair-breadth escapes, some of +which are well worth relating. + +One day in the spring of 1868, I mounted Brigham and started for Smoky +Hill River. After galloping about twenty miles I reached the top of a +small hill overlooking the valley of that beautiful stream. + +As I was gazing on the landscape, I suddenly saw a band of about thirty +Indians nearly half a mile distant; I knew by the way they jumped on +their horses that they had seen me as soon as I came into sight. + +The only chance I had for my life was to make a run for it, and I +immediately wheeled and started back towards the railroad. Brigham seemed +to understand what was up, and he struck out as if he comprehended that +it was to be a run for life. He crossed a ravine in a few jumps, and on +reaching a ridge beyond, I drew rein, looked back and saw the Indians +coming for me at full speed and evidently well-mounted. I would have had +little or no fear of being overtaken if Brigham had been fresh; but as he +was not, I felt uncertain as to how he would stand a long chase. + +[Illustration: BUFFALO BILL.] + +My pursuers seemed to be gaining on me a little, and I let Brigham shoot +ahead again; when we had run about three miles farther, some eight or +nine of the Indians were not over two hundred yards behind, and five or +six of these seemed to be shortening the gap at every jump. Brigham now +exerted himself more than ever, and for the next three or four miles he +got "right down to business," and did some of the prettiest running I +ever saw. But the Indians were about as well-mounted as I was, and one of +their horses in particular--a spotted animal--was gaining on me all the +time. Nearly all the other horses were strung out behind for a distance +of two miles, but still chasing after me. + +[Illustration: DOWN WENT HIS HORSE.] + +The Indian who was riding the spotted horse was armed with a rifle, and +would occasionally send a bullet whistling along, sometimes striking the +ground ahead of me. I saw that this fellow must be checked, or a stray +bullet from his gun might hit me or my horse; so, suddenly stopping +Brigham, and quickly wheeling him around, I raised old "Lucretia" to my +shoulder, took deliberate aim at the Indian and his horse, hoping to hit +one or the other, and fired. He was not over eighty yards from me at this +time, and at the crack of my rifle down went his horse. Not waiting to +see if he recovered, I turned Brigham, and in a moment we were again +fairly flying towards our destination; we had urgent business about that +time, and were in a hurry to get there. + +The other Indians had gained on us while I was engaged in shooting at +their leader, and they sent several shots whizzing past me, but +fortunately none of them hit the intended mark. To return their +compliment I occasionally wheeled myself in the saddle and fired back at +them, and one of my shots broke the leg of one of their horses, which +left its rider _hors(e) de combat_, as the French would say. + +Only seven or eight Indians now remained in dangerous proximity to me, +and as their horses were beginning to lag somewhat, I checked my faithful +old steed a little, to allow him an opportunity to draw an extra breath +or two. I had determined, if it should come to the worst, to drop into a +buffalo wallow, where I could stand the Indians off for a while; but I +was not compelled to do this, as Brigham carried me through most nobly. + +The chase was kept up until we came within three miles of the end of the +railroad track, where two companies of soldiers were stationed for the +purpose of protecting the workmen from the Indians. One of the outposts +saw the Indians chasing me across the prairie, and gave the alarm. In a +few minutes I saw, greatly to my delight, men coming on foot, and +cavalrymen, too, came galloping to our rescue as soon as they could mount +their horses. When the Indians observed this, they turned and ran in the +direction from which they had come. In a very few minutes I was met by +some of the infantrymen and trackmen, and jumping to the ground and +pulling the blanket and saddle off of Brigham, I told them what he had +done for me; they at once took him in charge, led him around, and rubbed +him down so vigorously that I thought they would rub him to death. + +Captain Nolan, of the Tenth Cavalry, now came up with forty of his men, +and upon learning what had happened he determined to pursue the Indians. +He kindly offered me one of the cavalry horses, and after putting my own +saddle and bridle on the animal, we started out after the flying Indians, +who only a few minutes before had been making it so uncomfortably lively +for me. Our horses were all fresh and of excellent stock, and we soon +began shortening the distance between ourselves and the redskins. Before +they had gone five miles we overtook and killed eight of their number. +The others succeeded in making their escape. On coming up to the place +where I had killed the first horse--the spotted one--on my "home run," I +found that my bullet had struck him in the forehead and killed him +instantly. He was a noble animal, and ought to have been engaged in +better business. + +When we got back to camp I found old Brigham grazing quietly and +contentedly on the grass. He looked up at me as if to ask if we had got +away with any of those fellows who had chased us. I believe he read the +answer in my eyes. + +Another very exciting hunting adventure of mine which deserves a place in +these reminiscences occurred near Saline river. My companion at the time +was a man called Scotty, a butcher, who generally accompanied me on these +hunting expeditions to cut up the buffaloes and load the meat into a +light wagon which he brought to carry it in. He was a brave little fellow +and a most excellent shot. I had killed some fifteen buffaloes, and we +had started for home with a wagon-load of meat. When within about eight +miles of our destination, we suddenly ran on to a party of at least +thirty Indians who came riding out of the head of a ravine. + +On this occasion I was mounted on a most excellent horse belonging to the +railroad company, and could easily have made my escape; but of course I +could not leave Scotty who was driving a pair of mules hitched to the +wagon. To think was to act, in those days; and as Scotty and I had often +talked over a plan of defense in case we were ever surprised by Indians, +we instantly proceeded to carry it out. We jumped to the ground, +unhitched the mules quicker than it had ever been done before, and tied +them and my horse to the wagon. We threw the buffalo hams upon the +ground, and piled them around the wheels in such a shape as to form a +breastwork. All this was done in a shorter time than it takes to tell it; +and then, with our extra box of ammunition and three or four extra +revolvers, which we always carried along with us, we crept under the +wagon and were fully prepared to give our visitors the warmest kind of a +reception. + +The Indians came on pell-mell, but when they were within one hundred +yards of us we opened such a sudden and galling fire upon them, that they +held up and began to circle around the wagon instead of riding up to +take tea with us. They however charged back and forth upon us several +times, and their shots killed the two mules and my horse; but we gave it +to them right and left, and had the satisfaction of seeing three of them +fall to the ground not more than fifty yards away. On seeing how well we +were fortified and protected by our breastwork of hams, they probably +came to the conclusion that it would be a difficult undertaking to +dislodge us, for they drew off and gave us a rest, but only a short one. + +This was the kind of fighting we had been expecting for a long time, as +we knew that sooner or later we would be "jumped" by Indians while we +were out buffalo hunting. I had an understanding with the officers who +commanded the troops at the end of the track, that in case their pickets +should at any time notice a smoke in the direction of our hunting ground, +they were to give the alarm, so that assistance might be sent to us for +the smoke was to indicate that we were in danger. + +I now resolved to signal to the troops in the manner agreed on, and at +the first opportunity set fire to the grass on the windward side of the +wagon. The fire spread over the prairie at a rapid rate, causing a dense +smoke which I knew would be seen at the camp. The Indians did not seem to +understand this strategic movement. They got off from their horses, and +from behind a bank or knoll, again peppered away at us; but we were well +fortified, and whenever they showed their heads we let them know that we +could shoot as well as they. + +[Illustration: THE FIRE SIGNAL.] + +After we had been cooped up in our little fort, for about an hour, we +discovered cavalry coming toward us at full gallop over the prairie. Our +signal of distress had proved a success. The Indians saw the soldiers at +about the same time that we did, and thinking that it would not be +healthy for them to remain much longer in that vicinity, they mounted +their horses and disappeared down the cañons of the creek. When the +soldiers came up we had the satisfaction of showing them five "_good_" +Indians, that is dead ones. + +Two hours later we pulled into camp with our load of meat, which was +found to be all right, except that it had a few bullets and arrows +sticking in it. + +While I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific railway, I had the pleasure, +in the fall of 1867, of meeting the celebrated Kit Carson, one of, if not +the oldest and most noted scout, guide, and hunter that our western +country has ever produced. He was on his way to Washington. I also met +him on his return from the East, and invited him to be my guest for a few +days at Hays City, which invitation he accepted. He then proceeded to +Fort Lyon, Colorado, near which place his son-in-law, Mr. Boggs, and +family, resided. At this time his health was failing, and shortly +afterwards he died at Mr. Boggs' residence on the Picket Wire Creek. + +[Illustration: KIT CARSON] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. + + +Shortly after the adventures mentioned in the preceding chapter, I had my +celebrated buffalo hunt with Billy Comstock, a noted scout, guide and +interpreter, who was then chief of scouts at Fort Wallace, Kansas. +Comstock had the reputation, for a long time, of being a most successful +buffalo hunter, and the officers in particular, who had seen him kill +buffaloes, were very desirous of backing him in a match against me. It +was accordingly arranged that I should shoot him a buffalo-killing match, +and the preliminaries were easily and satisfactorily agreed upon. We were +to hunt one day of eight hours, beginning at eight o'clock in the +morning, and closing at four o'clock in the afternoon. The wager was five +hundred dollars a side, and the man who should kill the greater number of +buffaloes from on horseback was to be declared the winner. + +The hunt took place about twenty miles east of Sheridan, and as it had +been pretty well advertised and noised abroad, a large crowd witnessed +the interesting and exciting scene. An excursion party, mostly from St. +Louis, consisting of about a hundred gentlemen and ladies, came out on a +special train to view the sport, and among the number was my wife, with +little baby Arta, who had come to remain with me for a while. + +The buffaloes were quite plenty, and it was agreed that we should go into +the same herd at the same time and "make a run," as we called it, each +one killing as many as possible. A referee was to follow each of us on +horseback when we entered the herd, and count the buffaloes killed by +each man. The St. Louis excursionists, as well as the other spectators, +rode out to the vicinity of the hunting grounds in wagons and on +horseback, keeping well out of sight of the buffaloes, so as not to +frighten them, until the time came for us to dash into the herd; when +they were to come up as near as they pleased and witness the chase. + +We were fortunate in the first run in getting good ground. Comstock was +mounted on one of his favorite horses, while I rode old Brigham. I felt +confident that I had the advantage of Comstock in two things--first, I +had the best buffalo horse that ever made a track; and second, I was +using what was known at that time as the needle-gun, a breech-loading +Springfield rifle--calibre 50,--it was my favorite old "Lucretia," which +has already been introduced to the notice of the reader; while Comstock +was armed with a Henry rifle, and although he could fire a few shots +quicker than I could, yet I was pretty certain that it did not carry +powder and lead enough to do execution equal to my calibre 50. + +At last the time came to begin the match. Comstock and I dashed into a +herd, followed by the referees. The buffaloes separated; Comstock took +the left bunch and I the right. My great _forte_ in killing buffaloes +from horseback was to get them circling by riding my horse at the head of +the herd, shooting the leaders, thus crowding their followers to the +left, till they would finally circle round and round. + +On this morning the buffaloes were very accommodating, and I soon had +them running in a beautiful circle, when I dropped them thick and fast, +until I had killed thirty-eight; which finished my run. + +Comstock began shooting at the rear of the herd, which he was chasing, +and they kept straight on. He succeeded, however, in killing +twenty-three, but they were scattered over a distance of three miles, +while mine lay close together. I had "nursed" my buffaloes, as a +billiard-player does the balls when he makes a big run. + +After the result of the first run had been duly announced, our St. Louis +excursion friends--who had approached to the place where we had +stopped--set out a lot of champagne, which they had brought with them, +and which proved a good drink on a Kansas prairie, and a buffalo hunter +was a good man to get away with it. + +While taking a short rest, we suddenly spied another herd of buffaloes +coming toward us. It was only a small drove, and we at once prepared to +give the animals a lively reception. They proved to be a herd of cows and +calves--which, by the way, are quicker in their movements than the bulls. +We charged in among them, and I concluded my run with a score of +eighteen, while Comstock killed fourteen. The score now stood fifty-six +to thirty-seven, in my favor. + +Again the excursion party approached, and once more the champagne was +tapped. After we had eaten a lunch which was spread for us, we resumed +the hunt. Striking out for a distance of three miles, we came up close to +another herd. As I was so far ahead of my competitor in the number +killed, I thought I could afford to give an extra exhibition of my skill. +I had told the ladies that I would, on the next run, ride my horse +without saddle or bridle. This had raised the excitement to fever heat +among the excursionists, and I remember one fair lady who endeavored to +prevail upon me not to attempt it. + +"That's nothing at all," said I; "I have done it many a time, and old +Brigham knows as well as I what I am doing, and sometimes a great +deal better." + +So, leaving my saddle and bridle with the wagons, we rode to the windward +of the buffaloes, as usual, and when within a few hundred yards of them +we dashed into the herd. I soon had thirteen laid out on the ground, the +last one of which I had driven down close to the wagons, where the ladies +were. It frightened some of the tender creatures to see the buffalo +coming at full speed directly toward them; but when he had got within +fifty yards of one of the wagons, I shot him dead in his tracks. This +made my sixty-ninth buffalo, and finished my third and last run, Comstock +having killed forty-six. + +As it was now late in the afternoon, Comstock and his backers gave up +the idea that he could beat me, and thereupon the referees declared me +the winner of the match, as well as the champion buffalo-hunter of the +plains.[A] + +[Footnote A: Poor Billy Comstock was afterwards treacherously murdered by +the Indians. He and Sharpe Grover visited a village of Indians, supposed +to be peaceably inclined, near Big Spring Station, in Western Kansas; and +after spending several hours with the redskins in friendly conversation, +they prepared to depart, having declined an invitation to pass the night +there. It appears that Comstock's beautiful white-handled revolver had +attracted the attention of the Indians, who overtook him and his +companion when they had gone about half a mile. After surrounding the two +men they suddenly attacked them. They killed, scalped and robbed +Comstock; but Grover, although severely wounded, made his escape, owing +to the fleetness of the excellent horse which he was riding. This sad +event occurred August 27, 1868.] + +On our way back to camp, we took with us some of the choice meat and +finest heads. In this connection it will not be out of place to state +that during the time I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific, I always +brought into camp the best buffalo heads, and turned them over to the +company, who found a very good use for them. They had them mounted in the +best possible manner, and sent them to all the principal cities and +railroad centers in the country, having them placed in prominent +positions at the leading hotels, dépôts, and other public buildings, as a +sort of trade-mark, or advertisement, of the Kansas Pacific Railroad; and +to-day they attract the attention of the traveler almost everywhere. +Whenever I am traveling over the country and see one of these +trade-marks, I feel pretty certain that I was the cause of the death of +the old fellow whose body it once ornamented, and many a wild and +exciting hunt is thus called to mind. + +The end of the track finally reached Sheridan, in the month of May, 1868, +and as the road was not to be built any farther just then, my services as +a hunter were not any longer required. At this time there was a general +Indian war raging all along the western borders. General Sheridan had +taken up his headquarters at Fort Hayes, in order to be in the field to +superintend the campaign in person. As scouts and guides were in great +demand, I concluded once more to take up my old avocation of scouting +and guiding for the army. + +Having no suitable place in which to leave my old and faithful +buffalo-hunter Brigham, and not wishing to kill him by scouting, I +determined to dispose of him. I was very reluctant to part with him, but +I consoled myself with the thought that he would not be likely to receive +harder usage in other hands than he had in mine. I had several good +offers to sell him; but at the suggestion of some gentlemen in Sheridan, +all of whom were anxious to obtain possession of the horse, I put him up +at a raffle, in order to give them all an equal chance of becoming the +owner of the famous steed. There were ten chances at thirty dollars each, +and they were all quickly taken. + +Old Brigham was won by a gentleman--Mr. Ike Bonham,--who took him to +Wyandotte, Kansas, where he soon added new laurels to his already +brilliant record. Although I am getting ahead of my story, I must now +follow Brigham for a while. A grand tournament came off four miles from +Wyandotte, and Brigham took part in it. As has already been stated, his +appearance was not very prepossessing, and nobody suspected him of being +anything but the most ordinary kind of a plug. The friends of the rider +laughed at him for being mounted on such a dizzy-looking steed. When the +exercises--which were of a very tame character, being more for style than +speed--were over, and just as the crowd were about to return to the city, +a purse of $250 was made up, to be given to the horse that could first +reach Wyandotte, four miles distant. The arrangement was carried out, and +Brigham was entered as one of the contestants for the purse. Everybody +laughed at Mr. Bonham when it became known that he was to ride that +poky-looking plug against the five thoroughbreds which were to take part +in the race. + +When all the preliminaries had been arranged, the signal was given, and +off went the horses for Wyandotte. For the first half-mile several of +the horses led Brigham, but on the second mile he began passing them one +after the other, and on the third mile he was in advance of them all, and +was showing them all the road at a lively rate. On the fourth mile his +rider let him out, and arrived at the hotel--the home-station--in +Wyandotte a long way ahead of his fastest competitor. + +Everybody was surprised, as well as disgusted, that such a homely +"critter" should be the winner. Brigham, of course, had already acquired +a wide reputation, and his name and exploits had often appeared in the +newspapers, and when it was learned that this "critter" was none other +than the identical buffalo-hunting Brigham, nearly the whole crowd +admitted that they had heard of him before, and had they known him in the +first place they certainly would have ruled him out. + +I finally lost track of Brigham, and for several years I did not know +what had become of him. Three years ago, while I was at Memphis, +Tennessee, I met a Mr. Wilcox, who had been one of the superintendents of +construction of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and he informed me that he +owned Brigham, and that he was at that time on his farm, only a few miles +out of town. The next day I rode out with Mr. Wilcox and took a look at +the gallant old horse. He was comfortably cared for in Mr. Wilcox's +stable, and looked the same clever pony that he always was. It seemed as +if he almost remembered me, and I put my arms around his neck, as though +he had been a long-lost child. Mr. Wilcox bought the horse at Wyandotte, +from the gentleman who had won him at the raffle, and he intends to keep +him as long as he lives. I am grateful that he is in such good hands, and +whenever I again visit Memphis I shall surely go and see Brigham if he is +still alive. + +But to return to the thread of my narrative, from which I have wandered. +Having received the appointment of guide and scout, and having been +ordered to report at Fort Larned, then commanded by Captain Dangerfield +Parker, I saw it was necessary to take my family--who had remained with +me at Sheridan, after the buffalo-hunting match--to Leavenworth, and +there leave them. This I did at once, and after providing them with a +comfortable little home, I returned and reported for duty at Fort Larned. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A COURIER. + + +The scouts at Fort Larned, when I arrived there, were commanded by Dick +Curtis--an old guide, frontiersman and Indian interpreter. There were +some three hundred lodges of Kiowa and Comanche Indians camped near the +fort. These Indians had not as yet gone upon the war-path, but were +restless and discontented, and their leading chiefs, Satanta, Lone Wolf, +Kicking Bird, Satank, Sittamore, and other noted warriors, were rather +saucy. The post at the time was garrisoned by only two companies of +infantry and one of cavalry. + +General Hazen, who was at the post, was endeavoring to pacify the Indians +and keep them from going on the war-path. I was appointed as his special +scout, and one morning he notified me that he was going to Fort Harker, +and wished me to accompany him as far as Fort Zarah, thirty miles +distant. The General usually traveled in an ambulance, but this trip he +was to make in a six-mule wagon, under the escort of a squad of twenty +infantrymen. So, early one morning in August, we started; arriving safely +at Fort Zarah at twelve o'clock. General Hazen thought it unnecessary +that we should go farther, and he proceeded on his way to Fort Harker +without an escort, leaving instructions that we should return to Fort +Larned the next day. + +After the General had gone I went to the sergeant in command of the +squad, and told him that I was going back that very afternoon, instead of +waiting till the next morning; and I accordingly saddled up my mule and +set out for Fort Larned. I proceeded uninterruptedly until I got about +half-way between the two posts, when at Pawnee Rock I was suddenly +"jumped" by about forty Indians, who came dashing up to me, extending +their hands and saying, "How! How!" They were some of the same Indians +who had been hanging around Fort Larned in the morning. I saw that they +had on their war-paint, and were evidently now out on the war-path. + +[Illustration: A BIG JOKE.] + +My first impulse was to shake hands with them, as they seemed so desirous +of it. I accordingly reached out my hand to one of them, who grasped it +with a tight grip, and jerked me violently forward; another pulled my +mule by the bridle, and in a moment I was completely surrounded. Before I +could do anything at all, they had seized my revolvers from the holsters, +and I received a blow on the head from a tomahawk which nearly rendered +me senseless. My gun, which was lying across the saddle, was snatched +from its place, and finally the Indian, who had hold of the bridle, +started off towards the Arkansas River, leading the mule, which was being +lashed by the other Indians who were following. + +The savages were all singing, yelling and whooping, as only Indians can +do, when they are having their little game all their own way. While +looking towards the river I saw, on the opposite side, an immense village +moving down along the bank, and then I became convinced that the Indians +had left the post and were now starting out on the war-path. My captors +crossed the stream with me, and as we waded through the shallow water +they continued to lash the mule and myself. Finally they brought me +before an important looking body of Indians, who proved to be the chiefs +and principal warriors. I soon recognized old Satanta among them, as well +as others whom I knew, and I supposed it was all over with me. + +The Indians were jabbering away so rapidly among themselves that I could +not understand what they were saying. Satanta at last asked me where I +had been; and, as good luck would have it, a happy thought struck me. I +told him I had been after a herd of cattle or "whoa-haws," as they called +them. It so happened that the Indians had been out of meat for several +weeks, as the large herd of cattle which had been promised them had not +yet arrived, although expected by them. + +The moment that I mentioned that I had been searching for the +"whoa-haws," old Satanta began questioning me in a very eager manner. He +asked me where the cattle were, and I replied that they were back only a +few miles, and that I had been sent by General Hazen to inform him that +the cattle were coming, and that they were intended for his people. This +seemed to please the old rascal, who also wanted to know if there were +any soldiers with the herd, and my reply was that there were. Thereupon +the chiefs held a consultation, and presently Satanta asked me if General +Hazen had really said that they should have the cattle. I replied in the +affirmative, and added that I had been directed to bring the cattle to +them. I followed this up with a very dignified inquiry, asking why his +young men had treated me so. The old wretch intimated that it was only "a +freak of the boys"; that the young men had wanted to see if I was brave; +in fact, they had only meant to test my bravery, and that the whole thing +was a joke. + +The veteran liar was now beating me at my own game of lying; but I was +very glad of it, as it was in my favor. I did not let him suspect that I +doubted his veracity, but I remarked that it was a rough way to treat +friends. He immediately ordered his young men to give me back my arms, +and scolded them for what they had done. Of course, the sly old dog was +now playing it very fine, as he was anxious to get possession of the +cattle, with which he believed "there was a heap of soldiers coming." He +had concluded it was not best to fight the soldiers if he could get the +cattle peaceably. + +Another council was held by the chiefs, and in a few minutes old Satanta +came and asked me if I would go over and bring the cattle down to the +opposite side of the river, so that they could get them. I replied, "Of +course; that's my instruction from General Hazen." + +Satanta said I must not feel angry at his young men, for they had only +been acting in fun. He then inquired if I wished any of his men to +accompany me to the cattle herd. I replied that it would be better for me +to go alone, and then the soldiers could keep right on to Fort Larned, +while I could drive the herd down on the bottom. So, wheeling my mule +around, I was soon re-crossing the river, leaving old Satanta in the +firm belief that I had told him a straight story, and was going for the +cattle, which only existed in my imagination. + +I hardly knew what to do, but thought that if I could get the river +between the Indians and myself I would have a good three-quarters of a +mile the start of them, and could then make a run for Fort Larned, as my +mule was a good one. + +Thus far my cattle story had panned out all right; but just as I reached +the opposite bank of the river, I looked behind and saw that ten or +fifteen Indians who had begun to suspect something crooked, were +following me. The moment that my mule secured a good foothold on the +bank, I urged him into a gentle lope towards the place where, according +to my statement, the cattle were to be brought. Upon reaching a little +ridge, and riding down the other side out of view, I turned my mule and +headed him westward for Fort Larned. I let him out for all that he was +worth, and when I came out on a little rise of ground, I looked back, and +saw the Indian village in plain sight. My pursuers were now on the ridge +which I had passed over, and were looking for me in every direction. + +Presently they spied me, and seeing that I was running away, they struck +out in swift pursuit, and in a few minutes it became painfully evident +that they were gaining on me. They kept up the chase as far as Ash Creek, +six miles from Fort Larned. I still led them half a mile, as their horses +had not gained much during the last half of the race. My mule seemed to +have gotten his second wind, and as I was on the old road I had played +the whip and spurs on him without much cessation. The Indians likewise +had urged their steeds to the utmost. + +Finally, upon reaching the dividing ridge between Ash Greek and Pawnee +Fork, I saw Fort Larned only four miles away. It was now sundown, and I +heard the evening gun at the fort. The troops of the garrison little +dreamed that there was a man flying for his life from the Indians and +trying to reach the post. The Indians were once more gaining on me, and +when I crossed the Pawnee Fork, two miles from the post, two or three of +them were only a quarter of a mile behind me. Just as I had gained the +opposite bank of the stream I was overjoyed to see some soldiers in a +government wagon, only a short distance off. I yelled at the top of my +voice, and riding up to them, told them that the Indians were after me. + +[Illustration: AMBUSHING THE INDIANS.] + +Denver Jim, a well-known scout, asked how many there were, and upon my +informing him that there were about a dozen, he said: "Let's drive the +wagon into the trees, and we'll lay for 'em." The team was hurriedly +driven in among the trees and low box-elder bushes, and there secreted. + +We did not have to wait long for the Indians, who came dashing up, +lashing their horses, which were panting and blowing. We let two of them +pass by, but we opened a lively fire on the next three or four, killing +two at the first crack. The others following, discovered that they had +run into an ambush, and whirling off into the brush they turned and ran +back in the direction whence they had come. The two who had passed heard +the firing and made their escape. We scalped the two that we had killed, +and appropriated their arms and equipments; and then catching their +horses, we made our way into the post. The soldiers had heard us firing, +and as we were approaching the fort the drums were being beaten, and the +buglers were sounding the call to fall in. The officers had thought that +Satanta and his Indians were coming in to capture the fort. + +It seems that on the morning of that day, two hours after General Hazen +had taken his departure, old Satanta drove into the post in an ambulance, +which he had received some months before as a present from the +government. He appeared to be angry and bent on mischief. In an interview +with Captain Parker, the commanding officer, he asked why General Hazen +had left the post without supplying the beef cattle which had been +promised to him. The Captain told him that the cattle were surely on the +road, but he could not explain why they were detained. + +The interview proved to be a stormy one, and Satanta made numerous +threats, saying that if he wished, he could capture the whole post with +his warriors. Captain Parker, who was a brave man, gave Satanta to +understand that he was reckoning beyond his powers, and would find it a +more difficult undertaking than he had any idea of, as they were prepared +for him at any moment. The interview finally terminated, and Satanta +angrily left the officers presence. Going over to the sutler's store he +sold his ambulance to Mr. Tappan the past trader, and with a portion of +the proceeds he secretly managed to secure some whisky from some bad men +around the fort. There are always to be found around every frontier post +some men who will sell whisky to the Indians at any time and under any +circumstances, notwithstanding it is a flagrant violation of both civil +and military regulations. + +Satanta mounted his horse, and taking the whisky with him, he rode +rapidly away and proceeded straight to his village. He had not been gone +over an hour, when he returned to the vicinity of the post accompanied +by his warriors who came in from every direction, to the number of seven +or eight hundred. It was evident that the irate old rascal was "on his +ear," so to speak, and it looked as if he intended to carry out his +threat of capturing the fort. The garrison at once turned out and +prepared to receive the red-skins, who, when within half a mile, circled +around the fort and fired numerous shots into it, instead of trying to +take it by assault. + +While this circular movement was going on, it was observed that the +Indian village in the distance was packing up, preparatory to leaving, +and it was soon under way. The mounted warriors remained behind some +little time, to give their families an opportunity to get away, as they +feared that the troops might possibly in some manner intercept them. +Finally, they encircled the post several times, fired some farewell +rounds, and then galloped away over the prairie to overtake their fast +departing village. On their way thither, they surprised and killed a +party of wood-choppers down on the Pawnee Fork, as well as some herders +who were guarding beef cattle; some seven or eight men in all, were +killed, and it was evident that the Indians meant business. + +The soldiers with the wagon--whom I had met at the crossing of the Pawnee +Fork--had been out for the bodies of the men. Under the circumstances it +was no wonder that the garrison, upon hearing the reports of our guns +when we fired upon the party whom we ambushed, should have thought the +Indians were coming back to give them another "turn." + +We found that all was excitement at the post; double guards had been put +on duty, and Captain Parker had all the scouts at his headquarters. He +was endeavoring to get some one to take some important dispatches to +General Sheridan at Fort Hays. I reported to him at once, and stated +where I had met the Indians and how I had escaped from them. + +"You was very fortunate, Cody, in thinking of that cattle story; but +for that little game your hair would now be an ornament to a Kiowa's +lodge," said he. + +Just then Dick Curtis spoke up and said: "Cody, the Captain is anxious +to send some dispatches to General Sheridan, at Fort Hays, and none of +the scouts here seem to be very willing to undertake the trip. They +say they are not well enough acquainted with the country to find the +way at night." + +As a storm was coming up it was quite dark, and the scouts feared that +they would lose the way; besides it was a dangerous ride, as a large +party of Indians were known to be camped on Walnut Creek, on the direct +road to Fort Hays. It was evident that Curtis was trying to induce me to +volunteer. I made some evasive answer to Curtis, for I did not care to +volunteer after my long day's ride. But Curtis did not let the matter +drop. Said he: + +"I wish, Bill, that you were not so tired by your chase of to-day, for +you know the country better than the rest of the boys, and I am certain +that you could go through." + +"As far as the ride to Fort Hays is concerned, that alone would matter +but little to me," I said, "but it is a risky piece of work just now, as +the country is full of hostile Indians; still if no other scout is +willing to volunteer, I will chance it. I'll go, provided I am furnished +with a good horse. I am tired of being chased on a government mule by +Indians." At this Captain Nolan, who had been listening to our +conversation, said: + +"Bill, you may have the best horse in my company. You can take your +choice if you will carry these dispatches. Although it is against +regulations to dismount an enlisted man, I have no hesitancy in such a +case of urgent necessity as this is, in telling you that you may have any +horse you may wish." + +"Captain, your first sergeant has a splendid horse, and that's the one I +want. If he'll let me ride that horse, I'll be ready to start in one +hour, storm or no storm," said I. + +"Good enough, Bill; you shall have the horse; but are you sure you can +find your way on such a dark night as this?" + +"I have hunted on nearly every acre of ground between here and Fort Hays, +and I can almost keep my route by the bones of the dead buffaloes." I +confidently replied. + +"Never fear, Captain, about Cody not finding the way; he is as good in +the dark as he is in the daylight," said Curtis. + +An orderly was sent for the horse, and the animal was soon brought up, +although the sergeant "kicked" a little against letting him go. After +eating a lunch and filling a canteen with brandy, I went to +headquarters and put my own saddle and bridle on the horse I was to +ride. I then got the dispatches, and by ten o'clock was on the road to +Fort Hays, which was sixty-five miles distant across the country. The +scouts had all bidden me a hearty good-bye, and wished me success, not +knowing when, if ever, they would again gaze upon "my warlike form," as +the poet would say. + +It was dark as pitch, but this I rather liked, as there was little +probability of any of the red-skins seeing me unless I stumbled upon them +accidentally. My greatest danger was that my horse might run into a hole +and fall down, and in this way get away from me. To avoid any such +accident, I tied one end of my rawhide lariat to the bridle and the +other end to my belt. I didn't propose to be left on foot, alone out on +the prairie. + +[Illustration: WHOA THERE!] + +It was, indeed, a wise precaution that I had taken, for within the next +three miles the horse, sure enough, stepped into a prairie-dog's hole, +and down he went, throwing me clear over his head. Springing to his feet, +before I could catch hold of the bridle, he galloped away into the +darkness; but when he reached the full length of the lariat, he found +that he was picketed to Bison William. I brought him up standing, and +after finding my gun, which had dropped to the ground, I went up to him +and in a moment was in the saddle again, and went on my way rejoicing +keeping straight on my course until I came to the ravines leading into +Walnut Creek, twenty-five miles from Fort Larned, where the country +became rougher, requiring me to travel slower and more carefully, as I +feared the horse might fall over the bank, it being difficult to see +anything five feet ahead. As a good horse is not very apt to jump over a +bank, if left to guide himself, I let mine pick his own way. I was now +proceeding as quietly as possible, for I was in the vicinity of a band of +Indians who had recently camped in that locality. I thought that I had +passed somewhat above the spot, having made a little circuit to the west +with that intention; but as bad luck would have it this time, when I came +up near the creek I suddenly rode in among a herd of horses. The animals +became frightened and ran off in every direction. + +I knew at once that I was among Indian horses, and had walked into the +wrong pew; so without waiting to apologize, I backed out as quickly as +possible. At this moment a dog, not fifty yards away, set up a howl, and +then I heard some Indians engaged in conversation;--they were guarding +the horses, and had been sleeping. Hearing my horse's retreating +footsteps toward the hills, and thus becoming aware that there had been +an enemy in their camp, they mounted their steeds and started for me. + +I urged my horse to his full speed, taking the chances of his falling +into holes, and guided him up the creek bottom. The Indians followed me +as fast as they could by the noise I made, but I soon distanced them; and +then crossed the creek. + +When I had traveled several miles in a straight course, as I supposed, I +took out my compass and by the light of a match saw that I was bearing +two points to the east of north. At once changing my course to the direct +route, I pushed rapidly on through the darkness towards Smoky Hill River. +At about three o'clock in the morning I began traveling more cautiously, +as I was afraid of running into another band of Indians. Occasionally I +scared up a herd of buffaloes or antelopes, or coyotes, or deer, which +would frighten my horse for a moment, but with the exception of these +slight alarms I got along all right. + +After crossing Smoky Hill River, I felt comparatively safe as this was +the last stream I had to cross. Riding on to the northward I struck the +old Santa Fe trail, ten miles from Fort Hays, just at break of day. + +My horse did not seem much fatigued, and being anxious to make good time +and get as near the post as possible before it was fairly daylight as +there might be bands of Indians camped along Big Creek, I urged him +forward as fast as he could go. As I had not "lost" any Indians, I was +not now anxious to make their acquaintance, and shortly after _reveille_ +rode into the post. I proceeded directly to General Sheridan's +headquarters, and, was met at the door, by Colonel Moore, _aid-de-camp_ +on General Sheridan's staff who asked me on what business I had come. + +"I have dispatches for General Sheridan, and my instructions from Captain +Parker, commanding Fort Larned, are that they shall be delivered to the +General as soon as possible," said I. + +Colonel Moore invited me into one of the offices, and said he would hand +the dispatches to t h e General as soon as he got up. + +[Illustration: DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO SHERIDAN.] + +"I prefer to give these dispatches to General Sheridan myself, and at +once," was my reply. + +The General, who was sleeping in the same building, hearing our voices, +called out, "Send the man in with the dispatches." I was ushered into the +General's presence, and as we had met before he recognized me and said: + +"Hello, Cody, is that you?" + +"Yes, sir; I have some dispatches here for you, from Captain Parker," +said I, as I handed the package over to him. + +He hurriedly read them, and said they were important; and then he asked +me all about General Hazen and where he had gone, and about the +breaking out of the Kiowas and Comanches. I gave him all the +information that I possessed, and related the events and adventures of +the previous day and night. + +"Bill," said he, "you must have had a pretty lively ride. You certainly +had a close call when you ran into the Indians on Walnut Creek. That was +a good joke that you played on old Satanta. I suppose you're pretty +tired after your long journey?" + +"I am rather weary, General, that's a fact, as I have been in the saddle +since yesterday morning;" was my reply, "but my horse is more tired than +I am, and needs attention full as much if not more," I added. Thereupon +the General called an orderly and gave instructions to have my animal +well taken care of, and then he said, "Cody, come in and have some +breakfast with me." + +"No, thank you, General," said I, "Hays City is only a mile from here, +and I prefer riding over there, as I know about every one in the town, +and want to see some of my friends." + +"Very well; do as you please, and come to the post afterwards as I want +to see you," said he. + +Bidding him good-morning, and telling him that I would return in a few +hours, I rode over to Hays City, and at the Perry House I met many of my +old friends who were of course all glad to see me. I took some +refreshments and a two hours nap, and afterward returned to Fort Hays, as +I was requested. + +As I rode up to the headquarters I noticed several scouts in a little +group, evidently engaged in conversation on some important matter. +Upon inquiry I learned that General Sheridan had informed them that he +was desirous of sending a dispatch to Fort Dodge, a distance of +ninety-five miles. + +The Indians had recently killed two or three men while they were carrying +dispatches between Fort Hays and Fort Dodge, and on this account none of +the scouts seemed at all anxious to volunteer, although a reward of +several hundred dollars was offered to any one who would carry the +dispatches. They had learned of my experiences of the previous day, and +asked me if I did not think it would be a dangerous trip. I gave it as my +opinion that a man might possibly go through without seeing an Indian, +but that the chances were ten to one that he would have an exceedingly +lively run and a hard time before he reached his destination, if he ever +got there at all. + +Leaving the scouts to decide among themselves as to who was to go, I +reported to General Sheridan, who also informed me that he wished some +one to carry dispatches to Fort Dodge. While we were talking, his chief +of scouts Dick Parr, entered and stated that none of the scouts had yet +volunteered. Upon hearing this I got my "brave" up a little, and said: + +"General, if there is no one ready to volunteer, I'll carry your +dispatches myself." + +"I had not thought of asking you to do this duty, Cody, as you are +already pretty hard worked. But it is really important that these +dispatches should go through," said the General. + +"Well, if you don't get a courier by four o'clock this afternoon, I'll be +ready for business at that time. All I want is a fresh horse," said I; +"meantime I'll take a little more rest." + +It was not much of a rest, however, that I got, for I went over to Hays +City again and had "a time with the boys." I came back to the post at the +appointed hour, and finding that no one had volunteered, I reported to +General Sheridan. He had selected an excellent horse for me, and on +handing me the dispatches he said: + +"You can start as soon as you wish--the sooner the better; and good luck +go with you, my boy." + +In about an hour afterwards I was on the road, and just before dark I +crossed Smoky Hill River. I had not yet urged my horse much, as I was +saving his strength for the latter end of the route, and for any run that +I might have to make in case the "wild-boys" should "jump" me. So far I +had not seen a sign of Indians, and as evening came on I felt +comparatively safe. + +I had no adventures worth relating during the night, and just before +daylight I found myself approaching Saw-log Crossing, on the Pawnee Fork, +having then ridden about seventy miles. + +A company of colored cavalry, commanded by Major Cox, was stationed at +this point, and I approached their camp cautiously, for fear that the +pickets might fire upon me--as the darkey soldiers were liable to shoot +first and cry "halt" afterwards. When within hearing distance I yelled +out at the top of my voice, and was answered by one of the pickets. I +told him not to shoot, as I was a scout from Fort Hays; and then, calling +the sergeant of the guard, I went up to the vidette of the post, who +readily recognized me. I entered the camp and proceeded to the tent of +Major Cox, to whom I handed a letter from General Sheridan requesting him +to give me a fresh horse. He at once complied with the request. + +After I had slept an hour and had eaten a lunch, I again jumped into the +saddle, and before sunrise I was once more on the road. It was +twenty-five miles to Fort Dodge, and I arrived there between nine and ten +o'clock, without having seen a single Indian. + +After delivering the dispatches to the commanding officer, I met Johnny +Austin, chief of scouts at this post, who was an old friend of mine. Upon +his invitation I took a nap at his house, and when I awoke, fresh for +business once more, he informed me that the Indians had been all around +the post for the past two or three days, running off cattle and horses, +and occasionally killing a stray man. It was a wonder to him that I had +met with none of the red-skins on the way there. The Indians, he said, +were also very thick on the Arkansas River, between Fort Dodge and Fort +Larned, and making considerable trouble. Fort Dodge was located +sixty-five miles west of Fort Larned, the latter post being on the Pawnee +Fork, about five miles from its junction with the Arkansas River. + +The commanding officer at Fort Dodge was anxious to send some +dispatches to Fort Larned, but the scouts, like those at Fort Hays, +were rather backward about volunteering, as it was considered a very +dangerous undertaking to make the trip. As Fort Larned was my post, +and as I wanted to go there anyhow, I said to Austin that I would carry +the dispatches, and if any of the boys wished to go along, I would like +to have them for company's sake. Austin reported my offer to the +commanding officer, who sent for me and said he would be happy to have +me take his dispatches, if I could stand the trip on top of all that I +had already done. + +"All I want is a good fresh horse, sir," said I. + +"I am sorry to say that we haven't a decent horse here, but we have +a reliable and honest government mule, if that will do you," said +the officer. + +"Trot out your mule," said I, "that's good enough for me. I am ready at +any time, sir." + +The mule was forthcoming, and at dark I pulled out for Fort Larned, and +proceeded uninterruptedly to Coon Creek, thirty miles out from Dodge. I +had left the main wagon road some distance to the south, and had traveled +parallel with it, thinking this to be a safer course, as the Indians +might be lying in wait on the main road for dispatch bearers and scouts. + +At Coon Creek I dismounted and led the mule by the bridle down to the +water, where I took a drink, using my hat for a dipper. While I was +engaged in getting the water, the mule jerked loose and struck out down +the creek. I followed him in hopes that he would catch his foot in the +bridle rein and stop, but this he seemed to have no idea of doing. He was +making straight for the wagon road, and I did not know what minute he +might run into a band of Indians. He finally got on the road, but instead +of going back toward Fort Dodge, as I naturally expected he would do, he +turned eastward toward Fort Larned, and kept up a little jog trot just +ahead of me, but would not let me come up to him, although I tried it +again and again. I had my gun in my hand, and several times I was +strongly tempted to shoot him, and would probably have done so had it not +been for fear of bringing Indians down upon me, and besides he was +carrying the saddle for me. So I trudged on after the obstinate +"critter," and if there ever was a government mule that deserved and +received a good round cursing it was that one. I had neglected the +precaution of tying one end of my lariat to his bit and the other to my +belt, as I had done a few nights before, and I blamed myself for this +gross piece of negligence. + +Mile after mile I kept on after that mule, and every once in a while I +indulged in strong language respecting the whole mule fraternity. From +Coon Creek to Fort Larned it was thirty-five miles, and I finally +concluded that my prospects were good for "hoofing" the whole distance. +We--that is to say, the confounded mule and myself--were making pretty +good time. There was nothing to hold the mule, and I was all the time +trying to catch him--which urged him on. I made every step count, for I +wanted to reach Fort Larned before daylight, in order to avoid if +possible the Indians, to whom it would have been "pie" to have caught me +there on foot. + +The mule stuck to the road and kept on for Larned, and I did the +same thing. Just as day was beginning to break, we--that is the mule +and myself--found ourselves on a hill looking down into the valley +of the Pawnee Fork, in which Fort Larned was located, only four +miles away; and when the morning gun belched forth we were within +half a mile of the post. + +"Now," said I, "Mr. Mule, it is my turn," and raising my gun to my +shoulder, in "dead earnest" this time, I blazed away, hitting the animal +in the hip. Throwing a second cartridge into the gun, I let him have +another shot, and I continued to pour the lead into him until I had him +completely laid out. Like the great majority of government mules, he was +a tough one to kill, and he clung to life with all the tenaciousness of +his obstinate nature. He was, without doubt, the toughest and meanest +mule I ever saw, and he died hard. + +The troops, hearing the reports of the gun, came rushing out to see what +was the matter. They found that the mule had passed in his chips, and +when they learned the cause they all agreed that I had served him just +right. Taking the saddle and bridle from the dead body, I proceeded into +the post and delivered the dispatches to Captain Parker. I then went over +to Dick Curtis' house, which was headquarters for the scouts, and there +put in several hours of solid sleep. + +During the day General Hazen returned from Fort Harker, and he also had +some important dispatches to send to General Sheridan. I was feeling +quite elated over my big ride; and seeing that I was getting the best of +the other scouts in regard to making a record, I volunteered to carry +General Hazen's dispatches to Fort Hays. The General accepted my +services, although he thought it was unnecessary for me to kill myself. I +told him that I had business at Fort Hays, and wished to go there +anyway, and it would make no difference to the other scouts, for none of +them appeared willing to undertake the trip. + +Accordingly, that night I left Fort Larned on an excellent horse, and +next morning at daylight found myself once more in 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 in riding to Fort Dodge, +and that I had taken dispatches from Fort Dodge to Fort Larned; and when, +in addition to this, I mentioned my journey of the night previous, +General Sheridan thought my ride from post to post, taken as a whole, was +a remarkable one, and he said that he did not know of its equal. I can +safely say that I have never heard of its being beaten in a country +infested with hostile Indians. + +To recapitulate: I had ridden from Fort Larned to Fort Zarah (a distance +of sixty-five miles) and back in twelve hours, including the time when I +was taken across the Arkansas by the Indians. In the succeeding twelve +hours I had gone from Fort Larned to Fort Hays, a distance of sixty-five +miles. In the next twenty-four hours I had gone from Fort Hays to Fort +Dodge, a distance of ninety-five miles. The following night I had +traveled from Fort Dodge thirty miles on muleback and thirty-five miles +on foot to Fort Larned; and the next night sixty-five miles more to Fort +Hays. Altogether I had ridden (and walked) 355 miles in fifty-eight +riding hours, or an average of over six miles an hour. Of course, this +may not be regarded as very fast riding, but taking into consideration +the fact that it was mostly done in the night and over a wild country, +with no roads to follow, and that I had to be continually on the look out +for Indians, it was thought at the time to be a big ride, as well as a +most dangerous one. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN APPOINTMENT. + + +General Sheridan highly complimented me for what I had done, and informed +me that I need not report back to General Hazen, as he had more important +work for me to do. He told me that the Fifth Cavalry--one of the finest +regiments in the army--was on its way to the Department of the Missouri, +and that he was going to send it on an expedition against the Dog Soldier +Indians, who were infesting the Republican River region. + +"Cody," continued he, "I have decided to appoint you as guide and chief +of scouts with the command. How does that suit you?" + +"First-rate, General, and I thank you for the honor," I replied, as +gracefully as I knew how. + +The Dog Soldier Indians were a band of Cheyennes and unruly, turbulent +members of other tribes, who would not enter into any treaty, or keep a +treaty if they made one, and who had always refused to go upon a +reservation. They were a warlike body of well-built, daring and restless +braves, and were determined to hold possession of the country in the +vicinity of the Republican and Solomon Rivers. They were called "Dog +Soldiers" because they were principally Cheyennes--a name derived from +the French _chien_, a dog. + +After my conversation with the General, I went over to Hays City, where I +met some of General Forsyth's scouts, who had just returned from one of +the severest battles ever fought with the Indians. As it will not be out +of place in this connection, I will here give a brief history of that +memorable event. + +[Illustration: GENERAL PHIL. SHERIDAN.] + +The Indians had become quite troublesome, and General Sheridan had +selected General George A. Forsyth to go out on an expedition, and +punish them for their recent depredations. There was a scarcity of troops +at Fort Hays at that time, so General Forsyth recruited a company of +frontiersmen who could move rapidly, as they were to carry no luggage, +and were to travel without the ordinary transportation. Thirty of these +frontiersmen came from Fort Harker, and twenty from Fort Hays. It was +certainly a small body of men, but nearly every one of them was an +experienced hunter, guide, scout and Indian-fighter, and they could fight +the red-skins in their own way. + +In four days they were prepared to take the field, and on the morning of +the 29th of August, 1868, they rode out of Fort Hays to meet the Indians. +Lieutenant F.H. Beecher, of the Third Infantry, nephew of Henry Ward +Beecher, was second in command; Brevet Major-General W.H.H. McCall, who +had been in the volunteer army, acted as first sergeant; Dr. John Mowers, +of Hays City, who had been a volunteer army surgeon, was the surgeon of +the expedition; and Sharpe Grover was the chief guide. + +Resting at Fort Wallace, they started September 10th, for the town of +Sheridan, thirteen miles distant, where a band of Indians had attacked a +train, killed two teamsters, and stolen some cattle. Arriving at Sheridan +they easily found the Indian trail, and followed it for some distance. On +the eighth day out from Fort Wallace, the command went into camp late in +the afternoon, on the Arickaree, which was then not more than eight or +nine feet wide at that point, and only two or three inches deep. It was +evident to the men that they were not far from the Indians, and it was +decided that the next day they would find them and give them a fight. + +Early next morning, September 19th, the cry of "Indians" startled the +command. Every man jumped for his horse. A half-dozen red-skins, yelling +and whooping and making a hideous racket, and firing their guns, rode up +and attempted to stampede the horses, several of which, together with the +four pack-mules, were so frightened that they broke loose and got away. +The Indians then rode off, followed by a few shots. In a minute +afterwards, hundreds of Indian warriors--it was estimated that there were +nearly one thousand--came galloping down upon the command from every +quarter, completely hemming them in. + +Acting under the order of General Forsyth, the men retreated to a small +island, tied their horses in a circle to the bushes, and then, throwing +themselves upon the ground, they began the defense by firing at the +approaching enemy, who came pretty close and gave them a raking fire. The +besieged scouts at the first opportunity threw up a small breastwork with +their knives. The firing, however, continued back and forth, and early in +the fight Forsyth was twice seriously wounded--once in the right thigh, +and once in the left leg. Dr. Mowers was also wounded in the head, and +soon died. Two other men had been killed, and several wounded. All the +horses of the command were killed by nine o'clock in the morning. + +Shortly afterwards over three hundred Dog-Soldier Indians commanded by +old "Roman Nose," charged down upon the little band of heroes, giving +them volley after volley; but finally the scouts, at a favorable +opportunity, returned their fire with telling effect. "Roman Nose" and +"Medicine Man" were killed, and fell from their horses when within less +than one rod of the scouts, who thereupon sent up a triumphant shout. The +charging braves now weakened, and in a few moments they were driven back. +It was a brilliant charge, and was most nobly and bravely repulsed. The +scouts had again suffered severely, having several men wounded, among the +number being Lieutenant Beecher who died that night. The Indians, too, +had had quite a number killed, several of whom had fallen close to the +earthworks. The dismounted Indian warriors still continued firing, but as +the scouts had thrown up their intrenchments sufficiently to protect +themselves by closely hugging the ground, little or no damage was done. + +A second charge was made by the mounted Indians about two o'clock in the +afternoon, and they were again repulsed with a severe loss. Darkness +finally came on, and then ensued a cessation of hostilities. Two of the +scouts had been killed, four fatally wounded, and fourteen others were +wounded more or less severely. There were just twenty-eight able-bodied +men left out of the fifty. The supplies had run out, and as Dr. Mowers +had been mortally wounded and the medical stores captured, the wounded +men could not be properly cared for. + +Although they were entirely surrounded, and one hundred and ten miles +from the nearest post, the men did not despair. They had an abundance of +ammunition, plenty of water, under ground only a short distance, and for +food they had their horses and mules. At night two of the scouts, Tradeau +and Stillwell, stole through the lines of the Indians, and started +swiftly for Fort Wallace to obtain relief. It was a dangerous +undertaking, but they were brave and experienced scouts. Stillwell was +only nineteen or twenty years old, but he was, in every sense of the +word, a thoroughbred frontiersman. + +During the night the besieged scouts threw up their breastworks +considerably higher and piled the dead animals on top. They dug down to +water, and also stored away a lot of horse and mule meat in the sand to +keep it fresh as long as possible. The Indians renewed their firing next +morning, and kept it up all day, doing but little injury, however, as the +scouts were now well entrenched; but many an Indian was sent to his happy +hunting ground. + +[Illustration: BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE] + +Night came again, and the prospects were indeed gloomy. An attempt was +made by two more of the scouts to creep through the Indian lines, but +they were detected by the enemy and had to return to their comrades. +The next morning the Indians renewed hostilities as usual. Their women +and children began to disappear about noon, and then the Indians tried to +draw the scouts out by displaying a white flag for a truce. They appeared +to want to have a talk with General Forsyth, but as their treachery was +well-known, the scouts did not fall into this trap. The Indians had +apparently become tired of fighting, especially as they found that they +had a most stubborn foe to deal with. + +Night once more threw its mantle over the scene, and under the cover of +the darkness Donovan and Plyley, two of the best scouts, stealthily made +their way out of the camp, and started for Fort Wallace with a dispatch +from General Forsyth, who gave a brief summary of the situation, and +stated that if necessary he could hold out for six days longer. + +When the day dawned again, only a small number of warriors could be +seen, and they probably remained to watch, the scouts and keep them +corraled. The uninjured men attended to the wounded as well as they +could under the adverse circumstances, but from want of proper +treatment, evidences of gangrene appeared in some of the wounds on the +sixth day. The mule and horse meat became totally unfit for use, but +they had nothing else to eat, and had to eat it or starve. Under these +trying circumstances the General told the men that any who wished to go +might do so, and take their chances; but they all resolved to remain, +and die together, if need be. + +Relief came at last. Tradeau and Stillwell had safely reached Fort +Wallace, and on the morning of the 25th of September, Colonel Carpenter +and a detachment of cavalry arrived with supplies. This assistance to the +besieged and starving scouts came like a vessel to ship-wrecked men +drifting and starving on a raft in mid-ocean. + +It was with the survivors of this terrible fight that I spent the few +days at Hays City, prior to the arrival of the Fifth Cavalry. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCOUTING. + + +On the third day of October the Fifth Cavalry arrived at Fort Hays, and I +at once began making the acquaintance of the different officers of the +regiment. I was introduced by General Sheridan to Colonel William Royal, +who was in command of the regiment. He was a gallant officer, and an +agreeable and pleasant gentleman. He is now stationed at Omaha as +Inspector General in the department of the Platte. I also became +acquainted with Major W.H. Brown, Major Walker. Captain Sweetman, +Quartermaster E.M. Hays, and in fact all the officers of the regiment. + +General Sheridan, being anxious to punish the Indians who had lately +fought General Forsyth, did not give the regiment much of a rest, and +accordingly on the 5th of October it began its march for the Beaver Creek +country. The first night we camped on the South fork of Big Creek, four +miles west of Hays City. By this time I had become pretty well acquainted +with Major Brown and Captain Sweetman, who invited me to mess with them +on this expedition; and a jolly mess we had. There were other scouts in +the command besides myself, and I particularly remember Tom Renahan, Hank +Fields and a character called "Nosey" on account of his long nose. + +On the morning of the 6th we pulled out to the north, and during the day +I was very favorably struck with the appearance of the regiment. It was a +beautiful command, and when strung out on the prairie with a train of +seventy-five six-mule wagons, ambulances and pack mules, I felt very +proud of my position as guide and chief of scouts of such a warlike +expedition. + +Just as we were about to go into camp on the Saline river that night, we +ran on to a band of about fifteen Indians, who, seeing us, dashed across +the creek, followed by some bullets which we sent after them; but as the +small band proved to be a scouting party, we pursued them only a mile or +two, when our attention was directed to a herd of buffaloes--they being +very plenty--and we succeeded in killing ten or fifteen for the command. + +The next day we marched thirty miles, and late in the afternoon we went +into camp on the South fork of the Solomon. At this encampment Colonel +Royal asked me to go out and kill some buffaloes for the boys. + +"All right, Colonel, send along a wagon or two to bring in the +meat," I said. + +"I am not in the habit of sending out my wagons until I know that there +is something to be hauled in; kill your buffalo first and then I'll send +out the wagons," was the Colonel's reply. I said no more, but went out on +a hunt, and after a short absence returned and asked the Colonel to send +his wagons over the hill for the half dozen buffaloes I had killed. + +The following afternoon he again requested me to go out and get some +fresh buffalo meat. I didn't ask him for any wagons this time, but rode +out some distance, and coming up with a small herd, I managed to get +seven of them headed straight for the encampment, and instead of shooting +them just then, I ran them at full speed right into the camp, and then +killed them all, one after the other in rapid succession. Colonel Royal +witnessed the whole proceeding, which puzzled him somewhat, as he could +see no reason why I had not killed them on the prairie. He came up, +rather angrily, and demanded an explanation. "I can't allow any such +business as this, Cody," said he, "what do you mean by it?" + +"I didn't care about asking for any wagons this time, Colonel; so I +thought I would make the buffaloes furnish their own transportation," was +my reply. The Colonel saw the point in a moment, and had no more to say +on the subject. + +[Illustration: BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP.] + +No Indians had been seen in the vicinity during the day, and Colonel +Royal having carefully posted his pickets, supposed everything was serene +for the night. But before morning we were roused from our slumbers by +hearing shots fired, and immediately afterwards one of the mounted +pickets came galloping into camp, saying that there were Indians close +at hand. The companies all fell into line, and were soon prepared and +anxious to give the red-skins battle; but as the men were yet new in the +Indian country a great many of them were considerably excited. No +Indians, however, made their appearance, and upon going to the +picket-post where the picket said he had seen them, none could be found +nor could any traces of them be discovered. The sentinel,--who was an +Irishman--insisted that there certainly had been red-skins there. + +[Illustration: "INDIANS!"] + +"But you must be mistaken," said Colonel Royal. + +"Upon me sowl, Colonel, I'm not; as shure ez me name's Pat Maloney, one +of thim rid divils hit me on the head wid a club, so he did," said Pat; +and so, when morning came, the mystery was further investigated and was +easily solved. Elk tracks were found in the vicinity and it was +undoubtedly a herd of elks that had frightened Pat; as he had turned to +run, he had gone under a limb of a tree, against which he hit his head, +and supposed he had been struck by a club in the hands of an Indian. It +was hard to convince Pat however, of the truth. + +A three days uninteresting march brought us to Beaver Creek where we +camped and from which point scouting parties were sent out in different +directions. Neither of these parties discovering Indians they all +returned to camp about the same time, finding it in a state of great +excitement, it having been attacked a few hours previous by a party of +Indians, who had succeeded in killing two men and in making off with +sixty horses belonging to Co. H. + +That evening the command started on the trail of these Indian +horse-thieves; Major Brown with two companies and three days rations +pushing ahead in advance of the main command. Being unsuccessful, +however, in overtaking the Indians, and getting nearly out of +provisions--it being our eighteenth day out, the entire command marched +towards the nearest railroad point, and camped on the Saline River; +distant three miles from Buffalo Tank. + +While waiting for supplies we received a new commanding officer, Brevet +Major-General E.A. Carr, who was the senior major of the regiment, and +who ranked Colonel Royal. He brought with him the now celebrated Forsyth +scouts, who were commanded by Lieutenant Pepoon, a regular army officer. + +[Illustration: GEN'L E.A. CARR.] + +It was also while waiting in this camp that Major Brown received a new +lieutenant to fill a vacancy in his company. On the day that this officer +was to arrive, Major Brown had his private ambulance brought out, and +invited me to accompany him to the railroad station to meet his +lieutenant, whose name was A.B. Bache. He proved to be a fine gentleman, +and a brave, dashing officer. On the way to the dépôt Major Brown had +said, "Now, Cody, when we come back we'll give Bache a lively ride and +shake him up a little." + +Major Brown was a jolly good fellow, but sometimes he would get "a little +off," and as this was one of his "off days" he was bound to amuse himself +in some original and mischievous way. Reaching the dépôt just as the +train came in, we easily found the Lieutenant, and giving him the back +seat in the ambulance we were soon headed for camp. + +Pretty soon Major Brown took the reins from his driver, and at once began +whipping the mules. After getting them into a lively gallop he pulled out +his revolver and fired several shots. The road was terribly rough and the +night was so dark that we could hardly see where we were going. It Was a +wonderful piece of luck that we were not tipped over and our necks +broken. Finally Bache said, good-humoredly: + +"Is this the way you break in all your Lieutenants, Major?" + +"Oh, no; I don't do this as a regular thing, but it's the way we +frequently ride in this country," said the Major; "just keep your +seat, Mr. Bache, and we'll take you through on time." The Major +appropriated the reply of the old California stage driver, Hank Monk, +to Horace Greely. + +We were now rattling down a steep hill at full speed, and just as we +reached the bottom, the front wheels struck a deep ditch over which the +mules had jumped. We were all brought up standing by the sudden stoppage +of the ambulance. Major Brown and myself were nearly pitched out on the +wheels, while the Lieutenant came flying headlong from the back seat to +the front of the vehicle. + +"Take a back seat, Lieutenant," coolly said Major Brown. + +"Major, I have just left that seat," said Bache. + +We soon lifted the wagon out of the ditch, and then resumed our drive, +running into camp under full headway, and creating considerable +amusement. Every one recognized the ambulance and knew at once that +Major Brown and I were out on a "lark," and therefore there was not much +said about our exploit. Halting with a grand flourish in front of his +tent, Major Brown jumped out in his most gallant style and politely +asked his lieutenant in. A very pleasant evening was spent there, quite +a number of the officers calling to make the acquaintance of the new +officer, who entertained the visitors with an amusing account of the +ride from the dépôt. + +Next morning at an early hour, the command started out on a hunt for +Indians. General Carr having a pretty good idea where he would be most +likely to find them, directed me to guide him by the nearest route to +Elephant Rock on Beaver Creek. + +Upon arriving at the south fork of the Beaver on the second day's march, +we discovered a large, fresh Indian trail which we hurriedly followed for +a distance of eight miles, when suddenly we saw on the bluffs ahead of +us, quite a large number of Indians. + +General Carr ordered Lieutenant Pepoon's scouts and Company M to the +front. This company was commanded by Lieutenant Schinosky, a Frenchman by +birth and a reckless dare-devil by nature, who was anxious to have a +hair-lifting match. Having advanced his company nearly a mile ahead of +the main command, about four hundred Indians suddenly charged down upon +him and gave him a lively little fight, until he was supported by our +full force. + +The Indians kept increasing in numbers all the while until it was +estimated that we were fighting from eight hundred to one thousand of +them. The engagement became quite general, and several were killed and +wounded on each side. The Indians were evidently fighting to give their +families and village, a chance to get away. We had undoubtedly surprised +them with a larger force than they had expected to see in that part of +the country. We fought them until dark, all the time driving them before +us. At night they annoyed us considerably by firing down into our camp +from the higher hills, and several times the command was ordered out to +dislodge them from their position and drive them back. + +After having returned from one of these little sallies, Major Brown, +Captain Sweetman, Lieutenant Bache and myself were taking supper +together, when "whang!" came a bullet into Lieutenant Bache's plate, +breaking a hole through it. The bullet came from the gun of one of the +Indians, who had returned to the high bluff over-looking our camp. Major +Brown declared it was a crack shot, because it broke the plate. We +finished our supper without having any more such close calls. + +At daylight next morning we struck out on the trail, and soon came to the +spot where the Indians had camped the day before. We could see that +their village was a very large one, consisting of about five hundred +lodges; and we pushed forward rapidly from this point on the trail which +ran back toward Prairie Dog Creek. + +About two o'clock we came in sight of the retreating village, and soon +the warriors turned back to give us battle. They set fire to the prairie +grass in front of us, and on all sides, in order to delay us as much as +possible. We kept up a running fight for the remainder of the afternoon, +and the Indians repeatedly attempted to lead us off the track of their +flying village, but their trail was easily followed, as they were +continually dropping tepee poles, camp kettles, robes, furs and all heavy +articles belonging to them. They were evidently scattering, and it +finally became difficult for us to keep on the main trail. When darkness +set in, we went into camp, it being useless to try to follow the Indians +after nightfall. + +Next morning we were again on the trail, which led north, and back +towards the Beaver Creek, which stream it crossed within a few miles of +the spot where we had first discovered the Indians, they having made +nearly a complete circle, in hopes of misleading us. Late in the +afternoon, we again saw them going over a hill far ahead of us, and +towards evening the main body of warriors came back and fought us once +more; but we continued to drive them until darkness set in, when we +camped for the night. + +The Indians soon scattered in every direction, but we followed the main +trail to the Republican river, where we made a cut-off, and then went +north towards the Platte river. We found, however, that the Indians by +traveling night and day had got a long start, and the General concluded +that it was useless to follow them any further, as we had pushed them so +hard, and given them such a scare that they would leave the Republican +country and go north across the Union Pacific railroad. Most of the +Indians, as he had predicted, did cross the Platte river, near Ogallala, +on the Union Pacific, and thence continued northward. + +That night we returned to the Republican river and camped in a grove +of cottonwoods, which I named Carr's Grove, in honor of the +commanding officer. + +The General told me that the next day's march would be towards the +head-waters of the Beaver, and he asked me the distance. I replied that +it was about twenty-five miles, and he said we would make it the next +day. Getting an early start in the morning, we struck out across the +prairie, my position as guide being ahead of the advance guard. About two +o'clock General Carr overtook me, and asked how far I supposed it was to +water. I thought it was about eight miles, although we could see no sign +or indication of any stream in our front. + +"Pepoon's scouts say that you are going in the wrong direction," said the +General, "and in the way you are bearing it will be fifteen miles before +you can strike any of the branches of the Beaver; and that when you do, +you will find no water, for the Beavers are dry at this time of the year +at that point." + +"General, I think the scouts are mistaken," said I, "for the Beaver has +more water near its head than it has below; and at the place where we +will strike the stream we will find immense beaver dams, large enough and +strong enough to cross the whole command, if you wish." + +"Well, Cody, go ahead," said he, "I'll leave it to you, but remember +that I don't want a dry camp." + +"No danger of that," said I, and then I rode on, leaving him to return to +the command. As I had predicted, we found water seven or eight miles +further on, where we came upon a beautiful little stream--a tributary of +the Beaver--hidden in the hills. We had no difficulty in selecting a +good halting place, and obtaining fresh spring water and excellent grass. +The General, upon learning from me that the stream--which was only eight +or nine miles long--had no name, took out his map and located it, and +named it Cody's Creek, which name it still bears. + +We pulled out early next morning for the Beaver, and when we were +approaching the stream I rode on ahead of the advance guard, in order to +find a crossing. Just as I turned a bend of the creek, "bang!" went a +shot, and down went my horse--myself with him. I disentangled myself, and +jumped behind the dead body. Looking in the direction whence the shot had +come, I saw two Indians, and at once turned my gun loose on them, but in +the excitement of the moment I missed my aim. They fired two or three +more shots, and I returned the compliment, wounding one of their horses. + +On the opposite side of the creek, going over the hill, I observed a few +lodges moving rapidly away, and also some mounted warriors, who could see +me, and who kept blazing away with their guns. The two Indians who had +fired at me and had killed my horse were retreating across the creek on a +beaver dam. I sent a few shots after them to accelerate their speed, and +also fired at the ones on the other side of the stream. I was undecided +as to whether it was best to run back to the command on foot or hold my +position. I knew that within a few minutes the troops would come up, and +if they heard the firing they would come rapidly. + +The Indians, seeing that I was alone, turned and charged down the hill, +and were about to re-cross the creek to corral me, when the advance guard +of the command put in an appearance on the ridge, and dashed forward to +my rescue. The red-skins whirled and made off. + +When General Carr came up, he ordered Company I to go in pursuit of the +band. I accompanied Lieutenant Brady, who commanded, and we had a running +fight with the Indians, lasting several hours. We captured several head +of their horses and most of their lodges. At night we returned to the +command, which by this time had crossed the creek on the beaver dam. + +We scouted for several days along the river, and had two or three lively +skirmishes. Finally our supplies began to run low, and General Carr gave +orders to return to Fort Wallace, which we reached three days afterwards, +and where we remained several days. + +While the regiment was waiting here for orders, I spent most of the time +in hunting buffaloes, and one day while I was out with a small party, we +were "jumped" by about fifty Indians. We had a severe fight of at least +an hour, when we succeeded in driving the enemy. They lost four of their +warriors, and probably concluded that we were a hard crowd. I had some +excellent marksmen with me, and they did some fine work, sending the +bullets thick and fast where they would do the most good. Two or three of +our horses had been hit, and one man had been wounded; we were ready and +willing to stay with the red-skins as long as they wished--but they +finally gave it up however, as a bad job, and rode off. We finished our +hunt, and went back to the post loaded down with plenty of buffalo meat, +and received the compliments of the General for our little fight. + +[Illustration: A HARD CROWD.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A TOUGH TIME. + + +General Carr soon received orders from General Sheridan that he was to +make a winter's campaign in the Canadian river country, and that we were +to proceed to Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas river, in Colorado, and there +fit out for the expedition. Leaving Fort Wallace in November, 1868, we +arrived at Fort Lyon in the latter part of the month, and outfitted for +the coming expedition. + +General Penrose had left this post three weeks previously with a command +of some three hundred men. He had taken no wagons with him and his supply +train was composed only of pack mules. General Carr was ordered to follow +with supplies on his trail and overtake him as soon as possible. I was +particularly anxious to catch up with Penrose's command, as my old +friend Wild Bill was among his scouts. We followed the trail very easily +for the first three days, and then we were caught in Freeze-Out canyon by +a fearful snow storm, which compelled us to go into camp for a day. The +ground now being covered with snow, we found that it would be almost +impossible to follow Penrose's trail any further, especially as he had +left no sign to indicate the direction he was going. General Carr sent +for me and said that as it was very important that we should not lose the +trail, he wished that I would take some scouts with me, and while the +command remained in camp, push on as far as possible and see if I could +not discover some traces of Penrose or where he had camped at any time. + +[Illustration: CAMPING IN THE SNOW.] + +Accompanied by four men I started out in the blinding snow storm, taking +a southerly direction. We rode twenty-four miles, and upon reaching a +tributary of the Cimarron, we scouted up and down the stream for a few +miles and finally found one of Penrose's old camps. It was now late in +the afternoon, and as the command would come up the next day, it was not +necessary for all of us to return with the information to General Carr. +So riding down into a sheltered place in a bend of the creek, we built a +fire and broiled some venison from a deer which we had shot during the +day, and after eating a substantial meal, I left the four men there, +while I returned to bring up the troops. + +It was eleven o'clock at night when I got back to the camp. A light was +still burning in the General's tent, he having remained awake, anxiously +awaiting my return. He was glad to see me, and was overjoyed at the +information I brought, for he had great fears concerning the safety of +General Penrose. He roused up his cook and ordered him to get me a good +hot supper, all of which I greatly appreciated. I passed the night in the +General's tent, and next morning rose refreshed and prepared for a big +day's work. + +The command took up its march next day for the Cimarron, and had a hard +tramp of it on account of the snow having drifted to a great depth in +many of the ravines, and in some places the teamsters had to shovel their +way through. We arrived at the Cimarron at sundown, and went into a nice +warm camp. Upon looking around next morning, we found that Penrose, +having been unencumbered by wagons, had kept on the west side of the +Cimarron, and the country was so rough that it was impossible for us to +stay on his trail with our wagons; but knowing that he would certainly +follow down the river, General Carr concluded to take the best wagon +route along the stream, which I discovered to be on the east side. Before +we could make any headway with our wagon train we had to leave the river +and get out on the divide. We were very fortunate that day in finding a +splendid road for some distance, until we were all at once brought up +standing on a high table-land, overlooking a beautiful winding creek that +lay far below us in the valley. The question that troubled us, was, how +we were to get the wagons down. We were now in the foot-hills of the +Rattoon Mountains, and the bluff we were on was very steep. + +"Cody, we're in a nice fix now," said General Carr. + +"Oh, that's nothing," was my reply. + +"But you can never take the train down," said he. + +"Never you mind the train, General. You say you are looking for a good +camp. How does that beautiful spot down in the valley suit you?" I +asked him. + +"That will do. I can easily descend with the cavalry, but how to get the +wagons down there is a puzzler to me," said he. + +"By the time you've located your camp, your wagons shall be +there," said I. + +"All right, Cody, I'll leave it to you, as you seem to want to be boss," +replied he pleasantly. He at once ordered the command to dismount and +lead the horses down the mountain-side. The wagon train was a mile in the +rear, and when it came up, one of the drivers asked: "How are we going +down there?" + +"Run down, slide down or fall down--any way to get down," said I. + +"We never can do it; it's too steep; the wagons will run over the mules," +said another wagon-master. + +"I guess not; the mules have got to keep out of the way," was my reply. + +Telling Wilson, the chief wagon-master, to bring on his mess-wagon, which +was at the head of the train, I said I would try the experiment at least. +Wilson drove the team and wagon to the brink of the hill, and following +my directions he brought out some extra chains with which we locked both +wheels on each side, and then rough-locked them. We then started the +wagon down the hill. The wheel-horses--or rather the wheel-mules--were +good on the hold-back, and we got along finely until we nearly reached +the bottom, when the wagon crowded the mules so hard that they started on +a run and galloped down into the valley and to the place where General +Carr had located his camp. Three other wagons immediately followed in the +same way, and in half an hour every wagon was in camp, without the least +accident having occurred. It was indeed an exciting sight to see the +six-mule teams come straight down the mountain and finally break into a +full run. At times it looked as if the wagons would turn a somersault and +land on the mules. + +This proved to be a lucky march for us as far as gaining on Penrose was +concerned, for the route he had taken on the west side of the stream +turned out to be a bad one, and we went with our immense wagon train as +far in one day as Penrose had in seven. His command had marched on to a +plateau or high table-land so steep, that not even a pack mule could +descend it, and he was obliged to retrace his steps a long ways, thus +losing three days time as we afterwards learned. + +While in this camp we had a lively turkey hunt. The trees along the +banks of the stream were literally alive with wild turkeys, and after +unsaddling the horses between two and three hundred soldiers surrounded a +grove of timber and had a grand turkey round-up, killing four or five +hundred of the birds, with guns, clubs and stones. Of course, we had +turkey in every style after this hunt--roast turkey, boiled turkey, fried +turkey, "turkey on toast," and so on; and we appropriately called this +place Camp Turkey. + +From this point on, for several days, we had no trouble in following +Penrose's trail, which led us in a southeasterly direction towards the +Canadian River. No Indians were seen, nor any signs of them found. One +day, while riding in advance of the command, down San Francisco Creek, I +heard some one calling my name from a little bunch of willow brush on the +opposite bank, and, upon looking closely at the spot, I saw a negro. + +"Sakes alive! Massa Bill, am dat you?" asked the man, whom I recognized +as one of the colored soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry. I next heard him say +to some one in the brush: "Come out o' heah. Dar's Massa Buffalo Bill." +Then he sang out, "Massa Bill, is you got any hawd tack?" + +"Nary a hard tack; but the wagons will be along presently, and then you +can get all you want," said I. + +"Dat's de best news I'se heerd foah sixteen long days, Massa Bill," said +he. "Where's your command? Where's General Penrose?" I asked. + +"I dunno," said the darkey; "we got lost, and we's been a starvin' +eber since." + +By this time two other negroes had emerged from their place of +concealment. They had deserted Penrose's command--which was out of +rations and nearly in a starving 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 somewhere on Polladora Creek; but we could +not learn anything definite from the starved "mokes," for they knew not +where they were themselves. + +Having learned that General Penrose's troops were in such bad shape, +General Carr ordered Major Brown to start out the next morning with two +companies of cavalry and fifty pack-mules loaded with provisions, and to +make all possible speed to reach and relieve the suffering soldiers. I +accompanied this detachment, and on the third day out we found the +half-famished soldiers camped on the Polladora. The camp presented a +pitiful sight, indeed. For over two weeks the men had had only quarter +rations, and were now nearly starved to death. Over two hundred horses +and mules were lying dead, having died from fatigue and starvation. +General Penrose, having feared that General Carr would not find him, had +sent back a company of the Seventh Cavalry to Fort Lyon for supplies; but +no word as yet had been heard from them. The rations which Major Brown +brought to the command came none too soon, and were the means of saving +many a life. + +[Illustration: A WELCOME VISITOR] + +About the first man I saw after reaching the camp was my old, true and +tried friend, Wild Bill. That night we had a jolly reunion around the +camp-fires. + +General Carr, upon arriving with his force, took command of all the +troops, he being the senior officer and ranking General Penrose. After +selecting a good camp, he unloaded the wagons and sent them back to Fort +Lyon for fresh supplies. He then picked out five hundred of the best men +and horses, and, taking his pack-train with him, he started south for the +Canadian River, distant about forty miles, leaving the rest of the troops +at the supply camp. + +I was ordered to accompany this expedition. We struck the south fork of +the Canadian River, or Rio Colorado, at a point a few miles above the old +_adobe_ walls, which at one time had composed a fort, and was the place +where Kit Carson once had a big Indian fight. We were now within twelve +miles of a new supply dépôt, called Camp Evans, which had been +established for the Third Cavalry and Evans's Expedition from New Mexico. +The scouts who had brought in this information also reported that they +expected the arrival at Camp Evans of a bull-train from New Mexico with +a large quantity of beer for the soldiers. This news was "pie" for Wild +Bill and myself, and we determined to lie low for that beer outfit. That +very evening it came along, and the beer that was destined for the +soldiers at Camp Evans never reached its destination. It went straight +down the thirsty throats of General Carr's command. It appears that the +Mexicans living near Fort Union had manufactured the beer, and were +taking it through to Camp Evans to sell to the troops, but it struck a +lively market without going so far. It was sold to our boys in pint cups, +and as the weather was very cold we warmed the beer by putting the ends +of our picket-pins heated red-hot into the cups. The result was one of +the biggest beer jollifications I ever had the misfortune to attend. + +One evening General Carr summoned me to his tent, and said he wished to +send some scouts with dispatches to Camp Supply, which were to be +forwarded from there to Sheridan. He ordered me to call the scouts +together at once at his headquarters, and select the men who were to go. +I asked him if I should not go myself, but he replied that he wished me +to remain with the command, as he could not spare me. The distance to +Camp Supply was about two hundred miles, and owing to the very cold +weather it was anything but a pleasant trip. Consequently none of the +scouts were anxious to undertake it. It was finally settled, however, +that Wild Bill, a half-breed called Little Geary, and three other scouts +should carry the dispatches, and they accordingly took their departure +next day, with instructions to return to the command as soon as possible. + +For several days we scouted along the Canadian River, but found no signs +of Indians. General Carr then went back to his camp, and soon afterwards +our wagon train came in from Fort Lyon with a fresh load of provisions. +Our animals being in poor condition, we remained in different camps along +San Francisco Creek and the north fork of the Canadian, until Wild Bill +and his scouts returned from Camp Supply. + +Among the scouts of Penrose's command were fifteen Mexicans, and between +them and the American scouts there had existed a feud; when General Carr +took command of the expedition--uniting it with his own--and I was made +chief of all the scouts, this feud grew more intense, and the Mexicans +often threatened to clean us out; but they postponed the undertaking from +time to time, until one day, while we were all at the sutler's store, the +long-expected fight took place, and resulted in the Mexicans getting +severely beaten. + +General Carr, upon hearing of the row, sent for Wild Bill and myself, he +having concluded, from the various statements which had been made to +him, that we were the instigators of the affair. But after listening to +what we had to say, he thought that the Mexicans were as much to blame +as we were. + +It is not to be denied that Wild Bill and myself had been partaking too +freely of "tanglefoot" that evening; and General Carr said to me: "Cody, +there are plenty of antelopes in the country, and you can do some hunting +for the camp while we stay here." + +"All right, General, I'll do it." + +After that I put in my time hunting, and with splendid success, killing +from fifteen to twenty antelopes a day, which kept the men well supplied +with fresh meat. + +At length, our horses and mules having become sufficiently recruited to +travel, we returned to Fort Lyon, arriving there in March, 1869, where +the command was to rest and recruit for thirty days, before proceeding to +the Department of the Platte, whither it had been ordered. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + + +General Carr, at my request, kindly granted me one month's leave of +absence to visit my family in St. Louis, and ordered Captain Hays, our +quartermaster, to let me ride my mule and horse to Sheridan, distant 140 +miles, where I was to take the cars. I was instructed to leave the +animals in the quartermaster's corral at Fort Wallace until I should come +back, but instead of doing this I put them both in the care of my old +friend Perry, the hotel-keeper at Sheridan. After a twenty days absence +in St. Louis, pleasantly spent with my family, I returned to Sheridan, +and there learned that my mule and horse had been seized by the +government. + +It seems that the quartermaster's agent at Sheridan had reported to +General Bankhead, commanding Fort Wallace, and to Captain Laufer, the +quartermaster, that I had left the country and had sold a government +horse and mule to Mr. Perry, and of course Captain Laufer took possession +of the animals and threatened to have Perry arrested for buying +government property. Perry explained to him the facts in the case and +said that I would return in a few days; but the captain would pay no +attention to his statements. + +I immediately went over to the office of the quartermaster's agent, and +had Perry point him out to me. I at once laid hold of him, and in a +short time had treated him to just such a thrashing as his contemptible +lie deserved. + +He then mounted a horse, rode to Fort Wallace, and reported me to General +Bankhead and Captain Laufer, and obtained a guard to return with and +protect him. + +The next morning I secured a horse from Perry, and proceeding to Fort +Wallace demanded my horse and mule from General Bankhead, on the ground +that they were quartermaster Hays' property and belonged to General +Carr's command, and that I had obtained permission to ride them to +Sheridan and back. General Bankhead, in a gruff manner ordered me out of +his office and off the reservation, saying that if I didn't take a +hurried departure he would have me forcibly put out. I told him to do it +and be hanged; I might have used a stronger expression, and upon second +thought, I believe I did. I next interviewed Captain Laufer and demanded +of him also the horse and mule, as I was responsible for them to +Quartermaster Hays. Captain Laufer intimated that I was a liar and that I +had disposed of the animals. Hot words ensued between us, and he too +ordered me to leave the post. I replied that General Bankhead had +commanded me to do the same thing, but that I had not yet gone; and that +I did not propose to obey any orders of an inferior officer. + +Seeing that it was of no use to make any further effort to get possession +of the animals I rode back to Sheridan, and just as I reached there I met +the quartermaster's agent coming out from supper, with his head tied up. +It occurred to me that he had not received more than one half the +punishment justly due him, and that now would be a good time to give him +the balance--so I carried the idea into immediate execution. After +finishing the job in good style, I informed him that he could not stay in +that town while I remained there, and convinced him that Sheridan was not +large enough to hold us both at the same time; he accordingly left the +place and again went to Fort Wallace, this time reporting to General +Bankhead that I had driven him away, and had threatened to kill him. + +That night while sleeping at the Perry House, I was awakened by a tap on +the shoulder and upon looking up I was considerably surprised to see the +room filled with armed negroes who had their guns all pointed at me. The +first words I heard came from the sergeant, who said: + +"Now look a-heah, Massa Bill, ef you makes a move we'll blow you off de +farm, shuah!" Just then Captain Ezekiel entered and ordered the soldiers +to stand back. + +"Captain, what does this mean?" I asked. + +"I am sorry, Bill, but I have been ordered by General Bankhead to arrest +you and bring you to Fort Wallace," said he. + +"That's all right," said I, "but you could have made the arrest alone, +without having brought the whole Thirty-eighth Infantry with you." "I +know that, Bill," replied the Captain, "but as you've not been in very +good humor for the last day or two, I didn't know how you would act." + +I hastily dressed, and accompanied Captain Ezekiel to Fort Wallace, +arriving there at two o'clock in the morning. + +"Bill, I am really sorry," said Captain Ezekiel, as we alighted, "but I +have orders to place you in the guard-house, and I must perform my duty." + +"Very well, Captain; I don't blame you a bit," said I; and into the +guard-house I went as a prisoner for the first and only time in my life. +The sergeant of the--guard who was an old friend of mine, belonging to +Captain Graham's company, which was stationed there at the time--did not +put me into a cell, but kindly allowed me to stay in his room and occupy +his bed, and in a few minutes I was snoring away as if nothing unusual +had occurred. + +Shortly after _reveille_ Captain Graham called to see me. He thought it +was a shame for me to be in the guard-house, and said that he would +interview General Bankhead in my behalf as soon as he got up. The Captain +had a nice breakfast prepared for me, and then departed. At guard-mount I +was not sent for, contrary to my expectations, and thereupon I had word +conveyed to Captain Graham, who was officer of the day, that I wanted to +see General Bankhead. The Captain informed me that the General absolutely +refused to hold any conversation whatever with me. + +At this time there was no telegraph line between Fort Wallace and Fort +Lyon, and therefore it was impossible for me to telegraph to General +Carr, and I determined to send a dispatch direct to General Sheridan. I +accordingly wrote out a long telegram informing him of my difficulty, +and had it taken to the telegraph office for transmission; but the +operator, instead of sending it at once as he should have done, showed +it to General Bankhead, who tore it up, and instructed the operator not +to pay any attention to what I might say, as he was running that post. +Thinking it very strange that I received no answer during the day I +went to the telegraph office, accompanied by a guard, and learned from +the operator what he had done. "See here, my young friend," said I, +"this is a public telegraph line, and I want my telegram sent, or +there'll be trouble." + +I re-wrote my dispatch and handed it to him, accompanied with the money +to pay for the transmission, saying, as I did so: "Young man, I wish that +telegram sent direct to Chicago. You know it is your duty to send it, and +it must go." + +He knew very well that he was compelled to transmit the message, but +before doing so he called on General Bankhead and informed him of what I +had said, and told him that he would certainly have to send it, for if he +didn't he might lose his position. The General, seeing that the telegram +would have to go, summoned me to his headquarters, and the first thing he +said, after I got into his presence was: + +"If I let you go, sir, will you leave the post at once and not bother my +agent at Sheridan again?" + +"No, sir;" I replied, "I'll do nothing of the kind. I'll remain in the +guard-house until I receive an answer from General Sheridan." + +"If I give you the horse and mule will you proceed at once to Fort Lyon?" + +"No, sir; I have some bills to settle at Sheridan and some other business +to transact," replied I. + +"Well, sir; will you at least agree not to interfere any further with the +quartermaster's agent at Sheridan?" + +"I shall not bother him any more, sir, as I have had all I want from +him," was my answer. + +General Bankhead thereupon sent for Captain Laufer and ordered him to +turn the horse and mule over to me. In a few minutes more I was on my way +to Sheridan, and after settling my business there, I proceeded to Fort +Lyon, arriving two days afterwards. I related my adventures to General +Carr, Major Brown, and other officers, who were greatly amused thereby. + +"I'm glad you've come, Bill," said General Carr, "as I have been +wanting you for the last two weeks. While we have been at this post +several valuable animals, as well as a large number of government +horses and mules have been stolen, and we think that the thieves are +still in the vicinity of the fort, but as yet we have been unable to +discover their rendezvous. I have had a party out for the last few days +in the neighborhood of old Fort Lyon, and they have found fresh tracks +down there and seem to think that the stock is concealed somewhere in +the timber, along the Arkansas river. Bill Green, one of the scouts who +has just come up from there, can perhaps tell you something more about +the matter." + +Green, who had been summoned, said that he had discovered fresh trails +before striking the heavy timber opposite old Fort Lyon, but that in the +tall grass he could not follow them. He had marked the place where he had +last seen fresh mule tracks, so that he could find it again. + +"Now, Cody, you're just the person we want," said the General. + +"Very well, I'll get a fresh mount, and to-morrow I'll go down and see +what I can discover," said I. + +"You had better take two men besides Green, and a pack mule with eight or +ten days' rations," suggested the General, "so that if you find the trail +you can follow it up, as I am very anxious to get back this stolen +property. The scoundrels have taken one of my private horses and also +Lieutenant Forbush's favorite little black race mule." + +Next morning I started out after the horse-thieves, being accompanied by +Green, Jack Farley, and another scout. The mule track, marked by Green, +was easily found, and with very little difficulty I followed it for about +two miles into the timber and came upon a place where, as I could plainly +see from numerous signs, quite a number of head of stock had been tied +among the trees and kept for several days. This was evidently the spot +where the thieves had been hiding their stolen stock until they had +accumulated quite a herd. From this point it was difficult to trail +them, as they had taken the stolen animals out of the timber one by one +and in different directions, thus showing that they were experts at the +business and experienced frontiersmen, for no Indian could have exhibited +more cunning in covering up a trail than did they. + +I abandoned the idea of following their trail in this immediate locality, +so calling my men together, I told them that we would ride out for about +five miles and make a complete circuit about the place, and in this way +we would certainly find the trail on which they had moved out. While +making the circuit we discovered the tracks of twelve animals--four mules +and eight horses--in the edge of some sand-hills, and from this point we +had no trouble in trailing them down the Arkansas river, which they had +crossed at Sand Creek, and then had gone up the latter stream, in the +direction of Denver, to which place they were undoubtedly bound. When +nearing Denver their trail became so obscure that we at last lost it; but +by inquiring of the settlers along the road which they had taken, we +occasionally heard of them. + +When within four miles of Denver--this was on a Thursday--we learned that +the horse-thieves had passed there two days before. I came to the +conclusion they would attempt to dispose of the animals in Denver, and +being aware that Saturday was the great auction day there, I thought it +best to remain where we were at a hotel, and not go into the city until +that day. It certainly would not have been advisable for me to have gone +into Denver meantime--because I was well-known there, and if the thieves +had learned of my presence in the city they would at once have suspected +my business. + +Early Saturday morning, we rode into town and stabled our horses at the +Elephant Corral. I secured a room from Ed. Chase, overlooking the corral, +and then took up my post of observation. I did not have long to wait, for +a man, whom I readily recognized as one of our old packers, rode into the +corral mounted upon Lieutenant Forbush's racing mule, and leading another +government mule, which I also identified. It had been recently branded, +and over the "U.S." was a plain "D.B." I waited for the man's companion +to put in an appearance, but he did not come, and my conclusion was that +he was secreted outside of the city with the rest of the animals. + +Presently the black mule belonging to Forbush was put up at auction. Now, +thought I, is the time to do my work. So, walking through the crowd, who +were bidding for the mule, I approached the man who had offered him for +sale. He recognized me and endeavored to escape, but I seized him by the +shoulder, saying: "I guess, my friend, that you'll have to go with me. If +you make any resistance, I'll shoot you on the spot." He was armed with a +pair of pistols, which I took away from him. Then informing the +auctioneer that I was a United States detective, and showing him--as well +as an inquisitive officer--my commission as such, I told him to stop the +sale, as the mule was stolen property, and that I had arrested the thief, +whose name was Williams. + +Farley and Green, who were near at hand, now came forward, and together +we took the prisoner and the mules three miles down the Platte River; +there, in a thick bunch of timber, we all dismounted and made +preparations to hang Williams from a limb, if he did not tell us where +his partner was. At first he denied knowing anything about any partner, +or any other stock; but when he saw that we were in earnest, and would +hang him at the end of the given time--five minutes--unless he +"squealed," he told us that his "pal" was at an unoccupied house three +miles further down the river. + +We immediately proceeded to the spot indicated, and as we came within +sight of the house we saw our stock grazing near by. Just as we rode up +to the door, another one of our old packers, whom I recognized as Bill +Bevins, stepped to the front, and I covered him instantly with my rifle +before he could draw his revolver. I ordered him to throw up his hands, +and he obeyed the command. Green then disarmed him and brought him out. +We looked through the house and found their saddles, pack-saddles, +blankets, overcoats, lariats and two Henry rifles, which we took +possession of. The horses and mules we tied in a bunch, and with the +whole outfit we returned to Denver, where we lodged Williams and Bevins +in jail, in charge of my friend, Sheriff Edward Cook. The next day we +took them out, and, tying each one on a mule, we struck out on our return +trip to Fort Lyon. + +At the hotel outside the city, where we had stopped on Thursday and +Friday, we were joined by our man with the pack-mule. That night we +camped on Cherry Creek, seventeen miles from Denver. The weather--it +being in April--was cold and stormy, but we found a warm and cosy +camping place in a bend of the creek. We made our beds in a row, with our +feet towards the fire. The prisoners so far had appeared very docile, and +had made no attempt to escape, and therefore I did not think it necessary +to hobble them. We made them sleep on the inside, and it was so arranged +that some one of us should be on guard all the time. + +At about one o'clock in the night it began snowing, while I was watching. +Shortly before three o'clock, Jack Farley, who was then on guard, and +sitting on the foot of the bed, with his back to the prisoners, was +kicked clear into the fire by Williams, and the next moment Bevins, who +had got hold of his shoes--which I had thought were out of his +reach--sprang up and jumped over the fire, and started on a run. I sent a +shot after him as soon as I awoke sufficiently to comprehend what was +taking place. Williams attempted to follow him, and as he did so, I +whirled around and knocked him down with my revolver. Farley by this time +had gathered himself out of the fire, and Green had started after Bevins, +firing at him on the run; but the prisoner made his escape into the +brush. In his flight, unfortunately for him, and luckily for us, he +dropped one of his shoes. + +Leaving Williams in the charge of Farley and "Long Doc," as we called +the man with the pack-mule, Green and myself struck out after Bevins as +fast as possible. We heard him breaking through the brush, but knowing +that it would be useless to follow him on foot, we went back to the camp +and saddled up two of the fastest horses, and at daylight we struck out +on his trail, which was plainly visible in the snow. He had got an hour +and a half the start of us. His tracks led us in the direction of the +mountains and the South Platte River, and as the country through which he +was passing was covered with prickly pears, we knew that he could not +escape stepping on them with his one bare foot, and hence we were likely +to overtake him in a short time. We could see, however, from the long +jumps that he was taking, that he was making excellent time, but we +frequently noticed, after we had gone some distance, that the prickly +pears and stones along his route were cutting his bare foot, as nearly +every track of it was spotted with blood. + +We had run our horses some twelve miles when we saw Bevins crossing a +ridge about two miles ahead. Urging our horses up to their utmost speed, +we reached the ridge just as he was descending the divide towards the +South Platte, which stream was very deep and swift at this point. It +became evident that if he should cross it ahead of us, he would have a +good chance of making his escape. So pushing our steeds as fast as +possible, we rapidly gained on him, and when within a hundred yards of +him I cried to him to halt or I would shoot. Knowing I was a good shot, +he stopped, and, coolly sitting down, waited till we came up. + +"Bevins, you've given us a good run," said I. + +"Yes," said he, "and if I had had fifteen minutes more of a start and +got across the Platte, I would have laughed at the idea of your ever +catching me." + +Bevin's run was the most remarkable feat of the kind ever known, either +of a white man, or an Indian. A man who could run bare-footed in the +snow eighteen miles through a prickly pear patch, was certainly a +"tough one," and that's the kind of a person Bill Bevins was. Upon +looking at his bleeding foot I really felt sorry for him. He asked me +for my knife, and I gave him my sharp-pointed bowie, with which he dug +the prickly pear briars out of his foot. I considered him as "game" a +man as I had ever met. + +"Bevins, I have got to take you back," said I, "but as you can't walk +with that foot, you can ride my horse and I'll foot it." + +We accordingly started back for our camp, with Bevins on my horse, which +was led either by Green or myself, as we alternately rode the other +horse. We kept a close watch on Bevins, for we had ample proof that he +needed watching. His wounded foot must have pained him terribly but not a +word of complaint escaped him. On arriving at the camp we found Williams +bound as we had left him and he seemed sorry that we had captured Bevins. + +[Illustration: THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS.] + +After breakfasting we resumed our journey, and nothing worth of note +again occurred until we reached the Arkansas river, where we found a +vacant cabin and at once took possession of it for the night. There was +no likelihood of Bevins again trying to escape, for his foot had swollen +to an enormous size, and was useless. Believing that Williams could not +escape from the cabin, we unbound him. We then went to sleep, leaving +Long Doc on guard, the cabin being comfortably warmed and well lighted by +the fire. It was a dark, stormy night--so dark that you could hardly see +your hand before you. At about ten o'clock, Williams asked Long Doc to +allow him to step to the door for a moment. + +Long Doc, who had his revolver in his hand, did not think it necessary to +wake us up, and believing that he could take care of the prisoner, he +granted his request. Williams thereupon walked to the outer edge of the +door, while Long Doc, revolver in hand, was watching him from the inside. +Suddenly Williams made a spring to the right, and before Doc could even +raise his revolver, he had dodged around the house. Doc jumped after him, +and fired just as he turned a corner, the report bringing us all to our +feet, and in an instant we knew what had happened. I at once covered +Bevins with my revolver, but as I saw that he could hardly stir, and was +making no demonstration, I lowered the weapon. Just then Doc came in +swearing "a blue streak," and announced that Williams had escaped. There +was nothing for us to do except to gather our horses close to the cabin +and stand guard over them for the rest of the night, to prevent the +possibility of Williams sneaking up and stealing one of them. That was +the last I ever saw or heard of Williams. + +We finally got back to Fort Lyon with Bevins, and General Carr, to whom I +immediately reported, complimented us highly on the success of our trip, +notwithstanding we had lost one prisoner. The next day we took Bevins to +Boggs' ranch on Picket Wire Creek, and there turned him over to the civil +authorities, who put him in a log jail to await his trial. He never was +tried, however, for he soon made his escape, as I expected he would do. I +heard no more of him until 1872, when I learned that he was skirmishing +around on Laramie Plains at his old tricks. He sent word by the gentleman +from whom I gained this information, that if he ever met me again he +would kill me on sight. He finally was arrested and convicted for +robbery, and was confined in the prison at Laramie City. Again he made +his escape, and soon afterwards he organized a desperate gang of outlaws +who infested the country north of the Union Pacific railroad, and when +the stages began to run between Cheyenne and Deadwood, in the Black +Hills, they robbed the coaches and passengers, frequently making large +hauls of plunder. They kept this up for some time, till finally most of +the gang were caught, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary for +a number of years. Bill Bevins and nearly all of his gang are now +confined in the Nebraska state prison, to which they were transferred, +from Wyoming. + +[Illustration: ROBBING A STAGE COACH.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A MILITARY EXPEDITION. + + +A day or two after my return to Fort Lyon, the Fifth Cavalry were ordered +to the Department of the Platte, and took up their line of march for Fort +McPherson, Nebraska. We laid over one day at Fort Wallace, to get +supplies, and while there I had occasion to pass General Bankhead's +headquarters. His orderly called to me, and said the General wished to +see me. As I entered the General's office he extended his hand and said: +"I hope you have no hard feelings toward me, Cody, for having you +arrested when you were here. I have just had a talk with General Carr and +Quartermaster Hays, and they informed me that you had their permission to +ride the horse and mule, and if you had stated this fact to me there +would have been no trouble about the matter whatever." "That is all +right, General," said I; "I will think no more of it. But I don't believe +that your quartermaster's agent will ever again circulate false stories +about me." + +"No," said the General; "he has not yet recovered from the beating that +you gave him." + +From Fort Wallace we moved down to Sheridan, where the command halted for +us to lay in a supply of forage which was stored there. I was still +messing with Major Brown, with whom I went into the village to purchase a +supply of provisions for our mess; but unfortunately we were in too jolly +a mood to fool away money on "grub." We bought several articles, however, +and put them into the ambulance and sent them back to the camp with our +cook. The Major and myself did not return until _reveille_ next morning. +Soon afterwards the General sounded "boots and saddles," and presently +the regiment was on its way to McPherson. + +It was very late before we went into camp that night, and we were tired +and hungry. Just as Major Brown was having his tent put up, his cook +came to us and asked where the provisions were that we had bought the +day before. + +"Why, did we not give them to you--did you not bring them to camp in the +ambulance?" asked Major Brown. + +"No, sir; it was only a five-gallon demijohn of whiskey, a five-gallon +demijohn of brandy, and two cases of Old Tom-Cat gin," said the cook. + +"The mischief!" I exclaimed; "didn't we spend any money on grub at all?" + +"No, sir," replied the cook. + +"Well, that will do for the present," said Major Brown. + +It seems that our minds had evidently been running on a different subject +than provisions while we were loitering in Sheridan, and we found +ourselves, with a two hundred and fifty mile march ahead of us, without +anything more inviting than ordinary army rations. + +At this juncture Captain Denny came up, and the Major apologized for not +being able to invite him to take supper with us; but we did the next best +thing, and asked him to take a drink. He remarked that that was what he +was looking for, and when he learned of our being out of commissary +supplies, and that we had bought nothing except whiskey, brandy and gin, +he said, joyously: + +"Boys, as we have an abundance, you can eat with us, and we will drink +with you." + +It was a satisfactory arrangement, and from that time forward we traded +our liquids for their solids. When the rest of the officers heard of what +Brown and I had done, they all sent us invitations to dine with them at +any time. We returned the compliment by inviting them to drink with us +whenever they were dry. Although I would not advise anybody to follow our +example, yet it is a fact that we got more provisions for our whiskey +than the same money, which we paid for the liquor, would have bought; so +after all it proved a very profitable investment. + +On reaching the north fork of the Beaver and riding down the valley +towards the stream, I suddenly discovered a large 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 down that +way. Judging from the size of the trail, I thought there could not be +less than four hundred lodges, or between twenty-five hundred and three +thousand warriors, women and children in the band. I galloped hack to the +command, distant about three miles, and reported the news to General +Carr, who halted the regiment, and, after consulting a few minutes, +ordered me to select a ravine, or as low ground 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 several miles, +and find out how fast the Indians were traveling. I was soon convinced, +by the many camps they had made, that they were traveling slowly, and +hunting as they journeyed. We went down the Beaver on this scout about +twelve miles, keeping our horses well concealed under the banks of the +creek, so as not to be discovered. + +At this point, Lieutenant Ward and myself, leaving our 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 miles away we could see a whole Indian village +in plain sight, 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 coming in, loaded down with buffalo meat. + +"This is no place for us, Lieutenant," said I; "I think we have important +business at the camp to attend to as soon as possible." + +"I agree 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 command +and deliver the message. The man started off on a gallop, 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 +immediately upon receiving my note." + +In a few minutes we heard two or three shots in the direction in which +our dispatch courier had gone, and soon after we saw him come flying +around the bend of the creek, pursued by four or five Indians. The +Lieutenant, with his squad of soldiers and myself, at once charged upon +them, when they turned and ran across the stream. + +"This will not do," said Lieutenant Ward, "the whole Indian village will +now know that soldiers are near by. + +"Lieutenant, give me that note, and I will take it to the +General," said I. + +He gladly handed me the dispatch, and spurring my horse I dashed up the +creek. After having ridden a short distance, I observed another party of +Indians also going to the village with meat; but instead of waiting for +them to fire upon me, I gave them a shot at long range. Seeing one man +firing at them so boldly, it surprised them, and they did not know what +to make of it. While they were thus considering, I got between them and +our camp. By this time they had recovered from their surprise, and, +cutting 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 +take me long to leave them far in the rear. + +I reached the command in less than an hour, delivered the dispatch to +General Carr, and informed him of what I had seen. He instantly had the +bugler sound "boots and saddles," and all the troops--with the exception +of two companies, which we left to guard the train--were soon galloping +in the direction of the Indian camp. + +We had ridden about three miles when we met Lieutenant Ward, who was +coming slowly towards us. He reported that he had run into a party of +Indian buffalo-hunters, and had killed one of the number, and had had +one of his horses wounded. We immediately pushed forward and after +marching about five miles came within sight of hundreds of mounted +Indians advancing up the creek to meet us. They formed a complete line +in front of us. General Carr, being desirous of striking their village, +ordered the troops to charge, break through their line, and keep +straight on. This movement would, no doubt, have been successfully +accomplished had it not been for the rattle-brained and dare-devil +French Lieutenant Schinosky, commanding Company B, who, misunderstanding +General Carr's orders, charged upon some Indians at the left, while the +rest of the command dashed through the enemy's line, and was keeping +straight on, when it was observed that Schinosky and his company were +surrounded by four or five hundred red-skins. The General, to save the +company, was obliged to sound a halt and charge back to the rescue. The +company, during this short fight, had several men and quite a number of +horses killed. + +All this took up valuable time, and night was coming on. The Indians were +fighting desperately to keep us from reaching their village, which being +informed by couriers of what was taking place, was packing up and getting +away. During that afternoon it was all we could do to hold our own in +fighting the mounted warriors, who were in our front and contesting every +inch of the ground. The General had left word for our wagon train to +follow up with its escort of two companies, but as it had not made its +appearance he entertained some fears that it had been surrounded, and to +prevent the possible loss of the supply train we had to go back and look +for it. About 9 o'clock that evening we found it, and went into camp for +the night. + +Next morning we passed down the creek and there was not an Indian to be +seen. They had all disappeared and gone on with their village. Two miles +further on we came to where a village had been located, and here we found +nearly everything belonging or pertaining to an Indian camp, which had +been left in the great hurry to get away. These articles were all +gathered up and burned. We then pushed out on the trail as fast as +possible. It led us to the northeast towards the Republican; but as the +Indians had a night the start of us we entertained but little hope of +overtaking them that day. Upon reaching the Republican in the afternoon +the General called a halt, and as the trail was running more to the east, +he concluded to send his wagon train on to Fort McPherson by the most +direct route, while he would follow on the trail of the red-skins. + +Next morning at daylight we again pulled out and were evidently gaining +rapidly on the Indians for we could occasionally see them in the +distance. About 11 o'clock that day while Major Babcock was ahead of the +main command with his company, and while we were crossing a deep ravine, +we were surprised by about three hundred warriors who commenced a lively +fire upon us. Galloping out of the ravine on to the rough prairie the men +dismounted and returned the fire. We soon succeeded in driving the enemy +before us, and were so close upon them at one time, that they abandoned +and threw away nearly all their lodges and camp equipages, and everything +that had any considerable weight. They left behind them their played-out +horses, and for miles we could see Indian furniture strewn along in every +direction. The trail became divided, and the Indians scattered in small +bodies, all over the prairie. As night was approaching and our horses +were about giving out, a halt was called. A company was detailed to +collect all the Indian horses running loose over the country, and to burn +the other Indian property. + +The command being nearly out of rations I was sent to the nearest point, +Old Fort Kearney, about sixty miles distant for supplies. + +Shortly after we reached Fort McPherson, which continued to be the +headquarters of the Fifth Cavalry for some time. We remained there for +ten days, fitting out for a new expedition to the Republican river +country, and were reinforced by three companies of the celebrated Pawnee +Indian scouts, commanded by Major Frank North; his officers being Captain +Lute North, brother of the Major, Captain Cushing, his brother-in-law, +Captain Morse, and Lieutenants Beecher, Matthews and Kislandberry. +General Carr recommended at this time to General Augur, who was in +command of the Department, that I be made chief of scouts in the +Department of the Platte, and informed me that in this position I would +receive higher wages than I had been getting in the Department of the +Missouri. This appointment I had not asked for. + +I made the acquaintance of Major Frank North,[B] and I found him, and his +officers, perfect gentlemen, and we were all good friends from the very +start. The Pawnee scouts had made quite a reputation for themselves as +they had performed brave and valuable services, in fighting against the +Sioux, whose bitter enemies they were; being thoroughly acquainted with +the Republican and Beaver country, I was glad that they were to be with +the expedition, and they did good service. + +[Footnote B: Major North is now my partner in a cattle ranch in +Nebraska.] + +During our stay at Fort McPherson I made the acquaintance of Lieutenant +George P. Belden, known as the "White Chief," whose life was written by +Colonel Brisbin, U.S. army. I found him to be an intelligent, dashing +fellow, a splendid rider and an excellent shot. An hour after our +introduction he challenged me for a rifle match, the preliminaries of +which were soon arranged. We were to shoot ten shots each for fifty +dollars, at two hundred yards, off hand. Belden was to use a Henry rifle, +while I was to shoot my old "Lucretia." This match I won and then Belden +proposed to shoot a one hundred yard match, as I was shooting over his +distance. In this match Belden was victorious. We were now even, and we +stopped right there. + +While we were at this post General Augur and several of his officers, and +also Thomas Duncan, Brevet Brigadier and Lieutenant Colonel of the Fifth +Cavalry, paid us a visit for the purpose of reviewing the command. The +regiment turned out in fine style and showed themselves to be well +drilled soldiers, thoroughly understanding military tactics. The Pawnee +scouts were also reviewed and it was very amusing to see them in their +full regulation uniform. They had been furnished a regular cavalry +uniform and on this parade some of them had their heavy overcoats on, +others their large black hats, with all the brass accoutrements attached; +some of them were minus pantaloons and only wore a breech clout. Others +wore regulation pantaloons but no shirts on and were bareheaded; others +again had the seat of the pantaloons cut out, leaving only leggins; some +of them wore brass spurs, but had no boots or moccasins on. They seemed +to understand the drill remarkably well for Indians. The commands, of +course, were given to them in their own language by Major North, who +could talk it as well as any full-blooded Pawnee. The Indians were well +mounted and felt proud and elated because they had been made United +States soldiers. Major North, has had for years complete power over these +Indians and can do more with them than any man living. That evening after +the parade was over the officers and quite a number of ladies visited a +grand Indian dance given by the Pawnees, and of all the Indians I have +seen, their dances excel those of any other tribe. + +Next day the command started; when encamped, several days after, on the +Republican river near the mouth of the Beaver, we heard the whoops of +Indians, followed by shots in the vicinity of the mule herd, which had +been taken down to water. One of the herders came dashing into camp with +an arrow sticking into him. My horse was close at hand, and, mounting him +bare-back, I at once dashed off after the mule herd, which had been +stampeded. I supposed certainly that I would be the first man on the +ground. I was mistaken, however, for the Pawnee Indians, unlike regular +soldiers, had not waited to receive orders from their officers, but had +jumped on their ponies without bridles or saddles, and placing ropes in +their mouths, had dashed off in the direction whence the shots had come, +and had got there ahead of me. It proved to be a party of about fifty +Sioux, who had endeavored to stampede our mules, and it took them by +surprise to see their inveterate enemies--the Pawnees--coming at full +gallop towards them. They were not aware that the Pawnees were with the +command, and as they knew that it would take regular soldiers sometime to +turn out, they thought they would have ample opportunity to secure the +herd before the troops could give chase. + +We had a running fight of fifteen miles, and several of the enemy were +killed. During this chase I was mounted on an excellent horse, which +Colonel Royal had picked out for me, and for the first mile or two I was +in advance of the Pawnees. Presently a Pawnee shot by me like an arrow +and I could not help admiring the horse that he was riding. Seeing that +he possessed rare running qualities, I determined if possible to get +possession of the animal in some way. It was a large buckskin or yellow +horse, and I took a careful view of him so that I would know him when I +returned to camp. + +After the chase was over I rode up to Major North and inquired about the +buckskin horse. + +"Oh yes," said the Major, "that is one of our favorite steeds." + +"What chance is there to trade for him?" I asked. + +"It is a government horse," said he, "and the Indian who is riding him is +very much attached to the animal." + +"I have fallen in love with the horse myself," said I, "and I would like +to know if you have any objections to my trading for him if I can arrange +it satisfactorily with the Indian?" + +He said: "None whatever, and I will help you to do it; you can give the +Indian another horse in his place." + +A few days after this, I persuaded the Indian, by making him several +presents, to trade horses with me, and in this way I became the owner of +the buckskin steed, not as my own property, however, but as a government +horse that I could ride. I gave him the name of "Buckskin Joe" and he +proved to be a second Brigham. That horse I rode on and off during the +summers of 1869, 1870, 1871 and 1872, and he was the horse that the Grand +Duke Alexis rode on his buffalo hunt. In the winter of 1872, after I had +left Fort McPherson, Buckskin Joe was condemned and sold at public sale, +and was bought by Dave Perry, at North Platte, who in 1877 presented him +to me, and I still own him. He is now at my ranch on the Dismal river, +stone blind, but I shall keep him until he dies. + +The command scouted several days up the Beaver and Prairie Dog rivers, +occasionally having running fights with war parties of Indians, but did +not succeed in getting them into a general battle. At the end of twenty +days we found ourselves back on the Republican. + +Hitherto the Pawnees had not taken much interest in me, but while at this +camp I gained their respect and admiration by showing them how I killed +buffaloes. Although the Pawnees were excellent buffalo killers, for +Indians, I have never seen one of them who could kill more than four or +five in one run. A number of them generally surround the herd and then +dash in upon them, and in this way each one kills from one to four +buffaloes. I had gone out in company with Major North and some of the +officers, and saw them make a "surround." Twenty of the Pawnees circled a +herd and succeeded in killing only thirty-two. + +"While they were cutting up the animals another herd appeared in sight. +The Indians were preparing to surround it, when I asked Major North to +keep them back and let me show them what I could do. He accordingly +informed the Indians of my wish and they readily consented to let me have +the opportunity. I had learned that Buckskin Joe was an excellent buffalo +horse, and felt confident that I would astonish the natives; galloping in +among the buffaloes, I certainly did so by killing thirty-six in less +than a half-mile run. At nearly every shot I killed a buffalo, stringing +the dead animals out on the prairie, not over fifty feet apart. This +manner of killing was greatly admired by the Indians who called me a big +chief, and from that time on, I stood high in their estimation." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A DESPERATE FIGHT. + + +On leaving camp, the command took a westward course up the Republican, +and Major North with two companies of his Pawnees and two or three +companies of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Royal, made a scout to +the north of the river. Shortly after we had gone into camp, on the Black +Tail Deer Fork, we observed a band of Indians coming over the prairie at +full gallop, singing and yelling and waving their lances and long poles. +At first we supposed them to be Sioux, and all was excitement for a few +moments. We noticed, however, that our Pawnee Indians made no hostile +demonstrations or preparations towards going out to fight them, but began +swinging and yelling themselves. Captain Lute North stepped up to General +Carr and said: + +"General, those are our men who are coming, and they have had a fight. +That is the way they act when they come back from a battle and have taken +any scalps." + +The Pawnees came into camp on the run. Captain North calling to one of +them--a sergeant--soon found out that they had run across a party of +Sioux who were following a large Indian trail. These Indians had +evidently been in a fight, for two or three of them had been wounded and +they were conveying the injured persons on _travois_. The Pawnees had +"jumped" them and had killed three or four more of them. + +Next morning the command, at an early hour, started out to take up this +Indian trail which they followed for two days as rapidly as possible; it +becoming evident from the many camp fires which we passed, that we were +gaining on the Indians. Wherever they had encamped we found the print of +a woman's shoe, and we concluded that they had with them some white +captive. This made us all the more anxious to overtake them, and General +Carr accordingly selected all his best horses, which could stand a hard +run, and gave orders for the wagon train to follow as fast as possible, +while he pushed ahead on a forced march. At the same time I was ordered +to pick out five or six of the best Pawnees, and go on in advance of the +command, keeping ten or twelve miles ahead on the trail, so that when we +overtook the Indians we could find out the location of their camp, and +send word to the troops before they came in sight, thus affording ample +time to arrange a plan for the capture of the village. + +After having gone about ten miles in advance of the regiment, we began +to move very cautiously, as we were now evidently nearing the Indians. We +looked carefully over the summits of the hills before exposing ourselves +to plain view, and at last we discovered the village, encamped in the +sand-hills south of the South Platte river at Summit Springs. Here I left +the Pawnee scouts to keep watch, while I went back and informed General +Carr that the Indians were in sight. + +The General at once ordered his men to tighten their saddles and +otherwise prepare for action. Soon all was excitement among the officers +and soldiers, every one being anxious to charge the village. I now +changed my horse for old Buckskin Joe, who had been led for me thus far, +and was comparatively fresh. Acting on my suggestion, the General made a +circuit to the north, believing that if the Indians had their scouts out, +they would naturally be watching in the direction whence they had come. +When we had passed the Indians and were between them and the Platte +river, we turned to the left and started toward the village. + +By this manoeuver we had avoided discovery by the Sioux scouts, and we +were confident of giving them a complete surprise. Keeping the command +wholly out of sight, until we were within a mile of the Indians, the +General halted the advance guard until all closed up, and then issued an +order, that, when he sounded the charge, the whole command was to rush +into the village. + +As we halted on the top of the hill overlooking the camp of the +unsuspecting Indians, General Carr called out to his bugler: "Sound the +charge!" The bugler for a moment became intensely excited, and actually +forgot the notes. The General again sang out: "Sound the charge!" and +yet the bugler was unable to obey the command. Quartermaster Hays--who +had obtained permission to accompany the expedition--was riding near +the General, and comprehending the dilemma of the man, rushed up to +him, jerked the bugle from his hands and sounded the charge himself in +clear and distinct notes. As the troops rushed forward, he threw the +bugle away, then drawing his pistols, was among the first men that +entered the village. + +The Indians had just driven up their horses and were preparing to make a +move of the camp, when they saw the soldiers coming down upon them. A +great many of them succeeded in jumping upon their ponies, and, leaving +every thing behind them, advanced out of the village and prepared to meet +the charge; but upon second thought they quickly concluded that it was +useless to try to check us, and, those who were mounted rapidly rode +away, while the others on foot fled for safety to the neighboring hills. +We went through their village shooting right and left at everything we +saw. The Pawnees, the regular soldiers and the officers were all mixed up +together, and the Sioux were flying in every direction. + +General Carr had instructed the command that when they entered the +village, they must keep a sharp look out for white women, as he was +confident the Indians had some captives. The company which had been +ordered to take possession of the village after its capture, soon found +two white women, one of whom had just been killed and the other wounded. +They were both Swedes, and the survivor could not talk English. A +Swedish soldier, however, was soon found who could talk with her. The +name of this woman was Mrs. Weichel, and her story as told to the +soldier was, that as soon as the Indians saw the troops coming down upon +them, a squaw--Tall Bull's wife--had killed Mrs. Alderdice, the other +captive, with a hatchet, and then wounded her. This squaw had evidently +intended to kill both women to prevent them from telling how cruelly +they had been treated. + +[Illustration: INDIAN VILLAGE.] + +The attack lasted but a short time, and the Indians were driven several +miles away. The soldiers then gathered in the herd of Indian horses, +which were running at large over the country and drove them back to the +camp. After taking a survey of what we had accomplished, it was found +that we had killed about one hundred and forty Indians, and captured one +hundred and twenty squaws and papooses, two hundred lodges, and eight +hundred horses and mules. The village proved to be one of the richest I +had ever seen. The red-skins had everything pertaining to an Indian +camp, besides numerous articles belonging to the white settlers whom +they had killed on the Saline. The Pawnees, as well as the soldiers, +ransacked the camp for curiosities, and found enough to start twenty +museums, besides a large amount of gold and silver. This money had been +stolen from the Swedish settlers whom they had murdered on the Saline. +General Carr ordered that all the tepees, the Indian lodges, buffalo +robes, all camp equipage and provisions, including dried buffalo meat, +amounting to several tons, should be gathered in piles and burned. A +grave was dug in which the dead Swedish woman, Mrs. Alderdice, was +buried. Captain Kane, a religious officer, read the burial service, as +we had no chaplain with us. + +While this was going on, the Sioux warriors having recovered from their +surprise, had come back and a battle took place all around the camp. I +was on the skirmish line, and I noticed an Indian, who was riding a +large bay horse, and giving orders to his men in his own +language--which I could occasionally understand--telling them that they +had lost everything, that they were ruined, and he entreated them to +follow him, and fight until they died. His horse was an extraordinary +one, fleet as the wind, dashing here and there, and I determined to +capture him if possible, but I was afraid to fire at the Indian for +fear of killing the horse. + +I noticed that the Indian, as he rode around the skirmish line, passed +the head of a ravine not far distant, and it occurred to me that if I +could dismount and creep to the ravine I could, as he passed there, +easily drop him from his saddle without danger of hitting the horse. +Accordingly I crept into and secreted myself in the ravine, reaching the +place unseen by the Indians, and I waited there until Mr. Chief came +riding by. + +When he was not more than thirty yards distant I fired, and the next +moment he tumbled from his saddle, and the horse kept on without his +rider. Instead of running toward the Indians, however, he galloped toward +our men, by one of whom he was caught. Lieutenant Mason, who had been +very conspicuous in the fight and who had killed two or three Indians +himself, single-handed, came galloping up to the ravine and jumping from +his horse, secured the fancy war bonnet from the head of the dead chief, +together with all his other accoutrements. We both then rejoined the +soldiers, and I at once went in search of the horse; I found him in the +possession of Sergeant McGrath, who had caught him. The Sergeant knew +that I had been trying to get the animal and having seen me kill his +rider, he handed him over to me at once. + +Little did I think at that time that I had captured a horse which, for +four years afterwards was the fastest runner in the state of Nebraska, +but such proved to be the fact. + +[Illustration: THE KILLING OF TALL BULL.] + +I jumped on his back and rode him down to the spot where the prisoners +were corraled. One of the squaws among the prisoners suddenly began +crying in a pitiful and hysterical manner at the sight of this horse, +and upon inquiry I found that she was Tall Bull's wife, the same squaw +that had killed one of the white women and wounded the other. She stated +that this was her husband's favorite war-horse, and that only a short +time ago she had seen Tall Bull riding him. I gave her to understand +that her liege lord had passed in his mortal chips and that it would be +sometime before he would ride his favorite horse again, and I informed +her that henceforth I should call the gallant steed "Tall Bull," in +honor of her husband. + +Late in the evening our wagon train arrived, and placing the wounded +woman, Mrs. Weichel, in the ambulance--she having been kindly attended to +by the surgeons,--and gathering up the prisoners--the squaws and +papooses--and captured stock, we started at once for the South Platte +River, eight miles distant, and there went into camp. + +Next morning General Carr issued an order that all the money found in the +village should be turned over to the adjutant. About one thousand dollars +was thus collected, and the entire amount was given to Mrs. Weichel. The +command then proceeded to Fort Sedgwick, from which point the particulars +of our fight, which took place on Sunday, July 11th, 1869, were +telegraphed to all parts of the country. + +We remained at this post for two weeks, during which General Augur, of +the Department of the Platte, paid us a visit, and highly complimented +the command for the gallant service it had performed. For this fight at +Summit Springs General Carr and his command were complimented not only in +General Orders, but received a vote of thanks from the Legislatures of +Nebraska and Colorado--as Tall Bull and his Indians had long been a +terror to the border settlements--and the resolutions of thanks were +elegantly engrossed and sent to General Carr. + +The wounded white woman was cared for in the hospital at this post, and +after her recovery she soon married the hospital steward, her former +husband having been killed by the Indians. + +Our prisoners were sent to the Whetstone Agency, on the Missouri River, +where Spotted Tail and the friendly Sioux were then living. The +captured horses and mules were distributed among the officers, scouts +and soldiers. Among the animals that I thus obtained were my Tall Bull +horse, and a pony which I called "Powder Face," and which afterwards +became quite celebrated, as he figured prominently in the stories of +Ned Buntline. + +One day, while we were lying at Fort Sedgwick, General Carr received a +telegram from Fort McPherson stating that the Indians had made a dash on +the Union Pacific Railroad, and had killed several section-men and run +off some stock near O'Fallon's Station; also that an expedition was going +out from Fort McPherson to catch and punish the red-skins if possible. +The General ordered me to accompany the expedition, and accordingly that +night I proceeded by rail to McPherson Station, and from thence rode on +horseback to the fort. Two companies, under command of Major Brown, had +been ordered out, and next morning, just as we were about to start, Major +Brown said to me: + +"By the way, Cody, we are going to have quite an important character with +us as a guest on this scout. It's old Ned Buntline, the novelist." + +Just then I noticed a gentleman, who was rather stoutly built, and who +wore a blue military coat, on the left breast of which were pinned +about twenty gold medals and badges of secret societies. He walked a +little lame as he approached us, and I at once concluded that he was +Ned Buntline. + +"He has a good mark to shoot at on the left breast," said I to Major +Brown, "but he looks like a soldier." As he came up, Major Brown said: + +"Cody, allow me to introduce you to Colonel E.B.O. Judson, otherwise +known as Ned Buntline." + +"Colonel Judson, I am glad to meet you," said I; "the Major tells me that +you are to accompany us on the scout." + +"Yes, my boy, so I am," said he; "I was to deliver a temperance lecture +to-night, but no lectures for me when there is a prospect for a fight. +The Major has kindly offered me a horse, but I don't know how I'll stand +the ride, for I haven't done any riding lately; but when I was a young +man I spent several years among the fur companies of the Northwest, and +was a good rider and an excellent shot." + +"The Major has given you a fine horse, and you'll soon find yourself at +home in the saddle," said I. + +The command soon pulled out for the South Platte River, which was very +wide and high, owing to recent mountain rains, and in crossing it we had +to swim our horses in some places. Buntline was the first man across. We +reached O'Fallon's at eleven o'clock, and in a short time I succeeded in +finding the Indian trail; the party seemed to be a small one, which had +come up from the south. We followed their track to the North Platte, but +as they had a start of two days, Major Brown abandoned the pursuit, and +returned to Fort McPherson, while I went back to Fort Sedgwick, +accompanied by Buntline. + +During this short scout, Buntline had asked me a great many questions, +and he was determined to go out on the next expedition with me, providing +he could obtain permission from the commanding officer. I introduced him +to the officers--excepting those he already knew--and invited him to +become my guest while he remained at the post, and gave him my pony +Powder Face to ride. + +By this time I had learned that my horse Tall Bull was a remarkably fast +runner, and therefore when Lieutenant Mason, who was quite a sport and +owned a racer, challenged me to a race, I immediately accepted it. We +were to run our horses a single dash of half a mile for one hundred +dollars a side. Several of the officers, and also Reub. Wood, the +post-trader, bantered me for side bets, and I took them all until I had +put up my last cent on Tall Bull. + +The ground was measured off, the judges were selected, and all other +preliminaries were arranged. We rode our horses ourselves, and coming up +to the score nicely we let them go. I saw from the start that it would be +mere play to beat the Lieutenant's horse, and therefore I held Tall Bull +in check, so that none could see how fast he really could run. I easily +won the race, and pocketed a snug little sum of money. Of course +everybody was now talking horse. Major North remarked that if Tall Bull +could beat the Pawnees' fast horse, I could break his whole command. + +The next day the troops were paid off, the Pawnees with the rest, and for +two or three days they did nothing but run horse-races, as all the +recently captured horses had to be tested to find out the swiftest among +them. Finally the Pawnees wanted to run their favorite horse against Tall +Bull, and I accordingly arranged a race with them. They raised three +hundred dollars and bet it on their horse, while of course, I backed Tall +Bull with an equal amount, and in addition took numerous side bets. The +race was a single dash of a mile, and Tall Bull won it without any +difficulty. I was ahead on this race about seven hundred dollars, and the +horse was fast getting a reputation. Heretofore nobody would bet on him, +but now he had plenty of backers. + +I also made a race for my pony Powder Face, against a fast pony +belonging to Captain Lute North. I selected a small boy, living at the +post to ride Powder Face, while an Indian boy was to ride the other pony. +The Pawnees as usual wanted to bet on their pony, but as I had not yet +fully ascertained the running qualities of Powder Face, I did not care +about risking very much money on him. Had I known him as well then as I +did afterwards I would have backed him for every dollar I had, for he +proved to be one of the swiftest ponies I ever saw, and had evidently +been kept as a racer. + +The race was to be four hundred yards, and when I led the pony over the +track he seemed to understand what he was there for. North and I finally +put the riders on, and it was all I could do to hold the fiery little +animal after the boy became seated on his back. He jumped around and made +such quick movements, that the boy was not at all confident of being able +to stay on him. The order to start was at last given by the judges, and +as I brought Powder Face up to the score and the word "go" was given, he +jumped away so quickly that he left his rider sitting on the ground; +notwithstanding he ran through and won the race without him. It was an +easy victory, and after that I could get up no more races. Thus passed +the time while we were at Fort Sedgwick. + +General Carr having obtained a leave of absence, Colonel Royal was given +the command of an expedition that was ordered to go out after the +Indians, and in a few days--after having rested a couple of weeks--we set +out for the Republican; having learned that there were plenty of Indians +in that section of the country. At Frenchman's Fork we discovered an +Indian village, but did not surprise it, for its people had noticed us +approaching, and were retreating when we reached their camping-place. We +chased them down the stream, and they finally turned to the left, went +north, and crossed the South Platte river five miles above Ogallala. We +pushed rapidly after them, following them across the North Platte and on +through the sand-hills towards the Niobrara; but as they were making much +better time than we, the pursuit was abandoned. + +While we were in the sand-hills, scouting the Niobrara country, the +Pawnee Indians brought into camp, one night, some very large bones, one +of which a surgeon of the expedition pronounced to be the thigh-bone of a +human being. The Indians claimed that the bones they had found were those +of a person belonging to a race of people who a long time ago lived in +this country. That there was once a race of men on the earth whose size +was about three times that of an ordinary man, and they were so swift and +powerful that they could run along-side of a buffalo, and taking the +animal in one arm could tear off a leg and eat the meat as they walked. +These giants denied the existence of a Great Spirit, and when they heard +the thunder or saw the lightning they laughed at it and said that they +were greater than either. This so displeased the Great Spirit that he +caused a great rain-storm to come, and the water kept rising higher and +higher so that it drove those proud and conceited giants from the low +grounds to the hills, and thence to the mountains, but at last even the +mountain tops were submerged, and then those mammoth men were all +drowned. After the flood had subsided, the Great Spirit came to the +conclusion that he had made man too large and powerful, and that he would +therefore correct the mistake by creating a race of men of smaller size +and less strength. This is the reason, say the Indians, that modern men +are small and not like the giants of old, and they claim that this story +is a matter of Indian history, which has been handed down among them from +time immemorial. + +As we had no wagons with us at the time this large and heavy bone was +found, we were obliged to leave it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. + + +On returning to Fort McPherson we found that Brevet Major General W.H. +Emory, Colonel of the Fifth Cavalry, and Brevet Brigadier General Thomas +Duncan, Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, had arrived there during our +absence. General Emory had been appointed to the command of the District +of the Republican, with headquarters at Fort McPherson. As the command +had been continually in the field, it was generally thought that we were +to have a long rest; and it looked as if this post was to be my home and +headquarters for some time to come. I accordingly sent to St. Louis for +my wife and daughter to join me there. General Emory promised to build a +house for me, but before the building was completed my family arrived. + +During the fall of 1869 there were two or three scouting expeditions +sent out; but nothing of very great importance was accomplished by them. +I found Fort McPherson to be a lively and pleasant post to be stationed +at, especially as there was plenty of game in the vicinity, and within a +day's ride there were large herds of deer, antelope and elk. + +During the winter of 1869-70 I spent a great deal of time in pursuit of +game, and during the season we had two hunting parties of Englishmen +there; one party being that of Mr. Flynn, and the other that of George +Boyd Houghton, of London--the well known caricaturist. Among their +amusements were several horse races, which I arranged, and in which Tall +Bull and Powder Face were invariably the winners. Tall Bull by this time +had such a reputation as a running horse, that it was difficult to make a +race for him. I remember one however, in which he ran against a horse in +Captain Spaulding's Company of the Second Cavalry. + +This race was rather a novel affair. I had made a bet that Tall Bull +would beat the Second Cavalry horse around a one mile track, and, during +the time that he was running, I would jump off and on the horse eight +times. I rode the horse bareback; seized his mane with my left hand, +rested my right on his withers, and while he was going at full speed, I +jumped to the ground, and sprang again upon his back, eight times in +succession. Such feats I had seen performed in the circus and I had +practiced considerably at it with Tall Bull, so that I was certain of +winning the race in the manner agreed upon. + +Early one morning, in the spring of 1870, the Indians, who had +approached during the night, stole some twenty-one head of horses from +Mr. John Burke--a Government contractor--Ben. Gallagher and Jack Waite. +They also ran off some horses from the post; among the number being my +pony Powder Face. The commandant at once ordered out Lieutenant Thomas +with Company I of the Fifth Cavalry, and directed me to accompany them as +trailer. We discovered the trail after some little difficulty, as the +Indians were continually trying to hide it, and followed it sixty miles, +when darkness set in. + +We were now within about four miles of Red Willow Creek and I felt +confident the Indians would camp that night in that vicinity. Advising +Lieutenant Thomas to halt his company and "lay low" I proceeded on to the +creek, where, moving around cautiously, I suddenly discovered horses +feeding in a bend of the stream on the opposite side. I hurried back to +the troops with the information, and Lieutenant Thomas moved his company +to the bank of the creek, with the intention of remaining there until +daylight, and then, if possible, surprise the Indians. + +Just at break of day we mounted our horses, and after riding a short +distance we ascended a slight elevation, when, not over one hundred yards +distant, we looked down into the Indian camp. The Indians, preparing to +make an early start, had driven up their horses and were in the act of +mounting, when they saw us charging down upon them. In a moment they +sprang upon their ponies and dashed away. Had it not been for the creek, +which lay between us and them, we would have got them before they could +have mounted their horses; but as it was rather miry, we were +unexpectedly delayed. The Indians fired some shots at us while we were +crossing, but as soon as we got across we went for them in hot pursuit. A +few of the red-skins had not had time to mount and had started on foot +down the creek toward the brush. One of these was killed. + +A number of our soldiers, who had been detailed before the charge to +gather up any of the Indian horses that would be stampeded, succeeded in +capturing thirty-two. I hurriedly looked over them to see if Powder Face +was among them; but he was not there. Starting in pursuit of the +fugitives I finally espied an Indian mounted on my favorite, dashing away +and leading all the others. We continued the chase for two or three +miles, overtaking a couple who were mounted upon one horse. Coming up +behind them I fired my rifle, when about thirty feet distant; the ball +passed through the backs of both, and they fell headlong to the ground; +but I made no stop however just then, for I had my eye on the gentleman +who was riding Powder Face. It seemed to be fun for him to run away from +us, and run away he did, for the last I saw of him was when he went over +a divide, about three miles away. I bade him adieu. On my way back to the +Indian camp I stopped and secured the war bonnets and accoutrements of +the pair I had killed, and at the same time gently "raised their hair." + +We were feeling rather tired and hungry, as we had started out on the +trail thirty-six hours before without a breakfast or taking any food with +us; but not a murmur or complaint was heard among the men. In the +abandoned Indian camp, however, we found enough dried buffalo meat to +give us all a meal, and after remaining there for two hours, to rest our +animals, we started on our return to Fort McPherson, where we arrived at +night, having traveled 130 miles in two days. + +This being the first fight Lieutenant Thomas had ever commanded in, he +felt highly elated over his success, and hoped that his name would be +mentioned in the special orders for gallantry; sure enough when we +returned both he, myself and the whole command received a complimentary +mention in a special order. This he certainly deserved for he was a +brave, energetic, dashing little officer. The war bonnets which I had +captured I turned over to General Carr, with the request that he +present them to General Augur, whose daughters were visiting at the +post at the time. + +Shortly after this, another expedition was organized at Fort McPherson +for the Republican river country. It was commanded by General Duncan, who +was a jolly, blustering old fellow, and the officers who knew him well, +said that we would have a good time, as he was very fond of hunting. He +was a good fighter, and one of the officers said that an Indian bullet +never could hurt him, as he had been shot in the head with a cannon ball +which had not injured him in the least; another said the ball glanced off +and killed one of the toughest mules in the army. + +The Pawnee scouts who had been mustered out of service, during the winter +of 1869 and '70, were reorganized to accompany this expedition. I was +glad of this, as I had become quite attached to one of the officers, +Major North, and to many of the Indians. The only white scout we had at +the post, besides myself at that time, was John Y. Nelson, whose Indian +name was Cha-Sha-Cha-Opoyeo,[C] which interpreted means +Red-Willow-Fill-the-Pipe. This man is a character in his way; he has a +Sioux squaw for a wife, and consequently a half-breed family. John is a +good fellow, though as a liar he has but few equals and no superior. + +[Footnote C: Since traveled with me in my Dramatic Combination as +interpreter for Sioux Indians.] + +We started out from the post with the regimental band playing the lively +air of "The Girl I Left Behind Me." We made but a short march that day, +and camped at night at the head of Fox Creek. Next morning General Duncan +sent me word by his orderly that I was to bring up my gun and shoot at a +mark with him; but I can assure the reader that I did not feel much like +shooting anything except myself, for on the night before, I had returned +to Fort McPherson and spent several hours in interviewing the sutler's +store, in Company with Major Brown. I looked around for my gun, and +found that I had left it behind. The last I could remember about it was +that I had it at the sutler's store. I informed Major Brown of my loss, +who said that I was a nice scout to start out without a gun. I replied +that that was not the worst of it, as General Duncan had sent for me to +shoot a match with him, and I did not know what to do; for if the old +gentleman discovered my predicament, he would very likely severely +reprimand me. + +"Well, Cody," said he, "the best you can do is to make some excuse, and +then go and borrow a gun from some of the men, and tell the General that +you lent yours to some man to go hunting with to-day. While we are +waiting here, I will send back to the post and get your rifle for you." + +I succeeded in obtaining a gun from John Nelson, and then marching up to +the General's headquarters I shot the desired match with him, which +resulted in his favor. + +This was the first scout the Pawnees had been out on under command of +General Duncan, and in stationing his guards around the camp he posted +them in a manner entirely different from that of General Carr and Colonel +Royal, and he insisted that the different posts should call out the hour +of the night thus: + +"Post No. 1, nine o'clock, all is well! Post No. 2, nine o'clock, all is +well!" etc. + +The Pawnees, who had their regular turns at standing upon guard, were +ordered to call the hour the same as the white soldiers. This was very +difficult for them to do, as there were but few of them who could express +themselves in English. Major North explained to them that when the man on +post next to them should call out the hour, they must call it also as +near like him as possible. It was very amusing to hear them do this. They +would try to remember what the other man had said on the post next to +them. For instance, a white soldier would call out: "Post No. I, +half-past nine o'clock, all is well!" The Indian standing next to him +knew that he was bound to say something in English, and he would sing +out something like the following: + +"Poss number half pass five cents--go to ----! I don't care!" + +This system was really so ridiculous and amusing that the General had to +give it up, and the order was accordingly countermanded. + +Nothing of any great interest occurred on this march, until one day, +while proceeding up Prairie Dog Creek,[D] Major North and myself went out +in advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes. +Night was approaching, and I began to look around for a suitable camping +ground for the command. Major North dismounted from his horse and was +resting, while I rode down to the stream to see if there was plenty of +grass in the vicinity. I found an excellent camping spot, and returning +to Major North told him that I would ride over the hill a little way, so +that the advance guard could see me. This I did, and when the advance +came in sight I dismounted and laid down upon the grass to rest. + +[Footnote D: Near the lonely camp where I had so long been laid up with a +broken leg, when trapping years before with Dave Harrington.] + +Suddenly I heard three or four shots, and in a few moments Major North +came dashing up towards me, pursued by eight or ten Indians. I instantly +sprang into my saddle, and fired a few shots at the Indians, who by this +time had all come in sight, to the number of fifty. We turned our horses +and ran, the bullets flying after us thick and fast--my whip being shot +from my hand and daylight being put through the crown of my hat. We were +in close quarters, when suddenly Lieutenant Valkmar came galloping up to +our relief with several soldiers, and the Indians seeing them whirled and +retreated. As soon as Major North got in sight of his Pawnees, he began +riding in a circle. This was a sign to them that there were hostile +Indians in front, and in a moment the Pawnees broke ranks pell-mell and, +with Major North at their head, started for the flying warriors. The rest +of the command pushed rapidly forward also, and chased the enemy for +three or four miles, killing three of them. + +But this was a wrong move on our part, as their village was on Prairie +Dog Creek, while they led us in a different direction; one Indian only +kept straight on up the creek--a messenger to the village. Some of the +command, who had followed him, stirred up the village and accelerated its +departure. We finally got back to the main force, and then learned that +we had made a great mistake. Now commenced another stern chase. + +The second day that we had been following these Indians we came upon an +old squaw, whom they had left on the prairie to die. Her people had built +for her a little shade or lodge, and had given her some provisions, +sufficient to last her on her trip to the Happy Hunting grounds. This the +Indians often do when pursued by an enemy, and one of their number +becomes too old and feeble to travel any longer. This squaw was +recognized by John Nelson who said that she was a relative of his wife. +From her we learned that the flying Indians were known as Pawnee, +Killer's band, and that they had lately killed Buck's surveying party, +consisting of eight or nine men; the massacre having occurred a few days +before on Beaver Creek. We knew that they had had a fight with surveyors, +as we found quite a number of surveying instruments, which had been left +in the abandoned camp. We drove these Indians across the Platte river and +then returned to Fort McPherson, bringing the old squaw with us, from +there she was sent to the Spotted Tail Agency. + +During my absence, my wife had given birth to a son, and he was several +weeks old when I returned. No name had yet been given him and I selected +that of Elmo Judson, in honor of Ned Buntline; but this the officers and +scouts objected to. Major Brown proposed that we should call him Kit +Carson, and it was finally settled that that should be his name. + +During the summer we made one or two more scouts and had a few +skirmishes with the Indians: but nothing of any great importance +transpired. In the fall of 1870, while I was a witness in a court +martial at Fort D.A. Russell I woke up one morning and found that I was +dead broke;--this is not an unusual occurrence to a frontiersman, or an +author I may add, especially when he is endeavoring to kill time--to +raise necessary funds I sold my race horse Tall Bull to Lieutenant +Mason, who had long wanted him. + +In the winter of 1870 and 1871 I first met George Watts Garland, an +English gentleman, and a great hunter, whom I had the pleasure of guiding +on several hunts and with whom I spent some weeks. During the winter I +also took several parties out on the Loupe River country, hunting and +trapping. Although I was still chief of scouts I did not have much to do, +as the Indians were comparatively quiet, thus giving me plenty of time +for sporting. + +In the spring of 1871 several short scouting expeditions were sent out +from Fort McPherson, but all with minor results. + +About this time General Emory was considerably annoyed by petty offenses +committed in the vicinity of the post, and as there was no justice of the +peace in the neighborhood, he was anxious to have such an officer there +to attend to the civilians; one day he remarked to me that I would make +an excellent justice. + +"General, you compliment me rather too highly, for I don't know any more +about law than a government mule does about book-keeping," said I. + +"That doesn't make any difference," said he, "for I know that you will +make a good 'Squire." He accordingly had the county commissioners +appoint me to the office of justice of the peace, and I soon received my +commission. + +One morning a man came rushing up to my house and stated that he wanted +to get out a writ of replevin, to recover possession of a horse which a +stranger was taking out of the country. I had no blank forms, and had not +yet received the statutes of Nebraska to copy from, so I asked the man: + +"Where is the fellow who has got your horse?" + +"He is going up the road, and is about two miles away," replied he. + +"Very well," said I, "I will get the writ ready in a minute or two." + +I saddled up my horse, and then taking my old reliable gun, "Lucretia," I +said to the man: "That's the best writ of replevin that I can think of; +come along, and we'll get that horse, or know the reason why." + +We soon overtook the stranger who was driving a herd of horses, and as we +came up to him, I said: + +"Hello, sir; I am an officer, and have an attachment for that horse," and +at the same time I pointed out the animal. + +"Well, sir, what are you going to do about it?" he inquired. + +"I propose to take you and the horse back to the post," said I. + +"You can take the horse," said he, "but I haven't the time to return +with you." + +"You'll have to take the time, or pay the costs here and now," said I. + +"How much are the costs?" + +"Twenty dollars." + +"Here's your money," said he, as he handed me the greenbacks. + +I then gave him a little friendly advice, and told him that he was +released from custody. He went on his way a wiser and a poorer man, while +the owner of the horse and myself returned to the fort. I pocketed the +twenty dollars, of course. Some people might think it was not a square +way of doing business, but I didn't know any better just then. I had +several little cases of this kind, and I became better posted on law in +the course of time, being assisted by Lieutenant Burr Reilly, of the +Fifth Cavalry, who had been educated for a lawyer. + +One evening I was called upon to perform a marriage ceremony. The +bridegroom was one of the sergeants of the post. I had "braced up" for +the occasion by imbibing rather freely of stimulants, and when I arrived +at the house, with a copy of the Statutes of Nebraska, which I had +recently received, I felt somewhat confused. Whether my bewilderment was +owing to the importance of the occasion and the large assembly, or to the +effect of Louis Woodin's "tanglefoot," I cannot now distinctly +remember--but my suspicions have always been that it was due to the +latter cause. I looked carefully through the statutes to find the +marriage ceremony, but my efforts were unsuccessful. Finally the time +came for the knot to be tied. I told the couple to stand up, and then I +said to the bridegroom: + +"Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to support and +love her through life?" + +"I do," was the reply. + +Then addressing myself to the bride, I said, "Do you take this man to be +your lawful wedded husband through life, to love, honor and obey him?" + +[Illustration: A WEDDING CEREMONY.] + +"I do," was her response. + +"Then join hands," said I to both of them; "I now pronounce you to be man +and wife, and whomsoever God and Buffalo Bill have joined together let no +man put asunder. May you live long and prosper. Amen." + +This concluded the interesting ceremony, which was followed by the usual +festivities on such occasions. I was highly complimented for the elegant +and eloquent manner in which I had tied the matrimonial knot. + +During the summer of 1871, Professor Marsh, of Yale College, came out to +McPherson, with a large party of students to have a hunt and to look for +fossils. Professor Marsh had heard of the big bone which had been found +by the Pawnees in the Niobrara country, and he intended to look for that +as well as other bones. He accordingly secured the services of Major +Frank North and the Pawnees as an escort. I was also to accompany the +bone-hunters, and would have done so had it not been for the fact that +just at that time I was ordered out with a small scouting party to go +after some Indians. + +[Illustration: A RIDE FOR LIFE.] + +The day before the Professor arrived at the fort, I had been out hunting +on the north side of the North Platte River, near Pawnee Springs, with +several companions, when we were suddenly attacked by Indians, who +wounded one of our number, John Weister. We stood the Indians off for a +little while, and Weister got even with them by killing one of their +party. The Indians, however, outnumbered us, and at last we were forced +to make a run for our lives. In this we succeeded, and reached the fort +in safety. The General wanted to have the Indians pursued, and said he +could not spare me to accompany Professor Marsh. + +However, I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the eminent +Professor, whom I found to be not only a well-posted person but a very +entertaining gentleman. He gave me a geological history of the country; +told me in what section fossils were to be found; and otherwise +entertained me with several scientific yarns, some of which seemed too +complicated and too mysterious to be believed by an ordinary man like +myself; but it was all clear to him. I rode out with him several miles, +as he was starting on his bone-hunting expedition, and I greatly enjoyed +the ride. His party had been provided with Government transportation and +his students were all mounted on Government horses. + +As we rode along he delivered a scientific lecture, and he convinced me +that he knew what he was talking about. I finally bade him good-bye, and +returned to the post. While the fossil-hunters were out on their +expedition, we had several lively little skirmishes with the Indians. +After having been absent some little time Professor Marsh and his party +came back with their wagons loaded down with all kinds of bones, and the +Professor was in his glory. He had evidently struck a bone-yard, and +"gad!"[E] wasn't he happy! But they had failed to find the big bone which +the Pawnees had unearthed the year before. + +[Footnote E: A favorite expression of the Professor's.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUNTING EXPEDITION. + + +Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at Fort +McPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends were +coming out to the post to have a grand hunt in the vicinity, and to +explore the country from McPherson to Fort Hays, in Kansas. On the +morning of September 22d they arrived in a special car at North Platte, a +station on the Union Pacific, distant eighteen miles from Fort McPherson. + +The party consisted of General Sheridan, Lawrence R. Jerome, James Gordon +Bennett, of the _New York Herald_; Leonard W. Jerome, Carroll Livingston, +Major J.G. Hecksher, General Fitzhugh, General H.E. Davies, Captain M. +Edward Rogers, Colonel J. Scuyler Crosby, Samuel Johnson, General Anson +Stager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Charles Wilson, editor of +the _Chicago Evening Journal_; General Rucker, Quartermaster-General, +and Dr. Asch--the two last-named being of General Sheridan's staff. They +were met at the station by General Emory and Major Brown, with a cavalry +company as escort and a sufficient number of vehicles to carry the +distinguished visitors and their baggage. + +A brisk drive of less than two hours over a hard and smooth road brought +them to the fort, where they found the garrison, consisting of five +companies of the Fifth Cavalry, under the command of General Carr, out +on parade awaiting their arrival. The band played some martial music, +and the cavalry passed very handsomely in review before General +Sheridan. The guests were then most hospitably received, and assigned to +comfortable quarters. + +Lieutenant Hayes, the quartermaster of the expedition, arranged +everything for the comfort of the party. One hundred cavalry under +command of Major Brown were detailed as an escort. A train of sixteen +wagons was provided to carry the baggage, supplies, and forage for the +trip; and, besides these, there were three four-horse ambulances in which +the guns were carried, and in which members of the party who became weary +of the saddle might ride and rest. At General Sheridan's request I was to +accompany the expedition; he introduced me to all his friends, and gave +me a good send-off. + +During the afternoon and evening the gentlemen were all entertained at +the post in a variety of ways, including dinner and supper parties, and +music and dancing; at a late hour they retired to rest in their tents at +the camp which they occupied outside the post--named Camp Rucker in honor +of General Rucker. + +At five o'clock next morning a cavalry bugle sounded the _reveille_, and +soon all were astir in the camp, preparatory to pulling out for the first +day's march. I rose fresh and eager for the trip, and as it was a nobby +and high-toned outfit which I was to accompany, I determined to put on a +little style myself. So I dressed in a new suit of light buckskin, +trimmed along the seams with fringes of the same material; and I put on a +crimson shirt handsomely ornamented on the bosom, while on my head I wore +a broad _sombrero_. Then mounting a snowy white horse--a gallant +stepper--I rode down from the fort to the camp, rifle in hand. I felt +first-rate that morning, and looked well. + +The expedition was soon under way. Our road for ten miles wound through a +wooded ravine called Cottonwood Cañon, intersecting the high ground, or +divide, as it is called, between the Platte and Republican Rivers. Upon +emerging from the cañon we found ourselves upon the plains. First in the +line rode General Sheridan, followed by his guests, and then the +orderlies. Then came the ambulances, in one of which were carried five +greyhounds, brought along to course the antelope and rabbit. With the +ambulances marched a pair of Indian ponies belonging to Lieutenant +Hayes--captured during some Indian fight--and harnessed to a light wagon, +which General Sheridan occasionally used. These little horses, but +thirteen hands high, showed more vigor and endurance than any other of +the animals we had with us. Following the ambulances came the main body +of the escort and the supply wagons. + +We marched seventeen miles the first day, and went into camp on Fox +Creek, a tributary of the Republican. No hunting had as yet been done; +but I informed the gentlemen of the party that we would strike the +buffalo country the next day. A hundred or more questions were then +asked me by this one and that one, and the whole evening was spent +principally in buffalo talk, sandwiched with stories of the plains--both +of war and of the chase. Several of the party, who were good vocalists, +gave us some excellent music. We closed the evening by christening the +camp, naming it Camp Brown, in honor of the gallant officer in command of +the escort. + +At three o'clock next morning the bugle called us to an early start. We +had breakfast at half-past four, and at six were in the saddle. All were +eager to see and shoot the buffaloes which I assured them we would +certainly meet during the day. After marching five miles, the advance +guard, of which I had the command, discovered six buffaloes grazing at a +distance of about two miles from us. We returned to the hunters with this +information, and they at once consulted with me as to the best way to +attack the "enemy." + +Acting upon my suggestions, Fitzhugh, Crosby, Lawrence Jerome, +Livingston, Hecksher and Rogers, accompanied by myself as guide, rode +through a convenient cañon to a point beyond the buffaloes, so that we +were to the windward of the animals. The rest of the party made a detour +of nearly five miles, keeping behind the crest of a hill. We charged down +upon the buffaloes, at full gallop, and just then the other party emerged +from their concealment and witnessed the exciting chase. The buffaloes +started off in a line, single file. Fitzhugh, after a lively gallop, led +us all and soon came alongside the rear buffalo, at which he fired. The +animal faltered, and then with another shot Fitzhugh brought him to the +ground. Crosby dashed by him and leveled another of the herd, while +Livingston dropped a third. Those who were not directly engaged in the +hunt now came up and congratulated the men upon their success, and +Fitzhugh was at once hailed as the winner of the buffalo cup; while all +sympathized with Hecksher, whose chance had been the best at the start, +but who lost by reason of his horse falling and rolling over him. + +The hunt being over, the column moved forward on its march passing +through a prairie-dog town, several miles in extent. These animals are +found throughout the plains, living together in a sort of society; their +numberless burrows in their "towns" adjoin each other, so that great care +is necessary in riding through these places, as the ground is so +undermined as often to fall in under the weight of a horse. Around the +entrance to their holes the ground is piled up almost a foot high; on +these little elevations the prairie-dogs sit upon their hind legs, +chattering to each other and observing whatever passes on the plains. +They will permit a person to approach quite near, but when they have +viewed him closely, they dive into their dens with wonderful quickness. +They are difficult to kill, and if hit, generally succeed in crawling +underground before they can be captured. Rattlesnakes and small owls are +generally found in great numbers in the prairie-dog towns, and live in +the same holes with the dogs on friendly terms. A few of the prairie-dogs +were killed, and were found to be very palatable eating. + +[Illustration: PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGE.] + +A short distance beyond the dog town we discovered a settlement of five +white men, who proved to be the two Clifford brothers, Arthur Ruff, Dick +Seymour and John Nelson--the latter already referred to in these pages. +Each of them had a squaw wife and numerous half-breed children, living in +tents of buffalo skins. They owned a herd of horses and mules and a few +cattle, and had cultivated a small piece of land. Their principal +occupation was hunting, and they had a large number of buffalo hides, +which, they had tanned in the Indian manner. + +Upon reaching Pleasant Valley, on Medicine Creek, our party divided into +two detachments--one hunting along the bank of the stream for elk or +deer, and the other remaining with the main body of the escort. The elk +hunters met with no success whatever, but the others ran across plenty of +buffaloes, and nearly everybody killed one or more before the day was +over. Lawrence Jerome made an excellent shot; while riding in an +ambulance he killed a buffalo which attempted to cross the line of march. + +At about four o'clock P.M., we arrived at Mitchell's Fork of the +Medicine, having traveled thirty-five miles during that day, and there we +went into camp--calling it Camp Jack Hayes, in honor of Lieutenant Hayes. + +On the next morning, the 25th, we moved out of camp at eight o'clock. +The party was very successful through the day in securing game, +Hecksher, Fitzhugh, Livingston and Lieutenant Hayes; and in fact all did +good shooting. + +Lawrence Jerome persuaded me to let him ride Buckskin Joe, the best +buffalo horse in the whole outfit, and on his back he did wonders among +the buffaloes. Leonard Jerome, Bennett and Rogers also were very +successful in buffalo hunting. + +Our camp of this night was named Camp Asch to commemorate our surgeon, +Dr. Asch. The evening was pleasantly spent around the camp fires in +relating the adventures of the day. + +Upon crossing the Republican river on the morning of the 26th, we came +upon an immense number of buffaloes scattered over the country in every +direction, as far as the eye could reach and all had an opportunity to +do as much hunting as they wished. The wagons and troops moved slowly +along in the direction of the next camp, while the hunters went off +separately, or by twos and threes, in different directions, and all were +rewarded with abundant success. Lawrence Jerome, however, had his career +suddenly checked. He had dismounted to make a steady and careful shot, +and thoughtlessly let go of the bridle. The buffalo failing to take a +tumble, as he ought to have done, started off at a lively gait, followed +by Buckskin Joe--the horse being determined to do some hunting on his own +account--the last seen of him, he was a little ahead of the buffalo, and +gaining slightly, leaving his late rider to his own reflections and the +prospect of a tramp; his desolate condition was soon discovered and +another horse warranted not to run under any provocation, was sent to +him. It maybe stated here that three days afterwards, as I subsequently +learned, Buckskin Joe, all saddled and bridled, turned up at Fort +McPherson. + +We pitched our tents for the night in a charming spot on the bank of +Beaver Creek. The game was so abundant that we remained there one day. +This stopping place was called. Camp Cody, in honor of the reader's +humble servant. + +The next day was spent in hunting jack-rabbits, coyotes, elks, +antelopes and wild turkeys. We had a splendid dinner as will be seen +from the following: + + + BILL OF FARE. + + SOUP. + Buffalo Tail. + + FISH. + Cisco broiled, fried Dace. + + ENTREES. +Salmi of Prairie Dog, Stewed Rabbit, Fillet of Buffalo, + Aux Champignons. + + ROAST. + Elk, Antelope, Black-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey. + + BROILED. + Teal, Mallard, Antelope Chops, Buffalo-Calf Steaks, + Young Wild Turkey. + + VEGETABLES. + Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas. + + DESSERT. + Tapioca Pudding. + + WINES. + Champagne Frappe, Champagne au Naturel, Claret, + Whiskey, Brandy, Bass' Ale. + + COFFEE. + + +This I considered a pretty square meal for a party of hunters, and +everybody did ample justice to it. + +In the evening a court-martial was held, at which I presided as chief +justice. We tried one of the gentlemen for aiding and abetting in the +loss of a government horse, and for having something to do with the +mysterious disappearance of a Colt's pistol. He was charged also with +snoring in a manner that was regarded as fiendish, and with committing a +variety of other less offenses too numerous to mention. + +The accused made a feeble defense as to the pistol, and claimed that +instead of losing a government horse, the fact was that the horse had +lost him. His statements were all regarded as "too thin," and finally +failing to prove good character, he confessed all, and threw himself upon +the mercy of the court. The culprit was Lawrence Jerome. + +As chief justice I delivered the opinion of the court, which my modesty +does not prevent me from saying, was done in an able and dignified +manner; as an act of clemency I suspended judgment for the time being, +remarking that while the camp fire held out to burn, the vilest sinner +might return; and in hope of the accused's amendment, I would defer +pronouncing sentence. The trial afforded its considerable amusement, and +gave me a splendid opportunity to display the legal knowledge which I had +acquired while acting as justice of the peace at Fort McPherson. + +On the morning of the 28th the command crossed the South Beaver, distant +nine miles from Camp Cody, and then striking a fair road we made a rapid +march until we reached our camp on Short Nose or Prairie Dog Creek, +about 2 P. M., after having made twenty-four miles. The remainder of the +afternoon was spent in hunting buffaloes and turkeys. Camp Stager was the +name given to this place, in honor of General Stager, of the Western +Union Telegraph Company. + +The next day we made a march of twenty-four miles, and then halted at +about 1 P. M. on the North Solomon River. This day we killed three +buffaloes, two antelopes, two raccoons, and three teal ducks. Near our +camp, which we named Camp Leonard Jerome, was a beaver dam some six feet +high and twenty yards wide; it was near the junction of two streams, and +formed a pond of at least four acres. + +On the 30th we traveled twenty-five miles, and during the march nine +turkeys, two rabbits, and three or four buffaloes were killed. We went +into camp on the bank of the South Fork of the Solomon River and called +the place Camp Sam Johnson. We were now but forty-five miles from Fort +Hays, the point at which General Sheridan and his guests expected to +strike the Kansas Pacific Railway, and thence return home. That evening +I volunteered to ride to Fort Hays and meet the party next day, +bringing with me all the letters that might be at the post. Taking the +best horse in the command I started out, expecting to make the trip in +about four hours. + +The next morning the command got an early start and traveled thirty miles +to Saline River, where they made their last camp on the plains. As some +of the party were attacking a herd of buffaloes, I rode in from Fort Hays +and got into the middle of the herd, and killed a buffalo or two before +the hunters observed me. I brought a large number of letters, which +proved welcome reading matter. + +In the evening we gathered around the camp-fire for the last time. The +duty of naming the camp, which was called Camp Davies, having been duly +performed, we all united in making that night the pleasantest of all that +we had spent together. We had eloquent speeches, songs, and interesting +anecdotes. I was called upon, and entertained the gentlemen with some +lively Indian stories. + +The excursionists reached Fort Hays, distant fifteen miles, on the +morning of October 2d, where we pitched our tents for the last time, and +named the camp in honor of Mr. Hecksher. That same afternoon General +Sheridan and his guests took the train for the East, after bidding Major +Browa, Lieutenant Hayes and myself a hearty good-bye, and expressing +themselves as greatly pleased with their hunt, and the manner in which +they had been escorted and guided. + +It will be proper and fair to state here that General Davies afterwards +wrote an interesting account of this hunt and published it in a neat +volume of sixty-eight pages, under the title of "Ten Days on the Plains." +I would have inserted the volume bodily in this book, were it not for the +fact that the General has spoken in a rather too complimentary manner of +me. However, I have taken the liberty in this chapter to condense from +the little volume, and in some places I have used the identical language +of General Davies without quoting the same; in fact, to do the General +justice, I ought to close this chapter with several lines of quotation +marks to be pretty generally distributed by the reader throughout my +account of our ten days' hunt. + +Soon after the departure of General Sheridan's party, we returned to Fort +McPherson and found General Carr about to start out on a twenty days' +scout, not so much for the purpose of finding Indians, but more for the +object of taking some friends on a hunt. His guests were a couple of +Englishmen,--whose names I cannot now remember--and Mr. McCarthy, of +Syracuse, New York, who was a relative of General Emory. The command +consisted of three companies of the Fifth Cavalry, one company of Pawnee +Indians, and twenty-five wagons. Of course I was called on to accompany +the expedition. + +One day, after we had been out from the post for some little time, I was +hunting on Deer Creek, in company with Mr. McCarthy, about eight miles +from the command. I had been wishing for several days to play a joke on +him, and had arranged a plan with Captain Lute North to carry it into +execution. I had informed North at about what time we would be on Deer +Creek, and it was agreed that he should appear in the vicinity with some +of his Pawnees, who were to throw their blankets around them, and come +dashing down upon us, firing and whooping in true Indian style; while he +was to either conceal or disguise himself. This programme was faithfully +and completely carried out. I had been talking about Indians to McCarthy, +and he had become considerably excited, when just as we turned a bend of +the creek, we saw not half a mile from us about twenty Indians, who +instantly started for us on a gallop, firing their guns and yelling at +the top of their voices. + +"McCarthy, shall we dismount and fight, or run?" said I. + +He didn't wait to reply, but wheeling his horse, started at full speed +down the creek, losing his hat and dropping his gun; away he went, never +once looking back to see if he was being pursued. I tried to stop him by +yelling at him and saying that it was all right, as the Indians were +Pawnees. Unfortunately he did not hear me, but kept straight on, not +stopping his horse until he reached the camp. + +[Illustration: MCCARTHY'S FRIGHT.] + +I knew that he would tell General Carr that the Indians had jumped him, +and that the General would soon start out with the troops. So as soon as +the Pawnees rode up to me I told them to remain there while I went after +my friend. I rode after him as fast as possible, but he had arrived at +the command some time before me and when I got there the General had, as +I had suspected he would do, ordered out two companies of cavalry to go +in pursuit of the Indians. I told the General that the Indians were only +some Pawnees, who had been out hunting and that they had merely played a +joke upon us. I forgot to inform him that I had put up the trick, but +as he was always fond of a good joke himself, he did not get very angry. +I had picked up McCarthy's hat and gun which I returned to him, and it +was some time afterwards before he discovered who was at the bottom of +the affair. + +When we returned to Fort McPherson we found there Mr. Royal Buck, whose +father had been killed with his entire party by Pawnee Killer's band of +Indians on the Beaver Creek. He had a letter from the commanding officer +of the Department requesting that he be furnished with an escort to go in +search of the remains of his father and the party. Two companies of +cavalry were sent with him and I accompanied them as guide. As the old +squaw, which we had captured, and of which mention is made in a previous +chapter, could not exactly tell us the place on Beaver Creek where the +party had been killed, we searched the country over for two days and +discovered no signs of the murdered men. At last, however, our efforts +were rewarded with success. We found pieces of their wagons and among +other things an old letter or two which Mr. Buck recognized as his +father's handwriting. We then discovered some of the remains, which we +buried; but nothing further. It was now getting late in the fall and we +accordingly returned to Fort McPherson. + +A short time after this the Fifth Cavalry was ordered to Arizona, a not +very desirable country to soldier in. I had become greatly attached to +the officers of the regiment, having been continually with them for over +three years, and had about made up my mind to accompany them, when a +letter was received from General Sheridan instructing the commanding +officer "not to take Cody" with him, and saying that I was to remain in +my old position. In a few days the command left for its destination, +taking the cars at McPherson Station, where I bade my old friends adieu. +During the next few weeks I had but little to do, as the post was +garrisoned by infantry, awaiting the arrival of the Third Cavalry. + +[Illustration: FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. + + +About the first of January, 1872, General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, of +Sheridan's staff came out to Fort McPherson to make preparations for a +big buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia; and as this was to +be no ordinary affair, these officers had been sent by General Sheridan +to have all the necessary arrangements perfected by the time the Grand +Duke should arrive. They learned from me that there were plenty of +buffaloes in the vicinity and especially on the Red Willow, sixty miles +distant. They said they would like to go over on the Red Willow and pick +out a suitable place for the camp; they also inquired the location of +the Spotted Tail, Sioux Indians. Spotted Tail had permission from the +Government to hunt the buffalo, with his people during the winter, in the +Republican river country. It was my opinion that they were located +somewhere on the Frenchman's Fork about one hundred and fifty miles from +Fort McPherson. + +General Sheridan's commissioners informed me, that he wished me to visit +Spotted Tail's camp, and induce about one hundred of the leading warriors +and chiefs, to come to the point where it should be decided to locate the +Alexis hunting camp, and to be there by the time the Grand Duke should +arrive, so that he could see a body of American Indians and observe the +manner in which they killed buffaloes. The Indians would also be called +upon to give a grand war dance in honor of the distinguished visitor. + +Next morning General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, accompanied by Captain Hays, +who had been left at Fort McPherson in charge of the Fifth Cavalry +horses, taking an ambulance and a light wagon, to carry their tents, and +provisions sufficient to last them two or three days; started, under my +guidance, with a small escort, for Red Willow Creek, arriving there at +night. The next day we selected a pleasant camping place on a little +knoll in the valley of the Red Willow. General Forsyth and his party +returned to the post the next day while I left for Spotted Tail's camp. + +The weather was very cold and I found my journey by no means a pleasant +one as I was obliged to camp out with only my saddle blankets; and +besides, there was more or less danger from the Indians themselves; for, +although Spotted Tail himself was friendly, I was afraid I might have +difficulty in getting into his camp. I was liable at any moment to run +into a party of his young men who might be out hunting, and as I had +many enemies among the Sioux, I would be running considerable risk in +meeting them. + +At the end of the first day I camped on Stinking Water, a tributary of +the Frenchman's Fork, where I built a little fire in the timber; but it +was so very cold I was not able to sleep much. Getting an early start in +the morning I followed up the Frenchman's Fork and late in the afternoon +I could see, from the fresh horse tracks and from the dead buffaloes +lying here and there, recently killed, that I was nearing Spotted Tail's +camp. I rode on for a few miles further, and then hiding my horse in a +low ravine, I crawled up a high hill, where I obtained a good view of the +country. I could see for four or five miles up the creek, and got sight +of a village and of two or three hundred ponies in its vicinity. I waited +until night came and then I succeeded in riding into the Indian camp +unobserved. + +[Illustration: SPOTTED TAIL.] + +I had seen Spotted Tail's camp when he came from the north and I knew the +kind of lodge he was living in. As I entered the village I wrapped a +blanket around my head so that the Indians could not tell whether I was a +white or a red man. In this way I rode around until I found Spotted +Tail's lodge. Dismounting from my horse I opened his tent door and looked +in and saw the old chief lying on some robes. I spoke to him and he +recognized me at once and invited me to enter. Inside the lodge I found a +white man, an old frontiersman, Todd Randall, who was Spotted Tail's +agent and who had lived a great many years with the Indians. He +understood their language perfectly and did all the interpreting for +Spotted Tail. Through him I readily communicated with the chief and +informed him of my errand. I told him that the warriors and chiefs would +greatly please General Sheridan if they would meet him in about ten +sleeps at the old Government crossing of the Red Willow. I further +informed him that there was a great chief from across the water who was +coming there to visit him. Spotted Tail replied that he would be very +glad to go; that the next morning he would call his people together and +select those who would accompany him. I told Spotted Tail how I had +entered his camp. He replied that I had acted wisely; that although his +people were friendly, yet some of his young men had a grudge against me, +and I might have had difficulty with them had I met them away from the +village. He directed his squaw to get me something to eat, and ordered +that my horse be taken care of, and upon his invitation I spent the +remainder of the night in his lodge. + +Next morning the chiefs and warriors assembled according to orders, and +to them was stated the object of my visit. They were asked: + +"Do you know who this man is?" + +"Yes, we know him well," replied one, "that is Pa-he-haska," (that being +my name among the Sioux, which translated means "Long Hair") "that is our +old enemy," a great many of the Indians, who were with Spotted Tail at +this time, had been driven out of the Republican country. + +"That is he," said Spotted Tail. "I want all my people to be kind to him +and treat him as my friend." + +I noticed that several of them were looking daggers at me. They appeared +as if they wished to raise my hair then and there. Spotted Tail motioned +and I followed him into his lodge, and thereupon the Indians dispersed. +Having the assurance of Spotted Tail that none of the young men would +follow me I started back for the Red Willow, arriving the second night. + +There I found Captain Egan with a company of the Second Cavalry and a +wagon train loaded with tents, grain, provisions, etc. The men were +leveling off the ground and were making preparations to put up large wall +tents for the Grand Duke Alexis and his _suite_, and for General +Sheridan, his staff and other officers, and invited guests of the party. +Proceeding to Fort McPherson I reported what had been done. Thereupon +Quartermaster Hays selected from the five or six hundred horses in his +charge, seventy-five of the very best, which were sent to the Red Willow, +to be used by Alexis and his party at the coming hunt. In a day or two a +large supply of provisions, liquors, etc., arrived from Chicago, together +with bedding and furniture for the tents; all of which were sent over to +Camp Alexis. + +[Illustration: GRAND DUKE ALEXIS.] + +At last, on the morning of the 12th of January, 1872, the Grand Duke and +party arrived at North Platte by special train; in charge of a Mr. +Francis Thompson. Captain Hays and myself, with five or six ambulances, +fifteen or twenty extra saddle-horses and a company of cavalry under +Captain Egan, were at the dépôt in time to receive them. Presently +General Sheridan and a large, fine-looking young man, whom we at once +concluded to be the Grand Duke came out of the cars and approached us. +General Sheridan at once introduced me to the Grand Duke as Buffalo Bill, +for he it was, and said that I was to take charge of him and show him how +to kill buffalo. + +In less than half an hour the whole party were dashing away towards the +south, across the South Platte and towards the Medicine; upon reaching +which point we halted for a change of horses and a lunch. Resuming our +ride we reached Camp Alexis in the afternoon. General Sheridan was well +pleased with the arrangements that had been made and was delighted to +find that Spotted Tail and his Indians had arrived on time. They were +objects of great curiosity to the Grand Duke, who spent considerable time +in looking at them, and watching their exhibitions of horsemanship, sham +fights, etc. That evening the Indians gave the grand war dance, which I +had arranged for. + +[Illustration: INDIAN EXERCISES.] + +General Custer, who was one of the hunting party, carried on a mild +flirtation with one of Spotted Tail's daughters, who had accompanied her +father thither, and it was noticed also that the Duke Alexis paid +considerable attention to another handsome red-skin maiden. The night +passed pleasantly, and all retired with great expectations of having a +most enjoyable and successful buffalo hunt. The Duke Alexis asked me a +great many questions as to how we shot buffaloes, and what kind of a gun +or pistol we used, and if he was going to have a good horse. I told him +that he was to have my celebrated buffalo horse Buckskin Joe, and when +we went into a buffalo herd all he would have to do was to sit on the +horse's back and fire away. + +At nine o'clock next morning we were all in our saddles, and in a few +minutes were galloping over the prairies in search of a buffalo herd. We +had not gone far before we observed a herd some distance ahead of us +crossing our way; after that we proceeded cautiously, so as to keep out +of sight until we were ready to make a charge. + +Of course the main thing was to give Alexis the first chance and the best +shot at the buffaloes, and when all was in readiness we dashed over a +little knoll that had hidden us from view, and in a few minutes we were +among them. Alexis at first preferred to use his pistol instead of a gun. +He fired six shots from this weapon at buffaloes only twenty feet away +from him, but as he shot wildly, not one of his bullets took effect. +Riding up to his side and seeing that his weapon was empty, I exchanged +pistols with him. He again fired six shots, without dropping a buffalo. + +Seeing that the animals were bound to make their escape without his +killing one of them, unless he had a better weapon, I rode up to him, +gave him my old reliable "Lucretia," and told him to urge his horse close +to the buffaloes, and I would then give him the word when to shoot. At +the same time I gave old Buckskin Joe a blow with my whip, and with a few +jumps the horse carried the Grand Duke to within about ten feet of a big +buffalo bull. + +"Now is your time," said I. He fired, and down went the buffalo. The +Grand Duke stopped his horse, dropped his gun on the ground, and +commenced waving his hat. When his _suite_ came galloping up, he began +talking to them in a tongue which I could not understand. Presently +General Sheridan joined the group, and the ambulances were brought up. +Very soon the corks began to fly from the champagne bottles, in honor of +the Grand Duke Alexis, who had killed the first buffalo. + +It was reported in a great many of the newspapers that I shot the first +buffalo for Alexis, while in some it was stated that I held the buffalo +while His Royal Highness killed it. But the way I have related the affair +is the correct version. + +It was thought that we had had about sport enough for one day, and +accordingly I was directed by General Sheridan to guide the party back to +camp, and we were soon on our way thither. Several of the party, however, +concluded to have a little hunt on their own account, and presently we +saw them galloping over the prairie in different directions in pursuit of +buffaloes. + +While we were crossing a deep ravine, on our way to camp, we ran into a +small band of buffaloes that had been frightened by some of the hunters. +As they rushed past us, not more than thirty yards distant, Alexis raised +his pistol, fired and killed a buffalo cow. It was either an +extraordinary good shot or a "scratch"--probably the latter, for it +surprised the Grand Duke as well as everybody else. We gave him three +cheers, and when the ambulance came up we took a pull at the champagne +in honor of the Grand Duke's success. I was in hopes that he would kill +five or six more buffaloes before we reached camp, especially if a basket +of champagne was to be opened every time he dropped one. + +General Sheridan directed me to take care of the hides and heads of the +buffaloes which Alexis had killed, as the Duke wished to keep them as +souvenirs of the hunt. I also cut out the choice meat from the cow and +brought it into camp, and that night at supper Alexis had the pleasure of +dining on broiled buffalo steak obtained from the animal which he had +shot himself. + +We remained at this camp two or three days, during which we hunted most +of the time, the Grand Duke himself killing eight buffaloes. + +One day Alexis desired to see how the Indians hunted buffaloes and killed +them with bow and arrow; so Spotted Tail, selecting some of his best +hunters, had them surround a herd, and bring the animals down, not only +with arrows, but with lances. The Grand Duke was told to follow upon the +heels of one celebrated Indian hunter, whose name was "Two Lance," and +watch him bring down the game; for this chief had the reputation of being +able to send an arrow through and through the body of a buffalo. Upon +this occasion he did not belie his reputation, for he sent an arrow +_through_ a buffalo, which fell dead at the shot, and the arrow was given +to Alexis as a souvenir of his hunt on the American Plains. + +[Illustration: TWO LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO.] + +When the Grand Duke was satisfied with the sport, orders were given for +the return to the railroad. The conveyance provided for the Grand Duke +and General Sheridan was a heavy double-seated open carriage, or rather +an Irish dog-cart, and it was drawn by four spirited cavalry horses which +were not much used to the harness. The driver was Bill Reed, an old +overland stage driver and wagon master; on our way in, the Grand Duke +frequently expressed his admiration of the skillful manner in which Reed +handled the reins. + +General Sheridan informed the Duke that I also had been a stage-driver in +the Rocky Mountains, and thereupon His Royal Highness expressed a desire +to see me drive. I was in advance at the time, and General Sheridan sang +out to me: + +"Cody, get in here and show the Duke how you can drive. Mr. Reed will +exchange places with you and ride your horse." + +"All right, General," said I, and in a few moments I had the reins and we +were rattling away over the prairie. When we were approaching Medicine +Creek, General Sheridan said: "Shake 'em up a little, Bill, and give us +some old-time stage-driving." I gave the horses a crack or two of the +whip, and they started off at a very rapid gait. They had a light load to +pull, and kept increasing their speed at every jump, and I found it +difficult to hold them. They fairly flew over the ground, and at last we +reached a steep hill, or divide, which, led down into the valley of the +Medicine. There was no brake on the wagon, and the horses were not much +on the hold-back. I saw that it would be impossible to stop them. All I +could do was to keep them straight in the track and let them go it down +the hill, for three miles; which distance, I believe, was made in about +six minutes. Every once in a while the hind wheels would strike a rut and +take a bound, and not touch the ground again for fifteen or twenty feet. +The Duke and the General were kept rather busy in holding their positions +on the seats, and when they saw that I was keeping the horses straight in +the road, they seemed to enjoy the dash which we were making. I was +unable to stop the team until they ran into the camp where we were to +obtain a fresh relay, and there I succeeded in checking them. The Grand +Duke said he didn't want any more of that kind of driving, as he +preferred to go a little slower. + +On arriving at the railroad, the Duke invited me into his car, and made +me some valuable presents, at the same time giving me a cordial +invitation to visit him, if ever I should come to his country. + +General Sheridan took occasion to remind me of an invitation to visit New +York which I had received from some of the gentlemen who accompanied the +General on the hunt from Fort McPherson to Hays City, in September of the +previous year. Said he: + +"You will never have a better opportunity to accept that invitation than +now. I have had a talk with General Ord concerning you, and he will give +you a leave of absence whenever you are ready to start. Write a letter to +General Stager, of Chicago, that you are now prepared to accept the +invitation, and he will send you a pass." + +Thanking the General for his kindness, I then bade him and the Grand Duke +good-bye, and soon their train was out of sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGHT-SEEING. + + +General Ord, commanding the Department of the Platte at the time, and who +had been out on the Alexis hunt, had some business to attend to at Fort +McPherson, and I accepted his invitation to ride over to the post with +him in an ambulance. On the way thither he asked me how I would like to +have an officer's commission in the regular army. He said that General +Sheridan and himself had had some conversation about the matter, and if I +wanted a commission, one could easily be procured for me. I thanked +General Ord for his kindness, and said that although an officer's +commission in the regular army was a tempting prize, yet I preferred to +remain in the position I was then holding. He concluded by stating that +if at any time I should wish a commission, all that I would have to do to +secure it would be to inform him of my desire. + +Having determined to visit New York, I acted upon General Sheridan's +suggestion and wrote to General Stager, from whom in a few days I +received my railroad passes. Obtaining thirty days' leave of absence from +the department, I struck out for the East. On arriving in Chicago, in +February, 1872, I was met at the dépôt by Colonel M.V. Sheridan, who said +that his brother, the General, had not yet returned, but had sent word +that I was to be his and the Colonel's guest, at their house, while I +remained in Chicago. + +I spent two or three days very pleasantly in the great city of the West, +meeting several of the gentlemen who had been out on the Sheridan hunt in +September--General Stager, Colonel Wilson, editor of the _Journal_; Mr. +Sam Johnson, General Rucker and others--by all of whom I was most +cordially received and well entertained. I was introduced to quite a +number of the best people of the city, and was invited to several "swell" +dinners. I also accompanied General Sheridan--who meantime had returned +to the city--to a ball at Riverside--an aristocratic suburb. + +[Illustration: AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION] + +On this occasion I became so embarrassed that it was more difficult for +me to face the throng of beautiful ladies, than it would have been to +confront a hundred hostile Indians. This was my first trip to the East, +and I had not yet become accustomed to being stared at. And besides +this, the hundreds of questions which I was called upon to answer further +embarrassed and perplexed me. + +According to the route laid out for me by General Stager, I was to stop +at Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Rochester on my way to New York, and he +provided me with all the necessary railroad passes. Just as I was about +to leave Chicago I met Professor Henry A. Ward, of Rochester, for whom +during the previous year or two I had collected a large number of +specimens of wild animals. He was on his way to Rochester, and kindly +volunteered to act as my guide until we reached that point. We spent one +day in viewing the wonders of Niagara, and I stopped one day at Rochester +and was shown the beauties of that handsome city by Professor Ward, and I +had the honor of receiving an invitation to dine with the Mayor. + +On arriving at New York I was met at the dépôt by Mr. J.G. Hecksher, who +had been appointed as "a committee of one" to escort me to the Union +Club, where James Gordon Bennett, Leonard W. Jerome and others were to +give me an informal reception, and where I was to make my headquarters +during my visit in the great metropolis. I had an elegant dinner at the +club rooms, with the gentlemen who had been out on the September hunt, +and other members of the club. + +After dinner, in company with Mr. Hecksher--who acted as my guide--I +started out on the trail of my friend, Ned Buntline, whom we found at the +Brevoort Place Hotel. He was delighted to see me, and insisted on my +becoming his guest. He would listen to no excuses, and on introducing me +to Messrs. Overton & Blair, proprietors of the Brevoort, they also gave +me a pressing invitation to make my home at their house. I finally +compromised the matter by agreeing to divide my time between the Union +Club, the Brevoort House, and Ned Buntline's quarters. + +The next few days I spent in viewing the sights of New York, everything +being new and startling, convincing me that as yet I had seen but a small +portion of the world. I received numerous dinner invitations, as well as +invitations to visit different places of amusement and interest; but as +they came in so thick and fast, I soon became badly demoralized and +confused. I found I had accepted invitations to dine at half a dozen or +more houses on the same day and at the same hour. James Gordon Bennett +had prepared a dinner for me, at which quite a large number of his +friends were to be present, but owing to my confusion, arising from the +many other invitations I had received, I forgot all about it, and dined +elsewhere. This was "a bad break," but I did not learn of my mistake +until next day, when at the Union Club House several gentlemen, among +them Lawrence Jerome, inquired "where in the world I had been," and why I +had not put in an appearance at Bennett's dinner. They said that Bennett +had taken great pains to give me a splendid reception, that the party had +waited till nine o'clock for me, and that my non-arrival caused +considerable disappointment. I apologized as well as I could, by saying +that I had been out on a scout and had got lost, and had forgotten all +about the dinner; and expressed my regret for the disappointment I had +created by my forgetfulness. August Belmont, the banker, being near said: + +"Never mind, gentlemen, I'll give Cody a dinner at my house." + +"Thank you, sir," said I; "I see you are determined that I shall not run +short of rations while I am in the city. I'll be there, sure." + +Both Mr. Jerome and Mr. Hecksher told me that I must not disappoint Mr. +Belmont, for his dinners were splendid affairs. I made a note of the +date, and at the appointed time I was promptly at Mr. Belmont's mansion, +where I spent a very enjoyable evening. + +Mr. Bennett, who was among the guests, having forgiven my carelessness, +invited me to accompany him to the Liederkranz masked ball, which was to +take place in a few evenings, and would be a grand spectacle. Together we +attended the ball, and during the evening I was well entertained. The +dancers kept on their masks until midnight, and the merry and motley +throng presented a brilliant scene, moving gracefully beneath the bright +gas-light to the inspiriting music. To me it was a novel and entertaining +sight, and in many respects reminded me greatly of an Indian war-dance. + +Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Bennett, I had dressed myself in my +buckskin suit, and I naturally attracted considerable attention; +especially when I took part in the dancing and exhibited some of my +backwoods steps, which, although not as graceful as some, were a great +deal more emphatic. But when I undertook to do artistic dancing, I found +I was decidedly out of place in that crowd, and I accordingly withdrew +from the floor. + +I occasionally passed an evening at Niblo's Garden, viewing the many +beauties of "The Black Crook," which was then having its long run, under +the management of Jarrett & Palmer, whose acquaintance I had made, and +who extended to me the freedom of the theater. + +Ned Buntline and Fred Maeder had dramatized one of the stories which the +former had written about me for the _New York Weekly_. The drama was +called "Buffalo Bill, the King of Border Men." While I was in New York it +was produced at the Bowery Theater; J.B. Studley, an excellent actor, +appearing in the character of "Buffalo Bill," and Mrs. W.G. Jones, a fine +actress, taking the part of my sister, a leading _rôle_. I was curious to +see how I would look when represented by some one else, and of course I +was present on the opening night, a private box having been reserved for +me. The theater was packed, every seat being occupied as well as the +standing-room. The drama was played smoothly, and created a great deal of +enthusiasm. + +The audience, upon learning that the real "Buffalo Bill" was present, +gave several cheers between the acts, and I was called on to come out on +the stage and make a speech. Mr. Freleigh, the manager, insisted that I +should comply with the request, and that I should be introduced to Mr. +Studley. I finally consented, and the next moment I found myself standing +behind the footlights and in front of an audience for the first time in +my life. I looked up, then down, then on each side, and everywhere I saw +a sea of human faces, and thousands of eyes all staring at me. I confess +that I felt very much embarrassed--never more so in my life--and I knew +not what to say. I made a desperate effort, and a few words escaped me, +but what they were I could not for the life of me tell, nor could any one +else in the house. My utterances were inaudible even to the leader of the +orchestra, Mr. Dean, who was sitting only a few feet in front of me. +Bowing to the audience, I beat a hasty retreat into one of the cañons of +the stage. I never felt more relieved in my life than when I got out of +the view of that immense crowd. That evening Mr. Freleigh offered to +give me five hundred dollars a week to play the part of "Buffalo Bill" +myself. I thought that he was certainly joking, especially as he had +witnessed my awkward performance; but when he assured me that he was in +earnest, I told him that it would be useless for me to attempt anything +of the kind, for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, even +if it was to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actor +out of a government mule. I thanked him for the generous offer, which I +had to decline owing to a lack of confidence in myself; or as some people +might express it, I didn't have the requisite cheek to undertake a thing +of that sort. The play of "Buffalo Bill" had a very successful run of six +or eight weeks, and was afterwards produced in all the principal cities +of the country, everywhere being received with genuine enthusiasm. + +I had been in New York about twenty days when General Sheridan arrived in +the city. I met him soon after he got into town. In answer to a question +how I was enjoying myself, I replied that I had struck the best camp I +had ever seen, and if he didn't have any objections I would like to have +my leave of absence extended about ten days. This he willingly did, and +then informed me that my services would soon be required at Fort +McPherson, as there was to be an expedition sent out from that point. + +At Westchester, Pennsylvania, I had some relatives living whom I had +never seen, and now being so near, I determined to make them a visit. +Upon mentioning the matter to Buntline, he suggested that we should +together take a trip to Philadelphia, and thence run out to Westchester. +Accordingly the next day found us in the "City of Brotherly Love," and in +a few hours we arrived at the home of my uncle, General Henry R. Guss, +the proprietor of the Green Tree Hotel, who gave us a cordial reception. + +Inviting us into the parlor, my uncle brought in the members of his +family, among them an elderly lady, who was my grandmother, as he +informed me. He told me that my Aunt Eliza, his first wife, was dead, and +that he had married a second time; Lizzie Guss, my cousin, I thought was +the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. They were all very anxious to +have us remain several days, but as I had some business to attend to in +New York, I was obliged to return that day. Assuring them, however, that +I would visit them again soon, I bade them adieu, and with Buntline took +the train for New York. + +The time soon arrived for my departure for the West; so packing up my +traps I started for home, and on the way thither I spent a day with my +Westchester relatives, who did everything in their power to entertain me +during my brief stay with them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HONORS. + + +Upon reaching Fort McPherson, I found that the Third Cavalry, commanded +by General Reynolds, had arrived from Arizona, in which Territory they +had been on duty for some time, and where they had acquired quite a +reputation on account of their Indian fighting qualities. + +Shortly after my return, a small party of Indians made a dash on +McPherson Station, about five miles from the fort, killing two or three +men and running off quite a large number of horses. Captain Meinhold and +Lieutenant Lawson with their company were ordered out to pursue and +punish the Indians if possible. I was the guide of the expedition and had +as an assistant T.B. Omohundro, better known as "Texas Jack" and who was +a scout at the post. + +Finding the trail, I followed it for two days, although it was difficult +trailing because the red-skins had taken every possible precaution to +conceal their tracks. On the second day Captain Meinhold went into camp +on the South Fork of the Loupe, at a point where the trail was badly +scattered. Six men were detailed to accompany me on a scout in search of +the camp of the fugitives. We had gone but a short distance when we +discovered Indians camped, not more than a mile away, with horses grazing +near by. They were only a small party, and I determined to charge upon +them with my six men, rather than return to the command, because I feared +they would see us as we went back and then they would get away from us +entirely. I asked the men if they were willing to attempt it, and they +replied that they would follow me wherever I would lead them. That was +the kind of spirit that pleased me, and we immediately moved forward on +the enemy, getting as close to them as possible without being seen. + +I finally gave the signal to charge, and we dashed into the little camp +with a yell. Five Indians sprang out of a willow tepee, and greeted us +with a volley, and we returned the fire. I was riding Buckskin Joe, who +with a few jumps brought me up to the tepee, followed by my men. We +nearly ran over the Indians who were endeavoring to reach their horses on +the opposite side of the creek. Just as one was jumping the narrow stream +a bullet from my old "Lucretia" overtook him. He never reached the other +bank, but dropped dead in the water. Those of the Indians who were +guarding the horses, seeing what was going on at the camp, came rushing +to the rescue of their friends. I now counted thirteen braves, but as we +had already disposed of two, we had only eleven to take care of. The odds +were nearly two to one against us. + +While the Indian reinforcements were approaching the camp I jumped the +creek with Buckskin Joe to meet them, expecting our party would follow +me; but as they could not induce their horses to make the leap, I was the +only one who got over. I ordered the sergeant to dismount his men, and +leaving one to hold the horses, to come over with the rest and help me +drive the Indians off. Before they could do this, two mounted warriors +closed in on me and were shooting at short range. I returned their fire +and had the satisfaction of seeing one of them fall from his horse. At +this moment I felt blood trickling down my forehead, and hastily running +my hand through my hair I discovered that I had received a scalp wound. +The Indian, who had shot me, was not more than ten yards away, and when +he saw his partner tumble from his saddle, he turned to run. + +By this time the soldiers had crossed the creek to assist me, and were +blazing away at the other Indians. Urging Buckskin Joe forward, I was +soon alongside of the chap who had wounded me, when raising myself in the +stirrups I shot him through the head. + +The reports of our guns had been heard by Captain Meinhold, who at once +started with his company up the creek to our aid, and when the remaining +Indians, whom we were still fighting, saw these reinforcements coming +they whirled their horses and fled; as their steeds were quite fresh they +made their escape. However, we killed six out of the thirteen Indians, +and captured most of their stolen stock. Our loss was one man killed, and +one man--myself--slightly wounded. One of our horses was killed, and +Buckskin Joe was wounded, but I didn't discover the fact until some time +afterwards as he had been shot in the breast and showed no signs of +having received a scratch of any kind. Securing the scalps of the dead +Indians and other trophies we returned to the fort. + +I made several other scouts during the summer with different officers of +the Third Cavalry, one being with Major Alick Moore, a good officer, +with whom I was out for thirty days. Another long one was with Major +Curtis, with whom I followed some Indians from the South Platte river to +Fort Randall on the Missouri river in Dakota, on which trip the command +ran out of rations and for fifteen days subsisted entirely upon the game +we killed. + +In the fall of 1872 the Earl of Dunraven and Dr. Kingsley with several +friends came to Fort McPherson with a letter from General Sheridan, +asking me to accompany them on an elk hunt. I did so, and I afterwards +spent several weeks in hunting with the Earl of Dunraven, who was a +thorough sportsman and an excellent hunter. It was while I was out with +the Earl, that a Chicago party--friends of General Sheridan--arrived at +Fort McPherson for the purpose of going out on a hunt. They, too, had a +letter from, the General requesting me to go with them. The Earl had not +yet finished his hunt, but as I had been out with him for several weeks, +and he had by this time learned where to find plenty of elks and other +game, I concluded to leave him and accompany the Chicago party. I +informed him of my intention and gave him my reasons for going, at the +same time telling him that I would send him one of my scouts, Texas Jack, +who was a good hunter, and would be glad to accompany him. The Earl +seemed to be somewhat offended at this, and I don't think he has ever +forgiven me for "going back on him." Let that be as it may, he found +Texas Jack a splendid hunter and guide, and Jack has been his guide on +several hunts since. + +[Illustration: TEXAS JACK] + +Among the gentlemen who composed the Chicago party were E.P. +Green,--son-in-law of Remington, the rifle manufacturer,--Alexander +Sample, Mr. Milligan, of the firm of Heath & Milligan, of Chicago, and +several others, whose names I do not now remember. Mr. Milligan was a +man full of life, and was continually "boiling over with fun." He was a +regular velocipede, so to speak, and was here, there, and everywhere. +He was exceedingly desirous of having an Indian fight on the trip, not +that he was naturally a blood-thirsty man but just for variety he +wanted a little "Indian pie." He was in every respect the life of the +party, during the entire time that we were out. One day while he was +hunting with Sample and myself we came in sight of a band of thirty +mounted Indians. + +"Milligan, here's what you've been wanting for some time," said I, "for +yonder is a war party of Indians and no mistake; and they'll come for +us, you bet." + +"I don't believe this is one of my fighting days," replied Milligan, "and +it occurs to me that I have urgent business at the camp." + +Our camp was five or six miles distant on the Dismal river, and our +escort consisted of a company of cavalry commanded by Captain Russell. +The soldiers were in camp, and Milligan thought that Captain Russell +ought to be at once notified of the appearance of these Indians. Knowing +that we could reach the camp in safety, for we were well mounted, I +continued to have considerable amusement at Milligan's expense, who +finally said: + +"Cody, what's making my hat raise up so. I can hardly keep it on my +head." + +Sample, who was as cool as a cucumber, said to Milligan: "There must be +something wrong with your hair. It must be trying to get on end." + +"It's all very fine for you fellows to stand here and talk," replied +Milligan, "but I am not doing justice to my family by remaining. Sample, +I think we are a couple of old fools to have come out here, and I never +would have done so if it had not been for you." + +By this time the Indians had discovered us and were holding a +consultation, and Milligan turned his horse in the direction of the camp. +I never believed that he was half as scared as he seemed to be, but that +he was merely pretending so that we could enjoy our joke. However, we did +not wait any longer but rode into camp and notified Captain Russell, who +immediately started with his company to pursue the band. + +While we were riding along with the company Milligan said to Sample: +"Now, Alick, let them come on. We may yet go back to Chicago covered +with glory." + +We struck the trail going north, but as we had not come out on a scout +for Indians, we concluded not to follow them; although Milligan was now +very anxious to proceed and clean them out. + +The hunt came to an end in a day or two, and we escorted the visiting +hunters to North Platte, where they took the train for Chicago. Before +their departure they extended to me a very cordial invitation to come to +their city on a visit, promising that I should be well taken care of. + +Soon after this I had the pleasure of guiding a party of gentlemen from +Omaha on a buffalo hunt. Among the number were Judge Dundy, Colonel +Watson B. Smith, and U.S. District Attorney Neville. We left Fort +McPherson in good trim. I was greatly amused at the "style" of Mr. +Neville, who wore a stove-pipe hat and a swallow-tail coat, which made up +a very comical rig for a buffalo hunter. As we galloped over the prairie, +he jammed his hat down over his ears to keep it from being shaken off his +head, and in order to stick to his horse, he clung to the pommel of his +saddle. He was not much of a rider, and he went bouncing up and down, +with his swallow-tails flopping in the air. The sight I shall never +forget, for it was enough to make a "horse laugh," and I actually believe +old Buckskin Joe did laugh. + +However, we had a splendid hunt, and on the second day I lariated, or +roped, a big buffalo bull and tied him to a tree,--a feat which I had +often performed, and which the gentlemen requested me to do on this +occasion for their benefit, as they had heard of my skill with the +lariat. I captured several other buffaloes in the same way. The gentlemen +returned to Omaha well pleased with their hunt. + +In the fall of the year, 1872, a convention was held at Grand Island, +when some of my friends made me their candidate to represent the +Twenty-sixth District in the legislature of Nebraska; but as I had always +been a Democrat and the State was largely Republican, I had no idea of +being elected. In fact I cared very little about it, and therefore made +no effort whatever to secure an election. However, I was elected and that +is the way in which I acquired my title of Honorable. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN ACTOR. + + +During the summer and fall of 1872, I received numerous letters from Ned +Buntline, urging me to come East and go upon the stage to represent my +own character. "There's money in it," he wrote, "and you will prove a big +card, as your character is a novelty on the stage." + +At times I almost determined to make the venture; but the recollection of +that night when I stood on the stage of the Bowery Theatre and was unable +to utter a word above a whisper, would cause me to stop and think and +become irresolute. I feared that I would be a total failure, and wrote +Buntline to that effect. But he insisted that I would soon get over all +that embarrassment, and become accustomed to the stage, so that I would +think no more of appearing before five thousand people than I would +before half a dozen. He proposed to organize a good company, and wished +me to meet him in Chicago, where the opening performance would be given. + +I remained undecided as to what I ought to do. The officers at the fort +as well as my family and friends to whom I had mentioned the matter, +laughed at the idea of my ever becoming an actor. That I, an old scout +who had never seen more than twenty or thirty theatrical performances in +my life, should think of going upon the stage, was ridiculous in the +extreme--so they all said. + +A few days after my election to the legislature a happy event occurred in +my family circle, in the birth of a daughter whom we named Ora; about the +same time I received another letter from Buntline, in which he requested +me to appear on the stage for a few months as an experiment; and he said +that if I made a failure or did not like the business, I could easily +return to my old life. + +My two sisters who had been living with us had married,--Nellie, to A. +C. Jester, a cattle man, and May, to Ed. Bradford, a railroad +engineer--and consequently left us; and my wife had been wishing for a +long time to visit her parents in St. Louis. Taking these and other +things into consideration I finally resolved to resign my seat in the +legislature and try my luck behind the footlights. I informed General +Reynolds of my determination, telling him at the same time that at the +end of the month, November, I would resign my position under him. The +General regretted to hear this, and advised me not to take the step, for +I was leaving a comfortable little home, where I was sure of making a +good living for my family; while, on the other hand, I was embarking +upon a sea of uncertainty. Having once made up my mind, however, nothing +could change it. + +While I was selling my horses and other effects, preparatory to leaving +the fort, one of my brother scouts, Texas Jack, said that he would like +to accompany me. Now as Jack had also appeared as the hero in one of +Ned Buntline's stories, I thought that he would make as good a "star" +as myself, and it was accordingly arranged that Jack should go with me. +On our way East we stopped in Omaha a day or two to visit General Augur +and other officers, and also the gentlemen who were out on the Judge +Dundy hunt. Judge Dundy and his friends gave a dinner party in my honor +at the leading restaurant and entertained me very handsomely during my +stay in the city. + +At Omaha I parted with my family, who went to St. Louis, while Jack and +myself proceeded to Chicago. Ned Buntline and Mr. Milligan, having been +apprised of our coming by a telegram, met us at the dépôt. Mr. Milligan +accompanied us to the Sherman House, where he had made arrangements for +us to be his guests while we remained in the city. I didn't see much of +Buntline that evening, as he hurried off to deliver a temperance lecture +in one of the public halls. The next day we met him by appointment, and +the first thing he said, was: + +"Boys, are you ready for business?" + +"I can't answer that," replied I, "for we don't know what we are +going to do." + +"It's all arranged," said he, "and you'll have no trouble whatever. Come +with me. We'll go and see Nixon, manager of the Amphitheatre. That's the +place where we are to play. We'll open there next Monday night." Jack and +myself accordingly accompanied him to manager Nixon's office without +saying a word, as we didn't know what to say. + +"Here we are, Mr. Nixon," said Buntline; "here are the stars for you. +Here are the boys; and they are a fine pair to draw too. Now, Nixon, I am +prepared for business." + +Nixon and Buntline had evidently had a talk about the terms of our +engagement. Buntline, it seems, was to furnish the company, the drama, +and the pictorial printing, and was to receive sixty per cent. of the +gross receipts for his share; while Nixon was to furnish the theater, the +_attachés_, the orchestra, and the local printing; and receive forty per +cent. of the gross receipts. + +"I am ready for you, Buntline. Have you got your company yet?" +asked Nixon. + +"No, sir; but there are plenty of idle theatrical people in town, and I +can raise a company in two hours," was his reply. + +"You haven't much time to spare, if you open on Monday night," said +Nixon. "If you will allow me to look at your drama, to see what kind of +people you want, I'll assist you in organizing your company." + +"I have not yet written the drama," said Buntline. + +"What the deuce do you mean? This is Wednesday, and you propose to open +on next Monday night. The idea is ridiculous. Here you are at this late +hour without a company and without a drama. This will never do, Buntline. +I shall have to break my contract with you, for you can't possibly write +a drama, cast it, and rehearse it properly for Monday night. Furthermore, +you have no pictorial printing as yet. These two gentlemen, whom you have +with you, have never been on the stage, and they certainly must have time +to study their parts. It is preposterous to think of opening on Monday +night, and I'll cancel the engagement." + +This little speech was delivered in rather an excited manner by Mr. +Nixon. Buntline said that he would write the drama that day and also +select his company and have them at the theater for rehearsal next +morning. Nixon laughed at him, and said that there was no use of trying +to undertake anything of the kind in so short a time--it was utterly +impossible to do it. Buntline, whose ire was rising, said to Nixon: + +"What rent will you ask for your theater for next week?" + +"Six hundred dollars," was the reply. + +"Well, sir, I'll take your theater for next week at that price, and here +is half of the amount in advance," said Buntline, as he threw down three +hundred dollars on the stand. + +Nixon took the money, gave a receipt for it, and had nothing more to say. + +"Now, come with me boys," said Buntline; and away we went to the hotel. +Buntline immediately obtained a supply of pens, ink and paper, and then +engaged all the hotel clerks as penmen. In less than an hour after he had +rented the theater, he was dashing off page after page of his proposed +drama--the work being done in his room at the hotel. He then set his +clerks at copying for him, and at the end of four hours, he jumped up +from the table, and enthusiastically shouted: + +"Hurrah for 'The Scouts of the Plains!' That's the name of the play. The +work is done. Hurrah!" + +The parts were then all copied off separately by the clerks, and handing +us our respective portions Buntline said: + +"Now, boys, go to work, and do your level best to have this dead-letter +perfect for the rehearsal, which takes place to-morrow morning at ten +o'clock, prompt. I want to show Nixon that we'll be ready on time." + +[Illustration: STUDYING THE PARTS.] + +I looked at my part and then at Jack; and Jack looked at his part and +then at me. Then we looked at each other, and then at Buntline. We did +not know what to make of the man. + +"How long will it take you to commit your part to memory, Bill?" +asked Jack. + +"About six months, as near as I can calculate. How long will it take +you?" answered I. + +"It will take me about that length of time to learn the first line," said +Jack. Nevertheless we went to our room and commenced studying. I thought +it was the hardest work I had ever done. + +"This is dry business," finally remarked Jack. + +"That's just what it is," I answered; "jerk the bell, Jack." The bell-boy +soon appeared. We ordered refreshments; after partaking thereof we +resumed our task. We studied hard for an hour or two, but finally gave it +up as a bad job, although we had succeeded in committing a small portion +to memory. Buntline now came into the room and said: + +"Boys, how are you getting along?" + +"I guess we'll have to go back on this studying business as it isn't our +_forte_" said I. + +"Don't weaken now, Bill; you'll come out on the top of the heap yet. Let +me hear you recite your part," said Buntline. I began "spouting" what I +had learned, but was interrupted by Buntline: + +"Tut! tut! you're not saying it right. You must stop at the cue." + +"Cue! What the mischief do you mean by the cue? I never saw any cue +except in a billiard room," said I. Buntline thereupon explained it to +me, as well as to Jack, who was ignorant as myself concerning the +"cue" business. + +"Jack, I think we had better back out and go to hunting again," said I. + +"See here, boys; it won't do to go back on me at this stage of the game. +Stick to it, and it may be the turning point in your lives and lead you +on to fortune and to fame." + +"A fortune is what we are after, and we'll at least give the wheel a turn +or two and see what luck we have," said I. This satisfied Buntline, but +we didn't study any more after he left us. The next morning we appeared +at rehearsal and were introduced to the company. The first rehearsal was +hardly a success; and the succeeding ones were not much better. The stage +manager did his best to teach Jack and myself what to do, but when Monday +night came we didn't know much more about it than when we began. + +The clock struck seven, and then we put on our buckskin suits, which were +the costumes we were to appear in. The theater was being rapidly filled, +and it was evident that we were going to make our _début_ before a packed +house. As the minutes passed by, Jack and I became more and more nervous. +We occasionally looked through the holes in the curtain, and saw that the +people were continuing to crowd into the theatre; our nervousness +increased to an uncomfortable degree. + +When, at length the curtain arose, our courage had returned, so that we +thought we could face the immense crowd; yet when the time came for us +to go on, we were rather slow in making our appearance. As we stepped +forth we were received with a storm of applause, which we acknowledged +with a bow. + +[Illustration: BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS.] + +Buntline, who was taking the part of "Cale Durg," appeared, and gave me +the "cue" to speak "my little piece," but for the life of me I could not +remember a single word. Buntline saw I was "stuck," and a happy thought +occurred to him. He said--as if it were in the play: + +"Where have you been, Bill? What has kept you so long?" + +Just then my eye happened to fall on Mr. Milligan, who was surrounded by +his friends, the newspaper reporters, and several military officers, all +of whom had heard of his hunt and "Indian fight"--he being a very popular +man, and widely known in Chicago. So I said: + +"I have been out on a hunt with Milligan." + +This proved to be a big hit. The audience cheered and applauded; which +gave me greater confidence in my ability to get through the performance +all right. Buntline, who is a very versatile man, saw that it would be a +good plan to follow this up, and he said: + +"Well, Bill, tell us all about the hunt." + +I thereupon proceeded to relate in detail the particulars of the affair. +I succeeded in making it rather funny, and I was frequently interrupted +by rounds of applause. Whenever I began to "weaken," Buntline would give +me a fresh start, by asking some question. In this way I took up fifteen +minutes, without once speaking a word of my part; nor did I speak a word +of it during the whole evening. The prompter, who was standing between +the wings, attempted to prompt me, but it did no good; for while I was on +the stage I "chipped in" anything I thought of. + +"The Scouts of the Plains" was an Indian drama, of course; and there were +between forty and fifty "supers" dressed as Indians. In the fight with +them, Jack and I were at home. We blazed away at each other with blank +cartridges; and when the scene ended in a hand-to-hand encounter--a +general knock-down and drag-out--the way Jack and I killed Indians was "a +caution." We would kill them all off in one act, but they would come up +again ready for business in the next. Finally the curtain dropped; the +play was ended; and I congratulated Jack and myself on having made such a +brilliant and-successful _début_. There was no backing out after that. + +The next morning there appeared in the Chicago papers some very funny +criticisms on our first performance. The papers gave us a better send-off +than I expected, for they did not criticise us as actors. The _Chicago +Times_ said that if Buntline had actually spent four hours in writing +that play, it was difficult for any one to see what he had been doing all +the time. Buntline, as "Cale Durg," was killed in the second act, after a +long temperance speech; and the _Inter-Ocean_ said that it was to be +regretted that he had not been killed in the first act. The company, +however, was very good, and Mdlle. Morlacchi, as "Pale Dove," +particularly fine; while Miss Cafarno "spouted" a poem of some seven +hundred and three verses, more or less, of which the reader will be glad +to know that I only recall the words "I was born in March." + +Our engagement proved a decided success financially, if not artistically. +Nixon was greatly surprised at the result, and at the end of the week he +induced Buntline to take him in as a partner in the company. + +The next week we played at DeBar's Opera House, in St. Louis, doing an +immense business. The following week we were at Cincinnati, where the +theater was so crowded every night that hundreds were unable to obtain +admission. We met with equal success all over the country. Theatrical +managers, upon hearing of this new and novel combination; which was +drawing such tremendous houses, were all anxious to secure us; and we +received offers of engagements at all the leading theaters. We played +one week at the Boston Theater, and the gross receipts amounted to +$16,200. We also appeared at Niblo's Garden, New York, the theater being +crowded to its utmost capacity every night of the engagement. At the Arch +Street Theater, Philadelphia, it was the same way. There was not a single +city where we did not have crowded houses. + +We closed our tour on the 16th of June, 1873, at Port Jervis, New York, +and when I counted up my share of the profits I found that I was only +about $6,000 ahead. I was somewhat disappointed, for, judging from our +large business, I certainly had expected a greater sum. + +Texas Jack and myself longed for a hunt on the Western prairies once +more; and on meeting in New York a party of gentlemen who were desirous +of going with us, we all started Westward, and after a pleasant trip +arrived at Fort McPherson. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +STARRING. + + +Texas Jack and I spent several weeks in hunting in the western part of +Nebraska, and at the end of our vacation we felt greatly re-invigorated +and ready for another theatrical campaign. We accordingly proceeded to +New York and organized a company for the season of 1873-74. Thinking that +Wild Bill would be quite an acquisition to the troupe, we wrote to him at +Springfield, Missouri, offering him a large salary if he would play with +us that winter. He was doing nothing at the time, and we thought that he +would like to take a trip through the States, as he had never been East. + +Wild Bill accepted our offer, and came on to New York; though he told us +from the start that we could never make an actor out of him. Although he +had a fine stage appearance and was a handsome fellow, and possessed a +good strong voice, yet when he went upon the stage before an audience, +it was almost impossible for him to utter a word. He insisted that we +were making a set of fools of ourselves, and that we were the +laughing-stock of the people. I replied that I did not care for that, as +long as they came and bought tickets to see us. + +Wild Bill was continually playing tricks upon the members of the +company, and it was his especial delight to torment the "supers." Quite +frequently in our sham Indian battles he would run up to the "Indians" +(the supers), and putting his pistol close to their legs, would fire at +them and burn them with the powder, instead of shooting over their +heads. This would make them dance and jump, so that it was difficult to +make them fall and die--although they were paid twenty-five cents each +for performing the "dying business." The poor "supers" often complained +to me about this, and threatened not to go on the stage and be killed +again if that man Wild Bill did not stop shooting and burning their +legs. I would order Wild Bill to stop his mischief; he would laugh and +then promise not to do it any more. But it would not be long before he +was at his old tricks again. + +My company, known as the "Buffalo Bill Combination," did a fine business, +all through the East. Wild Bill continued his pranks, which caused us +considerable annoyance, but at the same time greatly amused us. + +One day at Titusville, Pennsylvania, while Burke, the business agent, was +registering our names and making arrangements for our accommodation, +several of us started for the billiard room; but were met by the +landlord, who stopped me and said that there was a party of roughs from +the lower oil region who were spreeing, and had boasted that they were +staying in town to meet the Buffalo Bill gang and clean them out. The +landlord begged of me not to allow the members of the troupe to enter the +billiard room, as he did not wish any fight in his house. To please the +landlord, and at his suggestion, I called the boys up into the parlor and +explained to them the situation. Wild Bill wanted to go at once and fight +the whole mob, but I persuaded him to keep away from them during the day. + +In order to entirely avoid the roughs, the members of the company entered +the theater through a private door from the hotel, as the two buildings +joined each other. While I was standing at the door of the theater taking +the tickets, the landlord of the hotel came rushing up and said that Wild +Bill was having a fight with the roughs in the bar-room. It seemed that +Bill had not been able to resist the temptation of going to see what kind +of a mob it was that wanted to test the pluck of the Buffalo Bill party; +and just as he stepped into the room, one of the bruisers put his hand on +his shoulder and said: + +"Hello, Buffalo Bill! we have been looking for you all day." + +"My name is not Buffalo Bill; you are mistaken in the man," was +the reply. + +"You are a liar!" said the bruiser. + +Bill instantly knocked him down, and then seizing a chair he laid out +four or five of the crowd on the floor, and drove the rest out of the +room. All this was done in a minute or two, and by the time I got down +stairs, Bill was coming out of the bar-room, whistling a lively tune. + +"Well!" said he, "I have been interviewing that party who wanted to +clean us out." + +"I thought you promised to come into the Opera House by the private +entrance?" + +"I did try to follow that trail, but I got lost among the cañons, and +then I ran in among the hostiles," said he; "but it is all right now. +They won't bother us any more. I guess those fellows have found us." And +sure enough they had. We heard no more of them after that. + +Another incident occurred, one night, at Portland, Maine. Bill found it +impossible to go to sleep at the hotel on account of the continued +talking of some parties who were engaged in a game of cards in an +adjoining room. He called to them several times to make less noise, but +they paid little or no attention to him. He finally got up and went to +the room with the intention of cleaning out the whole crowd. He knocked +and was admitted; greatly to his surprise, he found the party to be some +merchants of the city, whom he had met the previous day. They were +playing poker, and invited him to take a hand. Bill sat down at the +table, and said that, inasmuch as they would not let him sleep, he +wouldn't mind playing for a while, provided they would post him a little +in the game, for he didn't know much about it. At first he didn't play +very well, intentionally making many blunders and asking numerous +questions; but when morning came, he was about seven hundred dollars +ahead. Bill put the money in his pocket, and just as he was leaving the +room he advised them never to wake a man up and invite him to play poker. + +[Illustration: LEARNING THE GAME.] + +Wild Bill remained with me until we reached Rochester. I met my family +there, and having bought some property in that city, with the intention +of making the place my home, I asked Bill not to cut up any of his +capers, for I wanted the performance to go off smoothly, as I expected a +large audience that evening. He, of course, promised to behave himself. +When the curtain rose the house was crowded. The play proceeded finely +until the Indian fight in the second act, when Bill amused himself by his +old trick of singeing the legs of the "supers." + +After the curtain dropped, the "supers" complained to me about it. +Bill's conduct made me angry, and I told him that he must either stop +shooting the "supers," or leave the company. He made no reply, but went +to the dressing-room and changed his buckskin suit for his citizen's +dress, and during one of my scenes I looked down in front and saw him +elbowing his way through the audience and out of the theater. When I had +finished the scene, and had retired from the stage, the stage-carpenter +came up and said: + +"That long-haired gentleman, who passed out a few minutes ago, requested +me to tell you that you could go to thunder with your old show." + +That was the last time that Wild Bill and I ever performed together on +the stage. After the evening's entertainment I met him at the Osborn +House. By this time he had recovered from his mad fit and was in as good +humor as ever. He had made up his mind to leave for the West the next +day. I endeavored to persuade him to remain with me till spring, and then +we would go together; but it was of no use. I then paid him the money due +him, and Jack and myself made him a present of $1,000 besides. + +Bill went to New York the next day, intending to start west from there. +Several days afterwards I learned that he had lost all his money in New +York by playing faro; also that a theatrical manager had engaged him to +play. A company was organized and started out, but as a "star" Wild Bill +was not a success; the further he went the poorer he got. This didn't +suit Bill by any means, and he accordingly retired from the stage. The +company, however, kept on the road, using Bill's name, and employing an +actor to represent him not only on the stage but on the street and +elsewhere. Bill heard of this deception and sent word to the manager to +stop it, but no attention was paid to his message. + +Finally, Bill resolved to have satisfaction and he proceeded to a town +where the company was to play; he entered the theater and took a seat +near the stage, and watched the performance until the bogus Wild Bill +appeared. He then sprang upon the stage, knocked the actor clear through +one of the scenes, and grabbing the manager by the shoulders he threw him +over the foot-lights into the orchestra. + +[Illustration: GETTING SATISFACTION.] + +The other actors screamed and yelled "Police!" The audience could not at +first understand what it all meant, some of them supposing the affair to +be a part of the play. + +Wild Bill retired from the stage in good order, resumed his seat, and +told them to go on with their show. A policeman now appearing, Bill was +pointed out as the disturber of the peace; the officer tapping him on the +shoulder, said: + +"I'll have to arrest you, sir." + +"How many of you are there?" asked Bill. + +"Only myself," said the policeman. + +"You had better get some help," said Bill. The officer then called up +another policeman, and Bill again asked: + +"How many of you are there now?" + +"Two," was the reply. + +"Then I advise you to go out and get some more reinforcements," said +Bill, very coolly. + +The policemen thereupon spoke to the sheriff, who was dressed in +citizen's clothes. The sheriff came up and said he would have to take him +into custody. + +"All right, sir," replied Bill, "I have no objections to walking out with +you, but I won't go with any two policemen." At the court next morning +Bill stated his reasons for having acted as he had done, and the judge +fined him only three dollars and costs. + +This was the last time that Wild Bill appeared on the stage. He shortly +afterwards returned to the West, and on arriving at Cheyenne, he visited +Boulder's gambling room and sat down at a faro table. No one in the room +recognized him, as he had not been in Cheyenne for several years. After +losing two or three bets he threw down a fifty dollar bill and lost that +also. Boulder quietly raked in the money. Bill placed a second fifty +dollar note on another card, when Boulder informed him that the limit was +twenty-five dollars. + +"You have just taken in a fifty dollar bill which I lost," said Bill. + +"Well you needn't make any more such bets, as I will not go above my +limit," replied Boulder. + +"I'll just play that fifty dollar bill as it lays. If it loses, it's +yours; if it wins, you'll pay me fifty dollars, or I'll know the +reason why." + +"I am running this game, and I want no talk from you, sir," said Boulder. + +One word brought on another, until Boulder threatened to have Bill put +out of the house. Bill was carrying the butt end of a billiard cue for a +cane, and bending over the table, he said: "You'd rob a blind man." Then +he suddenly tapped Boulder on the head with the cane, with such force as +to knock him over. With another sweep of the cane he tumbled the +"look-out" from his chair, and then reaching over into the money drawer +he grabbed a handful of greenbacks and stuck them in his pocket. + +At this stage of the game four or five men--who were employed as +"bouncers" for the establishment to throw out the noisy persons--rushed +up to capture Bill, but he knocked them right and left with his cane, and +seeing the whole crowd was now closing in on him, he jumped into a +corner, and with each hand drew a revolver and faced the enemy. At this +moment the bar-keeper recognized him, and sang out in a loud voice: + +"Look out boys--that's Wild Bill you've run against." + +That settled the matter; for when they heard the name of Wild Bill they +turned and beat a hasty retreat out of the doors and windows, and in less +time than it takes to tell it, Wild Bill was the only man in the room. +He coolly walked over to Dyer's hotel, and retired for the night. Boulder +claimed that he had taken $500, but he really got only $200. Boulder, +upon learning that it was Wild Bill who had cleaned him out, said nothing +more about the money. The next day the two men met over a bottle of wine, +and settled their differences in an amicable manner. + +Poor Bill was afterwards killed at Deadwood, in the Black Hills, in a +cowardly manner, by a desperado who sneaked up behind him while he was +playing a game of cards in a saloon, and shot him through the back of the +head, without the least provocation. The murderer, Jack McCall, was tried +and hung at Yankton, Dakotah, for the crime. Thus ended the career of a +life-long friend of mine who, in spite of his many faults, was a noble +man, ever brave and generous hearted. + +Jack and myself continued playing through the country after Wild Bill +left us, and we finally closed our season in Boston on the 13th of +May, 1874. + +Business called me from Boston to New York, and after I had been there a +few days, I met an English gentleman, Thomas P. Medley, of London, who +had come to America for a hunt on the Plains. He had often heard of me, +and was anxious to engage me as his guide and companion, and he offered +to pay the liberal salary of one thousand dollars a month while I was +with him. He was a very wealthy man, as I learned upon inquiry, and was a +relative of Mr. Lord, of the firm of Lord & Taylor, of New York. Of +course I accepted his offer. + +When we reached the hunting ground in Nebraska, he informed me, somewhat +to my surprise, that he did not want to go out as Alexis did, with +carriages, servants, and other luxuries, but that he wished to rough it +just as I would do--to sleep on the ground in the open air, and kill and +cook his own meat. We started out from North Platte, and spent several +weeks in hunting all over the county. Dr. W. F. Carver, who then resided +at North Platte, and who has recently acquired considerable notoriety as +a rifle-shot, hunted with us for a few days. + +Mr. Medley proved to be a very agreeable gentleman and an excellent +hunter. While in camp he busied himself in carrying wood and water, +attending to the fire, and preparing and cooking the meals, never asking +me to do a thing. He did not do this to save expenses, but because he +wanted to do as the other hunters in the party were doing. After spending +as much time as he wished, we returned to the railroad, and he took the +train for the East. Everything that was required on this hunt was paid +for in the most liberal manner by Mr. Medley, who also gave the members +of the party several handsome presents. + +About this time an expedition consisting of seven companies of cavalry +and two companies of infantry--to be commanded by Colonel Mills of the +Third Cavalry, was being organized to scout the Powder River and Big Horn +country, and I was employed as guide for the command. Proceeding to +Rawlins, Wyoming, we "outfitted," and other guides were engaged--among +them Tom Sun and Bony Ernest, two noted Rocky Mountain scouts. We there +left the railroad, and passing through the Seminole range of the Rocky +Mountains we established our supply camp at the foot of Independence Rock +on the Sweetwater. I was now on my old familiar stamping ground, and it +seemed like home to me. Fifteen years before, I had ridden the pony +express and driven the overland stages through this region, and the +command was going into the same section of country where Wild Bill's +expedition of stage-drivers and express-riders had recaptured from the +Indians a large number of stolen stage-horses. + +Leaving the infantry to guard the supply camp, Colonel Mills struck out +for the north with the seven companies of cavalry. One day while we were +resting on a prairie near the head of Powder river, a horseman was seen +in the distance approaching us. At first it was thought he was an Indian, +but as he came near we saw that he was a white man, and finally when he +rode up to us, I recognized him as "California Joe," a noted scout and +frontiersman who had spent many years in California, on the plains and in +the mountains. He was armed with a heavy old Sharpe's rifle, a revolver +and a knife. I introduced him to Colonel Mills and the other officers and +asked him where he was going. He replied that he was out for a morning +ride only; but the fact was that he had been out prospecting alone for +weeks along the foot of the Big Horn mountains. + +Having no permanent occupation just at that time, Joe accompanied us for +two or three days, when Colonel Mills suggested that I had better employ +him as a scout, so that he could make a little money for himself. Joe +didn't seem to care whether I hired him or not; but I put him on the +pay-roll, and while he was with us he drew his five dollars a day. It was +worth the money to have him along for company's sake, for he was a droll +character in his way, and afforded us considerable amusement. We finally +surprised Little Wolf's band of Arapahoes and drove them into the +agencies. We then scouted the Powder river, Crazy Woman's Fork, and Clear +Fork, and then pushed westward through the mountains to the Wind river. +After having been out for a month or two we were ordered to return. + +I immediately went East and organized another Dramatic company for the +season of 1874-75, Texas Jack being absent in the Yellowstone country +hunting with the Earl of Dunraven. I played my company in all the +principal cities of the country, doing a good business wherever I went. +The summer of 1875 I spent at Rochester with my family. + +For the season of 1875-6, Texas Jack and I reorganized our old +Combination, and made a very successful tour. While we were playing at +Springfield, Massachusetts, April 20th and 21st 1876, a telegram was +handed me just as I was going on the stage. I opened it and found it to +be from Colonel G.W. Torrence, of Rochester, an intimate friend of the +family, who stated that my little boy Kit was dangerously ill with the +scarlet fever. This was indeed sad news, for little Kit had always been +my greatest pride. I sent for John Burke, our business manager, and +showing him the telegram, told him that I would play the first act, and +making a proper excuse to the audience, I would then take the nine +o'clock train that same evening for Rochester, leaving him to play out my +part. This I did, and at ten o'clock the next morning I arrived in +Rochester, and was met at the dépôt by my intimate friend Moses Kerngood +who at once drove me to my home. I found my little boy unable to speak +but he seemed to recognize me and putting his little arms around my neck +he tried to kiss me. We did everything in our power to save him, but it +was of no avail. The Lord claimed his own, and that evening at six +o'clock my beloved little Kit died in my arms. We laid him away to rest +in the beautiful cemetery of Mount Hope amid sorrow and tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +I RETURN TO THE PLAINS. + + +We closed our theatrical season earlier than usual in the spring of 1876, +because I was anxious to take part in the Sioux war which was then +breaking out. Colonel Hills had written me several letters saying that +General Crook was anxious to have me accompany his command, and I +promised to do so, intending to overtake him in the Powder river country. +But when I arrived at Chicago, on my way West, I learned that my old +regiment, the gallant Fifth Cavalry, was on its way back from Arizona to +join General Crook, and that my old commander, General Carr, was in +command. He had written to military headquarters at Chicago to learn my +whereabouts, as he wished to secure me as his guide and chief of scouts. +I then gave up the idea of overtaking General Crook, and hastening on to +Cheyenne, where the Fifth Cavalry had already arrived, I was met at the +dépôt by Lieutenant King, adjutant of the regiment, he having been sent +down from Fort D. A. Russell for that purpose by General Carr, who had +learned by a telegram from military headquarters at Chicago that I was on +the way. I accompanied the Lieutenant on horseback to the camp, and as we +rode up, one of the boys shouted, "Here's Buffalo Bill!" Soon after there +came three hearty cheers from the regiment. Officers and men all were +glad to see me, and I was equally delighted to meet them once more. The +General at once appointed me his guide and chief of scouts. + +The next morning the command pulled out for Fort Laramie, and on reaching +that post we found General Sheridan there, accompanied by General Frye +and General Forsyth, _en route_ to Red Cloud agency. As the command was +to remain here a few days, I accompanied General Sheridan to Red Cloud +and back, taking a company of cavalry as escort. + +The Indians having recently committed a great many depredations on the +Black Hills road, the Fifth Cavalry was sent out to scout the country +between the Indian agencies and the hills. The command operated on the +South Fork of the Cheyenne and at the foot of the Black Hills for about +two weeks, having several small engagements with roving bands of Indians +during the time. General Wesley Merritt--who had lately received his +promotion to the Colonelcy of the Fifth Cavalry--now came out and took +control of the regiment. I was sorry that the command was taken from +General Carr, because under him it had made its fighting reputation. +However, upon becoming acquainted with General Merritt, I found him to be +an excellent officer. + +The regiment, by continued scouting, soon drove the Indians out of that +section of the country, as we supposed, and we had started on our way +back to Fort Laramie, when a scout arrived at the camp and reported the +massacre of General Custer and his band of heroes on the Little Big Horn, +on the 25th of June, 1876; and he also brought orders to General Merritt +to proceed at once to Fort Fetterman and join General Crook in the Big +Horn country. + +Colonel Stanton, who was with the Fifth Cavalry on this scout, had been +sent to Red Cloud agency two days before, and that same evening a scout +arrived bringing a message from him that eight hundred Cheyenne warriors +had that day left the Red Cloud agency to join Sitting Bull's hostile +forces in the Big Horn region. Notwithstanding the instructions to +proceed immediately to join General Crook by the Way of Fort Fetterman, +Colonel Merritt took the responsibility of endeavoring to intercept the +Cheyennes, and as the sequel shows he performed a very important service. + +He selected five hundred men and horses, and in two hours we were making +a forced march back to Hat, or War-Bonnet Creek--the intention being to +reach the main Indian trail running to the north across that creek before +the Cheyennes could get there. We arrived there the next night, and at +daylight the following morning, July 17th, 1876, I went out on a scout, +and found that the Indians had not yet crossed the creek. On my way back +to the command I discovered a large party of Indians, which proved to be +the Cheyennes, coming up from the south, and I hurried to the camp with +this important information. + +The cavalrymen quietly mounted their horses, and were ordered to remain +out of sight, while General Merritt, accompanied by two or three _aides_ +and myself, went out on a little tour of observation to a neighboring +hill, from the summit of which we saw that the Indians were approaching +almost directly towards us. Presently fifteen or twenty of them dashed +off to the west in the direction from which we had come the night before; +and upon closer observation with our field glasses, we discovered two +mounted soldiers, evidently carrying dispatches for us, pushing forward +on our trail. + +The Indians were evidently endeavoring to intercept these two men, and +General Merritt feared that they would accomplish their object. He did +not think it advisable to send out any soldiers to the assistance of the +couriers, for fear that would show to the Indians that there were troops +in the vicinity who were waiting for them. I finally suggested that the +best plan was to wait until the couriers came closer to the command, and +then, just as the Indians were about to charge, to let me take the scouts +and cut them off from the main body of the Cheyennes, who were coming +over the divide. + +"All right, Cody," said the General, "if you can do that, go ahead." + +I rushed back to the command, jumped on my horse, picked out fifteen men, +and returned with them to the point of observation. I told General +Merritt to give us the word to start out at the proper time, and +presently he sang out: + +"Go in now, Cody, and be quick about it. They are going to charge on the +couriers." + +The two messengers were not over four hundred yards from us, and the +Indians were only about two hundred yards behind them. We instantly +dashed over the bluffs, and advanced on a gallop towards the Indians. A +running fight lasted several minutes, during which we drove the enemy +some little distance and killed three of their number. The rest of them +rode off towards the main body, which had come into plain sight, and +halted, upon seeing the skirmish that was going on. We were about half +a mile from General Merritt, and the Indians whom we were chasing +suddenly turned upon us, and another lively skirmish took place. One of +the Indians, who was handsomely decorated with all the ornaments +usually worn by a war chief when engaged in a fight, sang out to me, in +his own tongue: + +"I know you, Pa-he-haska; if you want to fight, come ahead and fight me." + +The chief was riding his horse back and forth in front of his men, as if +to banter me, and I concluded to accept the challenge. I galloped towards +him for fifty yards and he advanced towards me about the same distance, +both of us riding at full speed, and then, when we were only about thirty +yards apart, I raised my rifle and fired; his horse fell to the ground, +having been killed by my bullet. + +Almost at the same instant my own horse went down, he having stepped into +a hole. The fall did not hurt me much, and I instantly sprang to my feet. +The Indian had also recovered himself, and we were now both on foot, and +not more than twenty paces apart. We fired at each other simultaneously. +My usual luck did not desert me on this occasion, for his bullet missed +me, while mine struck him in the breast. He reeled and fell, but before +he had fairly touched the ground I was upon him, knife in hand, and had +driven the keen-edged weapon to its hilt in his heart. Jerking his +war-bonnet off, I scientifically scalped him in about five seconds. + +The whole affair from beginning to end occupied but little time, and the +Indians, seeing that I was some little distance from my company, now came +charging down upon me from a hill, in hopes of cutting me off. General +Merritt had witnessed the duel, and realizing the danger I was in, +ordered Colonel Mason with Company K to hurry to my rescue. The order +came none too soon, for had it been given one minute later I would have +had not less than two hundred Indians upon me. As the soldiers came up I +swung the Indian chieftain's top-knot and bonnet in the air, and shouted: + "_The first scalp for Custer_." + +General Merritt, seeing that he could not now ambush the Indians, ordered +the whole regiment to charge upon them. They made a stubborn resistance +for a little while, but it was of no use for any eight hundred, or even +sixteen hundred Indians to try and check a charge of the gallant old +Fifth Cavalry, and they soon came to that conclusion and began a running +retreat towards Red Cloud Agency. For thirty-five miles we drove them; +pushing them so hard that they were obliged to abandon their loose +horses, their camp equipage and everything else. We drove them into the +agency, and followed in ourselves, notwithstanding the possibility of our +having to encounter the thousands of Indians at that point. We were +uncertain whether or not the other agency Indians had determined to +follow the example of the Cheyennes and strike out upon the war-path; but +that made no difference with the Fifth Cavalry, for they would have +fought them all if necessary. It was dark when we rode into the agency, +where we found thousands of Indians collected together; but they +manifested no disposition to fight. + +[Illustration: A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND.] + +While at the agency I learned the name of the Indian Chief whom I had +killed in the morning; it was Yellow Hand; a son of old Cut-nose--a +leading chief of the Cheyennes. Cut-nose, having learned that I had +killed his son sent a white interpreter to me with a message to the +effect that he would give me four mules if I would turn over to him +Yellow Hand's war-bonnet, guns, pistols, ornaments, and other +paraphernalia which I had captured. I sent back word to the old gentleman +that it would give me pleasure to accommodate him, but I could not do it +this time. + +The next morning we started to join General Crook, who was camped near +the foot of Cloud Peak in the Big Horn mountains; awaiting the arrival +of the Fifth Cavalry, before proceeding against the Sioux, who were +somewhere near the head of the Little Big Horn,--as his scouts informed +him. We made rapid marches and reached General Crook's camp on Goose +Creek about the 3d of August. + +At this camp I met many old friends, among whom was Colonel Royal, who +had received his promotion to the Lieutenant Colonelcy of the Third +Cavalry. He introduced me to General Crook, whom I had never met before, +but of whom I had often heard. He also introduced me to the General's +chief guide, Frank Grouard, a half breed, who had lived six years with +Sitting Bull, and knew the country thoroughly. + +We remained in this camp only one day, and then the whole troop pulled +out for the Tongue river, leaving our wagons behind, but taking with us +a large pack train. We marched down the Tongue river for two days, +thence in a westerly direction over to the Rosebud, where we struck the +main Indian trail, leading down this stream. From the size of the trail, +which appeared to be about four days old, we estimated that there must +have been in the neighborhood of seven thousand Indians who had made the +broad trail. + +At this point we were overtaken by Jack Crawford, familiarly known as +"Captain Jack, the Poet Scout of the Black Hills," and right here I will +insert the following lines, written by him, just after the "Custer +Massacre," upon receiving from me the following dispatch: + +"Jack, old boy, have you heard of the death of Custer?" + +CUSTER'S DEATH. + +Did I hear the news from Custer? + Well, I reckon I did, old pard; +It came like a streak of lightnin', + And, you bet, it hit me hard. +I ain't no hand to blubber, + And the briny ain't run for years; +But chalk me down for a lubber, + If I didn't shed regular tears. + +What for? Now look you here, Bill, + You're a bully boy, that's true; +As good as e'er wore buckskin, + Or fought with the boys in blue; +But I'll bet my bottom dollar + Ye had no trouble to muster +A tear, or perhaps a hundred, + At the news of the death of Custer. + +He always thought well of you, pard, + And had it been heaven's will, +In a few more days you'd met him, + And he'd welcome his old scout Bill. +For if ye remember at Hat Creek, + I met ye with General Carr; +We talked of the brave young Custer, + And recounted his deeds of war. + +But little we knew even then, pard, + (And that's just two weeks ago), +How little we dreamed of disaster, + Or that he had met the foe-- +That the fearless, reckless hero, + So loved by the whole frontier, +Had died on the field of battle + In this, our centennial year. + +I served with him in the army, + In the darkest days of the war: +And I reckon ye know his record, + For he was our guiding star; +And the boys who gathered round him + To charge in the early morn, +War just like the brave who perished + With him on the Little Horn. + +And where is the satisfaction, + And how will the boys get square? +By giving the reds more rifles? + Invite them to take more hair? +We want no scouts, no trappers, + Nor men who know the frontier; +Phil, old boy, you're mistaken, + _We must have the volunteer_. + +Never mind that two hundred thousand + But give us a hundred instead; +Send five thousand men towards Reno, + And soon we won't leave a red. +It will save Uncle Sam lots of money, + In fortress we need not invest, +Jest wollup the devils this summer, + And the miners will do all the rest. + +The Black Hills are filled with miners, + The Big Horn will soon be as full, +And which will show the most danger + To Crazy Horse and old Sitting Bull +A band of ten thousand frontier men, + Or a couple of forts with a few +Of the boys in the East now enlisting-- + Friend Cody, I leave it with you. + +They talk of peace with these demons + By feeding and clothing them well: +I'd as soon think an angel from Heaven + Would reign with contentment in H--l + +And one day the Quakers will answer + Before the great Judge of us all, +For the death of daring young Custer + And the boys who round him did fall. + +Perhaps I am judging them harshly, + But I mean what I'm telling ye, pard; +I'm letting them down mighty easy, + Perhaps they may think it is hard. +But I tell you the day is approaching-- + The boys are beginning to muster-- +That day of the great retribution, + The day of revenge for our Custer. + +And I will be with you, friend Cody, + My weight will go in with the boys; +I shared all their hardships last winter, + I shared all their sorrows and joys; +Tell them I'm coming, friend William, + I trust I will meet you ere long; +Regards to the boys in the mountains; + Yours, ever; in friendship still strong. + +Jack was a new man in the country, but evidently had plenty of nerve and +pluck, as he had brought dispatches from Fort Fetterman, a distance of +300 miles through a dangerous Indian country. The dispatches were for +General Crook, and notified him that General Terry was to operate with a +large command south of the Yellowstone, and that the two commands would +probably consolidate somewhere on the Rosebud. + +Jack at once hunted me up and gave me a letter from General Sheridan, +informing me that he had appointed him (Jack) as one of the scouts. + +While we were conversing, Jack informed me that he had brought me a +present from Colonel Jones of Cheyenne, and that he had it in his +saddle-pockets. Asking the nature of the gift, he replied that it was +only a bottle of good whiskey. + +I placed my hand over his mouth and told him to keep still, and not to +whisper it even to the winds, for there were too many dry men around us; +and only when alone with him did I dare to have him take the treasure +from his saddle-pockets. + +In this connection I may remark that Jack Crawford is the only man I +have ever known that could have brought that bottle of whiskey through +without _accident_ befalling it, for he is one of the very few teetotal +scouts I ever met. + +Not wishing to have a game of "whiskey _solitaire_," I invited General +Carr to sample the bottle with me. We soon found a secluded spot, and +dismounting, we thought we were going to have a nice little drink all by +ourselves, when who should ride up but Mr. Lathrop, the Reporter of the +Associated Press of the Pacific slope--to whom we had given the name of +the "Death Rattler,"--and who was also known in San Francisco as "the man +with the iron jaw," he having, with the true nose of a Reporter, smelt +the whiskey from afar off, and had come to "interview" it. He was a good +fellow withal, and we were glad to have him join us. + +Now to resume: For two or three days we pushed on, but we did not seem to +gain much on the Indians, as they were evidently making about the same +marches that we were. On the fourth or fifth morning of our pursuit, I +rode ahead of the command about ten miles, and mounting a hill I scanned +the country far and wide with my field glass, and discovered an immense +column of dust rising about ten miles further down the creek, and soon I +noticed a body of men marching towards me, that at first I believed to be +the Indians of whom we were in pursuit; but subsequently they proved to +be General Terry's command. I sent back word to that effect to General +Crook, by a scout who had accompanied me, but after he had departed I +observed a band of Indians on the opposite side of the creek, and also +another party directly in front of me. This led me to believe that I had +made a mistake. + +But shortly afterwards my attention was attracted by the appearance of a +body of soldiers, who were forming into a skirmish line, and then I +became convinced that it was General Terry's command after all, and that +the red-skins whom I had seen were some of his friendly Indian scouts, +who had mistaken me for a Sioux, and fled back to their command terribly +excited, shouting, "The Sioux are coming!" + +General Terry at once came to the post, and ordered the Seventh +Cavalry to form line of battle across the Rosebud; he also ordered up +his artillery and had them prepare for action, doubtless dreading +another "Custer massacre." I afterwards learned the Indians had seen +the dust raised by General Crook's forces, and had reported that the +Sioux were coming. + +These manoeuvres I witnessed from my position with considerable +amusement, thinking the command must be badly demoralized, when one man +could cause a whole army to form line of battle and prepare for action. +Having enjoyed the situation to my heart's content, I galloped down +towards the skirmish line, waving my hat and when within about one +hundred yards of the troops, Colonel Weir, of the Seventh Cavalry, +galloped out and met me. He recognized me at once, and accompanied me +inside the line; then he sang out, "Boys, here's Buffalo Bill. Some of +you old soldiers know him; give him a cheer!" Thereupon the regiment gave +three rousing cheers, and it was followed up all along the line. + +Colonel Weir presented me to General Terry, and in answer to his +questions I informed him that the alarm of Indians which had been given +was a false one, as the dust seen by his scouts was caused by General +Crook's troops. General Terry thereupon rode forward to meet General +Crook, and I accompanied him at his request. That night both commands +went into camp on the Rosebud. General Terry had his wagon train with +him, and everything to make life comfortable on an Indian campaign. He +had large wall tents and portable beds to sleep in, and large hospital +tents for dining-rooms. His camp looked very comfortable and attractive, +and presented a great contrast to that of General Crook, who had for his +headquarters only one small fly tent; and whose cooking utensils +consisted of a quart cup--in which he made his coffee himself--and a +stick, upon which he broiled his bacon. When I compared the two camps, I +came to the conclusion that General Crook was an Indian fighter; for it +was evident that he had learned that, to follow and fight Indians, a body +of men must travel lightly and not be detained by a wagon train or heavy +luggage of any kind. + +That evening General Terry ordered General Miles to take his regiment, +the Fifth Infantry, and return by a forced march to the Yellowstone, +and proceed down that river by steamboat to the mouth of Powder river, +to intercept the Indians, in case they attempted to cross the +Yellowstone. General Mills made a forced march that night of +thirty-five miles, which was splendid traveling for an infantry +regiment through a mountainous country. + +Generals Crook and Terry spent that evening and the next day in council, +and on the following morning both commands moved out on the Indian trail. +Although General Terry was the senior officer, he did not assume command +of both expeditions, but left General Crook in command of his own troops, +although they operated together. We crossed the Tongue river to Powder +river, and proceeded down the latter stream to a point twenty miles from +its junction with the Yellowstone, where the Indian trail turned to the +southeast in the direction of the Black Hills. The two commands now +being nearly out of supplies, the trail was abandoned, and the troops +kept on down Powder river to its confluence with the Yellowstone, and +remained there several days. Here we met General Mills, who reported that +no Indians had as yet crossed the Yellowstone. Several steamboats soon +arrived with a large quantity of supplies, and once more the "Boys in +Blue" were made happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +DANGEROUS WORK. + + +One evening while we were in camp on the Yellowstone at the mouth of +Powder river, I was informed that the commanding officers had selected +Louis Richard, a half breed, and myself to accompany General Mills on a +scouting expedition on the steamer Far West, down the Yellowstone as far +as Glendive Creek. We were to ride on the pilot house and keep a sharp +lookout on both sides of the river for Indian trails that might have +crossed the stream. The idea of scouting on a steamboat was indeed a +novel one to me, and I anticipated a pleasant trip. + +At daylight next morning we reported on board the steamer to General +Mills, who had with him four or five companies of his regiment. We were +somewhat surprised when he asked us where our horses were, as we had not +supposed that horses would be needed if the scouting was to be done on +the steamer. He said we might need them before we got back, and thereupon +we had the animals brought on board. In a few minutes we were booming +down the river, at the rate of about twenty miles an hour. + +The steamer Far West was commanded by Captain Grant Marsh, whom I found +to be a "brick." I had often heard of him, for he was and is yet one of +the best known river captains in the country. He it was who, with his +steamer the Far West, transported the wounded men from the battle of the +Little Big Horn to Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Missouri river, and on +that trip he made the fastest steamboat time on record. He was a skillful +and experienced pilot, handling his boat with remarkable dexterity. + +While Richard and myself were at our stations on the pilot house, the +steamer with a full head of steam went flying past islands, around bends, +over sand bars, at a rate that was exhilarating. Presently I thought I +could see horses grazing in a distant bend of the river and I reported +the fact to General Mills, who asked Captain Marsh if he could land the +boat near a large tree which he pointed out to him. + +[Illustration: SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT.] + +"Yes, sir; I can land her there, and make her climb the tree if +necessary," said he. + +On reaching the spot designated, General Mills ordered two companies +ashore, while Richard and myself were ordered to take our horses off +the boat and push out as rapidly as possible to see if there were +Indians in the vicinity. While we were getting ashore, Captain Marsh +remarked that if there was only a good heavy dew on the grass he would +shoot the steamer ashore and take us on the scout without the trouble +of leaving the boat. + +It was a false alarm, however, as the objects we had seen proved to be +Indian graves. Quite a large number of braves who had probably been +killed in some battle, had been buried on scaffolds, according to the +Indian custom, and some of their clothing had been torn loose from the +bodies by the wolves and was waving in the air. + +On arriving at Glendive Creek we found that Colonel Rice and his company +of the Fifth Infantry, who had been sent there by General Mills, had +built quite a good little fort with their trowel-bayonets--a weapon +which Colonel Rice was the inventor of, and which is, by the way, a very +useful implement of war, as it can be used for a shovel in throwing up +intrenchments and can be profitably utilized in several other ways. On +the day previous to our arrival, Colonel Rice had a fight with a party of +Indians, and had killed two or three of them at long range with his +Rodman cannon. + +The Far West was to remain at Glendive over night, and General Mills +wished to send dispatches back to General Terry at once. At his request I +took the dispatches and rode seventy-five miles that night through the +bad lands of the Yellowstone, and reached General Terry's camp next +morning, after having nearly broken my neck a dozen times or more. + +There being but little prospect of any more fighting, I determined to go +East as soon as possible to organize a new "Dramatic Combination," and +have a new drama written for me, based upon the Sioux war. This I knew +would be a paying investment as the Sioux campaign had excited +considerable interest. So I started down the river on the steamer +Yellowstone _en route_ to Fort Beauford. On the same morning Generals +Terry and Crook pulled out for Powder river, to take up the old Indian +trail which we had recently left. + +The steamer had proceeded down the stream about twenty miles when it was +met by another boat on its way up the river, having on board General +Whistler and some fresh troops for General Terry's command. Both boats +landed, and almost the first person I met was my old friend and partner, +Texas Jack, who had been sent out as a dispatch carrier for the _New +York Herald_. + +General Whistler, upon learning that General Terry had left the +Yellowstone, asked me to carry to him some important dispatches from +General Sheridan, and although I objected, he insisted upon my performing +this duty, saying that it would only detain me a few hours longer; as an +extra inducement he offered me the use of his own thorough-bred horse, +which was on the boat. I finally consented to go, and was soon speeding +over the rough and hilly country towards Powder river; and I delivered +the dispatches to General Terry that same evening. General Whistler's +horse, although a good animal, was not used to such hard riding, and was +far more exhausted by the journey than I was. + +After I had taken a lunch, General Terry asked me if I would carry some +dispatches back to General Whistler, and I replied that I would. Captain +Smith, General Terry's aid-de-camp, offered me his horse for the trip, +and it proved to be an excellent animal; for I rode him that same night +forty miles over the bad lands in four hours, and reached General +Whistler's steamboat at one o'clock. During my absence the Indians had +made their appearance on the different hills in the vicinity, and the +troops from the boat had had several skirmishes with them. When General +Whistler had finished reading the dispatches, he said: + +"Cody, I want to send information to General Terry concerning the Indians +who have been skirmishing around here all day. I have been trying all the +evening long to induce some one to carry my dispatches to him, but no one +seems willing to undertake the trip, and I have got to fall back on you. +It is asking a great deal, I know, as you have just ridden eighty miles; +but it is a case of necessity, and if you'll go, Cody, I'll see that you +are well paid for it." + +"Never mind about the pay," said I, "but get your dispatches ready, and +I'll start at once." + +In a few minutes he handed me the package, and mounting the same horse +which I had ridden from General Terry's camp, I struck out for my +destination. It was two o'clock in the morning when I left the boat, and +at eight o'clock I rode into General Terry's camp, just as he was about +to march--having made one hundred and twenty miles in twenty-two hours. + +General Terry, after reading the dispatches, halted his command, and then +rode on and overtook General Crook, with whom he held a council; the +result was that Crook's command moved on in the direction which they had +been pursuing, while Terry's forces marched back to the Yellowstone and +crossed the river on steamboats. At the urgent request of General Terry I +accompanied the command on a scout in the direction of the Dry Fork of +the Missouri, where it was expected we would strike some Indians. + +The first march out from the Yellowstone was made in the night, as we +wished to get into the hills without being discovered by the Sioux +scouts. After marching three days, a little to the east of north, we +reached the buffalo range, and discovered fresh signs of Indians, who had +evidently been killing buffaloes. General Terry now called on me to carry +dispatches to Colonel Rice, who was still camped at the mouth of Glendive +Creek, on the Yellowstone--distant about eighty miles from us. + +Night had set in with a storm, and a drizzling rain was falling when, at +ten o'clock, I started on this ride through a section of country with +which I was entirely unacquainted. I traveled through the darkness a +distance of about thirty-five miles, and at daylight I rode into a +secluded spot at the head of a ravine where stood a bunch of ash trees, +and there I concluded to remain till night; for I considered it a +dangerous undertaking to cross the wide prairies in broad +daylight--especially as my horse was a poor one. + +[Illustration: CLOSE QUARTERS] + +I accordingly unsaddled my animal, and ate a hearty breakfast of bacon +and hard tack which I had stored in the saddle-pockets; then, after +taking a smoke, I lay down to sleep, with my saddle for a pillow. In a +few minutes I was in the land of dreams. + +After sleeping some time--I can't tell how long--I was suddenly awakened +by a roaring, rumbling sound. I instantly seized my gun, sprang to my +horse, and hurriedly secreted him in the brush. Then I climbed up the +steep side of the bank and cautiously looked over the summit; in the +distance I saw a large herd of buffaloes which were being chased and +fired at by twenty or thirty Indians. Occasionally a buffalo would drop +out of the herd, but the Indians kept on until they had killed ten or +fifteen. They then turned back, and began to cut up their game. + +I saddled my horse and tied him to a small tree where I could reach him +conveniently in case the Indians should discover me by finding my trail +and following it. I then crawled carefully back to the summit of the +bluff, and in a concealed position watched the Indians for two hours, +during which time they were occupied in cutting up the buffaloes and +packing the meat on their ponies. When they had finished this work they +rode off in the direction whence they had come and on the line which I +had proposed to travel. It appeared evident to me that their camp was +located somewhere between me and Glendive Creek, but I had no idea of +abandoning the trip on that account. + +I waited till nightfall before resuming my journey, and then I bore off +to the east for several miles, and by making a semi-circle to avoid the +Indians, I got back on my original course, and then pushed on rapidly to +Colonel Rice's camp, which I reached just at daylight. + +Colonel Rice had been fighting Indians almost every day since he had been +encamped at this point, and he was very anxious to notify General Terry +of the fact. Of course I was requested to carry his dispatches. After +remaining at Glendive a single day I started back to find General Terry, +and on the third day out I overhauled him at the head of Deer Creek while +on his way to Colonel Rice's camp. He was not, however, going in the +right direction, but bearing too far to the east, and I so informed him. +He then asked me to guide the command and I did so. + +On arriving at Glendive I bade good-bye to the General and his officers +and took passage on the steamer Far West, which was on her way down the +Missouri. At Bismarck I left the steamer, and proceeded by rail to +Rochester, New York, where I met my family. + +Mr. J. Clinton Hall, manager of the Rochester Opera House, was very +anxious to have me play an engagement at his theatre. I agreed to open +the season with him as soon as I had got my drama written; and I did so, +meeting with an enthusiastic reception. + +My new drama was arranged for the stage by J.V. Arlington, the actor. It +was a five-act play, without head or tail, and it made no difference at +which act we commenced the performance. Before we had finished the season +several newspaper critics, I have been told, went crazy in trying to +follow the plot. It afforded us, however, ample opportunity to give a +noisy, rattling, gunpowder entertainment, and to present a succession of +scenes in the late Indian war, all of which seemed to give general +satisfaction. + +From Rochester I went to New York and played a very successful +engagement at the Grand Opera House under the management of Messrs. +Poole and Donnelly. Thence my route took me to all the principal cities +in the Eastern, Western and Middle States, and I everywhere met with +crowded houses. I then went to the Pacific Coast, against the advice of +friends who gave it as their opinion that my style of plays would not +take very well in California. I opened for an engagement of two weeks at +the Bush Street Theatre, in San Francisco, at a season when the +theatrical business was dull, and Ben DeBar and the Lingards were +playing there to empty seats. I expected to play to a slim audience on +the opening night, but instead of that I had a fourteen hundred dollar +house. Such was my success that I continued my engagement for five +weeks, and the theatre was crowded at every performance. Upon leaving +San Francisco I made a circuit of the interior towns and closed the +season at Virginia City, Nevada. + +On my way East, I met my family at Denver, where they were visiting my +sisters Nellie and May who were then residing there. + +Some time previously I had made arrangements to go into the cattle +business in company with my old friend, Major Frank North, and while I +was in California he had built our ranches on the South Fork of the +Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, in Nebraska. +Proceeding to Ogalalla, the headquarters of the Texas cattle drovers, I +found Major North there awaiting me, and together we bought, branded and +drove to our ranches, our first installment of cattle. This occupied us +during the remainder of the summer. + +Leaving the cattle in charge of Major North, I visited Red Cloud Agency +early in the fall, and secured some Sioux Indians to accompany me on my +theatrical tour of 1877-78. Taking my family and the Indians with me, I +went directly to Rochester. There I left my oldest daughter, Arta, at a +young ladies' seminary, while my wife and youngest child traveled with me +during the season. + +I opened at the Bowery Theatre, New York, September 3d, 1877, with a new +Border Drama entitled, "May Cody, or Lost and Won," from the pen of Major +A.S. Burt, of the United States army. It was founded on the incidents of +the "Mountain Meadow Massacre," and life among the Mormons. It was the +best drama I had yet produced, and proved a grand success both +financially and artistically. The season of 1877-78 proved to be the most +profitable one I had ever had. + +In February, 1878, my wife became tired of traveling, and proceeded to +North Platte, Nebraska, where, on our farm adjoining the town, she +personally superintended the erection of a comfortable family +residence, and had it all completed when I reached there, early in May. +In this house we are now living, and we hope to make it our home for +many years to come. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +After my arrival at North Platte, I found that the ranchmen or +cattle-men, had organized a regular annual "round-up," to take place in +the spring of the year. + +The word "round-up" is derived from the fact that during the winter +months the cattle become scattered over a vast tract of land, and the +ranchmen assemble together in the spring to sort out and each secure his +own stock. They form a large circle, often of a circumference of two +hundred miles, and drive the cattle towards a common centre, where, all +the stock being branded, each owner can readily separate his own from the +general herd, and then he drives them to his own ranch. + +In this cattle driving business is exhibited some most magnificent +horsemanship, for the "cow-boys," as they are called, are invariably +skillful and fearless horsemen--in fact only a most expert rider could be +a cow-boy, as it requires the greatest dexterity and daring in the saddle +to cut a wild steer out of the herd. + +Major North was awaiting me, upon my arrival at North Platte, having with +him our own horses and men. Other cattle owners, such as Keith and +Barton, Coe and Carter, Jack Pratt, the Walker Brothers, Guy and Sim +Lang, Arnold and Ritchie and a great many others with their outfits, were +assembled and were ready to start on the round-up. + +My old friend Dave Perry, who had presented Buckskin Joe to me, and who +resided at North Platte, was most anxious to go with us for pleasure, and +Frank North told him he could, and have plenty of fun, provided he would +furnish his own horses, provisions and bedding, and do the usual work +required of a cow-boy. This, Dave was willing to undertake. We found him +to be a good fellow in camp, and excellent company. + +As there is nothing but hard work on these round-ups, having to be in the +saddle all day, and standing guard over the cattle at night, rain or +shine, I could not possibly find out where the fun came in, that North +had promised me. But it was an exciting life, and the days sped rapidly +by; in six weeks we found ourselves at our own ranch on Dismal river, the +round-up having proved a great success, as we had found all our cattle +and driven them home. + +This work being over, I proposed to spend a few weeks with my family at +North Platte, for the purpose of making their better acquaintance, for my +long and continued absence from home made me a comparative stranger under +my own roof-tree. One great source of pleasure to me was that my wife was +delighted with the home I had given her amid the prairies of the far +west. Soon after my arrival, my sisters Nellie and May, came to make us a +visit, and a delightful time we all had during their stay. When they left +us, I accompanied them to their home in Denver, Colorado, where I passed +several days visiting old friends and scenes. + +Returning to Ogallala I purchased from Bill Phant, an extensive cattle +drover from Texas, a herd of cattle, which I drove to my ranch on the +Dismal river, after which I bade my partner and the boys good-bye, and +started for the Indian Territory to procure Indians for my Dramatic +Combination for the season of 1878-79. + +_En route_ to the Territory, I paid a long promised visit to my sisters, +Julia--Mrs. J.A. Goodman--and Eliza--Mrs. George M. Myers--who reside in +Kansas, the state which the reader will remember was my boyhood home. + +Having secured my Indian actors, and along with them Mr. O. A. Burgess, a +government interpreter, and Ed. A. Burgess, known as the "Boy Chief of +the Pawnees," I started for Baltimore, where I organized my combination, +and which was the largest troupe I had yet had on the road; opening in +that city at the Opera House, under the management of Hon. John T. Ford, +and then started on a southern tour, playing in Washington, Richmond and +as far south as Savannah, Georgia, where we were brought to a sudden +halt, owing to the yellow fever which was then cruelly raging in the +beautiful cities of the "Land of the cotton and the cane." + +[Illustration: ONE OF THE TROUPE.] + +While playing in Washington, I suddenly learned from a +reporter--Washington newspaper men know everything--that my Indians were +to be seized by the Government and sent back to their agency. Finding +that there was foundation for the rumor, I at once sought General Carl +Shurz, Secretary of the Interior, and asked him if he intended depriving +me of my Indian actors. He said that he did, as the Indians were away +from their reservation without leave. I answered that I had had Indians +with me the year before and nothing had been said about it; but +Commissioner Haight replied that the Indians were the "wards of the +government," and were not allowed off of their reservation. + +I told the Commissioner that the Indians were frequently off of their +reservations out west, as I had a distinct remembrance of meeting them +upon several occasions "on the war path," and furthermore I thought I was +benefitting the Indians as well as the government, by taking them all +over the United States, and giving them a correct idea of the customs, +life, etc., of the pale faces, so that when they returned to their people +they could make known all they had seen. + +After a conversation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Commissioner +concluded to allow me to retain the Indians, by appointing me Indian +Agent, provided I would give the necessary bonds, and pledge myself to +return them in safety to their agency--which terms I agreed to. + +From Savannah, Georgia, having changed my route on account of the yellow +fever, I jumped my entire company to Philadelphia, and at once continued +on a north-eastern tour, having arranged with the well-known author and +dramatist, Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, to write a play for me. + +The drama entitled "The Knight of the Plains, or Buffalo Bill's Best +Trail," was first produced at New Haven, Conn.; it has proved a great +success, and I expect to play it in England, where I purpose to go next +season on a theatrical tour, having been urged to do so by my many +friends abroad. + +After a successful tour of six weeks on the Pacific Slope, thus ending +the season of 1878-79, I am at my home at North Platte, Nebraska, for the +summer; and thus ends the account of my career as far as it has gone. + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life of Hon. William F. Cody +by William F. Cody + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10030 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee9b3ac --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10030 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10030) diff --git a/old/10030-8.txt b/old/10030-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bcd1449 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10030-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10790 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, by William F. Cody + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Life of Hon. William F. Cody + Known as Buffalo Bill The Famous Hunter, Scout and Guide + +Author: William F. Cody + +Release Date: November 10, 2003 [EBook #10030] +[Date last updated: July 5, 2006] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY *** + + + + +Produced by Papeters, Mary Meehan, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY + + KNOWN AS BUFFALO BILL + + THE FAMOUS HUNTER, SCOUT AND GUIDE. + + _AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY_. + + 1879 + + + + +To GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN, THIS BOOK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED +BY THE AUTHOR. + +[Illustration: Yours Sincerely, W. F. Cody] + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +The life and adventures of Hon. William F. Cody--Buffalo Bill--as told +by himself, make up a narrative which reads more like romance than +reality, and which in many respects will prove a valuable contribution +to the records of our Western frontier history. While no literary +excellence is claimed for the narrative, it has the greater merit of +being truthful, and is verified in such a manner that no one can doubt +its veracity. The frequent reference to such military men as Generals +Sheridan, Carr, Merritt, Crook, Terry, Colonel Royal, and other officers +under whom Mr. Cody served as scout and guide at different times and in +various sections of the frontier, during the numerous Indian campaigns +of the last ten or twelve years, affords ample proof of his +genuineness as a thoroughbred scout. + +There is no humbug or braggadocio about Buffalo Bill. He is known far and +wide, and his reputation has been earned honestly and by hard work. By a +combination of circumstances he was educated to the life of a plainsman +from his youth up; and not the least interesting portion of his career is +that of his early life, passed as it was in Kansas during the eventful +and troubleous times connected with the settlement of that state. +Spending much time in the saddle, while a mere boy he crossed the plains +many times in company with bull-trains; on some of these trips he met +with thrilling adventures and had several hairbreadth escapes from death +at the hands of Indians. Then, for a while, he was dashing over the +plains as a pony-express rider. Soon afterwards, mounted on the high seat +of an overland stagecoach, he was driving a six-in-hand team. We next +hear of him cracking the bull-whacker's whip, and commanding a +wagon-train through a wild and dangerous country to the far West. During +the civil war he enlisted as a private, and became a scout with the Union +army; since the war he has been employed as hunter, trapper, guide, scout +and actor. As a buffalo hunter he has no superior; as a trailer of +Indians he has no equal. For many years he has taken an active part in +all the principal Indian campaigns on the Western frontier, and as a +scout and guide he has rendered inestimable services to the various +expeditions which he accompanied. + +During his life on the plains he not only had many exciting adventures +himself, but he became associated with many of the other noted plainsmen, +and in his narrative he frequently refers to them and relates many +interesting incidents and thrilling events connected with them. He has +had a fertile field from which to produce this volume, and has frequently +found it necessary to condense the facts in order to embody the most +interesting events of his life. The following from a letter written by +General E. A. Carr, of the Fifth Cavalry, now commanding Fort McPherson, +speaks for itself: + + * * * * * + +"I first met Mr. Cody, October 22d, 1868, at Buffalo Station, on the +Kansas Pacific railroad, in Kansas. He was scout and guide for the seven +companies of the Fifth Cavalry, then under Colonel Royal, and of which I +was ordered to take the command. + +"From his services with my command, steadily in the field for nine +months, from October, 1868, to July, 1869, and at subsequent times, I am +qualified to bear testimony to his qualities and character. + +"He was very modest and unassuming. I did not know for a long time how +good a title he had to the appellation, 'Buffalo Bill.' I am apt to +discount the claims of scouts, as they will occasionally exaggerate; and +when I found one who said nothing about himself, I did not think much of +him, till I had proved him. He is a natural gentleman in his manners as +well as in character, and has none of the roughness of the typical +frontiersman. He can take his own part when required, but I have never +heard of his using a knife or a pistol, or engaging in a quarrel where it +could be avoided. His personal strength and activity are such that he can +hardly meet a man whom he cannot handle, and his temper and disposition +are so good that no one has reason to quarrel with him. + +"His eye-sight is better than a good field glass; he is the best trailer +I ever heard of; and also the best judge of the 'lay of country,'--that +is, he is able to tell what kind of country is ahead, so as to know how +to act. He is a perfect judge of distance, and always ready to tell +correctly how many miles it is to water, or to any place, or how many +miles have been marched. + +"Mr. Cody seemed never to tire and was always ready to go, in the darkest +night or the worst weather, and usually volunteered, knowing what the +emergency required. His trailing, when following Indians or looking for +stray animals or game, is simply wonderful. He is a most extraordinary +hunter. I could not believe that a man could be certain to shoot antelope +running till I had seen him do it so often. + +"In a fight Mr. Cody is never noisy, obstreperous or excited. In fact, I +never hardly noticed him in a fight, unless I happened to want him, or he +had something to report, when he was always in the right place, and his +information was always valuable and reliable. + +"During the winter of 1868, we encountered hardships and exposure in +terrific snow storms, sleet, etc., etc. On one occasion, that winter, Mr. +Cody showed his quality by quietly offering to go with some dispatches to +General Sheridan, across a dangerous region, where another principal +scout was reluctant to risk himself. + +"On the 13th of May, 1869, he was in the fight at Elephant Rock, Kansas, +and trailed the Indians till the 16th, when we got another fight out of +them on Spring Creek, in Nebraska, and scattered them after following +them one hundred and fifty miles in three days. It was at Spring Creek +where Cody was ahead of the command about three miles, with the advance +guard of forty men, when two hundred Indians suddenly surrounded them. +Our men, dismounted and formed in a circle, holding their horses, firing +and slowly retreating. They all, to this day, speak of Cody's coolness +and bravery. This was the Dog Soldier band which captured Mrs. Alderdice +and Mrs. Weichel in Kansas. They strangled Mrs. Alderdice's baby, killed +Mrs. Weichel's husband, and took a great deal of property and stock from +different persons. We got on their trail again, June 28th, and followed +it nearly two hundred miles, till we struck the Indians on Sunday, July +11th, 1869, at Summit Spring. The Indians, as soon as they saw us coming, +killed Mrs. Alderdice with a hatchet, and shot Mrs. Weichel, but +fortunately not fatally, and she was saved. + +"Mr. Cody has since served with me as post guide and scout at Fort +McPherson, where he frequently distinguished himself. + +"In the summer of 1876, Cody went with me to the Black Hills region where +he killed Yellow-Hand. Afterwards he was with the Big Horn and +Yellowstone expedition. I consider that his services to the country and +the army by trailing, finding and fighting Indians, and thus protecting +the frontier settlers, and by guiding commands over the best and most +practicable routes, have been far beyond the compensation he has +received. His friends of the Fifth Cavalry are all glad that he is in a +lucrative business, and hope that he may live long and prosper. +Personally, I feel under obligations to him for assistance in my +campaigns which no other man could, or would, have rendered. Of course I +wish him, and his, every success." + +E. A. CARR, Lt. Col. 5th Cav., Brev. Maj. Gen'l U. S. Army. FORT +McPHERSON, NEBRASKA, July 3d, 1878 + + * * * * * + +Buffalo Bill is now an actor, and is meeting with success. He owns a +large and valuable farm adjoining the town of North Platte, Nebraska, and +there his family live in ease and comfort. He has also an extensive +cattle ranch on the Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, +his partner being Major Frank North, the old commander of the celebrated +Pawnee scouts. While many events of his career are known to the public, +yet the reader will find in this narrative much that will be entirely new +and intensely interesting to both young and old. + +THE PUBLISHER. + + + + +Illustrations. + + +THE AUTHOR, PORTRAIT, ON STEEL + +YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES + +SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT + +BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO + +BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY + +EXCITING SPORT + +STAKING OUT LOTS + +MY FATHER STABBED + +MY FATHER'S ESCAPE + +LIFE OR DEATH + +BOYISH SPORT + +TWO TO ONE + +KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN + +A PRAIRIE SCHOONER + +WILD BILL (PORTRAIT) + +HOLDING THE FORT + +CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE + +RAFTING OS THE PLATTE + +RIDING PONY EXPRESS + +SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN IN-THE-FACE + +CHANGING HORSES + +ATTACK ON STAGE COACH + +ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER + +THE HORSE THIEVES DEN + +MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES + +BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH HIDE + +"NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES" + +WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS + +WILD BILL'S DUEL + +GENERAL GEO. A. CUSTER (Portrait) + +DEPARTING RICHES + +TONGUES AND TENDERLOINS + +THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES + +THE MAN WHO FIRED THE GUN + +BUFFALO BILL + +"DOWN WENT HIS HORSE" + +THE FIRE SIGNAL + +KIT CARSON (Portrait) + +A GOOD HORSE + +A BIG JOKE + +AMBUSHING THE INDIANS + +WHOA THERE! + +DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO GENERAL SHERIDAN + +THE TWO TRAMPS + +CARRYING DISPATCHES + +GEN'L PHIL. SHERIDAN (PORTRAIT) + +BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE + +BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP + +"INDIANS!" + +GENERAL E. A. CARR (PORTRAIT) + +A CRACK SHOT + +A HARD CROWD + +CAMPING IN THE SNOW + +A WELCOME VISITOR + +ANTELOPES + +THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS + +ROBBING A STAGE COACH + +INDIAN VILLAGE + +THE KILLING OF TALL BULL + +AN OLD BONE + +A WEDDING CEREMONY + +A RIDE FOR LIFE + +PRAIRIE DOG VILLAGE + +McCARTHY'S FRIGHT + +FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY + +SPOTTED TAIL (PORTRAIT) + +GRAND DUKE ALEXIS (PORTRAIT) + +INDIAN EXERCISES + +TWO-LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO + +AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION? + +TEXAS JACK (PORTRAIT) + +RIFLES + +STUDYING THE PARTS + +BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS + +LEARNING THE GAME + +GETTING SATISFACTION + +A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND + +SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT + +CLOSE QUARTERS + +ONE OF THE TROUPE + + + + +Contents + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHILDHOOD. + +Early Days in Iowa--A Brother's Death--The Family Move to a New +Country--Incidents on the Road--The Horse Race--Our "Little Gray" +Victorious--A Pleasant Acquaintance--Uncle Elijah Cody--Our New +Home--My Ponies. + +CHAPTER II. + +EARLY INFLUENCES. + +Dress Parade at Fort Leavenworth--The Beautiful Salt Creek Valley--The +Mormon Emigrants--The Wagon Trains--The Cholera--A Lively Scene--My First +Sight of Indians--"Dolly" and "Prince"--A Long-Lost Relative Turns +up--Adventurous Career of Horace Billings--His Splendid +Horsemanship--Catching Wild Horses. + +CHAPTER III. + +BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. + +My Indian Acquaintances--An Indian Barbecue--Beginning of the Kansas +Troubles--An Indiscreet Speech by my Father, who is Stabbed for his +Boldness--Persecutions at the Hands of the Missourians--A Strategic +Escape--A Battle at Hickory Point--A Plan to Kill Father is Defeated by +Myself--He is Elected to the Lecompton Legislature--I Enter the Employ of +William Russell--Herding Cattle--A Plot to Blow Up our House--A Drunken +Missourian on the War-Path. + +CHAPTER IV. + +YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. + +At School--My First Love Scrape--I Punish my Rival, and then Run Away--My +First Trip Across the Plains--Steve Gobel and I are Friends once +more--Death of my Father--I Start for Salt Lake--Our Wagon Train +Surprised by Indians, who Drive us off, and Capture our Outfit--I Kill my +First Indian--Our Return to Leavenworth--I am Interviewed by a Newspaper +Reporter, who gives me a Good "Send-Off." + +CHAPTER V. + +IN BUSINESS. + +My Second Trip Across the Plains--The Salt Lake Trail--Wild Bill--He +Protects me from the Assault of a Bully--A Buffalo Hunt--Our Wagon Train +Stampeded by Buffaloes--We are Taken Prisoners by the Mormons--We Proceed +to Fort Bridger. + +CHAPTER VI. + +HARD TIMES. + +A Dreary Winter At Fort Bridger--Short Rations--Mule Steaks--Homeward +Bound in the Spring--A Square Meal--Corraled by Indians--A Mule +Barricade--We Hold the Fort--Home Again--Off for the West--Trapping on +the Chugwater And Laramie Rivers--We go to Sleep In a Human Grave--A +Horrifying Discovery--A Jollification at Oak Grove Ranch--Home Once +More--I go to School--The Pike's Peak Gold Excitement--Down the Platte +River on a Raft--I Become a Pony Express Rider. + +CHAPTER VII. + +ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. + +Trapping on Prairie Dog Creek--An Accident whereby we Lose one of our +Oxen--I Fall and Break my Leg--Left Alone in Camp--Unwelcome Visitors--A +Party of Hostile Sioux Call upon me and Make Themselves at Home--Old +Rain-in-the-Face Saves my Life--Snow-Bound-A Dreary Imprisonment--Return +of my Partner--A Joyful Meeting--We Pull Out for Home--Harrington Dies. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. + +Introduction to Alf. Slade--He Employs me as a Pony Express Rider--I Make +a Long Ride--Indians Attack an Overland Stage Coach--Wild Bill Leads a +Successful Expedition against the Indians--A Grand Jollification at +Sweetwater Bridge--Slade Kills a Stage Driver--The End of the Spree--A +Bear Hunt--I fall among Horse Thieves--My Escape--I Guide a Party to +Capture the Gang. + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAST DRIVING. + +Bob Scott, the Stage Driver--The Story of the Most Reckless Piece of +Stage Driving that ever Occurred on the Overland Road. + +CHAPTER X. + +QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. + +The Civil War--Jayhawking--Wild Bill's Fight with the McCandless Gang of +Desperadoes--I become Wild Bill's Assistant Wagon-Master--We Lose our +Last Dollar on a Horse Race--He becomes a Government Scout--He has a Duel +at Springfield. + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SOLDIER. + +Scouting against the Indians in the Kiowa and Comanche country--The +Red-Legged Scouts--A Trip to Denver--Death of my Mother--I Awake one +Morning to Find myself a Soldier--I am put on Detached Service as a +Scout--The Chase after Price--An Unexpected Meeting with Wild Bill--An +Unpleasant Situation--Wild Bill's Escape from the Southern Lines--The +Charge upon Price's Army--We return to Springfield. + +CHAPTER XII. + +A WEDDING. + +I Fall in Love--A Successful Courting Expedition--I am Married--The +Happiest Event of my Life--Our Trip up the Missouri River--The +Bushwhackers Come after me--I become Landlord of a Hotel--Off for the +Plains once more--Scouting on the Frontier for the Government--A Ride +with General Custer--An Expedition from Fort Hays has a Lively Chase +after Indians--Cholera in Camp. + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A MILLIONAIRE. + +A Town Lot Speculation--"A Big Thing"--I become Half-Owner of a +City--Corner Lots Reserved--Rome's Rapid Rise--We consider ourselves +Millionaires--Dr. Webb--Hays City--We Regard ourselves as Paupers--A Race +with Indians--Captain Graham's Scout after the Indians. + +CHAPTER XIV. + +EARNING A TITLE. + +Hunting for the Kansas Pacific--How I got my Name of "Buffalo Bill"--The +Indians give me a Lively Chase--They get a Dose of their own +Medicine--Another Adventure--Scotty and myself Corraled by Indians--A +Fire Signal brings Assistance--Kit Carson. + +CHAPTER XV. + +CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. + +A Buffalo Killing Match with Billy Comstock--An Excursion party from St. +Louis come out to Witness the Sport--I win the Match, and am declared the +Champion Buffalo Killer of the Plains. + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A COURIER. + +Scouting--Captured by Indians--A Strategic Escape--A Hot Pursuit--The +Indians led into an Ambush--Old Satanta's Tricks and Threats--Excitement +at Fort Larned--Herders and Wood-Choppers Killed by the Indians--A +Perilous Ride--I get into the wrong Pew--Safe, arrival at Fort +Hays--Interview with General Sheridan--My ride to Fort Dodge--I return +to Fort Larned--My Mule gets away from me--A long Walk--The Mule Passes +In his Chips. + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN APPOINTMENT. + +General Sheridan appoints me Guide and Chief of Scouts of the Fifth +Cavalry--The Dog Soldiers--General Forsyth's Fight on the Arickaree Fork. + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCOUTING. + +Arrival of the Fifth Cavalry at Fort Hays--Out on a Scout--A little +Skirmish with Indians--A Buffalo Hunt--A False Alarm in camp--A Scout on +the Beaver--The Supply Camp is Surprised--Arrival of General Carr--The +new Lieutenant and his Reception--Another Indian Hunt--An Engagement--A +Crack Shot--I have a little Indian fight of my own--Return to Fort +Wallace--While hunting Buffaloes with a small Party, we are Attacked by +Fifty Indians. + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A TOUGH TIME. + +A Winter's Campaign in the Canadian River Country--Searching for +Penrose's Command--A Heavy Snow-Storm--Taking the Wagon Train down a +Mountain Side--Camp Turkey--Darkey Deserters from Penrose's +Command--Starvation in Penrose's Camp--We reach the Command with +Timely Relief--Wild Bill--A Beer Jollification--Hunting +Antelopes--Return to Fort Lyon. + +CHAPTER XX. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + +A Difficulty with a Quartermaster's Agent--I give him a Severe +Pounding--Stormy Interview with General Bankhead and Captain Laufer--I +put another "Head" on the Quartermaster's Agent--I am Arrested--In the +Guard-House--General Bankhead Releases me--A Hunt after Horse +Thieves--Their Capture--Escape of Bevins--His Recapture--Escape of +Williams--Bevins Breaks Out of Jail--His Subsequent Career. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A MILITARY EXPEDITION. + +The Fifth Cavalry is Ordered to the Department of the Platte--Liquids +_vs._ Solids--A Skirmish with the Indians--Arrival at Fort +McPherson--Appointed Chief of Scouts--Major Frank North and the Pawnee +Scouts--Belden the White Chief--The Shooting Match--Review of the Pawnee +Scouts--An Expedition against the Indians--"Buckskin Joe." + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A DESPERATE FIGHT. + +Pawnees _vs_. Siouxs--We strike a Large Trail--The Print of a Woman's +Shoe--The Summit Springs Fight--A Successful Charge--Capture of the +Indian Village--Rescue of a White Woman--One hundred and forty Indians +Killed--I kill Tall Bull and Capture his Swift Steed--The Command +proceeds to Fort Sedgwick--Powder Face--A Scout after Indian +Horse-Thieves--"Ned Buntline"--"Tall Bull" as a Racer--Powder Face wins a +Race without a Rider--An Expedition to the Niobrara--An Indian Tradition. + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. + +I make my Home at Fort McPherson--Arrival of my Family--Hunting and Horse +Racing--An Indian Raid--Powder Face Stolen--A Lively Chase--An Expedition +to the Republican River Country--General Duncan--A Skirmish with the +Indians--A Stern Chase--An Addition to my Family--Kit Carson Cody--I am +made a Justice of the Peace--A Case of Replevin--I perform a Marriage +Ceremony--Professor Marsh's Fossil-Hunting Expedition. + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUNTING EXPEDITIONS. + +The Grand Hunt of General Sheridan, James Gordon Bennett, and other +Distinguished Gentlemen--From Fort McPherson to Fort Hays--Incidents of +the Trip--"Ten Days on the Plains"--General Carr's Hunting Expedition--A +Joke on McCarthy--A Search for the Remains of Buck's Surveying Party, who +had been Murdered by the Indians. + +CHAPTER XXV. + +HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. + +The Grand Duke Alexis Hunt--Selection of a Camp--I Visit Spotted +Tail's Camp--The Grand Duke and Party arrive at Camp Alexis--Spotted +Tail's Indians give a Dance--The Hunt--Alexis Kills his First +Buffalo--Champagne--The Duke Kills another Buffalo--More Champagne--End +of the Hunt--Departure of the Duke and his Party. + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGHT-SEEING. + +My Visit in the East--Reception in Chicago--Arrival in New York--I am +well Entertained by my old Hunting Friends--I View the Sights of the +Metropolis--Ned Buntline--The Play of "Buffalo Bill"--I am Called Upon to +make a Speech--A Visit to my Relatives--Return to the West. + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HONORS. + +Arrival of the Third Cavalry at Fort McPherson--A Scout after Indians--A +Desperate Fight with Thirteen Indians--A Hunt with the Earl of Dunraven--A +Hunt with a Chicago Party--Milligan's Bravery--Neville--I am Elected to +the Nebraska Legislature. + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN ACTOR. + +I resolve to go upon the Stage--I resign my Seat in the +Legislature--Texas Jack--"The Scouts of the Plains"--A Crowded House--A +Happy Thought--A Brilliant _Début_--A Tour of the Country. + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +STARRING. + +The Theatrical Season of 1873-74--Wild Bill and his Tricks--He Leaves us +at Rochester--He becomes a "Star"--A Bogus "Wild Bill "--A Hunt with +Thomas P. Medley, an English gentleman--A Scout on the Powder River and +in the Big Horn Country--California Joe--Theatrical Tour of 1874 and +1875--Death of my son, Kit Carson Cody. + +CHAPTER XXX. + +A RETURN TO THE PLAINS. + +The Sioux Campaign of 1876--I am appointed Guide and Chief of Scouts of +the Fifth Cavalry--An Engagement with eight hundred Cheyennes--A Duel +with Yellow Hand--Generals Terry and Crook meet, and cooperate Together. + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +DANGEROUS WORK. + +Scouting on a Steamboat--Captain Grant Marsh--A Trip down the Yellowstone +River--Acting as Dispatch Carrier--I Return East and open my Theatrical +Season with a New Play--Immense Audiences--I go into the Cattle Business +in company with Major Prank North--My Home at North Platte. + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +CONCLUSION. + +A Cattle "Round-up"--A Visit to My Family in our New Home--A Visit from +my Sisters--I go to Denver--Buying more Cattle--Pawnee and Nez-Perces +Indians Engaged for a Theatrical Tour--The Season of 1878-79--An +experience in Washington--Home Once More. + + + + +THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHILDHOOD. + + +My _début_ upon the world's stage occurred on February 26th, 1845. The +scene of this first important event in my adventurous career, being in +Scott county, in the State of Iowa. My parents, Isaac and Mary Ann Cody, +who were numbered among the pioneers of Iowa, gave to me the name of +William Frederick. I was the fourth child in the family. Martha and +Julia, my sisters, and Samuel my brother, had preceded me, and the +children who came after me were Eliza, Nellie, Mary, and Charles, born in +the order named. + +At the time of my birth the family resided on a farm which they called +"Napsinekee Place,"--an Indian name--and here the first six or seven +years of my childhood were spent. When I was about seven years old my +father moved the family to the little town of LeClair, located on the +bank of the Mississippi, fifteen miles above the city of Davenport. Even +at that early age my adventurous spirit led me into all sorts of mischief +and danger, and when I look back upon my childhood's days I often wonder +that I did not get drowned while swimming or sailing, or my neck broken +while I was stealing apples in the neighboring orchards. + +I well remember one day that I went sailing with two other boys; in a few +minutes we found ourselves in the middle of the Mississippi; becoming +frightened at the situation we lost our presence of mind, as well as our +oars. We at once set up a chorus of pitiful yells, when a man, who +fortunately heard us, came to our rescue with a canoe and towed us +ashore. We had stolen the boat, and our trouble did not end until we had +each received a merited whipping, which impressed the incident vividly +upon my mind. I recollect several occasions when I was nearly eaten up by +a large and savage dog, which acted as custodian of an orchard and also +of a melon patch, which I frequently visited. Once, as I was climbing +over the fence with a hatful of apples, this dog, which had started for +me, caught me by the seat of the pantaloons, and while I clung to the top +of the fence he literally tore them from my legs, but fortunately did not +touch my flesh. I got away with the apples, however, by tumbling over to +the opposite side of the fence with them. + +It was at LeClair that I acquired my first experience as an equestrian. +Somehow or other I had managed to corner a horse near a fence, and had +climbed upon his back. The next moment the horse got his back up and +hoisted me into the air, I fell violently to the ground, striking upon my +side in such a way as to severely wrench and strain my arm, from the +effects of which I did not recover for some time. I abandoned the art of +horsemanship for a while, and was induced after considerable persuasion +to turn my attention to letters--my A, B, C's--which were taught me at +the village school. + +My father at this time was running a stage line, between Chicago and +Davenport, no railroads then having been built west of Chicago. In 1849 +he got the California fever and made up his mind to cross the great +plains--which were then and for years afterwards called the American +Desert--to the Pacific coast. He got ready a complete outfit and started +with quite a party. After proceeding a few miles, all but my father, and +greatly to his disappointment, changed their minds for some reason and +abandoned the enterprise. They all returned home, and soon afterwards +father moved his family out to Walnut Grove Farm, in Scott county. + +[Illustration: YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES.] + +While living there I was sent to school, more for the purpose of being +kept out of mischief than to learn anything. Much of my time was spent in +trapping quails, which were very plentiful. I greatly enjoyed studying +the habits of the little birds, and in devising traps to take them in. I +was most successful with the common figure "4" trap which I could build +myself. Thus I think it was that I acquired my love for hunting. I +visited the quail traps twice a day, morning and evening, and as I had +now become quite a good rider I was allowed to have one of the farm +horses to carry me over my route. Many a jolly ride I had and many a +boyish prank was perpetrated after getting well away from and out of the +sight of home with the horse. + +There was one event which occurred in my childhood, which I cannot recall +without a feeling of sadness. It was the death of my brother Samuel, who +was accidentally killed in his twelfth year. + +My father at the time, being considerable of a politician as well as a +farmer, was attending a political convention; for he was well known in +those days as an old line Whig. He had been a member of the Iowa +legislature, was a Justice of the Peace, and had held other offices. He +was an excellent stump speaker and was often called upon to canvass the +country round about for different candidates. The convention which he was +attending at the time of the accident was being held at a cross-road +tavern called "Sherman's," about a mile away. + +Samuel and I had gone out together on horseback for the cows. He rode a +vicious mare, which mother had told him time and again not to ride, as it +had an ugly disposition. We were passing the school house just as the +children were being dismissed, when Samuel undertook to give an +exhibition of his horsemanship, he being a good rider for a boy. The +mare, Betsy, became unmanageable, reared and fell backward upon him, +injuring him internally. He was picked up and carried amid great +excitement to the house of a neighbor. + +I at once set out with my horse at the top of his speed for my father, +and informed him of Samuel's mishap. He took the horse and returned +immediately. When I arrived at Mr. Burns' house, where my brother was, I +found my father, mother and sisters there, all weeping bitterly at +Samuel's bedside. A physician, after examining him, pronounced his +injuries to be of a fatal character. He died the next morning. + +My brother was a great favorite with everybody, and his death cast a +gloom upon the whole neighborhood. It was a great blow to all of the +family, and especially to father who seemed to be almost heart +broken over it. + +Father had been greatly disappointed at the failure of his California +expedition, and still desired to move to some new country. The death of +Samuel no doubt increased this desire, and he determined to emigrate. +Accordingly, early in the spring of 1852, he disposed of his farm, and +late in March we took our departure for Kansas, which was then an +unsettled territory. Our outfit consisted of one carriage, three wagons +and some fine blooded horses. The carriage was occupied by my mother and +sisters. Thus we left our Iowa home. + +[Illustration: SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT.] + +Father had a brother, Elijah Cody, living at Weston, Platte county, +Missouri. He was the leading merchant of the place. As the town was +located near the Kansas line father determined to visit him, and thither +our journey was directed. Our route lay across Iowa and Missouri, and the +trip proved of interest to all of us, and especially to me. There was +something new to be seen at nearly every turn of the road. At night the +family generally "put up" at hotels or cross-road taverns along the way. + +One day as we were proceeding on our way, we were met by a horseman who +wanted to sell his horse, or trade-him for another. He said the horse had +been captured wild in California; that he was a runner and a racer; that +he had been sold by his different owners on account of his great desire +to run away when taking part in a race. + +The stranger seemed to be very frank in his statements, and appeared to +be very anxious to get rid of the animal, and as we were going to Kansas +where there would be plenty of room for the horse to run as far as he +pleased, father concluded to make a trade for him; so an exchange of +animals was easily and satisfactorily effected. + +The new horse being a small gray, we named him "Little Gray." + +An opportunity of testing the racing qualities of the horse was soon +afforded. One day we drove into a small Missouri town or hamlet which lay +on our route, where the farmers from the surrounding country were +congregated for the purpose of having a holiday--the principal amusement +being horse-racing. Father had no trouble in arranging a race for Little +Gray, and selected one of his teamsters to ride him. + +The Missourians matched their fastest horse against him and were +confident of cleaning out "the emigrant," as they called father. They +were a hard looking crowd. They wore their pantaloons in their boots; +their hair was long, bushy and untrimmed; their faces had evidently never +made the acquaintance of a razor. They seemed determined to win the race +by fair means or foul. They did a great deal of swearing, and swaggered +about in rather a ruffianly style. + +All these incidents attracted my attention--everything being new to +me--and became firmly impressed upon my memory. My father, being +unaccustomed to the ways of such rough people, acted very cautiously; and +as they were all very anxious to bet on their own horse, he could not be +induced to wager a very large sum on Little Gray, as he was afraid of +foul play. + +"Wa-al, now, stranger," exclaimed one of the crowd, "what kind o' critter +have you got anyhow, as how you're afraid to back him up very heavy?" + +"I'll bet five to one agin the emergrant's, gray," said another. + +"I'm betting the same way. I'll go yer five hundred dollars agin a +hundred that the gray nag gits left behind. Do I hear any man who wants +to come agin me on them yer terms?" shouted still another. + +"Hi! yer boys, give the stranger a chance. Don't scare him out of +his boots," said a man who evidently was afraid that my father +might back out. + +Father had but little to say, however, and would not venture more than +fifty dollars on the result of the race. + +"Gentlemen, I am only racing my horse for sport," said he, "and am only +betting enough to make it interesting. I have never seen Little Gray run, +and therefore don't know what he can do;" at the same time he was +confident that his horse would come in the winner, as he had chosen an +excellent rider for him. + +Finally all the preliminaries of the contest were arranged. The judges +were chosen and the money was deposited in the hands of a stake-holder. +The race was to be a single dash, of a mile. The horses were brought side +by side and mounted by their riders. + +At the signal--"One, two, three, go!"--off they started like a flash. The +Missouri horse took the lead for the first quarter of a mile; at the +half-mile, however, he began to weaken. The Missourians shouted +themselves hoarse in urging their horse, but all to no avail. The Little +Gray passed him and continued to leave him farther and farther behind, +easily winning the race. + +The affair created a great deal of enthusiasm; but the race was conducted +with honor and fairness, which was quite an agreeable surprise to my +father, who soon found the Missourians to be at heart very clever +men--thus showing that outside appearances are sometimes very deceptive; +they nearly all came up and congratulated him on his success, asked him +why he had not bet more money on the race, and wanted to buy Little Gray. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "when I drove up here and arranged for this race, I +felt confident that my horse would win it. I was among entire strangers, +and therefore I only bet a small amount. I was afraid that you would +cheat me in some way or other. I see now that I was mistaken, as I have +found you to be honorable men." + +"Wa-all, you could have broke _me_" said the man who wanted to bet the +five hundred dollars to one hundred, "for that there nag o' yourn looks +no more like a runner nor I do." + +During our stay in the place they treated us very kindly, and continued +to try to purchase Little Gray. My father, however, remained firm in his +determination not to part with him. + +The next place of interest which we reached, after resuming our journey, +was within twenty miles of Weston. We had been stopping at farm houses +along the road, and could not get anything to eat in the shape of bread, +except corn bread, of which all had become heartily tired. As we were +driving along, we saw in the distance a large and handsome brick +residence. Father said: "They probably have white bread there." + +We drove up to the house and learned that it was owned and occupied by +Mrs. Burns; mother of a well-known lawyer of that name, who is now living +in Leavenworth. She was a wealthy lady, and gave us to understand in a +pleasant way, that she did not entertain travelers. My father, in the +course of the conversation with her, said: "Do you know Elijah Cody?" + +"Indeed, I do," said she; "he frequently visits us, and we visit him; we +are the best of friends." + +"He is a brother of mine," said father. + +"Is it possible!" she exclaimed; "Why, you must remain here all night. +Have your family come into the house at once. You must not go another +step today." + +The kind invitation was accepted, and we remained there over night. As +father had predicted, we found plenty of white bread at this house, and +it proved quite a luxurious treat. + +My curiosity was considerably aroused by the many negroes which I saw +about the premises, as I had scarcely ever seen any colored people, +the few, being on the steamboats as they passed up and down the +Mississippi river. + +The next day my father and mother drove over to Weston in a carriage, +and returned with my Uncle Elijah. We then all proceeded to his house, +and as Kansas was not yet open for settlement as a territory, we remained +there a few days, while father crossed over into Kansas on a prospecting +tour. He visited the Kickapoo agency--five miles above Weston--on the +Kansas side of the Missouri river. He became acquainted with the agent, +and made arrangements to establish himself there as an Indian trader. He +then returned to Weston and located the family on one of Elijah Cody's +farms, three miles from town, where we were to remain until Kansas should +be thrown open for settlement. After completing these arrangements, he +established a trading post at Salt Creek Valley, in Kansas, four miles +from the Kickapoo agency. + +One day, after he had been absent some little time, he came home and said +that he had bought two ponies for me, and that next morning he would take +me over into Kansas. This was pleasant news, as I had been very anxious +to go there with him, and the fact that I was now the owner of two ponies +made me feel very proud. That night I could not sleep a wink. In the +morning I was up long before the sun, and after an early breakfast, +father and I started out on our trip. Crossing the Missouri river at the +Rialto Ferry, we landed in Kansas and passed along to Fort Leavenworth, +four miles distant. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +EARLY INFLUENCES. + + +General Harney was in command at Fort Leavenworth at the time of our +visit, and a regiment of cavalry was stationed there. They were having a +dress parade when we rode up, and as this was the first time that I had +ever seen any soldiers, I thought it was a grand sight. I shall never +forget it, especially the manoeuvres on horseback. + +After witnessing the parade we resumed our journey. On the way to my +father's trading camp we had to cross over a high hill known as Salt +Creek Hill, from the top of which we looked down upon the most beautiful +valley I have ever seen. It was about twelve miles long and five miles +wide. The different tributaries of Salt Creek came down from the range of +hills at the southwest. At the foot of the valley another small +river--Plum Creek, also flowed. The bluffs fringed with trees, clad in +their full foliage, added greatly to the picturesqueness of the scene. + +While this beautiful valley greatly interested me, yet the most novel +sight, of an entirely different character, which met my enraptured gaze, +was the vast number of white-covered wagons, or "prairie-schooners," +which were encamped along the different streams. I asked my father what +they were and where they were going; he explained to me that they were +emigrant wagons bound for Utah and California. + +At that time the Mormon and California trails ran through this +valley, which was always selected as a camping place. There were at +least one thousand wagons in the valley, and their white covers lent +a pleasing contrast to the green grass. The cattle were quietly +grazing near the wagons, while the emigrants were either resting or +attending to camp duties. + +A large number of the wagons, as I learned from my father, belonged to +Majors & Russell, the great government freighters. They had several +trains there, each consisting of twenty-five wagons, heavily loaded with +government supplies. They were all camped and corraled in a circle. + +While we were viewing this scene, a long wagon train came pulling up the +hill, bound out from Fort Leavenworth to some distant frontier post. The +cattle were wild and the men were whipping them fearfully, the loud +reports of the bull-whips sounding like gun-shots. They were +"doubling-up," and some of the wagons were being drawn by fifteen yokes +of oxen. I remember asking my father a great many questions, and he +explained to me all about the freighting business across the great +plains, and told me about the different government posts. + +Pointing over to the army of wagons camped below us, he showed me which +were the Mormons' and which were the Californians', and said that we must +steer clear of the former as the cholera was raging among them. Five +hundred had died that spring--1853--and the grave-yard was daily +increasing its dimensions. The unfortunate people had been overtaken by +the dreadful disease, and had been compelled to halt on their journey +until it abated. + +While we were looking at the Mormons they were holding a funeral service +over the remains of some of their number who had died. Their old cemetery +is yet indicated by various land-marks, which, however, with the few +remaining head-boards, are fast disappearing. + +We passed on through this "Valley of Death," as it might then have been +very appropriately called, and after riding for some time, my father +pointed out a large hill and showed me his camp, which afterwards +became our home. + +There was another trading-post near by, which was conducted by Mr. +M.P. Rively, who had a store built, partly frame, and partly of logs. +We stopped at this establishment for a while, and found perhaps a +hundred men, women and children gathered there, engaged in trading and +gossipping. The men had huge pistols and knives in their belts; their +pantaloons were tucked in their boots; and they wore large +broad-rimmed hats. + +To me they appeared like a lot of cut-throat pirates who had come ashore +for a lark. It was the first time I had ever seen men carrying pistols +and knives, and they looked like a very dangerous crowd. Some were buying +articles of merchandise; others were talking about the cholera, the +various camps, and matters of interest; while others were drinking whisky +freely and becoming intoxicated. It was a busy and an exciting scene, and +Rively appeared to be doing a rushing trade. + +At some little distance from the store I noticed a small party of +dark-skinned and rather fantastically dressed people, whom I ascertained +were Indians, and as I had never before seen a real live Indian, I was +much interested in them. I went over and endeavored to talk to them, but +our conversation was very limited. + +That evening we reached our camp, which was located two miles west of +Rively's. The first thing I did was to hunt up my ponies, and from my +father's description of them, I had no difficulty in finding them. +They were lariated in the grass and I immediately ran up to them +supposing them to be gentle animals. I was greatly mistaken, however, +as they snorted and jumped away from me, and would not allow me to +come near them. + +My father, who was standing not far distant, informed me that the ponies +were not yet broken. I was somewhat disappointed at this; and thereupon +he and one of his men caught one of the animals and bridled her, then +putting me on her back, led her around, greatly to my delight. I kept +petting her so much that she soon allowed me to approach her. She was a +beautiful bay, and I named her "Dolly;" the other pony was a sorrel, and +I called him "Prince." + +In the evening some Indians visited the camp--which as yet consisted only +of tents, though some logs had been cut preparatory to building +houses--and exchanged their furs for clothing, sugar and tobacco. Father +had not learned their language, and therefore communicated with them by +means of signs. We had our supper by the camp-fire, and that night was +the first time I ever camped out and slept upon the ground. + +The day had been an eventful one to me, for all the incidents were full +of excitement and romance to my youthful mind, and I think no apology is +needed for mentioning so many of the little circumstances, which so +greatly interested me in my childhood's days, and which no doubt had a +great influence in shaping my course in after years. My love of hunting +and scouting, and life on the plains generally, was the result of my +early surroundings. + +The next morning father visited the Kickapoo agency, taking me along. He +rode a horse, and putting me on my pony "Dolly," led the animal all the +way. He seemed anxious to break me in, as well as the pony, and I +greatly enjoyed this, my first day's ride on a Kansas prairie. + +At the Kickapoo village I saw hundreds of Indians, some of whom were +living in lodges, but the majority occupied log cabins. The agent resided +in a double-hewed log house, one of the apartments of which was used as a +school for the Indians. The agency store was opposite this structure. + +All the buildings were whitewashed, and looked neat and clean. The +Kickapoos were very friendly Indians, and we spent much of our time among +them, looking about and studying their habits. + +After a while we returned to our own camp, and just as we arrived there, +we saw a drove of horses--there were three or four hundred in +all--approaching from the west, over the California trail. They were +being driven by seven or eight mounted men, wearing sombreros, and +dressed in buckskin, with their lariats dangling from their saddles, and +they were followed by two or three pack-mules or horses. They went into +camp a little below us on the bank of the stream. + +Presently one of the men walked out towards our camp, and my father +called to me to come and see a genuine Western man; he was about six feet +two inches tall, was well built, and had a light, springy and wiry step. +He wore a broad-brimmed California hat, and was dressed in a complete +suit of buckskin, beautifully trimmed and beaded. He saluted us, and +father invited him to sit down, which he did. After a few moments +conversation, he turned to me and said: + +"Little one, I see you are working with your ponies. They are wild yet." + +I had been petting Dolly and trying to break her, when my father called +me to come and look at the Californian. + +"Yes," I replied, "and one of them never has been ridden." + +"Well, I'll ride him for you;" and springing lightly to his feet, he +continued: "come on. Where is the animal?" + +Accordingly we all went to the place where Prince was lariated. The +stranger untied the rope from the picket pin, and taking a half-loop +around the pony's nose, he jumped on his back. + +In a moment he was flying over the prairie, the untamed steed rearing and +pitching every once in a while in his efforts to throw his rider; but the +man was not unseated. He was evidently an experienced horseman. I watched +his every movement. I was unconsciously taking another lesson in the +practical education which has served me so well through my life. + +The Californian rode the pony until it was completely mastered, then +coming up to me, jumped to the ground, handed me the rope, and said: + +"Here's your pony. He's all right now." + +I led Prince away, while father and the stranger sat down in the shade of +a tent, and began talking about the latter's horsemanship, which father +considered very remarkable. + +"Oh, that's nothing; I was raised on horseback," said the Californian; "I +ran away from home when a boy, went to sea, and finally landed in the +Sandwich Islands, where I fell in with a circus, with which I remained +two years. During that time I became a celebrated bare-back rider. I then +went to California, being attracted there by the gold excitement, the +news of which had reached the Islands. I did not go to mining, however, +but went to work as a _bocarro_-catching and breaking wild horses, great +numbers of which were roaming through California. Last summer we caught +this herd that we have brought with us across the plains, and are taking +it to the States to sell. I came with the outfit, as it gave me a good +opportunity to visit my relatives, who live at Cleveland, Ohio. I also +had an uncle over at Weston, across the river, when I ran away, and +to-morrow I am going to visit the town to see if he is there yet." + +[Illustration: BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO] + +"I am acquainted in Weston," said father, "and perhaps I can tell you +about your uncle. What is his name?" + +"Elijah Cody," said the Californian. + +"Elijah Cody!" exclaimed father, in great surprise; "why Elijah Cody is +my brother. I am Isaac Cody. Who are you?" + +"My name is Horace Billings," was the reply. + +"And you are my nephew. You are the son of my sister Sophia." + +Both men sprang to their feet and began shaking hands in the heartiest +manner possible. + +The next moment father called me, and said: "Come here, my son. Here is +some one you want to know." + +As I approached he introduced us. "Horace, this is my only son. We call +him little Billy;" and turning to me said: "Billy, my boy, this is a +cousin of yours, Horace Billings, whom you've often heard me speak of." + +Horace Billings had never been heard of from the day he ran away from +home, and his relatives had frequently wondered what had become of him. +His appearance, therefore, in our camp in the guise of a Californian was +somewhat of a mystery to me, and I could hardly comprehend it until I had +heard his adventurous story and learned the accidental manner in which he +and father had made themselves known to each other. + +Neither father nor myself would be satisfied until he had given us a full +account of his wanderings and adventures, which were very exciting to me. + +Late in the afternoon and just before the sun sank to rest, the +conversation again turned upon horses and horsemanship. Father told +Billings all about Little Gray, and his great fault of running away. +Billings laughed and said Little Gray could not run away with him. + +After supper he went out to look at the horse, which was picketed in the +grass. Surveying the animal carefully, he untied the lariat and slipped a +running noose over his nose; then giving a light bound, he was on his +back in a second, and away went the horse and his rider, circling round +and round on the prairie. Billings managed him by the rope alone, and +convinced him that he was his master. When half a mile away, the horse +started for camp at the top of his speed. Billings stood straight up on +his back, and thus rode him into camp. As he passed us he jumped to the +ground, allowed the horse to run to the full length of the lariat, when +he threw him a complete somersault. + +[Illustration: BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY.] + +"That's a pretty good horse," said Billings. + +"Yes, he's a California horse; he was captured there wild," replied +father. The exhibition of horsemanship given by Billings on this +occasion was really wonderful, and was the most skillful and daring feat +of the kind that I ever witnessed. The remainder of the evening was spent +around the camp, and Horace, who remained there, entertained us with +several interesting chapters of his experiences. + +Next morning he walked over to his own camp, but soon returned, mounted +on a beautiful horse, with a handsome saddle, bridle and lariat. I +thought he was a magnificent looking man. I envied his appearance, and my +ambition just then was to become as skillful a horseman as he was. He had +rigged himself out in his best style in order to make a good impression +on his uncle at Weston, whither father and I accompanied him on +horseback. + +He was cordially received by Uncle Elijah, who paid him every possible +attention, and gave me a handsome saddle and bridle for my pony, and in +the evening when we rode out to the farm to see my mother and sisters, I +started ahead to show them my present, as well as to tell them who was +coming. They were delighted to see the long-lost Horace, and invited him +to remain with us. When we returned to camp next day, Horace settled up +with the proprietor of the horses, having concluded to make his home with +us for that summer at least. + +Father employed him in cutting house logs and building houses, but this +work not being adapted to his tastes, he soon gave it up, and obtained +government employment in catching United States horses. During the +previous spring the government herd had stampeded from Fort Leavenworth, +and between two and three hundred of the horses were running at large +over the Kansas prairies, and had become quite wild. A reward of ten +dollars was offered for every one of the horses that was captured and +delivered to the quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth. This kind of work of +course just suited the roaming disposition of Billings, especially as it +was similar to that in which he had been engaged in California. The +horses had to be caught with a lasso, with which he was very expert. He +borrowed Little Gray, who was fleet enough for the wildest of the +runaways, and then he at once began his horse hunting. + +[Illustration: EXCITING SPORT.] + +Everything that he did, I wanted to do. He was a sort of hero in my eyes, +and I wished to follow in his footsteps. At my request and with father's +consent, he took me with him, and many a wild and perilous chase he led +me over the prairie. I made rapid advances in the art of horsemanship, +for I could have had no better teacher than Horace Billings. He also +taught me how to throw the lasso, which, though it was a difficult thing +to learn, I finally became, quite skillful in. + +Whenever Horace caught one of the horses which acted obstinately, and +would not be led, he immediately threw him to the ground, put a saddle +and bridle on him, and gave me Little Gray to take care of. He would then +mount the captive horse and ride him into Fort Leavenworth. I spent two +months with Horace in this way, until at last no more of the horses were +to be found. By this time I had become a remarkably good rider for a +youth, and had brought both of my ponies under easy control. + +Horace returned to assist father in hauling logs, which were being used +in building a dwelling for the family who had moved over from Missouri. +One day a team did not work to suit him, and he gave the horses a cruel +beating. This greatly displeased father, who took him to task for it. +Horace's anger flew up in a moment; throwing down the lines he hurried to +the house, and began packing up his traps. That same day he hired out to +a Mormon train, and bidding us all good-bye started for Salt Lake, +driving six yokes of oxen. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. + + +During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log house, and father +continued to trade with the Indians, who became very friendly; hardly a +day passed without a social visit from them. I spent a great deal of time +with the Indian boys, who taught me how to shoot with the bow and arrow, +at which I became quite expert. I also took part in all their sports, and +learned to talk the Kickapoo language to some extent. + +Father desired to express his friendship for these Indians, and +accordingly arranged a grand barbecue for them. He invited them all to be +present on a certain day, which they were; he then presented them with +two fat beeves, to be killed and cooked in the various Indian styles. +Mother made several large boilers full of coffee, which she gave to them, +together with sugar and bread. There were about two hundred Indians in +attendance at the feast, and they all enjoyed and appreciated it. In the +evening they had one of their grand fantastic war dances, which greatly +amused me, it being the first sight of the kind I had ever witnessed. + +My Uncle Elijah and quite a large number of gentlemen and ladies came +over from Weston to attend the entertainment. The Indians returned to +their homes well satisfied. + +My uncle at that time owned a trading post at Silver Lake, in the +Pottawattamie country, on the Kansas river, and he arranged an excursion +to that place. Among the party were several ladies from Weston, and +father, mother and myself. Mr. McMeekan, my uncle's superintendent, who +had come to Weston for supplies, conducted the party to the post. + +The trip across the prairies was a delightful one, and we remained at the +post several days. Father and one or two of the men went on to Fort Riley +to view the country, and upon their return my uncle entertained the +Pottawattamie Indians with a barbecue similar to the one given by father +to the Kickapoos. + +During the latter part of the summer father filled a hay contract at Fort +Leavenworth. I passed much of my time among the campers, and spent days +and days in riding over the country with Mr. William Russell, who was +engaged in the freighting business and who seemed to take a considerable +interest in me. In this way I became acquainted with many wagon-masters, +hunters and teamsters, and learned a great deal about the business of +handling cattle and mules. + +It was an excellent school for me, and I acquired a great deal of +practical knowledge, which afterwards I found to be of invaluable +service, for it was not long before I became employed by Majors & +Russell, remaining with them in different capacities, for several years. + +The winter of 1853-54 was spent by father at our little prairie home in +cutting house logs and fence rails, which he intended to use on his farm, +as soon as the bill for the opening of the territory for settlement +should pass. This bill, which was called the "Enabling act of Kansas +territory," was passed in April, 1854, and father immediately pre-empted +the claim on which we were living. + +The summer of that year was an exciting period in the history of the new +territory. Thousands and thousands of people, seeking new homes, flocked +thither, a large number of the emigrants coming over from adjoining +states. The Missourians, some of them, would come laden with bottles of +whisky, and after drinking the liquor would drive the bottles into the +ground to mark their land claims, not waiting to put up any buildings. + +The Missourians, mostly, were pro-slavery men, and held enthusiastic +meetings at which they expressed their desire that Kansas should be a +slave state and did not hesitate to declare their determination to make +it so. Rively's store was the headquarters for these men, and there they +held their meetings. + +[Illustration: STAKING OUT LOTS.] + +At first they thought father would coincide with them on account of his +brother Elijah being a Missourian, but in this they were greatly +mistaken. At one of their gatherings, when there were about one hundred +of the reckless men present, my father, who happened also to be there, +was called upon for a speech. After considerable urging, he mounted the +box and began speaking, as nearly as I can recollect, as follows: + +"Gentlemen and Fellow-citizens: You have called upon me for a speech, and +I have accepted your invitation rather against my will, as my views may +not accord with the sentiments of the rest of this assembly. My remarks, +at this time, will be brief and to the point. The question before us +to-day is, shall the territory of Kansas be a free or a slave state. The +question of slavery in itself is a broad one, and one which I do not care +at this time and place to discuss at length. I apprehend that your motive +in calling upon me is to have me express my sentiments in regard to the +introduction of slavery into Kansas. I shall gratify your wishes in that +respect. I was one of the pioneers of the State of Iowa, and aided in its +settlement when it was a territory, and helped to organize it as a state. + +"Gentlemen, I voted that it should be a _white_ state--that negroes, +whether free or slave, should never be allowed to locate within its +limits; and, gentlemen, I say to you now, and I say it boldly, that I +propose to exert all my power in making Kansas the same kind of a state +as Iowa. I believe in letting slavery remain as it now exists, and I +shall always oppose its further extension. These are my sentiments, +gentlemen and let me tell you--" + +He never finished this sentence, or his speech. His expressions were +anything but acceptable to the rough-looking crowd, whose ire had been +gradually rising to fever heat, and at this point they hooted and hissed +him, and shouted, "You black abolitionist, shut up!" "Get down from that +box!" "Kill him!" "Shoot him!" and so on. Father, however, maintained his +position on the dry-goods box, notwithstanding the excitement and the +numerous invitations to step down, until a hot-headed pro-slavery man, +who was in the employ of my Uncle Elijah, crowded up and said: "Get off +that box, you black abolitionist, or I'll pull you off." + +Father paid but little attention to him, and attempted to resume his +speech, intending doubtless to explain his position and endeavor to +somewhat pacify the angry crowd. But the fellow jumped up on the box, and +pulling out a huge bowie knife, stabbed father twice, who reeled and fell +to the ground. The man sprang after him, and would have ended his life +then and there, had not some of the better men in the crowd interfered in +time to prevent him from carrying out his murderous intention. + +The excitement was intense, and another assault would probably have been +made on my father, had not Rively hurriedly carried him to his home. +There was no doctor within any reasonable distance, and father at once +requested that he be conveyed in the carriage to his brother Elijah's +house in Weston. My mother and a driver accordingly went there with him, +where his wounds were dressed. He remained in Weston several weeks before +he was able to stir about again, but he never fully recovered from the +wounds, which eventually proved the cause of his death. + +[Illustration: MY FATHER STABBED] + +My uncle of course at once discharged the ruffian from his employ. The +man afterwards became a noted desperado, and was quite conspicuous in the +Kansas war. + +My father's indiscreet speech at Rively's brought upon our family all of +the misfortunes and difficulties which from that time on befell us. As +soon as he was able to attend to his business again, the Missourians +began to harass him in every possible way, and kept it up with hardly a +moment's cessation. Kickapoo City, as it was called, a small town that +had sprung into existence seven miles up the river from Fort +Leavenworth, became the hot-bed of the pro-slavery doctrine and the +headquarters of its advocates. Here was really the beginning of the +Kansas troubles. My father, who had shed the first blood in the cause of +the freedom of Kansas, was notified, upon his return to his trading post, +to leave the territory, and he was threatened with death by hanging or +shooting, if he dared to remain. + +[Illustration: MY FATHER'S ESCAPE] + +One night a body of armed men, mounted on horses, rode up to our house +and surrounded it. Knowing what they had come for, and seeing that there +would be but little chance for him in an encounter with them, father +determined to make his escape by a little stratagem. Hastily disguising +himself in mother's bonnet and shawl, he boldly walked out of the house +and proceeded towards the corn-field. The darkness proved a great +protection, as the horsemen, between whom he passed, were unable to +detect him in his disguise; supposing him to be a woman, they neither +halted him nor followed him, and he passed safely on into the +corn-field, where he concealed himself. + +The horsemen soon dismounted and inquired for father; mother very +truthfully told them that he was away. They were not satisfied with her +statement, however, and they at once made a thorough search of the house. +They raved and swore when they could not find him, and threatened him +with death whenever they should catch him. I am sure if they had captured +him that night, they would have killed him. They carried off nearly +everything of value in the house and about the premises; then going to +the pasture, they drove off all the horses; my pony Prince afterward +succeeding in breaking away from them and came back home. Father lay +secreted in the corn-field for three days, as there were men in the +vicinity who were watching for him all the time; he finally made his +escape, and reached Fort Leavenworth in safety, whither the pro-slavery +men did not dare to follow him. + +While he was staying at Fort Leavenworth, he heard that Jim Lane, Captain +Cleveland and Captain Chandler were on their way from Indiana to Kansas +with a body of Free State men, between two and three hundred strong. They +were to cross the Missouri river near Doniphan, between Leavenworth and +Nebraska City; their destination being Lawrence. Father determined to +join them, and took passage on a steamboat which was going up the river. +Having reached the place of crossing, he made himself known to the +leaders of the party, by whom he was most cordially received. + +The pro-slavery men, hearing of the approach of the Free State party, +resolved to drive them out of the territory. The two parties met at +Hickory Point, where a severe battle was fought, several being killed; +the victory resulted in favor of the Free State men, who passed on to +Lawrence without much further opposition. My father finally left them, +and seeing that he could no longer live at home, went to Grasshopper +Falls, thirty-five miles west of Leavenworth; there he began the +erection of a saw-mill. + +While he was thus engaged we learned from one of our hired workmen at +home, that the pro-slavery men had laid another plan to kill him, and +were on their way to Grasshopper Falls to carry out their intention. +Mother at once started me off on Prince to warn father of the coming +danger. When I had gone about seven miles I suddenly came upon a party of +men, who were camped at the crossing of Stranger Creek. As I passed along +I heard one of them, who recognized me, say, "That's the son of the old +abolitionist we are after;" and the next moment I was commanded to halt. + +[Illustration: LIFE OR DEATH.] + +Instead of stopping I instantly started my pony on a run, and on looking +back I saw that I was being pursued by three or four of the party, who +had mounted their horses, no doubt supposing that they could easily +capture me. It was very fortunate that I had heard the remark about my +being "the son of the abolitionist," for then I knew in an instant that +they were _en route_ to Grasshopper Falls to murder my father. I at once +saw the importance of my escaping and warning father in time. It was a +matter of life or death to him. So I urged Prince to his utmost speed, +feeling that upon him and myself depended a human life--a life that was +dearer to me than that of any other man in the world. I led my pursuers a +lively chase for four or five miles; finally, when they saw they could +not catch me, they returned to their camp. I kept straight on to +Grasshopper Falls, arriving there in ample time to inform him of the +approach of his old enemies. + +That same night father and I rode to Lawrence, which had become the +headquarters of the Free State men. There he met Jim Lane and several +other leading characters, who were then organizing what was known as the +Lecompton Legislature. + +Father was elected as a member of that body, and took an active part in +organizing the first legislature of Kansas, under Governor Reeder, who, +by the way, was a Free State man and a great friend of father's. + +About this time agents were being sent to the East to induce emigrants to +locate in Kansas, and father was sent as one of these agents to Ohio. +After the legislature had been organized at Lawrence, he departed for +Ohio and was absent several months. + +A few days after he had gone, I started for home by the way of Fort +Leavenworth, accompanied by two men, who were going to the fort on +business. As we were crossing a stream called Little Stranger, we were +fired upon by some unknown party; one of my companions, whose name has +escaped my memory, was killed. The other man and myself put spurs to our +horses and made a dash for our lives. We succeeded in making our escape, +though a farewell shot or two was sent after us. At Fort Leavenworth I +parted company with my companion, and reached home without any further +adventure. + +My mother and sisters, who had not heard of my father or myself since I +had been sent to warn him of his danger, had become very anxious and +uneasy about us, and were uncertain as to whether we were dead or alive. +I received a warm welcome home, and as I entered the house, mother seemed +to read from the expression of my countenance that father was safe; of +course the very first question she asked was as to his whereabouts, and +in reply I handed her a long letter from him which explained everything. +Mother blessed me again and again for having saved his life. + +While father was absent in Ohio, we were almost daily visited by some of +the pro-slavery men, who helped themselves to anything they saw fit, and +frequently compelled my mother and sisters to cook for them, and to +otherwise submit to a great deal of bad treatment. Hardly a day passed +without some of them inquiring "where the old man was," saying they would +kill him on sight. Thus we passed the summer of 1854, remaining at our +home notwithstanding the unpleasant surroundings, as mother had made up +her mind not to be driven out of the country. My uncle and other friends +advised her to leave Kansas and move to Missouri, because they did not +consider our lives safe, as we lived so near the headquarters of the +pro-slavery men, who had sworn vengeance upon father. + +Nothing, however, could persuade mother to change her determination. She +said that the pro-slavery men had taken everything except the land and +the little home, and she proposed to remain there as long as she lived, +happen what might. Our only friends in Salt Creek valley were two +families; one named Lawrence, the other Hathaway, and the peaceable +Indians, who occasionally visited us. My uncle, living in Missouri and +being somewhat in fear of the pro-slavery men, could not assist us much, +beyond expressing his sympathy and sending us provisions. + +In the winter of 1854-55 father returned from Ohio, but as soon as his +old enemies learned that he was with us, they again compelled him to +leave. He proceeded to Lawrence, and there spent the winter in attending +the Lecompton Legislature. The remainder of the year he passed mostly at +Grasshopper Falls, where he completed his saw-mill. He occasionally +visited home under cover of the night, and in the most secret manner; +virtually carrying his life in his hand. + +In the spring of this year (1855) a pro-slavery party came to our house +to search for father; not finding him, they departed, taking with them my +pony, Prince. I shall never forget the man who stole that pony. He +afterwards rose from the low level of a horse thief to the high dignity +of a justice of the peace, and I think still lives at Kickapoo. The loss +of my faithful pony nearly broke my heart and bankrupted me in business, +as I had nothing to ride. + +One day, soon afterwards, I met my old friend, Mr. Russell, to whom I +related all my troubles, and his generous heart was touched by my story. +"Billy, my boy," said he, "cheer up, and come to Leavenworth, and I'll +employ you. I'll give you twenty-five dollars a month to herd cattle." + +I accepted the offer, and heartily thanking him, hurried home to obtain +mother's consent. She refused to let me go, and all my pleading was in +vain. Young as I was--being then only in my tenth year, my ideas and +knowledge of the world, however, being far in advance of my age--I +determined to run away from home. Mr. Russell's offer of twenty-five +dollars a month was a temptation which I could not resist. The +remuneration for my services seemed very large to me, and I accordingly +stole away and walked to Leavenworth. + +Mr. Badger, one of Mr. Russell's superintendents, immediately sent me +out, mounted on a little gray mule, to herd cattle. I worked at this for +two months, and then came into Leavenworth. I had not been home during +all this time, but mother had learned from Mr. Russell where I was, and +she no longer felt uneasy, as he had advised her to let me remain in his +employ. He assured her that I was all right, and said that when the herd +came in he would allow me to make a visit home. + +Upon my arrival in Leavenworth with the herd of cattle, Mr. Russell +instructed his book-keeper, Mr. Byers, to pay me my wages, amounting to +fifty dollars. Byers gave me the sum all in half-dollar pieces. I put the +bright silver coins into a sack, which I tied to my mule, and started +home, thinking myself a _millionaire_. This money I gave to mother, who +had already forgiven me for running away. + +Thus began my service for the firm of Russell & Majors, afterwards +Russell, Majors & Waddell, with whom I spent seven years of my life in +different capacities--such as cavallard-driver, wagon-master, pony +express rider and driver. I continued to work for Mr. Russell during +the rest of the summer of 1855, and in the winter of 1855-56 I +attended school. + +Father, who still continued to secretly visit home, was anxious to have +his children receive as much of an education as possible, under the +adverse circumstances surrounding us, and he employed a teacher, Miss +Jennie Lyons, to come to our house and teach. My mother was well +educated--more so than my father--and it used to worry her a great deal +because her children could not receive better educational advantages. +However, the little school at home got along exceedingly well, and we all +made rapid advances in our studies, as Miss Lyons was an excellent +teacher. She afterwards married a gentleman named Hook, who became the +first mayor of Cheyenne, where she now lives. + +The Kansas troubles reached their highest pitch in the spring of 1856, +and our family continued to be harassed as much as ever by our old +enemies. I cannot now recollect one-half of the serious difficulties that +we had to encounter; but I very distinctly remember one incident well +worth relating. I came home one night on a visit from Leavenworth, being +accompanied by a fellow-herder--a young man. During the night we heard a +noise outside of the house, and soon the dogs began barking loudly. We +looked out to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and saw that the +house was surrounded by a party of men. Mother had become accustomed to +such occurrences, and on this occasion she seemed to be master of the +situation from the start. Opening a window, she coolly sang out, in a +firm tone of voice: "Who are you? What do you want here?" + +"We are after that old abolition husband of yours," was the answer from +one of the crowd. + +"He is not in this house, and has not been here for a long time," said +my mother. + +"That's a lie! We know he is in the house, and we are bound to have him," +said the spokesman of the party. + +I afterwards learned they had mistaken the herder, who had ridden home +with me, for my father for whom they had been watching. + +"My husband is not at home," emphatically repeated my heroic mother--for +if there ever was a heroine she certainly was one--"but the house is full +of armed men," continued she, "and I'll give you just two minutes to get +out of the yard; if you are not out by the end of that time I shall order +them to fire on you." + +She withdrew from the window for a few moments and hurriedly instructed +the herder to call aloud certain names--any that he might think of--just +as if the house was full of men to whom he was giving orders. He followed +her directions to the very letter. He could not have done it any better +had he rehearsed the act a dozen times. + +The party outside heard him, as it was intended they should, and they +supposed that my mother really had quite a force at her command. While +this little by play was being enacted, she stepped to the open window +again and said: + +"John Green, you and your friends had better go away or the men will +surely fire on you." + +At this, point the herder, myself and my sisters commenced stamping on +the floor in imitation of a squad of soldiers, and the herder issued his +orders in a loud voice to his imaginary troops, who were apparently +approaching the window preparatory to firing a volley at the enemy. This +little stratagem proved eminently successful. The cowardly villains began +retreating, and then my mother fired an old gun into the air which +greatly accelerated their speed, causing them to break and run. They soon +disappeared from view in the darkness. + +The next morning we accidentally discovered that they had intended to +blow up the house. Upon going into the cellar which had been left open on +one side, we found two kegs of powder together with a fuse secreted +there. It only required a lighted match to have sent us into eternity. My +mother's presence of mind, which had never yet deserted her in any trying +situation, had saved our lives. + +Shortly after this affair, I came home again on a visit and found father +there sick with fever, and confined to his bed. One day my old enemy rode +up to the house on my pony Prince, which he had stolen from me. + +"What is your business here to-day?" asked mother. + +"I am looking for the old man," he replied. "I am going to search the +house, and if I find him I am going to kill him. Here, you girls," said +he, addressing my sisters, "get me some dinner, and get it quick, too, +for I am as hungry as a wolf." + +"Very well; pray be seated, and we'll get you something to eat," said one +of my sisters, without exhibiting the least sign of fear. + +He sat down, and while they were preparing a dinner for him, he took out +a big knife and sharpened it on a whetstone, repeating his threat of +searching the house and killing my father. + +I had witnessed the whole proceeding, and heard the threats, and I +determined that the man should never go up stairs where father was lying +in bed, unable to rise. Taking a double-barreled pistol which I had +recently bought, I went to the head of the stairs, cocked the weapon, and +waited for the ruffian to come up, determined, that the moment he set +foot on the steps I would kill him. I was relieved, however, from the +stern necessity, as he did not make his appearance. + +The brute was considerably intoxicated when he came to the house, and the +longer he sat still the more his brain became muddled with liquor, and he +actually forgot what he had come there for. After he had eaten his +dinner, he mounted his horse and rode off, and it was a fortunate thing +for him that he did. + +Father soon recovered and returned to Grasshopper Falls, while I resumed +my cattle herding. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. + + +In July, 1856, the people living in the vicinity of our home--feeling the +necessity of more extensive educational facilities for their children +than they had yet had--started a subscription school in a little log +cabin on the bank of the creek, which for a while proved quite a success. +My mother being very anxious to have me attend this school, I acceded to +her oft-repeated wishes, and returning home, I became a pupil of the +institution. I made considerable progress in my studies--such as they +were--and was getting along very well in every other respect, until I +became involved in my first love affair. + +Like all school-boys, I had a sweetheart with whom I was "dead in +love"--in a juvenile way. Her name was Mary Hyatt. Of course I had a +rival, Stephen Gobel, a boy about three years my senior--the "bully" +of the school. He was terribly jealous, and sought in every way to +revenge himself upon me for having won the childish affections of +sweet little Mary. + +The boys of the school used to build play-houses or arbors among the +trees and bushes for their sweethearts. I had built a play-house for +Mary, when Steve, as we called him, leveled it to the ground. We +immediately had a very lively fight, in which I got badly beaten. The +teacher heard of our quarrel and whipped us both. This made matters worse +than ever, as I had received two thrashings to Steve's one; I smothered +my angry feelings as much as possible under the humiliating +circumstances, and during the afternoon recess built another play-house, +thinking that Gobel would not dare to destroy a second one; but I was +mistaken, for he pushed the whole structure over at the first +opportunity. I came up to him just as he finished the job, and said: + +"Steve Gobel, the next time you do that, I'll hurt you." And I meant it, +too; but he laughed and called me names. + +[Illustration: TWO TO ONE.] + +At recess, next morning, I began the construction of still another +playhouse, and when I had it about two-thirds finished, Steve slyly +sneaked up to the spot and tipped the whole thing over. I jumped for him +with the quickness of a cat, and clutching him by the throat for a moment +I had the advantage of him. But he was too strong for me, and soon had me +on the ground and was beating me severely. While away from home I had +someway come into possession of a very small pocket dagger, which I had +carried about with me in its sheath, using it in place of a knife. During +the struggle this fell from my pocket, and my hand by accident rested +upon it as it lay upon the ground. Exasperated beyond measure at Steve's +persistence in destroying my play-houses, and smarting under his blows, I +forgot myself for the moment, grasped the dagger and unthinkingly thrust +it into Steve's thigh. Had it been larger it would probably have injured +him severely; as it was, it made a small wound, sufficient to cause the +blood to flow freely and Steve to cry out in affright: + +"I am killed! O, I am killed!" + +The school children all rushed to the spot and were terrified at +the scene. + +"What's the matter?" asked one. + +"Bill Cody has killed Steve Gobel," replied another. + +The uproar reached the teacher's ear, and I now saw him approaching, with +vengeance in his eye and a big club in his hand. I knew that he was +coming to interview _me_. I was dreadfully frightened at what I had done, +and undecided whether to run away or to remain and take the consequences; +but the sight of that flag-staff in the school teacher's hand was too +much for me. I no longer hesitated, but started off like a deer. The +teacher followed in hot pursuit, but soon became convinced that he could +not catch me, and gave up the chase. I kept on running, until I reached +one of Russell, Major & Waddell's freight trains which I had noticed +going over the hill for the west. Fortunately for me I knew the +wagon-master, John Willis, and as soon as I recovered my breath I told +him what had happened. + +"Served him right, Billy," said he, "and what's more, we'll go over and +clean out the teacher." + +"Oh, no; don't do that," said I, for I was afraid that I might fall +into the hands of the wounded boy's friends, who I knew would soon be +looking for me. + +"Well, Billy, come along with me; I am bound for Fort Kearney; the trip +will take me forty days. I want you for a cavallard driver." + +"All right," I replied, "but I must go home and tell mother about it, and +get some clothes." + +"Well then, to-night after we make our camp, I'll go back with you." + +The affray broke up the school for the rest of the day as the excitement +was too much for the children. Late in the afternoon, after the train had +moved on some considerable distance, I saw Steve's father, his brother +Frank, and one of the neighbors rapidly approaching. + +"Mr. Willis, there comes old Gobel, with Frank and somebody else, and +they are after me--what am I going to do?" I asked. + +"Let 'em come," said he, "they can't take you if I've got anything to say +about it, and I rather think I have. Get into one of the wagons--keep +quiet and lay low. I'll manage this little job. Don't you fret a bit +about it." + +I obeyed his orders and felt much easier. + +Old Gobel, Frank and the neighbor soon came up and inquired for me. + +"He's around here somewhere," said Mr. Willis. + +"We want him," said Gobel; "he stabbed my son a little while ago, and I +want to arrest him." + +"Well, you can't get him; that settles it; so you needn't waste any of +your time around here," said Willis. + +Gobel continued to talk for a few minutes, but getting no greater +satisfaction, the trio returned home. + +When night came, Willis accompanied me on horseback to my home. Mother, +who had anxiously searched for me everywhere--being afraid that something +had befallen me at the hands of the Gobels--was delighted to see me, +notwithstanding the difficulty in which I had become involved. I at once +told her that at present I was afraid to remain at home, and had +accordingly made up my mind to absent myself for a few weeks or +months--at least until the excitement should die out. Mr. Willis said to +her that he would take me to Fort Kearney with him, and see that I was +properly cared for, and would bring me back safely in forty days. + +Mother at first seriously objected to my going on this trip fearing I +would fall into the hands of Indians. Her fears, however, were soon +overcome, and she concluded to let me go. She fixed me up a big bundle of +clothing and gave me a quilt. Kissing her and my sisters a fond farewell, +I started off on my first trip across the plains, and with a light heart +too, notwithstanding my trouble of a few hours before. + +The trip proved a most enjoyable one to me, although no incidents +worthy of note occurred on the way. On my return from Fort Kearney I +was paid off the same as the rest of the employees. The remainder of +the summer and fall I spent in herding cattle and working for Russell, +Majors & Waddell. + +I finally ventured home--not without some fear, however, of the Gobel +family--and was delighted to learn that during my absence mother had had +an interview with Mr. Gobel, and having settled the difficulty with him, +the two families had become friends again, and I may state, incidentally, +that they ever after remained so. I have since often met Stephen Gobel, +and we have had many a laugh together over our love affair and the affray +at the school-house. Mary Hyatt, the innocent cause of the whole +difficulty, is now married and living in Chicago. Thus ended my first +love scrape. + +In the winter of 1856-57 my father, in company with a man named J.C. +Boles, went to Cleveland, Ohio, and organized a colony of about thirty +families, whom they brought to Kansas and located on the Grasshopper. +Several of these families still reside there. + +It was during this winter that father, after his return from Cleveland, +caught a severe cold. This, in connection with the wound he had received +at Rively's--from which he had never entirely recovered--affected him +seriously, and in April, 1857, he died at home from kidney disease. + +This sad event left my mother and the family in poor circumstances, and I +determined to follow the plains for a livelihood for them and myself. I +had no difficulty in obtaining work under my old employers, and in May, +1857, I started for Salt Lake City with a herd of beef cattle, in charge +of Frank and Bill McCarthy, for General Albert Sidney Johnson's army, +which was then being sent across the plains to fight the Mormons. + +Nothing occurred to interrupt our journey until we reached Plum Creek, on +the South Platte river, thirty-five miles west of Old Fort Kearney. We +had made a morning drive and had camped for dinner. The wagon-masters and +a majority of the men had gone to sleep under the mess wagons; the cattle +were being guarded by three men, and the cook was preparing dinner. No +one had any idea that Indians were anywhere near us. The first warning we +had that they were infesting that part of the country was the firing of +shots and the whoops and yells from a party of them, who, catching us +napping, gave us a most unwelcome surprise. All the men jumped to their +feet and seized their guns. They saw with astonishment the cattle running +in every direction, they having been stampeded by the Indians, who had +shot and killed the three men who were on day-herd duty, and the red +devils were now charging down upon the rest of us. + +I then thought of mother's fears of my falling into the hands of the +Indians, and I had about made up my mind that such was to be my fate; but +when I saw how coolly and determinedly the McCarthy brothers were +conducting themselves and giving orders to the little band, I became +convinced that we would "stand the Indians off," as the saying is. Our +men were all well armed with Colt's revolvers and Mississippi yagers, +which last, carried a bullet, and two buckshots. + +The McCarthy boys, at the proper moment, gave orders to fire upon the +advancing enemy. The volley checked them, although they returned the +compliment, and shot one of our party through the leg. Frank McCarthy +then sang out, "Boys, make a break for the slough yonder, and we can then +have the bank for a breast-work." + +[Illustration: KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN.] + +We made a run for the slough which was only a short distance off, +and succeeded in safely reaching it, bringing with us the wounded +man. The bank proved to be a very effective breast-work, affording +us good protection. We had been there but a short time when Frank +McCarthy, seeing that the longer we were corraled the worse it would +be for us, said: + +"Well, boys, we'll try to make our way back to Fort Kearney by wading in +the river and keeping the bank for a breast-work." + +We all agreed that this was the best plan, and we accordingly proceeded +down the river several miles in this way, managing to keep the Indians at +a safe distance with our guns, until the slough made a junction with the +main Platte river. From there down we found the river at times quite +deep, and in order to carry the wounded man along with us we constructed +a raft of poles for his accommodation, and in this way he was +transported. + +Occasionally the water would be too deep for us to wade, and we were +obliged to put our weapons on the raft and swim. The Indians followed us +pretty close, and were continually watching for an opportunity to get a +good range and give us a raking fire. Covering ourselves by keeping well +under the bank, we pushed ahead as rapidly as possible, and made pretty +good progress, the night finding us still on the way and our enemies +still on our track. + +I being the youngest and smallest of the party, became somewhat tired, +and without noticing it I had fallen behind the others for some little +distance. It was about ten o'clock and we were keeping very quiet and +hugging close to the bank, when I happened to look up to the moon-lit sky +and saw the plumed head of an Indian peeping over the bank. Instead of +hurrying ahead and alarming the men in a quiet way, I instantly aimed my +gun at the head and fired. The report rang out sharp and loud on the +night air, and was immediately followed by an Indian whoop, and the next +moment about six feet of dead Indian came tumbling into the river. I was +not only overcome with astonishment, but was badly scared, as I could +hardly realize what I had done. I expected to see the whole force of +Indians come down upon us. While I was standing thus bewildered, the men, +who had heard the shot and the war-whoop and had seen the Indian take a +tumble, came rushing back. + +"Who fired that shot?" cried Frank McCarthy. + +"I did," replied I, rather proudly, as my confidence returned and I saw +the men coming up. + +"Yes, and little Billy has killed an Indian stone-dead--too dead to +skin," said one of the men, who had approached nearer than the rest, and +had almost stumbled upon the corpse. From that time forward I became a +hero and an Indian killer. This was, of course, the first Indian I had +ever shot, and as I was not then more than eleven years of age, my +exploit created quite a sensation. + +The other Indians, upon learning what had happened to their "advance +guard," set up a terrible howling, and fired several volleys at us, but +without doing any injury, as we were so well protected by the bank. We +resumed our journey down the river, and traveled all night long. Just +before daylight, Frank McCarthy crawled out over the bank and discovered +that we were only five miles from Fort Kearney, which post we reached in +safety in about two hours,--shortly after _reveille_--bringing the +wounded man with us. It was indeed a relief to us all to feel that once +more we were safe. + +Frank McCarthy immediately reported to the commanding officer and +informed him of all that had happened. The commandant at once ordered a +company of cavalry and one of infantry to proceed to Plum Creek on a +forced march--taking a howitzer with them--to endeavor to recapture the +cattle from the Indians. + +The firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell had a division agent at Kearney, +and this agent mounted us on mules so that we could accompany the troops. +On reaching the place where the Indians had surprised us, we found the +bodies of the three men whom they had killed and scalped, and literally +cut into pieces. We of course buried the remains. We caught but few of +the cattle; the most of them having been driven off and stampeded with +the buffaloes, there being numerous immense herds of the latter in that +section of the country at that time. The Indian's trail was discovered +running south towards the Republican river, and the troops followed it to +the head of Plum Creek, and there abandoned it, returning to Fort Kearney +without having seen a single red-skin. + +The company's agent, seeing that there was no further use for us in that +vicinity--as we had lost our cattle and mules--sent us back to Fort +Leavenworth. The company, it is proper to state, did not have to stand +the loss of the expedition, as the government held itself responsible for +such depredations by the Indians. + +On the day that I got into Leavenworth, sometime in July, I was +interviewed for the first time in my life by a newspaper reporter, and +the next morning I found my name in print as "the youngest Indian slayer +on the plains." I am candid enough to admit that I felt very much elated +over this notoriety. Again and again I read with eager interest the long +and sensational account of our adventure. My exploit was related in a +very graphic manner, and for a long time afterwards I was considerable of +a hero. The reporter who had thus set me up, as I then thought, on the +highest pinnacle of fame, was John Hutchinson, and I felt very grateful +to him. He now lives in Wichita, Kansas. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN BUSINESS. + + +In the summer of 1857, Russell, Majors & Waddell were sending a great +many trains across the plains to Salt Lake with supplies for General +Johnston's army. Men were in great demand, and the company was paying +teamsters forty dollars per month in gold. An old and reliable +wagon-master, named Lewis Simpson--who had taken a great fancy to me, and +who, by the way, was one of the best wagon-masters that ever ran a bull +train--was loading a train for the company, and was about to start out +with it for Salt Lake. He asked me to go along as an "extra hand." The +high wages that were being paid were a great inducement to me, and the +position of an "extra hand" was a pleasant one. All that I would have to +do would be to take the place of any man who became sick, and drive his +wagon until he recovered. I would have my own mule to ride, and to a +certain extent I would be a minor boss. + +My mother was very much opposed to my taking this long trip, as I would +be absent nearly a year, and there was a possibility that something +might arise to prevent me from ever coming back, as we could not often +tell how the Mormon difficulty would terminate. Then again, owing to the +Indians, a journey over the plains in those days was a perilous +undertaking. She said that as I had recently returned from the plains, +and had had a narrow escape from death at the hands of the Indians, she +did not want me to risk my life a second time. I told her that inasmuch +as I had determined to follow the plains for an occupation, nothing +could now stop me from going on this trip, and if it became necessary I +would run away. + +Seeing that it was impossible to keep me at home, she reluctantly gave +her consent, but not until she had called upon Mr. Russell and Mr. +Simpson in regard to the matter, and had obtained from the latter +gentleman his promise that I should be well taken care of, if we had to +winter in the mountains. She did not like the appearance of Simpson, and +upon inquiry she learned, to her dismay, that he was a desperate +character, and that on nearly every trip he had made across the plains he +had killed some one. Such a man, she thought, was not a fit master or +companion for her son, and she was very anxious to have me go with some +other wagon-master; but I still insisted upon remaining with Simpson. + +"Madam, I can assure you that Lew. Simpson is one of the most reliable +wagon-masters on the plains," said Mr. Russell, "and he has taken a great +fancy to Billy. If your boy is bound to go, he can go with no better man. +No one will dare to impose on him while he is with Lew. Simpson, whom I +will instruct to take good care of the boy. Upon reaching Fort Laramie, +Billy can, if he wishes, exchange places with some fresh man coming back +on a returning train, and thus come home without making the whole trip." + +This seemed to satisfy mother, and then she had a long talk with Simpson +himself, imploring him not to forget his promise to take good care of her +precious boy. He promised everything that she asked. Thus, after much +trouble, I became one of the members of Simpson's train. Before taking +our departure, I arranged with Russell, Majors & Waddell that when my pay +should fall due it should be paid over to mother. + +As a matter of interest to the general reader, it may be well in this +connection to give a brief description of a freight train. The wagons +used in those days by Russell, Majors & Waddell were known as the "J. +Murphy wagons," made at St. Louis specially for the plains business. They +were very large and were strongly built, being capable of carrying seven +thousand pounds of freight each. The wagon-boxes were very +commodious--being as large as the rooms of an ordinary house--and were +covered with two heavy canvas sheets to protect the merchandise from the +rain. These wagons were generally sent out from Leavenworth, each loaded +with six thousand pounds of freight, and each drawn by several yokes of +oxen in charge of one driver. A train consisted of twenty-five wagons, +all in charge of one man, who was known as the wagon-master. The second +man in command was the assistant wagon-master; then came the "extra +hand," next the night herder; and lastly, the cavallard driver, whose +duty it was to drive the lame and loose cattle. There were thirty-one men +all told in a train. The men did their own cooking, being divided into +messes of seven. One man cooked, another brought wood and water, another +stood guard, and so on, each having some duty to perform while getting +meals. All were heavily armed with Colt's pistols and Mississippi yagers, +and every one always had his weapons handy so as to be prepared for any +emergency. + +The wagon-master, in the language of the plains, was called the +"bull-wagon boss"; the teamsters were known as "bull-whackers"; and the +whole train was denominated a "bull-outfit." Everything at that time was +called an "outfit." The men of the plains were always full of droll +humor and exciting stories of their own experiences, and many an hour I +spent in listening to the recitals of thrilling adventures and +hair-breadth escapes. + +Russell, Majors & Waddell had in their employ two hundred and fifty +trains, composed of 6,250 wagons, 75,000 oxen, and about eight thousand +men; their business reaching to all the government frontier posts in the +north and west, to which they transported supplies, and they also carried +freight as far south as New Mexico. + +[Illustration: A PRAIRIE SCHOONER.] + +The trail to Salt Lake ran through Kansas to the northwest, crossing the +Big Blue river, then over the Big and Little Sandy, coming into Nebraska +near the Big Sandy. The next stream of any importance was the Little +Blue, along which the trail ran for sixty miles; then crossed a range of +sand-hills and struck the Platte river ten miles below Old Fort Kearney; +thence the course lay up the South Platte to the old Ash Hollow Crossing, +thence eighteen miles across to the North Platte--near the mouth of the +Blue Water, where General Harney had his great battle in 1855 with the +Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. From this point the North Platte was +followed, passing Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and +then on to Fort Laramie, where the Laramie River was crossed. Still +following the North Platte for some considerable distance, the trail +crossed this river at old Richard's Bridge, and followed it up to the +celebrated Red Buttes--crossing the Willow creeks to the Sweet Water, +passing the great Independence Rock and the Devil's gate, up to the Three +Crossings of the Sweet Water, thence past the Cold Springs, where, three +feet under the sod, on the hottest day of summer, ice can be found; +thence to the Hot Springs and the Rocky Ridge, and through the Rocky +Mountains and Echo Cañon, and thence on to the Great Salt Lake valley. + +We had started on our trip with everything in good shape, following +the above described trail. During the first week or two out, I became +well acquainted with most of the train men, and with one in +particular, who became a life-long and intimate friend of mine. His +real name was James B. Hickok; he afterwards became famous as "Wild +Bill, the Scout of the Plains"--though why he was so called I never +could ascertain--and from this time forward I shall refer to him by +his popular nickname. He was ten years my senior--a tall, handsome, +magnificently built and powerful young fellow, who could out-run, +out-jump and out-fight any man in the train. He was generally admitted +to be the best man physically, in the employ of Russell, Majors & +Waddell; and of his bravery there was not a doubt. General Custer, in +his "Life on the Plains," thus speaks of Wild Bill: + + * * * * * + +"Among the white scouts were numbered some of the most noted of their +class. The most prominent man among them was 'Wild Bill,' whose highly +varied career was made the subject of an illustrated sketch in one of the +popular monthly periodicals a few years ago. 'Wild Bill' was a strange +character, just the one which a novelist might gloat over. He was a +plains-man in every sense of the word, yet unlike any other of his class. +In person he was about six feet and one inch in height, straight as the +straightest of the warriors whose implacable foe he was. He had broad +shoulders, well-formed chest and limbs, and a face strikingly handsome; a +sharp, clear blue eye, which stared you straight in the face when in +conversation; a finely shaped nose, inclined to be aquiline; a +well-turned mouth, with lips only partially concealed by a handsome +moustache. His hair and complexion were those of the perfect blonde. The +former was worn in uncut ringlets, falling carelessly over his powerfully +formed shoulders. Add to this figure a costume blending the immaculate +neatness of the dandy with the extravagant taste and style of the +frontiersman, and you have Wild Bill.... Whether on foot or on horseback, +he was one of the most perfect types of physical manhood I ever saw. + +"Of his courage there could be no question; it had been brought to the +test on too many occasions to admit of a doubt. His skill in the use of +the pistol and rifle was unerring; while his deportment was exactly the +opposite of what might be expected from a man of his surroundings. It was +entirely free from all bluster or bravado. He seldom spoke himself unless +requested to do so. His conversation, strange to say, never bordered +either on the vulgar or blasphemous. His influence among the frontiersmen +was unbounded, his word was law; and many are the personal quarrels and +disturbances which he has checked among his comrades by his simple +announcement that 'This has gone far enough,'--if need be followed by the +ominous warning that when persisted in or renewed the quarreler 'must +settle it with me.' + +"Wild Bill was anything but a quarrelsome man; yet no one but him could +enumerate the many conflicts in which he had been engaged, and which had +almost always resulted in the death of his adversary. I have a personal +knowledge of at least half a dozen men whom he had at various times +killed, one of these being at the time a member of my command. Others had +been severely wounded, yet he always escaped unhurt. + +"On the plains every man openly carries his belt with its invariable +appendages, knife and revolver--often two of the latter. Wild Bill always +carried two handsome ivory-handled revolvers of the large size; he was +never seen without them.... Yet in all the many affairs of this kind in +which Wild Bill has performed a part, and which have come to my +knowledge, there was not a single instance in which the verdict of twelve +fair-minded men would not have been pronounced in his favor." + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: WILD BILL.] + +Such is the faithful picture of Wild Bill as drawn by General Custer, who +was a close observer and student of personal character, and under whom +Wild Bill served as a scout. + +The circumstances under which I first made his acquaintance and learned +to know him well and to appreciate his manly character and +kind-heartedness, were these. One of the teamsters in Lew. Simpson's +train was a surly, overbearing fellow, and took particular delight in +bullying and tyrannizing over me, and one day while we were at dinner he +asked me to do something for him. I did not start at once, and he gave me +a slap in the face with the back of his hand,--knocking me off an +ox-yoke on which I was sitting, and sending me sprawling on the ground. +Jumping to my feet I picked up a camp kettle full of boiling coffee which +was setting on the fire, and threw it at him. I hit him in the face, and +the hot coffee gave him a severe scalding. He sprang for me with the +ferocity of a tiger, and would undoubtedly have torn me to pieces, had it +not been for the timely interference of my new-found friend, Wild Bill, +who knocked the man down. As soon as he recovered himself, he demanded of +Wild Bill what business it was of his that he should "put in his oar." +"It's my business to protect that boy, or anybody else, from being +unmercifully abused, kicked and cuffed, and I'll whip any man who tries +it on," said Wild Bill; "and if you ever again lay a hand on that +boy--little Billy there--I'll give you such a pounding that you won't get +over it for a month of Sundays." From that time forward Wild Bill was my +protector and intimate friend, and the friendship thus begun continued +until his death. + +Nothing transpired on the trip to delay or give us any trouble whatever, +until the train struck the South Platte river. One day we camped on the +same ground where the Indians had surprised the cattle herd, in charge of +the McCarty brothers. It was with difficulty that we discovered any +traces of anybody ever having camped there before, the only landmark +being the single grave, now covered with grass, in which we had buried +the three men who had been killed. The country was alive with buffaloes. +Vast herds of these monarchs of the plains were roaming all around us, +and we laid over one day for a grand hunt. Besides killing quite a +number of buffaloes, and having a day of rare sport, we captured ten or +twelve head of cattle, they being a portion of the herd which had been +stampeded by the Indians, two months before. The next day we pulled out +of camp, and the train was strung out to a considerable length along the +road which ran near the foot of the sand-hills, two miles from the river. +Between the road and the river we saw a large herd of buffaloes grazing +quietly, they having been down to the stream for a drink. + +Just at this time we observed a party of returning Californians coming +from the West. They, too, noticed the buffalo herd, and in another moment +they were dashing down upon them, urging their steeds to the greatest +speed. The buffalo herd stampeded at once, and broke for the hills; so +hotly were they pursued by the hunters that about five hundred of them +rushed through our train pell-mell, frightening both men and oxen. Some +of the wagons were turned clear round, and many of the terrified oxen +attempted to run to the hills, with the heavy wagons attached to them. +Others turned around so short that they broke the wagon tongues off. +Nearly all the teams got entangled in their gearing, and became wild and +unruly, so that the perplexed drivers were unable to manage them. + +The buffaloes, the cattle, and the drivers, were soon running in every +direction, and the excitement upset nearly everybody and everything. Many +of the cattle broke their yokes and stampeded. One big buffalo bull +became entangled in one of the heavy wagon-chains, and it is a fact that +in his desperate efforts to free himself, he not only actually snapped +the strong chain in two, but broke the ox-yoke to which it was attached, +and the last seen of him he was running towards the hills with it hanging +from his horns. A dozen other equally remarkable incidents happened +during the short time that the frantic buffaloes were playing havoc with +our train, and when they had got through and left us, our outfit was very +badly crippled and scattered. This caused us to go into camp and spend a +day in replacing the broken tongues, and repairing other damages, and +gathering up our scattered ox-teams. + +The next day we rolled out of camp, and proceeded on our way towards the +setting sun. Everything ran along smoothly with us from that point until +we came within about eighteen miles of Green river, in the Rocky +mountains--where we camped at noon. At this place we had to drive our +cattle about a mile and a half to a creek to water them. Simpson, his +assistant, George Woods and myself, accompanied by the usual number of +guards, drove the cattle over to the creek, and while on our way back to +camp, we suddenly observed a party of twenty horsemen rapidly approaching +us. We were not yet in view of our wagons, as a rise of ground +intervened, and therefore we could not signal the train-men in case of +any unexpected danger befalling us. We had no suspicion, however, that we +were about to be trapped, as the strangers were white men. When they had +come up to us, one of the party, who evidently was the leader, rode out +in front and said: + +"How are you, Mr. Simpson?" + +"You've got the best of me, sir," said Simpson, who did not know him. + +"Well, I rather think I have," coolly replied the stranger, whose words +conveyed a double meaning, as we soon learned. We had all come to a halt +by this time, and the strange horsemen had surrounded us. They were all +armed with double-barreled shot guns, rifles and revolvers. We also were +armed with revolvers, but we had had no idea of danger, and these men, +much to our surprise, had "got the drop" on us, and had covered us with +their weapons, so that we were completely at their mercy. The whole +movement of corraling us was done so quietly and quickly that it was +accomplished before we knew it. + +"I'll trouble you for your six shooters, gentlemen," now said the +leader. + +"I'll give 'em to you in a way you don't want," replied Simpson. + +The next moment three guns were leveled at Simpson. "If you make a move +you're a dead man," said the leader. + +Simpson saw that he was taken at a great disadvantage, and thinking it +advisable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on his +part, he said: "I see now that you have the best of me, but who are +you, anyhow?" + +"I am Joe Smith," was the reply. + +"What! the leader of the Danites?" asked Simpson. + +"You are correct," said Smith, for he it was. + +"Yes," said Simpson, "I know you now; you are a spying scoundrel." + +Simpson had good reason for calling him this and applying to him a much +more opprobrious epithet, for only a short time before this, Joe Smith +had visited our train in the disguise of a teamster, and had remained +with us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he had +gone or why he had come among us. But it was all explained to us now that +he had returned with his Mormon Danites. After they had disarmed us, +Simpson asked, "Well, Smith, what are you going to do with us?" + +"Ride back with us and I'll soon show you," said Smith. + +We had no idea of the surprise which awaited us. As we came upon the top +of the ridge, from which we could view our camp, we were astonished to +see the remainder of the train men disarmed and stationed in a group and +surrounded by another squad of Danites, while other Mormons were +searching our wagons for such articles as they wanted. + +"How is this?" inquired Simpson. "How did you surprise my camp without a +struggle? I can't understand it." + +"Easily enough," said Smith; "your men were all asleep under the +wagons, except the cooks, who saw us coming and took us for returning +Californians or emigrants, and paid no attention to us until we rode up +and surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we woke +them up, and told them that all they had to do was to walk out and drop +their pistols--which they saw was the best thing they could do under +circumstances over which they had no control--and you can just bet +they did it." + +"And what do you propose to do with us now?" asked Simpson. + +"I intend to burn your train," said he; "you are loaded with supplies +and ammunition for Sidney Johnson, and as I have no way to convey the +stuff to my own people, I'll see that it does not reach the United +States troops." + +"Are you going to turn us adrift here?" asked Simpson, who was anxious to +learn what was to become of himself and his men. + +"No; I hardly am as bad as that. I'll give you enough provisions to last +you until you can reach Fort Bridger," replied Smith; "and as soon as +your cooks can get the stuff out of the wagons, you can start." + +"On foot?" was the laconic inquiry of Simpson. + +"Yes sir," was the equally short reply. + +"Smith, that's too rough on us men. Put yourself in our place and see how +you would like it," said Simpson; "you can well afford to give us at +least one wagon and six yokes of oxen to convey us and our clothing and +provisions to Fort Bridger. You're a brute if you don't do this." + +"Well," said Smith, after consulting a minute or two with some of his +company, "I'll do that much for you." + +The cattle and the wagon were brought up according to his orders, and the +clothing and provisions were loaded on. + +"Now you can go," said Smith, after everything had been arranged. + +"Joe Smith, I think you are a mean coward to set us afloat in a hostile +country, without giving us our arms," said Simpson, who had once before +asked for the weapons, and had had his request denied. + +Smith, after further consultation with his comrades, said: "Simpson, +you are too brave a man to be turned adrift here without any means of +defense. You shall have your revolvers and guns." Our weapons were +accordingly handed over to Simpson, and we at once started for Fort +Bridger, knowing that it would be useless to attempt the recapture of +our train. + +When we had traveled about two miles we saw the smoke arising from our +old camp. The Mormons after taking what goods they wanted and could carry +off, had set fire to the wagons, many of which were loaded with bacon, +lard, hard-tack, and other provisions, which made a very hot, fierce +fire, and the smoke to roll up in dense clouds. Some of the wagons were +loaded with ammunition, and it was not long before loud explosions +followed in rapid succession. We waited and witnessed the burning of the +train, and then pushed on to Fort Bridger. Arriving at this post, we +learned that two other trains had been captured and destroyed in the same +way, by the Mormons. This made seventy-five wagon loads, or 450,000 +pounds of supplies, mostly provisions, which never reached General +Johnson's command, to which they had been consigned. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HARD TIMES. + + +As it was getting very late in the fall, we were compelled to winter at +Fort Bridger; and a long, tedious winter it was. There were a great many +troops there, and about four hundred of Russell, Majors & Waddell's +employees. These men were all organized into militia companies, which +were officered by the wagon-masters. Some lived in tents, others in +cabins. It was known that our supplies would run short during the winter, +and so all the men at the post were put on three-quarter rations to begin +with; before long they were reduced to one-half rations, and finally to +one-quarter rations. We were forced to kill our poor worn-out cattle for +beef. They were actually so poor that we had to prop them up to shoot +them down. At last we fell back on the mules, which were killed and +served up in good style. Many a poor, unsuspecting government mule passed +in his chips that winter in order to keep the soldiers and bull-whackers +from starvation. + +It was really a serious state of affairs. The wood for the post was +obtained from the mountains, but having no longer any cattle or mules to +transport it, the men were obliged to haul it themselves. Long lariats +were tied to the wagons, and twenty men manning each, they were pulled to +and from the mountains. Notwithstanding all these hardships, the men +seemed to be contented and to enjoy themselves. + +The winter finally passed away, and early in the spring, as soon as we +could travel, the civil employees of the government, with the teamsters +and freighters, started for the Missouri river; the Johnson expedition +having been abandoned. On the way down we stopped at Fort Laramie, and +there met a supply train bound westward. Of course we all had a square +meal once more, consisting of hard tack, bacon, coffee and beans. I can +honestly say that I thought it was the best meal I had ever eaten; at +least I relished it more than any other, and I think the rest of the +party did the same. + +On leaving Fort Laramie, Simpson was made brigade wagon-master, and was +put in charge of two large trains, with about four hundred extra men, who +were bound for Fort Leavenworth. When we came to Ash Hollow, instead of +taking the usual trail over to the South Platte, Simpson concluded to +follow the North Platte down to its junction with the South Platte. The +two trains were traveling about fifteen miles apart, when one morning +while Simpson was with the rear train, he told his assistant +wagon-master, George Woods and myself to saddle up our mules, as he +wanted us to go with him and overtake the head train. + +We started off at about eleven o'clock, and had ridden about seven miles +when--while we were on a big plateau, back of Cedar Bluffs--we suddenly +discovered a band of Indians coming out of the head of a ravine, half a +mile distant, and charging down upon us at full speed. I thought that our +end had come this time, sure. Simpson, however, took in the situation in +a moment, and knowing that it would be impossible to escape by running +our played-out mules, he adopted a bolder and much better plan. He jumped +from his own mule, and told us to dismount also. He then shot the three +animals, and as they fell to the ground he cut their throats to stop +their kicking. He then jerked them into the shape of a triangle, and +ordered us inside of the barricade. + +All this was but the work of a few moments, yet it was not done any too +soon, for the Indians had got within three hundred yards of us, and were +still advancing, and uttering their demoniacal yells or war-whoops. There +were forty of the red-skins and only three of us. We were each armed +with a Mississippi yager and two Colt's revolvers. + +"Get ready for them with your guns, and when they come within fifty +yards, aim low, blaze away and bring down your man!" + +Such was the quick command of Simpson. The words had hardly escaped from +his mouth, when the three yagers almost simultaneously belched forth +their contents. We then seized our revolvers and opened a lively fire on +the enemy, at short range, which checked their advance. Then we looked +over our little barricade to ascertain what effect our fire had produced, +and were much gratified at seeing three dead Indians and one horse lying +on the ground. Only two or three of the Indians, it seemed, had +fire-arms. It must be remembered that in those days every Indian did not +own a needle gun or a Winchester rifle, as they now do. Their principal +weapons were their bows and arrows. + +Seeing that they could not take our little fortification, or drive us +from it, they circled around us several times, shooting their arrows at +us. One of the arrows struck George Wood in the left shoulder, inflicting +only a slight wound, however, and several lodged in the bodies of the +dead mules; otherwise they did us no harm. + +The Indians finally galloped off to a safe distance, where our bullets +could not reach them, and seemed to be holding a council. This was a +lucky move for us, for it gave us an opportunity to reload our guns and +pistols, and prepare for the next charge of the enemy. During the brief +cessation of hostilities, Simpson extracted the arrow from Wood's +shoulder, and put an immense quid of tobacco on the wound. Wood was then +ready for business again. + +[Illustration: HOLDING THE FORT.] + +The Indians did not give us a very long rest, for with, another desperate +charge, as if to ride over us, they came dashing towards the mule +barricade. We gave them a hot reception from our yagers and revolvers. +They could not stand, or understand, the rapidly repeating fire of the +revolvers, and we again checked them. They circled around us once more +and gave us a few parting shots as they rode off, leaving behind them +another dead Indian and a horse. + +For two hours afterwards they did not seem to be doing anything but +holding a council. We made good use of this time by digging up the ground +inside the barricade with our knives and throwing the loose earth around +and over the mules, and we soon had a very respectable fortification. We +were not troubled any more that day, but during the night the cunning +rascals tried to burn us out by setting fire to the prairie. The buffalo +grass was so short that the fire did not trouble us much, but the smoke +concealed the Indians from our view, and they thought that they could +approach close to us without being seen. We were aware of this, and kept +a sharp look-out, being prepared all the time to receive them. They +finally abandoned the idea of surprising us. + +Next morning, bright and early, they gave us one more grand charge, and +again we "stood them off." They then rode away half a mile or so, and +formed a circle around us. Each man dismounted and sat down, as if to +wait and starve us out. They had evidently seen the advance train pass on +the morning of the previous day, and believed that we belonged to that +outfit and were trying to overtake it; they had no idea that another +train was on its way after us. + +Our hopes of escape from this unpleasant and perilous situation now +depended upon the arrival of the rear train, and when we saw that the +Indians were going to besiege us instead of renewing their attacks, we +felt rather confident of receiving timely assistance. We had expected +that the train would be along late in the afternoon of the previous day, +and as the morning wore away we were somewhat anxious and uneasy, at its +non-arrival. + +At last, about ten o'clock, we began to hear in the distance the loud and +sharp reports of the big bull-whips, which were handled with great +dexterity by the teamsters, and cracked like rifle shots. These were as +welcome sounds to us as were the notes of the bag-pipes to the beseiged +garrison at Lucknow, when the reinforcements were coming up and the +pipers were heard playing, "The Campbells are Coming." In a few moments +we saw the lead or head wagon coming slowly over the ridge, which had +concealed the train from our view, and soon the whole outfit made its +appearance. The Indians observed the approaching train, and assembling in +a group they held a short consultation. They then charged upon us once +more, for the last time, and as they turned and dashed away over the +prairie, we sent our farewell shots rattling after them. The teamsters, +seeing the Indians and hearing the shots, came rushing forward to our +assistance, but by the time they reached us the red-skins had almost +disappeared from view. The teamsters eagerly asked us a hundred questions +concerning our fight, admired our fort and praised our pluck. Simpson's +remarkable presence of mind in planning the defense was the general topic +of conversation among all the men. + +When the teams came up we obtained some water and bandages with which to +dress Wood's wound, which had become quite inflamed and painful, and we +then put him into one of the wagons. Simpson and myself obtained a +remount, bade good-bye to our dead mules which had served us so well, and +after collecting the ornaments and other plunder from the dead Indians, +we left their bodies and bones to bleach on the prairie. The train moved +on again and we had no other adventures, except several exciting buffalo +hunts on the South Platte, near Plum Creek. + +We arrived at Fort Leavenworth about the middle of July, 1858, when I +immediately visited home. I found mother in very poor health, as she was +suffering from asthma. My oldest sister, Martha, had, during my absence, +been married to John Crane, and was living at Leavenworth. + +During the winter at Fort Bridger I had frequently talked with Wild Bill +about my family, and as I had become greatly attached to him I asked him +to come and make a visit at our house, which he promised to do. So one +day, shortly after our return from Fort Bridger, he accompanied me home +from Leavenworth. My mother and sisters, who had heard so much about him +from me, were delighted to see him and he spent several weeks at our +place. They did everything possible to repay him for his kindness to me. +Ever afterwards, when he was at or near Leavenworth, Wild Bill came out +to our house to see the family, whether I was at home or not, and he +always received a most cordial reception. His mother and sisters lived in +Illinois, and he used to call our house his home, as he did not have one +of his own. + +I had been home only about a month, after returning from Fort Bridger, +when I again started out with another train, going this time as +assistant wagon-master under Buck Bomer. We went safely through to Fort +Laramie, which was our destination, and from there we were ordered to +take a load of supplies to a new post called Fort Wallach, which was +being established at Cheyenne Pass. We made this trip and got back to +Fort Laramie about November 1st. I then quit the employ of Russell, +Majors & Waddell, and joined a party of trappers who were sent out by +the post trader, Mr. Ward, to trap on the streams of the Chugwater and +Laramie for beaver, otter, and other fur animals, and also to poison +wolves for their pelts. We were out two months, but as the expedition +did not prove very profitable, and was rather dangerous on account of +the Indians, we abandoned the enterprise and came into Fort Laramie in +the latter part of December. + +Being anxious to return to the Missouri river, I joined with two others, +named Scott and Charley, who were also desirous of going East on a visit, +bought three ponies and a pack-mule, and we started out together. We made +rapid progress on our journey, and nothing worthy of note happened until +one afternoon, along the banks of the Little Blue River, we spied a band +of Indians hunting on the opposite side of the stream, three miles away. +We did not escape their notice, and they gave us a lively chase for two +hours, but they could find no good crossing, and as evening came on we +finally got away from them. + +We traveled until late in the night; when upon discovering a low, deep +ravine which we thought would make a comfortable and safe camping-place, +we stopped for a rest. In searching for a good place to make our beds, I +found a hole, and I called to my companions that I had found a fine place +for a nest. One of the party was to stand guard while the others slept. +Scott took the first watch, while Charley and I made a bed in the hole. + +While clearing out the place we felt something rough, but as it was dark +we could not make out what it was. At any rate we concluded that it was +bones or sticks of wood; we thought perhaps it might be the bones of some +animal which had fallen in there and died. These bones, for such they +really proved to be, we pushed one side and then we lay down. But +Charley, being an inveterate smoker, could not resist the temptation of +indulging in a smoke before going to sleep. So he sat up and struck a +match to light his old pipe. Our subterranean bed-chamber was thus +illuminated for a moment or two; I sprang to my feet in an instant for a +ghastly and horrifying sight was revealed to us. Eight or ten human +skeletons lay scattered upon the ground. + +The light of the match died out, but we had seen enough to convince us +that we were in a large grave, into which, perhaps, some unfortunate +emigrants, who had been killed by the Indians, had been thrown; or, +perhaps, seeking refuge there, they had been corraled and then killed on +the spot. If such was the case, they had met the fate of thousands of +others, whose friends have never heard of them since they left their +eastern homes to seek their fortunes in the Far West. However, we did not +care to investigate this mystery any further, but we hustled out of that +chamber of death and informed Scott of our discovery. Most of the +plains-men are very superstitious, and we were no exception to the +general rule. We surely thought that this incident was an evil omen, and +that we would be killed if we remained there any longer. + +[Illustration: CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE.] + +"Let us dig out of here quicker than we can say Jack Robinson," said +Scott; and we began to "dig out" at once. We saddled our animals and +hurriedly pushed forward through the darkness, traveling several miles +before we again went into camp. Next morning it was snowing fiercely, +but we proceeded as best we could, and that night we succeeded in +reaching Oak Grove ranch, which had been built during the summer. We +here obtained comfortable accommodations and plenty to eat and +drink--especially the latter. + +Scott and Charley were great lovers and consumers of "tanglefoot," and +they soon got gloriously drunk, keeping it up for three days, during +which time they gambled with the ranchmen, who got away with all their +money; but little they cared for that, as they had their spree. They +finally sobered up, and we resumed our journey, urging our jaded animals +as much as they could stand, until we struck Marysville, on the Big Blue. +From this place to Leavenworth we secured first-rate accommodations along +the road, as the country had become pretty well settled. + +It was in February, 1859, that I got home. As there was now a good school +in the neighborhood, taught by Mr. Divinny, my mother wished me to attend +it, and I did so for two months and a half--the longest period of +schooling that I ever received at any one time in my life. As soon as the +spring came and the grass began growing, I became uneasy and +discontented, and again longed for the free and open life of the plains. + +The Pike's Peak gold excitement was then at its height, and everybody was +rushing to the new gold diggings. I caught the gold-fever myself, and +joined a party bound for the new town of Auraria, on Cherry Creek, +afterwards called Denver, in honor of the then governor of Kansas. On +arriving at Auraria we pushed on to the gold streams in the mountains, +passing up through Golden Gate, and over Guy Hill, and thence on to +Black Hawk. We prospected for two months, but as none of us knew anything +about mining we met with very poor success, and we finally concluded that +prospecting for gold was not our forte. We accordingly abandoned the +enterprise and turned our faces eastward once more. + +[Illustration: RAFTING ON THE PLATTE.] + +When we struck the Platte River, the happy thought of constructing a +small raft--which would float us clear to the Missouri and thence down to +Leavenworth--entered our heads, and we accordingly carried out the plan. +Upon the completion of the raft we stocked it with provisions, and "set +sail" down the stream. It was a light craft and a jolly crew, and all was +smooth sailing for four or five days. + +When we got near old Julesburg, we met with a serious mishap. Our raft +ran into an eddy, and quick as lightning went to pieces, throwing us all +into the stream, which was so deep that we had to swim ashore. We lost +everything we had, which greatly discouraged us, and we thereupon +abandoned the idea of rafting it any farther. We then walked over to +Julesburg, which was only a few miles distant. This ranch, which became a +somewhat famous spot, had been established by "Old Jules," a Frenchman, +who was afterwards killed by the notorious Alf. Slade. + +The great pony express, about which so much has been said and written, +was at that time just being started. The line was being stocked with +horses and put into good running condition. At Julesburg I met Mr. George +Chrisman, the leading wagon-master of Russell, Majors & Waddell, who had +always been a good friend to me. He had bought out "Old Jules," and was +then the owner of Julesburg ranch, and the agent of the pony express +line. He hired me at once as a pony express rider, but as I was so young +he thought I would not be able to stand the fierce riding which was +required of the messengers. He knew, however, that I had been raised in +the saddle--that I felt more at home there than in any other place--and +as he saw that I was confident that I could stand the racket, and could +ride as far and endure it as well as some of the older riders, he gave me +a short route of forty-five miles, with the stations fifteen miles apart, +and three changes of horses. I was required to make fifteen miles an +hour, including the changes of horses. I was fortunate in getting +well-broken animals, and being so light, I easily made my forty-five +miles on time on my first trip out, and ever afterwards. + +I wrote to mother and told her how well I liked the exciting life of a +pony express rider. She replied, and begged of me to give it up, as it +would surely kill me. She was right about this, as fifteen miles an hour +on horseback would, in a short time, shake any man "all to pieces"; and +there were but very few, if any, riders who could stand it for any great +length of time. Nevertheless, I stuck to it for two months, and then, +upon receiving a letter informing me that my mother was very sick, I gave +it up and went back to the old home in Salt Creek Valley. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. + + +My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home very +long, and in November, after the recovery of my mother, I went up the +Republican River and its tributaries on a trapping expedition in company +with Dave Harrington. Our outfit consisted of one wagon and a yoke of +oxen for the transportation of provisions, traps, and other necessaries. +We began trapping near Junction City, Kansas, and then proceeded up the +Republican River to the mouth of Prairie Dog Creek, where we found plenty +of beavers. + +Having seen no signs of Indians thus far, we felt comparatively safe. We +were catching a large number of beavers and were prospering finely, when +one of our oxen, having become rather poor, slipped and fell upon the +ice, dislocating his hip, so that we had to shoot him to end his misery. +This left us without a team; but we cared little for that, however, as we +had made up our minds to remain there till spring, when, and it was +decided, that one of us should go to the nearest settlement and get a +yoke of oxen with which to haul our wagon into some place of safety where +we could leave it. + +We would probably have pulled through the winter all right had it not +been for a very serious accident which befell me just at that time. +Spying a herd of elk, we started in pursuit of them, and creeping up +towards them as slyly as possible, while going around the bend of a sharp +bluff or bank of the creek I slipped and broke my leg just above the +ankle. Notwithstanding the great pain I was suffering, Harrington could +not help laughing when I urged him to shoot me, as he had the ox, and +thus end my misery. He told me to "brace up," and that he would bring me +out "all right." "I am not much of a surgeon," said he, "but I can fix +that leg of yours, even if I haven't got a diploma." + +He succeeded in getting me back to camp, which was only a few yards from +the creek, and then he set the fracture as well as he knew how, and made +me as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances. We then +discussed the situation, which to say the least, looked pretty blue. +Knowing that, owing to our mishaps, we could not do anything more that +winter, and as I dreaded the idea of lying there on my back with a broken +leg for weeks, and perhaps months, I prevailed upon Harrington to go the +nearest settlement--about 125 miles distant--to obtain a yoke of cattle, +and then come back for me. + +This he consented to do; but before leaving he gathered plenty of wood, +and as the ground was covered with snow, I would have no difficulty in +getting water if I had a fire. There was plenty of fresh meat and other +provisions in the "dug-out," so that I had no fears of starvation. The +"dugout," which we had built immediately after we had determined to +remain there all winter, was a very cosy hole in the ground, covered with +poles, grass and sod, with a fireplace in one end. + +Harrington thought it would take him twenty days or more to make the +round trip; but being well provided for--for this length of time--I +urged him to go at once. Bidding me good-bye he started on foot. After +his departure, each day, as it came and went, seemed to grow longer to me +as I lay there helpless and alone. I made a note of each day, so as to +know the time when I might expect him back. + +[Illustration: SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN-IN-THE-FACE.] + +On the twelfth day after Harrington left me, I was awakened from a sound +sleep by some one touching me upon the shoulder. I looked up and was +astonished to see an Indian warrior standing at my side. His face was +hideously daubed with paint, which told me more forcibly than words could +have done that he was on the war-path. He spoke to me in broken English +and Sioux mixed, and I understood him to ask what I was doing there, and +how many there were with me. + +By this time the little dug-out was nearly filled with other Indians, who +had been peeping in at the door, and I could hear voices of still more +outside as well as the stamping of horses. I began to think that my time +had come, as the saying is, when into the cabin stepped an elderly +Indian, whom I readily recognized as old Rain-in-the-Face, a Sioux chief +from the vicinity of Fort Laramie. I rose up as well as I could and +showed him my broken leg. I told him where I had seen him, and asked him +if he remembered me. He replied that he knew me well, and that I used to +come to his lodge at Fort Laramie to visit him. I then managed to make +him understand that I was there alone and having broken my leg, I had +sent my partner off for a team to take me away. I asked him if his young +men intended to kill me, and he answered, that was what they had proposed +to do, but he would see what they had to say. + +The Indians then talked among themselves for a few minutes, and upon the +conclusion of the consultation, old Rain-in-the-Face turned to me and +gave me to understand that as I was yet a "papoose," or a very young man, +they would not take my life. But one of his men, who had no fire-arms, +wanted my gun and pistol. I implored old Rain-in-the-Face to be allowed +to keep the weapons, or at least one of them, as I needed something with +which to keep the wolves away. He replied that as his young men were out +on the war path, he had induced them to spare my life; but he could not +prevent them from taking what ever else they wanted. + +They unsaddled their horses as if to remain there for some time, and sure +enough they stayed the remainder of the day and all night. They built a +fire in the dug-out and cooked a lot of my provisions, helping themselves +to everything as if they owned it. However, they were polite enough to +give me some of the food after they had cooked it. It was a sumptuous +feast that they had, and they seemed to relish it as if it was the best +lay-out they had had for many a long day. They took all my sugar and +coffee, and left me only some meat and a small quantity of flour, a +little salt and some baking powder. They also robbed me of such cooking +utensils as they wished; then bidding me good-bye, early in the morning, +they mounted their ponies and rode off to the south, evidently bent on +some murdering and thieving expedition. + +I was glad enough to see them leave, as my life had undoubtedly hung by a +thread during their presence. I am confident that had it not been for my +youth and the timely recognition and interference of old Rain-in-the-Face +they would have killed me without any hesitation or ceremony. + +The second day after they had gone it began snowing, and for three long +and weary days the snow continued to fall thick and fast. It blocked the +door-way and covered the dug-out to the depth of several feet, so that I +became a snowbound prisoner. My wood was mostly under the snow, and it +was with great difficulty that I could get enough to start a fire with. +My prospects were gloomy indeed. I had just faced death at the hands of +the Indians, and now I was in danger of losing my life from starvation +and cold. I knew that the heavy snow would surely delay Harrington on his +return; and I feared that he might have perished in the storm, or that +some other accident might have befallen him. Perhaps some wandering band +of Indians had run across him and killed him. + +I was continually thinking of all these possibilities, and I must say +that my outlook seemed desperate. At last the twentieth day +arrived--the day on which Harrington was to return--and I counted the +hours from morning till night, but the day passed away with no signs of +Harrington. The wolves made the night hideous with their howls; they +gathered around the dug-out; ran over the roof; and pawed and scratched +as if trying to get in. + +Several days and nights thus wore away, the monotony all the time +becoming greater, until at last it became almost unendurable. Some days I +would go without any fire at all, and eat raw frozen meat and melt snow +in my mouth for water. I became almost convinced that Harrington had been +caught in the storm and had been buried under the snow, or was lost. Many +a time during that dreary period of uncertainty, I made up my mind that +if I ever got out of that place alive, I would abandon the plains and the +life of a trapper forever. I had nearly given up all hopes of leaving the +dug-out alive. + +It was on the twenty-ninth day, while I was lying thus despondently +thinking and wondering, that I heard the cheerful sound of Harrington's +voice as he came slowly up the creek, yelling, "whoa! haw!" to his +cattle. A criminal on the scaffold, with the noose around his neck, the +trap about to be sprung, and receiving a pardon just at the last moment, +thus giving him a new lease of life, could not have been more grateful +than I was at that time. It was useless for me to try to force the door +open, as the snow had completely blockaded it, and I therefore anxiously +awaited Harrington's arrival. + +"Hello! Billy!" he sang out in a loud voice as he came up, he evidently +being uncertain as to my being alive. + +"All right, Dave," was my reply. + +"Well, old boy, you're alive, are you?" said he. + +"Yes; and that's about all. I've had a tough siege of it since you've +been away, and I came pretty nearly passing in my chips. I began to +think you never would get here, as I was afraid you had been snowed +under," said I. + +He soon cleared away the snow from the entrance, and opening the door he +came in. I don't think there ever was a more welcome visitor than he was. +I remember that I was so glad to see him that I put my arms around his +neck and hugged him for five minutes; never shall I forget faithful Dave +Harrington. + +"Well, Billy, my boy, I hardly expected to see you alive again," said +Harrington, as soon as I had given him an opportunity to draw his breath; +"I had a terrible trip of it, and I didn't think I ever would get +through. I was caught in the snow-storm, and was laid up for three days. +The cattle wandered away, and I came within an ace of losing them +altogether. When I got started again the snow was so deep that it +prevented me from making much headway. But as I had left you here I was +bound to come through, or die in the attempt." + +Again I flung my arms around Dave's neck and gave him a hug that would +have done honor to a grizzly bear. My gratitude was thus much more +forcibly expressed than it could have been by words. Harrington +understood this, and seemed to appreciate it. The tears of joy rolled +down my cheeks, and it was impossible for me to restrain them. When my +life had been threatened by the Indians I had not felt half so miserable +as when I lay in the dug-out thinking I was destined to die a slow death +by starvation and cold. The Indians would have made short work of it, and +would have given me little or no time to think of my fate. + +I questioned Harrington as to his trip, and learned all the details. He +had passed through hardships which but few men could have endured. Noble +fellow, that he was. He had risked his own life to save mine. + +After he had finished his story, every word of which I had listened to +with eager interest, I related to him my own experiences, in which he +became no less interested. He expressed great astonishment that the +Indians had not killed me, and he considered it one of the luckiest and +most remarkable escapes he had ever heard of. It amused me, however, to +see him get very angry when I told him that they had taken my gun and +pistol and had used up our provisions. "But never mind, Billy," said he, +"we can stand it till the snow goes off, which will not be long, and then +we will pull our wagon back to the settlements." + +A few days afterwards Harrington gathered up our traps, and cleaned the +snow out of the wagon. Covering it with the sheet which we had used in +the dug-out, he made a comfortable bed inside, and helped me into it. We +had been quite successful in trapping, having caught three hundred +beavers and one hundred otters, the skins of which Harrington loaded on +the wagon. We then pulled out for the settlements, making good headway, +as the snow had nearly disappeared, having been blown or melted away, so +that we had no difficulty in finding a road. On the eighth day out we +came to a farmer's house, or ranch, on the Republican River, where we +stopped and rested for two days, and then went on to the ranch where +Harrington had obtained the yoke of cattle. We gave the owner of the team +twenty-five beaver skins, equal to $60, for the use of the cattle, and he +let us have them until we reached Junction City, sending his boy with us +to bring them back. + +At Junction City we sold our wagon and furs and went with a government +mule train to Leavenworth--arriving there in March, 1860. I was just able +to get around on crutches when I got into Leavenworth, and it was several +months after that before I entirely recovered the use of my leg. + +During the winter I had often talked to Harrington about my mother and +sisters, and had invited him to go home with me in the spring. I now +renewed the invitation, which he accepted, and accompanied me home. When +I related to mother my adventures and told her how Harrington had saved +my life, she thanked him again and again. I never saw a more grateful +woman than she was. She asked him to always make his home with us, as she +never could reward him sufficiently for what he had done for her darling +boy, as she called me. Harrington concluded to remain with us through the +summer and farm mother's land. But alas! the uncertainty of life. The +coming of death when least expected was strikingly illustrated in his +case. During the latter part of April he went to a nursery for some +trees, and while coming home late at night he caught a severe cold and +was taken seriously sick, with lung fever. Mother did everything in her +power for him. She could not have done more had he been her own son, but +notwithstanding her motherly care and attention, and the skill of a +physician from Leavenworth, he rapidly grew worse. It seemed hard, +indeed, to think that a great strong man like Harrington, who had braved +the storms, and endured the other hardships of the plains all winter +long, should, during the warm and beautiful days of spring, when +surrounded by friends and the comforts of a good home, be fatally +stricken down. But such was his fate. He died one week from the day on +which he was taken sick. We all mourned his loss as we would that of a +loved son or brother, as he was one of the truest, bravest, and best of +friends. Amid sorrow and tears we laid him away to rest in a picturesque +spot on Pilot Knob. His death cast a gloom over our household, and it was +a long time before it was entirely dispelled. I felt very lonely without +Harrington, and I soon wished for a change of scene again. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. + + +As the warm days of summer approached I longed for the cool air of the +mountains; and to the mountains I determined to go. After engaging a man +to take care of the farm, I proceeded to Leavenworth and there met my old +wagon-master and friend, Lewis Simpson, who was fitting out a train at +Atchison and loading it with supplies for the Overland Stage Company, of +which Mr. Russell, my old employer, was one of the proprietors. Simpson +was going with this train to Fort Laramie and points further west. + +"Come along with me, Billy," said he, "I'll give you a good lay-out. I +want you with me." + +"I don't know that I would like to go as far west as that again," +replied I, "but I do want to ride the pony express once more; there's +some life in that." + +"Yes, that's so; but it will soon shake the life out of you," said he. +"However, if that's what you've got your mind set on, you had better come +to Atchison with me and see Mr. Russell, who I'm pretty certain, will +give you a situation." + +I replied that I would do that. I then went home and informed mother of +my intention, and as her health was very poor I had great difficulty in +obtaining her consent. I finally convinced her that as I was of no use on +the farm, it would be better and more profitable for me to return to the +plains. So after giving her all the money I had earned by trapping, I +bade her good-bye and set out for Atchison. + +I met Mr. Russell there and asked him for employment as a pony +express-rider; he gave me a letter to Mr. Slade, who was then the stage +agent for the division extending from Julesburg to Rocky Ridge. Slade +had his headquarters at Horseshoe Station, thirty-six miles west of +Fort Laramie and I made the trip thither in company with Simpson and +his train. + +Almost the very first person I saw after dismounting from my horse was +Slade. I walked up to him and presented Mr. Russell's letter, which he +hastily opened and read. With a sweeping glance of his eye he took my +measure from head to foot, and then said: + +"My boy, you are too young for a pony express-rider. It takes men for +that business." + +"I rode two months last year on Bill Trotter's division, sir, and filled +the bill then; and I think I am better able to ride now," said I. + +"What! are you the boy that was riding there, and was called the youngest +rider on the road?" + +"I am the same boy," I replied, confident that everything was now all +right for me. + +"I have heard of you before. You are a year or so older now, and I think +you can stand it. I'll give you a trial anyhow and if you weaken you can +come back to Horseshoe Station and tend stock." + +That ended our first interview. The next day he assigned me to duty on +the road from Red Buttes on the North Platte, to the Three Crossings of +the Sweetwater--a distance of seventy-six miles--and I began riding at +once. It was a long piece of road, but I was equal to the undertaking; +and soon afterwards had an opportunity to exhibit my power of endurance +as a pony express rider. + +One day when I galloped into Three Crossings, my home station, I found +that the rider who was expected to take the trip out on my arrival, had +got into a drunken row the night before and had been killed; and that +there was no one to fill his place. I did not hesitate for a moment to +undertake an extra ride of eighty-five miles to Rocky Ridge, and I +arrived at the latter place on time. I then turned back and rode to Red +Buttes, my starting place, accomplishing on the round trip a distance of +322 miles. + +[Illustration: I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED HORSES] + +Slade heard of this feat of mine, and one day as he was passing on a +coach he sang out to me, "My boy, you're a brick, and no mistake. That +was a good run you made when you rode your own and Miller's routes, and +I'll see that you get extra pay for it." + +Slade, although rough at times and always a dangerous character--having +killed many a man--was always kind to me. During the two years that I +worked for him as pony express-rider and stage-driver, he never spoke an +angry word to me. + +As I was leaving Horse Creek one day, a party of fifteen Indians "jumped +me" in a sand ravine about a mile west of the station. They fired at me +repeatedly, but missed their mark. I was mounted on a roan California +horse--the fleetest steed I had. Putting spurs and whip to him, and lying +flat on his back, I kept straight on for Sweetwater Bridge--eleven miles +distant--instead of trying to turn back to Horse Creek. The Indians came +on in hot pursuit, but my horse soon got away from them, and ran into the +station two miles ahead of them. The stock-tender had been killed there +that morning, and all the stock had been driven off by the Indians, and +as I was therefore unable to change horses, I continued on to Ploutz's +Station--twelve miles further--thus making twenty-four miles straight run +with one horse. I told the people at Ploutz's what had happened at +Sweetwater Bridge, and with a fresh horse went on and finished the trip +without any further adventure. + +[Illustration: ATTACK ON STAGE COACH.] + +About the middle of September the Indians became very troublesome on the +line of the stage road along the Sweetwater. Between Split Rock and Three +Crossings they robbed a stage, killed the driver and two passengers, and +badly wounded Lieut. Flowers, the assistant division agent. The +red-skinned thieves also drove off the stock from the different stations, +and were continually lying in wait for the passing stages and pony +express-riders, so that we had to take many desperate chances in running +the gauntlet. + +The Indians had now become so bad and had stolen so much stock that it +was decided to stop the pony express for at least six weeks, and to run +the stages but occasionally during that period; in fact, it would have +been almost impossible to have run the enterprise much longer without +restocking the line. + +While we were thus nearly all lying idle, a party was organized to go +out and search for stolen stock. This party was composed of +stage-drivers, express-riders, stock-tenders, and ranchmen--forty of them +altogether--and they were well-armed and well-mounted. They were mostly +men who had undergone all kinds of hardships and braved every danger, and +they were ready and anxious to "tackle" any number of Indians. Wild Bill +(who had been driving stage on the road and had recently come down to our +division) was elected captain of the company. + +It was supposed that the stolen stock had been taken to the head of +Powder River and vicinity, and the party, of which I was a member, +started out for that section in high hopes of success. + +Twenty miles out from Sweetwater Bridge, at the head of Horse Creek, we +found an Indian trail running north towards Powder River, and we could +see by the tracks that most of the horses had been recently shod and were +undoubtedly our stolen stage stock. Pushing rapidly forward, we followed +this trail to Powder River; thence down this stream to within about forty +miles of the spot where old Fort Reno now stands. Here the trail took a +more westerly course along the foot of the mountains, leading eventually +to Crazy Woman's Fork--a tributary of Powder River. At this point we +discovered that the party whom we were trailing had been joined by +another band of Indians, and, judging from the fresh appearance of the +trail, the united body could not have left this spot more than +twenty-four hours before. + +Being aware that we were now in the heart of the hostile country and that +we might at any moment find more Indians than we had "lost," we advanced +with more caution than usual, and kept a sharp lookout. As we were +approaching Clear Creek, another tributary of Powder river, we discovered +Indians on the opposite side of the creek, some three miles distant; at +least we saw horses grazing, which was a sure sign that there were +Indians there. + +The Indians thinking themselves in comparative safety--never before +having been followed so far into their own country by white men--had +neglected to put out any scouts. They had no idea that there were any +white men in that part of the country. We got the lay of their camp, and +then held a council to consider and mature a plan for capturing it. We +knew full well that the Indians would outnumber us at least three to one, +and perhaps more. Upon the advice and suggestion of Wild Bill, it was +finally decided that we should wait until it was nearly dark, and then, +after creeping as close to them as possible, make a dash through their +camp, open a general fire on them, and stampede the horses. + +This plan, at the proper time, was most successfully executed. The dash +upon the enemy was a complete surprise to them. They were so overcome +with astonishment that they did not know what to make of it. We could not +have astonished them any more if we had dropped down into their camp from +the clouds. They did not recover from the surprise of this sudden charge +until after we had ridden pell-mell through their camp and got away with +our own horses as well as theirs. We at once circled the horses around +towards the south, and after getting them on the south side of Clear +Creek, some twenty of our men--just as the darkness was coming on--rode +back and gave the Indians a few parting shots. We then took up our line +of march for Sweetwater Bridge, where we arrived four days afterwards +with all of our own horses and about one hundred captured Indian ponies. + +The expedition had proved a grand success, and the event was celebrated +in the usual manner--by a grand spree. The only store at Sweetwater +Bridge did a rushing business for several days. The returned +stock-hunters drank, and gambled and fought. The Indian ponies, which had +been distributed among the captors, passed from hand to hand at almost +every deal of the cards. There seemed to be no limit to the rioting, and +carousing; revelry reigned supreme. On the third day of the orgie, Slade, +who had heard the news, came up to the bridge and took a hand in the +"fun," as it was called. To add some variation and excitement to the +occasion, Slade got in to a quarrel with a stage-driver and shot him, +killing him almost instantly. + +[Illustration: ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER.] + +The "boys" became so elated as well as "elevated" over their success +against the Indians, that most of them were in favor of going back and +cleaning out the whole Indian race. One old driver especially, Dan Smith, +was eager to open a war on all the hostile nations, and had the drinking +been continued another week he certainly would have undertaken the job, +single-handed and alone. The spree finally came to an end; the men +sobered down and abandoned the idea of again invading the hostile +country. The recovered horses were replaced on the road, and the stages +and pony express were again running on time. + +Slade, having taken a great fancy to me, said: "Billy, I want you to come +down to my headquarters, and I'll make you a sort of supernumerary rider, +and send you out only when it is necessary." I accepted the offer, and +went with him down to Horseshoe, where I had a comparatively easy time of +it. I had always been fond of hunting, and I now had a good opportunity +to gratify my ambition in that direction, as I had plenty of spare time +on my hands. In this connection I will relate one of my bear-hunting +adventures. One day, when I had nothing else to do, I saddled up an extra +pony express horse, and arming myself with a good rifle and pair of +revolvers, struck out for the foot hills of Laramie Peak for a bear-hunt. +Riding carelessly along, and breathing the cool and bracing autumn air +which came down from the mountains, I felt as only a man can feel who is +roaming over the prairies of the far West, well armed, and mounted on a +fleet and gallant steed. The perfect freedom which he enjoys is in itself +a refreshing stimulant to the mind as well as to the body. Such indeed +were my feelings on this beautiful day, as I rode up the valley of the +Horseshoe. Occasionally I scared up a flock of sage-hens or a +jack-rabbit. Antelopes and deer were almost always in sight in any +direction, but as they were not the kind of game I was after, on that +day, I passed them by, and kept on towards the higher mountains. The +further I rode the rougher and wilder became the country, and I knew that +I was approaching the haunts of the bear. I did not discover any, +however, although I saw plenty of tracks in the snow. + +About two o'clock in the afternoon, my horse having become tired, and +myself being rather weary, I shot a sage-hen, and dismounting, I +unsaddled my horse and tied him to a small tree, where he could easily +feed on the mountain grass. I then built a little fire, and broiling the +chicken and seasoning it with salt and pepper, which I had obtained from +my saddle-bags, I soon sat down to a "genuine square meal," which I +greatly relished. + +After resting for a couple of hours, I remounted and resumed my upward +trip to the mountains, having made up my mind to camp out that night +rather than go back without a bear, which my friends knew I had gone out +for. As the days were growing short, night soon came on, and I looked +around for a suitable camping place. While thus engaged, I scared up a +flock of sage-hens, two of which I shot, intending to have one for supper +and the other for breakfast. + +By this time it was becoming quite dark, and I rode down to one of the +little mountain streams, where I found an open place in the timber +suitable for a camp. I dismounted, and after unsaddling my horse and +hitching him to a tree, I prepared to start a fire. Just then I was +startled by hearing a horse whinnying further up the stream. It was +quite a surprise to me, and I immediately ran to my animal to keep him +from answering, as horses usually do in such cases. I thought that the +strange horse might belong to some roaming band of Indians, as I knew of +no white men being in that portion of the country at that time. I was +certain that the owner of the strange horse could not be far distant, +and I was very anxious to find out who my neighbor was, before letting +him know that I was in his vicinity. I therefore re-saddled my horse, +and leaving him tied so that I could easily reach him I took my gun and +started out on a scouting expedition up the stream. I had gone about +four hundred yards when, in a bend of the stream, I discovered ten or +fifteen horses grazing. + +On the opposite side of the creek a light was shining high up the +mountain bank. Approaching the mysterious spot as cautiously as possible, +and when within a few yards of the light--which I discovered came from a +dug-out in the mountain side--I heard voices, and soon I was able +distinguish the words, as they proved to be in my own language. Then I +knew that the occupants of the dug-out, whence the voices proceeded, were +white men. Thinking that they might be a party of trappers, I boldly +walked up to the door and knocked for admission. The voices instantly +ceased, and for a moment a deathlike silence reigned inside. Then there +seemed to follow a kind of hurried whispering--a sort of +consultation--and then some one called out: "Who's there?" + +"A friend and a white man," I replied. + +The door opened, and a big, ugly-looking fellow stepped, forth and said: + +"Come in." + +I accepted the invitation with some degree of fear and hesitation, which +I endeavored to conceal, as I saw that it was too late to back out, and +that it would never do to weaken at that point, whether they were friends +or foes. Upon entering the dug-out my eyes fell upon eight as rough and +villainous looking men as I ever saw in my life. Two of them I instantly +recognized as teamsters who had been driving in Lew Simpson's train, a +few months before, and had been discharged. + +They were charged with the murdering and robbing of a ranchman; and +having stolen his horses it was supposed that they had left the country. +I gave them no signs of recognition however, deeming it advisable to let +them remain in ignorance as to who I was. It was a hard crowd, and I +concluded that the sooner I could get away from them the better it would +be for me. I felt confident that they were a band of horse-thieves. + +"Where are you going, young man; and who's with you?" asked one of the +men who appeared to be the leader of the gang. + +"I am entirely alone. I left Horseshoe station this morning for a bear +hunt, and not finding any bears, I had determined to camp out for the +night and wait till morning," said I; "and just as I was going into camp, +a few hundred yards down the creek, I heard one of your horses whinnying, +and then I came up to your camp." + +[Illustration: THE HORSE THIEVES' DEN.] + +I was thus explicit in my statement in order, if possible to satisfy the +cut-throats that I was not spying upon them, but that my intrusion was +entirely accidental. + +"Where's your horse?" demanded the boss thief. + +"I left him down the creek," I answered. + +They proposed going after the horse, but I thought that that would never +do, as it would leave me without any means of escape, and I accordingly +said, in hopes to throw them off the track, "Captain, I'll leave my gun +here and go down and get my horse, and come back and stay all night." + +I said this in as cheerful and as careless a manner as possible, so as +not to arouse their suspicions in any way, or lead them to think that I +was aware of their true character. I hated to part with my gun, but my +suggestion of leaving it was a part of the plan of escape which I had +arranged. If they have the gun, thought I, they would surely believe that +I intended to come back. But this little game did not work at all, as one +of the desperadoes spoke up and said: + +"Jim and I will go down with you after your horse, and you can leave your +gun here all the same, as you'll not need it." + +"All right," I replied, for I could certainly have said nothing else. +It became evident to me that it would be better to trust myself with +two men than with the whole party. It was apparent that from this time +on, I would have to be on the alert for some good opportunity to give +them the slip. + +"Come along," said one of them, and together we went down the creek, and +soon came to the spot where my horse was tied. One of the men unhitched +the animal and said: "I'll lead the horse." + +"Very well," said I, "I've got a couple of sage-hens here. Lead on." + +I picked up the sage-hens, which I had killed a few hours before, and +followed the man who was leading the horse, while his companion brought +up the rear. The nearer we approached the dug-out the more I dreaded the +idea of going back among the villainous cut-throats. + +My first plan of escape having failed, I now determined upon another. + +[Illustration: MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES.] + +I had both of my revolvers with me, the thieves not having thought it +necessary to search me. It was now quite dark, and I purposely dropped +one of the sage-hens, and asked the man behind me to pick it up. While he +was hunting for it on the ground, I quickly pulled out one of my Colt's +revolvers and struck him a tremendous blow on the back of the head, +knocking him senseless to the ground. I then instantly wheeled around, +and saw that the man ahead who was only a few feet distant, had heard the +blow and had turned to see what was the matter, his hand upon his +revolver. We faced each other at about the same instant, but before he +could fire, as he tried to do, I shot him dead in his tracks. Then +jumping on my horse, I rode down the creek as fast as possible, through +the darkness and over the rough ground and rocks. + +The other outlaws in the dug-out, having heard the shot which I had +fired, knew there was trouble, and they all came rushing down the creek. +I suppose, by the time they reached the man whom I had knocked down, +that he had recovered and hurriedly told them of what had happened. They +did not stay with the man whom I had shot, but came on in hot pursuit of +me. They were not mounted, and were making better time down the rough +canõn than I was on horseback. From time to time I heard them gradually +gaining on me. + +At last they had come so near that I saw that I must abandon my horse. So +I jumped to the ground, and gave him a hard slap with the butt of one of +my revolvers, which started him on down the valley, while I scrambled up +the mountain side. I had not ascended more than forty feet when I heard +my pursuers coming closer and closer; I quickly hid behind a large pine +tree, and in a few moments they all rushed by me, being led on by the +rattling footsteps of my horse, which they heard ahead of them. Soon I +heard them firing at random at the horse, as they no doubt supposed I was +still seated on his back. As soon as they had passed me I climbed further +up the steep mountain, and knowing that I had given them the slip, and +feeling certain that I could keep out of their way, I at once struck out +for Horseshoe station, which was twenty-five miles distant. I had hard +traveling at first, but upon reaching lower and better ground, I made +good headway, walking all night and getting into the station just before +daylight,--foot-sore, weary, and generally played out. + +I immediately waked up the men of the station and told them of my +adventure. Slade himself happened to be there, and he at once organized +a party to go out and hunt up the horse-thieves. Shortly after daylight +twenty well-armed stage-drivers, stock-tenders and ranchmen were +galloping in the direction of the dug-out. Of course I went along with +the party, notwithstanding I was very tired and had had hardly any rest +at all. We had a brisk ride, and arrived in the immediate vicinity of +the thieves' rendezvous at about ten o'clock in the morning. We +approached the dug-out cautiously, but upon getting in close proximity +to it we could discover no horses in sight. We could see the door of the +dug-out standing wide open, and we then marched up to the place. No one +was inside, and the general appearance of everything indicated that the +place had been deserted--that the birds had flown. Such, indeed, proved +to be the case. + +We found a new-made grave, where they had evidently buried the man whom I +had shot. We made a thorough search of the whole vicinity, and finally +found their trail going southeast in the direction of Denver. As it would +have been useless to follow them, we rode back to the station; and thus +ended my eventful bear-hunt. We had no more trouble for some time from +horse-thieves after that. + +During the winter of 1860 and the spring of 1861 I remained at Horseshoe, +occasionally riding pony express and taking care of stock. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAST DRIVING. + + +It was in the spring of 1861, while I was at Horseshoe, that the +eastern-bound coach came in one day loaded down with passengers and +baggage, and stopped for dinner; Horseshoe being a regular dinner +station as well as a home station. The passengers consisted of six +Englishmen, and they had been continually grumbling about the slow time +that was being made by the stages, saying that the farther they got East +the slower they went. + +"These blarsted 'eathens don't know hanything habout staging, hany-'ow," +remarked one of them. + +"Blarst me bloody heyes! they cawn't stage in this country as we do in +Hingland, you know," said another. + +Their remarks were overheard by Bob Scott, who was to drive the coach +from Horseshoe to Fort Laramie, and he determined to give them +satisfaction before they got over his route. Scott was known to be the +best reinsman and the most expert driver on the whole line of the road. +He was a very gentlemanly fellow in his general appearance and conduct, +but at times he would become a reckless dare-devil, and would take more +desperate chances than any other driver. He delighted in driving wild +teams on the darkest nights, over a mountain road, and had thus become +the hero of many a thrilling adventure. + +It happened on this day he was to drive a team of six pony express +horses, which had been only partially broken in as a stage team. As the +stock-tenders were hitching them up, Bob, who was standing by, said, +"I'll show them Englishmen that we 'blarsted heathens' do know something +about staging in this country." We all knew from Bob's looks that +something was up. + +It required several men to hitch up this frisky team, as a man had to +hold on to each one of the horses by the bits, while they were stringing +them out. The Englishmen came out from dinner, and were delighted to see +the horses prancing and pawing as if anxious to start. + +"Ha! my deah fellah, now we will 'ave a fine ride this hafternoon," said +one of them. + +"By Jove! those are the kind of 'orses they hought to 'ave on hall the +teams," remarked another. + +"Are you the lad who is going to drive to-day?" asked another of Bob. + +"Yes, gentlemen," answered Bob, "I'll show you how we stage it in +this country." + +Bob mounted the box, gathered the lines, and pulling the horses strongly +by the bits, he sang out to the Englishmen, "All aboard!" Bob's companion +on the box was Capt. Cricket; a little fellow who was the messenger of +the coach. After everybody was seated, Bob told the stock-tenders to +"turn 'em loose." + +We, who were standing around to see the stage start out, expected it +would go off at a lively rate. We were considerably surprised, therefore, +when, after the horses had made a few lively jumps, Bob put on the big +California brakes and brought them down to a walk. The road, for a +distance of four miles, gradually rose to the top of a hill, and all the +way up this ascent, Bob held the impatient team in check. + +"Blarst your heyes, driver, why don't you let them go?" exclaimed one of +the passengers, who had all along been expecting a very brisk ride. Every +once in a while they would ask him some such question, but he paid no +attention to them. At last he reached the top of the hill, and then he +suddenly flung three of the lines on the left side of the team, and the +other three on the right side. He then began "playing the silk to +them,"--that is to say, he began to lash them unmercifully. The team +started off like a streak of lightning, so to speak, without a single +rein being held by the driver. Bob cried out to the Englishmen, saying, +"Hold on, gentlemen, and I'll give you a lively ride, and show you how +to stage it in the Rocky Mountains." + +[Illustration: BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH RIDE.] + +His next movement was to pull the lamps out of the sockets and throw them +at the leaders. The glass broke upon their backs and nearly set them +wild, but being so accustomed to running the road, they never once left +the track, and went flying on down the grade towards the next station, +eight miles distant, the coach bouncing over the loose stones and small +obstacles, and surging from side to side, as an eggshell would in the +rapids of Niagara. Not satisfied with the break-neck rate at which they +were traveling, Bob pulled out his revolver and fired in rapid +succession, at the same time yelling in a demoniacal manner. + +By this time the Englishmen had become thoroughly frightened, as they saw +the lines flying wildly in every direction and the team running away. +They did not know whether to jump out or remain in the coach. Bob would +occasionally look down from his seat, and, seeing their frightened faces, +would ask, "Well, how do you like staging in this country now?" The +Englishmen stuck to the coach, probably thinking it would be better to do +so than to take the chances of breaking their necks by jumping. + +As the flying team was nearing the station, the stock tender saw that +they were running away and that the driver had no control over them +whatever. Being aware that the pony express horses were accustomed to +running right into the stable on arriving at the station, he threw open +the large folding doors, which would just allow the passage of the team +and coach into the stable. The horses, sure enough, made for the open +doorway. Capt. Cricket, the messenger, and Scott got down in the boot of +the coach to save themselves from colliding with the top of the stable +door. The coach would probably have passed through into the stable +without any serious damage had it not been for the bar or threshold that +was stretched across the ground to fasten the doors to. This bar was a +small log, and the front wheels struck it with such force that the coach +was thrown up high enough to strike the upper portion of the door frame. +The top of the coach was completely torn off, and one of the passenger's +arms was broken. This was the only serious injury that was done; though +it was a matter of surprise to all, that any of the travelers escaped. + +The coach was backed out, when the running gear was found to be as good +as ever. The top was soon patched up, a change of team was made, and Bob +Scott, mounting the box as if nothing had happened, took the reins in +hand, and shouted, "All aboard!" The Englishmen, however, had had enough +of Bob Scott, and not one of the party was willing to risk his life with +him again. They said that he was drunk, or crazy or both, and that they +would report him and have him discharged for what he had already done. + +Bob waited a few minutes to give them an opportunity to take their seats +in the coach, but they told him most emphatically that he could drive on +without them, as they intended to wait there for the next stage. Their +traps were taken off, and Bob drove away without a single passenger. He +made his usual time into Fort Laramie, which was the end of his run. The +Englishmen came through on the next day's coach, and proceeded on to +Atchison, where they reported Bob to the superintendent of the line, who, +however, paid little or no attention to the matter, as Bob remained on +the road. Such is the story of the liveliest and most reckless piece of +stage-driving that ever occurred on the Overland stage road. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. + + +Having been away from home nearly a year, and having occasionally heard +of my mother's poor health, I determined to make her a visit; so +procuring a pass over the road, I went to Leavenworth, arriving there +about June 1st, 1861, going from there home. The civil war had broken +out, and excitement ran high in that part of the country. My mother, of +course, was a strong Union woman, and had such great confidence in the +government that she believed the war would not last over six months. + +Leavenworth at that time was quite an important outfitting post for the +West and Southwest, and the fort there was garrisoned by a large number +of troops. While in the city one day I met several of the old, as well as +the young men, who had been members of the Free State party all through +the Kansas troubles, and who had, like our family, lost everything at the +hands of the Missourians. They now thought a good opportunity offered to +retaliate and get even with their persecutors, as they were all +considered to be secessionists. That they were all secessionists, +however, was not true, as all of them did not sympathize with the South. +But the Free State men, myself among them, took it for granted that as +Missouri was a slave state the inhabitants must all be secessionists, and +therefore our enemies. A man by the name of Chandler proposed that we +organize an independent company for the purpose of invading Missouri and +making war on its people on our own responsibility. He at once went about +it in a very quiet way, and succeeded in inducing twenty-five men to join +him in the hazardous enterprise. Having a longing and revengeful desire +to retaliate upon the Missourians for the brutal manner in which they had +treated and robbed my family, I became a member of Chandler's company. +His plan was that we should leave our homes in parties of not more than +two or three together, and meet at a certain point near Westport, +Missouri, on a fixed day. His instructions were carried out to the +letter, and we met at the rendezvous at the appointed time. Chandler had +been there some days before us, and, thoroughly disguised, had been +looking around the country for the whereabouts of all the best horses. He +directed us to secretly visit certain farms and collect all the horses +possible, and bring them together the next night. This we did, and upon +reassembling it was found that nearly every man had two horses. We +immediately struck out for the Kansas line, which we crossed at an Indian +ferry on the Kansas river, above Wyandotte, and as soon as we had set +foot upon Kansas soil we separated with the understanding; that we were +to meet one week from that day at Leavenworth. + +[Illustration: NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES.] + +Some of the parties boldly took their confiscated horses into +Leavenworth, while others rode them to their homes. This action may look +to the reader like horse-stealing, and some people might not hesitate to +call it by that name; but Chandler plausibly maintained that we were only +getting back our own, or the equivalent, from the Missourians, and as the +government was waging war against the South, it was perfectly square and +honest, and we had a good right to do it. So we didn't let our +consciences trouble us very much. + +We continued to make similar raids upon the Missourians off and on during +the summer, and occasionally we had running fights with them; none of the +skirmishes, however, amounting to much. + +The government officials hearing of our operations, put detectives upon +our track, and several of the party were arrested. My mother, upon +learning that I was engaged in this business, told me it was neither +honorable nor right, and she would not for a moment countenance any such +proceedings. Consequently I abandoned the jay-hawking enterprise, for +such it really was. + +About this time the government bought from Jones and Cartwright several +ox-trains, which were sent to Rolla, Missouri, all being put in charge of +my old and gallant friend, Wild Bill, who had just become the hero of the +day, on account of a terrible fight which he had had with a gang of +desperadoes and outlaws, who infested the border under the leadership of +the then notorious Jake McCandless. In this fight he had killed +McCandless and three of his men. + +The affair occurred while Wild Bill was riding the pony express in +western Kansas. + +The custom with the express riders, when within half a mile of a +station, was either to begin shouting or blowing a horn in order to +notify the stock tender of his approach, and to have a fresh horse +already saddled for him on his arrival, so that he could go right on +without a moment's delay. + +One day, as Wild Bill neared Rock Creek station, where he was to change +horses, he began shouting as usual at the proper distance; but the +stock-tender, who had been married only a short time and had his wife +living with him at the station, did not make his accustomed appearance. +Wild Bill galloped up and instead of finding the stock-tender ready for +him with a fresh horse, he discovered him lying across the stable door +with the blood oozing from a bullet-hole in his head. The man was dead, +and it was evident that he had been killed only a few moments before. + +In a second Wild Bill jumped from his horse, and looking in the direction +of the house he saw a man coming towards him. The approaching man fired +on him at once, but missed his aim. Quick as lightning Wild Bill pulled +his revolver and returned the fire. The stranger fell dead, shot through +the brain. + +"Bill, Bill! Help! Help! save me!" Such was the cry that Bill now heard. +It was the shrill and pitiful voice of the dead stock-tender's wife, and +it came from a window of the house. She had heard the exchange of shots, +and knew that Wild Bill had arrived. + +He dashed over the dead body of the villain whom he had killed, and just +as he sprang into the door of the house, he saw two powerful men +assaulting the woman. One of the desperadoes was in the act of striking +her with the butt end of a revolver, and while his arm was still raised, +Bill sent a ball crashing through his skull, killing him instantly. Two +other men now came rushing from an adjoining room, and Bill, seeing that +the odds were three to one against him, jumped into a corner, and then +firing, he killed another of the villains. Before he could shoot again +the remaining two men closed in upon him, one of whom had drawn a large +bowie knife. Bill wrenched the knife from his grasp and drove it through +the heart of the outlaw. + +[Illustration: WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS.] + +The fifth and last man now grabbed Bill by the throat, and held him at +arm's length, but it was only for a moment, as Bill raised his own +powerful right arm and struck his antagonist's left arm such a terrible +blow that he broke it. The disabled desperado, seeing that he was no +longer a match for Bill, jumped through the door, and mounting a horse he +succeeded in making his escape--being the sole survivor of the Jake +McCandless gang. + +Wild Bill remained at the station with the terrified woman until the +stage came along, and he then consigned her to the care of the driver. +Mounting his horse he at once galloped off, and soon disappeared in the +distance, making up for lost time. + +This was the exploit that was on everybody's tongue and in every +newspaper. It was one of the most remarkable and desperate hand to hand +encounters that has ever taken place on the border. + +I happened to meet Wild Bill at Leavenworth as he was about to depart for +Rolla; he wished me to take charge of the government trains as a sort of +assistant under him, and I gladly accepted the offer. Arriving at Rolla, +we loaded the trains with freight and took them to Springfield, Missouri. + +On our return to Rolla we heard a great deal of talk about the +approaching fall races at St. Louis, and Wild Bill having brought a fast +running horse from the mountains, determined to take him to that city and +match him against some of the high-flyers there; and down to St. Louis we +went with this running horse, placing our hopes very high on him. + +Wild Bill had no difficulty in making up a race for him. All the money +that he and I had we put up on the mountain runner, and as we thought we +had a sure thing, we also bet the horse against $250. I rode the horse +myself, but nevertheless, our sure thing, like many another sure thing, +proved a total failure, and we came out of that race minus the horse and +every dollar we had in the world. + +Before the race it had been "make or break" with us, and we got "broke." +We were "busted" in the largest city we had ever been in, and it is no +exaggeration to say that we felt mighty blue. + +On the morning after the race we went to the military headquarters, where +Bill succeeded in securing an engagement for himself as a government +scout, but I being so young failed in obtaining similar employment. Wild +Bill, however, raised some money, by borrowing it from a friend, and then +buying me a steamboat ticket he sent me back to Leavenworth, while he +went to Springfield, which place he made his headquarters while scouting +in southeastern Missouri. + +One night, after he had returned from a scouting expedition, he took a +hand in a game of poker, and in the course of the game he became involved +in a quarrel with Dave Tutt, a professional gambler, about a watch which +he had won from Tutt, who would not give it up. + +Bill told him he had won it fairly, and that he proposed to have it; +furthermore, he declared his intention of carrying the watch across the +street next morning to military headquarters, at which place he had to +report at nine o'clock. + +Tutt replied that he would himself carry the watch across the street at +nine o'clock, and no other man would do it. + +Bill then said to Tutt that if he attempted anything of the kind, he +would kill him. + +A challenge to a duel had virtually been given and accepted, and +everybody knew that the two men meant business. At nine o'clock the next +morning, Tutt started to cross the street. Wild Bill, who was standing on +the opposite side, told him to stop. At that moment Tutt, who was +carrying his revolver in his hand, fired at Bill but missed him. Bill +quickly pulled out his revolver and returned the fire, hitting Tutt +squarely in the forehead and killing him instantly. + +Quite a number of Tutt's friends were standing in the vicinity, having +assembled to witness the duel, and Bill, as soon as Tutt fell to the +ground, turned to them and asked if any one of them wanted to take it up +for Tutt; if so, he would accommodate any of them then and there. But +none of them cared to stand in front of Wild Bill to be shot at by him. + +Nothing of course was ever done to Bill for the killing of Tutt. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SOLDIER. + + +In the fall of 1861 I made a trip to Fort Larned, Kansas, carrying +military dispatches, and in the winter I accompanied George Long through +the country, and assisted him in buying horses for the government. + +The next spring, 1862, an expedition against the Indians was organized, +consisting of a volunteer regiment, the Ninth Kansas, under Colonel +Clark. This expedition, which I had joined in the capacity of guide and +scout, proceeded to the Kiowa and Comanche country, on the Arkansas +river, along which stream we scouted all summer between Fort Lyon and +Fort Larned, on the old Santa Fe trail. We had several engagements with +the Indians, but they were of no great importance. + +In the winter of 1862, I became one of the "Red Legged Scouts,"--a +company of scouts commanded by Captain Tuff. Among its members were some +of the most noted Kansas Rangers, such as Red Clark, the St. Clair +brothers, Jack Harvey, an old pony express-rider named Johnny Fry, and +many other well known frontiersmen. Our field of operations was confined +mostly to the Arkansas country and southwestern Missouri. We had many a +lively skirmish with the bushwhackers and Younger brothers, and when we +were not hunting them, we were generally employed in carrying dispatches +between Forts Dodge, Gibson, Leavenworth, and other posts. Whenever we +were in Leavenworth we had a very festive time. We usually attended all +the balls in full force, and "ran things" to suit ourselves. Thus I +passed the winter of 1862 and the spring of 1863. + +Subsequently I engaged to conduct a small train to Denver for some +merchants, and on reaching that place in September, I received a letter +stating that my mother was not expected to live. I hastened home, and +found her dangerously ill. She grew gradually worse, and at last, on the +22d of November, 1863, she died. Thus passed away a loving and +affectionate mother and a noble, brave, good and loyal woman. That I +loved her above all other persons, no one who has read these +reminiscences can for a moment doubt. + +Previous to this said event my sister Julia had been married to a +gentleman named J.A. Goodman, and they now came to reside at our +house and take charge of the children, as my mother had desired that +they should not be separated. Mr. Goodman became the guardian of the +minor children. + +I soon left the home now rendered gloomy by the absence of her whom I had +so tenderly loved, and going to Leavenworth I entered upon a dissolute +and reckless life--to my shame be it said--and associated with gamblers, +drunkards, and bad characters generally. I continued my dissipation about +two months, and was becoming a very "hard case." About this time the +Seventh Kansas regiment, known as "Jennison's Jay-hawkers," returned from +the war, and re-enlisted and re-organized as veterans. Among them I met +quite a number of my old comrades and neighbors, who tried to induce me +to enlist and go south with them. I had no idea of doing anything of the +kind; but one day, after having been under the influence of bad whisky, I +awoke to find myself a soldier in the Seventh Kansas. I did not remember +how or when I had enlisted, but I saw I was in for it, and that it would +not do for me to endeavor to back out. + +In the spring of 1864 the regiment was ordered to Tennessee, and we got +into Memphis just about the time that General Sturgis was so badly +whipped by General Forrest. General A. J. Smith re-organized the army to +operate against Forrest, and after marching to Tupalo, Mississippi, we +had an engagement with him and defeated him. This kind of fighting was +all new to me, being entirely different from any in which I had ever +before engaged. I soon became a non-commissioned officer, and was put on +detached service as a scout. + +After skirmishing around the country with the rest of the army for some +little time, our regiment returned to Memphis, but was immediately +ordered to Cape Girardeau, in Missouri, as a confederate force under +General Price was then raiding that state. The command of which my +regiment was a part hurried to the front to intercept Price, and our +first fight with him occurred at Pilot Knob. From that time for nearly +six weeks we fought or skirmished every day. + +I was still acting as a scout, when one day I rode ahead of the command, +some considerable distance, to pick up all possible information +concerning Price's movements. I was dressed in gray clothes, or Missouri +jeans, and on riding up to a farm-house and entering, I saw a man, also +dressed in gray costume, sitting at a table eating bread and milk. He +looked up as I entered, and startled me by saying: + +"You little rascal, what are you doing in those 'secesh' clothes?" Judge +of my surprise when I recognized in the stranger my old friend and +partner, Wild Bill, disguised as a Confederate officer. + +"I ask you the same question, sir," said I without the least hesitation. + +"Hush! sit down and have some bread and milk, and we'll talk it all over +afterwards," said he. + +I accepted the invitation and partook of the refreshments. Wild Bill +paid the woman of the house, and we went out to the gate where my horse +was standing. + +"Billy, my boy," said he, "I am mighty glad to see you. I haven't seen or +heard of you since we got busted on that St. Louis' horse-race." + +"What are you doing out here?" I asked. + +"I am a scout under General McNiel. For the last few days I have been +with General Marmaduke's division of Price's army, in disguise as a +southern officer from Texas, as you see me now," said he. + +"That's exactly the kind of business that I am out on to-day," said I; +"and I want to get some information concerning Price's movements." + +"I'll give you all that I have;" and he then went on and told me all that +he knew regarding Price's intentions, and the number and condition of his +men. He then asked about my mother, and when he learned that she was dead +he was greatly surprised and grieved; he thought a great deal of her, for +she had treated him almost as one of her own children. He finally took +out a package, which he had concealed about his person, and handing it to +me he said: + +"Here are some letters which I want you to give to General McNiel." + +"All right," said I as I took them, "but where will I meet you again?" + +"Never mind that," he replied; "I am getting so much valuable information +that I propose to stay a little while longer in this disguise." Thereupon +we shook hands and parted. + +It is not necessary to say much concerning Price's raid in general, as +that event is a matter of recorded history. I am only relating the +incidents in which I was personally interested either as one of the +actors or as an observer. + +Another interesting and I may say exciting episode happened to me a day +or two after my unexpected meeting with Wild Bill. I was riding with the +advance guard of our army, and wishing a drink of water, I stopped at a +farmhouse. There were no men about the premises, and no one excepting a +very fine and intellectual looking lady and her two daughters. They +seemed to be almost frightened to death at seeing me--a "yank"--appear +before them. I quieted their fears somewhat, and the mother then asked me +how far back the army was. When I told her it would be along shortly, she +expressed her fears that they would take everything on the premises. They +set me out a lunch and treated me rather kindly, so that I really began +to sympathize with them; for I knew that the soldiers would ransack their +house and confiscate everything they could lay their hands on. At last I +resolved to do what I could to protect them. After the generals and the +staff officers had passed by, I took it upon myself to be a sentry over +the house. When the command came along some of the men rushed up with the +intention of entering the place and carrying off all the desirable +plunder possible, and then tearing and breaking everything to pieces, as +they usually did along the line of march. + +"Halt!" I shouted; "I have been placed here by the commanding officer as +a guard over this house, and no man must enter it." + +This stopped the first squad; and seeing that my plan was a success, I +remained at my post during the passage of the entire command and kept out +all intruders. + +It seemed as if the ladies could not thank me sufficiently for the +protection I had afforded them. They were perfectly aware of the fact +that I had acted without orders and entirely on my own responsibility, +and therefore they felt the more grateful. They urgently invited me to +remain a little while longer and partake of an excellent dinner which +they said they were preparing for me. I was pretty hungry about that +time, as our rations had been rather slim of late, and a good dinner was +a temptation I could not withstand, especially as it was to be served up +by such elegant ladies. While I was eating the meal, I was most agreeably +entertained by the young ladies, and before I had finished it the last of +the rear-guard must have been at least two miles from the house. + +Suddenly three men entered the room, and I looked up and saw three +double-barreled shot-guns leveled straight at me. Before I could speak, +however, the mother and her daughters sprang between the men and me. + +"Father! Boys! Lower your guns! You must not shoot this man," and similar +exclamations, were the cry of all three. + +The guns were lowered, and then the men, who were the father and +brothers of the young ladies, were informed of what I had done for them. +It appeared that they had been concealed in the woods near by while the +army was passing, and on coming into the house and finding a Yankee +there, they determined to shoot him. Upon learning the facts, the old man +extended his hand to me, saying: + +"I would not harm a hair of your head for the world; but it is best that +you stay here no longer, as your command is some distance from here now, +and you might be cut off by bushwhackers before reaching it." + +Bidding them all good-bye, and with many thanks from the mother and +daughters, I mounted my horse and soon overtook the column, happy in the +thought that I had done a good deed, and with no regrets that I had saved +from pillage and destruction the home and property of a confederate and +his family. + +Our command kept crowding against Price and his army until they were +pushed into the vicinity of Kansas City, where their further advance was +checked by United States troops from Kansas; and then was begun their +memorable and extraordinary retreat back into Kansas. + +While both armies were drawn up in skirmish line near Fort Scott, Kansas, +two men on horseback were seen rapidly leaving the Confederate lines, and +suddenly they made a dash towards us. Instantly quick volleys were +discharged from the Confederates, who also began a pursuit, and some five +hundred shots were fired at the flying men. It was evident that they were +trying to reach our lines, but when within about a quarter of a mile of +us, one of them fell from his horse to rise no more. He had been fatally +shot. His companion galloped on unhurt, and seven companies of our +regiment charged out and met him, and checked his pursuers. The fugitive +was dressed in Confederate uniform, and as he rode into our lines I +recognized him as Wild Bill, the Union scout. He immediately sought +Generals Pleasanton and McNiel, with whom he held a consultation. He told +them that although Price made a bold showing on the front, by bringing +all his men into view, yet he was really a great deal weaker than the +appearance of his lines would indicate; and that he was then trying to +cross a difficult stream four miles from Fort Scott. + +It was late in the afternoon, but General Pleasanton immediately ordered +an advance, and we charged in full force upon the rear of Price's army, +and drove it before us for two hours. + +If Wild Bill could have made his successful dash into our lines earlier +in the day, the attack would have been made sooner, and greater results +might have been expected. The Confederates had suspected him of being a +spy for two or three days, and had watched him too closely to allow an +opportunity to get away from them sooner. His unfortunate companion who +had been shot, was a scout from Springfield, Missouri, whose name I +cannot now remember. + +From this time on, Wild Bill and myself continued to scout together until +Price's army was driven south of the Arkansas River and the pursuit +abandoned. We then returned to Springfield, Missouri, for a rest and for +supplies, and Wild Bill and myself spent two weeks there in "having a +jolly good time," as some people would express it. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A WEDDING. + + +It was during the winter of 1864-65, while I was on detached service at +military headquarters, at St. Louis, that I became acquainted with a +young lady named Louisa Frederici, whom I greatly admired and in whose +charming society I spent many a pleasant hour. The war closing in +1865, I was discharged, and after a brief visit at Leavenworth I +returned to St. Louis, having made up my mind to capture the heart of +Miss Frederici, whom I now adored above any other young lady I had ever +seen. Her lovely face, her gentle disposition and her graceful manners +won my admiration and love; and I was not slow in declaring my +sentiments to her. The result was that I obtained her consent to marry +me in the near future, and when I bade her good-bye I considered myself +one of the happiest of men. + +Meantime I drove a string of horses from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney, +where I met my old friend Bill Trotter, who was then division stage +agent. He employed me at once to drive stage between Kearney and Plum +Creek, the road running near the spot where I had my first Indian fight +with the McCarthy brothers, and where I killed my first Indian, nearly +nine years before. I drove stage over this route until February, 1866, +and while bounding over the cold, dreary road day after day, my thoughts +turned continually towards my promised bride, until I at last determined +to abandon staging forever, and marry and settle down. Immediately after +coming to this conclusion, I went to St. Louis, where I was most +cordially received by my sweetheart; it was arranged between us that our +wedding should take place on the 6th day of March, following. + +At last the day arrived, and the wedding ceremony was performed at the +residence of the bride's parents, in the presence of a large number of +invited friends, whose hearty congratulations we received. I was +certainly to be congratulated, for I had become possessed of a lovely +and noble woman, and as I gazed upon her as she stood beside me arrayed +in her wedding costume, I indeed felt proud of her; and from that time +to this I have always thought that I made a most fortunate choice for a +life partner. + +An hour after the ceremony we--my bride and myself--were on board of a +Missouri river steamboat, bound for our new home in Kansas. My wife's +parents had accompanied us to the boat, and had bidden us a fond farewell +and a God-speed on our journey. + +During the trip up the river several very amusing, yet awkward +incidents occurred, some of which I cannot resist relating. There +happened to be on board the boat an excursion party from Lexington, +Missouri, and those comprising it seemed to shun me, for some reason +which I could not then account for. They would point at me, and quietly +talk among themselves, and eye me very closely. Their actions seemed +very strange to me. After the boat had proceeded some little distance, +I made the acquaintance of several families from Indiana, who were _en +route_ to Kansas. A gentleman, who seemed to be the leader of these +colonists, said to me, "The people of this excursion party don't seem +to have any great love for you." + +"What does it mean?" I asked; "What are they saying? It's all a +mystery to me." + +"They say that you are one of the Kansas jay-hawkers, and one of +Jennison's house burners," replied the gentleman. + +"I am from Kansas--that's true; and was a soldier and a scout in the +Union army," said I; "and I was in Kansas during the border ruffian war +of 1856. Perhaps these people know who I am, and that explains their +hard looks." I had a lengthy conversation with this gentleman--for such +he seemed to be--and entertained him with several chapters of the +history of the early Kansas troubles, and told him the experiences of +my own family. + +In the evening the Lexington folks got up a dance, but neither the +Indiana people, my wife or myself were invited to join them. My +new-found friend thereupon came to me and said: "Mr. Cody, let us have a +dance of our own." + +"Very well," was my reply. + +"We have some musicians along with us, so we can have plenty of music," +remarked the gentleman. + +"Good enough!" said I, "and I will hire the negro barber to play the +violin for us. He is a good fiddler, as I heard him playing only a +little while ago." The result was that we soon organized a good string +band and had a splendid dance, keeping it up as long as the Lexington +party did theirs. + +The second day out from St. Louis, the boat stopped to wood up, at a +wild-looking landing. Suddenly twenty horsemen were seen galloping up +through the timber, and as they came nearer the boat they fired on the +negro deckhands, against whom they seemed to have a special grudge, and +who were engaged in throwing wood on board. The negroes all quickly +jumped on the boat and pulled in the gang plank, and the captain had only +just time to get the steamer out into the stream before the +bushwhackers--for such they proved to be--appeared on the bank. + +"Where is the black abolition jay-hawker?" shouted the leader. + +"Show him to us, and we'll shoot him," yelled another. + +But as the boat had got well out in the river by this time, they could +not board us, and the captain ordering a full head of steam, pulled out +and left them. + +I afterwards ascertained that some of the Missourians, who were with the +excursion party, were bushwhackers themselves, and had telegraphed to +their friends from some previous landing that I was on board, telling +them to come to the landing which we had just left, and take me off. Had +the villains captured me they would have undoubtedly put an end to my +career, and the public would never have had the pleasure of being bored +by this autobiography. + +I noticed that my wife felt grieved over the manner in which these +people had treated me. Just married, she was going into a new country, +and seeing how her husband was regarded, how he had been shunned, and +how his life had been threatened, I was afraid she might come to the +conclusion too soon that she had wedded a "hard customer." So when the +boat landed at Kansas City I telegraphed to some of my friends in +Leavenworth that I would arrive there in the evening. My object was to +have my acquaintances give me a reception, so that my wife could see +that I really did have some friends, and was not so bad a man as the +bushwhackers tried to make out. + +Just as I expected, when the boat reached Leavenworth, I found a general +round-up of friends at the landing to receive us. There were about sixty +gentlemen and ladies. They had a band of music with them, and we were +given a fine serenade. Taking carriages, we all drove to South +Leavenworth to the home of my sister Eliza, who had married George Myers, +and there we were given a very handsome reception. All this cheered up my +wife, who concluded that I was not a desperado after all. + +Having promised my wife that I would abandon the plains, I rented a hotel +in Salt Creek Valley--the same house by the way, which my mother had +formerly kept, but which was then owned by Dr. J.J. Crook, late surgeon +of the 7th Kansas. This hotel I called the Golden Rule House, and I kept +it until the next September. People generally said I made a good +landlord, and knew how to run a hotel--a business qualification which, it +is said, is possessed by comparatively few men. But it proved too tame +employment for me, and again I sighed for the freedom of the plains. +Believing that I could make more money out West on the frontier than I +could at Salt Creek Valley, I sold out the Golden Rule House, and started +alone for Saline, Kansas, which was then the end of the track of the +Kansas Pacific railway, which was at that time being built across the +plains. On my way I stopped at Junction City, where I again met my old +friend Wild Bill, who was scouting for the government; his headquarters +being at Fort Ellsworth, afterwards called Fort Harker. He told me that +they needed more scouts at this post, and I accordingly accompanied him +to that fort, where I had no difficulty in obtaining employment. + +During the winter of 1866-67, I scouted between Fort Ellsworth and Fort +Fletcher. In the spring of 1867 I was at Fort Fletcher, when General +Custer came out to go on an Indian expedition with General Hancock. I +remained at this post until it was drowned out by the heavy floods of Big +Creek, on which it was located; the water rose about the fortifications +and rendered the place unfit for occupancy; so the government abandoned +the fort, and moved the troops and supplies to a new post--which had been +named Fort Hays--located further west, on the south fork of Big Creek. It +was while scouting in the vicinity of Fort Hays that I had my first ride +with the dashing and gallant Custer, who had come up to the post from +Fort Ellsworth with an escort of only ten men. He wanted a guide to pilot +him to Fort Larned, a distance of sixty-five miles across the country. + +I was ordered by the commanding officer to guide General Custer to his +desired destination, and I soon received word from the General that he +would start out in the morning with the intention of making the trip in +one day. Early in the morning, after a good night's rest, I was on hand, +mounted on my large mouse-colored mule--an animal of great endurance--and +ready for the journey; when the General saw me, he said: + +"Cody, I want to travel fast and go through as quickly as possible, and I +don't think that mule of yours is fast enough to suit me." + +"General, never mind the mule," said I, "he'll get there as soon as your +horses. That mule is a good one," as I knew that the animal was better +than most horses. + +"Very well; go ahead, then," said he, though he looked as if he thought I +would delay the party on the road. + +For the first fifteen miles, until we came to the Smoky Hill River, +which we were to cross, I could hardly keep the mule in advance of the +General, who rode a frisky, impatient and ambitious thoroughbred steed; +in fact, the whole party was finely mounted. The General repeatedly told +me that the mule was "no good," and that I ought to have had a good +horse. But after crossing the river and striking the sand-hills, I began +letting my mule out a little, and putting the "persuaders" to him. He +was soon out-traveling the horses, and by the time we had made about +half the distance to Fort Larned, I occasionally had to wait for the +General or some of his party, as their horses were beginning to show +signs of fatigue. + +"General, how about this mule, anyhow?" I asked, at last. + +"Cody, you have a better vehicle than I thought you had," was his reply. + +From that time on to Fort Larned I had no trouble in keeping ahead of the +party. We rode into the fort at four o'clock in the afternoon with about +half the escort only, the rest having lagged far behind. + +General Custer thanked me for having brought him straight across the +country without any trail, and said that if I were not engaged as post +scout at Fort Hays he would like to have me accompany him as one of his +scouts during the summer; and he added that whenever I was out of +employment, if I would come to him he would find something for me to do. +This was the beginning of my acquaintance with General Custer, whom I +always admired as a man and as an officer. + +[Illustration: GENERAL CUSTER] + +A few days after my return to Fort Hays, the Indians made a raid on the +Kansas Pacific Railroad, killing five or six men and running off about +one hundred horses and mules. The news was brought to the commanding +officer, who immediately ordered Major Arms, of the Tenth Cavalry--which, +by the way, was a negro regiment,--with his company and one mountain +howitzer, to go in pursuit of the red-skins, and I was sent along with +the expedition as scout and guide. On the second day out we suddenly +discovered, on the opposite side of the Saline River, about a mile +distant, a large body of Indians, who were charging down upon us. Major +Arms, placing the cannon on a little knoll, limbered it up and left +twenty men to guard it; and then, with the rest of the command, he +crossed the river to meet the Indians. + +Just as he had got the men over the stream, we heard a terrific yelling +and shouting in our rear, and looking back to the knoll where the cannon +had been stationed, we saw the negroes, who had been left there to guard +the gun, flying towards us, being pursued by about one hundred Indians; +while another large party of the latter were dancing around the captured +cannon, as if they had got hold of an elephant and did not know what to +do with it. + +Major Arms turned his command back and drove the Indians from the gun. +The troops then dismounted and took position there. Quite a severe fight +ensued, lasting about two hours. Five or six of the soldiers, as well as +Major Arms, were wounded, and several of the horses were shot. The +Indians seemed to grow thicker and thicker, as if receiving +reinforcements from some large party. The colored troops, who had been +bragging all the way that if they could only see some Indians "dey would +blow 'em off de farm,"--which was a favorite expression of theirs,--were +now singing a different tune. Every time the Indians would make a charge +at us, the darkeys would cry out: + +"Heah dey cum;" "Dey must be ten thousand ob 'em;" "De whole country is +alive wid 'em;" "Massa Bill, does you tink we is eber agoin' to get out +o' heah?" and many other similar expressions. + +Major Arms, who was wounded and lying under the cannon--which, by the +way, had become useless,--called me up and asked if I thought there was +any show of getting back to the fort. I replied that there was. + +Orders were accordingly given by Major Arms for a retreat, the cannon +being left behind. During the movement several of our men were killed, +but as night came and dense darkness prevailed, we succeeded in making +good headway, and got into Fort Hays just at daylight next morning, in a +very played-out condition. + +During our absence the cholera had broken out at the post, and five or +six men were dying daily. It was difficult to tell which was the greater +danger--fighting Indians on the prairie, or facing the cholera in camp; +but the former was decidedly the more inviting. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A MILLIONAIRE. + + +Soon after returning to Fort Hays, I was sent with dispatches to Fort +Harker. After delivering the messages, I visited the town of Ellsworth, +about three miles west of Fort Harker, and there I met a man named +William Rose, a contractor on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, who had a +contract for grading near Fort Hays. He had had his stock stolen by the +Indians, and had come to Ellsworth to buy more. + +During the course of our conversation, Mr. Rose incidentally remarked +that he had some idea of laying out a town on the west side of Big Creek, +about one mile from the fort, where the railroad was to cross. He asked +my opinion of the contemplated enterprise, and I told him that I thought +it was "a big thing." He then proposed taking me as a partner in the +scheme, and suggested that after we got the town laid out and thrown open +to the public, we should establish a store and saloon there. + +Thinking it would be a grand thing to be half-owner of a town, I at once +accepted his proposition. We bought a stock of such articles as are +usually found in a frontier store, and transported them to the place on +Big Creek, where we were to found our town. We hired a railroad engineer +to survey the site and stake it off into lots; and we gave the new town +the ancient and historical name of Rome. To a "starter," we donated lots +to any one who would build on them, but reserved the corner lots and +others which were best located for ourselves. These reserved lots we +valued at fifty dollars each. + +Our modern Rome, like all mushroom towns along the line of a new +railroad, sprang up as if by magic, and in less than one month we had two +hundred frame and log houses, three or four stores, several saloons, and +one good hotel. Rome was looming up, and Rose and I already considered +ourselves millionaires, and thought we "had the world by the tail." But +one day a fine-looking gentleman, calling himself Dr. W.E. Webb, appeared +in town, and dropping into our store introduced himself in a very +pleasant way. + +"Gentlemen, you've got a very flourishing little town here. Wouldn't you +like to have a partner in your enterprise?" + +"No, thank you," said I, "we have too good a thing here to whack up +with anybody." + +My partner agreed with me, but the conversation was continued, and at +last the stranger said: + +"Gentlemen, I am the agent or prospector of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, +and my business is to locate towns for the company along the line." + +"We think we have the only suitable town-site in this immediate +locality," said Mr. Rose, "and as a town is already started, we have +saved the company considerable expense." + +"You know as well as I do," said Dr. Webb, "that the company expects to +make money by selling lands and town lots; and as you are not disposed to +give the company a show, or share with me, I shall probably have to start +another town near you. Competition is the life of trade, you know." + +"Start your town, if you want to. We've got the 'bulge' on you, and can +hold it," said I, somewhat provoked at his threat. + +But we acted too independently and too indiscreetly for our own good Dr. +Webb, the very next day after his interview with us, began hauling +material to a spot about one mile east of us, where he staked out a new +town, which he called Hays City. He took great pains to circulate in our +town the story that the railroad company would locate their round-houses +and machine shops at Hays City, and that it was to be _the_ town and a +splendid business center. A ruinous stampede from our place was the +result. People who had built in Rome came to the conclusion that they had +built in the wrong place; they began pulling down their buildings and +moving them over to Hays City, and in less than three days our once +flourishing city had dwindled down to the little store which Rose and I +had built. + +It was on a bright summer morning that we sat on a pine box in front of +our crib, moodily viewing the demolition of the last building. Three days +before, we had considered ourselves millionaires; on that morning we +looked around and saw that we were reduced to the ragged edge of poverty. +Our sanguine expectations of realizing immense fortunes were dashed to +the ground, and we felt pretty blue. The new town of Hays had swallowed +Rome entirely. Mr. Rose facetiously remarked that he felt like "the last +rose of summer," with all his lovely companions faded and gone, and _he_ +left blooming alone. I told him I was still there, staunch and true, but +he replied that that didn't help the matter much. Thus ends the brief +history of the "Rise, Decline and Fall" of Modern Rome. + +It having become evident to me that there was very little hope of Rome +ever regaining its former splendor and prosperity, I sent my wife and +daughter Arta--who had been born at Leavenworth in the latter part of +December, 1866--to St. Louis on a visit. They had been living with me +for some little time in the rear part of our "store." + +At this time Mr. Rose and myself had a contract under Schumacher, Miller +& Co., constructors of the Kansas Pacific, for grading five miles of +track westward from Big Creek, and running through the site of Rome. +Notwithstanding we had been deserted, we had some small hope that they +would not be able to get water at the new town, and that the people would +all soon move back to Rome, as we really had the best location. We +determined, therefore, to go on with our grading contract, and wait for +something better to turn up. It was indeed hard for us, who had been +millionaires, to come down to the level of common railroad contractors-- +but we had to do it, all the same. + +We visited the new town of Hays almost daily, to see how it was +progressing, and in a short time we became much better acquainted with +Dr. Webb, who had reduced us from our late independent to our present +dependent position. We found him a perfect gentleman--a whole-souled, +genial-hearted fellow, whom everybody liked and respected. Nearly +every day, "Doc." and I would take a ride over the prairie together +and hunt buffalo. + +On one occasion, having ventured about ten miles from the town, we spied +a band of Indians not over two miles distant, who were endeavoring to get +between us and the town, and thus cut us off. I was mounted on my +celebrated horse Brigham, the fleetest steed I ever owned. On several +subsequent occasions he saved my life, and he was the horse that I rode +when I killed sixty-nine buffaloes in one day. Dr. Webb was riding a +beautiful thoroughbred bay, which he had brought with him from the East. +Having such splendid horses, we laughed at the idea of a band of Indians +overtaking us on a square run, no matter how well they might be mounted; +but not caring to be cut off by them, we ran our steeds about three +miles towards home, thus getting between the braves and the town. The +Indians were then about three-quarters of a mile distant, and we stopped +and waved our hats at them, and fired some shots at long range. There +were thirteen in the party, and as they were getting pretty close to us, +we struck out for Hays. They came on in pursuit and sent several +scattering shots after us, but we easily left them behind. They finally +turned and rode off towards the Saline River. + +The Doctor thought this glorious sport, and wanted to organize a party to +go in pursuit of them, but I induced him to give up this idea, although +he did so rather reluctantly. The Doctor soon became quite an expert +hunter, and before he had remained on the prairie a year there were but +few men in the country who could kill more buffaloes on a hunt than he. + +Being aware that Rose and myself felt rather downhearted over our +deserted village, the Doctor one day said that, as he had made the +proprietors of Rome "howl," he would give us two lots each in Hays, and +did so. We finally came to the conclusion that our old town was dead +beyond redemption or revival, and we thereupon devoted our undivided +attention to our railroad contract. One day we were pushed for horses to +work on our scrapers--so I hitched up Brigham, to see how he would work. +He was not much used to that kind of labor, and I was about giving up the +idea of making a work-horse of him, when one of the men called to me that +there were some buffaloes coming over the hill. As there had been no +buffaloes seen anywhere in the vicinity of the camp for several days, we +had become rather short of meat. I immediately told one of our men to +hitch his horses to a wagon and follow me, as I was going out after the +herd, and we would bring back some fresh meat for supper. I had no +saddle, as mine had been left at the camp a mile distant, so taking the +harness from Brigham, I mounted him bareback and started out after the +game, being armed with my celebrated buffalo-killer, "Lucretia +Borgia,"--a newly-improved breech-loading needle gun, which I had +obtained from the government. + +While I was riding toward the buffaloes I observed five horsemen coming +out from the fort, who had evidently seen the buffaloes from the post, +and were going out for a chase. They proved to be some newly-arrived +officers in that part of the country, and when they came up closer, I +could see by the shoulder straps that the senior officer was a captain, +while the others were lieutenants. + +"Hello! may friend," sang out the captain, "I see you are after the same +game we are." + +"Yes, sir; I saw those buffaloes coming over the hill, and as we were +about out of fresh meat I thought I would go and get some," said I. + +They scanned my cheap-looking outfit pretty closely, and as my horse was +not very prepossessing in appearance, having on only a blind bridle, and +otherwise looking like a work-horse they evidently considered me a green +hand at hunting. + +"Do you expect to catch those buffaloes on that Gothic steed?" laughingly +asked the captain. + +"I hope so, by pushing on the reins hard enough," was my reply. + +"You'll never catch them in the world, my fine fellow," said the captain. +"It requires a fast horse to overtake the animals on these prairies." + +"Does it?" asked I as if I didn't know it. + +"Yes; but come along with us as we are going to kill them more for +pleasure than anything else. All we want are the tongues and a piece of +tender loin, and you may have all that is left," said the generous man. + +"I am much obliged to you, Captain, and will follow you," I replied. +There were eleven buffaloes in the herd and they were not more than a +mile from us. The officers dashed ahead as if they had a sure thing on +killing them all before I could come up with them; but I had noticed that +the herd was making towards the creek for water, and as I knew buffalo +nature, I was perfectly aware that it would be difficult to turn them +from their direct course. Thereupon, I started towards the creek to head +them off, while the officers came up in the rear and gave chase. + +The buffaloes came rushing past me not a hundred yards distant, with the +officers about three hundred yards in the rear. Now, thought I, is the +time to "get my work in," as they say; and I pulled the blind-bridle from +my horse, who knew as well as I did that we were out for buffaloes--as he +was a trained hunter. The moment the bridle was off, he started at the +top of his speed, running in ahead of the officers, and with a few jumps +he brought me alongside of the rear buffalo. Raising old "Lucretia +Borgia" to my shoulder, I fired, and killed the animal at the first shot. +My horse then carried me alongside the next one, not ten feet away, and I +dropped him at the next fire. + +As soon as one buffalo would fall, Brigham would take me so close to the +next, that I could almost touch it with my gun. In this manner I killed +the eleven buffaloes with twelve shots; and, as the last animal dropped, +my horse stopped. I jumped to the ground, knowing that he would not leave +me--it must be remembered that I had been riding him without bridle, +reins or saddle--and turning round as the party of astonished officers +rode up, I said to them: + +"Now, gentlemen, allow me to present to you all the tongues and +tender-loins you wish from these buffaloes." + +[Illustration: TONGUES AND TENDER LOINS.] + +Captain Graham, for such I soon learned was his name, replied: "Well, I +never saw the like before. Who under the sun are you, anyhow?" + +"My name is Cody," said I. + +One of the lieutenants, Thompson by name, who had met me at Fort Harker, +then recognized me, and said: "Why, that is Bill Cody, our old scout." He +then introduced me to the other officers, who were Captain Graham, of the +Tenth Cavalry, and Lieutenants Reed, Emmick and Ezekiel. + +Captain Graham, who was considerable of a horseman, greatly admired +Brigham, and said: "That horse of yours has running points." + +"Yes, sir; he has not only got the points, he is a runner and knows how +to use the points," said I. + +"So I noticed," said the captain. + +They all finally dismounted, and we continued chatting for some little +time upon the different subjects of horses, buffaloes, Indians and +hunting. They felt a little sore at not getting a single shot at the +buffaloes, but the way I had killed them had, they said, amply repaid +them for their disappointment. They had read of such feats in books, but +this was the first time they had ever seen anything of the kind with +their own eyes. It was the first time, also, that they had ever witnessed +or heard of a white man running buffaloes on horseback without a saddle +or a bridle. + +I told them that Brigham knew nearly as much about the business as I did, +and if I had had twenty bridles they would have been of no use to me, as +he understood everything, and all that he expected of me was to do the +shooting. It is a fact, that Brigham would stop if a buffalo did not fall +at the first fire, so as to give me a second chance, but if I did not +kill the buffalo then, he would go on, as if to say, "You are no good, +and I will not fool away time by giving you more than two shots." Brigham +was the best horse I ever owned or saw for buffalo chasing. + +Our conversation was interrupted in a little while by the arrival of the +wagon which I had ordered out; I loaded the hind-quarters of the youngest +buffaloes on it, and then cut out the tongues and tender loins, and +presented them to the officers, after which I rode towards the fort with +them, while the wagon returned to camp. + +Captain Graham told me that he expected to be stationed at Fort Hays +during the summer, and would probably be sent out on a scouting +expedition, and in case he was he would like to have me accompany him as +scout and guide. I replied that notwithstanding I was very busy with my +railroad contract I would go with him if he was ordered out. I then left +the officers and returned to our camp. + +That very night the Indians unexpectedly made a raid on the horses, and +ran off five or six of our very best work-teams, leaving us in a very +crippled condition. At daylight I jumped on old Brigham and rode to Fort +Hays, when I reported the affair to the commanding officer; Captain +Graham and Lieutenant Emmick were at once ordered out with their company +of one hundred colored troops, to pursue the Indians and recover our +stock if possible. In an hour we were under way. The darkies had never +been in an Indian fight and were anxious to catch the band we were after +and "Sweep de red debels from off de face ob de earth." Captain Graham +was a brave, dashing officer, eager to make a record for himself, and it +was with difficulty that I could trail fast enough to keep out of the way +of the impatient soldiers. Every few moments Captain Graham would ride up +to see if the trail was freshening and how soon we should be likely to +overtake the thieves. + +At last we reached the Saline river, where we found the Indians had only +stopped to feed and water the animals, and had then pushed on towards the +Solomon. After crossing the Saline they made no effort to conceal their +trail, thinking they would not be pursued beyond that point--consequently +we were able to make excellent time. We reached the Soloman before +sunset, and came to a halt; we surmised that if the Indians were camped +on this river, that they had no suspicion of our being in the +neighborhood. I advised Captain Graham to remain with the company where +it was, while I went ahead on a scout to find the Indians, if they were +in the vicinity. + +After riding some distance down the ravine that led to the river, I left +my horse at the foot of a hill; then, creeping to the top, I looked +cautiously over the summit upon the Solomon, below. I at once discovered +in plain view, not a mile away, a herd of horses grazing, our lost ones +among them; very shortly I made out the Indian camp, noted its lay, and +how we could best approach it. Reporting to Captain Graham, whose eyes +fairly danced with delight at the prospect of surprising and whipping +the redskins, we concluded to wait until the moon rose, then get into +the timber so as to approach the Indians as closely as possible without +being discovered, and finally to make a sudden dash into their camp, and +clean them out. We had everything "cut and dried," as we thought, but, +alas! just as we were nearing the point where we were to take the open +ground and make our charge, one of the colored gentlemen became so +excited that he fired off his gun. We immediately commenced the charge, +but the firing of the gun and the noise of our rush through the +crackling timber alarmed the Indians, who at once sprang to their +horses and were away from us before we reached their late camp. Captain +Graham called out "Follow me boys!" which we did for awhile, but in the +darkness the Indians made good their escape. The bugle then gave the +re-call, but some of the darkies did not get back until morning, having, +in their fright, allowed their horses to run away with them whithersoever +it suited the animal's pleasure to go. + +[Illustration: THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES.] + +We followed the trail the next day for awhile, but as it become evident +that it would be a long chase to overtake the enemy, and as we had +rations only for the day, we commenced the return. Captain Graham was +bitterly disappointed in not being able to get the fight when it seemed +so near at one time. He roundly cursed the "nigger" who fired the gun, +and as a punishment for his carelessness, he was compelled to walk all +the way back to Fort Hays. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +EARNING A TITLE. + + +It was about this time that the end of the Kansas Pacific track was in +the heart of the buffalo country, and the company was employing about +twelve hundred men in the construction of the road. As the Indians were +very troublesome, it was difficult to obtain fresh meat for the workmen, +and the company therefore concluded to engage the services of hunters to +kill buffaloes. Having heard of my experience and success as a buffalo +hunter, Messrs. Goddard Brothers, who had the contract for boarding the +employees of the road, met me in Hays City one day and made me a good +offer to become their hunter, and I at once entered into a contract with +them. They said that they would require about twelve buffaloes per day; +that would be twenty-four hams, as we took only the hind-quarters and +hump of each buffalo. As this was to be dangerous work, on account of the +Indians, who were riding all over that section of the country, and as I +would be obliged to go from five to ten miles from the road each day to +hunt the buffaloes, accompanied by only one man with a light wagon for +the transportation of the meat, I of course demanded a large salary. They +could afford to remunerate me well, because the meat would not cost them +anything. They agreed to give me five hundred dollars per month, provided +I furnished them all the fresh meat required. + +Leaving my partner, Rose, to complete our grading contract, I immediately +began my career as a buffalo hunter for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and +it was not long before I acquired considerable notoriety. It was at this +time that the very appropriate name of "Buffalo Bill," was conferred upon +me by the road-hands. It has stuck to me ever since, and I have never +been ashamed of it. + +During my engagement as hunter for the company--a period of less than +eighteen mouths--I killed 4,280 buffaloes; and I had many exciting +adventures with the Indians, as well as hair-breadth escapes, some of +which are well worth relating. + +One day in the spring of 1868, I mounted Brigham and started for Smoky +Hill River. After galloping about twenty miles I reached the top of a +small hill overlooking the valley of that beautiful stream. + +As I was gazing on the landscape, I suddenly saw a band of about thirty +Indians nearly half a mile distant; I knew by the way they jumped on +their horses that they had seen me as soon as I came into sight. + +The only chance I had for my life was to make a run for it, and I +immediately wheeled and started back towards the railroad. Brigham seemed +to understand what was up, and he struck out as if he comprehended that +it was to be a run for life. He crossed a ravine in a few jumps, and on +reaching a ridge beyond, I drew rein, looked back and saw the Indians +coming for me at full speed and evidently well-mounted. I would have had +little or no fear of being overtaken if Brigham had been fresh; but as he +was not, I felt uncertain as to how he would stand a long chase. + +[Illustration: BUFFALO BILL.] + +My pursuers seemed to be gaining on me a little, and I let Brigham shoot +ahead again; when we had run about three miles farther, some eight or +nine of the Indians were not over two hundred yards behind, and five or +six of these seemed to be shortening the gap at every jump. Brigham now +exerted himself more than ever, and for the next three or four miles he +got "right down to business," and did some of the prettiest running I +ever saw. But the Indians were about as well-mounted as I was, and one of +their horses in particular--a spotted animal--was gaining on me all the +time. Nearly all the other horses were strung out behind for a distance +of two miles, but still chasing after me. + +[Illustration: DOWN WENT HIS HORSE.] + +The Indian who was riding the spotted horse was armed with a rifle, and +would occasionally send a bullet whistling along, sometimes striking the +ground ahead of me. I saw that this fellow must be checked, or a stray +bullet from his gun might hit me or my horse; so, suddenly stopping +Brigham, and quickly wheeling him around, I raised old "Lucretia" to my +shoulder, took deliberate aim at the Indian and his horse, hoping to hit +one or the other, and fired. He was not over eighty yards from me at this +time, and at the crack of my rifle down went his horse. Not waiting to +see if he recovered, I turned Brigham, and in a moment we were again +fairly flying towards our destination; we had urgent business about that +time, and were in a hurry to get there. + +The other Indians had gained on us while I was engaged in shooting at +their leader, and they sent several shots whizzing past me, but +fortunately none of them hit the intended mark. To return their +compliment I occasionally wheeled myself in the saddle and fired back at +them, and one of my shots broke the leg of one of their horses, which +left its rider _hors(e) de combat_, as the French would say. + +Only seven or eight Indians now remained in dangerous proximity to me, +and as their horses were beginning to lag somewhat, I checked my faithful +old steed a little, to allow him an opportunity to draw an extra breath +or two. I had determined, if it should come to the worst, to drop into a +buffalo wallow, where I could stand the Indians off for a while; but I +was not compelled to do this, as Brigham carried me through most nobly. + +The chase was kept up until we came within three miles of the end of the +railroad track, where two companies of soldiers were stationed for the +purpose of protecting the workmen from the Indians. One of the outposts +saw the Indians chasing me across the prairie, and gave the alarm. In a +few minutes I saw, greatly to my delight, men coming on foot, and +cavalrymen, too, came galloping to our rescue as soon as they could mount +their horses. When the Indians observed this, they turned and ran in the +direction from which they had come. In a very few minutes I was met by +some of the infantrymen and trackmen, and jumping to the ground and +pulling the blanket and saddle off of Brigham, I told them what he had +done for me; they at once took him in charge, led him around, and rubbed +him down so vigorously that I thought they would rub him to death. + +Captain Nolan, of the Tenth Cavalry, now came up with forty of his men, +and upon learning what had happened he determined to pursue the Indians. +He kindly offered me one of the cavalry horses, and after putting my own +saddle and bridle on the animal, we started out after the flying Indians, +who only a few minutes before had been making it so uncomfortably lively +for me. Our horses were all fresh and of excellent stock, and we soon +began shortening the distance between ourselves and the redskins. Before +they had gone five miles we overtook and killed eight of their number. +The others succeeded in making their escape. On coming up to the place +where I had killed the first horse--the spotted one--on my "home run," I +found that my bullet had struck him in the forehead and killed him +instantly. He was a noble animal, and ought to have been engaged in +better business. + +When we got back to camp I found old Brigham grazing quietly and +contentedly on the grass. He looked up at me as if to ask if we had got +away with any of those fellows who had chased us. I believe he read the +answer in my eyes. + +Another very exciting hunting adventure of mine which deserves a place in +these reminiscences occurred near Saline river. My companion at the time +was a man called Scotty, a butcher, who generally accompanied me on these +hunting expeditions to cut up the buffaloes and load the meat into a +light wagon which he brought to carry it in. He was a brave little fellow +and a most excellent shot. I had killed some fifteen buffaloes, and we +had started for home with a wagon-load of meat. When within about eight +miles of our destination, we suddenly ran on to a party of at least +thirty Indians who came riding out of the head of a ravine. + +On this occasion I was mounted on a most excellent horse belonging to the +railroad company, and could easily have made my escape; but of course I +could not leave Scotty who was driving a pair of mules hitched to the +wagon. To think was to act, in those days; and as Scotty and I had often +talked over a plan of defense in case we were ever surprised by Indians, +we instantly proceeded to carry it out. We jumped to the ground, +unhitched the mules quicker than it had ever been done before, and tied +them and my horse to the wagon. We threw the buffalo hams upon the +ground, and piled them around the wheels in such a shape as to form a +breastwork. All this was done in a shorter time than it takes to tell it; +and then, with our extra box of ammunition and three or four extra +revolvers, which we always carried along with us, we crept under the +wagon and were fully prepared to give our visitors the warmest kind of a +reception. + +The Indians came on pell-mell, but when they were within one hundred +yards of us we opened such a sudden and galling fire upon them, that they +held up and began to circle around the wagon instead of riding up to +take tea with us. They however charged back and forth upon us several +times, and their shots killed the two mules and my horse; but we gave it +to them right and left, and had the satisfaction of seeing three of them +fall to the ground not more than fifty yards away. On seeing how well we +were fortified and protected by our breastwork of hams, they probably +came to the conclusion that it would be a difficult undertaking to +dislodge us, for they drew off and gave us a rest, but only a short one. + +This was the kind of fighting we had been expecting for a long time, as +we knew that sooner or later we would be "jumped" by Indians while we +were out buffalo hunting. I had an understanding with the officers who +commanded the troops at the end of the track, that in case their pickets +should at any time notice a smoke in the direction of our hunting ground, +they were to give the alarm, so that assistance might be sent to us for +the smoke was to indicate that we were in danger. + +I now resolved to signal to the troops in the manner agreed on, and at +the first opportunity set fire to the grass on the windward side of the +wagon. The fire spread over the prairie at a rapid rate, causing a dense +smoke which I knew would be seen at the camp. The Indians did not seem to +understand this strategic movement. They got off from their horses, and +from behind a bank or knoll, again peppered away at us; but we were well +fortified, and whenever they showed their heads we let them know that we +could shoot as well as they. + +[Illustration: THE FIRE SIGNAL.] + +After we had been cooped up in our little fort, for about an hour, we +discovered cavalry coming toward us at full gallop over the prairie. Our +signal of distress had proved a success. The Indians saw the soldiers at +about the same time that we did, and thinking that it would not be +healthy for them to remain much longer in that vicinity, they mounted +their horses and disappeared down the cañons of the creek. When the +soldiers came up we had the satisfaction of showing them five "_good_" +Indians, that is dead ones. + +Two hours later we pulled into camp with our load of meat, which was +found to be all right, except that it had a few bullets and arrows +sticking in it. + +While I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific railway, I had the pleasure, +in the fall of 1867, of meeting the celebrated Kit Carson, one of, if not +the oldest and most noted scout, guide, and hunter that our western +country has ever produced. He was on his way to Washington. I also met +him on his return from the East, and invited him to be my guest for a few +days at Hays City, which invitation he accepted. He then proceeded to +Fort Lyon, Colorado, near which place his son-in-law, Mr. Boggs, and +family, resided. At this time his health was failing, and shortly +afterwards he died at Mr. Boggs' residence on the Picket Wire Creek. + +[Illustration: KIT CARSON] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. + + +Shortly after the adventures mentioned in the preceding chapter, I had my +celebrated buffalo hunt with Billy Comstock, a noted scout, guide and +interpreter, who was then chief of scouts at Fort Wallace, Kansas. +Comstock had the reputation, for a long time, of being a most successful +buffalo hunter, and the officers in particular, who had seen him kill +buffaloes, were very desirous of backing him in a match against me. It +was accordingly arranged that I should shoot him a buffalo-killing match, +and the preliminaries were easily and satisfactorily agreed upon. We were +to hunt one day of eight hours, beginning at eight o'clock in the +morning, and closing at four o'clock in the afternoon. The wager was five +hundred dollars a side, and the man who should kill the greater number of +buffaloes from on horseback was to be declared the winner. + +The hunt took place about twenty miles east of Sheridan, and as it had +been pretty well advertised and noised abroad, a large crowd witnessed +the interesting and exciting scene. An excursion party, mostly from St. +Louis, consisting of about a hundred gentlemen and ladies, came out on a +special train to view the sport, and among the number was my wife, with +little baby Arta, who had come to remain with me for a while. + +The buffaloes were quite plenty, and it was agreed that we should go into +the same herd at the same time and "make a run," as we called it, each +one killing as many as possible. A referee was to follow each of us on +horseback when we entered the herd, and count the buffaloes killed by +each man. The St. Louis excursionists, as well as the other spectators, +rode out to the vicinity of the hunting grounds in wagons and on +horseback, keeping well out of sight of the buffaloes, so as not to +frighten them, until the time came for us to dash into the herd; when +they were to come up as near as they pleased and witness the chase. + +We were fortunate in the first run in getting good ground. Comstock was +mounted on one of his favorite horses, while I rode old Brigham. I felt +confident that I had the advantage of Comstock in two things--first, I +had the best buffalo horse that ever made a track; and second, I was +using what was known at that time as the needle-gun, a breech-loading +Springfield rifle--calibre 50,--it was my favorite old "Lucretia," which +has already been introduced to the notice of the reader; while Comstock +was armed with a Henry rifle, and although he could fire a few shots +quicker than I could, yet I was pretty certain that it did not carry +powder and lead enough to do execution equal to my calibre 50. + +At last the time came to begin the match. Comstock and I dashed into a +herd, followed by the referees. The buffaloes separated; Comstock took +the left bunch and I the right. My great _forte_ in killing buffaloes +from horseback was to get them circling by riding my horse at the head of +the herd, shooting the leaders, thus crowding their followers to the +left, till they would finally circle round and round. + +On this morning the buffaloes were very accommodating, and I soon had +them running in a beautiful circle, when I dropped them thick and fast, +until I had killed thirty-eight; which finished my run. + +Comstock began shooting at the rear of the herd, which he was chasing, +and they kept straight on. He succeeded, however, in killing +twenty-three, but they were scattered over a distance of three miles, +while mine lay close together. I had "nursed" my buffaloes, as a +billiard-player does the balls when he makes a big run. + +After the result of the first run had been duly announced, our St. Louis +excursion friends--who had approached to the place where we had +stopped--set out a lot of champagne, which they had brought with them, +and which proved a good drink on a Kansas prairie, and a buffalo hunter +was a good man to get away with it. + +While taking a short rest, we suddenly spied another herd of buffaloes +coming toward us. It was only a small drove, and we at once prepared to +give the animals a lively reception. They proved to be a herd of cows and +calves--which, by the way, are quicker in their movements than the bulls. +We charged in among them, and I concluded my run with a score of +eighteen, while Comstock killed fourteen. The score now stood fifty-six +to thirty-seven, in my favor. + +Again the excursion party approached, and once more the champagne was +tapped. After we had eaten a lunch which was spread for us, we resumed +the hunt. Striking out for a distance of three miles, we came up close to +another herd. As I was so far ahead of my competitor in the number +killed, I thought I could afford to give an extra exhibition of my skill. +I had told the ladies that I would, on the next run, ride my horse +without saddle or bridle. This had raised the excitement to fever heat +among the excursionists, and I remember one fair lady who endeavored to +prevail upon me not to attempt it. + +"That's nothing at all," said I; "I have done it many a time, and old +Brigham knows as well as I what I am doing, and sometimes a great +deal better." + +So, leaving my saddle and bridle with the wagons, we rode to the windward +of the buffaloes, as usual, and when within a few hundred yards of them +we dashed into the herd. I soon had thirteen laid out on the ground, the +last one of which I had driven down close to the wagons, where the ladies +were. It frightened some of the tender creatures to see the buffalo +coming at full speed directly toward them; but when he had got within +fifty yards of one of the wagons, I shot him dead in his tracks. This +made my sixty-ninth buffalo, and finished my third and last run, Comstock +having killed forty-six. + +As it was now late in the afternoon, Comstock and his backers gave up +the idea that he could beat me, and thereupon the referees declared me +the winner of the match, as well as the champion buffalo-hunter of the +plains.[A] + +[Footnote A: Poor Billy Comstock was afterwards treacherously murdered by +the Indians. He and Sharpe Grover visited a village of Indians, supposed +to be peaceably inclined, near Big Spring Station, in Western Kansas; and +after spending several hours with the redskins in friendly conversation, +they prepared to depart, having declined an invitation to pass the night +there. It appears that Comstock's beautiful white-handled revolver had +attracted the attention of the Indians, who overtook him and his +companion when they had gone about half a mile. After surrounding the two +men they suddenly attacked them. They killed, scalped and robbed +Comstock; but Grover, although severely wounded, made his escape, owing +to the fleetness of the excellent horse which he was riding. This sad +event occurred August 27, 1868.] + +On our way back to camp, we took with us some of the choice meat and +finest heads. In this connection it will not be out of place to state +that during the time I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific, I always +brought into camp the best buffalo heads, and turned them over to the +company, who found a very good use for them. They had them mounted in the +best possible manner, and sent them to all the principal cities and +railroad centers in the country, having them placed in prominent +positions at the leading hotels, dépôts, and other public buildings, as a +sort of trade-mark, or advertisement, of the Kansas Pacific Railroad; and +to-day they attract the attention of the traveler almost everywhere. +Whenever I am traveling over the country and see one of these +trade-marks, I feel pretty certain that I was the cause of the death of +the old fellow whose body it once ornamented, and many a wild and +exciting hunt is thus called to mind. + +The end of the track finally reached Sheridan, in the month of May, 1868, +and as the road was not to be built any farther just then, my services as +a hunter were not any longer required. At this time there was a general +Indian war raging all along the western borders. General Sheridan had +taken up his headquarters at Fort Hayes, in order to be in the field to +superintend the campaign in person. As scouts and guides were in great +demand, I concluded once more to take up my old avocation of scouting +and guiding for the army. + +Having no suitable place in which to leave my old and faithful +buffalo-hunter Brigham, and not wishing to kill him by scouting, I +determined to dispose of him. I was very reluctant to part with him, but +I consoled myself with the thought that he would not be likely to receive +harder usage in other hands than he had in mine. I had several good +offers to sell him; but at the suggestion of some gentlemen in Sheridan, +all of whom were anxious to obtain possession of the horse, I put him up +at a raffle, in order to give them all an equal chance of becoming the +owner of the famous steed. There were ten chances at thirty dollars each, +and they were all quickly taken. + +Old Brigham was won by a gentleman--Mr. Ike Bonham,--who took him to +Wyandotte, Kansas, where he soon added new laurels to his already +brilliant record. Although I am getting ahead of my story, I must now +follow Brigham for a while. A grand tournament came off four miles from +Wyandotte, and Brigham took part in it. As has already been stated, his +appearance was not very prepossessing, and nobody suspected him of being +anything but the most ordinary kind of a plug. The friends of the rider +laughed at him for being mounted on such a dizzy-looking steed. When the +exercises--which were of a very tame character, being more for style than +speed--were over, and just as the crowd were about to return to the city, +a purse of $250 was made up, to be given to the horse that could first +reach Wyandotte, four miles distant. The arrangement was carried out, and +Brigham was entered as one of the contestants for the purse. Everybody +laughed at Mr. Bonham when it became known that he was to ride that +poky-looking plug against the five thoroughbreds which were to take part +in the race. + +When all the preliminaries had been arranged, the signal was given, and +off went the horses for Wyandotte. For the first half-mile several of +the horses led Brigham, but on the second mile he began passing them one +after the other, and on the third mile he was in advance of them all, and +was showing them all the road at a lively rate. On the fourth mile his +rider let him out, and arrived at the hotel--the home-station--in +Wyandotte a long way ahead of his fastest competitor. + +Everybody was surprised, as well as disgusted, that such a homely +"critter" should be the winner. Brigham, of course, had already acquired +a wide reputation, and his name and exploits had often appeared in the +newspapers, and when it was learned that this "critter" was none other +than the identical buffalo-hunting Brigham, nearly the whole crowd +admitted that they had heard of him before, and had they known him in the +first place they certainly would have ruled him out. + +I finally lost track of Brigham, and for several years I did not know +what had become of him. Three years ago, while I was at Memphis, +Tennessee, I met a Mr. Wilcox, who had been one of the superintendents of +construction of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and he informed me that he +owned Brigham, and that he was at that time on his farm, only a few miles +out of town. The next day I rode out with Mr. Wilcox and took a look at +the gallant old horse. He was comfortably cared for in Mr. Wilcox's +stable, and looked the same clever pony that he always was. It seemed as +if he almost remembered me, and I put my arms around his neck, as though +he had been a long-lost child. Mr. Wilcox bought the horse at Wyandotte, +from the gentleman who had won him at the raffle, and he intends to keep +him as long as he lives. I am grateful that he is in such good hands, and +whenever I again visit Memphis I shall surely go and see Brigham if he is +still alive. + +But to return to the thread of my narrative, from which I have wandered. +Having received the appointment of guide and scout, and having been +ordered to report at Fort Larned, then commanded by Captain Dangerfield +Parker, I saw it was necessary to take my family--who had remained with +me at Sheridan, after the buffalo-hunting match--to Leavenworth, and +there leave them. This I did at once, and after providing them with a +comfortable little home, I returned and reported for duty at Fort Larned. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A COURIER. + + +The scouts at Fort Larned, when I arrived there, were commanded by Dick +Curtis--an old guide, frontiersman and Indian interpreter. There were +some three hundred lodges of Kiowa and Comanche Indians camped near the +fort. These Indians had not as yet gone upon the war-path, but were +restless and discontented, and their leading chiefs, Satanta, Lone Wolf, +Kicking Bird, Satank, Sittamore, and other noted warriors, were rather +saucy. The post at the time was garrisoned by only two companies of +infantry and one of cavalry. + +General Hazen, who was at the post, was endeavoring to pacify the Indians +and keep them from going on the war-path. I was appointed as his special +scout, and one morning he notified me that he was going to Fort Harker, +and wished me to accompany him as far as Fort Zarah, thirty miles +distant. The General usually traveled in an ambulance, but this trip he +was to make in a six-mule wagon, under the escort of a squad of twenty +infantrymen. So, early one morning in August, we started; arriving safely +at Fort Zarah at twelve o'clock. General Hazen thought it unnecessary +that we should go farther, and he proceeded on his way to Fort Harker +without an escort, leaving instructions that we should return to Fort +Larned the next day. + +After the General had gone I went to the sergeant in command of the +squad, and told him that I was going back that very afternoon, instead of +waiting till the next morning; and I accordingly saddled up my mule and +set out for Fort Larned. I proceeded uninterruptedly until I got about +half-way between the two posts, when at Pawnee Rock I was suddenly +"jumped" by about forty Indians, who came dashing up to me, extending +their hands and saying, "How! How!" They were some of the same Indians +who had been hanging around Fort Larned in the morning. I saw that they +had on their war-paint, and were evidently now out on the war-path. + +[Illustration: A BIG JOKE.] + +My first impulse was to shake hands with them, as they seemed so desirous +of it. I accordingly reached out my hand to one of them, who grasped it +with a tight grip, and jerked me violently forward; another pulled my +mule by the bridle, and in a moment I was completely surrounded. Before I +could do anything at all, they had seized my revolvers from the holsters, +and I received a blow on the head from a tomahawk which nearly rendered +me senseless. My gun, which was lying across the saddle, was snatched +from its place, and finally the Indian, who had hold of the bridle, +started off towards the Arkansas River, leading the mule, which was being +lashed by the other Indians who were following. + +The savages were all singing, yelling and whooping, as only Indians can +do, when they are having their little game all their own way. While +looking towards the river I saw, on the opposite side, an immense village +moving down along the bank, and then I became convinced that the Indians +had left the post and were now starting out on the war-path. My captors +crossed the stream with me, and as we waded through the shallow water +they continued to lash the mule and myself. Finally they brought me +before an important looking body of Indians, who proved to be the chiefs +and principal warriors. I soon recognized old Satanta among them, as well +as others whom I knew, and I supposed it was all over with me. + +The Indians were jabbering away so rapidly among themselves that I could +not understand what they were saying. Satanta at last asked me where I +had been; and, as good luck would have it, a happy thought struck me. I +told him I had been after a herd of cattle or "whoa-haws," as they called +them. It so happened that the Indians had been out of meat for several +weeks, as the large herd of cattle which had been promised them had not +yet arrived, although expected by them. + +The moment that I mentioned that I had been searching for the +"whoa-haws," old Satanta began questioning me in a very eager manner. He +asked me where the cattle were, and I replied that they were back only a +few miles, and that I had been sent by General Hazen to inform him that +the cattle were coming, and that they were intended for his people. This +seemed to please the old rascal, who also wanted to know if there were +any soldiers with the herd, and my reply was that there were. Thereupon +the chiefs held a consultation, and presently Satanta asked me if General +Hazen had really said that they should have the cattle. I replied in the +affirmative, and added that I had been directed to bring the cattle to +them. I followed this up with a very dignified inquiry, asking why his +young men had treated me so. The old wretch intimated that it was only "a +freak of the boys"; that the young men had wanted to see if I was brave; +in fact, they had only meant to test my bravery, and that the whole thing +was a joke. + +The veteran liar was now beating me at my own game of lying; but I was +very glad of it, as it was in my favor. I did not let him suspect that I +doubted his veracity, but I remarked that it was a rough way to treat +friends. He immediately ordered his young men to give me back my arms, +and scolded them for what they had done. Of course, the sly old dog was +now playing it very fine, as he was anxious to get possession of the +cattle, with which he believed "there was a heap of soldiers coming." He +had concluded it was not best to fight the soldiers if he could get the +cattle peaceably. + +Another council was held by the chiefs, and in a few minutes old Satanta +came and asked me if I would go over and bring the cattle down to the +opposite side of the river, so that they could get them. I replied, "Of +course; that's my instruction from General Hazen." + +Satanta said I must not feel angry at his young men, for they had only +been acting in fun. He then inquired if I wished any of his men to +accompany me to the cattle herd. I replied that it would be better for me +to go alone, and then the soldiers could keep right on to Fort Larned, +while I could drive the herd down on the bottom. So, wheeling my mule +around, I was soon re-crossing the river, leaving old Satanta in the +firm belief that I had told him a straight story, and was going for the +cattle, which only existed in my imagination. + +I hardly knew what to do, but thought that if I could get the river +between the Indians and myself I would have a good three-quarters of a +mile the start of them, and could then make a run for Fort Larned, as my +mule was a good one. + +Thus far my cattle story had panned out all right; but just as I reached +the opposite bank of the river, I looked behind and saw that ten or +fifteen Indians who had begun to suspect something crooked, were +following me. The moment that my mule secured a good foothold on the +bank, I urged him into a gentle lope towards the place where, according +to my statement, the cattle were to be brought. Upon reaching a little +ridge, and riding down the other side out of view, I turned my mule and +headed him westward for Fort Larned. I let him out for all that he was +worth, and when I came out on a little rise of ground, I looked back, and +saw the Indian village in plain sight. My pursuers were now on the ridge +which I had passed over, and were looking for me in every direction. + +Presently they spied me, and seeing that I was running away, they struck +out in swift pursuit, and in a few minutes it became painfully evident +that they were gaining on me. They kept up the chase as far as Ash Creek, +six miles from Fort Larned. I still led them half a mile, as their horses +had not gained much during the last half of the race. My mule seemed to +have gotten his second wind, and as I was on the old road I had played +the whip and spurs on him without much cessation. The Indians likewise +had urged their steeds to the utmost. + +Finally, upon reaching the dividing ridge between Ash Greek and Pawnee +Fork, I saw Fort Larned only four miles away. It was now sundown, and I +heard the evening gun at the fort. The troops of the garrison little +dreamed that there was a man flying for his life from the Indians and +trying to reach the post. The Indians were once more gaining on me, and +when I crossed the Pawnee Fork, two miles from the post, two or three of +them were only a quarter of a mile behind me. Just as I had gained the +opposite bank of the stream I was overjoyed to see some soldiers in a +government wagon, only a short distance off. I yelled at the top of my +voice, and riding up to them, told them that the Indians were after me. + +[Illustration: AMBUSHING THE INDIANS.] + +Denver Jim, a well-known scout, asked how many there were, and upon my +informing him that there were about a dozen, he said: "Let's drive the +wagon into the trees, and we'll lay for 'em." The team was hurriedly +driven in among the trees and low box-elder bushes, and there secreted. + +We did not have to wait long for the Indians, who came dashing up, +lashing their horses, which were panting and blowing. We let two of them +pass by, but we opened a lively fire on the next three or four, killing +two at the first crack. The others following, discovered that they had +run into an ambush, and whirling off into the brush they turned and ran +back in the direction whence they had come. The two who had passed heard +the firing and made their escape. We scalped the two that we had killed, +and appropriated their arms and equipments; and then catching their +horses, we made our way into the post. The soldiers had heard us firing, +and as we were approaching the fort the drums were being beaten, and the +buglers were sounding the call to fall in. The officers had thought that +Satanta and his Indians were coming in to capture the fort. + +It seems that on the morning of that day, two hours after General Hazen +had taken his departure, old Satanta drove into the post in an ambulance, +which he had received some months before as a present from the +government. He appeared to be angry and bent on mischief. In an interview +with Captain Parker, the commanding officer, he asked why General Hazen +had left the post without supplying the beef cattle which had been +promised to him. The Captain told him that the cattle were surely on the +road, but he could not explain why they were detained. + +The interview proved to be a stormy one, and Satanta made numerous +threats, saying that if he wished, he could capture the whole post with +his warriors. Captain Parker, who was a brave man, gave Satanta to +understand that he was reckoning beyond his powers, and would find it a +more difficult undertaking than he had any idea of, as they were prepared +for him at any moment. The interview finally terminated, and Satanta +angrily left the officers presence. Going over to the sutler's store he +sold his ambulance to Mr. Tappan the past trader, and with a portion of +the proceeds he secretly managed to secure some whisky from some bad men +around the fort. There are always to be found around every frontier post +some men who will sell whisky to the Indians at any time and under any +circumstances, notwithstanding it is a flagrant violation of both civil +and military regulations. + +Satanta mounted his horse, and taking the whisky with him, he rode +rapidly away and proceeded straight to his village. He had not been gone +over an hour, when he returned to the vicinity of the post accompanied +by his warriors who came in from every direction, to the number of seven +or eight hundred. It was evident that the irate old rascal was "on his +ear," so to speak, and it looked as if he intended to carry out his +threat of capturing the fort. The garrison at once turned out and +prepared to receive the red-skins, who, when within half a mile, circled +around the fort and fired numerous shots into it, instead of trying to +take it by assault. + +While this circular movement was going on, it was observed that the +Indian village in the distance was packing up, preparatory to leaving, +and it was soon under way. The mounted warriors remained behind some +little time, to give their families an opportunity to get away, as they +feared that the troops might possibly in some manner intercept them. +Finally, they encircled the post several times, fired some farewell +rounds, and then galloped away over the prairie to overtake their fast +departing village. On their way thither, they surprised and killed a +party of wood-choppers down on the Pawnee Fork, as well as some herders +who were guarding beef cattle; some seven or eight men in all, were +killed, and it was evident that the Indians meant business. + +The soldiers with the wagon--whom I had met at the crossing of the Pawnee +Fork--had been out for the bodies of the men. Under the circumstances it +was no wonder that the garrison, upon hearing the reports of our guns +when we fired upon the party whom we ambushed, should have thought the +Indians were coming back to give them another "turn." + +We found that all was excitement at the post; double guards had been put +on duty, and Captain Parker had all the scouts at his headquarters. He +was endeavoring to get some one to take some important dispatches to +General Sheridan at Fort Hays. I reported to him at once, and stated +where I had met the Indians and how I had escaped from them. + +"You was very fortunate, Cody, in thinking of that cattle story; but +for that little game your hair would now be an ornament to a Kiowa's +lodge," said he. + +Just then Dick Curtis spoke up and said: "Cody, the Captain is anxious +to send some dispatches to General Sheridan, at Fort Hays, and none of +the scouts here seem to be very willing to undertake the trip. They +say they are not well enough acquainted with the country to find the +way at night." + +As a storm was coming up it was quite dark, and the scouts feared that +they would lose the way; besides it was a dangerous ride, as a large +party of Indians were known to be camped on Walnut Creek, on the direct +road to Fort Hays. It was evident that Curtis was trying to induce me to +volunteer. I made some evasive answer to Curtis, for I did not care to +volunteer after my long day's ride. But Curtis did not let the matter +drop. Said he: + +"I wish, Bill, that you were not so tired by your chase of to-day, for +you know the country better than the rest of the boys, and I am certain +that you could go through." + +"As far as the ride to Fort Hays is concerned, that alone would matter +but little to me," I said, "but it is a risky piece of work just now, as +the country is full of hostile Indians; still if no other scout is +willing to volunteer, I will chance it. I'll go, provided I am furnished +with a good horse. I am tired of being chased on a government mule by +Indians." At this Captain Nolan, who had been listening to our +conversation, said: + +"Bill, you may have the best horse in my company. You can take your +choice if you will carry these dispatches. Although it is against +regulations to dismount an enlisted man, I have no hesitancy in such a +case of urgent necessity as this is, in telling you that you may have any +horse you may wish." + +"Captain, your first sergeant has a splendid horse, and that's the one I +want. If he'll let me ride that horse, I'll be ready to start in one +hour, storm or no storm," said I. + +"Good enough, Bill; you shall have the horse; but are you sure you can +find your way on such a dark night as this?" + +"I have hunted on nearly every acre of ground between here and Fort Hays, +and I can almost keep my route by the bones of the dead buffaloes." I +confidently replied. + +"Never fear, Captain, about Cody not finding the way; he is as good in +the dark as he is in the daylight," said Curtis. + +An orderly was sent for the horse, and the animal was soon brought up, +although the sergeant "kicked" a little against letting him go. After +eating a lunch and filling a canteen with brandy, I went to +headquarters and put my own saddle and bridle on the horse I was to +ride. I then got the dispatches, and by ten o'clock was on the road to +Fort Hays, which was sixty-five miles distant across the country. The +scouts had all bidden me a hearty good-bye, and wished me success, not +knowing when, if ever, they would again gaze upon "my warlike form," as +the poet would say. + +It was dark as pitch, but this I rather liked, as there was little +probability of any of the red-skins seeing me unless I stumbled upon them +accidentally. My greatest danger was that my horse might run into a hole +and fall down, and in this way get away from me. To avoid any such +accident, I tied one end of my rawhide lariat to the bridle and the +other end to my belt. I didn't propose to be left on foot, alone out on +the prairie. + +[Illustration: WHOA THERE!] + +It was, indeed, a wise precaution that I had taken, for within the next +three miles the horse, sure enough, stepped into a prairie-dog's hole, +and down he went, throwing me clear over his head. Springing to his feet, +before I could catch hold of the bridle, he galloped away into the +darkness; but when he reached the full length of the lariat, he found +that he was picketed to Bison William. I brought him up standing, and +after finding my gun, which had dropped to the ground, I went up to him +and in a moment was in the saddle again, and went on my way rejoicing +keeping straight on my course until I came to the ravines leading into +Walnut Creek, twenty-five miles from Fort Larned, where the country +became rougher, requiring me to travel slower and more carefully, as I +feared the horse might fall over the bank, it being difficult to see +anything five feet ahead. As a good horse is not very apt to jump over a +bank, if left to guide himself, I let mine pick his own way. I was now +proceeding as quietly as possible, for I was in the vicinity of a band of +Indians who had recently camped in that locality. I thought that I had +passed somewhat above the spot, having made a little circuit to the west +with that intention; but as bad luck would have it this time, when I came +up near the creek I suddenly rode in among a herd of horses. The animals +became frightened and ran off in every direction. + +I knew at once that I was among Indian horses, and had walked into the +wrong pew; so without waiting to apologize, I backed out as quickly as +possible. At this moment a dog, not fifty yards away, set up a howl, and +then I heard some Indians engaged in conversation;--they were guarding +the horses, and had been sleeping. Hearing my horse's retreating +footsteps toward the hills, and thus becoming aware that there had been +an enemy in their camp, they mounted their steeds and started for me. + +I urged my horse to his full speed, taking the chances of his falling +into holes, and guided him up the creek bottom. The Indians followed me +as fast as they could by the noise I made, but I soon distanced them; and +then crossed the creek. + +When I had traveled several miles in a straight course, as I supposed, I +took out my compass and by the light of a match saw that I was bearing +two points to the east of north. At once changing my course to the direct +route, I pushed rapidly on through the darkness towards Smoky Hill River. +At about three o'clock in the morning I began traveling more cautiously, +as I was afraid of running into another band of Indians. Occasionally I +scared up a herd of buffaloes or antelopes, or coyotes, or deer, which +would frighten my horse for a moment, but with the exception of these +slight alarms I got along all right. + +After crossing Smoky Hill River, I felt comparatively safe as this was +the last stream I had to cross. Riding on to the northward I struck the +old Santa Fe trail, ten miles from Fort Hays, just at break of day. + +My horse did not seem much fatigued, and being anxious to make good time +and get as near the post as possible before it was fairly daylight as +there might be bands of Indians camped along Big Creek, I urged him +forward as fast as he could go. As I had not "lost" any Indians, I was +not now anxious to make their acquaintance, and shortly after _reveille_ +rode into the post. I proceeded directly to General Sheridan's +headquarters, and, was met at the door, by Colonel Moore, _aid-de-camp_ +on General Sheridan's staff who asked me on what business I had come. + +"I have dispatches for General Sheridan, and my instructions from Captain +Parker, commanding Fort Larned, are that they shall be delivered to the +General as soon as possible," said I. + +Colonel Moore invited me into one of the offices, and said he would hand +the dispatches to t h e General as soon as he got up. + +[Illustration: DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO SHERIDAN.] + +"I prefer to give these dispatches to General Sheridan myself, and at +once," was my reply. + +The General, who was sleeping in the same building, hearing our voices, +called out, "Send the man in with the dispatches." I was ushered into the +General's presence, and as we had met before he recognized me and said: + +"Hello, Cody, is that you?" + +"Yes, sir; I have some dispatches here for you, from Captain Parker," +said I, as I handed the package over to him. + +He hurriedly read them, and said they were important; and then he asked +me all about General Hazen and where he had gone, and about the +breaking out of the Kiowas and Comanches. I gave him all the +information that I possessed, and related the events and adventures of +the previous day and night. + +"Bill," said he, "you must have had a pretty lively ride. You certainly +had a close call when you ran into the Indians on Walnut Creek. That was +a good joke that you played on old Satanta. I suppose you're pretty +tired after your long journey?" + +"I am rather weary, General, that's a fact, as I have been in the saddle +since yesterday morning;" was my reply, "but my horse is more tired than +I am, and needs attention full as much if not more," I added. Thereupon +the General called an orderly and gave instructions to have my animal +well taken care of, and then he said, "Cody, come in and have some +breakfast with me." + +"No, thank you, General," said I, "Hays City is only a mile from here, +and I prefer riding over there, as I know about every one in the town, +and want to see some of my friends." + +"Very well; do as you please, and come to the post afterwards as I want +to see you," said he. + +Bidding him good-morning, and telling him that I would return in a few +hours, I rode over to Hays City, and at the Perry House I met many of my +old friends who were of course all glad to see me. I took some +refreshments and a two hours nap, and afterward returned to Fort Hays, as +I was requested. + +As I rode up to the headquarters I noticed several scouts in a little +group, evidently engaged in conversation on some important matter. +Upon inquiry I learned that General Sheridan had informed them that he +was desirous of sending a dispatch to Fort Dodge, a distance of +ninety-five miles. + +The Indians had recently killed two or three men while they were carrying +dispatches between Fort Hays and Fort Dodge, and on this account none of +the scouts seemed at all anxious to volunteer, although a reward of +several hundred dollars was offered to any one who would carry the +dispatches. They had learned of my experiences of the previous day, and +asked me if I did not think it would be a dangerous trip. I gave it as my +opinion that a man might possibly go through without seeing an Indian, +but that the chances were ten to one that he would have an exceedingly +lively run and a hard time before he reached his destination, if he ever +got there at all. + +Leaving the scouts to decide among themselves as to who was to go, I +reported to General Sheridan, who also informed me that he wished some +one to carry dispatches to Fort Dodge. While we were talking, his chief +of scouts Dick Parr, entered and stated that none of the scouts had yet +volunteered. Upon hearing this I got my "brave" up a little, and said: + +"General, if there is no one ready to volunteer, I'll carry your +dispatches myself." + +"I had not thought of asking you to do this duty, Cody, as you are +already pretty hard worked. But it is really important that these +dispatches should go through," said the General. + +"Well, if you don't get a courier by four o'clock this afternoon, I'll be +ready for business at that time. All I want is a fresh horse," said I; +"meantime I'll take a little more rest." + +It was not much of a rest, however, that I got, for I went over to Hays +City again and had "a time with the boys." I came back to the post at the +appointed hour, and finding that no one had volunteered, I reported to +General Sheridan. He had selected an excellent horse for me, and on +handing me the dispatches he said: + +"You can start as soon as you wish--the sooner the better; and good luck +go with you, my boy." + +In about an hour afterwards I was on the road, and just before dark I +crossed Smoky Hill River. I had not yet urged my horse much, as I was +saving his strength for the latter end of the route, and for any run that +I might have to make in case the "wild-boys" should "jump" me. So far I +had not seen a sign of Indians, and as evening came on I felt +comparatively safe. + +I had no adventures worth relating during the night, and just before +daylight I found myself approaching Saw-log Crossing, on the Pawnee Fork, +having then ridden about seventy miles. + +A company of colored cavalry, commanded by Major Cox, was stationed at +this point, and I approached their camp cautiously, for fear that the +pickets might fire upon me--as the darkey soldiers were liable to shoot +first and cry "halt" afterwards. When within hearing distance I yelled +out at the top of my voice, and was answered by one of the pickets. I +told him not to shoot, as I was a scout from Fort Hays; and then, calling +the sergeant of the guard, I went up to the vidette of the post, who +readily recognized me. I entered the camp and proceeded to the tent of +Major Cox, to whom I handed a letter from General Sheridan requesting him +to give me a fresh horse. He at once complied with the request. + +After I had slept an hour and had eaten a lunch, I again jumped into the +saddle, and before sunrise I was once more on the road. It was +twenty-five miles to Fort Dodge, and I arrived there between nine and ten +o'clock, without having seen a single Indian. + +After delivering the dispatches to the commanding officer, I met Johnny +Austin, chief of scouts at this post, who was an old friend of mine. Upon +his invitation I took a nap at his house, and when I awoke, fresh for +business once more, he informed me that the Indians had been all around +the post for the past two or three days, running off cattle and horses, +and occasionally killing a stray man. It was a wonder to him that I had +met with none of the red-skins on the way there. The Indians, he said, +were also very thick on the Arkansas River, between Fort Dodge and Fort +Larned, and making considerable trouble. Fort Dodge was located +sixty-five miles west of Fort Larned, the latter post being on the Pawnee +Fork, about five miles from its junction with the Arkansas River. + +The commanding officer at Fort Dodge was anxious to send some +dispatches to Fort Larned, but the scouts, like those at Fort Hays, +were rather backward about volunteering, as it was considered a very +dangerous undertaking to make the trip. As Fort Larned was my post, +and as I wanted to go there anyhow, I said to Austin that I would carry +the dispatches, and if any of the boys wished to go along, I would like +to have them for company's sake. Austin reported my offer to the +commanding officer, who sent for me and said he would be happy to have +me take his dispatches, if I could stand the trip on top of all that I +had already done. + +"All I want is a good fresh horse, sir," said I. + +"I am sorry to say that we haven't a decent horse here, but we have +a reliable and honest government mule, if that will do you," said +the officer. + +"Trot out your mule," said I, "that's good enough for me. I am ready at +any time, sir." + +The mule was forthcoming, and at dark I pulled out for Fort Larned, and +proceeded uninterruptedly to Coon Creek, thirty miles out from Dodge. I +had left the main wagon road some distance to the south, and had traveled +parallel with it, thinking this to be a safer course, as the Indians +might be lying in wait on the main road for dispatch bearers and scouts. + +At Coon Creek I dismounted and led the mule by the bridle down to the +water, where I took a drink, using my hat for a dipper. While I was +engaged in getting the water, the mule jerked loose and struck out down +the creek. I followed him in hopes that he would catch his foot in the +bridle rein and stop, but this he seemed to have no idea of doing. He was +making straight for the wagon road, and I did not know what minute he +might run into a band of Indians. He finally got on the road, but instead +of going back toward Fort Dodge, as I naturally expected he would do, he +turned eastward toward Fort Larned, and kept up a little jog trot just +ahead of me, but would not let me come up to him, although I tried it +again and again. I had my gun in my hand, and several times I was +strongly tempted to shoot him, and would probably have done so had it not +been for fear of bringing Indians down upon me, and besides he was +carrying the saddle for me. So I trudged on after the obstinate +"critter," and if there ever was a government mule that deserved and +received a good round cursing it was that one. I had neglected the +precaution of tying one end of my lariat to his bit and the other to my +belt, as I had done a few nights before, and I blamed myself for this +gross piece of negligence. + +Mile after mile I kept on after that mule, and every once in a while I +indulged in strong language respecting the whole mule fraternity. From +Coon Creek to Fort Larned it was thirty-five miles, and I finally +concluded that my prospects were good for "hoofing" the whole distance. +We--that is to say, the confounded mule and myself--were making pretty +good time. There was nothing to hold the mule, and I was all the time +trying to catch him--which urged him on. I made every step count, for I +wanted to reach Fort Larned before daylight, in order to avoid if +possible the Indians, to whom it would have been "pie" to have caught me +there on foot. + +The mule stuck to the road and kept on for Larned, and I did the +same thing. Just as day was beginning to break, we--that is the mule +and myself--found ourselves on a hill looking down into the valley +of the Pawnee Fork, in which Fort Larned was located, only four +miles away; and when the morning gun belched forth we were within +half a mile of the post. + +"Now," said I, "Mr. Mule, it is my turn," and raising my gun to my +shoulder, in "dead earnest" this time, I blazed away, hitting the animal +in the hip. Throwing a second cartridge into the gun, I let him have +another shot, and I continued to pour the lead into him until I had him +completely laid out. Like the great majority of government mules, he was +a tough one to kill, and he clung to life with all the tenaciousness of +his obstinate nature. He was, without doubt, the toughest and meanest +mule I ever saw, and he died hard. + +The troops, hearing the reports of the gun, came rushing out to see what +was the matter. They found that the mule had passed in his chips, and +when they learned the cause they all agreed that I had served him just +right. Taking the saddle and bridle from the dead body, I proceeded into +the post and delivered the dispatches to Captain Parker. I then went over +to Dick Curtis' house, which was headquarters for the scouts, and there +put in several hours of solid sleep. + +During the day General Hazen returned from Fort Harker, and he also had +some important dispatches to send to General Sheridan. I was feeling +quite elated over my big ride; and seeing that I was getting the best of +the other scouts in regard to making a record, I volunteered to carry +General Hazen's dispatches to Fort Hays. The General accepted my +services, although he thought it was unnecessary for me to kill myself. I +told him that I had business at Fort Hays, and wished to go there +anyway, and it would make no difference to the other scouts, for none of +them appeared willing to undertake the trip. + +Accordingly, that night I left Fort Larned on an excellent horse, and +next morning at daylight found myself once more in 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 in riding to Fort Dodge, +and that I had taken dispatches from Fort Dodge to Fort Larned; and when, +in addition to this, I mentioned my journey of the night previous, +General Sheridan thought my ride from post to post, taken as a whole, was +a remarkable one, and he said that he did not know of its equal. I can +safely say that I have never heard of its being beaten in a country +infested with hostile Indians. + +To recapitulate: I had ridden from Fort Larned to Fort Zarah (a distance +of sixty-five miles) and back in twelve hours, including the time when I +was taken across the Arkansas by the Indians. In the succeeding twelve +hours I had gone from Fort Larned to Fort Hays, a distance of sixty-five +miles. In the next twenty-four hours I had gone from Fort Hays to Fort +Dodge, a distance of ninety-five miles. The following night I had +traveled from Fort Dodge thirty miles on muleback and thirty-five miles +on foot to Fort Larned; and the next night sixty-five miles more to Fort +Hays. Altogether I had ridden (and walked) 355 miles in fifty-eight +riding hours, or an average of over six miles an hour. Of course, this +may not be regarded as very fast riding, but taking into consideration +the fact that it was mostly done in the night and over a wild country, +with no roads to follow, and that I had to be continually on the look out +for Indians, it was thought at the time to be a big ride, as well as a +most dangerous one. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN APPOINTMENT. + + +General Sheridan highly complimented me for what I had done, and informed +me that I need not report back to General Hazen, as he had more important +work for me to do. He told me that the Fifth Cavalry--one of the finest +regiments in the army--was on its way to the Department of the Missouri, +and that he was going to send it on an expedition against the Dog Soldier +Indians, who were infesting the Republican River region. + +"Cody," continued he, "I have decided to appoint you as guide and chief +of scouts with the command. How does that suit you?" + +"First-rate, General, and I thank you for the honor," I replied, as +gracefully as I knew how. + +The Dog Soldier Indians were a band of Cheyennes and unruly, turbulent +members of other tribes, who would not enter into any treaty, or keep a +treaty if they made one, and who had always refused to go upon a +reservation. They were a warlike body of well-built, daring and restless +braves, and were determined to hold possession of the country in the +vicinity of the Republican and Solomon Rivers. They were called "Dog +Soldiers" because they were principally Cheyennes--a name derived from +the French _chien_, a dog. + +After my conversation with the General, I went over to Hays City, where I +met some of General Forsyth's scouts, who had just returned from one of +the severest battles ever fought with the Indians. As it will not be out +of place in this connection, I will here give a brief history of that +memorable event. + +[Illustration: GENERAL PHIL. SHERIDAN.] + +The Indians had become quite troublesome, and General Sheridan had +selected General George A. Forsyth to go out on an expedition, and +punish them for their recent depredations. There was a scarcity of troops +at Fort Hays at that time, so General Forsyth recruited a company of +frontiersmen who could move rapidly, as they were to carry no luggage, +and were to travel without the ordinary transportation. Thirty of these +frontiersmen came from Fort Harker, and twenty from Fort Hays. It was +certainly a small body of men, but nearly every one of them was an +experienced hunter, guide, scout and Indian-fighter, and they could fight +the red-skins in their own way. + +In four days they were prepared to take the field, and on the morning of +the 29th of August, 1868, they rode out of Fort Hays to meet the Indians. +Lieutenant F.H. Beecher, of the Third Infantry, nephew of Henry Ward +Beecher, was second in command; Brevet Major-General W.H.H. McCall, who +had been in the volunteer army, acted as first sergeant; Dr. John Mowers, +of Hays City, who had been a volunteer army surgeon, was the surgeon of +the expedition; and Sharpe Grover was the chief guide. + +Resting at Fort Wallace, they started September 10th, for the town of +Sheridan, thirteen miles distant, where a band of Indians had attacked a +train, killed two teamsters, and stolen some cattle. Arriving at Sheridan +they easily found the Indian trail, and followed it for some distance. On +the eighth day out from Fort Wallace, the command went into camp late in +the afternoon, on the Arickaree, which was then not more than eight or +nine feet wide at that point, and only two or three inches deep. It was +evident to the men that they were not far from the Indians, and it was +decided that the next day they would find them and give them a fight. + +Early next morning, September 19th, the cry of "Indians" startled the +command. Every man jumped for his horse. A half-dozen red-skins, yelling +and whooping and making a hideous racket, and firing their guns, rode up +and attempted to stampede the horses, several of which, together with the +four pack-mules, were so frightened that they broke loose and got away. +The Indians then rode off, followed by a few shots. In a minute +afterwards, hundreds of Indian warriors--it was estimated that there were +nearly one thousand--came galloping down upon the command from every +quarter, completely hemming them in. + +Acting under the order of General Forsyth, the men retreated to a small +island, tied their horses in a circle to the bushes, and then, throwing +themselves upon the ground, they began the defense by firing at the +approaching enemy, who came pretty close and gave them a raking fire. The +besieged scouts at the first opportunity threw up a small breastwork with +their knives. The firing, however, continued back and forth, and early in +the fight Forsyth was twice seriously wounded--once in the right thigh, +and once in the left leg. Dr. Mowers was also wounded in the head, and +soon died. Two other men had been killed, and several wounded. All the +horses of the command were killed by nine o'clock in the morning. + +Shortly afterwards over three hundred Dog-Soldier Indians commanded by +old "Roman Nose," charged down upon the little band of heroes, giving +them volley after volley; but finally the scouts, at a favorable +opportunity, returned their fire with telling effect. "Roman Nose" and +"Medicine Man" were killed, and fell from their horses when within less +than one rod of the scouts, who thereupon sent up a triumphant shout. The +charging braves now weakened, and in a few moments they were driven back. +It was a brilliant charge, and was most nobly and bravely repulsed. The +scouts had again suffered severely, having several men wounded, among the +number being Lieutenant Beecher who died that night. The Indians, too, +had had quite a number killed, several of whom had fallen close to the +earthworks. The dismounted Indian warriors still continued firing, but as +the scouts had thrown up their intrenchments sufficiently to protect +themselves by closely hugging the ground, little or no damage was done. + +A second charge was made by the mounted Indians about two o'clock in the +afternoon, and they were again repulsed with a severe loss. Darkness +finally came on, and then ensued a cessation of hostilities. Two of the +scouts had been killed, four fatally wounded, and fourteen others were +wounded more or less severely. There were just twenty-eight able-bodied +men left out of the fifty. The supplies had run out, and as Dr. Mowers +had been mortally wounded and the medical stores captured, the wounded +men could not be properly cared for. + +Although they were entirely surrounded, and one hundred and ten miles +from the nearest post, the men did not despair. They had an abundance of +ammunition, plenty of water, under ground only a short distance, and for +food they had their horses and mules. At night two of the scouts, Tradeau +and Stillwell, stole through the lines of the Indians, and started +swiftly for Fort Wallace to obtain relief. It was a dangerous +undertaking, but they were brave and experienced scouts. Stillwell was +only nineteen or twenty years old, but he was, in every sense of the +word, a thoroughbred frontiersman. + +During the night the besieged scouts threw up their breastworks +considerably higher and piled the dead animals on top. They dug down to +water, and also stored away a lot of horse and mule meat in the sand to +keep it fresh as long as possible. The Indians renewed their firing next +morning, and kept it up all day, doing but little injury, however, as the +scouts were now well entrenched; but many an Indian was sent to his happy +hunting ground. + +[Illustration: BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE] + +Night came again, and the prospects were indeed gloomy. An attempt was +made by two more of the scouts to creep through the Indian lines, but +they were detected by the enemy and had to return to their comrades. +The next morning the Indians renewed hostilities as usual. Their women +and children began to disappear about noon, and then the Indians tried to +draw the scouts out by displaying a white flag for a truce. They appeared +to want to have a talk with General Forsyth, but as their treachery was +well-known, the scouts did not fall into this trap. The Indians had +apparently become tired of fighting, especially as they found that they +had a most stubborn foe to deal with. + +Night once more threw its mantle over the scene, and under the cover of +the darkness Donovan and Plyley, two of the best scouts, stealthily made +their way out of the camp, and started for Fort Wallace with a dispatch +from General Forsyth, who gave a brief summary of the situation, and +stated that if necessary he could hold out for six days longer. + +When the day dawned again, only a small number of warriors could be +seen, and they probably remained to watch, the scouts and keep them +corraled. The uninjured men attended to the wounded as well as they +could under the adverse circumstances, but from want of proper +treatment, evidences of gangrene appeared in some of the wounds on the +sixth day. The mule and horse meat became totally unfit for use, but +they had nothing else to eat, and had to eat it or starve. Under these +trying circumstances the General told the men that any who wished to go +might do so, and take their chances; but they all resolved to remain, +and die together, if need be. + +Relief came at last. Tradeau and Stillwell had safely reached Fort +Wallace, and on the morning of the 25th of September, Colonel Carpenter +and a detachment of cavalry arrived with supplies. This assistance to the +besieged and starving scouts came like a vessel to ship-wrecked men +drifting and starving on a raft in mid-ocean. + +It was with the survivors of this terrible fight that I spent the few +days at Hays City, prior to the arrival of the Fifth Cavalry. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCOUTING. + + +On the third day of October the Fifth Cavalry arrived at Fort Hays, and I +at once began making the acquaintance of the different officers of the +regiment. I was introduced by General Sheridan to Colonel William Royal, +who was in command of the regiment. He was a gallant officer, and an +agreeable and pleasant gentleman. He is now stationed at Omaha as +Inspector General in the department of the Platte. I also became +acquainted with Major W.H. Brown, Major Walker. Captain Sweetman, +Quartermaster E.M. Hays, and in fact all the officers of the regiment. + +General Sheridan, being anxious to punish the Indians who had lately +fought General Forsyth, did not give the regiment much of a rest, and +accordingly on the 5th of October it began its march for the Beaver Creek +country. The first night we camped on the South fork of Big Creek, four +miles west of Hays City. By this time I had become pretty well acquainted +with Major Brown and Captain Sweetman, who invited me to mess with them +on this expedition; and a jolly mess we had. There were other scouts in +the command besides myself, and I particularly remember Tom Renahan, Hank +Fields and a character called "Nosey" on account of his long nose. + +On the morning of the 6th we pulled out to the north, and during the day +I was very favorably struck with the appearance of the regiment. It was a +beautiful command, and when strung out on the prairie with a train of +seventy-five six-mule wagons, ambulances and pack mules, I felt very +proud of my position as guide and chief of scouts of such a warlike +expedition. + +Just as we were about to go into camp on the Saline river that night, we +ran on to a band of about fifteen Indians, who, seeing us, dashed across +the creek, followed by some bullets which we sent after them; but as the +small band proved to be a scouting party, we pursued them only a mile or +two, when our attention was directed to a herd of buffaloes--they being +very plenty--and we succeeded in killing ten or fifteen for the command. + +The next day we marched thirty miles, and late in the afternoon we went +into camp on the South fork of the Solomon. At this encampment Colonel +Royal asked me to go out and kill some buffaloes for the boys. + +"All right, Colonel, send along a wagon or two to bring in the +meat," I said. + +"I am not in the habit of sending out my wagons until I know that there +is something to be hauled in; kill your buffalo first and then I'll send +out the wagons," was the Colonel's reply. I said no more, but went out on +a hunt, and after a short absence returned and asked the Colonel to send +his wagons over the hill for the half dozen buffaloes I had killed. + +The following afternoon he again requested me to go out and get some +fresh buffalo meat. I didn't ask him for any wagons this time, but rode +out some distance, and coming up with a small herd, I managed to get +seven of them headed straight for the encampment, and instead of shooting +them just then, I ran them at full speed right into the camp, and then +killed them all, one after the other in rapid succession. Colonel Royal +witnessed the whole proceeding, which puzzled him somewhat, as he could +see no reason why I had not killed them on the prairie. He came up, +rather angrily, and demanded an explanation. "I can't allow any such +business as this, Cody," said he, "what do you mean by it?" + +"I didn't care about asking for any wagons this time, Colonel; so I +thought I would make the buffaloes furnish their own transportation," was +my reply. The Colonel saw the point in a moment, and had no more to say +on the subject. + +[Illustration: BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP.] + +No Indians had been seen in the vicinity during the day, and Colonel +Royal having carefully posted his pickets, supposed everything was serene +for the night. But before morning we were roused from our slumbers by +hearing shots fired, and immediately afterwards one of the mounted +pickets came galloping into camp, saying that there were Indians close +at hand. The companies all fell into line, and were soon prepared and +anxious to give the red-skins battle; but as the men were yet new in the +Indian country a great many of them were considerably excited. No +Indians, however, made their appearance, and upon going to the +picket-post where the picket said he had seen them, none could be found +nor could any traces of them be discovered. The sentinel,--who was an +Irishman--insisted that there certainly had been red-skins there. + +[Illustration: "INDIANS!"] + +"But you must be mistaken," said Colonel Royal. + +"Upon me sowl, Colonel, I'm not; as shure ez me name's Pat Maloney, one +of thim rid divils hit me on the head wid a club, so he did," said Pat; +and so, when morning came, the mystery was further investigated and was +easily solved. Elk tracks were found in the vicinity and it was +undoubtedly a herd of elks that had frightened Pat; as he had turned to +run, he had gone under a limb of a tree, against which he hit his head, +and supposed he had been struck by a club in the hands of an Indian. It +was hard to convince Pat however, of the truth. + +A three days uninteresting march brought us to Beaver Creek where we +camped and from which point scouting parties were sent out in different +directions. Neither of these parties discovering Indians they all +returned to camp about the same time, finding it in a state of great +excitement, it having been attacked a few hours previous by a party of +Indians, who had succeeded in killing two men and in making off with +sixty horses belonging to Co. H. + +That evening the command started on the trail of these Indian +horse-thieves; Major Brown with two companies and three days rations +pushing ahead in advance of the main command. Being unsuccessful, +however, in overtaking the Indians, and getting nearly out of +provisions--it being our eighteenth day out, the entire command marched +towards the nearest railroad point, and camped on the Saline River; +distant three miles from Buffalo Tank. + +While waiting for supplies we received a new commanding officer, Brevet +Major-General E.A. Carr, who was the senior major of the regiment, and +who ranked Colonel Royal. He brought with him the now celebrated Forsyth +scouts, who were commanded by Lieutenant Pepoon, a regular army officer. + +[Illustration: GEN'L E.A. CARR.] + +It was also while waiting in this camp that Major Brown received a new +lieutenant to fill a vacancy in his company. On the day that this officer +was to arrive, Major Brown had his private ambulance brought out, and +invited me to accompany him to the railroad station to meet his +lieutenant, whose name was A.B. Bache. He proved to be a fine gentleman, +and a brave, dashing officer. On the way to the dépôt Major Brown had +said, "Now, Cody, when we come back we'll give Bache a lively ride and +shake him up a little." + +Major Brown was a jolly good fellow, but sometimes he would get "a little +off," and as this was one of his "off days" he was bound to amuse himself +in some original and mischievous way. Reaching the dépôt just as the +train came in, we easily found the Lieutenant, and giving him the back +seat in the ambulance we were soon headed for camp. + +Pretty soon Major Brown took the reins from his driver, and at once began +whipping the mules. After getting them into a lively gallop he pulled out +his revolver and fired several shots. The road was terribly rough and the +night was so dark that we could hardly see where we were going. It Was a +wonderful piece of luck that we were not tipped over and our necks +broken. Finally Bache said, good-humoredly: + +"Is this the way you break in all your Lieutenants, Major?" + +"Oh, no; I don't do this as a regular thing, but it's the way we +frequently ride in this country," said the Major; "just keep your +seat, Mr. Bache, and we'll take you through on time." The Major +appropriated the reply of the old California stage driver, Hank Monk, +to Horace Greely. + +We were now rattling down a steep hill at full speed, and just as we +reached the bottom, the front wheels struck a deep ditch over which the +mules had jumped. We were all brought up standing by the sudden stoppage +of the ambulance. Major Brown and myself were nearly pitched out on the +wheels, while the Lieutenant came flying headlong from the back seat to +the front of the vehicle. + +"Take a back seat, Lieutenant," coolly said Major Brown. + +"Major, I have just left that seat," said Bache. + +We soon lifted the wagon out of the ditch, and then resumed our drive, +running into camp under full headway, and creating considerable +amusement. Every one recognized the ambulance and knew at once that +Major Brown and I were out on a "lark," and therefore there was not much +said about our exploit. Halting with a grand flourish in front of his +tent, Major Brown jumped out in his most gallant style and politely +asked his lieutenant in. A very pleasant evening was spent there, quite +a number of the officers calling to make the acquaintance of the new +officer, who entertained the visitors with an amusing account of the +ride from the dépôt. + +Next morning at an early hour, the command started out on a hunt for +Indians. General Carr having a pretty good idea where he would be most +likely to find them, directed me to guide him by the nearest route to +Elephant Rock on Beaver Creek. + +Upon arriving at the south fork of the Beaver on the second day's march, +we discovered a large, fresh Indian trail which we hurriedly followed for +a distance of eight miles, when suddenly we saw on the bluffs ahead of +us, quite a large number of Indians. + +General Carr ordered Lieutenant Pepoon's scouts and Company M to the +front. This company was commanded by Lieutenant Schinosky, a Frenchman by +birth and a reckless dare-devil by nature, who was anxious to have a +hair-lifting match. Having advanced his company nearly a mile ahead of +the main command, about four hundred Indians suddenly charged down upon +him and gave him a lively little fight, until he was supported by our +full force. + +The Indians kept increasing in numbers all the while until it was +estimated that we were fighting from eight hundred to one thousand of +them. The engagement became quite general, and several were killed and +wounded on each side. The Indians were evidently fighting to give their +families and village, a chance to get away. We had undoubtedly surprised +them with a larger force than they had expected to see in that part of +the country. We fought them until dark, all the time driving them before +us. At night they annoyed us considerably by firing down into our camp +from the higher hills, and several times the command was ordered out to +dislodge them from their position and drive them back. + +After having returned from one of these little sallies, Major Brown, +Captain Sweetman, Lieutenant Bache and myself were taking supper +together, when "whang!" came a bullet into Lieutenant Bache's plate, +breaking a hole through it. The bullet came from the gun of one of the +Indians, who had returned to the high bluff over-looking our camp. Major +Brown declared it was a crack shot, because it broke the plate. We +finished our supper without having any more such close calls. + +At daylight next morning we struck out on the trail, and soon came to the +spot where the Indians had camped the day before. We could see that +their village was a very large one, consisting of about five hundred +lodges; and we pushed forward rapidly from this point on the trail which +ran back toward Prairie Dog Creek. + +About two o'clock we came in sight of the retreating village, and soon +the warriors turned back to give us battle. They set fire to the prairie +grass in front of us, and on all sides, in order to delay us as much as +possible. We kept up a running fight for the remainder of the afternoon, +and the Indians repeatedly attempted to lead us off the track of their +flying village, but their trail was easily followed, as they were +continually dropping tepee poles, camp kettles, robes, furs and all heavy +articles belonging to them. They were evidently scattering, and it +finally became difficult for us to keep on the main trail. When darkness +set in, we went into camp, it being useless to try to follow the Indians +after nightfall. + +Next morning we were again on the trail, which led north, and back +towards the Beaver Creek, which stream it crossed within a few miles of +the spot where we had first discovered the Indians, they having made +nearly a complete circle, in hopes of misleading us. Late in the +afternoon, we again saw them going over a hill far ahead of us, and +towards evening the main body of warriors came back and fought us once +more; but we continued to drive them until darkness set in, when we +camped for the night. + +The Indians soon scattered in every direction, but we followed the main +trail to the Republican river, where we made a cut-off, and then went +north towards the Platte river. We found, however, that the Indians by +traveling night and day had got a long start, and the General concluded +that it was useless to follow them any further, as we had pushed them so +hard, and given them such a scare that they would leave the Republican +country and go north across the Union Pacific railroad. Most of the +Indians, as he had predicted, did cross the Platte river, near Ogallala, +on the Union Pacific, and thence continued northward. + +That night we returned to the Republican river and camped in a grove +of cottonwoods, which I named Carr's Grove, in honor of the +commanding officer. + +The General told me that the next day's march would be towards the +head-waters of the Beaver, and he asked me the distance. I replied that +it was about twenty-five miles, and he said we would make it the next +day. Getting an early start in the morning, we struck out across the +prairie, my position as guide being ahead of the advance guard. About two +o'clock General Carr overtook me, and asked how far I supposed it was to +water. I thought it was about eight miles, although we could see no sign +or indication of any stream in our front. + +"Pepoon's scouts say that you are going in the wrong direction," said the +General, "and in the way you are bearing it will be fifteen miles before +you can strike any of the branches of the Beaver; and that when you do, +you will find no water, for the Beavers are dry at this time of the year +at that point." + +"General, I think the scouts are mistaken," said I, "for the Beaver has +more water near its head than it has below; and at the place where we +will strike the stream we will find immense beaver dams, large enough and +strong enough to cross the whole command, if you wish." + +"Well, Cody, go ahead," said he, "I'll leave it to you, but remember +that I don't want a dry camp." + +"No danger of that," said I, and then I rode on, leaving him to return to +the command. As I had predicted, we found water seven or eight miles +further on, where we came upon a beautiful little stream--a tributary of +the Beaver--hidden in the hills. We had no difficulty in selecting a +good halting place, and obtaining fresh spring water and excellent grass. +The General, upon learning from me that the stream--which was only eight +or nine miles long--had no name, took out his map and located it, and +named it Cody's Creek, which name it still bears. + +We pulled out early next morning for the Beaver, and when we were +approaching the stream I rode on ahead of the advance guard, in order to +find a crossing. Just as I turned a bend of the creek, "bang!" went a +shot, and down went my horse--myself with him. I disentangled myself, and +jumped behind the dead body. Looking in the direction whence the shot had +come, I saw two Indians, and at once turned my gun loose on them, but in +the excitement of the moment I missed my aim. They fired two or three +more shots, and I returned the compliment, wounding one of their horses. + +On the opposite side of the creek, going over the hill, I observed a few +lodges moving rapidly away, and also some mounted warriors, who could see +me, and who kept blazing away with their guns. The two Indians who had +fired at me and had killed my horse were retreating across the creek on a +beaver dam. I sent a few shots after them to accelerate their speed, and +also fired at the ones on the other side of the stream. I was undecided +as to whether it was best to run back to the command on foot or hold my +position. I knew that within a few minutes the troops would come up, and +if they heard the firing they would come rapidly. + +The Indians, seeing that I was alone, turned and charged down the hill, +and were about to re-cross the creek to corral me, when the advance guard +of the command put in an appearance on the ridge, and dashed forward to +my rescue. The red-skins whirled and made off. + +When General Carr came up, he ordered Company I to go in pursuit of the +band. I accompanied Lieutenant Brady, who commanded, and we had a running +fight with the Indians, lasting several hours. We captured several head +of their horses and most of their lodges. At night we returned to the +command, which by this time had crossed the creek on the beaver dam. + +We scouted for several days along the river, and had two or three lively +skirmishes. Finally our supplies began to run low, and General Carr gave +orders to return to Fort Wallace, which we reached three days afterwards, +and where we remained several days. + +While the regiment was waiting here for orders, I spent most of the time +in hunting buffaloes, and one day while I was out with a small party, we +were "jumped" by about fifty Indians. We had a severe fight of at least +an hour, when we succeeded in driving the enemy. They lost four of their +warriors, and probably concluded that we were a hard crowd. I had some +excellent marksmen with me, and they did some fine work, sending the +bullets thick and fast where they would do the most good. Two or three of +our horses had been hit, and one man had been wounded; we were ready and +willing to stay with the red-skins as long as they wished--but they +finally gave it up however, as a bad job, and rode off. We finished our +hunt, and went back to the post loaded down with plenty of buffalo meat, +and received the compliments of the General for our little fight. + +[Illustration: A HARD CROWD.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A TOUGH TIME. + + +General Carr soon received orders from General Sheridan that he was to +make a winter's campaign in the Canadian river country, and that we were +to proceed to Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas river, in Colorado, and there +fit out for the expedition. Leaving Fort Wallace in November, 1868, we +arrived at Fort Lyon in the latter part of the month, and outfitted for +the coming expedition. + +General Penrose had left this post three weeks previously with a command +of some three hundred men. He had taken no wagons with him and his supply +train was composed only of pack mules. General Carr was ordered to follow +with supplies on his trail and overtake him as soon as possible. I was +particularly anxious to catch up with Penrose's command, as my old +friend Wild Bill was among his scouts. We followed the trail very easily +for the first three days, and then we were caught in Freeze-Out canyon by +a fearful snow storm, which compelled us to go into camp for a day. The +ground now being covered with snow, we found that it would be almost +impossible to follow Penrose's trail any further, especially as he had +left no sign to indicate the direction he was going. General Carr sent +for me and said that as it was very important that we should not lose the +trail, he wished that I would take some scouts with me, and while the +command remained in camp, push on as far as possible and see if I could +not discover some traces of Penrose or where he had camped at any time. + +[Illustration: CAMPING IN THE SNOW.] + +Accompanied by four men I started out in the blinding snow storm, taking +a southerly direction. We rode twenty-four miles, and upon reaching a +tributary of the Cimarron, we scouted up and down the stream for a few +miles and finally found one of Penrose's old camps. It was now late in +the afternoon, and as the command would come up the next day, it was not +necessary for all of us to return with the information to General Carr. +So riding down into a sheltered place in a bend of the creek, we built a +fire and broiled some venison from a deer which we had shot during the +day, and after eating a substantial meal, I left the four men there, +while I returned to bring up the troops. + +It was eleven o'clock at night when I got back to the camp. A light was +still burning in the General's tent, he having remained awake, anxiously +awaiting my return. He was glad to see me, and was overjoyed at the +information I brought, for he had great fears concerning the safety of +General Penrose. He roused up his cook and ordered him to get me a good +hot supper, all of which I greatly appreciated. I passed the night in the +General's tent, and next morning rose refreshed and prepared for a big +day's work. + +The command took up its march next day for the Cimarron, and had a hard +tramp of it on account of the snow having drifted to a great depth in +many of the ravines, and in some places the teamsters had to shovel their +way through. We arrived at the Cimarron at sundown, and went into a nice +warm camp. Upon looking around next morning, we found that Penrose, +having been unencumbered by wagons, had kept on the west side of the +Cimarron, and the country was so rough that it was impossible for us to +stay on his trail with our wagons; but knowing that he would certainly +follow down the river, General Carr concluded to take the best wagon +route along the stream, which I discovered to be on the east side. Before +we could make any headway with our wagon train we had to leave the river +and get out on the divide. We were very fortunate that day in finding a +splendid road for some distance, until we were all at once brought up +standing on a high table-land, overlooking a beautiful winding creek that +lay far below us in the valley. The question that troubled us, was, how +we were to get the wagons down. We were now in the foot-hills of the +Rattoon Mountains, and the bluff we were on was very steep. + +"Cody, we're in a nice fix now," said General Carr. + +"Oh, that's nothing," was my reply. + +"But you can never take the train down," said he. + +"Never you mind the train, General. You say you are looking for a good +camp. How does that beautiful spot down in the valley suit you?" I +asked him. + +"That will do. I can easily descend with the cavalry, but how to get the +wagons down there is a puzzler to me," said he. + +"By the time you've located your camp, your wagons shall be +there," said I. + +"All right, Cody, I'll leave it to you, as you seem to want to be boss," +replied he pleasantly. He at once ordered the command to dismount and +lead the horses down the mountain-side. The wagon train was a mile in the +rear, and when it came up, one of the drivers asked: "How are we going +down there?" + +"Run down, slide down or fall down--any way to get down," said I. + +"We never can do it; it's too steep; the wagons will run over the mules," +said another wagon-master. + +"I guess not; the mules have got to keep out of the way," was my reply. + +Telling Wilson, the chief wagon-master, to bring on his mess-wagon, which +was at the head of the train, I said I would try the experiment at least. +Wilson drove the team and wagon to the brink of the hill, and following +my directions he brought out some extra chains with which we locked both +wheels on each side, and then rough-locked them. We then started the +wagon down the hill. The wheel-horses--or rather the wheel-mules--were +good on the hold-back, and we got along finely until we nearly reached +the bottom, when the wagon crowded the mules so hard that they started on +a run and galloped down into the valley and to the place where General +Carr had located his camp. Three other wagons immediately followed in the +same way, and in half an hour every wagon was in camp, without the least +accident having occurred. It was indeed an exciting sight to see the +six-mule teams come straight down the mountain and finally break into a +full run. At times it looked as if the wagons would turn a somersault and +land on the mules. + +This proved to be a lucky march for us as far as gaining on Penrose was +concerned, for the route he had taken on the west side of the stream +turned out to be a bad one, and we went with our immense wagon train as +far in one day as Penrose had in seven. His command had marched on to a +plateau or high table-land so steep, that not even a pack mule could +descend it, and he was obliged to retrace his steps a long ways, thus +losing three days time as we afterwards learned. + +While in this camp we had a lively turkey hunt. The trees along the +banks of the stream were literally alive with wild turkeys, and after +unsaddling the horses between two and three hundred soldiers surrounded a +grove of timber and had a grand turkey round-up, killing four or five +hundred of the birds, with guns, clubs and stones. Of course, we had +turkey in every style after this hunt--roast turkey, boiled turkey, fried +turkey, "turkey on toast," and so on; and we appropriately called this +place Camp Turkey. + +From this point on, for several days, we had no trouble in following +Penrose's trail, which led us in a southeasterly direction towards the +Canadian River. No Indians were seen, nor any signs of them found. One +day, while riding in advance of the command, down San Francisco Creek, I +heard some one calling my name from a little bunch of willow brush on the +opposite bank, and, upon looking closely at the spot, I saw a negro. + +"Sakes alive! Massa Bill, am dat you?" asked the man, whom I recognized +as one of the colored soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry. I next heard him say +to some one in the brush: "Come out o' heah. Dar's Massa Buffalo Bill." +Then he sang out, "Massa Bill, is you got any hawd tack?" + +"Nary a hard tack; but the wagons will be along presently, and then you +can get all you want," said I. + +"Dat's de best news I'se heerd foah sixteen long days, Massa Bill," said +he. "Where's your command? Where's General Penrose?" I asked. + +"I dunno," said the darkey; "we got lost, and we's been a starvin' +eber since." + +By this time two other negroes had emerged from their place of +concealment. They had deserted Penrose's command--which was out of +rations and nearly in a starving 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 somewhere on Polladora Creek; but we could +not learn anything definite from the starved "mokes," for they knew not +where they were themselves. + +Having learned that General Penrose's troops were in such bad shape, +General Carr ordered Major Brown to start out the next morning with two +companies of cavalry and fifty pack-mules loaded with provisions, and to +make all possible speed to reach and relieve the suffering soldiers. I +accompanied this detachment, and on the third day out we found the +half-famished soldiers camped on the Polladora. The camp presented a +pitiful sight, indeed. For over two weeks the men had had only quarter +rations, and were now nearly starved to death. Over two hundred horses +and mules were lying dead, having died from fatigue and starvation. +General Penrose, having feared that General Carr would not find him, had +sent back a company of the Seventh Cavalry to Fort Lyon for supplies; but +no word as yet had been heard from them. The rations which Major Brown +brought to the command came none too soon, and were the means of saving +many a life. + +[Illustration: A WELCOME VISITOR] + +About the first man I saw after reaching the camp was my old, true and +tried friend, Wild Bill. That night we had a jolly reunion around the +camp-fires. + +General Carr, upon arriving with his force, took command of all the +troops, he being the senior officer and ranking General Penrose. After +selecting a good camp, he unloaded the wagons and sent them back to Fort +Lyon for fresh supplies. He then picked out five hundred of the best men +and horses, and, taking his pack-train with him, he started south for the +Canadian River, distant about forty miles, leaving the rest of the troops +at the supply camp. + +I was ordered to accompany this expedition. We struck the south fork of +the Canadian River, or Rio Colorado, at a point a few miles above the old +_adobe_ walls, which at one time had composed a fort, and was the place +where Kit Carson once had a big Indian fight. We were now within twelve +miles of a new supply dépôt, called Camp Evans, which had been +established for the Third Cavalry and Evans's Expedition from New Mexico. +The scouts who had brought in this information also reported that they +expected the arrival at Camp Evans of a bull-train from New Mexico with +a large quantity of beer for the soldiers. This news was "pie" for Wild +Bill and myself, and we determined to lie low for that beer outfit. That +very evening it came along, and the beer that was destined for the +soldiers at Camp Evans never reached its destination. It went straight +down the thirsty throats of General Carr's command. It appears that the +Mexicans living near Fort Union had manufactured the beer, and were +taking it through to Camp Evans to sell to the troops, but it struck a +lively market without going so far. It was sold to our boys in pint cups, +and as the weather was very cold we warmed the beer by putting the ends +of our picket-pins heated red-hot into the cups. The result was one of +the biggest beer jollifications I ever had the misfortune to attend. + +One evening General Carr summoned me to his tent, and said he wished to +send some scouts with dispatches to Camp Supply, which were to be +forwarded from there to Sheridan. He ordered me to call the scouts +together at once at his headquarters, and select the men who were to go. +I asked him if I should not go myself, but he replied that he wished me +to remain with the command, as he could not spare me. The distance to +Camp Supply was about two hundred miles, and owing to the very cold +weather it was anything but a pleasant trip. Consequently none of the +scouts were anxious to undertake it. It was finally settled, however, +that Wild Bill, a half-breed called Little Geary, and three other scouts +should carry the dispatches, and they accordingly took their departure +next day, with instructions to return to the command as soon as possible. + +For several days we scouted along the Canadian River, but found no signs +of Indians. General Carr then went back to his camp, and soon afterwards +our wagon train came in from Fort Lyon with a fresh load of provisions. +Our animals being in poor condition, we remained in different camps along +San Francisco Creek and the north fork of the Canadian, until Wild Bill +and his scouts returned from Camp Supply. + +Among the scouts of Penrose's command were fifteen Mexicans, and between +them and the American scouts there had existed a feud; when General Carr +took command of the expedition--uniting it with his own--and I was made +chief of all the scouts, this feud grew more intense, and the Mexicans +often threatened to clean us out; but they postponed the undertaking from +time to time, until one day, while we were all at the sutler's store, the +long-expected fight took place, and resulted in the Mexicans getting +severely beaten. + +General Carr, upon hearing of the row, sent for Wild Bill and myself, he +having concluded, from the various statements which had been made to +him, that we were the instigators of the affair. But after listening to +what we had to say, he thought that the Mexicans were as much to blame +as we were. + +It is not to be denied that Wild Bill and myself had been partaking too +freely of "tanglefoot" that evening; and General Carr said to me: "Cody, +there are plenty of antelopes in the country, and you can do some hunting +for the camp while we stay here." + +"All right, General, I'll do it." + +After that I put in my time hunting, and with splendid success, killing +from fifteen to twenty antelopes a day, which kept the men well supplied +with fresh meat. + +At length, our horses and mules having become sufficiently recruited to +travel, we returned to Fort Lyon, arriving there in March, 1869, where +the command was to rest and recruit for thirty days, before proceeding to +the Department of the Platte, whither it had been ordered. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + + +General Carr, at my request, kindly granted me one month's leave of +absence to visit my family in St. Louis, and ordered Captain Hays, our +quartermaster, to let me ride my mule and horse to Sheridan, distant 140 +miles, where I was to take the cars. I was instructed to leave the +animals in the quartermaster's corral at Fort Wallace until I should come +back, but instead of doing this I put them both in the care of my old +friend Perry, the hotel-keeper at Sheridan. After a twenty days absence +in St. Louis, pleasantly spent with my family, I returned to Sheridan, +and there learned that my mule and horse had been seized by the +government. + +It seems that the quartermaster's agent at Sheridan had reported to +General Bankhead, commanding Fort Wallace, and to Captain Laufer, the +quartermaster, that I had left the country and had sold a government +horse and mule to Mr. Perry, and of course Captain Laufer took possession +of the animals and threatened to have Perry arrested for buying +government property. Perry explained to him the facts in the case and +said that I would return in a few days; but the captain would pay no +attention to his statements. + +I immediately went over to the office of the quartermaster's agent, and +had Perry point him out to me. I at once laid hold of him, and in a +short time had treated him to just such a thrashing as his contemptible +lie deserved. + +He then mounted a horse, rode to Fort Wallace, and reported me to General +Bankhead and Captain Laufer, and obtained a guard to return with and +protect him. + +The next morning I secured a horse from Perry, and proceeding to Fort +Wallace demanded my horse and mule from General Bankhead, on the ground +that they were quartermaster Hays' property and belonged to General +Carr's command, and that I had obtained permission to ride them to +Sheridan and back. General Bankhead, in a gruff manner ordered me out of +his office and off the reservation, saying that if I didn't take a +hurried departure he would have me forcibly put out. I told him to do it +and be hanged; I might have used a stronger expression, and upon second +thought, I believe I did. I next interviewed Captain Laufer and demanded +of him also the horse and mule, as I was responsible for them to +Quartermaster Hays. Captain Laufer intimated that I was a liar and that I +had disposed of the animals. Hot words ensued between us, and he too +ordered me to leave the post. I replied that General Bankhead had +commanded me to do the same thing, but that I had not yet gone; and that +I did not propose to obey any orders of an inferior officer. + +Seeing that it was of no use to make any further effort to get possession +of the animals I rode back to Sheridan, and just as I reached there I met +the quartermaster's agent coming out from supper, with his head tied up. +It occurred to me that he had not received more than one half the +punishment justly due him, and that now would be a good time to give him +the balance--so I carried the idea into immediate execution. After +finishing the job in good style, I informed him that he could not stay in +that town while I remained there, and convinced him that Sheridan was not +large enough to hold us both at the same time; he accordingly left the +place and again went to Fort Wallace, this time reporting to General +Bankhead that I had driven him away, and had threatened to kill him. + +That night while sleeping at the Perry House, I was awakened by a tap on +the shoulder and upon looking up I was considerably surprised to see the +room filled with armed negroes who had their guns all pointed at me. The +first words I heard came from the sergeant, who said: + +"Now look a-heah, Massa Bill, ef you makes a move we'll blow you off de +farm, shuah!" Just then Captain Ezekiel entered and ordered the soldiers +to stand back. + +"Captain, what does this mean?" I asked. + +"I am sorry, Bill, but I have been ordered by General Bankhead to arrest +you and bring you to Fort Wallace," said he. + +"That's all right," said I, "but you could have made the arrest alone, +without having brought the whole Thirty-eighth Infantry with you." "I +know that, Bill," replied the Captain, "but as you've not been in very +good humor for the last day or two, I didn't know how you would act." + +I hastily dressed, and accompanied Captain Ezekiel to Fort Wallace, +arriving there at two o'clock in the morning. + +"Bill, I am really sorry," said Captain Ezekiel, as we alighted, "but I +have orders to place you in the guard-house, and I must perform my duty." + +"Very well, Captain; I don't blame you a bit," said I; and into the +guard-house I went as a prisoner for the first and only time in my life. +The sergeant of the--guard who was an old friend of mine, belonging to +Captain Graham's company, which was stationed there at the time--did not +put me into a cell, but kindly allowed me to stay in his room and occupy +his bed, and in a few minutes I was snoring away as if nothing unusual +had occurred. + +Shortly after _reveille_ Captain Graham called to see me. He thought it +was a shame for me to be in the guard-house, and said that he would +interview General Bankhead in my behalf as soon as he got up. The Captain +had a nice breakfast prepared for me, and then departed. At guard-mount I +was not sent for, contrary to my expectations, and thereupon I had word +conveyed to Captain Graham, who was officer of the day, that I wanted to +see General Bankhead. The Captain informed me that the General absolutely +refused to hold any conversation whatever with me. + +At this time there was no telegraph line between Fort Wallace and Fort +Lyon, and therefore it was impossible for me to telegraph to General +Carr, and I determined to send a dispatch direct to General Sheridan. I +accordingly wrote out a long telegram informing him of my difficulty, +and had it taken to the telegraph office for transmission; but the +operator, instead of sending it at once as he should have done, showed +it to General Bankhead, who tore it up, and instructed the operator not +to pay any attention to what I might say, as he was running that post. +Thinking it very strange that I received no answer during the day I +went to the telegraph office, accompanied by a guard, and learned from +the operator what he had done. "See here, my young friend," said I, +"this is a public telegraph line, and I want my telegram sent, or +there'll be trouble." + +I re-wrote my dispatch and handed it to him, accompanied with the money +to pay for the transmission, saying, as I did so: "Young man, I wish that +telegram sent direct to Chicago. You know it is your duty to send it, and +it must go." + +He knew very well that he was compelled to transmit the message, but +before doing so he called on General Bankhead and informed him of what I +had said, and told him that he would certainly have to send it, for if he +didn't he might lose his position. The General, seeing that the telegram +would have to go, summoned me to his headquarters, and the first thing he +said, after I got into his presence was: + +"If I let you go, sir, will you leave the post at once and not bother my +agent at Sheridan again?" + +"No, sir;" I replied, "I'll do nothing of the kind. I'll remain in the +guard-house until I receive an answer from General Sheridan." + +"If I give you the horse and mule will you proceed at once to Fort Lyon?" + +"No, sir; I have some bills to settle at Sheridan and some other business +to transact," replied I. + +"Well, sir; will you at least agree not to interfere any further with the +quartermaster's agent at Sheridan?" + +"I shall not bother him any more, sir, as I have had all I want from +him," was my answer. + +General Bankhead thereupon sent for Captain Laufer and ordered him to +turn the horse and mule over to me. In a few minutes more I was on my way +to Sheridan, and after settling my business there, I proceeded to Fort +Lyon, arriving two days afterwards. I related my adventures to General +Carr, Major Brown, and other officers, who were greatly amused thereby. + +"I'm glad you've come, Bill," said General Carr, "as I have been +wanting you for the last two weeks. While we have been at this post +several valuable animals, as well as a large number of government +horses and mules have been stolen, and we think that the thieves are +still in the vicinity of the fort, but as yet we have been unable to +discover their rendezvous. I have had a party out for the last few days +in the neighborhood of old Fort Lyon, and they have found fresh tracks +down there and seem to think that the stock is concealed somewhere in +the timber, along the Arkansas river. Bill Green, one of the scouts who +has just come up from there, can perhaps tell you something more about +the matter." + +Green, who had been summoned, said that he had discovered fresh trails +before striking the heavy timber opposite old Fort Lyon, but that in the +tall grass he could not follow them. He had marked the place where he had +last seen fresh mule tracks, so that he could find it again. + +"Now, Cody, you're just the person we want," said the General. + +"Very well, I'll get a fresh mount, and to-morrow I'll go down and see +what I can discover," said I. + +"You had better take two men besides Green, and a pack mule with eight or +ten days' rations," suggested the General, "so that if you find the trail +you can follow it up, as I am very anxious to get back this stolen +property. The scoundrels have taken one of my private horses and also +Lieutenant Forbush's favorite little black race mule." + +Next morning I started out after the horse-thieves, being accompanied by +Green, Jack Farley, and another scout. The mule track, marked by Green, +was easily found, and with very little difficulty I followed it for about +two miles into the timber and came upon a place where, as I could plainly +see from numerous signs, quite a number of head of stock had been tied +among the trees and kept for several days. This was evidently the spot +where the thieves had been hiding their stolen stock until they had +accumulated quite a herd. From this point it was difficult to trail +them, as they had taken the stolen animals out of the timber one by one +and in different directions, thus showing that they were experts at the +business and experienced frontiersmen, for no Indian could have exhibited +more cunning in covering up a trail than did they. + +I abandoned the idea of following their trail in this immediate locality, +so calling my men together, I told them that we would ride out for about +five miles and make a complete circuit about the place, and in this way +we would certainly find the trail on which they had moved out. While +making the circuit we discovered the tracks of twelve animals--four mules +and eight horses--in the edge of some sand-hills, and from this point we +had no trouble in trailing them down the Arkansas river, which they had +crossed at Sand Creek, and then had gone up the latter stream, in the +direction of Denver, to which place they were undoubtedly bound. When +nearing Denver their trail became so obscure that we at last lost it; but +by inquiring of the settlers along the road which they had taken, we +occasionally heard of them. + +When within four miles of Denver--this was on a Thursday--we learned that +the horse-thieves had passed there two days before. I came to the +conclusion they would attempt to dispose of the animals in Denver, and +being aware that Saturday was the great auction day there, I thought it +best to remain where we were at a hotel, and not go into the city until +that day. It certainly would not have been advisable for me to have gone +into Denver meantime--because I was well-known there, and if the thieves +had learned of my presence in the city they would at once have suspected +my business. + +Early Saturday morning, we rode into town and stabled our horses at the +Elephant Corral. I secured a room from Ed. Chase, overlooking the corral, +and then took up my post of observation. I did not have long to wait, for +a man, whom I readily recognized as one of our old packers, rode into the +corral mounted upon Lieutenant Forbush's racing mule, and leading another +government mule, which I also identified. It had been recently branded, +and over the "U.S." was a plain "D.B." I waited for the man's companion +to put in an appearance, but he did not come, and my conclusion was that +he was secreted outside of the city with the rest of the animals. + +Presently the black mule belonging to Forbush was put up at auction. Now, +thought I, is the time to do my work. So, walking through the crowd, who +were bidding for the mule, I approached the man who had offered him for +sale. He recognized me and endeavored to escape, but I seized him by the +shoulder, saying: "I guess, my friend, that you'll have to go with me. If +you make any resistance, I'll shoot you on the spot." He was armed with a +pair of pistols, which I took away from him. Then informing the +auctioneer that I was a United States detective, and showing him--as well +as an inquisitive officer--my commission as such, I told him to stop the +sale, as the mule was stolen property, and that I had arrested the thief, +whose name was Williams. + +Farley and Green, who were near at hand, now came forward, and together +we took the prisoner and the mules three miles down the Platte River; +there, in a thick bunch of timber, we all dismounted and made +preparations to hang Williams from a limb, if he did not tell us where +his partner was. At first he denied knowing anything about any partner, +or any other stock; but when he saw that we were in earnest, and would +hang him at the end of the given time--five minutes--unless he +"squealed," he told us that his "pal" was at an unoccupied house three +miles further down the river. + +We immediately proceeded to the spot indicated, and as we came within +sight of the house we saw our stock grazing near by. Just as we rode up +to the door, another one of our old packers, whom I recognized as Bill +Bevins, stepped to the front, and I covered him instantly with my rifle +before he could draw his revolver. I ordered him to throw up his hands, +and he obeyed the command. Green then disarmed him and brought him out. +We looked through the house and found their saddles, pack-saddles, +blankets, overcoats, lariats and two Henry rifles, which we took +possession of. The horses and mules we tied in a bunch, and with the +whole outfit we returned to Denver, where we lodged Williams and Bevins +in jail, in charge of my friend, Sheriff Edward Cook. The next day we +took them out, and, tying each one on a mule, we struck out on our return +trip to Fort Lyon. + +At the hotel outside the city, where we had stopped on Thursday and +Friday, we were joined by our man with the pack-mule. That night we +camped on Cherry Creek, seventeen miles from Denver. The weather--it +being in April--was cold and stormy, but we found a warm and cosy +camping place in a bend of the creek. We made our beds in a row, with our +feet towards the fire. The prisoners so far had appeared very docile, and +had made no attempt to escape, and therefore I did not think it necessary +to hobble them. We made them sleep on the inside, and it was so arranged +that some one of us should be on guard all the time. + +At about one o'clock in the night it began snowing, while I was watching. +Shortly before three o'clock, Jack Farley, who was then on guard, and +sitting on the foot of the bed, with his back to the prisoners, was +kicked clear into the fire by Williams, and the next moment Bevins, who +had got hold of his shoes--which I had thought were out of his +reach--sprang up and jumped over the fire, and started on a run. I sent a +shot after him as soon as I awoke sufficiently to comprehend what was +taking place. Williams attempted to follow him, and as he did so, I +whirled around and knocked him down with my revolver. Farley by this time +had gathered himself out of the fire, and Green had started after Bevins, +firing at him on the run; but the prisoner made his escape into the +brush. In his flight, unfortunately for him, and luckily for us, he +dropped one of his shoes. + +Leaving Williams in the charge of Farley and "Long Doc," as we called +the man with the pack-mule, Green and myself struck out after Bevins as +fast as possible. We heard him breaking through the brush, but knowing +that it would be useless to follow him on foot, we went back to the camp +and saddled up two of the fastest horses, and at daylight we struck out +on his trail, which was plainly visible in the snow. He had got an hour +and a half the start of us. His tracks led us in the direction of the +mountains and the South Platte River, and as the country through which he +was passing was covered with prickly pears, we knew that he could not +escape stepping on them with his one bare foot, and hence we were likely +to overtake him in a short time. We could see, however, from the long +jumps that he was taking, that he was making excellent time, but we +frequently noticed, after we had gone some distance, that the prickly +pears and stones along his route were cutting his bare foot, as nearly +every track of it was spotted with blood. + +We had run our horses some twelve miles when we saw Bevins crossing a +ridge about two miles ahead. Urging our horses up to their utmost speed, +we reached the ridge just as he was descending the divide towards the +South Platte, which stream was very deep and swift at this point. It +became evident that if he should cross it ahead of us, he would have a +good chance of making his escape. So pushing our steeds as fast as +possible, we rapidly gained on him, and when within a hundred yards of +him I cried to him to halt or I would shoot. Knowing I was a good shot, +he stopped, and, coolly sitting down, waited till we came up. + +"Bevins, you've given us a good run," said I. + +"Yes," said he, "and if I had had fifteen minutes more of a start and +got across the Platte, I would have laughed at the idea of your ever +catching me." + +Bevin's run was the most remarkable feat of the kind ever known, either +of a white man, or an Indian. A man who could run bare-footed in the +snow eighteen miles through a prickly pear patch, was certainly a +"tough one," and that's the kind of a person Bill Bevins was. Upon +looking at his bleeding foot I really felt sorry for him. He asked me +for my knife, and I gave him my sharp-pointed bowie, with which he dug +the prickly pear briars out of his foot. I considered him as "game" a +man as I had ever met. + +"Bevins, I have got to take you back," said I, "but as you can't walk +with that foot, you can ride my horse and I'll foot it." + +We accordingly started back for our camp, with Bevins on my horse, which +was led either by Green or myself, as we alternately rode the other +horse. We kept a close watch on Bevins, for we had ample proof that he +needed watching. His wounded foot must have pained him terribly but not a +word of complaint escaped him. On arriving at the camp we found Williams +bound as we had left him and he seemed sorry that we had captured Bevins. + +[Illustration: THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS.] + +After breakfasting we resumed our journey, and nothing worth of note +again occurred until we reached the Arkansas river, where we found a +vacant cabin and at once took possession of it for the night. There was +no likelihood of Bevins again trying to escape, for his foot had swollen +to an enormous size, and was useless. Believing that Williams could not +escape from the cabin, we unbound him. We then went to sleep, leaving +Long Doc on guard, the cabin being comfortably warmed and well lighted by +the fire. It was a dark, stormy night--so dark that you could hardly see +your hand before you. At about ten o'clock, Williams asked Long Doc to +allow him to step to the door for a moment. + +Long Doc, who had his revolver in his hand, did not think it necessary to +wake us up, and believing that he could take care of the prisoner, he +granted his request. Williams thereupon walked to the outer edge of the +door, while Long Doc, revolver in hand, was watching him from the inside. +Suddenly Williams made a spring to the right, and before Doc could even +raise his revolver, he had dodged around the house. Doc jumped after him, +and fired just as he turned a corner, the report bringing us all to our +feet, and in an instant we knew what had happened. I at once covered +Bevins with my revolver, but as I saw that he could hardly stir, and was +making no demonstration, I lowered the weapon. Just then Doc came in +swearing "a blue streak," and announced that Williams had escaped. There +was nothing for us to do except to gather our horses close to the cabin +and stand guard over them for the rest of the night, to prevent the +possibility of Williams sneaking up and stealing one of them. That was +the last I ever saw or heard of Williams. + +We finally got back to Fort Lyon with Bevins, and General Carr, to whom I +immediately reported, complimented us highly on the success of our trip, +notwithstanding we had lost one prisoner. The next day we took Bevins to +Boggs' ranch on Picket Wire Creek, and there turned him over to the civil +authorities, who put him in a log jail to await his trial. He never was +tried, however, for he soon made his escape, as I expected he would do. I +heard no more of him until 1872, when I learned that he was skirmishing +around on Laramie Plains at his old tricks. He sent word by the gentleman +from whom I gained this information, that if he ever met me again he +would kill me on sight. He finally was arrested and convicted for +robbery, and was confined in the prison at Laramie City. Again he made +his escape, and soon afterwards he organized a desperate gang of outlaws +who infested the country north of the Union Pacific railroad, and when +the stages began to run between Cheyenne and Deadwood, in the Black +Hills, they robbed the coaches and passengers, frequently making large +hauls of plunder. They kept this up for some time, till finally most of +the gang were caught, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary for +a number of years. Bill Bevins and nearly all of his gang are now +confined in the Nebraska state prison, to which they were transferred, +from Wyoming. + +[Illustration: ROBBING A STAGE COACH.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A MILITARY EXPEDITION. + + +A day or two after my return to Fort Lyon, the Fifth Cavalry were ordered +to the Department of the Platte, and took up their line of march for Fort +McPherson, Nebraska. We laid over one day at Fort Wallace, to get +supplies, and while there I had occasion to pass General Bankhead's +headquarters. His orderly called to me, and said the General wished to +see me. As I entered the General's office he extended his hand and said: +"I hope you have no hard feelings toward me, Cody, for having you +arrested when you were here. I have just had a talk with General Carr and +Quartermaster Hays, and they informed me that you had their permission to +ride the horse and mule, and if you had stated this fact to me there +would have been no trouble about the matter whatever." "That is all +right, General," said I; "I will think no more of it. But I don't believe +that your quartermaster's agent will ever again circulate false stories +about me." + +"No," said the General; "he has not yet recovered from the beating that +you gave him." + +From Fort Wallace we moved down to Sheridan, where the command halted for +us to lay in a supply of forage which was stored there. I was still +messing with Major Brown, with whom I went into the village to purchase a +supply of provisions for our mess; but unfortunately we were in too jolly +a mood to fool away money on "grub." We bought several articles, however, +and put them into the ambulance and sent them back to the camp with our +cook. The Major and myself did not return until _reveille_ next morning. +Soon afterwards the General sounded "boots and saddles," and presently +the regiment was on its way to McPherson. + +It was very late before we went into camp that night, and we were tired +and hungry. Just as Major Brown was having his tent put up, his cook +came to us and asked where the provisions were that we had bought the +day before. + +"Why, did we not give them to you--did you not bring them to camp in the +ambulance?" asked Major Brown. + +"No, sir; it was only a five-gallon demijohn of whiskey, a five-gallon +demijohn of brandy, and two cases of Old Tom-Cat gin," said the cook. + +"The mischief!" I exclaimed; "didn't we spend any money on grub at all?" + +"No, sir," replied the cook. + +"Well, that will do for the present," said Major Brown. + +It seems that our minds had evidently been running on a different subject +than provisions while we were loitering in Sheridan, and we found +ourselves, with a two hundred and fifty mile march ahead of us, without +anything more inviting than ordinary army rations. + +At this juncture Captain Denny came up, and the Major apologized for not +being able to invite him to take supper with us; but we did the next best +thing, and asked him to take a drink. He remarked that that was what he +was looking for, and when he learned of our being out of commissary +supplies, and that we had bought nothing except whiskey, brandy and gin, +he said, joyously: + +"Boys, as we have an abundance, you can eat with us, and we will drink +with you." + +It was a satisfactory arrangement, and from that time forward we traded +our liquids for their solids. When the rest of the officers heard of what +Brown and I had done, they all sent us invitations to dine with them at +any time. We returned the compliment by inviting them to drink with us +whenever they were dry. Although I would not advise anybody to follow our +example, yet it is a fact that we got more provisions for our whiskey +than the same money, which we paid for the liquor, would have bought; so +after all it proved a very profitable investment. + +On reaching the north fork of the Beaver and riding down the valley +towards the stream, I suddenly discovered a large 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 down that +way. Judging from the size of the trail, I thought there could not be +less than four hundred lodges, or between twenty-five hundred and three +thousand warriors, women and children in the band. I galloped hack to the +command, distant about three miles, and reported the news to General +Carr, who halted the regiment, and, after consulting a few minutes, +ordered me to select a ravine, or as low ground 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 several miles, +and find out how fast the Indians were traveling. I was soon convinced, +by the many camps they had made, that they were traveling slowly, and +hunting as they journeyed. We went down the Beaver on this scout about +twelve miles, keeping our horses well concealed under the banks of the +creek, so as not to be discovered. + +At this point, Lieutenant Ward and myself, leaving our 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 miles away we could see a whole Indian village +in plain sight, 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 coming in, loaded down with buffalo meat. + +"This is no place for us, Lieutenant," said I; "I think we have important +business at the camp to attend to as soon as possible." + +"I agree 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 command +and deliver the message. The man started off on a gallop, 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 +immediately upon receiving my note." + +In a few minutes we heard two or three shots in the direction in which +our dispatch courier had gone, and soon after we saw him come flying +around the bend of the creek, pursued by four or five Indians. The +Lieutenant, with his squad of soldiers and myself, at once charged upon +them, when they turned and ran across the stream. + +"This will not do," said Lieutenant Ward, "the whole Indian village will +now know that soldiers are near by. + +"Lieutenant, give me that note, and I will take it to the +General," said I. + +He gladly handed me the dispatch, and spurring my horse I dashed up the +creek. After having ridden a short distance, I observed another party of +Indians also going to the village with meat; but instead of waiting for +them to fire upon me, I gave them a shot at long range. Seeing one man +firing at them so boldly, it surprised them, and they did not know what +to make of it. While they were thus considering, I got between them and +our camp. By this time they had recovered from their surprise, and, +cutting 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 +take me long to leave them far in the rear. + +I reached the command in less than an hour, delivered the dispatch to +General Carr, and informed him of what I had seen. He instantly had the +bugler sound "boots and saddles," and all the troops--with the exception +of two companies, which we left to guard the train--were soon galloping +in the direction of the Indian camp. + +We had ridden about three miles when we met Lieutenant Ward, who was +coming slowly towards us. He reported that he had run into a party of +Indian buffalo-hunters, and had killed one of the number, and had had +one of his horses wounded. We immediately pushed forward and after +marching about five miles came within sight of hundreds of mounted +Indians advancing up the creek to meet us. They formed a complete line +in front of us. General Carr, being desirous of striking their village, +ordered the troops to charge, break through their line, and keep +straight on. This movement would, no doubt, have been successfully +accomplished had it not been for the rattle-brained and dare-devil +French Lieutenant Schinosky, commanding Company B, who, misunderstanding +General Carr's orders, charged upon some Indians at the left, while the +rest of the command dashed through the enemy's line, and was keeping +straight on, when it was observed that Schinosky and his company were +surrounded by four or five hundred red-skins. The General, to save the +company, was obliged to sound a halt and charge back to the rescue. The +company, during this short fight, had several men and quite a number of +horses killed. + +All this took up valuable time, and night was coming on. The Indians were +fighting desperately to keep us from reaching their village, which being +informed by couriers of what was taking place, was packing up and getting +away. During that afternoon it was all we could do to hold our own in +fighting the mounted warriors, who were in our front and contesting every +inch of the ground. The General had left word for our wagon train to +follow up with its escort of two companies, but as it had not made its +appearance he entertained some fears that it had been surrounded, and to +prevent the possible loss of the supply train we had to go back and look +for it. About 9 o'clock that evening we found it, and went into camp for +the night. + +Next morning we passed down the creek and there was not an Indian to be +seen. They had all disappeared and gone on with their village. Two miles +further on we came to where a village had been located, and here we found +nearly everything belonging or pertaining to an Indian camp, which had +been left in the great hurry to get away. These articles were all +gathered up and burned. We then pushed out on the trail as fast as +possible. It led us to the northeast towards the Republican; but as the +Indians had a night the start of us we entertained but little hope of +overtaking them that day. Upon reaching the Republican in the afternoon +the General called a halt, and as the trail was running more to the east, +he concluded to send his wagon train on to Fort McPherson by the most +direct route, while he would follow on the trail of the red-skins. + +Next morning at daylight we again pulled out and were evidently gaining +rapidly on the Indians for we could occasionally see them in the +distance. About 11 o'clock that day while Major Babcock was ahead of the +main command with his company, and while we were crossing a deep ravine, +we were surprised by about three hundred warriors who commenced a lively +fire upon us. Galloping out of the ravine on to the rough prairie the men +dismounted and returned the fire. We soon succeeded in driving the enemy +before us, and were so close upon them at one time, that they abandoned +and threw away nearly all their lodges and camp equipages, and everything +that had any considerable weight. They left behind them their played-out +horses, and for miles we could see Indian furniture strewn along in every +direction. The trail became divided, and the Indians scattered in small +bodies, all over the prairie. As night was approaching and our horses +were about giving out, a halt was called. A company was detailed to +collect all the Indian horses running loose over the country, and to burn +the other Indian property. + +The command being nearly out of rations I was sent to the nearest point, +Old Fort Kearney, about sixty miles distant for supplies. + +Shortly after we reached Fort McPherson, which continued to be the +headquarters of the Fifth Cavalry for some time. We remained there for +ten days, fitting out for a new expedition to the Republican river +country, and were reinforced by three companies of the celebrated Pawnee +Indian scouts, commanded by Major Frank North; his officers being Captain +Lute North, brother of the Major, Captain Cushing, his brother-in-law, +Captain Morse, and Lieutenants Beecher, Matthews and Kislandberry. +General Carr recommended at this time to General Augur, who was in +command of the Department, that I be made chief of scouts in the +Department of the Platte, and informed me that in this position I would +receive higher wages than I had been getting in the Department of the +Missouri. This appointment I had not asked for. + +I made the acquaintance of Major Frank North,[B] and I found him, and his +officers, perfect gentlemen, and we were all good friends from the very +start. The Pawnee scouts had made quite a reputation for themselves as +they had performed brave and valuable services, in fighting against the +Sioux, whose bitter enemies they were; being thoroughly acquainted with +the Republican and Beaver country, I was glad that they were to be with +the expedition, and they did good service. + +[Footnote B: Major North is now my partner in a cattle ranch in +Nebraska.] + +During our stay at Fort McPherson I made the acquaintance of Lieutenant +George P. Belden, known as the "White Chief," whose life was written by +Colonel Brisbin, U.S. army. I found him to be an intelligent, dashing +fellow, a splendid rider and an excellent shot. An hour after our +introduction he challenged me for a rifle match, the preliminaries of +which were soon arranged. We were to shoot ten shots each for fifty +dollars, at two hundred yards, off hand. Belden was to use a Henry rifle, +while I was to shoot my old "Lucretia." This match I won and then Belden +proposed to shoot a one hundred yard match, as I was shooting over his +distance. In this match Belden was victorious. We were now even, and we +stopped right there. + +While we were at this post General Augur and several of his officers, and +also Thomas Duncan, Brevet Brigadier and Lieutenant Colonel of the Fifth +Cavalry, paid us a visit for the purpose of reviewing the command. The +regiment turned out in fine style and showed themselves to be well +drilled soldiers, thoroughly understanding military tactics. The Pawnee +scouts were also reviewed and it was very amusing to see them in their +full regulation uniform. They had been furnished a regular cavalry +uniform and on this parade some of them had their heavy overcoats on, +others their large black hats, with all the brass accoutrements attached; +some of them were minus pantaloons and only wore a breech clout. Others +wore regulation pantaloons but no shirts on and were bareheaded; others +again had the seat of the pantaloons cut out, leaving only leggins; some +of them wore brass spurs, but had no boots or moccasins on. They seemed +to understand the drill remarkably well for Indians. The commands, of +course, were given to them in their own language by Major North, who +could talk it as well as any full-blooded Pawnee. The Indians were well +mounted and felt proud and elated because they had been made United +States soldiers. Major North, has had for years complete power over these +Indians and can do more with them than any man living. That evening after +the parade was over the officers and quite a number of ladies visited a +grand Indian dance given by the Pawnees, and of all the Indians I have +seen, their dances excel those of any other tribe. + +Next day the command started; when encamped, several days after, on the +Republican river near the mouth of the Beaver, we heard the whoops of +Indians, followed by shots in the vicinity of the mule herd, which had +been taken down to water. One of the herders came dashing into camp with +an arrow sticking into him. My horse was close at hand, and, mounting him +bare-back, I at once dashed off after the mule herd, which had been +stampeded. I supposed certainly that I would be the first man on the +ground. I was mistaken, however, for the Pawnee Indians, unlike regular +soldiers, had not waited to receive orders from their officers, but had +jumped on their ponies without bridles or saddles, and placing ropes in +their mouths, had dashed off in the direction whence the shots had come, +and had got there ahead of me. It proved to be a party of about fifty +Sioux, who had endeavored to stampede our mules, and it took them by +surprise to see their inveterate enemies--the Pawnees--coming at full +gallop towards them. They were not aware that the Pawnees were with the +command, and as they knew that it would take regular soldiers sometime to +turn out, they thought they would have ample opportunity to secure the +herd before the troops could give chase. + +We had a running fight of fifteen miles, and several of the enemy were +killed. During this chase I was mounted on an excellent horse, which +Colonel Royal had picked out for me, and for the first mile or two I was +in advance of the Pawnees. Presently a Pawnee shot by me like an arrow +and I could not help admiring the horse that he was riding. Seeing that +he possessed rare running qualities, I determined if possible to get +possession of the animal in some way. It was a large buckskin or yellow +horse, and I took a careful view of him so that I would know him when I +returned to camp. + +After the chase was over I rode up to Major North and inquired about the +buckskin horse. + +"Oh yes," said the Major, "that is one of our favorite steeds." + +"What chance is there to trade for him?" I asked. + +"It is a government horse," said he, "and the Indian who is riding him is +very much attached to the animal." + +"I have fallen in love with the horse myself," said I, "and I would like +to know if you have any objections to my trading for him if I can arrange +it satisfactorily with the Indian?" + +He said: "None whatever, and I will help you to do it; you can give the +Indian another horse in his place." + +A few days after this, I persuaded the Indian, by making him several +presents, to trade horses with me, and in this way I became the owner of +the buckskin steed, not as my own property, however, but as a government +horse that I could ride. I gave him the name of "Buckskin Joe" and he +proved to be a second Brigham. That horse I rode on and off during the +summers of 1869, 1870, 1871 and 1872, and he was the horse that the Grand +Duke Alexis rode on his buffalo hunt. In the winter of 1872, after I had +left Fort McPherson, Buckskin Joe was condemned and sold at public sale, +and was bought by Dave Perry, at North Platte, who in 1877 presented him +to me, and I still own him. He is now at my ranch on the Dismal river, +stone blind, but I shall keep him until he dies. + +The command scouted several days up the Beaver and Prairie Dog rivers, +occasionally having running fights with war parties of Indians, but did +not succeed in getting them into a general battle. At the end of twenty +days we found ourselves back on the Republican. + +Hitherto the Pawnees had not taken much interest in me, but while at this +camp I gained their respect and admiration by showing them how I killed +buffaloes. Although the Pawnees were excellent buffalo killers, for +Indians, I have never seen one of them who could kill more than four or +five in one run. A number of them generally surround the herd and then +dash in upon them, and in this way each one kills from one to four +buffaloes. I had gone out in company with Major North and some of the +officers, and saw them make a "surround." Twenty of the Pawnees circled a +herd and succeeded in killing only thirty-two. + +"While they were cutting up the animals another herd appeared in sight. +The Indians were preparing to surround it, when I asked Major North to +keep them back and let me show them what I could do. He accordingly +informed the Indians of my wish and they readily consented to let me have +the opportunity. I had learned that Buckskin Joe was an excellent buffalo +horse, and felt confident that I would astonish the natives; galloping in +among the buffaloes, I certainly did so by killing thirty-six in less +than a half-mile run. At nearly every shot I killed a buffalo, stringing +the dead animals out on the prairie, not over fifty feet apart. This +manner of killing was greatly admired by the Indians who called me a big +chief, and from that time on, I stood high in their estimation." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A DESPERATE FIGHT. + + +On leaving camp, the command took a westward course up the Republican, +and Major North with two companies of his Pawnees and two or three +companies of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Royal, made a scout to +the north of the river. Shortly after we had gone into camp, on the Black +Tail Deer Fork, we observed a band of Indians coming over the prairie at +full gallop, singing and yelling and waving their lances and long poles. +At first we supposed them to be Sioux, and all was excitement for a few +moments. We noticed, however, that our Pawnee Indians made no hostile +demonstrations or preparations towards going out to fight them, but began +swinging and yelling themselves. Captain Lute North stepped up to General +Carr and said: + +"General, those are our men who are coming, and they have had a fight. +That is the way they act when they come back from a battle and have taken +any scalps." + +The Pawnees came into camp on the run. Captain North calling to one of +them--a sergeant--soon found out that they had run across a party of +Sioux who were following a large Indian trail. These Indians had +evidently been in a fight, for two or three of them had been wounded and +they were conveying the injured persons on _travois_. The Pawnees had +"jumped" them and had killed three or four more of them. + +Next morning the command, at an early hour, started out to take up this +Indian trail which they followed for two days as rapidly as possible; it +becoming evident from the many camp fires which we passed, that we were +gaining on the Indians. Wherever they had encamped we found the print of +a woman's shoe, and we concluded that they had with them some white +captive. This made us all the more anxious to overtake them, and General +Carr accordingly selected all his best horses, which could stand a hard +run, and gave orders for the wagon train to follow as fast as possible, +while he pushed ahead on a forced march. At the same time I was ordered +to pick out five or six of the best Pawnees, and go on in advance of the +command, keeping ten or twelve miles ahead on the trail, so that when we +overtook the Indians we could find out the location of their camp, and +send word to the troops before they came in sight, thus affording ample +time to arrange a plan for the capture of the village. + +After having gone about ten miles in advance of the regiment, we began +to move very cautiously, as we were now evidently nearing the Indians. We +looked carefully over the summits of the hills before exposing ourselves +to plain view, and at last we discovered the village, encamped in the +sand-hills south of the South Platte river at Summit Springs. Here I left +the Pawnee scouts to keep watch, while I went back and informed General +Carr that the Indians were in sight. + +The General at once ordered his men to tighten their saddles and +otherwise prepare for action. Soon all was excitement among the officers +and soldiers, every one being anxious to charge the village. I now +changed my horse for old Buckskin Joe, who had been led for me thus far, +and was comparatively fresh. Acting on my suggestion, the General made a +circuit to the north, believing that if the Indians had their scouts out, +they would naturally be watching in the direction whence they had come. +When we had passed the Indians and were between them and the Platte +river, we turned to the left and started toward the village. + +By this manoeuver we had avoided discovery by the Sioux scouts, and we +were confident of giving them a complete surprise. Keeping the command +wholly out of sight, until we were within a mile of the Indians, the +General halted the advance guard until all closed up, and then issued an +order, that, when he sounded the charge, the whole command was to rush +into the village. + +As we halted on the top of the hill overlooking the camp of the +unsuspecting Indians, General Carr called out to his bugler: "Sound the +charge!" The bugler for a moment became intensely excited, and actually +forgot the notes. The General again sang out: "Sound the charge!" and +yet the bugler was unable to obey the command. Quartermaster Hays--who +had obtained permission to accompany the expedition--was riding near +the General, and comprehending the dilemma of the man, rushed up to +him, jerked the bugle from his hands and sounded the charge himself in +clear and distinct notes. As the troops rushed forward, he threw the +bugle away, then drawing his pistols, was among the first men that +entered the village. + +The Indians had just driven up their horses and were preparing to make a +move of the camp, when they saw the soldiers coming down upon them. A +great many of them succeeded in jumping upon their ponies, and, leaving +every thing behind them, advanced out of the village and prepared to meet +the charge; but upon second thought they quickly concluded that it was +useless to try to check us, and, those who were mounted rapidly rode +away, while the others on foot fled for safety to the neighboring hills. +We went through their village shooting right and left at everything we +saw. The Pawnees, the regular soldiers and the officers were all mixed up +together, and the Sioux were flying in every direction. + +General Carr had instructed the command that when they entered the +village, they must keep a sharp look out for white women, as he was +confident the Indians had some captives. The company which had been +ordered to take possession of the village after its capture, soon found +two white women, one of whom had just been killed and the other wounded. +They were both Swedes, and the survivor could not talk English. A +Swedish soldier, however, was soon found who could talk with her. The +name of this woman was Mrs. Weichel, and her story as told to the +soldier was, that as soon as the Indians saw the troops coming down upon +them, a squaw--Tall Bull's wife--had killed Mrs. Alderdice, the other +captive, with a hatchet, and then wounded her. This squaw had evidently +intended to kill both women to prevent them from telling how cruelly +they had been treated. + +[Illustration: INDIAN VILLAGE.] + +The attack lasted but a short time, and the Indians were driven several +miles away. The soldiers then gathered in the herd of Indian horses, +which were running at large over the country and drove them back to the +camp. After taking a survey of what we had accomplished, it was found +that we had killed about one hundred and forty Indians, and captured one +hundred and twenty squaws and papooses, two hundred lodges, and eight +hundred horses and mules. The village proved to be one of the richest I +had ever seen. The red-skins had everything pertaining to an Indian +camp, besides numerous articles belonging to the white settlers whom +they had killed on the Saline. The Pawnees, as well as the soldiers, +ransacked the camp for curiosities, and found enough to start twenty +museums, besides a large amount of gold and silver. This money had been +stolen from the Swedish settlers whom they had murdered on the Saline. +General Carr ordered that all the tepees, the Indian lodges, buffalo +robes, all camp equipage and provisions, including dried buffalo meat, +amounting to several tons, should be gathered in piles and burned. A +grave was dug in which the dead Swedish woman, Mrs. Alderdice, was +buried. Captain Kane, a religious officer, read the burial service, as +we had no chaplain with us. + +While this was going on, the Sioux warriors having recovered from their +surprise, had come back and a battle took place all around the camp. I +was on the skirmish line, and I noticed an Indian, who was riding a +large bay horse, and giving orders to his men in his own +language--which I could occasionally understand--telling them that they +had lost everything, that they were ruined, and he entreated them to +follow him, and fight until they died. His horse was an extraordinary +one, fleet as the wind, dashing here and there, and I determined to +capture him if possible, but I was afraid to fire at the Indian for +fear of killing the horse. + +I noticed that the Indian, as he rode around the skirmish line, passed +the head of a ravine not far distant, and it occurred to me that if I +could dismount and creep to the ravine I could, as he passed there, +easily drop him from his saddle without danger of hitting the horse. +Accordingly I crept into and secreted myself in the ravine, reaching the +place unseen by the Indians, and I waited there until Mr. Chief came +riding by. + +When he was not more than thirty yards distant I fired, and the next +moment he tumbled from his saddle, and the horse kept on without his +rider. Instead of running toward the Indians, however, he galloped toward +our men, by one of whom he was caught. Lieutenant Mason, who had been +very conspicuous in the fight and who had killed two or three Indians +himself, single-handed, came galloping up to the ravine and jumping from +his horse, secured the fancy war bonnet from the head of the dead chief, +together with all his other accoutrements. We both then rejoined the +soldiers, and I at once went in search of the horse; I found him in the +possession of Sergeant McGrath, who had caught him. The Sergeant knew +that I had been trying to get the animal and having seen me kill his +rider, he handed him over to me at once. + +Little did I think at that time that I had captured a horse which, for +four years afterwards was the fastest runner in the state of Nebraska, +but such proved to be the fact. + +[Illustration: THE KILLING OF TALL BULL.] + +I jumped on his back and rode him down to the spot where the prisoners +were corraled. One of the squaws among the prisoners suddenly began +crying in a pitiful and hysterical manner at the sight of this horse, +and upon inquiry I found that she was Tall Bull's wife, the same squaw +that had killed one of the white women and wounded the other. She stated +that this was her husband's favorite war-horse, and that only a short +time ago she had seen Tall Bull riding him. I gave her to understand +that her liege lord had passed in his mortal chips and that it would be +sometime before he would ride his favorite horse again, and I informed +her that henceforth I should call the gallant steed "Tall Bull," in +honor of her husband. + +Late in the evening our wagon train arrived, and placing the wounded +woman, Mrs. Weichel, in the ambulance--she having been kindly attended to +by the surgeons,--and gathering up the prisoners--the squaws and +papooses--and captured stock, we started at once for the South Platte +River, eight miles distant, and there went into camp. + +Next morning General Carr issued an order that all the money found in the +village should be turned over to the adjutant. About one thousand dollars +was thus collected, and the entire amount was given to Mrs. Weichel. The +command then proceeded to Fort Sedgwick, from which point the particulars +of our fight, which took place on Sunday, July 11th, 1869, were +telegraphed to all parts of the country. + +We remained at this post for two weeks, during which General Augur, of +the Department of the Platte, paid us a visit, and highly complimented +the command for the gallant service it had performed. For this fight at +Summit Springs General Carr and his command were complimented not only in +General Orders, but received a vote of thanks from the Legislatures of +Nebraska and Colorado--as Tall Bull and his Indians had long been a +terror to the border settlements--and the resolutions of thanks were +elegantly engrossed and sent to General Carr. + +The wounded white woman was cared for in the hospital at this post, and +after her recovery she soon married the hospital steward, her former +husband having been killed by the Indians. + +Our prisoners were sent to the Whetstone Agency, on the Missouri River, +where Spotted Tail and the friendly Sioux were then living. The +captured horses and mules were distributed among the officers, scouts +and soldiers. Among the animals that I thus obtained were my Tall Bull +horse, and a pony which I called "Powder Face," and which afterwards +became quite celebrated, as he figured prominently in the stories of +Ned Buntline. + +One day, while we were lying at Fort Sedgwick, General Carr received a +telegram from Fort McPherson stating that the Indians had made a dash on +the Union Pacific Railroad, and had killed several section-men and run +off some stock near O'Fallon's Station; also that an expedition was going +out from Fort McPherson to catch and punish the red-skins if possible. +The General ordered me to accompany the expedition, and accordingly that +night I proceeded by rail to McPherson Station, and from thence rode on +horseback to the fort. Two companies, under command of Major Brown, had +been ordered out, and next morning, just as we were about to start, Major +Brown said to me: + +"By the way, Cody, we are going to have quite an important character with +us as a guest on this scout. It's old Ned Buntline, the novelist." + +Just then I noticed a gentleman, who was rather stoutly built, and who +wore a blue military coat, on the left breast of which were pinned +about twenty gold medals and badges of secret societies. He walked a +little lame as he approached us, and I at once concluded that he was +Ned Buntline. + +"He has a good mark to shoot at on the left breast," said I to Major +Brown, "but he looks like a soldier." As he came up, Major Brown said: + +"Cody, allow me to introduce you to Colonel E.B.O. Judson, otherwise +known as Ned Buntline." + +"Colonel Judson, I am glad to meet you," said I; "the Major tells me that +you are to accompany us on the scout." + +"Yes, my boy, so I am," said he; "I was to deliver a temperance lecture +to-night, but no lectures for me when there is a prospect for a fight. +The Major has kindly offered me a horse, but I don't know how I'll stand +the ride, for I haven't done any riding lately; but when I was a young +man I spent several years among the fur companies of the Northwest, and +was a good rider and an excellent shot." + +"The Major has given you a fine horse, and you'll soon find yourself at +home in the saddle," said I. + +The command soon pulled out for the South Platte River, which was very +wide and high, owing to recent mountain rains, and in crossing it we had +to swim our horses in some places. Buntline was the first man across. We +reached O'Fallon's at eleven o'clock, and in a short time I succeeded in +finding the Indian trail; the party seemed to be a small one, which had +come up from the south. We followed their track to the North Platte, but +as they had a start of two days, Major Brown abandoned the pursuit, and +returned to Fort McPherson, while I went back to Fort Sedgwick, +accompanied by Buntline. + +During this short scout, Buntline had asked me a great many questions, +and he was determined to go out on the next expedition with me, providing +he could obtain permission from the commanding officer. I introduced him +to the officers--excepting those he already knew--and invited him to +become my guest while he remained at the post, and gave him my pony +Powder Face to ride. + +By this time I had learned that my horse Tall Bull was a remarkably fast +runner, and therefore when Lieutenant Mason, who was quite a sport and +owned a racer, challenged me to a race, I immediately accepted it. We +were to run our horses a single dash of half a mile for one hundred +dollars a side. Several of the officers, and also Reub. Wood, the +post-trader, bantered me for side bets, and I took them all until I had +put up my last cent on Tall Bull. + +The ground was measured off, the judges were selected, and all other +preliminaries were arranged. We rode our horses ourselves, and coming up +to the score nicely we let them go. I saw from the start that it would be +mere play to beat the Lieutenant's horse, and therefore I held Tall Bull +in check, so that none could see how fast he really could run. I easily +won the race, and pocketed a snug little sum of money. Of course +everybody was now talking horse. Major North remarked that if Tall Bull +could beat the Pawnees' fast horse, I could break his whole command. + +The next day the troops were paid off, the Pawnees with the rest, and for +two or three days they did nothing but run horse-races, as all the +recently captured horses had to be tested to find out the swiftest among +them. Finally the Pawnees wanted to run their favorite horse against Tall +Bull, and I accordingly arranged a race with them. They raised three +hundred dollars and bet it on their horse, while of course, I backed Tall +Bull with an equal amount, and in addition took numerous side bets. The +race was a single dash of a mile, and Tall Bull won it without any +difficulty. I was ahead on this race about seven hundred dollars, and the +horse was fast getting a reputation. Heretofore nobody would bet on him, +but now he had plenty of backers. + +I also made a race for my pony Powder Face, against a fast pony +belonging to Captain Lute North. I selected a small boy, living at the +post to ride Powder Face, while an Indian boy was to ride the other pony. +The Pawnees as usual wanted to bet on their pony, but as I had not yet +fully ascertained the running qualities of Powder Face, I did not care +about risking very much money on him. Had I known him as well then as I +did afterwards I would have backed him for every dollar I had, for he +proved to be one of the swiftest ponies I ever saw, and had evidently +been kept as a racer. + +The race was to be four hundred yards, and when I led the pony over the +track he seemed to understand what he was there for. North and I finally +put the riders on, and it was all I could do to hold the fiery little +animal after the boy became seated on his back. He jumped around and made +such quick movements, that the boy was not at all confident of being able +to stay on him. The order to start was at last given by the judges, and +as I brought Powder Face up to the score and the word "go" was given, he +jumped away so quickly that he left his rider sitting on the ground; +notwithstanding he ran through and won the race without him. It was an +easy victory, and after that I could get up no more races. Thus passed +the time while we were at Fort Sedgwick. + +General Carr having obtained a leave of absence, Colonel Royal was given +the command of an expedition that was ordered to go out after the +Indians, and in a few days--after having rested a couple of weeks--we set +out for the Republican; having learned that there were plenty of Indians +in that section of the country. At Frenchman's Fork we discovered an +Indian village, but did not surprise it, for its people had noticed us +approaching, and were retreating when we reached their camping-place. We +chased them down the stream, and they finally turned to the left, went +north, and crossed the South Platte river five miles above Ogallala. We +pushed rapidly after them, following them across the North Platte and on +through the sand-hills towards the Niobrara; but as they were making much +better time than we, the pursuit was abandoned. + +While we were in the sand-hills, scouting the Niobrara country, the +Pawnee Indians brought into camp, one night, some very large bones, one +of which a surgeon of the expedition pronounced to be the thigh-bone of a +human being. The Indians claimed that the bones they had found were those +of a person belonging to a race of people who a long time ago lived in +this country. That there was once a race of men on the earth whose size +was about three times that of an ordinary man, and they were so swift and +powerful that they could run along-side of a buffalo, and taking the +animal in one arm could tear off a leg and eat the meat as they walked. +These giants denied the existence of a Great Spirit, and when they heard +the thunder or saw the lightning they laughed at it and said that they +were greater than either. This so displeased the Great Spirit that he +caused a great rain-storm to come, and the water kept rising higher and +higher so that it drove those proud and conceited giants from the low +grounds to the hills, and thence to the mountains, but at last even the +mountain tops were submerged, and then those mammoth men were all +drowned. After the flood had subsided, the Great Spirit came to the +conclusion that he had made man too large and powerful, and that he would +therefore correct the mistake by creating a race of men of smaller size +and less strength. This is the reason, say the Indians, that modern men +are small and not like the giants of old, and they claim that this story +is a matter of Indian history, which has been handed down among them from +time immemorial. + +As we had no wagons with us at the time this large and heavy bone was +found, we were obliged to leave it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. + + +On returning to Fort McPherson we found that Brevet Major General W.H. +Emory, Colonel of the Fifth Cavalry, and Brevet Brigadier General Thomas +Duncan, Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, had arrived there during our +absence. General Emory had been appointed to the command of the District +of the Republican, with headquarters at Fort McPherson. As the command +had been continually in the field, it was generally thought that we were +to have a long rest; and it looked as if this post was to be my home and +headquarters for some time to come. I accordingly sent to St. Louis for +my wife and daughter to join me there. General Emory promised to build a +house for me, but before the building was completed my family arrived. + +During the fall of 1869 there were two or three scouting expeditions +sent out; but nothing of very great importance was accomplished by them. +I found Fort McPherson to be a lively and pleasant post to be stationed +at, especially as there was plenty of game in the vicinity, and within a +day's ride there were large herds of deer, antelope and elk. + +During the winter of 1869-70 I spent a great deal of time in pursuit of +game, and during the season we had two hunting parties of Englishmen +there; one party being that of Mr. Flynn, and the other that of George +Boyd Houghton, of London--the well known caricaturist. Among their +amusements were several horse races, which I arranged, and in which Tall +Bull and Powder Face were invariably the winners. Tall Bull by this time +had such a reputation as a running horse, that it was difficult to make a +race for him. I remember one however, in which he ran against a horse in +Captain Spaulding's Company of the Second Cavalry. + +This race was rather a novel affair. I had made a bet that Tall Bull +would beat the Second Cavalry horse around a one mile track, and, during +the time that he was running, I would jump off and on the horse eight +times. I rode the horse bareback; seized his mane with my left hand, +rested my right on his withers, and while he was going at full speed, I +jumped to the ground, and sprang again upon his back, eight times in +succession. Such feats I had seen performed in the circus and I had +practiced considerably at it with Tall Bull, so that I was certain of +winning the race in the manner agreed upon. + +Early one morning, in the spring of 1870, the Indians, who had +approached during the night, stole some twenty-one head of horses from +Mr. John Burke--a Government contractor--Ben. Gallagher and Jack Waite. +They also ran off some horses from the post; among the number being my +pony Powder Face. The commandant at once ordered out Lieutenant Thomas +with Company I of the Fifth Cavalry, and directed me to accompany them as +trailer. We discovered the trail after some little difficulty, as the +Indians were continually trying to hide it, and followed it sixty miles, +when darkness set in. + +We were now within about four miles of Red Willow Creek and I felt +confident the Indians would camp that night in that vicinity. Advising +Lieutenant Thomas to halt his company and "lay low" I proceeded on to the +creek, where, moving around cautiously, I suddenly discovered horses +feeding in a bend of the stream on the opposite side. I hurried back to +the troops with the information, and Lieutenant Thomas moved his company +to the bank of the creek, with the intention of remaining there until +daylight, and then, if possible, surprise the Indians. + +Just at break of day we mounted our horses, and after riding a short +distance we ascended a slight elevation, when, not over one hundred yards +distant, we looked down into the Indian camp. The Indians, preparing to +make an early start, had driven up their horses and were in the act of +mounting, when they saw us charging down upon them. In a moment they +sprang upon their ponies and dashed away. Had it not been for the creek, +which lay between us and them, we would have got them before they could +have mounted their horses; but as it was rather miry, we were +unexpectedly delayed. The Indians fired some shots at us while we were +crossing, but as soon as we got across we went for them in hot pursuit. A +few of the red-skins had not had time to mount and had started on foot +down the creek toward the brush. One of these was killed. + +A number of our soldiers, who had been detailed before the charge to +gather up any of the Indian horses that would be stampeded, succeeded in +capturing thirty-two. I hurriedly looked over them to see if Powder Face +was among them; but he was not there. Starting in pursuit of the +fugitives I finally espied an Indian mounted on my favorite, dashing away +and leading all the others. We continued the chase for two or three +miles, overtaking a couple who were mounted upon one horse. Coming up +behind them I fired my rifle, when about thirty feet distant; the ball +passed through the backs of both, and they fell headlong to the ground; +but I made no stop however just then, for I had my eye on the gentleman +who was riding Powder Face. It seemed to be fun for him to run away from +us, and run away he did, for the last I saw of him was when he went over +a divide, about three miles away. I bade him adieu. On my way back to the +Indian camp I stopped and secured the war bonnets and accoutrements of +the pair I had killed, and at the same time gently "raised their hair." + +We were feeling rather tired and hungry, as we had started out on the +trail thirty-six hours before without a breakfast or taking any food with +us; but not a murmur or complaint was heard among the men. In the +abandoned Indian camp, however, we found enough dried buffalo meat to +give us all a meal, and after remaining there for two hours, to rest our +animals, we started on our return to Fort McPherson, where we arrived at +night, having traveled 130 miles in two days. + +This being the first fight Lieutenant Thomas had ever commanded in, he +felt highly elated over his success, and hoped that his name would be +mentioned in the special orders for gallantry; sure enough when we +returned both he, myself and the whole command received a complimentary +mention in a special order. This he certainly deserved for he was a +brave, energetic, dashing little officer. The war bonnets which I had +captured I turned over to General Carr, with the request that he +present them to General Augur, whose daughters were visiting at the +post at the time. + +Shortly after this, another expedition was organized at Fort McPherson +for the Republican river country. It was commanded by General Duncan, who +was a jolly, blustering old fellow, and the officers who knew him well, +said that we would have a good time, as he was very fond of hunting. He +was a good fighter, and one of the officers said that an Indian bullet +never could hurt him, as he had been shot in the head with a cannon ball +which had not injured him in the least; another said the ball glanced off +and killed one of the toughest mules in the army. + +The Pawnee scouts who had been mustered out of service, during the winter +of 1869 and '70, were reorganized to accompany this expedition. I was +glad of this, as I had become quite attached to one of the officers, +Major North, and to many of the Indians. The only white scout we had at +the post, besides myself at that time, was John Y. Nelson, whose Indian +name was Cha-Sha-Cha-Opoyeo,[C] which interpreted means +Red-Willow-Fill-the-Pipe. This man is a character in his way; he has a +Sioux squaw for a wife, and consequently a half-breed family. John is a +good fellow, though as a liar he has but few equals and no superior. + +[Footnote C: Since traveled with me in my Dramatic Combination as +interpreter for Sioux Indians.] + +We started out from the post with the regimental band playing the lively +air of "The Girl I Left Behind Me." We made but a short march that day, +and camped at night at the head of Fox Creek. Next morning General Duncan +sent me word by his orderly that I was to bring up my gun and shoot at a +mark with him; but I can assure the reader that I did not feel much like +shooting anything except myself, for on the night before, I had returned +to Fort McPherson and spent several hours in interviewing the sutler's +store, in Company with Major Brown. I looked around for my gun, and +found that I had left it behind. The last I could remember about it was +that I had it at the sutler's store. I informed Major Brown of my loss, +who said that I was a nice scout to start out without a gun. I replied +that that was not the worst of it, as General Duncan had sent for me to +shoot a match with him, and I did not know what to do; for if the old +gentleman discovered my predicament, he would very likely severely +reprimand me. + +"Well, Cody," said he, "the best you can do is to make some excuse, and +then go and borrow a gun from some of the men, and tell the General that +you lent yours to some man to go hunting with to-day. While we are +waiting here, I will send back to the post and get your rifle for you." + +I succeeded in obtaining a gun from John Nelson, and then marching up to +the General's headquarters I shot the desired match with him, which +resulted in his favor. + +This was the first scout the Pawnees had been out on under command of +General Duncan, and in stationing his guards around the camp he posted +them in a manner entirely different from that of General Carr and Colonel +Royal, and he insisted that the different posts should call out the hour +of the night thus: + +"Post No. 1, nine o'clock, all is well! Post No. 2, nine o'clock, all is +well!" etc. + +The Pawnees, who had their regular turns at standing upon guard, were +ordered to call the hour the same as the white soldiers. This was very +difficult for them to do, as there were but few of them who could express +themselves in English. Major North explained to them that when the man on +post next to them should call out the hour, they must call it also as +near like him as possible. It was very amusing to hear them do this. They +would try to remember what the other man had said on the post next to +them. For instance, a white soldier would call out: "Post No. I, +half-past nine o'clock, all is well!" The Indian standing next to him +knew that he was bound to say something in English, and he would sing +out something like the following: + +"Poss number half pass five cents--go to ----! I don't care!" + +This system was really so ridiculous and amusing that the General had to +give it up, and the order was accordingly countermanded. + +Nothing of any great interest occurred on this march, until one day, +while proceeding up Prairie Dog Creek,[D] Major North and myself went out +in advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes. +Night was approaching, and I began to look around for a suitable camping +ground for the command. Major North dismounted from his horse and was +resting, while I rode down to the stream to see if there was plenty of +grass in the vicinity. I found an excellent camping spot, and returning +to Major North told him that I would ride over the hill a little way, so +that the advance guard could see me. This I did, and when the advance +came in sight I dismounted and laid down upon the grass to rest. + +[Footnote D: Near the lonely camp where I had so long been laid up with a +broken leg, when trapping years before with Dave Harrington.] + +Suddenly I heard three or four shots, and in a few moments Major North +came dashing up towards me, pursued by eight or ten Indians. I instantly +sprang into my saddle, and fired a few shots at the Indians, who by this +time had all come in sight, to the number of fifty. We turned our horses +and ran, the bullets flying after us thick and fast--my whip being shot +from my hand and daylight being put through the crown of my hat. We were +in close quarters, when suddenly Lieutenant Valkmar came galloping up to +our relief with several soldiers, and the Indians seeing them whirled and +retreated. As soon as Major North got in sight of his Pawnees, he began +riding in a circle. This was a sign to them that there were hostile +Indians in front, and in a moment the Pawnees broke ranks pell-mell and, +with Major North at their head, started for the flying warriors. The rest +of the command pushed rapidly forward also, and chased the enemy for +three or four miles, killing three of them. + +But this was a wrong move on our part, as their village was on Prairie +Dog Creek, while they led us in a different direction; one Indian only +kept straight on up the creek--a messenger to the village. Some of the +command, who had followed him, stirred up the village and accelerated its +departure. We finally got back to the main force, and then learned that +we had made a great mistake. Now commenced another stern chase. + +The second day that we had been following these Indians we came upon an +old squaw, whom they had left on the prairie to die. Her people had built +for her a little shade or lodge, and had given her some provisions, +sufficient to last her on her trip to the Happy Hunting grounds. This the +Indians often do when pursued by an enemy, and one of their number +becomes too old and feeble to travel any longer. This squaw was +recognized by John Nelson who said that she was a relative of his wife. +From her we learned that the flying Indians were known as Pawnee, +Killer's band, and that they had lately killed Buck's surveying party, +consisting of eight or nine men; the massacre having occurred a few days +before on Beaver Creek. We knew that they had had a fight with surveyors, +as we found quite a number of surveying instruments, which had been left +in the abandoned camp. We drove these Indians across the Platte river and +then returned to Fort McPherson, bringing the old squaw with us, from +there she was sent to the Spotted Tail Agency. + +During my absence, my wife had given birth to a son, and he was several +weeks old when I returned. No name had yet been given him and I selected +that of Elmo Judson, in honor of Ned Buntline; but this the officers and +scouts objected to. Major Brown proposed that we should call him Kit +Carson, and it was finally settled that that should be his name. + +During the summer we made one or two more scouts and had a few +skirmishes with the Indians: but nothing of any great importance +transpired. In the fall of 1870, while I was a witness in a court +martial at Fort D.A. Russell I woke up one morning and found that I was +dead broke;--this is not an unusual occurrence to a frontiersman, or an +author I may add, especially when he is endeavoring to kill time--to +raise necessary funds I sold my race horse Tall Bull to Lieutenant +Mason, who had long wanted him. + +In the winter of 1870 and 1871 I first met George Watts Garland, an +English gentleman, and a great hunter, whom I had the pleasure of guiding +on several hunts and with whom I spent some weeks. During the winter I +also took several parties out on the Loupe River country, hunting and +trapping. Although I was still chief of scouts I did not have much to do, +as the Indians were comparatively quiet, thus giving me plenty of time +for sporting. + +In the spring of 1871 several short scouting expeditions were sent out +from Fort McPherson, but all with minor results. + +About this time General Emory was considerably annoyed by petty offenses +committed in the vicinity of the post, and as there was no justice of the +peace in the neighborhood, he was anxious to have such an officer there +to attend to the civilians; one day he remarked to me that I would make +an excellent justice. + +"General, you compliment me rather too highly, for I don't know any more +about law than a government mule does about book-keeping," said I. + +"That doesn't make any difference," said he, "for I know that you will +make a good 'Squire." He accordingly had the county commissioners +appoint me to the office of justice of the peace, and I soon received my +commission. + +One morning a man came rushing up to my house and stated that he wanted +to get out a writ of replevin, to recover possession of a horse which a +stranger was taking out of the country. I had no blank forms, and had not +yet received the statutes of Nebraska to copy from, so I asked the man: + +"Where is the fellow who has got your horse?" + +"He is going up the road, and is about two miles away," replied he. + +"Very well," said I, "I will get the writ ready in a minute or two." + +I saddled up my horse, and then taking my old reliable gun, "Lucretia," I +said to the man: "That's the best writ of replevin that I can think of; +come along, and we'll get that horse, or know the reason why." + +We soon overtook the stranger who was driving a herd of horses, and as we +came up to him, I said: + +"Hello, sir; I am an officer, and have an attachment for that horse," and +at the same time I pointed out the animal. + +"Well, sir, what are you going to do about it?" he inquired. + +"I propose to take you and the horse back to the post," said I. + +"You can take the horse," said he, "but I haven't the time to return +with you." + +"You'll have to take the time, or pay the costs here and now," said I. + +"How much are the costs?" + +"Twenty dollars." + +"Here's your money," said he, as he handed me the greenbacks. + +I then gave him a little friendly advice, and told him that he was +released from custody. He went on his way a wiser and a poorer man, while +the owner of the horse and myself returned to the fort. I pocketed the +twenty dollars, of course. Some people might think it was not a square +way of doing business, but I didn't know any better just then. I had +several little cases of this kind, and I became better posted on law in +the course of time, being assisted by Lieutenant Burr Reilly, of the +Fifth Cavalry, who had been educated for a lawyer. + +One evening I was called upon to perform a marriage ceremony. The +bridegroom was one of the sergeants of the post. I had "braced up" for +the occasion by imbibing rather freely of stimulants, and when I arrived +at the house, with a copy of the Statutes of Nebraska, which I had +recently received, I felt somewhat confused. Whether my bewilderment was +owing to the importance of the occasion and the large assembly, or to the +effect of Louis Woodin's "tanglefoot," I cannot now distinctly +remember--but my suspicions have always been that it was due to the +latter cause. I looked carefully through the statutes to find the +marriage ceremony, but my efforts were unsuccessful. Finally the time +came for the knot to be tied. I told the couple to stand up, and then I +said to the bridegroom: + +"Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to support and +love her through life?" + +"I do," was the reply. + +Then addressing myself to the bride, I said, "Do you take this man to be +your lawful wedded husband through life, to love, honor and obey him?" + +[Illustration: A WEDDING CEREMONY.] + +"I do," was her response. + +"Then join hands," said I to both of them; "I now pronounce you to be man +and wife, and whomsoever God and Buffalo Bill have joined together let no +man put asunder. May you live long and prosper. Amen." + +This concluded the interesting ceremony, which was followed by the usual +festivities on such occasions. I was highly complimented for the elegant +and eloquent manner in which I had tied the matrimonial knot. + +During the summer of 1871, Professor Marsh, of Yale College, came out to +McPherson, with a large party of students to have a hunt and to look for +fossils. Professor Marsh had heard of the big bone which had been found +by the Pawnees in the Niobrara country, and he intended to look for that +as well as other bones. He accordingly secured the services of Major +Frank North and the Pawnees as an escort. I was also to accompany the +bone-hunters, and would have done so had it not been for the fact that +just at that time I was ordered out with a small scouting party to go +after some Indians. + +[Illustration: A RIDE FOR LIFE.] + +The day before the Professor arrived at the fort, I had been out hunting +on the north side of the North Platte River, near Pawnee Springs, with +several companions, when we were suddenly attacked by Indians, who +wounded one of our number, John Weister. We stood the Indians off for a +little while, and Weister got even with them by killing one of their +party. The Indians, however, outnumbered us, and at last we were forced +to make a run for our lives. In this we succeeded, and reached the fort +in safety. The General wanted to have the Indians pursued, and said he +could not spare me to accompany Professor Marsh. + +However, I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the eminent +Professor, whom I found to be not only a well-posted person but a very +entertaining gentleman. He gave me a geological history of the country; +told me in what section fossils were to be found; and otherwise +entertained me with several scientific yarns, some of which seemed too +complicated and too mysterious to be believed by an ordinary man like +myself; but it was all clear to him. I rode out with him several miles, +as he was starting on his bone-hunting expedition, and I greatly enjoyed +the ride. His party had been provided with Government transportation and +his students were all mounted on Government horses. + +As we rode along he delivered a scientific lecture, and he convinced me +that he knew what he was talking about. I finally bade him good-bye, and +returned to the post. While the fossil-hunters were out on their +expedition, we had several lively little skirmishes with the Indians. +After having been absent some little time Professor Marsh and his party +came back with their wagons loaded down with all kinds of bones, and the +Professor was in his glory. He had evidently struck a bone-yard, and +"gad!"[E] wasn't he happy! But they had failed to find the big bone which +the Pawnees had unearthed the year before. + +[Footnote E: A favorite expression of the Professor's.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUNTING EXPEDITION. + + +Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at Fort +McPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends were +coming out to the post to have a grand hunt in the vicinity, and to +explore the country from McPherson to Fort Hays, in Kansas. On the +morning of September 22d they arrived in a special car at North Platte, a +station on the Union Pacific, distant eighteen miles from Fort McPherson. + +The party consisted of General Sheridan, Lawrence R. Jerome, James Gordon +Bennett, of the _New York Herald_; Leonard W. Jerome, Carroll Livingston, +Major J.G. Hecksher, General Fitzhugh, General H.E. Davies, Captain M. +Edward Rogers, Colonel J. Scuyler Crosby, Samuel Johnson, General Anson +Stager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Charles Wilson, editor of +the _Chicago Evening Journal_; General Rucker, Quartermaster-General, +and Dr. Asch--the two last-named being of General Sheridan's staff. They +were met at the station by General Emory and Major Brown, with a cavalry +company as escort and a sufficient number of vehicles to carry the +distinguished visitors and their baggage. + +A brisk drive of less than two hours over a hard and smooth road brought +them to the fort, where they found the garrison, consisting of five +companies of the Fifth Cavalry, under the command of General Carr, out +on parade awaiting their arrival. The band played some martial music, +and the cavalry passed very handsomely in review before General +Sheridan. The guests were then most hospitably received, and assigned to +comfortable quarters. + +Lieutenant Hayes, the quartermaster of the expedition, arranged +everything for the comfort of the party. One hundred cavalry under +command of Major Brown were detailed as an escort. A train of sixteen +wagons was provided to carry the baggage, supplies, and forage for the +trip; and, besides these, there were three four-horse ambulances in which +the guns were carried, and in which members of the party who became weary +of the saddle might ride and rest. At General Sheridan's request I was to +accompany the expedition; he introduced me to all his friends, and gave +me a good send-off. + +During the afternoon and evening the gentlemen were all entertained at +the post in a variety of ways, including dinner and supper parties, and +music and dancing; at a late hour they retired to rest in their tents at +the camp which they occupied outside the post--named Camp Rucker in honor +of General Rucker. + +At five o'clock next morning a cavalry bugle sounded the _reveille_, and +soon all were astir in the camp, preparatory to pulling out for the first +day's march. I rose fresh and eager for the trip, and as it was a nobby +and high-toned outfit which I was to accompany, I determined to put on a +little style myself. So I dressed in a new suit of light buckskin, +trimmed along the seams with fringes of the same material; and I put on a +crimson shirt handsomely ornamented on the bosom, while on my head I wore +a broad _sombrero_. Then mounting a snowy white horse--a gallant +stepper--I rode down from the fort to the camp, rifle in hand. I felt +first-rate that morning, and looked well. + +The expedition was soon under way. Our road for ten miles wound through a +wooded ravine called Cottonwood Cañon, intersecting the high ground, or +divide, as it is called, between the Platte and Republican Rivers. Upon +emerging from the cañon we found ourselves upon the plains. First in the +line rode General Sheridan, followed by his guests, and then the +orderlies. Then came the ambulances, in one of which were carried five +greyhounds, brought along to course the antelope and rabbit. With the +ambulances marched a pair of Indian ponies belonging to Lieutenant +Hayes--captured during some Indian fight--and harnessed to a light wagon, +which General Sheridan occasionally used. These little horses, but +thirteen hands high, showed more vigor and endurance than any other of +the animals we had with us. Following the ambulances came the main body +of the escort and the supply wagons. + +We marched seventeen miles the first day, and went into camp on Fox +Creek, a tributary of the Republican. No hunting had as yet been done; +but I informed the gentlemen of the party that we would strike the +buffalo country the next day. A hundred or more questions were then +asked me by this one and that one, and the whole evening was spent +principally in buffalo talk, sandwiched with stories of the plains--both +of war and of the chase. Several of the party, who were good vocalists, +gave us some excellent music. We closed the evening by christening the +camp, naming it Camp Brown, in honor of the gallant officer in command of +the escort. + +At three o'clock next morning the bugle called us to an early start. We +had breakfast at half-past four, and at six were in the saddle. All were +eager to see and shoot the buffaloes which I assured them we would +certainly meet during the day. After marching five miles, the advance +guard, of which I had the command, discovered six buffaloes grazing at a +distance of about two miles from us. We returned to the hunters with this +information, and they at once consulted with me as to the best way to +attack the "enemy." + +Acting upon my suggestions, Fitzhugh, Crosby, Lawrence Jerome, +Livingston, Hecksher and Rogers, accompanied by myself as guide, rode +through a convenient cañon to a point beyond the buffaloes, so that we +were to the windward of the animals. The rest of the party made a detour +of nearly five miles, keeping behind the crest of a hill. We charged down +upon the buffaloes, at full gallop, and just then the other party emerged +from their concealment and witnessed the exciting chase. The buffaloes +started off in a line, single file. Fitzhugh, after a lively gallop, led +us all and soon came alongside the rear buffalo, at which he fired. The +animal faltered, and then with another shot Fitzhugh brought him to the +ground. Crosby dashed by him and leveled another of the herd, while +Livingston dropped a third. Those who were not directly engaged in the +hunt now came up and congratulated the men upon their success, and +Fitzhugh was at once hailed as the winner of the buffalo cup; while all +sympathized with Hecksher, whose chance had been the best at the start, +but who lost by reason of his horse falling and rolling over him. + +The hunt being over, the column moved forward on its march passing +through a prairie-dog town, several miles in extent. These animals are +found throughout the plains, living together in a sort of society; their +numberless burrows in their "towns" adjoin each other, so that great care +is necessary in riding through these places, as the ground is so +undermined as often to fall in under the weight of a horse. Around the +entrance to their holes the ground is piled up almost a foot high; on +these little elevations the prairie-dogs sit upon their hind legs, +chattering to each other and observing whatever passes on the plains. +They will permit a person to approach quite near, but when they have +viewed him closely, they dive into their dens with wonderful quickness. +They are difficult to kill, and if hit, generally succeed in crawling +underground before they can be captured. Rattlesnakes and small owls are +generally found in great numbers in the prairie-dog towns, and live in +the same holes with the dogs on friendly terms. A few of the prairie-dogs +were killed, and were found to be very palatable eating. + +[Illustration: PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGE.] + +A short distance beyond the dog town we discovered a settlement of five +white men, who proved to be the two Clifford brothers, Arthur Ruff, Dick +Seymour and John Nelson--the latter already referred to in these pages. +Each of them had a squaw wife and numerous half-breed children, living in +tents of buffalo skins. They owned a herd of horses and mules and a few +cattle, and had cultivated a small piece of land. Their principal +occupation was hunting, and they had a large number of buffalo hides, +which, they had tanned in the Indian manner. + +Upon reaching Pleasant Valley, on Medicine Creek, our party divided into +two detachments--one hunting along the bank of the stream for elk or +deer, and the other remaining with the main body of the escort. The elk +hunters met with no success whatever, but the others ran across plenty of +buffaloes, and nearly everybody killed one or more before the day was +over. Lawrence Jerome made an excellent shot; while riding in an +ambulance he killed a buffalo which attempted to cross the line of march. + +At about four o'clock P.M., we arrived at Mitchell's Fork of the +Medicine, having traveled thirty-five miles during that day, and there we +went into camp--calling it Camp Jack Hayes, in honor of Lieutenant Hayes. + +On the next morning, the 25th, we moved out of camp at eight o'clock. +The party was very successful through the day in securing game, +Hecksher, Fitzhugh, Livingston and Lieutenant Hayes; and in fact all did +good shooting. + +Lawrence Jerome persuaded me to let him ride Buckskin Joe, the best +buffalo horse in the whole outfit, and on his back he did wonders among +the buffaloes. Leonard Jerome, Bennett and Rogers also were very +successful in buffalo hunting. + +Our camp of this night was named Camp Asch to commemorate our surgeon, +Dr. Asch. The evening was pleasantly spent around the camp fires in +relating the adventures of the day. + +Upon crossing the Republican river on the morning of the 26th, we came +upon an immense number of buffaloes scattered over the country in every +direction, as far as the eye could reach and all had an opportunity to +do as much hunting as they wished. The wagons and troops moved slowly +along in the direction of the next camp, while the hunters went off +separately, or by twos and threes, in different directions, and all were +rewarded with abundant success. Lawrence Jerome, however, had his career +suddenly checked. He had dismounted to make a steady and careful shot, +and thoughtlessly let go of the bridle. The buffalo failing to take a +tumble, as he ought to have done, started off at a lively gait, followed +by Buckskin Joe--the horse being determined to do some hunting on his own +account--the last seen of him, he was a little ahead of the buffalo, and +gaining slightly, leaving his late rider to his own reflections and the +prospect of a tramp; his desolate condition was soon discovered and +another horse warranted not to run under any provocation, was sent to +him. It maybe stated here that three days afterwards, as I subsequently +learned, Buckskin Joe, all saddled and bridled, turned up at Fort +McPherson. + +We pitched our tents for the night in a charming spot on the bank of +Beaver Creek. The game was so abundant that we remained there one day. +This stopping place was called. Camp Cody, in honor of the reader's +humble servant. + +The next day was spent in hunting jack-rabbits, coyotes, elks, +antelopes and wild turkeys. We had a splendid dinner as will be seen +from the following: + + + BILL OF FARE. + + SOUP. + Buffalo Tail. + + FISH. + Cisco broiled, fried Dace. + + ENTREES. +Salmi of Prairie Dog, Stewed Rabbit, Fillet of Buffalo, + Aux Champignons. + + ROAST. + Elk, Antelope, Black-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey. + + BROILED. + Teal, Mallard, Antelope Chops, Buffalo-Calf Steaks, + Young Wild Turkey. + + VEGETABLES. + Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas. + + DESSERT. + Tapioca Pudding. + + WINES. + Champagne Frappe, Champagne au Naturel, Claret, + Whiskey, Brandy, Bass' Ale. + + COFFEE. + + +This I considered a pretty square meal for a party of hunters, and +everybody did ample justice to it. + +In the evening a court-martial was held, at which I presided as chief +justice. We tried one of the gentlemen for aiding and abetting in the +loss of a government horse, and for having something to do with the +mysterious disappearance of a Colt's pistol. He was charged also with +snoring in a manner that was regarded as fiendish, and with committing a +variety of other less offenses too numerous to mention. + +The accused made a feeble defense as to the pistol, and claimed that +instead of losing a government horse, the fact was that the horse had +lost him. His statements were all regarded as "too thin," and finally +failing to prove good character, he confessed all, and threw himself upon +the mercy of the court. The culprit was Lawrence Jerome. + +As chief justice I delivered the opinion of the court, which my modesty +does not prevent me from saying, was done in an able and dignified +manner; as an act of clemency I suspended judgment for the time being, +remarking that while the camp fire held out to burn, the vilest sinner +might return; and in hope of the accused's amendment, I would defer +pronouncing sentence. The trial afforded its considerable amusement, and +gave me a splendid opportunity to display the legal knowledge which I had +acquired while acting as justice of the peace at Fort McPherson. + +On the morning of the 28th the command crossed the South Beaver, distant +nine miles from Camp Cody, and then striking a fair road we made a rapid +march until we reached our camp on Short Nose or Prairie Dog Creek, +about 2 P. M., after having made twenty-four miles. The remainder of the +afternoon was spent in hunting buffaloes and turkeys. Camp Stager was the +name given to this place, in honor of General Stager, of the Western +Union Telegraph Company. + +The next day we made a march of twenty-four miles, and then halted at +about 1 P. M. on the North Solomon River. This day we killed three +buffaloes, two antelopes, two raccoons, and three teal ducks. Near our +camp, which we named Camp Leonard Jerome, was a beaver dam some six feet +high and twenty yards wide; it was near the junction of two streams, and +formed a pond of at least four acres. + +On the 30th we traveled twenty-five miles, and during the march nine +turkeys, two rabbits, and three or four buffaloes were killed. We went +into camp on the bank of the South Fork of the Solomon River and called +the place Camp Sam Johnson. We were now but forty-five miles from Fort +Hays, the point at which General Sheridan and his guests expected to +strike the Kansas Pacific Railway, and thence return home. That evening +I volunteered to ride to Fort Hays and meet the party next day, +bringing with me all the letters that might be at the post. Taking the +best horse in the command I started out, expecting to make the trip in +about four hours. + +The next morning the command got an early start and traveled thirty miles +to Saline River, where they made their last camp on the plains. As some +of the party were attacking a herd of buffaloes, I rode in from Fort Hays +and got into the middle of the herd, and killed a buffalo or two before +the hunters observed me. I brought a large number of letters, which +proved welcome reading matter. + +In the evening we gathered around the camp-fire for the last time. The +duty of naming the camp, which was called Camp Davies, having been duly +performed, we all united in making that night the pleasantest of all that +we had spent together. We had eloquent speeches, songs, and interesting +anecdotes. I was called upon, and entertained the gentlemen with some +lively Indian stories. + +The excursionists reached Fort Hays, distant fifteen miles, on the +morning of October 2d, where we pitched our tents for the last time, and +named the camp in honor of Mr. Hecksher. That same afternoon General +Sheridan and his guests took the train for the East, after bidding Major +Browa, Lieutenant Hayes and myself a hearty good-bye, and expressing +themselves as greatly pleased with their hunt, and the manner in which +they had been escorted and guided. + +It will be proper and fair to state here that General Davies afterwards +wrote an interesting account of this hunt and published it in a neat +volume of sixty-eight pages, under the title of "Ten Days on the Plains." +I would have inserted the volume bodily in this book, were it not for the +fact that the General has spoken in a rather too complimentary manner of +me. However, I have taken the liberty in this chapter to condense from +the little volume, and in some places I have used the identical language +of General Davies without quoting the same; in fact, to do the General +justice, I ought to close this chapter with several lines of quotation +marks to be pretty generally distributed by the reader throughout my +account of our ten days' hunt. + +Soon after the departure of General Sheridan's party, we returned to Fort +McPherson and found General Carr about to start out on a twenty days' +scout, not so much for the purpose of finding Indians, but more for the +object of taking some friends on a hunt. His guests were a couple of +Englishmen,--whose names I cannot now remember--and Mr. McCarthy, of +Syracuse, New York, who was a relative of General Emory. The command +consisted of three companies of the Fifth Cavalry, one company of Pawnee +Indians, and twenty-five wagons. Of course I was called on to accompany +the expedition. + +One day, after we had been out from the post for some little time, I was +hunting on Deer Creek, in company with Mr. McCarthy, about eight miles +from the command. I had been wishing for several days to play a joke on +him, and had arranged a plan with Captain Lute North to carry it into +execution. I had informed North at about what time we would be on Deer +Creek, and it was agreed that he should appear in the vicinity with some +of his Pawnees, who were to throw their blankets around them, and come +dashing down upon us, firing and whooping in true Indian style; while he +was to either conceal or disguise himself. This programme was faithfully +and completely carried out. I had been talking about Indians to McCarthy, +and he had become considerably excited, when just as we turned a bend of +the creek, we saw not half a mile from us about twenty Indians, who +instantly started for us on a gallop, firing their guns and yelling at +the top of their voices. + +"McCarthy, shall we dismount and fight, or run?" said I. + +He didn't wait to reply, but wheeling his horse, started at full speed +down the creek, losing his hat and dropping his gun; away he went, never +once looking back to see if he was being pursued. I tried to stop him by +yelling at him and saying that it was all right, as the Indians were +Pawnees. Unfortunately he did not hear me, but kept straight on, not +stopping his horse until he reached the camp. + +[Illustration: MCCARTHY'S FRIGHT.] + +I knew that he would tell General Carr that the Indians had jumped him, +and that the General would soon start out with the troops. So as soon as +the Pawnees rode up to me I told them to remain there while I went after +my friend. I rode after him as fast as possible, but he had arrived at +the command some time before me and when I got there the General had, as +I had suspected he would do, ordered out two companies of cavalry to go +in pursuit of the Indians. I told the General that the Indians were only +some Pawnees, who had been out hunting and that they had merely played a +joke upon us. I forgot to inform him that I had put up the trick, but +as he was always fond of a good joke himself, he did not get very angry. +I had picked up McCarthy's hat and gun which I returned to him, and it +was some time afterwards before he discovered who was at the bottom of +the affair. + +When we returned to Fort McPherson we found there Mr. Royal Buck, whose +father had been killed with his entire party by Pawnee Killer's band of +Indians on the Beaver Creek. He had a letter from the commanding officer +of the Department requesting that he be furnished with an escort to go in +search of the remains of his father and the party. Two companies of +cavalry were sent with him and I accompanied them as guide. As the old +squaw, which we had captured, and of which mention is made in a previous +chapter, could not exactly tell us the place on Beaver Creek where the +party had been killed, we searched the country over for two days and +discovered no signs of the murdered men. At last, however, our efforts +were rewarded with success. We found pieces of their wagons and among +other things an old letter or two which Mr. Buck recognized as his +father's handwriting. We then discovered some of the remains, which we +buried; but nothing further. It was now getting late in the fall and we +accordingly returned to Fort McPherson. + +A short time after this the Fifth Cavalry was ordered to Arizona, a not +very desirable country to soldier in. I had become greatly attached to +the officers of the regiment, having been continually with them for over +three years, and had about made up my mind to accompany them, when a +letter was received from General Sheridan instructing the commanding +officer "not to take Cody" with him, and saying that I was to remain in +my old position. In a few days the command left for its destination, +taking the cars at McPherson Station, where I bade my old friends adieu. +During the next few weeks I had but little to do, as the post was +garrisoned by infantry, awaiting the arrival of the Third Cavalry. + +[Illustration: FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. + + +About the first of January, 1872, General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, of +Sheridan's staff came out to Fort McPherson to make preparations for a +big buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia; and as this was to +be no ordinary affair, these officers had been sent by General Sheridan +to have all the necessary arrangements perfected by the time the Grand +Duke should arrive. They learned from me that there were plenty of +buffaloes in the vicinity and especially on the Red Willow, sixty miles +distant. They said they would like to go over on the Red Willow and pick +out a suitable place for the camp; they also inquired the location of +the Spotted Tail, Sioux Indians. Spotted Tail had permission from the +Government to hunt the buffalo, with his people during the winter, in the +Republican river country. It was my opinion that they were located +somewhere on the Frenchman's Fork about one hundred and fifty miles from +Fort McPherson. + +General Sheridan's commissioners informed me, that he wished me to visit +Spotted Tail's camp, and induce about one hundred of the leading warriors +and chiefs, to come to the point where it should be decided to locate the +Alexis hunting camp, and to be there by the time the Grand Duke should +arrive, so that he could see a body of American Indians and observe the +manner in which they killed buffaloes. The Indians would also be called +upon to give a grand war dance in honor of the distinguished visitor. + +Next morning General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, accompanied by Captain Hays, +who had been left at Fort McPherson in charge of the Fifth Cavalry +horses, taking an ambulance and a light wagon, to carry their tents, and +provisions sufficient to last them two or three days; started, under my +guidance, with a small escort, for Red Willow Creek, arriving there at +night. The next day we selected a pleasant camping place on a little +knoll in the valley of the Red Willow. General Forsyth and his party +returned to the post the next day while I left for Spotted Tail's camp. + +The weather was very cold and I found my journey by no means a pleasant +one as I was obliged to camp out with only my saddle blankets; and +besides, there was more or less danger from the Indians themselves; for, +although Spotted Tail himself was friendly, I was afraid I might have +difficulty in getting into his camp. I was liable at any moment to run +into a party of his young men who might be out hunting, and as I had +many enemies among the Sioux, I would be running considerable risk in +meeting them. + +At the end of the first day I camped on Stinking Water, a tributary of +the Frenchman's Fork, where I built a little fire in the timber; but it +was so very cold I was not able to sleep much. Getting an early start in +the morning I followed up the Frenchman's Fork and late in the afternoon +I could see, from the fresh horse tracks and from the dead buffaloes +lying here and there, recently killed, that I was nearing Spotted Tail's +camp. I rode on for a few miles further, and then hiding my horse in a +low ravine, I crawled up a high hill, where I obtained a good view of the +country. I could see for four or five miles up the creek, and got sight +of a village and of two or three hundred ponies in its vicinity. I waited +until night came and then I succeeded in riding into the Indian camp +unobserved. + +[Illustration: SPOTTED TAIL.] + +I had seen Spotted Tail's camp when he came from the north and I knew the +kind of lodge he was living in. As I entered the village I wrapped a +blanket around my head so that the Indians could not tell whether I was a +white or a red man. In this way I rode around until I found Spotted +Tail's lodge. Dismounting from my horse I opened his tent door and looked +in and saw the old chief lying on some robes. I spoke to him and he +recognized me at once and invited me to enter. Inside the lodge I found a +white man, an old frontiersman, Todd Randall, who was Spotted Tail's +agent and who had lived a great many years with the Indians. He +understood their language perfectly and did all the interpreting for +Spotted Tail. Through him I readily communicated with the chief and +informed him of my errand. I told him that the warriors and chiefs would +greatly please General Sheridan if they would meet him in about ten +sleeps at the old Government crossing of the Red Willow. I further +informed him that there was a great chief from across the water who was +coming there to visit him. Spotted Tail replied that he would be very +glad to go; that the next morning he would call his people together and +select those who would accompany him. I told Spotted Tail how I had +entered his camp. He replied that I had acted wisely; that although his +people were friendly, yet some of his young men had a grudge against me, +and I might have had difficulty with them had I met them away from the +village. He directed his squaw to get me something to eat, and ordered +that my horse be taken care of, and upon his invitation I spent the +remainder of the night in his lodge. + +Next morning the chiefs and warriors assembled according to orders, and +to them was stated the object of my visit. They were asked: + +"Do you know who this man is?" + +"Yes, we know him well," replied one, "that is Pa-he-haska," (that being +my name among the Sioux, which translated means "Long Hair") "that is our +old enemy," a great many of the Indians, who were with Spotted Tail at +this time, had been driven out of the Republican country. + +"That is he," said Spotted Tail. "I want all my people to be kind to him +and treat him as my friend." + +I noticed that several of them were looking daggers at me. They appeared +as if they wished to raise my hair then and there. Spotted Tail motioned +and I followed him into his lodge, and thereupon the Indians dispersed. +Having the assurance of Spotted Tail that none of the young men would +follow me I started back for the Red Willow, arriving the second night. + +There I found Captain Egan with a company of the Second Cavalry and a +wagon train loaded with tents, grain, provisions, etc. The men were +leveling off the ground and were making preparations to put up large wall +tents for the Grand Duke Alexis and his _suite_, and for General +Sheridan, his staff and other officers, and invited guests of the party. +Proceeding to Fort McPherson I reported what had been done. Thereupon +Quartermaster Hays selected from the five or six hundred horses in his +charge, seventy-five of the very best, which were sent to the Red Willow, +to be used by Alexis and his party at the coming hunt. In a day or two a +large supply of provisions, liquors, etc., arrived from Chicago, together +with bedding and furniture for the tents; all of which were sent over to +Camp Alexis. + +[Illustration: GRAND DUKE ALEXIS.] + +At last, on the morning of the 12th of January, 1872, the Grand Duke and +party arrived at North Platte by special train; in charge of a Mr. +Francis Thompson. Captain Hays and myself, with five or six ambulances, +fifteen or twenty extra saddle-horses and a company of cavalry under +Captain Egan, were at the dépôt in time to receive them. Presently +General Sheridan and a large, fine-looking young man, whom we at once +concluded to be the Grand Duke came out of the cars and approached us. +General Sheridan at once introduced me to the Grand Duke as Buffalo Bill, +for he it was, and said that I was to take charge of him and show him how +to kill buffalo. + +In less than half an hour the whole party were dashing away towards the +south, across the South Platte and towards the Medicine; upon reaching +which point we halted for a change of horses and a lunch. Resuming our +ride we reached Camp Alexis in the afternoon. General Sheridan was well +pleased with the arrangements that had been made and was delighted to +find that Spotted Tail and his Indians had arrived on time. They were +objects of great curiosity to the Grand Duke, who spent considerable time +in looking at them, and watching their exhibitions of horsemanship, sham +fights, etc. That evening the Indians gave the grand war dance, which I +had arranged for. + +[Illustration: INDIAN EXERCISES.] + +General Custer, who was one of the hunting party, carried on a mild +flirtation with one of Spotted Tail's daughters, who had accompanied her +father thither, and it was noticed also that the Duke Alexis paid +considerable attention to another handsome red-skin maiden. The night +passed pleasantly, and all retired with great expectations of having a +most enjoyable and successful buffalo hunt. The Duke Alexis asked me a +great many questions as to how we shot buffaloes, and what kind of a gun +or pistol we used, and if he was going to have a good horse. I told him +that he was to have my celebrated buffalo horse Buckskin Joe, and when +we went into a buffalo herd all he would have to do was to sit on the +horse's back and fire away. + +At nine o'clock next morning we were all in our saddles, and in a few +minutes were galloping over the prairies in search of a buffalo herd. We +had not gone far before we observed a herd some distance ahead of us +crossing our way; after that we proceeded cautiously, so as to keep out +of sight until we were ready to make a charge. + +Of course the main thing was to give Alexis the first chance and the best +shot at the buffaloes, and when all was in readiness we dashed over a +little knoll that had hidden us from view, and in a few minutes we were +among them. Alexis at first preferred to use his pistol instead of a gun. +He fired six shots from this weapon at buffaloes only twenty feet away +from him, but as he shot wildly, not one of his bullets took effect. +Riding up to his side and seeing that his weapon was empty, I exchanged +pistols with him. He again fired six shots, without dropping a buffalo. + +Seeing that the animals were bound to make their escape without his +killing one of them, unless he had a better weapon, I rode up to him, +gave him my old reliable "Lucretia," and told him to urge his horse close +to the buffaloes, and I would then give him the word when to shoot. At +the same time I gave old Buckskin Joe a blow with my whip, and with a few +jumps the horse carried the Grand Duke to within about ten feet of a big +buffalo bull. + +"Now is your time," said I. He fired, and down went the buffalo. The +Grand Duke stopped his horse, dropped his gun on the ground, and +commenced waving his hat. When his _suite_ came galloping up, he began +talking to them in a tongue which I could not understand. Presently +General Sheridan joined the group, and the ambulances were brought up. +Very soon the corks began to fly from the champagne bottles, in honor of +the Grand Duke Alexis, who had killed the first buffalo. + +It was reported in a great many of the newspapers that I shot the first +buffalo for Alexis, while in some it was stated that I held the buffalo +while His Royal Highness killed it. But the way I have related the affair +is the correct version. + +It was thought that we had had about sport enough for one day, and +accordingly I was directed by General Sheridan to guide the party back to +camp, and we were soon on our way thither. Several of the party, however, +concluded to have a little hunt on their own account, and presently we +saw them galloping over the prairie in different directions in pursuit of +buffaloes. + +While we were crossing a deep ravine, on our way to camp, we ran into a +small band of buffaloes that had been frightened by some of the hunters. +As they rushed past us, not more than thirty yards distant, Alexis raised +his pistol, fired and killed a buffalo cow. It was either an +extraordinary good shot or a "scratch"--probably the latter, for it +surprised the Grand Duke as well as everybody else. We gave him three +cheers, and when the ambulance came up we took a pull at the champagne +in honor of the Grand Duke's success. I was in hopes that he would kill +five or six more buffaloes before we reached camp, especially if a basket +of champagne was to be opened every time he dropped one. + +General Sheridan directed me to take care of the hides and heads of the +buffaloes which Alexis had killed, as the Duke wished to keep them as +souvenirs of the hunt. I also cut out the choice meat from the cow and +brought it into camp, and that night at supper Alexis had the pleasure of +dining on broiled buffalo steak obtained from the animal which he had +shot himself. + +We remained at this camp two or three days, during which we hunted most +of the time, the Grand Duke himself killing eight buffaloes. + +One day Alexis desired to see how the Indians hunted buffaloes and killed +them with bow and arrow; so Spotted Tail, selecting some of his best +hunters, had them surround a herd, and bring the animals down, not only +with arrows, but with lances. The Grand Duke was told to follow upon the +heels of one celebrated Indian hunter, whose name was "Two Lance," and +watch him bring down the game; for this chief had the reputation of being +able to send an arrow through and through the body of a buffalo. Upon +this occasion he did not belie his reputation, for he sent an arrow +_through_ a buffalo, which fell dead at the shot, and the arrow was given +to Alexis as a souvenir of his hunt on the American Plains. + +[Illustration: TWO LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO.] + +When the Grand Duke was satisfied with the sport, orders were given for +the return to the railroad. The conveyance provided for the Grand Duke +and General Sheridan was a heavy double-seated open carriage, or rather +an Irish dog-cart, and it was drawn by four spirited cavalry horses which +were not much used to the harness. The driver was Bill Reed, an old +overland stage driver and wagon master; on our way in, the Grand Duke +frequently expressed his admiration of the skillful manner in which Reed +handled the reins. + +General Sheridan informed the Duke that I also had been a stage-driver in +the Rocky Mountains, and thereupon His Royal Highness expressed a desire +to see me drive. I was in advance at the time, and General Sheridan sang +out to me: + +"Cody, get in here and show the Duke how you can drive. Mr. Reed will +exchange places with you and ride your horse." + +"All right, General," said I, and in a few moments I had the reins and we +were rattling away over the prairie. When we were approaching Medicine +Creek, General Sheridan said: "Shake 'em up a little, Bill, and give us +some old-time stage-driving." I gave the horses a crack or two of the +whip, and they started off at a very rapid gait. They had a light load to +pull, and kept increasing their speed at every jump, and I found it +difficult to hold them. They fairly flew over the ground, and at last we +reached a steep hill, or divide, which, led down into the valley of the +Medicine. There was no brake on the wagon, and the horses were not much +on the hold-back. I saw that it would be impossible to stop them. All I +could do was to keep them straight in the track and let them go it down +the hill, for three miles; which distance, I believe, was made in about +six minutes. Every once in a while the hind wheels would strike a rut and +take a bound, and not touch the ground again for fifteen or twenty feet. +The Duke and the General were kept rather busy in holding their positions +on the seats, and when they saw that I was keeping the horses straight in +the road, they seemed to enjoy the dash which we were making. I was +unable to stop the team until they ran into the camp where we were to +obtain a fresh relay, and there I succeeded in checking them. The Grand +Duke said he didn't want any more of that kind of driving, as he +preferred to go a little slower. + +On arriving at the railroad, the Duke invited me into his car, and made +me some valuable presents, at the same time giving me a cordial +invitation to visit him, if ever I should come to his country. + +General Sheridan took occasion to remind me of an invitation to visit New +York which I had received from some of the gentlemen who accompanied the +General on the hunt from Fort McPherson to Hays City, in September of the +previous year. Said he: + +"You will never have a better opportunity to accept that invitation than +now. I have had a talk with General Ord concerning you, and he will give +you a leave of absence whenever you are ready to start. Write a letter to +General Stager, of Chicago, that you are now prepared to accept the +invitation, and he will send you a pass." + +Thanking the General for his kindness, I then bade him and the Grand Duke +good-bye, and soon their train was out of sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGHT-SEEING. + + +General Ord, commanding the Department of the Platte at the time, and who +had been out on the Alexis hunt, had some business to attend to at Fort +McPherson, and I accepted his invitation to ride over to the post with +him in an ambulance. On the way thither he asked me how I would like to +have an officer's commission in the regular army. He said that General +Sheridan and himself had had some conversation about the matter, and if I +wanted a commission, one could easily be procured for me. I thanked +General Ord for his kindness, and said that although an officer's +commission in the regular army was a tempting prize, yet I preferred to +remain in the position I was then holding. He concluded by stating that +if at any time I should wish a commission, all that I would have to do to +secure it would be to inform him of my desire. + +Having determined to visit New York, I acted upon General Sheridan's +suggestion and wrote to General Stager, from whom in a few days I +received my railroad passes. Obtaining thirty days' leave of absence from +the department, I struck out for the East. On arriving in Chicago, in +February, 1872, I was met at the dépôt by Colonel M.V. Sheridan, who said +that his brother, the General, had not yet returned, but had sent word +that I was to be his and the Colonel's guest, at their house, while I +remained in Chicago. + +I spent two or three days very pleasantly in the great city of the West, +meeting several of the gentlemen who had been out on the Sheridan hunt in +September--General Stager, Colonel Wilson, editor of the _Journal_; Mr. +Sam Johnson, General Rucker and others--by all of whom I was most +cordially received and well entertained. I was introduced to quite a +number of the best people of the city, and was invited to several "swell" +dinners. I also accompanied General Sheridan--who meantime had returned +to the city--to a ball at Riverside--an aristocratic suburb. + +[Illustration: AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION] + +On this occasion I became so embarrassed that it was more difficult for +me to face the throng of beautiful ladies, than it would have been to +confront a hundred hostile Indians. This was my first trip to the East, +and I had not yet become accustomed to being stared at. And besides +this, the hundreds of questions which I was called upon to answer further +embarrassed and perplexed me. + +According to the route laid out for me by General Stager, I was to stop +at Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Rochester on my way to New York, and he +provided me with all the necessary railroad passes. Just as I was about +to leave Chicago I met Professor Henry A. Ward, of Rochester, for whom +during the previous year or two I had collected a large number of +specimens of wild animals. He was on his way to Rochester, and kindly +volunteered to act as my guide until we reached that point. We spent one +day in viewing the wonders of Niagara, and I stopped one day at Rochester +and was shown the beauties of that handsome city by Professor Ward, and I +had the honor of receiving an invitation to dine with the Mayor. + +On arriving at New York I was met at the dépôt by Mr. J.G. Hecksher, who +had been appointed as "a committee of one" to escort me to the Union +Club, where James Gordon Bennett, Leonard W. Jerome and others were to +give me an informal reception, and where I was to make my headquarters +during my visit in the great metropolis. I had an elegant dinner at the +club rooms, with the gentlemen who had been out on the September hunt, +and other members of the club. + +After dinner, in company with Mr. Hecksher--who acted as my guide--I +started out on the trail of my friend, Ned Buntline, whom we found at the +Brevoort Place Hotel. He was delighted to see me, and insisted on my +becoming his guest. He would listen to no excuses, and on introducing me +to Messrs. Overton & Blair, proprietors of the Brevoort, they also gave +me a pressing invitation to make my home at their house. I finally +compromised the matter by agreeing to divide my time between the Union +Club, the Brevoort House, and Ned Buntline's quarters. + +The next few days I spent in viewing the sights of New York, everything +being new and startling, convincing me that as yet I had seen but a small +portion of the world. I received numerous dinner invitations, as well as +invitations to visit different places of amusement and interest; but as +they came in so thick and fast, I soon became badly demoralized and +confused. I found I had accepted invitations to dine at half a dozen or +more houses on the same day and at the same hour. James Gordon Bennett +had prepared a dinner for me, at which quite a large number of his +friends were to be present, but owing to my confusion, arising from the +many other invitations I had received, I forgot all about it, and dined +elsewhere. This was "a bad break," but I did not learn of my mistake +until next day, when at the Union Club House several gentlemen, among +them Lawrence Jerome, inquired "where in the world I had been," and why I +had not put in an appearance at Bennett's dinner. They said that Bennett +had taken great pains to give me a splendid reception, that the party had +waited till nine o'clock for me, and that my non-arrival caused +considerable disappointment. I apologized as well as I could, by saying +that I had been out on a scout and had got lost, and had forgotten all +about the dinner; and expressed my regret for the disappointment I had +created by my forgetfulness. August Belmont, the banker, being near said: + +"Never mind, gentlemen, I'll give Cody a dinner at my house." + +"Thank you, sir," said I; "I see you are determined that I shall not run +short of rations while I am in the city. I'll be there, sure." + +Both Mr. Jerome and Mr. Hecksher told me that I must not disappoint Mr. +Belmont, for his dinners were splendid affairs. I made a note of the +date, and at the appointed time I was promptly at Mr. Belmont's mansion, +where I spent a very enjoyable evening. + +Mr. Bennett, who was among the guests, having forgiven my carelessness, +invited me to accompany him to the Liederkranz masked ball, which was to +take place in a few evenings, and would be a grand spectacle. Together we +attended the ball, and during the evening I was well entertained. The +dancers kept on their masks until midnight, and the merry and motley +throng presented a brilliant scene, moving gracefully beneath the bright +gas-light to the inspiriting music. To me it was a novel and entertaining +sight, and in many respects reminded me greatly of an Indian war-dance. + +Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Bennett, I had dressed myself in my +buckskin suit, and I naturally attracted considerable attention; +especially when I took part in the dancing and exhibited some of my +backwoods steps, which, although not as graceful as some, were a great +deal more emphatic. But when I undertook to do artistic dancing, I found +I was decidedly out of place in that crowd, and I accordingly withdrew +from the floor. + +I occasionally passed an evening at Niblo's Garden, viewing the many +beauties of "The Black Crook," which was then having its long run, under +the management of Jarrett & Palmer, whose acquaintance I had made, and +who extended to me the freedom of the theater. + +Ned Buntline and Fred Maeder had dramatized one of the stories which the +former had written about me for the _New York Weekly_. The drama was +called "Buffalo Bill, the King of Border Men." While I was in New York it +was produced at the Bowery Theater; J.B. Studley, an excellent actor, +appearing in the character of "Buffalo Bill," and Mrs. W.G. Jones, a fine +actress, taking the part of my sister, a leading _rôle_. I was curious to +see how I would look when represented by some one else, and of course I +was present on the opening night, a private box having been reserved for +me. The theater was packed, every seat being occupied as well as the +standing-room. The drama was played smoothly, and created a great deal of +enthusiasm. + +The audience, upon learning that the real "Buffalo Bill" was present, +gave several cheers between the acts, and I was called on to come out on +the stage and make a speech. Mr. Freleigh, the manager, insisted that I +should comply with the request, and that I should be introduced to Mr. +Studley. I finally consented, and the next moment I found myself standing +behind the footlights and in front of an audience for the first time in +my life. I looked up, then down, then on each side, and everywhere I saw +a sea of human faces, and thousands of eyes all staring at me. I confess +that I felt very much embarrassed--never more so in my life--and I knew +not what to say. I made a desperate effort, and a few words escaped me, +but what they were I could not for the life of me tell, nor could any one +else in the house. My utterances were inaudible even to the leader of the +orchestra, Mr. Dean, who was sitting only a few feet in front of me. +Bowing to the audience, I beat a hasty retreat into one of the cañons of +the stage. I never felt more relieved in my life than when I got out of +the view of that immense crowd. That evening Mr. Freleigh offered to +give me five hundred dollars a week to play the part of "Buffalo Bill" +myself. I thought that he was certainly joking, especially as he had +witnessed my awkward performance; but when he assured me that he was in +earnest, I told him that it would be useless for me to attempt anything +of the kind, for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, even +if it was to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actor +out of a government mule. I thanked him for the generous offer, which I +had to decline owing to a lack of confidence in myself; or as some people +might express it, I didn't have the requisite cheek to undertake a thing +of that sort. The play of "Buffalo Bill" had a very successful run of six +or eight weeks, and was afterwards produced in all the principal cities +of the country, everywhere being received with genuine enthusiasm. + +I had been in New York about twenty days when General Sheridan arrived in +the city. I met him soon after he got into town. In answer to a question +how I was enjoying myself, I replied that I had struck the best camp I +had ever seen, and if he didn't have any objections I would like to have +my leave of absence extended about ten days. This he willingly did, and +then informed me that my services would soon be required at Fort +McPherson, as there was to be an expedition sent out from that point. + +At Westchester, Pennsylvania, I had some relatives living whom I had +never seen, and now being so near, I determined to make them a visit. +Upon mentioning the matter to Buntline, he suggested that we should +together take a trip to Philadelphia, and thence run out to Westchester. +Accordingly the next day found us in the "City of Brotherly Love," and in +a few hours we arrived at the home of my uncle, General Henry R. Guss, +the proprietor of the Green Tree Hotel, who gave us a cordial reception. + +Inviting us into the parlor, my uncle brought in the members of his +family, among them an elderly lady, who was my grandmother, as he +informed me. He told me that my Aunt Eliza, his first wife, was dead, and +that he had married a second time; Lizzie Guss, my cousin, I thought was +the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. They were all very anxious to +have us remain several days, but as I had some business to attend to in +New York, I was obliged to return that day. Assuring them, however, that +I would visit them again soon, I bade them adieu, and with Buntline took +the train for New York. + +The time soon arrived for my departure for the West; so packing up my +traps I started for home, and on the way thither I spent a day with my +Westchester relatives, who did everything in their power to entertain me +during my brief stay with them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HONORS. + + +Upon reaching Fort McPherson, I found that the Third Cavalry, commanded +by General Reynolds, had arrived from Arizona, in which Territory they +had been on duty for some time, and where they had acquired quite a +reputation on account of their Indian fighting qualities. + +Shortly after my return, a small party of Indians made a dash on +McPherson Station, about five miles from the fort, killing two or three +men and running off quite a large number of horses. Captain Meinhold and +Lieutenant Lawson with their company were ordered out to pursue and +punish the Indians if possible. I was the guide of the expedition and had +as an assistant T.B. Omohundro, better known as "Texas Jack" and who was +a scout at the post. + +Finding the trail, I followed it for two days, although it was difficult +trailing because the red-skins had taken every possible precaution to +conceal their tracks. On the second day Captain Meinhold went into camp +on the South Fork of the Loupe, at a point where the trail was badly +scattered. Six men were detailed to accompany me on a scout in search of +the camp of the fugitives. We had gone but a short distance when we +discovered Indians camped, not more than a mile away, with horses grazing +near by. They were only a small party, and I determined to charge upon +them with my six men, rather than return to the command, because I feared +they would see us as we went back and then they would get away from us +entirely. I asked the men if they were willing to attempt it, and they +replied that they would follow me wherever I would lead them. That was +the kind of spirit that pleased me, and we immediately moved forward on +the enemy, getting as close to them as possible without being seen. + +I finally gave the signal to charge, and we dashed into the little camp +with a yell. Five Indians sprang out of a willow tepee, and greeted us +with a volley, and we returned the fire. I was riding Buckskin Joe, who +with a few jumps brought me up to the tepee, followed by my men. We +nearly ran over the Indians who were endeavoring to reach their horses on +the opposite side of the creek. Just as one was jumping the narrow stream +a bullet from my old "Lucretia" overtook him. He never reached the other +bank, but dropped dead in the water. Those of the Indians who were +guarding the horses, seeing what was going on at the camp, came rushing +to the rescue of their friends. I now counted thirteen braves, but as we +had already disposed of two, we had only eleven to take care of. The odds +were nearly two to one against us. + +While the Indian reinforcements were approaching the camp I jumped the +creek with Buckskin Joe to meet them, expecting our party would follow +me; but as they could not induce their horses to make the leap, I was the +only one who got over. I ordered the sergeant to dismount his men, and +leaving one to hold the horses, to come over with the rest and help me +drive the Indians off. Before they could do this, two mounted warriors +closed in on me and were shooting at short range. I returned their fire +and had the satisfaction of seeing one of them fall from his horse. At +this moment I felt blood trickling down my forehead, and hastily running +my hand through my hair I discovered that I had received a scalp wound. +The Indian, who had shot me, was not more than ten yards away, and when +he saw his partner tumble from his saddle, he turned to run. + +By this time the soldiers had crossed the creek to assist me, and were +blazing away at the other Indians. Urging Buckskin Joe forward, I was +soon alongside of the chap who had wounded me, when raising myself in the +stirrups I shot him through the head. + +The reports of our guns had been heard by Captain Meinhold, who at once +started with his company up the creek to our aid, and when the remaining +Indians, whom we were still fighting, saw these reinforcements coming +they whirled their horses and fled; as their steeds were quite fresh they +made their escape. However, we killed six out of the thirteen Indians, +and captured most of their stolen stock. Our loss was one man killed, and +one man--myself--slightly wounded. One of our horses was killed, and +Buckskin Joe was wounded, but I didn't discover the fact until some time +afterwards as he had been shot in the breast and showed no signs of +having received a scratch of any kind. Securing the scalps of the dead +Indians and other trophies we returned to the fort. + +I made several other scouts during the summer with different officers of +the Third Cavalry, one being with Major Alick Moore, a good officer, +with whom I was out for thirty days. Another long one was with Major +Curtis, with whom I followed some Indians from the South Platte river to +Fort Randall on the Missouri river in Dakota, on which trip the command +ran out of rations and for fifteen days subsisted entirely upon the game +we killed. + +In the fall of 1872 the Earl of Dunraven and Dr. Kingsley with several +friends came to Fort McPherson with a letter from General Sheridan, +asking me to accompany them on an elk hunt. I did so, and I afterwards +spent several weeks in hunting with the Earl of Dunraven, who was a +thorough sportsman and an excellent hunter. It was while I was out with +the Earl, that a Chicago party--friends of General Sheridan--arrived at +Fort McPherson for the purpose of going out on a hunt. They, too, had a +letter from, the General requesting me to go with them. The Earl had not +yet finished his hunt, but as I had been out with him for several weeks, +and he had by this time learned where to find plenty of elks and other +game, I concluded to leave him and accompany the Chicago party. I +informed him of my intention and gave him my reasons for going, at the +same time telling him that I would send him one of my scouts, Texas Jack, +who was a good hunter, and would be glad to accompany him. The Earl +seemed to be somewhat offended at this, and I don't think he has ever +forgiven me for "going back on him." Let that be as it may, he found +Texas Jack a splendid hunter and guide, and Jack has been his guide on +several hunts since. + +[Illustration: TEXAS JACK] + +Among the gentlemen who composed the Chicago party were E.P. +Green,--son-in-law of Remington, the rifle manufacturer,--Alexander +Sample, Mr. Milligan, of the firm of Heath & Milligan, of Chicago, and +several others, whose names I do not now remember. Mr. Milligan was a +man full of life, and was continually "boiling over with fun." He was a +regular velocipede, so to speak, and was here, there, and everywhere. +He was exceedingly desirous of having an Indian fight on the trip, not +that he was naturally a blood-thirsty man but just for variety he +wanted a little "Indian pie." He was in every respect the life of the +party, during the entire time that we were out. One day while he was +hunting with Sample and myself we came in sight of a band of thirty +mounted Indians. + +"Milligan, here's what you've been wanting for some time," said I, "for +yonder is a war party of Indians and no mistake; and they'll come for +us, you bet." + +"I don't believe this is one of my fighting days," replied Milligan, "and +it occurs to me that I have urgent business at the camp." + +Our camp was five or six miles distant on the Dismal river, and our +escort consisted of a company of cavalry commanded by Captain Russell. +The soldiers were in camp, and Milligan thought that Captain Russell +ought to be at once notified of the appearance of these Indians. Knowing +that we could reach the camp in safety, for we were well mounted, I +continued to have considerable amusement at Milligan's expense, who +finally said: + +"Cody, what's making my hat raise up so. I can hardly keep it on my +head." + +Sample, who was as cool as a cucumber, said to Milligan: "There must be +something wrong with your hair. It must be trying to get on end." + +"It's all very fine for you fellows to stand here and talk," replied +Milligan, "but I am not doing justice to my family by remaining. Sample, +I think we are a couple of old fools to have come out here, and I never +would have done so if it had not been for you." + +By this time the Indians had discovered us and were holding a +consultation, and Milligan turned his horse in the direction of the camp. +I never believed that he was half as scared as he seemed to be, but that +he was merely pretending so that we could enjoy our joke. However, we did +not wait any longer but rode into camp and notified Captain Russell, who +immediately started with his company to pursue the band. + +While we were riding along with the company Milligan said to Sample: +"Now, Alick, let them come on. We may yet go back to Chicago covered +with glory." + +We struck the trail going north, but as we had not come out on a scout +for Indians, we concluded not to follow them; although Milligan was now +very anxious to proceed and clean them out. + +The hunt came to an end in a day or two, and we escorted the visiting +hunters to North Platte, where they took the train for Chicago. Before +their departure they extended to me a very cordial invitation to come to +their city on a visit, promising that I should be well taken care of. + +Soon after this I had the pleasure of guiding a party of gentlemen from +Omaha on a buffalo hunt. Among the number were Judge Dundy, Colonel +Watson B. Smith, and U.S. District Attorney Neville. We left Fort +McPherson in good trim. I was greatly amused at the "style" of Mr. +Neville, who wore a stove-pipe hat and a swallow-tail coat, which made up +a very comical rig for a buffalo hunter. As we galloped over the prairie, +he jammed his hat down over his ears to keep it from being shaken off his +head, and in order to stick to his horse, he clung to the pommel of his +saddle. He was not much of a rider, and he went bouncing up and down, +with his swallow-tails flopping in the air. The sight I shall never +forget, for it was enough to make a "horse laugh," and I actually believe +old Buckskin Joe did laugh. + +However, we had a splendid hunt, and on the second day I lariated, or +roped, a big buffalo bull and tied him to a tree,--a feat which I had +often performed, and which the gentlemen requested me to do on this +occasion for their benefit, as they had heard of my skill with the +lariat. I captured several other buffaloes in the same way. The gentlemen +returned to Omaha well pleased with their hunt. + +In the fall of the year, 1872, a convention was held at Grand Island, +when some of my friends made me their candidate to represent the +Twenty-sixth District in the legislature of Nebraska; but as I had always +been a Democrat and the State was largely Republican, I had no idea of +being elected. In fact I cared very little about it, and therefore made +no effort whatever to secure an election. However, I was elected and that +is the way in which I acquired my title of Honorable. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN ACTOR. + + +During the summer and fall of 1872, I received numerous letters from Ned +Buntline, urging me to come East and go upon the stage to represent my +own character. "There's money in it," he wrote, "and you will prove a big +card, as your character is a novelty on the stage." + +At times I almost determined to make the venture; but the recollection of +that night when I stood on the stage of the Bowery Theatre and was unable +to utter a word above a whisper, would cause me to stop and think and +become irresolute. I feared that I would be a total failure, and wrote +Buntline to that effect. But he insisted that I would soon get over all +that embarrassment, and become accustomed to the stage, so that I would +think no more of appearing before five thousand people than I would +before half a dozen. He proposed to organize a good company, and wished +me to meet him in Chicago, where the opening performance would be given. + +I remained undecided as to what I ought to do. The officers at the fort +as well as my family and friends to whom I had mentioned the matter, +laughed at the idea of my ever becoming an actor. That I, an old scout +who had never seen more than twenty or thirty theatrical performances in +my life, should think of going upon the stage, was ridiculous in the +extreme--so they all said. + +A few days after my election to the legislature a happy event occurred in +my family circle, in the birth of a daughter whom we named Ora; about the +same time I received another letter from Buntline, in which he requested +me to appear on the stage for a few months as an experiment; and he said +that if I made a failure or did not like the business, I could easily +return to my old life. + +My two sisters who had been living with us had married,--Nellie, to A. +C. Jester, a cattle man, and May, to Ed. Bradford, a railroad +engineer--and consequently left us; and my wife had been wishing for a +long time to visit her parents in St. Louis. Taking these and other +things into consideration I finally resolved to resign my seat in the +legislature and try my luck behind the footlights. I informed General +Reynolds of my determination, telling him at the same time that at the +end of the month, November, I would resign my position under him. The +General regretted to hear this, and advised me not to take the step, for +I was leaving a comfortable little home, where I was sure of making a +good living for my family; while, on the other hand, I was embarking +upon a sea of uncertainty. Having once made up my mind, however, nothing +could change it. + +While I was selling my horses and other effects, preparatory to leaving +the fort, one of my brother scouts, Texas Jack, said that he would like +to accompany me. Now as Jack had also appeared as the hero in one of +Ned Buntline's stories, I thought that he would make as good a "star" +as myself, and it was accordingly arranged that Jack should go with me. +On our way East we stopped in Omaha a day or two to visit General Augur +and other officers, and also the gentlemen who were out on the Judge +Dundy hunt. Judge Dundy and his friends gave a dinner party in my honor +at the leading restaurant and entertained me very handsomely during my +stay in the city. + +At Omaha I parted with my family, who went to St. Louis, while Jack and +myself proceeded to Chicago. Ned Buntline and Mr. Milligan, having been +apprised of our coming by a telegram, met us at the dépôt. Mr. Milligan +accompanied us to the Sherman House, where he had made arrangements for +us to be his guests while we remained in the city. I didn't see much of +Buntline that evening, as he hurried off to deliver a temperance lecture +in one of the public halls. The next day we met him by appointment, and +the first thing he said, was: + +"Boys, are you ready for business?" + +"I can't answer that," replied I, "for we don't know what we are +going to do." + +"It's all arranged," said he, "and you'll have no trouble whatever. Come +with me. We'll go and see Nixon, manager of the Amphitheatre. That's the +place where we are to play. We'll open there next Monday night." Jack and +myself accordingly accompanied him to manager Nixon's office without +saying a word, as we didn't know what to say. + +"Here we are, Mr. Nixon," said Buntline; "here are the stars for you. +Here are the boys; and they are a fine pair to draw too. Now, Nixon, I am +prepared for business." + +Nixon and Buntline had evidently had a talk about the terms of our +engagement. Buntline, it seems, was to furnish the company, the drama, +and the pictorial printing, and was to receive sixty per cent. of the +gross receipts for his share; while Nixon was to furnish the theater, the +_attachés_, the orchestra, and the local printing; and receive forty per +cent. of the gross receipts. + +"I am ready for you, Buntline. Have you got your company yet?" +asked Nixon. + +"No, sir; but there are plenty of idle theatrical people in town, and I +can raise a company in two hours," was his reply. + +"You haven't much time to spare, if you open on Monday night," said +Nixon. "If you will allow me to look at your drama, to see what kind of +people you want, I'll assist you in organizing your company." + +"I have not yet written the drama," said Buntline. + +"What the deuce do you mean? This is Wednesday, and you propose to open +on next Monday night. The idea is ridiculous. Here you are at this late +hour without a company and without a drama. This will never do, Buntline. +I shall have to break my contract with you, for you can't possibly write +a drama, cast it, and rehearse it properly for Monday night. Furthermore, +you have no pictorial printing as yet. These two gentlemen, whom you have +with you, have never been on the stage, and they certainly must have time +to study their parts. It is preposterous to think of opening on Monday +night, and I'll cancel the engagement." + +This little speech was delivered in rather an excited manner by Mr. +Nixon. Buntline said that he would write the drama that day and also +select his company and have them at the theater for rehearsal next +morning. Nixon laughed at him, and said that there was no use of trying +to undertake anything of the kind in so short a time--it was utterly +impossible to do it. Buntline, whose ire was rising, said to Nixon: + +"What rent will you ask for your theater for next week?" + +"Six hundred dollars," was the reply. + +"Well, sir, I'll take your theater for next week at that price, and here +is half of the amount in advance," said Buntline, as he threw down three +hundred dollars on the stand. + +Nixon took the money, gave a receipt for it, and had nothing more to say. + +"Now, come with me boys," said Buntline; and away we went to the hotel. +Buntline immediately obtained a supply of pens, ink and paper, and then +engaged all the hotel clerks as penmen. In less than an hour after he had +rented the theater, he was dashing off page after page of his proposed +drama--the work being done in his room at the hotel. He then set his +clerks at copying for him, and at the end of four hours, he jumped up +from the table, and enthusiastically shouted: + +"Hurrah for 'The Scouts of the Plains!' That's the name of the play. The +work is done. Hurrah!" + +The parts were then all copied off separately by the clerks, and handing +us our respective portions Buntline said: + +"Now, boys, go to work, and do your level best to have this dead-letter +perfect for the rehearsal, which takes place to-morrow morning at ten +o'clock, prompt. I want to show Nixon that we'll be ready on time." + +[Illustration: STUDYING THE PARTS.] + +I looked at my part and then at Jack; and Jack looked at his part and +then at me. Then we looked at each other, and then at Buntline. We did +not know what to make of the man. + +"How long will it take you to commit your part to memory, Bill?" +asked Jack. + +"About six months, as near as I can calculate. How long will it take +you?" answered I. + +"It will take me about that length of time to learn the first line," said +Jack. Nevertheless we went to our room and commenced studying. I thought +it was the hardest work I had ever done. + +"This is dry business," finally remarked Jack. + +"That's just what it is," I answered; "jerk the bell, Jack." The bell-boy +soon appeared. We ordered refreshments; after partaking thereof we +resumed our task. We studied hard for an hour or two, but finally gave it +up as a bad job, although we had succeeded in committing a small portion +to memory. Buntline now came into the room and said: + +"Boys, how are you getting along?" + +"I guess we'll have to go back on this studying business as it isn't our +_forte_" said I. + +"Don't weaken now, Bill; you'll come out on the top of the heap yet. Let +me hear you recite your part," said Buntline. I began "spouting" what I +had learned, but was interrupted by Buntline: + +"Tut! tut! you're not saying it right. You must stop at the cue." + +"Cue! What the mischief do you mean by the cue? I never saw any cue +except in a billiard room," said I. Buntline thereupon explained it to +me, as well as to Jack, who was ignorant as myself concerning the +"cue" business. + +"Jack, I think we had better back out and go to hunting again," said I. + +"See here, boys; it won't do to go back on me at this stage of the game. +Stick to it, and it may be the turning point in your lives and lead you +on to fortune and to fame." + +"A fortune is what we are after, and we'll at least give the wheel a turn +or two and see what luck we have," said I. This satisfied Buntline, but +we didn't study any more after he left us. The next morning we appeared +at rehearsal and were introduced to the company. The first rehearsal was +hardly a success; and the succeeding ones were not much better. The stage +manager did his best to teach Jack and myself what to do, but when Monday +night came we didn't know much more about it than when we began. + +The clock struck seven, and then we put on our buckskin suits, which were +the costumes we were to appear in. The theater was being rapidly filled, +and it was evident that we were going to make our _début_ before a packed +house. As the minutes passed by, Jack and I became more and more nervous. +We occasionally looked through the holes in the curtain, and saw that the +people were continuing to crowd into the theatre; our nervousness +increased to an uncomfortable degree. + +When, at length the curtain arose, our courage had returned, so that we +thought we could face the immense crowd; yet when the time came for us +to go on, we were rather slow in making our appearance. As we stepped +forth we were received with a storm of applause, which we acknowledged +with a bow. + +[Illustration: BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS.] + +Buntline, who was taking the part of "Cale Durg," appeared, and gave me +the "cue" to speak "my little piece," but for the life of me I could not +remember a single word. Buntline saw I was "stuck," and a happy thought +occurred to him. He said--as if it were in the play: + +"Where have you been, Bill? What has kept you so long?" + +Just then my eye happened to fall on Mr. Milligan, who was surrounded by +his friends, the newspaper reporters, and several military officers, all +of whom had heard of his hunt and "Indian fight"--he being a very popular +man, and widely known in Chicago. So I said: + +"I have been out on a hunt with Milligan." + +This proved to be a big hit. The audience cheered and applauded; which +gave me greater confidence in my ability to get through the performance +all right. Buntline, who is a very versatile man, saw that it would be a +good plan to follow this up, and he said: + +"Well, Bill, tell us all about the hunt." + +I thereupon proceeded to relate in detail the particulars of the affair. +I succeeded in making it rather funny, and I was frequently interrupted +by rounds of applause. Whenever I began to "weaken," Buntline would give +me a fresh start, by asking some question. In this way I took up fifteen +minutes, without once speaking a word of my part; nor did I speak a word +of it during the whole evening. The prompter, who was standing between +the wings, attempted to prompt me, but it did no good; for while I was on +the stage I "chipped in" anything I thought of. + +"The Scouts of the Plains" was an Indian drama, of course; and there were +between forty and fifty "supers" dressed as Indians. In the fight with +them, Jack and I were at home. We blazed away at each other with blank +cartridges; and when the scene ended in a hand-to-hand encounter--a +general knock-down and drag-out--the way Jack and I killed Indians was "a +caution." We would kill them all off in one act, but they would come up +again ready for business in the next. Finally the curtain dropped; the +play was ended; and I congratulated Jack and myself on having made such a +brilliant and-successful _début_. There was no backing out after that. + +The next morning there appeared in the Chicago papers some very funny +criticisms on our first performance. The papers gave us a better send-off +than I expected, for they did not criticise us as actors. The _Chicago +Times_ said that if Buntline had actually spent four hours in writing +that play, it was difficult for any one to see what he had been doing all +the time. Buntline, as "Cale Durg," was killed in the second act, after a +long temperance speech; and the _Inter-Ocean_ said that it was to be +regretted that he had not been killed in the first act. The company, +however, was very good, and Mdlle. Morlacchi, as "Pale Dove," +particularly fine; while Miss Cafarno "spouted" a poem of some seven +hundred and three verses, more or less, of which the reader will be glad +to know that I only recall the words "I was born in March." + +Our engagement proved a decided success financially, if not artistically. +Nixon was greatly surprised at the result, and at the end of the week he +induced Buntline to take him in as a partner in the company. + +The next week we played at DeBar's Opera House, in St. Louis, doing an +immense business. The following week we were at Cincinnati, where the +theater was so crowded every night that hundreds were unable to obtain +admission. We met with equal success all over the country. Theatrical +managers, upon hearing of this new and novel combination; which was +drawing such tremendous houses, were all anxious to secure us; and we +received offers of engagements at all the leading theaters. We played +one week at the Boston Theater, and the gross receipts amounted to +$16,200. We also appeared at Niblo's Garden, New York, the theater being +crowded to its utmost capacity every night of the engagement. At the Arch +Street Theater, Philadelphia, it was the same way. There was not a single +city where we did not have crowded houses. + +We closed our tour on the 16th of June, 1873, at Port Jervis, New York, +and when I counted up my share of the profits I found that I was only +about $6,000 ahead. I was somewhat disappointed, for, judging from our +large business, I certainly had expected a greater sum. + +Texas Jack and myself longed for a hunt on the Western prairies once +more; and on meeting in New York a party of gentlemen who were desirous +of going with us, we all started Westward, and after a pleasant trip +arrived at Fort McPherson. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +STARRING. + + +Texas Jack and I spent several weeks in hunting in the western part of +Nebraska, and at the end of our vacation we felt greatly re-invigorated +and ready for another theatrical campaign. We accordingly proceeded to +New York and organized a company for the season of 1873-74. Thinking that +Wild Bill would be quite an acquisition to the troupe, we wrote to him at +Springfield, Missouri, offering him a large salary if he would play with +us that winter. He was doing nothing at the time, and we thought that he +would like to take a trip through the States, as he had never been East. + +Wild Bill accepted our offer, and came on to New York; though he told us +from the start that we could never make an actor out of him. Although he +had a fine stage appearance and was a handsome fellow, and possessed a +good strong voice, yet when he went upon the stage before an audience, +it was almost impossible for him to utter a word. He insisted that we +were making a set of fools of ourselves, and that we were the +laughing-stock of the people. I replied that I did not care for that, as +long as they came and bought tickets to see us. + +Wild Bill was continually playing tricks upon the members of the +company, and it was his especial delight to torment the "supers." Quite +frequently in our sham Indian battles he would run up to the "Indians" +(the supers), and putting his pistol close to their legs, would fire at +them and burn them with the powder, instead of shooting over their +heads. This would make them dance and jump, so that it was difficult to +make them fall and die--although they were paid twenty-five cents each +for performing the "dying business." The poor "supers" often complained +to me about this, and threatened not to go on the stage and be killed +again if that man Wild Bill did not stop shooting and burning their +legs. I would order Wild Bill to stop his mischief; he would laugh and +then promise not to do it any more. But it would not be long before he +was at his old tricks again. + +My company, known as the "Buffalo Bill Combination," did a fine business, +all through the East. Wild Bill continued his pranks, which caused us +considerable annoyance, but at the same time greatly amused us. + +One day at Titusville, Pennsylvania, while Burke, the business agent, was +registering our names and making arrangements for our accommodation, +several of us started for the billiard room; but were met by the +landlord, who stopped me and said that there was a party of roughs from +the lower oil region who were spreeing, and had boasted that they were +staying in town to meet the Buffalo Bill gang and clean them out. The +landlord begged of me not to allow the members of the troupe to enter the +billiard room, as he did not wish any fight in his house. To please the +landlord, and at his suggestion, I called the boys up into the parlor and +explained to them the situation. Wild Bill wanted to go at once and fight +the whole mob, but I persuaded him to keep away from them during the day. + +In order to entirely avoid the roughs, the members of the company entered +the theater through a private door from the hotel, as the two buildings +joined each other. While I was standing at the door of the theater taking +the tickets, the landlord of the hotel came rushing up and said that Wild +Bill was having a fight with the roughs in the bar-room. It seemed that +Bill had not been able to resist the temptation of going to see what kind +of a mob it was that wanted to test the pluck of the Buffalo Bill party; +and just as he stepped into the room, one of the bruisers put his hand on +his shoulder and said: + +"Hello, Buffalo Bill! we have been looking for you all day." + +"My name is not Buffalo Bill; you are mistaken in the man," was +the reply. + +"You are a liar!" said the bruiser. + +Bill instantly knocked him down, and then seizing a chair he laid out +four or five of the crowd on the floor, and drove the rest out of the +room. All this was done in a minute or two, and by the time I got down +stairs, Bill was coming out of the bar-room, whistling a lively tune. + +"Well!" said he, "I have been interviewing that party who wanted to +clean us out." + +"I thought you promised to come into the Opera House by the private +entrance?" + +"I did try to follow that trail, but I got lost among the cañons, and +then I ran in among the hostiles," said he; "but it is all right now. +They won't bother us any more. I guess those fellows have found us." And +sure enough they had. We heard no more of them after that. + +Another incident occurred, one night, at Portland, Maine. Bill found it +impossible to go to sleep at the hotel on account of the continued +talking of some parties who were engaged in a game of cards in an +adjoining room. He called to them several times to make less noise, but +they paid little or no attention to him. He finally got up and went to +the room with the intention of cleaning out the whole crowd. He knocked +and was admitted; greatly to his surprise, he found the party to be some +merchants of the city, whom he had met the previous day. They were +playing poker, and invited him to take a hand. Bill sat down at the +table, and said that, inasmuch as they would not let him sleep, he +wouldn't mind playing for a while, provided they would post him a little +in the game, for he didn't know much about it. At first he didn't play +very well, intentionally making many blunders and asking numerous +questions; but when morning came, he was about seven hundred dollars +ahead. Bill put the money in his pocket, and just as he was leaving the +room he advised them never to wake a man up and invite him to play poker. + +[Illustration: LEARNING THE GAME.] + +Wild Bill remained with me until we reached Rochester. I met my family +there, and having bought some property in that city, with the intention +of making the place my home, I asked Bill not to cut up any of his +capers, for I wanted the performance to go off smoothly, as I expected a +large audience that evening. He, of course, promised to behave himself. +When the curtain rose the house was crowded. The play proceeded finely +until the Indian fight in the second act, when Bill amused himself by his +old trick of singeing the legs of the "supers." + +After the curtain dropped, the "supers" complained to me about it. +Bill's conduct made me angry, and I told him that he must either stop +shooting the "supers," or leave the company. He made no reply, but went +to the dressing-room and changed his buckskin suit for his citizen's +dress, and during one of my scenes I looked down in front and saw him +elbowing his way through the audience and out of the theater. When I had +finished the scene, and had retired from the stage, the stage-carpenter +came up and said: + +"That long-haired gentleman, who passed out a few minutes ago, requested +me to tell you that you could go to thunder with your old show." + +That was the last time that Wild Bill and I ever performed together on +the stage. After the evening's entertainment I met him at the Osborn +House. By this time he had recovered from his mad fit and was in as good +humor as ever. He had made up his mind to leave for the West the next +day. I endeavored to persuade him to remain with me till spring, and then +we would go together; but it was of no use. I then paid him the money due +him, and Jack and myself made him a present of $1,000 besides. + +Bill went to New York the next day, intending to start west from there. +Several days afterwards I learned that he had lost all his money in New +York by playing faro; also that a theatrical manager had engaged him to +play. A company was organized and started out, but as a "star" Wild Bill +was not a success; the further he went the poorer he got. This didn't +suit Bill by any means, and he accordingly retired from the stage. The +company, however, kept on the road, using Bill's name, and employing an +actor to represent him not only on the stage but on the street and +elsewhere. Bill heard of this deception and sent word to the manager to +stop it, but no attention was paid to his message. + +Finally, Bill resolved to have satisfaction and he proceeded to a town +where the company was to play; he entered the theater and took a seat +near the stage, and watched the performance until the bogus Wild Bill +appeared. He then sprang upon the stage, knocked the actor clear through +one of the scenes, and grabbing the manager by the shoulders he threw him +over the foot-lights into the orchestra. + +[Illustration: GETTING SATISFACTION.] + +The other actors screamed and yelled "Police!" The audience could not at +first understand what it all meant, some of them supposing the affair to +be a part of the play. + +Wild Bill retired from the stage in good order, resumed his seat, and +told them to go on with their show. A policeman now appearing, Bill was +pointed out as the disturber of the peace; the officer tapping him on the +shoulder, said: + +"I'll have to arrest you, sir." + +"How many of you are there?" asked Bill. + +"Only myself," said the policeman. + +"You had better get some help," said Bill. The officer then called up +another policeman, and Bill again asked: + +"How many of you are there now?" + +"Two," was the reply. + +"Then I advise you to go out and get some more reinforcements," said +Bill, very coolly. + +The policemen thereupon spoke to the sheriff, who was dressed in +citizen's clothes. The sheriff came up and said he would have to take him +into custody. + +"All right, sir," replied Bill, "I have no objections to walking out with +you, but I won't go with any two policemen." At the court next morning +Bill stated his reasons for having acted as he had done, and the judge +fined him only three dollars and costs. + +This was the last time that Wild Bill appeared on the stage. He shortly +afterwards returned to the West, and on arriving at Cheyenne, he visited +Boulder's gambling room and sat down at a faro table. No one in the room +recognized him, as he had not been in Cheyenne for several years. After +losing two or three bets he threw down a fifty dollar bill and lost that +also. Boulder quietly raked in the money. Bill placed a second fifty +dollar note on another card, when Boulder informed him that the limit was +twenty-five dollars. + +"You have just taken in a fifty dollar bill which I lost," said Bill. + +"Well you needn't make any more such bets, as I will not go above my +limit," replied Boulder. + +"I'll just play that fifty dollar bill as it lays. If it loses, it's +yours; if it wins, you'll pay me fifty dollars, or I'll know the +reason why." + +"I am running this game, and I want no talk from you, sir," said Boulder. + +One word brought on another, until Boulder threatened to have Bill put +out of the house. Bill was carrying the butt end of a billiard cue for a +cane, and bending over the table, he said: "You'd rob a blind man." Then +he suddenly tapped Boulder on the head with the cane, with such force as +to knock him over. With another sweep of the cane he tumbled the +"look-out" from his chair, and then reaching over into the money drawer +he grabbed a handful of greenbacks and stuck them in his pocket. + +At this stage of the game four or five men--who were employed as +"bouncers" for the establishment to throw out the noisy persons--rushed +up to capture Bill, but he knocked them right and left with his cane, and +seeing the whole crowd was now closing in on him, he jumped into a +corner, and with each hand drew a revolver and faced the enemy. At this +moment the bar-keeper recognized him, and sang out in a loud voice: + +"Look out boys--that's Wild Bill you've run against." + +That settled the matter; for when they heard the name of Wild Bill they +turned and beat a hasty retreat out of the doors and windows, and in less +time than it takes to tell it, Wild Bill was the only man in the room. +He coolly walked over to Dyer's hotel, and retired for the night. Boulder +claimed that he had taken $500, but he really got only $200. Boulder, +upon learning that it was Wild Bill who had cleaned him out, said nothing +more about the money. The next day the two men met over a bottle of wine, +and settled their differences in an amicable manner. + +Poor Bill was afterwards killed at Deadwood, in the Black Hills, in a +cowardly manner, by a desperado who sneaked up behind him while he was +playing a game of cards in a saloon, and shot him through the back of the +head, without the least provocation. The murderer, Jack McCall, was tried +and hung at Yankton, Dakotah, for the crime. Thus ended the career of a +life-long friend of mine who, in spite of his many faults, was a noble +man, ever brave and generous hearted. + +Jack and myself continued playing through the country after Wild Bill +left us, and we finally closed our season in Boston on the 13th of +May, 1874. + +Business called me from Boston to New York, and after I had been there a +few days, I met an English gentleman, Thomas P. Medley, of London, who +had come to America for a hunt on the Plains. He had often heard of me, +and was anxious to engage me as his guide and companion, and he offered +to pay the liberal salary of one thousand dollars a month while I was +with him. He was a very wealthy man, as I learned upon inquiry, and was a +relative of Mr. Lord, of the firm of Lord & Taylor, of New York. Of +course I accepted his offer. + +When we reached the hunting ground in Nebraska, he informed me, somewhat +to my surprise, that he did not want to go out as Alexis did, with +carriages, servants, and other luxuries, but that he wished to rough it +just as I would do--to sleep on the ground in the open air, and kill and +cook his own meat. We started out from North Platte, and spent several +weeks in hunting all over the county. Dr. W. F. Carver, who then resided +at North Platte, and who has recently acquired considerable notoriety as +a rifle-shot, hunted with us for a few days. + +Mr. Medley proved to be a very agreeable gentleman and an excellent +hunter. While in camp he busied himself in carrying wood and water, +attending to the fire, and preparing and cooking the meals, never asking +me to do a thing. He did not do this to save expenses, but because he +wanted to do as the other hunters in the party were doing. After spending +as much time as he wished, we returned to the railroad, and he took the +train for the East. Everything that was required on this hunt was paid +for in the most liberal manner by Mr. Medley, who also gave the members +of the party several handsome presents. + +About this time an expedition consisting of seven companies of cavalry +and two companies of infantry--to be commanded by Colonel Mills of the +Third Cavalry, was being organized to scout the Powder River and Big Horn +country, and I was employed as guide for the command. Proceeding to +Rawlins, Wyoming, we "outfitted," and other guides were engaged--among +them Tom Sun and Bony Ernest, two noted Rocky Mountain scouts. We there +left the railroad, and passing through the Seminole range of the Rocky +Mountains we established our supply camp at the foot of Independence Rock +on the Sweetwater. I was now on my old familiar stamping ground, and it +seemed like home to me. Fifteen years before, I had ridden the pony +express and driven the overland stages through this region, and the +command was going into the same section of country where Wild Bill's +expedition of stage-drivers and express-riders had recaptured from the +Indians a large number of stolen stage-horses. + +Leaving the infantry to guard the supply camp, Colonel Mills struck out +for the north with the seven companies of cavalry. One day while we were +resting on a prairie near the head of Powder river, a horseman was seen +in the distance approaching us. At first it was thought he was an Indian, +but as he came near we saw that he was a white man, and finally when he +rode up to us, I recognized him as "California Joe," a noted scout and +frontiersman who had spent many years in California, on the plains and in +the mountains. He was armed with a heavy old Sharpe's rifle, a revolver +and a knife. I introduced him to Colonel Mills and the other officers and +asked him where he was going. He replied that he was out for a morning +ride only; but the fact was that he had been out prospecting alone for +weeks along the foot of the Big Horn mountains. + +Having no permanent occupation just at that time, Joe accompanied us for +two or three days, when Colonel Mills suggested that I had better employ +him as a scout, so that he could make a little money for himself. Joe +didn't seem to care whether I hired him or not; but I put him on the +pay-roll, and while he was with us he drew his five dollars a day. It was +worth the money to have him along for company's sake, for he was a droll +character in his way, and afforded us considerable amusement. We finally +surprised Little Wolf's band of Arapahoes and drove them into the +agencies. We then scouted the Powder river, Crazy Woman's Fork, and Clear +Fork, and then pushed westward through the mountains to the Wind river. +After having been out for a month or two we were ordered to return. + +I immediately went East and organized another Dramatic company for the +season of 1874-75, Texas Jack being absent in the Yellowstone country +hunting with the Earl of Dunraven. I played my company in all the +principal cities of the country, doing a good business wherever I went. +The summer of 1875 I spent at Rochester with my family. + +For the season of 1875-6, Texas Jack and I reorganized our old +Combination, and made a very successful tour. While we were playing at +Springfield, Massachusetts, April 20th and 21st 1876, a telegram was +handed me just as I was going on the stage. I opened it and found it to +be from Colonel G.W. Torrence, of Rochester, an intimate friend of the +family, who stated that my little boy Kit was dangerously ill with the +scarlet fever. This was indeed sad news, for little Kit had always been +my greatest pride. I sent for John Burke, our business manager, and +showing him the telegram, told him that I would play the first act, and +making a proper excuse to the audience, I would then take the nine +o'clock train that same evening for Rochester, leaving him to play out my +part. This I did, and at ten o'clock the next morning I arrived in +Rochester, and was met at the dépôt by my intimate friend Moses Kerngood +who at once drove me to my home. I found my little boy unable to speak +but he seemed to recognize me and putting his little arms around my neck +he tried to kiss me. We did everything in our power to save him, but it +was of no avail. The Lord claimed his own, and that evening at six +o'clock my beloved little Kit died in my arms. We laid him away to rest +in the beautiful cemetery of Mount Hope amid sorrow and tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +I RETURN TO THE PLAINS. + + +We closed our theatrical season earlier than usual in the spring of 1876, +because I was anxious to take part in the Sioux war which was then +breaking out. Colonel Hills had written me several letters saying that +General Crook was anxious to have me accompany his command, and I +promised to do so, intending to overtake him in the Powder river country. +But when I arrived at Chicago, on my way West, I learned that my old +regiment, the gallant Fifth Cavalry, was on its way back from Arizona to +join General Crook, and that my old commander, General Carr, was in +command. He had written to military headquarters at Chicago to learn my +whereabouts, as he wished to secure me as his guide and chief of scouts. +I then gave up the idea of overtaking General Crook, and hastening on to +Cheyenne, where the Fifth Cavalry had already arrived, I was met at the +dépôt by Lieutenant King, adjutant of the regiment, he having been sent +down from Fort D. A. Russell for that purpose by General Carr, who had +learned by a telegram from military headquarters at Chicago that I was on +the way. I accompanied the Lieutenant on horseback to the camp, and as we +rode up, one of the boys shouted, "Here's Buffalo Bill!" Soon after there +came three hearty cheers from the regiment. Officers and men all were +glad to see me, and I was equally delighted to meet them once more. The +General at once appointed me his guide and chief of scouts. + +The next morning the command pulled out for Fort Laramie, and on reaching +that post we found General Sheridan there, accompanied by General Frye +and General Forsyth, _en route_ to Red Cloud agency. As the command was +to remain here a few days, I accompanied General Sheridan to Red Cloud +and back, taking a company of cavalry as escort. + +The Indians having recently committed a great many depredations on the +Black Hills road, the Fifth Cavalry was sent out to scout the country +between the Indian agencies and the hills. The command operated on the +South Fork of the Cheyenne and at the foot of the Black Hills for about +two weeks, having several small engagements with roving bands of Indians +during the time. General Wesley Merritt--who had lately received his +promotion to the Colonelcy of the Fifth Cavalry--now came out and took +control of the regiment. I was sorry that the command was taken from +General Carr, because under him it had made its fighting reputation. +However, upon becoming acquainted with General Merritt, I found him to be +an excellent officer. + +The regiment, by continued scouting, soon drove the Indians out of that +section of the country, as we supposed, and we had started on our way +back to Fort Laramie, when a scout arrived at the camp and reported the +massacre of General Custer and his band of heroes on the Little Big Horn, +on the 25th of June, 1876; and he also brought orders to General Merritt +to proceed at once to Fort Fetterman and join General Crook in the Big +Horn country. + +Colonel Stanton, who was with the Fifth Cavalry on this scout, had been +sent to Red Cloud agency two days before, and that same evening a scout +arrived bringing a message from him that eight hundred Cheyenne warriors +had that day left the Red Cloud agency to join Sitting Bull's hostile +forces in the Big Horn region. Notwithstanding the instructions to +proceed immediately to join General Crook by the Way of Fort Fetterman, +Colonel Merritt took the responsibility of endeavoring to intercept the +Cheyennes, and as the sequel shows he performed a very important service. + +He selected five hundred men and horses, and in two hours we were making +a forced march back to Hat, or War-Bonnet Creek--the intention being to +reach the main Indian trail running to the north across that creek before +the Cheyennes could get there. We arrived there the next night, and at +daylight the following morning, July 17th, 1876, I went out on a scout, +and found that the Indians had not yet crossed the creek. On my way back +to the command I discovered a large party of Indians, which proved to be +the Cheyennes, coming up from the south, and I hurried to the camp with +this important information. + +The cavalrymen quietly mounted their horses, and were ordered to remain +out of sight, while General Merritt, accompanied by two or three _aides_ +and myself, went out on a little tour of observation to a neighboring +hill, from the summit of which we saw that the Indians were approaching +almost directly towards us. Presently fifteen or twenty of them dashed +off to the west in the direction from which we had come the night before; +and upon closer observation with our field glasses, we discovered two +mounted soldiers, evidently carrying dispatches for us, pushing forward +on our trail. + +The Indians were evidently endeavoring to intercept these two men, and +General Merritt feared that they would accomplish their object. He did +not think it advisable to send out any soldiers to the assistance of the +couriers, for fear that would show to the Indians that there were troops +in the vicinity who were waiting for them. I finally suggested that the +best plan was to wait until the couriers came closer to the command, and +then, just as the Indians were about to charge, to let me take the scouts +and cut them off from the main body of the Cheyennes, who were coming +over the divide. + +"All right, Cody," said the General, "if you can do that, go ahead." + +I rushed back to the command, jumped on my horse, picked out fifteen men, +and returned with them to the point of observation. I told General +Merritt to give us the word to start out at the proper time, and +presently he sang out: + +"Go in now, Cody, and be quick about it. They are going to charge on the +couriers." + +The two messengers were not over four hundred yards from us, and the +Indians were only about two hundred yards behind them. We instantly +dashed over the bluffs, and advanced on a gallop towards the Indians. A +running fight lasted several minutes, during which we drove the enemy +some little distance and killed three of their number. The rest of them +rode off towards the main body, which had come into plain sight, and +halted, upon seeing the skirmish that was going on. We were about half +a mile from General Merritt, and the Indians whom we were chasing +suddenly turned upon us, and another lively skirmish took place. One of +the Indians, who was handsomely decorated with all the ornaments +usually worn by a war chief when engaged in a fight, sang out to me, in +his own tongue: + +"I know you, Pa-he-haska; if you want to fight, come ahead and fight me." + +The chief was riding his horse back and forth in front of his men, as if +to banter me, and I concluded to accept the challenge. I galloped towards +him for fifty yards and he advanced towards me about the same distance, +both of us riding at full speed, and then, when we were only about thirty +yards apart, I raised my rifle and fired; his horse fell to the ground, +having been killed by my bullet. + +Almost at the same instant my own horse went down, he having stepped into +a hole. The fall did not hurt me much, and I instantly sprang to my feet. +The Indian had also recovered himself, and we were now both on foot, and +not more than twenty paces apart. We fired at each other simultaneously. +My usual luck did not desert me on this occasion, for his bullet missed +me, while mine struck him in the breast. He reeled and fell, but before +he had fairly touched the ground I was upon him, knife in hand, and had +driven the keen-edged weapon to its hilt in his heart. Jerking his +war-bonnet off, I scientifically scalped him in about five seconds. + +The whole affair from beginning to end occupied but little time, and the +Indians, seeing that I was some little distance from my company, now came +charging down upon me from a hill, in hopes of cutting me off. General +Merritt had witnessed the duel, and realizing the danger I was in, +ordered Colonel Mason with Company K to hurry to my rescue. The order +came none too soon, for had it been given one minute later I would have +had not less than two hundred Indians upon me. As the soldiers came up I +swung the Indian chieftain's top-knot and bonnet in the air, and shouted: + "_The first scalp for Custer_." + +General Merritt, seeing that he could not now ambush the Indians, ordered +the whole regiment to charge upon them. They made a stubborn resistance +for a little while, but it was of no use for any eight hundred, or even +sixteen hundred Indians to try and check a charge of the gallant old +Fifth Cavalry, and they soon came to that conclusion and began a running +retreat towards Red Cloud Agency. For thirty-five miles we drove them; +pushing them so hard that they were obliged to abandon their loose +horses, their camp equipage and everything else. We drove them into the +agency, and followed in ourselves, notwithstanding the possibility of our +having to encounter the thousands of Indians at that point. We were +uncertain whether or not the other agency Indians had determined to +follow the example of the Cheyennes and strike out upon the war-path; but +that made no difference with the Fifth Cavalry, for they would have +fought them all if necessary. It was dark when we rode into the agency, +where we found thousands of Indians collected together; but they +manifested no disposition to fight. + +[Illustration: A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND.] + +While at the agency I learned the name of the Indian Chief whom I had +killed in the morning; it was Yellow Hand; a son of old Cut-nose--a +leading chief of the Cheyennes. Cut-nose, having learned that I had +killed his son sent a white interpreter to me with a message to the +effect that he would give me four mules if I would turn over to him +Yellow Hand's war-bonnet, guns, pistols, ornaments, and other +paraphernalia which I had captured. I sent back word to the old gentleman +that it would give me pleasure to accommodate him, but I could not do it +this time. + +The next morning we started to join General Crook, who was camped near +the foot of Cloud Peak in the Big Horn mountains; awaiting the arrival +of the Fifth Cavalry, before proceeding against the Sioux, who were +somewhere near the head of the Little Big Horn,--as his scouts informed +him. We made rapid marches and reached General Crook's camp on Goose +Creek about the 3d of August. + +At this camp I met many old friends, among whom was Colonel Royal, who +had received his promotion to the Lieutenant Colonelcy of the Third +Cavalry. He introduced me to General Crook, whom I had never met before, +but of whom I had often heard. He also introduced me to the General's +chief guide, Frank Grouard, a half breed, who had lived six years with +Sitting Bull, and knew the country thoroughly. + +We remained in this camp only one day, and then the whole troop pulled +out for the Tongue river, leaving our wagons behind, but taking with us +a large pack train. We marched down the Tongue river for two days, +thence in a westerly direction over to the Rosebud, where we struck the +main Indian trail, leading down this stream. From the size of the trail, +which appeared to be about four days old, we estimated that there must +have been in the neighborhood of seven thousand Indians who had made the +broad trail. + +At this point we were overtaken by Jack Crawford, familiarly known as +"Captain Jack, the Poet Scout of the Black Hills," and right here I will +insert the following lines, written by him, just after the "Custer +Massacre," upon receiving from me the following dispatch: + +"Jack, old boy, have you heard of the death of Custer?" + +CUSTER'S DEATH. + +Did I hear the news from Custer? + Well, I reckon I did, old pard; +It came like a streak of lightnin', + And, you bet, it hit me hard. +I ain't no hand to blubber, + And the briny ain't run for years; +But chalk me down for a lubber, + If I didn't shed regular tears. + +What for? Now look you here, Bill, + You're a bully boy, that's true; +As good as e'er wore buckskin, + Or fought with the boys in blue; +But I'll bet my bottom dollar + Ye had no trouble to muster +A tear, or perhaps a hundred, + At the news of the death of Custer. + +He always thought well of you, pard, + And had it been heaven's will, +In a few more days you'd met him, + And he'd welcome his old scout Bill. +For if ye remember at Hat Creek, + I met ye with General Carr; +We talked of the brave young Custer, + And recounted his deeds of war. + +But little we knew even then, pard, + (And that's just two weeks ago), +How little we dreamed of disaster, + Or that he had met the foe-- +That the fearless, reckless hero, + So loved by the whole frontier, +Had died on the field of battle + In this, our centennial year. + +I served with him in the army, + In the darkest days of the war: +And I reckon ye know his record, + For he was our guiding star; +And the boys who gathered round him + To charge in the early morn, +War just like the brave who perished + With him on the Little Horn. + +And where is the satisfaction, + And how will the boys get square? +By giving the reds more rifles? + Invite them to take more hair? +We want no scouts, no trappers, + Nor men who know the frontier; +Phil, old boy, you're mistaken, + _We must have the volunteer_. + +Never mind that two hundred thousand + But give us a hundred instead; +Send five thousand men towards Reno, + And soon we won't leave a red. +It will save Uncle Sam lots of money, + In fortress we need not invest, +Jest wollup the devils this summer, + And the miners will do all the rest. + +The Black Hills are filled with miners, + The Big Horn will soon be as full, +And which will show the most danger + To Crazy Horse and old Sitting Bull +A band of ten thousand frontier men, + Or a couple of forts with a few +Of the boys in the East now enlisting-- + Friend Cody, I leave it with you. + +They talk of peace with these demons + By feeding and clothing them well: +I'd as soon think an angel from Heaven + Would reign with contentment in H--l + +And one day the Quakers will answer + Before the great Judge of us all, +For the death of daring young Custer + And the boys who round him did fall. + +Perhaps I am judging them harshly, + But I mean what I'm telling ye, pard; +I'm letting them down mighty easy, + Perhaps they may think it is hard. +But I tell you the day is approaching-- + The boys are beginning to muster-- +That day of the great retribution, + The day of revenge for our Custer. + +And I will be with you, friend Cody, + My weight will go in with the boys; +I shared all their hardships last winter, + I shared all their sorrows and joys; +Tell them I'm coming, friend William, + I trust I will meet you ere long; +Regards to the boys in the mountains; + Yours, ever; in friendship still strong. + +Jack was a new man in the country, but evidently had plenty of nerve and +pluck, as he had brought dispatches from Fort Fetterman, a distance of +300 miles through a dangerous Indian country. The dispatches were for +General Crook, and notified him that General Terry was to operate with a +large command south of the Yellowstone, and that the two commands would +probably consolidate somewhere on the Rosebud. + +Jack at once hunted me up and gave me a letter from General Sheridan, +informing me that he had appointed him (Jack) as one of the scouts. + +While we were conversing, Jack informed me that he had brought me a +present from Colonel Jones of Cheyenne, and that he had it in his +saddle-pockets. Asking the nature of the gift, he replied that it was +only a bottle of good whiskey. + +I placed my hand over his mouth and told him to keep still, and not to +whisper it even to the winds, for there were too many dry men around us; +and only when alone with him did I dare to have him take the treasure +from his saddle-pockets. + +In this connection I may remark that Jack Crawford is the only man I +have ever known that could have brought that bottle of whiskey through +without _accident_ befalling it, for he is one of the very few teetotal +scouts I ever met. + +Not wishing to have a game of "whiskey _solitaire_," I invited General +Carr to sample the bottle with me. We soon found a secluded spot, and +dismounting, we thought we were going to have a nice little drink all by +ourselves, when who should ride up but Mr. Lathrop, the Reporter of the +Associated Press of the Pacific slope--to whom we had given the name of +the "Death Rattler,"--and who was also known in San Francisco as "the man +with the iron jaw," he having, with the true nose of a Reporter, smelt +the whiskey from afar off, and had come to "interview" it. He was a good +fellow withal, and we were glad to have him join us. + +Now to resume: For two or three days we pushed on, but we did not seem to +gain much on the Indians, as they were evidently making about the same +marches that we were. On the fourth or fifth morning of our pursuit, I +rode ahead of the command about ten miles, and mounting a hill I scanned +the country far and wide with my field glass, and discovered an immense +column of dust rising about ten miles further down the creek, and soon I +noticed a body of men marching towards me, that at first I believed to be +the Indians of whom we were in pursuit; but subsequently they proved to +be General Terry's command. I sent back word to that effect to General +Crook, by a scout who had accompanied me, but after he had departed I +observed a band of Indians on the opposite side of the creek, and also +another party directly in front of me. This led me to believe that I had +made a mistake. + +But shortly afterwards my attention was attracted by the appearance of a +body of soldiers, who were forming into a skirmish line, and then I +became convinced that it was General Terry's command after all, and that +the red-skins whom I had seen were some of his friendly Indian scouts, +who had mistaken me for a Sioux, and fled back to their command terribly +excited, shouting, "The Sioux are coming!" + +General Terry at once came to the post, and ordered the Seventh +Cavalry to form line of battle across the Rosebud; he also ordered up +his artillery and had them prepare for action, doubtless dreading +another "Custer massacre." I afterwards learned the Indians had seen +the dust raised by General Crook's forces, and had reported that the +Sioux were coming. + +These manoeuvres I witnessed from my position with considerable +amusement, thinking the command must be badly demoralized, when one man +could cause a whole army to form line of battle and prepare for action. +Having enjoyed the situation to my heart's content, I galloped down +towards the skirmish line, waving my hat and when within about one +hundred yards of the troops, Colonel Weir, of the Seventh Cavalry, +galloped out and met me. He recognized me at once, and accompanied me +inside the line; then he sang out, "Boys, here's Buffalo Bill. Some of +you old soldiers know him; give him a cheer!" Thereupon the regiment gave +three rousing cheers, and it was followed up all along the line. + +Colonel Weir presented me to General Terry, and in answer to his +questions I informed him that the alarm of Indians which had been given +was a false one, as the dust seen by his scouts was caused by General +Crook's troops. General Terry thereupon rode forward to meet General +Crook, and I accompanied him at his request. That night both commands +went into camp on the Rosebud. General Terry had his wagon train with +him, and everything to make life comfortable on an Indian campaign. He +had large wall tents and portable beds to sleep in, and large hospital +tents for dining-rooms. His camp looked very comfortable and attractive, +and presented a great contrast to that of General Crook, who had for his +headquarters only one small fly tent; and whose cooking utensils +consisted of a quart cup--in which he made his coffee himself--and a +stick, upon which he broiled his bacon. When I compared the two camps, I +came to the conclusion that General Crook was an Indian fighter; for it +was evident that he had learned that, to follow and fight Indians, a body +of men must travel lightly and not be detained by a wagon train or heavy +luggage of any kind. + +That evening General Terry ordered General Miles to take his regiment, +the Fifth Infantry, and return by a forced march to the Yellowstone, +and proceed down that river by steamboat to the mouth of Powder river, +to intercept the Indians, in case they attempted to cross the +Yellowstone. General Mills made a forced march that night of +thirty-five miles, which was splendid traveling for an infantry +regiment through a mountainous country. + +Generals Crook and Terry spent that evening and the next day in council, +and on the following morning both commands moved out on the Indian trail. +Although General Terry was the senior officer, he did not assume command +of both expeditions, but left General Crook in command of his own troops, +although they operated together. We crossed the Tongue river to Powder +river, and proceeded down the latter stream to a point twenty miles from +its junction with the Yellowstone, where the Indian trail turned to the +southeast in the direction of the Black Hills. The two commands now +being nearly out of supplies, the trail was abandoned, and the troops +kept on down Powder river to its confluence with the Yellowstone, and +remained there several days. Here we met General Mills, who reported that +no Indians had as yet crossed the Yellowstone. Several steamboats soon +arrived with a large quantity of supplies, and once more the "Boys in +Blue" were made happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +DANGEROUS WORK. + + +One evening while we were in camp on the Yellowstone at the mouth of +Powder river, I was informed that the commanding officers had selected +Louis Richard, a half breed, and myself to accompany General Mills on a +scouting expedition on the steamer Far West, down the Yellowstone as far +as Glendive Creek. We were to ride on the pilot house and keep a sharp +lookout on both sides of the river for Indian trails that might have +crossed the stream. The idea of scouting on a steamboat was indeed a +novel one to me, and I anticipated a pleasant trip. + +At daylight next morning we reported on board the steamer to General +Mills, who had with him four or five companies of his regiment. We were +somewhat surprised when he asked us where our horses were, as we had not +supposed that horses would be needed if the scouting was to be done on +the steamer. He said we might need them before we got back, and thereupon +we had the animals brought on board. In a few minutes we were booming +down the river, at the rate of about twenty miles an hour. + +The steamer Far West was commanded by Captain Grant Marsh, whom I found +to be a "brick." I had often heard of him, for he was and is yet one of +the best known river captains in the country. He it was who, with his +steamer the Far West, transported the wounded men from the battle of the +Little Big Horn to Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Missouri river, and on +that trip he made the fastest steamboat time on record. He was a skillful +and experienced pilot, handling his boat with remarkable dexterity. + +While Richard and myself were at our stations on the pilot house, the +steamer with a full head of steam went flying past islands, around bends, +over sand bars, at a rate that was exhilarating. Presently I thought I +could see horses grazing in a distant bend of the river and I reported +the fact to General Mills, who asked Captain Marsh if he could land the +boat near a large tree which he pointed out to him. + +[Illustration: SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT.] + +"Yes, sir; I can land her there, and make her climb the tree if +necessary," said he. + +On reaching the spot designated, General Mills ordered two companies +ashore, while Richard and myself were ordered to take our horses off +the boat and push out as rapidly as possible to see if there were +Indians in the vicinity. While we were getting ashore, Captain Marsh +remarked that if there was only a good heavy dew on the grass he would +shoot the steamer ashore and take us on the scout without the trouble +of leaving the boat. + +It was a false alarm, however, as the objects we had seen proved to be +Indian graves. Quite a large number of braves who had probably been +killed in some battle, had been buried on scaffolds, according to the +Indian custom, and some of their clothing had been torn loose from the +bodies by the wolves and was waving in the air. + +On arriving at Glendive Creek we found that Colonel Rice and his company +of the Fifth Infantry, who had been sent there by General Mills, had +built quite a good little fort with their trowel-bayonets--a weapon +which Colonel Rice was the inventor of, and which is, by the way, a very +useful implement of war, as it can be used for a shovel in throwing up +intrenchments and can be profitably utilized in several other ways. On +the day previous to our arrival, Colonel Rice had a fight with a party of +Indians, and had killed two or three of them at long range with his +Rodman cannon. + +The Far West was to remain at Glendive over night, and General Mills +wished to send dispatches back to General Terry at once. At his request I +took the dispatches and rode seventy-five miles that night through the +bad lands of the Yellowstone, and reached General Terry's camp next +morning, after having nearly broken my neck a dozen times or more. + +There being but little prospect of any more fighting, I determined to go +East as soon as possible to organize a new "Dramatic Combination," and +have a new drama written for me, based upon the Sioux war. This I knew +would be a paying investment as the Sioux campaign had excited +considerable interest. So I started down the river on the steamer +Yellowstone _en route_ to Fort Beauford. On the same morning Generals +Terry and Crook pulled out for Powder river, to take up the old Indian +trail which we had recently left. + +The steamer had proceeded down the stream about twenty miles when it was +met by another boat on its way up the river, having on board General +Whistler and some fresh troops for General Terry's command. Both boats +landed, and almost the first person I met was my old friend and partner, +Texas Jack, who had been sent out as a dispatch carrier for the _New +York Herald_. + +General Whistler, upon learning that General Terry had left the +Yellowstone, asked me to carry to him some important dispatches from +General Sheridan, and although I objected, he insisted upon my performing +this duty, saying that it would only detain me a few hours longer; as an +extra inducement he offered me the use of his own thorough-bred horse, +which was on the boat. I finally consented to go, and was soon speeding +over the rough and hilly country towards Powder river; and I delivered +the dispatches to General Terry that same evening. General Whistler's +horse, although a good animal, was not used to such hard riding, and was +far more exhausted by the journey than I was. + +After I had taken a lunch, General Terry asked me if I would carry some +dispatches back to General Whistler, and I replied that I would. Captain +Smith, General Terry's aid-de-camp, offered me his horse for the trip, +and it proved to be an excellent animal; for I rode him that same night +forty miles over the bad lands in four hours, and reached General +Whistler's steamboat at one o'clock. During my absence the Indians had +made their appearance on the different hills in the vicinity, and the +troops from the boat had had several skirmishes with them. When General +Whistler had finished reading the dispatches, he said: + +"Cody, I want to send information to General Terry concerning the Indians +who have been skirmishing around here all day. I have been trying all the +evening long to induce some one to carry my dispatches to him, but no one +seems willing to undertake the trip, and I have got to fall back on you. +It is asking a great deal, I know, as you have just ridden eighty miles; +but it is a case of necessity, and if you'll go, Cody, I'll see that you +are well paid for it." + +"Never mind about the pay," said I, "but get your dispatches ready, and +I'll start at once." + +In a few minutes he handed me the package, and mounting the same horse +which I had ridden from General Terry's camp, I struck out for my +destination. It was two o'clock in the morning when I left the boat, and +at eight o'clock I rode into General Terry's camp, just as he was about +to march--having made one hundred and twenty miles in twenty-two hours. + +General Terry, after reading the dispatches, halted his command, and then +rode on and overtook General Crook, with whom he held a council; the +result was that Crook's command moved on in the direction which they had +been pursuing, while Terry's forces marched back to the Yellowstone and +crossed the river on steamboats. At the urgent request of General Terry I +accompanied the command on a scout in the direction of the Dry Fork of +the Missouri, where it was expected we would strike some Indians. + +The first march out from the Yellowstone was made in the night, as we +wished to get into the hills without being discovered by the Sioux +scouts. After marching three days, a little to the east of north, we +reached the buffalo range, and discovered fresh signs of Indians, who had +evidently been killing buffaloes. General Terry now called on me to carry +dispatches to Colonel Rice, who was still camped at the mouth of Glendive +Creek, on the Yellowstone--distant about eighty miles from us. + +Night had set in with a storm, and a drizzling rain was falling when, at +ten o'clock, I started on this ride through a section of country with +which I was entirely unacquainted. I traveled through the darkness a +distance of about thirty-five miles, and at daylight I rode into a +secluded spot at the head of a ravine where stood a bunch of ash trees, +and there I concluded to remain till night; for I considered it a +dangerous undertaking to cross the wide prairies in broad +daylight--especially as my horse was a poor one. + +[Illustration: CLOSE QUARTERS] + +I accordingly unsaddled my animal, and ate a hearty breakfast of bacon +and hard tack which I had stored in the saddle-pockets; then, after +taking a smoke, I lay down to sleep, with my saddle for a pillow. In a +few minutes I was in the land of dreams. + +After sleeping some time--I can't tell how long--I was suddenly awakened +by a roaring, rumbling sound. I instantly seized my gun, sprang to my +horse, and hurriedly secreted him in the brush. Then I climbed up the +steep side of the bank and cautiously looked over the summit; in the +distance I saw a large herd of buffaloes which were being chased and +fired at by twenty or thirty Indians. Occasionally a buffalo would drop +out of the herd, but the Indians kept on until they had killed ten or +fifteen. They then turned back, and began to cut up their game. + +I saddled my horse and tied him to a small tree where I could reach him +conveniently in case the Indians should discover me by finding my trail +and following it. I then crawled carefully back to the summit of the +bluff, and in a concealed position watched the Indians for two hours, +during which time they were occupied in cutting up the buffaloes and +packing the meat on their ponies. When they had finished this work they +rode off in the direction whence they had come and on the line which I +had proposed to travel. It appeared evident to me that their camp was +located somewhere between me and Glendive Creek, but I had no idea of +abandoning the trip on that account. + +I waited till nightfall before resuming my journey, and then I bore off +to the east for several miles, and by making a semi-circle to avoid the +Indians, I got back on my original course, and then pushed on rapidly to +Colonel Rice's camp, which I reached just at daylight. + +Colonel Rice had been fighting Indians almost every day since he had been +encamped at this point, and he was very anxious to notify General Terry +of the fact. Of course I was requested to carry his dispatches. After +remaining at Glendive a single day I started back to find General Terry, +and on the third day out I overhauled him at the head of Deer Creek while +on his way to Colonel Rice's camp. He was not, however, going in the +right direction, but bearing too far to the east, and I so informed him. +He then asked me to guide the command and I did so. + +On arriving at Glendive I bade good-bye to the General and his officers +and took passage on the steamer Far West, which was on her way down the +Missouri. At Bismarck I left the steamer, and proceeded by rail to +Rochester, New York, where I met my family. + +Mr. J. Clinton Hall, manager of the Rochester Opera House, was very +anxious to have me play an engagement at his theatre. I agreed to open +the season with him as soon as I had got my drama written; and I did so, +meeting with an enthusiastic reception. + +My new drama was arranged for the stage by J.V. Arlington, the actor. It +was a five-act play, without head or tail, and it made no difference at +which act we commenced the performance. Before we had finished the season +several newspaper critics, I have been told, went crazy in trying to +follow the plot. It afforded us, however, ample opportunity to give a +noisy, rattling, gunpowder entertainment, and to present a succession of +scenes in the late Indian war, all of which seemed to give general +satisfaction. + +From Rochester I went to New York and played a very successful +engagement at the Grand Opera House under the management of Messrs. +Poole and Donnelly. Thence my route took me to all the principal cities +in the Eastern, Western and Middle States, and I everywhere met with +crowded houses. I then went to the Pacific Coast, against the advice of +friends who gave it as their opinion that my style of plays would not +take very well in California. I opened for an engagement of two weeks at +the Bush Street Theatre, in San Francisco, at a season when the +theatrical business was dull, and Ben DeBar and the Lingards were +playing there to empty seats. I expected to play to a slim audience on +the opening night, but instead of that I had a fourteen hundred dollar +house. Such was my success that I continued my engagement for five +weeks, and the theatre was crowded at every performance. Upon leaving +San Francisco I made a circuit of the interior towns and closed the +season at Virginia City, Nevada. + +On my way East, I met my family at Denver, where they were visiting my +sisters Nellie and May who were then residing there. + +Some time previously I had made arrangements to go into the cattle +business in company with my old friend, Major Frank North, and while I +was in California he had built our ranches on the South Fork of the +Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, in Nebraska. +Proceeding to Ogalalla, the headquarters of the Texas cattle drovers, I +found Major North there awaiting me, and together we bought, branded and +drove to our ranches, our first installment of cattle. This occupied us +during the remainder of the summer. + +Leaving the cattle in charge of Major North, I visited Red Cloud Agency +early in the fall, and secured some Sioux Indians to accompany me on my +theatrical tour of 1877-78. Taking my family and the Indians with me, I +went directly to Rochester. There I left my oldest daughter, Arta, at a +young ladies' seminary, while my wife and youngest child traveled with me +during the season. + +I opened at the Bowery Theatre, New York, September 3d, 1877, with a new +Border Drama entitled, "May Cody, or Lost and Won," from the pen of Major +A.S. Burt, of the United States army. It was founded on the incidents of +the "Mountain Meadow Massacre," and life among the Mormons. It was the +best drama I had yet produced, and proved a grand success both +financially and artistically. The season of 1877-78 proved to be the most +profitable one I had ever had. + +In February, 1878, my wife became tired of traveling, and proceeded to +North Platte, Nebraska, where, on our farm adjoining the town, she +personally superintended the erection of a comfortable family +residence, and had it all completed when I reached there, early in May. +In this house we are now living, and we hope to make it our home for +many years to come. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +After my arrival at North Platte, I found that the ranchmen or +cattle-men, had organized a regular annual "round-up," to take place in +the spring of the year. + +The word "round-up" is derived from the fact that during the winter +months the cattle become scattered over a vast tract of land, and the +ranchmen assemble together in the spring to sort out and each secure his +own stock. They form a large circle, often of a circumference of two +hundred miles, and drive the cattle towards a common centre, where, all +the stock being branded, each owner can readily separate his own from the +general herd, and then he drives them to his own ranch. + +In this cattle driving business is exhibited some most magnificent +horsemanship, for the "cow-boys," as they are called, are invariably +skillful and fearless horsemen--in fact only a most expert rider could be +a cow-boy, as it requires the greatest dexterity and daring in the saddle +to cut a wild steer out of the herd. + +Major North was awaiting me, upon my arrival at North Platte, having with +him our own horses and men. Other cattle owners, such as Keith and +Barton, Coe and Carter, Jack Pratt, the Walker Brothers, Guy and Sim +Lang, Arnold and Ritchie and a great many others with their outfits, were +assembled and were ready to start on the round-up. + +My old friend Dave Perry, who had presented Buckskin Joe to me, and who +resided at North Platte, was most anxious to go with us for pleasure, and +Frank North told him he could, and have plenty of fun, provided he would +furnish his own horses, provisions and bedding, and do the usual work +required of a cow-boy. This, Dave was willing to undertake. We found him +to be a good fellow in camp, and excellent company. + +As there is nothing but hard work on these round-ups, having to be in the +saddle all day, and standing guard over the cattle at night, rain or +shine, I could not possibly find out where the fun came in, that North +had promised me. But it was an exciting life, and the days sped rapidly +by; in six weeks we found ourselves at our own ranch on Dismal river, the +round-up having proved a great success, as we had found all our cattle +and driven them home. + +This work being over, I proposed to spend a few weeks with my family at +North Platte, for the purpose of making their better acquaintance, for my +long and continued absence from home made me a comparative stranger under +my own roof-tree. One great source of pleasure to me was that my wife was +delighted with the home I had given her amid the prairies of the far +west. Soon after my arrival, my sisters Nellie and May, came to make us a +visit, and a delightful time we all had during their stay. When they left +us, I accompanied them to their home in Denver, Colorado, where I passed +several days visiting old friends and scenes. + +Returning to Ogallala I purchased from Bill Phant, an extensive cattle +drover from Texas, a herd of cattle, which I drove to my ranch on the +Dismal river, after which I bade my partner and the boys good-bye, and +started for the Indian Territory to procure Indians for my Dramatic +Combination for the season of 1878-79. + +_En route_ to the Territory, I paid a long promised visit to my sisters, +Julia--Mrs. J.A. Goodman--and Eliza--Mrs. George M. Myers--who reside in +Kansas, the state which the reader will remember was my boyhood home. + +Having secured my Indian actors, and along with them Mr. O. A. Burgess, a +government interpreter, and Ed. A. Burgess, known as the "Boy Chief of +the Pawnees," I started for Baltimore, where I organized my combination, +and which was the largest troupe I had yet had on the road; opening in +that city at the Opera House, under the management of Hon. John T. Ford, +and then started on a southern tour, playing in Washington, Richmond and +as far south as Savannah, Georgia, where we were brought to a sudden +halt, owing to the yellow fever which was then cruelly raging in the +beautiful cities of the "Land of the cotton and the cane." + +[Illustration: ONE OF THE TROUPE.] + +While playing in Washington, I suddenly learned from a +reporter--Washington newspaper men know everything--that my Indians were +to be seized by the Government and sent back to their agency. Finding +that there was foundation for the rumor, I at once sought General Carl +Shurz, Secretary of the Interior, and asked him if he intended depriving +me of my Indian actors. He said that he did, as the Indians were away +from their reservation without leave. I answered that I had had Indians +with me the year before and nothing had been said about it; but +Commissioner Haight replied that the Indians were the "wards of the +government," and were not allowed off of their reservation. + +I told the Commissioner that the Indians were frequently off of their +reservations out west, as I had a distinct remembrance of meeting them +upon several occasions "on the war path," and furthermore I thought I was +benefitting the Indians as well as the government, by taking them all +over the United States, and giving them a correct idea of the customs, +life, etc., of the pale faces, so that when they returned to their people +they could make known all they had seen. + +After a conversation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Commissioner +concluded to allow me to retain the Indians, by appointing me Indian +Agent, provided I would give the necessary bonds, and pledge myself to +return them in safety to their agency--which terms I agreed to. + +From Savannah, Georgia, having changed my route on account of the yellow +fever, I jumped my entire company to Philadelphia, and at once continued +on a north-eastern tour, having arranged with the well-known author and +dramatist, Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, to write a play for me. + +The drama entitled "The Knight of the Plains, or Buffalo Bill's Best +Trail," was first produced at New Haven, Conn.; it has proved a great +success, and I expect to play it in England, where I purpose to go next +season on a theatrical tour, having been urged to do so by my many +friends abroad. + +After a successful tour of six weeks on the Pacific Slope, thus ending +the season of 1878-79, I am at my home at North Platte, Nebraska, for the +summer; and thus ends the account of my career as far as it has gone. + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life of Hon. William F. Cody +by William F. Cody + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY *** + +***** This file should be named 10030-8.txt or 10030-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/0/3/10030/ + +Produced by Papeters, Mary Meehan, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/10030-8.zip b/old/10030-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6167363 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10030-8.zip diff --git a/old/10030.txt b/old/10030.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8daf5a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10030.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10790 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, by William F. Cody + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Life of Hon. William F. Cody + Known as Buffalo Bill The Famous Hunter, Scout and Guide + +Author: William F. Cody + +Release Date: November 10, 2003 [EBook #10030] +[Date last updated: July 5, 2006] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY *** + + + + +Produced by Papeters, Mary Meehan, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY + + KNOWN AS BUFFALO BILL + + THE FAMOUS HUNTER, SCOUT AND GUIDE. + + _AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY_. + + 1879 + + + + +To GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN, THIS BOOK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED +BY THE AUTHOR. + +[Illustration: Yours Sincerely, W. F. Cody] + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +The life and adventures of Hon. William F. Cody--Buffalo Bill--as told +by himself, make up a narrative which reads more like romance than +reality, and which in many respects will prove a valuable contribution +to the records of our Western frontier history. While no literary +excellence is claimed for the narrative, it has the greater merit of +being truthful, and is verified in such a manner that no one can doubt +its veracity. The frequent reference to such military men as Generals +Sheridan, Carr, Merritt, Crook, Terry, Colonel Royal, and other officers +under whom Mr. Cody served as scout and guide at different times and in +various sections of the frontier, during the numerous Indian campaigns +of the last ten or twelve years, affords ample proof of his +genuineness as a thoroughbred scout. + +There is no humbug or braggadocio about Buffalo Bill. He is known far and +wide, and his reputation has been earned honestly and by hard work. By a +combination of circumstances he was educated to the life of a plainsman +from his youth up; and not the least interesting portion of his career is +that of his early life, passed as it was in Kansas during the eventful +and troubleous times connected with the settlement of that state. +Spending much time in the saddle, while a mere boy he crossed the plains +many times in company with bull-trains; on some of these trips he met +with thrilling adventures and had several hairbreadth escapes from death +at the hands of Indians. Then, for a while, he was dashing over the +plains as a pony-express rider. Soon afterwards, mounted on the high seat +of an overland stagecoach, he was driving a six-in-hand team. We next +hear of him cracking the bull-whacker's whip, and commanding a +wagon-train through a wild and dangerous country to the far West. During +the civil war he enlisted as a private, and became a scout with the Union +army; since the war he has been employed as hunter, trapper, guide, scout +and actor. As a buffalo hunter he has no superior; as a trailer of +Indians he has no equal. For many years he has taken an active part in +all the principal Indian campaigns on the Western frontier, and as a +scout and guide he has rendered inestimable services to the various +expeditions which he accompanied. + +During his life on the plains he not only had many exciting adventures +himself, but he became associated with many of the other noted plainsmen, +and in his narrative he frequently refers to them and relates many +interesting incidents and thrilling events connected with them. He has +had a fertile field from which to produce this volume, and has frequently +found it necessary to condense the facts in order to embody the most +interesting events of his life. The following from a letter written by +General E. A. Carr, of the Fifth Cavalry, now commanding Fort McPherson, +speaks for itself: + + * * * * * + +"I first met Mr. Cody, October 22d, 1868, at Buffalo Station, on the +Kansas Pacific railroad, in Kansas. He was scout and guide for the seven +companies of the Fifth Cavalry, then under Colonel Royal, and of which I +was ordered to take the command. + +"From his services with my command, steadily in the field for nine +months, from October, 1868, to July, 1869, and at subsequent times, I am +qualified to bear testimony to his qualities and character. + +"He was very modest and unassuming. I did not know for a long time how +good a title he had to the appellation, 'Buffalo Bill.' I am apt to +discount the claims of scouts, as they will occasionally exaggerate; and +when I found one who said nothing about himself, I did not think much of +him, till I had proved him. He is a natural gentleman in his manners as +well as in character, and has none of the roughness of the typical +frontiersman. He can take his own part when required, but I have never +heard of his using a knife or a pistol, or engaging in a quarrel where it +could be avoided. His personal strength and activity are such that he can +hardly meet a man whom he cannot handle, and his temper and disposition +are so good that no one has reason to quarrel with him. + +"His eye-sight is better than a good field glass; he is the best trailer +I ever heard of; and also the best judge of the 'lay of country,'--that +is, he is able to tell what kind of country is ahead, so as to know how +to act. He is a perfect judge of distance, and always ready to tell +correctly how many miles it is to water, or to any place, or how many +miles have been marched. + +"Mr. Cody seemed never to tire and was always ready to go, in the darkest +night or the worst weather, and usually volunteered, knowing what the +emergency required. His trailing, when following Indians or looking for +stray animals or game, is simply wonderful. He is a most extraordinary +hunter. I could not believe that a man could be certain to shoot antelope +running till I had seen him do it so often. + +"In a fight Mr. Cody is never noisy, obstreperous or excited. In fact, I +never hardly noticed him in a fight, unless I happened to want him, or he +had something to report, when he was always in the right place, and his +information was always valuable and reliable. + +"During the winter of 1868, we encountered hardships and exposure in +terrific snow storms, sleet, etc., etc. On one occasion, that winter, Mr. +Cody showed his quality by quietly offering to go with some dispatches to +General Sheridan, across a dangerous region, where another principal +scout was reluctant to risk himself. + +"On the 13th of May, 1869, he was in the fight at Elephant Rock, Kansas, +and trailed the Indians till the 16th, when we got another fight out of +them on Spring Creek, in Nebraska, and scattered them after following +them one hundred and fifty miles in three days. It was at Spring Creek +where Cody was ahead of the command about three miles, with the advance +guard of forty men, when two hundred Indians suddenly surrounded them. +Our men, dismounted and formed in a circle, holding their horses, firing +and slowly retreating. They all, to this day, speak of Cody's coolness +and bravery. This was the Dog Soldier band which captured Mrs. Alderdice +and Mrs. Weichel in Kansas. They strangled Mrs. Alderdice's baby, killed +Mrs. Weichel's husband, and took a great deal of property and stock from +different persons. We got on their trail again, June 28th, and followed +it nearly two hundred miles, till we struck the Indians on Sunday, July +11th, 1869, at Summit Spring. The Indians, as soon as they saw us coming, +killed Mrs. Alderdice with a hatchet, and shot Mrs. Weichel, but +fortunately not fatally, and she was saved. + +"Mr. Cody has since served with me as post guide and scout at Fort +McPherson, where he frequently distinguished himself. + +"In the summer of 1876, Cody went with me to the Black Hills region where +he killed Yellow-Hand. Afterwards he was with the Big Horn and +Yellowstone expedition. I consider that his services to the country and +the army by trailing, finding and fighting Indians, and thus protecting +the frontier settlers, and by guiding commands over the best and most +practicable routes, have been far beyond the compensation he has +received. His friends of the Fifth Cavalry are all glad that he is in a +lucrative business, and hope that he may live long and prosper. +Personally, I feel under obligations to him for assistance in my +campaigns which no other man could, or would, have rendered. Of course I +wish him, and his, every success." + +E. A. CARR, Lt. Col. 5th Cav., Brev. Maj. Gen'l U. S. Army. FORT +McPHERSON, NEBRASKA, July 3d, 1878 + + * * * * * + +Buffalo Bill is now an actor, and is meeting with success. He owns a +large and valuable farm adjoining the town of North Platte, Nebraska, and +there his family live in ease and comfort. He has also an extensive +cattle ranch on the Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, +his partner being Major Frank North, the old commander of the celebrated +Pawnee scouts. While many events of his career are known to the public, +yet the reader will find in this narrative much that will be entirely new +and intensely interesting to both young and old. + +THE PUBLISHER. + + + + +Illustrations. + + +THE AUTHOR, PORTRAIT, ON STEEL + +YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES + +SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT + +BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO + +BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY + +EXCITING SPORT + +STAKING OUT LOTS + +MY FATHER STABBED + +MY FATHER'S ESCAPE + +LIFE OR DEATH + +BOYISH SPORT + +TWO TO ONE + +KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN + +A PRAIRIE SCHOONER + +WILD BILL (PORTRAIT) + +HOLDING THE FORT + +CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE + +RAFTING OS THE PLATTE + +RIDING PONY EXPRESS + +SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN IN-THE-FACE + +CHANGING HORSES + +ATTACK ON STAGE COACH + +ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER + +THE HORSE THIEVES DEN + +MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES + +BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH HIDE + +"NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES" + +WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS + +WILD BILL'S DUEL + +GENERAL GEO. A. CUSTER (Portrait) + +DEPARTING RICHES + +TONGUES AND TENDERLOINS + +THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES + +THE MAN WHO FIRED THE GUN + +BUFFALO BILL + +"DOWN WENT HIS HORSE" + +THE FIRE SIGNAL + +KIT CARSON (Portrait) + +A GOOD HORSE + +A BIG JOKE + +AMBUSHING THE INDIANS + +WHOA THERE! + +DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO GENERAL SHERIDAN + +THE TWO TRAMPS + +CARRYING DISPATCHES + +GEN'L PHIL. SHERIDAN (PORTRAIT) + +BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE + +BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP + +"INDIANS!" + +GENERAL E. A. CARR (PORTRAIT) + +A CRACK SHOT + +A HARD CROWD + +CAMPING IN THE SNOW + +A WELCOME VISITOR + +ANTELOPES + +THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS + +ROBBING A STAGE COACH + +INDIAN VILLAGE + +THE KILLING OF TALL BULL + +AN OLD BONE + +A WEDDING CEREMONY + +A RIDE FOR LIFE + +PRAIRIE DOG VILLAGE + +McCARTHY'S FRIGHT + +FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY + +SPOTTED TAIL (PORTRAIT) + +GRAND DUKE ALEXIS (PORTRAIT) + +INDIAN EXERCISES + +TWO-LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO + +AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION? + +TEXAS JACK (PORTRAIT) + +RIFLES + +STUDYING THE PARTS + +BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS + +LEARNING THE GAME + +GETTING SATISFACTION + +A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND + +SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT + +CLOSE QUARTERS + +ONE OF THE TROUPE + + + + +Contents + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHILDHOOD. + +Early Days in Iowa--A Brother's Death--The Family Move to a New +Country--Incidents on the Road--The Horse Race--Our "Little Gray" +Victorious--A Pleasant Acquaintance--Uncle Elijah Cody--Our New +Home--My Ponies. + +CHAPTER II. + +EARLY INFLUENCES. + +Dress Parade at Fort Leavenworth--The Beautiful Salt Creek Valley--The +Mormon Emigrants--The Wagon Trains--The Cholera--A Lively Scene--My First +Sight of Indians--"Dolly" and "Prince"--A Long-Lost Relative Turns +up--Adventurous Career of Horace Billings--His Splendid +Horsemanship--Catching Wild Horses. + +CHAPTER III. + +BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. + +My Indian Acquaintances--An Indian Barbecue--Beginning of the Kansas +Troubles--An Indiscreet Speech by my Father, who is Stabbed for his +Boldness--Persecutions at the Hands of the Missourians--A Strategic +Escape--A Battle at Hickory Point--A Plan to Kill Father is Defeated by +Myself--He is Elected to the Lecompton Legislature--I Enter the Employ of +William Russell--Herding Cattle--A Plot to Blow Up our House--A Drunken +Missourian on the War-Path. + +CHAPTER IV. + +YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. + +At School--My First Love Scrape--I Punish my Rival, and then Run Away--My +First Trip Across the Plains--Steve Gobel and I are Friends once +more--Death of my Father--I Start for Salt Lake--Our Wagon Train +Surprised by Indians, who Drive us off, and Capture our Outfit--I Kill my +First Indian--Our Return to Leavenworth--I am Interviewed by a Newspaper +Reporter, who gives me a Good "Send-Off." + +CHAPTER V. + +IN BUSINESS. + +My Second Trip Across the Plains--The Salt Lake Trail--Wild Bill--He +Protects me from the Assault of a Bully--A Buffalo Hunt--Our Wagon Train +Stampeded by Buffaloes--We are Taken Prisoners by the Mormons--We Proceed +to Fort Bridger. + +CHAPTER VI. + +HARD TIMES. + +A Dreary Winter At Fort Bridger--Short Rations--Mule Steaks--Homeward +Bound in the Spring--A Square Meal--Corraled by Indians--A Mule +Barricade--We Hold the Fort--Home Again--Off for the West--Trapping on +the Chugwater And Laramie Rivers--We go to Sleep In a Human Grave--A +Horrifying Discovery--A Jollification at Oak Grove Ranch--Home Once +More--I go to School--The Pike's Peak Gold Excitement--Down the Platte +River on a Raft--I Become a Pony Express Rider. + +CHAPTER VII. + +ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. + +Trapping on Prairie Dog Creek--An Accident whereby we Lose one of our +Oxen--I Fall and Break my Leg--Left Alone in Camp--Unwelcome Visitors--A +Party of Hostile Sioux Call upon me and Make Themselves at Home--Old +Rain-in-the-Face Saves my Life--Snow-Bound-A Dreary Imprisonment--Return +of my Partner--A Joyful Meeting--We Pull Out for Home--Harrington Dies. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. + +Introduction to Alf. Slade--He Employs me as a Pony Express Rider--I Make +a Long Ride--Indians Attack an Overland Stage Coach--Wild Bill Leads a +Successful Expedition against the Indians--A Grand Jollification at +Sweetwater Bridge--Slade Kills a Stage Driver--The End of the Spree--A +Bear Hunt--I fall among Horse Thieves--My Escape--I Guide a Party to +Capture the Gang. + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAST DRIVING. + +Bob Scott, the Stage Driver--The Story of the Most Reckless Piece of +Stage Driving that ever Occurred on the Overland Road. + +CHAPTER X. + +QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. + +The Civil War--Jayhawking--Wild Bill's Fight with the McCandless Gang of +Desperadoes--I become Wild Bill's Assistant Wagon-Master--We Lose our +Last Dollar on a Horse Race--He becomes a Government Scout--He has a Duel +at Springfield. + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SOLDIER. + +Scouting against the Indians in the Kiowa and Comanche country--The +Red-Legged Scouts--A Trip to Denver--Death of my Mother--I Awake one +Morning to Find myself a Soldier--I am put on Detached Service as a +Scout--The Chase after Price--An Unexpected Meeting with Wild Bill--An +Unpleasant Situation--Wild Bill's Escape from the Southern Lines--The +Charge upon Price's Army--We return to Springfield. + +CHAPTER XII. + +A WEDDING. + +I Fall in Love--A Successful Courting Expedition--I am Married--The +Happiest Event of my Life--Our Trip up the Missouri River--The +Bushwhackers Come after me--I become Landlord of a Hotel--Off for the +Plains once more--Scouting on the Frontier for the Government--A Ride +with General Custer--An Expedition from Fort Hays has a Lively Chase +after Indians--Cholera in Camp. + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A MILLIONAIRE. + +A Town Lot Speculation--"A Big Thing"--I become Half-Owner of a +City--Corner Lots Reserved--Rome's Rapid Rise--We consider ourselves +Millionaires--Dr. Webb--Hays City--We Regard ourselves as Paupers--A Race +with Indians--Captain Graham's Scout after the Indians. + +CHAPTER XIV. + +EARNING A TITLE. + +Hunting for the Kansas Pacific--How I got my Name of "Buffalo Bill"--The +Indians give me a Lively Chase--They get a Dose of their own +Medicine--Another Adventure--Scotty and myself Corraled by Indians--A +Fire Signal brings Assistance--Kit Carson. + +CHAPTER XV. + +CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. + +A Buffalo Killing Match with Billy Comstock--An Excursion party from St. +Louis come out to Witness the Sport--I win the Match, and am declared the +Champion Buffalo Killer of the Plains. + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A COURIER. + +Scouting--Captured by Indians--A Strategic Escape--A Hot Pursuit--The +Indians led into an Ambush--Old Satanta's Tricks and Threats--Excitement +at Fort Larned--Herders and Wood-Choppers Killed by the Indians--A +Perilous Ride--I get into the wrong Pew--Safe, arrival at Fort +Hays--Interview with General Sheridan--My ride to Fort Dodge--I return +to Fort Larned--My Mule gets away from me--A long Walk--The Mule Passes +In his Chips. + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN APPOINTMENT. + +General Sheridan appoints me Guide and Chief of Scouts of the Fifth +Cavalry--The Dog Soldiers--General Forsyth's Fight on the Arickaree Fork. + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCOUTING. + +Arrival of the Fifth Cavalry at Fort Hays--Out on a Scout--A little +Skirmish with Indians--A Buffalo Hunt--A False Alarm in camp--A Scout on +the Beaver--The Supply Camp is Surprised--Arrival of General Carr--The +new Lieutenant and his Reception--Another Indian Hunt--An Engagement--A +Crack Shot--I have a little Indian fight of my own--Return to Fort +Wallace--While hunting Buffaloes with a small Party, we are Attacked by +Fifty Indians. + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A TOUGH TIME. + +A Winter's Campaign in the Canadian River Country--Searching for +Penrose's Command--A Heavy Snow-Storm--Taking the Wagon Train down a +Mountain Side--Camp Turkey--Darkey Deserters from Penrose's +Command--Starvation in Penrose's Camp--We reach the Command with +Timely Relief--Wild Bill--A Beer Jollification--Hunting +Antelopes--Return to Fort Lyon. + +CHAPTER XX. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + +A Difficulty with a Quartermaster's Agent--I give him a Severe +Pounding--Stormy Interview with General Bankhead and Captain Laufer--I +put another "Head" on the Quartermaster's Agent--I am Arrested--In the +Guard-House--General Bankhead Releases me--A Hunt after Horse +Thieves--Their Capture--Escape of Bevins--His Recapture--Escape of +Williams--Bevins Breaks Out of Jail--His Subsequent Career. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A MILITARY EXPEDITION. + +The Fifth Cavalry is Ordered to the Department of the Platte--Liquids +_vs._ Solids--A Skirmish with the Indians--Arrival at Fort +McPherson--Appointed Chief of Scouts--Major Frank North and the Pawnee +Scouts--Belden the White Chief--The Shooting Match--Review of the Pawnee +Scouts--An Expedition against the Indians--"Buckskin Joe." + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A DESPERATE FIGHT. + +Pawnees _vs_. Siouxs--We strike a Large Trail--The Print of a Woman's +Shoe--The Summit Springs Fight--A Successful Charge--Capture of the +Indian Village--Rescue of a White Woman--One hundred and forty Indians +Killed--I kill Tall Bull and Capture his Swift Steed--The Command +proceeds to Fort Sedgwick--Powder Face--A Scout after Indian +Horse-Thieves--"Ned Buntline"--"Tall Bull" as a Racer--Powder Face wins a +Race without a Rider--An Expedition to the Niobrara--An Indian Tradition. + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. + +I make my Home at Fort McPherson--Arrival of my Family--Hunting and Horse +Racing--An Indian Raid--Powder Face Stolen--A Lively Chase--An Expedition +to the Republican River Country--General Duncan--A Skirmish with the +Indians--A Stern Chase--An Addition to my Family--Kit Carson Cody--I am +made a Justice of the Peace--A Case of Replevin--I perform a Marriage +Ceremony--Professor Marsh's Fossil-Hunting Expedition. + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUNTING EXPEDITIONS. + +The Grand Hunt of General Sheridan, James Gordon Bennett, and other +Distinguished Gentlemen--From Fort McPherson to Fort Hays--Incidents of +the Trip--"Ten Days on the Plains"--General Carr's Hunting Expedition--A +Joke on McCarthy--A Search for the Remains of Buck's Surveying Party, who +had been Murdered by the Indians. + +CHAPTER XXV. + +HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. + +The Grand Duke Alexis Hunt--Selection of a Camp--I Visit Spotted +Tail's Camp--The Grand Duke and Party arrive at Camp Alexis--Spotted +Tail's Indians give a Dance--The Hunt--Alexis Kills his First +Buffalo--Champagne--The Duke Kills another Buffalo--More Champagne--End +of the Hunt--Departure of the Duke and his Party. + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGHT-SEEING. + +My Visit in the East--Reception in Chicago--Arrival in New York--I am +well Entertained by my old Hunting Friends--I View the Sights of the +Metropolis--Ned Buntline--The Play of "Buffalo Bill"--I am Called Upon to +make a Speech--A Visit to my Relatives--Return to the West. + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HONORS. + +Arrival of the Third Cavalry at Fort McPherson--A Scout after Indians--A +Desperate Fight with Thirteen Indians--A Hunt with the Earl of Dunraven--A +Hunt with a Chicago Party--Milligan's Bravery--Neville--I am Elected to +the Nebraska Legislature. + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN ACTOR. + +I resolve to go upon the Stage--I resign my Seat in the +Legislature--Texas Jack--"The Scouts of the Plains"--A Crowded House--A +Happy Thought--A Brilliant _Debut_--A Tour of the Country. + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +STARRING. + +The Theatrical Season of 1873-74--Wild Bill and his Tricks--He Leaves us +at Rochester--He becomes a "Star"--A Bogus "Wild Bill "--A Hunt with +Thomas P. Medley, an English gentleman--A Scout on the Powder River and +in the Big Horn Country--California Joe--Theatrical Tour of 1874 and +1875--Death of my son, Kit Carson Cody. + +CHAPTER XXX. + +A RETURN TO THE PLAINS. + +The Sioux Campaign of 1876--I am appointed Guide and Chief of Scouts of +the Fifth Cavalry--An Engagement with eight hundred Cheyennes--A Duel +with Yellow Hand--Generals Terry and Crook meet, and cooperate Together. + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +DANGEROUS WORK. + +Scouting on a Steamboat--Captain Grant Marsh--A Trip down the Yellowstone +River--Acting as Dispatch Carrier--I Return East and open my Theatrical +Season with a New Play--Immense Audiences--I go into the Cattle Business +in company with Major Prank North--My Home at North Platte. + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +CONCLUSION. + +A Cattle "Round-up"--A Visit to My Family in our New Home--A Visit from +my Sisters--I go to Denver--Buying more Cattle--Pawnee and Nez-Perces +Indians Engaged for a Theatrical Tour--The Season of 1878-79--An +experience in Washington--Home Once More. + + + + +THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHILDHOOD. + + +My _debut_ upon the world's stage occurred on February 26th, 1845. The +scene of this first important event in my adventurous career, being in +Scott county, in the State of Iowa. My parents, Isaac and Mary Ann Cody, +who were numbered among the pioneers of Iowa, gave to me the name of +William Frederick. I was the fourth child in the family. Martha and +Julia, my sisters, and Samuel my brother, had preceded me, and the +children who came after me were Eliza, Nellie, Mary, and Charles, born in +the order named. + +At the time of my birth the family resided on a farm which they called +"Napsinekee Place,"--an Indian name--and here the first six or seven +years of my childhood were spent. When I was about seven years old my +father moved the family to the little town of LeClair, located on the +bank of the Mississippi, fifteen miles above the city of Davenport. Even +at that early age my adventurous spirit led me into all sorts of mischief +and danger, and when I look back upon my childhood's days I often wonder +that I did not get drowned while swimming or sailing, or my neck broken +while I was stealing apples in the neighboring orchards. + +I well remember one day that I went sailing with two other boys; in a few +minutes we found ourselves in the middle of the Mississippi; becoming +frightened at the situation we lost our presence of mind, as well as our +oars. We at once set up a chorus of pitiful yells, when a man, who +fortunately heard us, came to our rescue with a canoe and towed us +ashore. We had stolen the boat, and our trouble did not end until we had +each received a merited whipping, which impressed the incident vividly +upon my mind. I recollect several occasions when I was nearly eaten up by +a large and savage dog, which acted as custodian of an orchard and also +of a melon patch, which I frequently visited. Once, as I was climbing +over the fence with a hatful of apples, this dog, which had started for +me, caught me by the seat of the pantaloons, and while I clung to the top +of the fence he literally tore them from my legs, but fortunately did not +touch my flesh. I got away with the apples, however, by tumbling over to +the opposite side of the fence with them. + +It was at LeClair that I acquired my first experience as an equestrian. +Somehow or other I had managed to corner a horse near a fence, and had +climbed upon his back. The next moment the horse got his back up and +hoisted me into the air, I fell violently to the ground, striking upon my +side in such a way as to severely wrench and strain my arm, from the +effects of which I did not recover for some time. I abandoned the art of +horsemanship for a while, and was induced after considerable persuasion +to turn my attention to letters--my A, B, C's--which were taught me at +the village school. + +My father at this time was running a stage line, between Chicago and +Davenport, no railroads then having been built west of Chicago. In 1849 +he got the California fever and made up his mind to cross the great +plains--which were then and for years afterwards called the American +Desert--to the Pacific coast. He got ready a complete outfit and started +with quite a party. After proceeding a few miles, all but my father, and +greatly to his disappointment, changed their minds for some reason and +abandoned the enterprise. They all returned home, and soon afterwards +father moved his family out to Walnut Grove Farm, in Scott county. + +[Illustration: YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES.] + +While living there I was sent to school, more for the purpose of being +kept out of mischief than to learn anything. Much of my time was spent in +trapping quails, which were very plentiful. I greatly enjoyed studying +the habits of the little birds, and in devising traps to take them in. I +was most successful with the common figure "4" trap which I could build +myself. Thus I think it was that I acquired my love for hunting. I +visited the quail traps twice a day, morning and evening, and as I had +now become quite a good rider I was allowed to have one of the farm +horses to carry me over my route. Many a jolly ride I had and many a +boyish prank was perpetrated after getting well away from and out of the +sight of home with the horse. + +There was one event which occurred in my childhood, which I cannot recall +without a feeling of sadness. It was the death of my brother Samuel, who +was accidentally killed in his twelfth year. + +My father at the time, being considerable of a politician as well as a +farmer, was attending a political convention; for he was well known in +those days as an old line Whig. He had been a member of the Iowa +legislature, was a Justice of the Peace, and had held other offices. He +was an excellent stump speaker and was often called upon to canvass the +country round about for different candidates. The convention which he was +attending at the time of the accident was being held at a cross-road +tavern called "Sherman's," about a mile away. + +Samuel and I had gone out together on horseback for the cows. He rode a +vicious mare, which mother had told him time and again not to ride, as it +had an ugly disposition. We were passing the school house just as the +children were being dismissed, when Samuel undertook to give an +exhibition of his horsemanship, he being a good rider for a boy. The +mare, Betsy, became unmanageable, reared and fell backward upon him, +injuring him internally. He was picked up and carried amid great +excitement to the house of a neighbor. + +I at once set out with my horse at the top of his speed for my father, +and informed him of Samuel's mishap. He took the horse and returned +immediately. When I arrived at Mr. Burns' house, where my brother was, I +found my father, mother and sisters there, all weeping bitterly at +Samuel's bedside. A physician, after examining him, pronounced his +injuries to be of a fatal character. He died the next morning. + +My brother was a great favorite with everybody, and his death cast a +gloom upon the whole neighborhood. It was a great blow to all of the +family, and especially to father who seemed to be almost heart +broken over it. + +Father had been greatly disappointed at the failure of his California +expedition, and still desired to move to some new country. The death of +Samuel no doubt increased this desire, and he determined to emigrate. +Accordingly, early in the spring of 1852, he disposed of his farm, and +late in March we took our departure for Kansas, which was then an +unsettled territory. Our outfit consisted of one carriage, three wagons +and some fine blooded horses. The carriage was occupied by my mother and +sisters. Thus we left our Iowa home. + +[Illustration: SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT.] + +Father had a brother, Elijah Cody, living at Weston, Platte county, +Missouri. He was the leading merchant of the place. As the town was +located near the Kansas line father determined to visit him, and thither +our journey was directed. Our route lay across Iowa and Missouri, and the +trip proved of interest to all of us, and especially to me. There was +something new to be seen at nearly every turn of the road. At night the +family generally "put up" at hotels or cross-road taverns along the way. + +One day as we were proceeding on our way, we were met by a horseman who +wanted to sell his horse, or trade-him for another. He said the horse had +been captured wild in California; that he was a runner and a racer; that +he had been sold by his different owners on account of his great desire +to run away when taking part in a race. + +The stranger seemed to be very frank in his statements, and appeared to +be very anxious to get rid of the animal, and as we were going to Kansas +where there would be plenty of room for the horse to run as far as he +pleased, father concluded to make a trade for him; so an exchange of +animals was easily and satisfactorily effected. + +The new horse being a small gray, we named him "Little Gray." + +An opportunity of testing the racing qualities of the horse was soon +afforded. One day we drove into a small Missouri town or hamlet which lay +on our route, where the farmers from the surrounding country were +congregated for the purpose of having a holiday--the principal amusement +being horse-racing. Father had no trouble in arranging a race for Little +Gray, and selected one of his teamsters to ride him. + +The Missourians matched their fastest horse against him and were +confident of cleaning out "the emigrant," as they called father. They +were a hard looking crowd. They wore their pantaloons in their boots; +their hair was long, bushy and untrimmed; their faces had evidently never +made the acquaintance of a razor. They seemed determined to win the race +by fair means or foul. They did a great deal of swearing, and swaggered +about in rather a ruffianly style. + +All these incidents attracted my attention--everything being new to +me--and became firmly impressed upon my memory. My father, being +unaccustomed to the ways of such rough people, acted very cautiously; and +as they were all very anxious to bet on their own horse, he could not be +induced to wager a very large sum on Little Gray, as he was afraid of +foul play. + +"Wa-al, now, stranger," exclaimed one of the crowd, "what kind o' critter +have you got anyhow, as how you're afraid to back him up very heavy?" + +"I'll bet five to one agin the emergrant's, gray," said another. + +"I'm betting the same way. I'll go yer five hundred dollars agin a +hundred that the gray nag gits left behind. Do I hear any man who wants +to come agin me on them yer terms?" shouted still another. + +"Hi! yer boys, give the stranger a chance. Don't scare him out of +his boots," said a man who evidently was afraid that my father +might back out. + +Father had but little to say, however, and would not venture more than +fifty dollars on the result of the race. + +"Gentlemen, I am only racing my horse for sport," said he, "and am only +betting enough to make it interesting. I have never seen Little Gray run, +and therefore don't know what he can do;" at the same time he was +confident that his horse would come in the winner, as he had chosen an +excellent rider for him. + +Finally all the preliminaries of the contest were arranged. The judges +were chosen and the money was deposited in the hands of a stake-holder. +The race was to be a single dash, of a mile. The horses were brought side +by side and mounted by their riders. + +At the signal--"One, two, three, go!"--off they started like a flash. The +Missouri horse took the lead for the first quarter of a mile; at the +half-mile, however, he began to weaken. The Missourians shouted +themselves hoarse in urging their horse, but all to no avail. The Little +Gray passed him and continued to leave him farther and farther behind, +easily winning the race. + +The affair created a great deal of enthusiasm; but the race was conducted +with honor and fairness, which was quite an agreeable surprise to my +father, who soon found the Missourians to be at heart very clever +men--thus showing that outside appearances are sometimes very deceptive; +they nearly all came up and congratulated him on his success, asked him +why he had not bet more money on the race, and wanted to buy Little Gray. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "when I drove up here and arranged for this race, I +felt confident that my horse would win it. I was among entire strangers, +and therefore I only bet a small amount. I was afraid that you would +cheat me in some way or other. I see now that I was mistaken, as I have +found you to be honorable men." + +"Wa-all, you could have broke _me_" said the man who wanted to bet the +five hundred dollars to one hundred, "for that there nag o' yourn looks +no more like a runner nor I do." + +During our stay in the place they treated us very kindly, and continued +to try to purchase Little Gray. My father, however, remained firm in his +determination not to part with him. + +The next place of interest which we reached, after resuming our journey, +was within twenty miles of Weston. We had been stopping at farm houses +along the road, and could not get anything to eat in the shape of bread, +except corn bread, of which all had become heartily tired. As we were +driving along, we saw in the distance a large and handsome brick +residence. Father said: "They probably have white bread there." + +We drove up to the house and learned that it was owned and occupied by +Mrs. Burns; mother of a well-known lawyer of that name, who is now living +in Leavenworth. She was a wealthy lady, and gave us to understand in a +pleasant way, that she did not entertain travelers. My father, in the +course of the conversation with her, said: "Do you know Elijah Cody?" + +"Indeed, I do," said she; "he frequently visits us, and we visit him; we +are the best of friends." + +"He is a brother of mine," said father. + +"Is it possible!" she exclaimed; "Why, you must remain here all night. +Have your family come into the house at once. You must not go another +step today." + +The kind invitation was accepted, and we remained there over night. As +father had predicted, we found plenty of white bread at this house, and +it proved quite a luxurious treat. + +My curiosity was considerably aroused by the many negroes which I saw +about the premises, as I had scarcely ever seen any colored people, +the few, being on the steamboats as they passed up and down the +Mississippi river. + +The next day my father and mother drove over to Weston in a carriage, +and returned with my Uncle Elijah. We then all proceeded to his house, +and as Kansas was not yet open for settlement as a territory, we remained +there a few days, while father crossed over into Kansas on a prospecting +tour. He visited the Kickapoo agency--five miles above Weston--on the +Kansas side of the Missouri river. He became acquainted with the agent, +and made arrangements to establish himself there as an Indian trader. He +then returned to Weston and located the family on one of Elijah Cody's +farms, three miles from town, where we were to remain until Kansas should +be thrown open for settlement. After completing these arrangements, he +established a trading post at Salt Creek Valley, in Kansas, four miles +from the Kickapoo agency. + +One day, after he had been absent some little time, he came home and said +that he had bought two ponies for me, and that next morning he would take +me over into Kansas. This was pleasant news, as I had been very anxious +to go there with him, and the fact that I was now the owner of two ponies +made me feel very proud. That night I could not sleep a wink. In the +morning I was up long before the sun, and after an early breakfast, +father and I started out on our trip. Crossing the Missouri river at the +Rialto Ferry, we landed in Kansas and passed along to Fort Leavenworth, +four miles distant. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +EARLY INFLUENCES. + + +General Harney was in command at Fort Leavenworth at the time of our +visit, and a regiment of cavalry was stationed there. They were having a +dress parade when we rode up, and as this was the first time that I had +ever seen any soldiers, I thought it was a grand sight. I shall never +forget it, especially the manoeuvres on horseback. + +After witnessing the parade we resumed our journey. On the way to my +father's trading camp we had to cross over a high hill known as Salt +Creek Hill, from the top of which we looked down upon the most beautiful +valley I have ever seen. It was about twelve miles long and five miles +wide. The different tributaries of Salt Creek came down from the range of +hills at the southwest. At the foot of the valley another small +river--Plum Creek, also flowed. The bluffs fringed with trees, clad in +their full foliage, added greatly to the picturesqueness of the scene. + +While this beautiful valley greatly interested me, yet the most novel +sight, of an entirely different character, which met my enraptured gaze, +was the vast number of white-covered wagons, or "prairie-schooners," +which were encamped along the different streams. I asked my father what +they were and where they were going; he explained to me that they were +emigrant wagons bound for Utah and California. + +At that time the Mormon and California trails ran through this +valley, which was always selected as a camping place. There were at +least one thousand wagons in the valley, and their white covers lent +a pleasing contrast to the green grass. The cattle were quietly +grazing near the wagons, while the emigrants were either resting or +attending to camp duties. + +A large number of the wagons, as I learned from my father, belonged to +Majors & Russell, the great government freighters. They had several +trains there, each consisting of twenty-five wagons, heavily loaded with +government supplies. They were all camped and corraled in a circle. + +While we were viewing this scene, a long wagon train came pulling up the +hill, bound out from Fort Leavenworth to some distant frontier post. The +cattle were wild and the men were whipping them fearfully, the loud +reports of the bull-whips sounding like gun-shots. They were +"doubling-up," and some of the wagons were being drawn by fifteen yokes +of oxen. I remember asking my father a great many questions, and he +explained to me all about the freighting business across the great +plains, and told me about the different government posts. + +Pointing over to the army of wagons camped below us, he showed me which +were the Mormons' and which were the Californians', and said that we must +steer clear of the former as the cholera was raging among them. Five +hundred had died that spring--1853--and the grave-yard was daily +increasing its dimensions. The unfortunate people had been overtaken by +the dreadful disease, and had been compelled to halt on their journey +until it abated. + +While we were looking at the Mormons they were holding a funeral service +over the remains of some of their number who had died. Their old cemetery +is yet indicated by various land-marks, which, however, with the few +remaining head-boards, are fast disappearing. + +We passed on through this "Valley of Death," as it might then have been +very appropriately called, and after riding for some time, my father +pointed out a large hill and showed me his camp, which afterwards +became our home. + +There was another trading-post near by, which was conducted by Mr. +M.P. Rively, who had a store built, partly frame, and partly of logs. +We stopped at this establishment for a while, and found perhaps a +hundred men, women and children gathered there, engaged in trading and +gossipping. The men had huge pistols and knives in their belts; their +pantaloons were tucked in their boots; and they wore large +broad-rimmed hats. + +To me they appeared like a lot of cut-throat pirates who had come ashore +for a lark. It was the first time I had ever seen men carrying pistols +and knives, and they looked like a very dangerous crowd. Some were buying +articles of merchandise; others were talking about the cholera, the +various camps, and matters of interest; while others were drinking whisky +freely and becoming intoxicated. It was a busy and an exciting scene, and +Rively appeared to be doing a rushing trade. + +At some little distance from the store I noticed a small party of +dark-skinned and rather fantastically dressed people, whom I ascertained +were Indians, and as I had never before seen a real live Indian, I was +much interested in them. I went over and endeavored to talk to them, but +our conversation was very limited. + +That evening we reached our camp, which was located two miles west of +Rively's. The first thing I did was to hunt up my ponies, and from my +father's description of them, I had no difficulty in finding them. +They were lariated in the grass and I immediately ran up to them +supposing them to be gentle animals. I was greatly mistaken, however, +as they snorted and jumped away from me, and would not allow me to +come near them. + +My father, who was standing not far distant, informed me that the ponies +were not yet broken. I was somewhat disappointed at this; and thereupon +he and one of his men caught one of the animals and bridled her, then +putting me on her back, led her around, greatly to my delight. I kept +petting her so much that she soon allowed me to approach her. She was a +beautiful bay, and I named her "Dolly;" the other pony was a sorrel, and +I called him "Prince." + +In the evening some Indians visited the camp--which as yet consisted only +of tents, though some logs had been cut preparatory to building +houses--and exchanged their furs for clothing, sugar and tobacco. Father +had not learned their language, and therefore communicated with them by +means of signs. We had our supper by the camp-fire, and that night was +the first time I ever camped out and slept upon the ground. + +The day had been an eventful one to me, for all the incidents were full +of excitement and romance to my youthful mind, and I think no apology is +needed for mentioning so many of the little circumstances, which so +greatly interested me in my childhood's days, and which no doubt had a +great influence in shaping my course in after years. My love of hunting +and scouting, and life on the plains generally, was the result of my +early surroundings. + +The next morning father visited the Kickapoo agency, taking me along. He +rode a horse, and putting me on my pony "Dolly," led the animal all the +way. He seemed anxious to break me in, as well as the pony, and I +greatly enjoyed this, my first day's ride on a Kansas prairie. + +At the Kickapoo village I saw hundreds of Indians, some of whom were +living in lodges, but the majority occupied log cabins. The agent resided +in a double-hewed log house, one of the apartments of which was used as a +school for the Indians. The agency store was opposite this structure. + +All the buildings were whitewashed, and looked neat and clean. The +Kickapoos were very friendly Indians, and we spent much of our time among +them, looking about and studying their habits. + +After a while we returned to our own camp, and just as we arrived there, +we saw a drove of horses--there were three or four hundred in +all--approaching from the west, over the California trail. They were +being driven by seven or eight mounted men, wearing sombreros, and +dressed in buckskin, with their lariats dangling from their saddles, and +they were followed by two or three pack-mules or horses. They went into +camp a little below us on the bank of the stream. + +Presently one of the men walked out towards our camp, and my father +called to me to come and see a genuine Western man; he was about six feet +two inches tall, was well built, and had a light, springy and wiry step. +He wore a broad-brimmed California hat, and was dressed in a complete +suit of buckskin, beautifully trimmed and beaded. He saluted us, and +father invited him to sit down, which he did. After a few moments +conversation, he turned to me and said: + +"Little one, I see you are working with your ponies. They are wild yet." + +I had been petting Dolly and trying to break her, when my father called +me to come and look at the Californian. + +"Yes," I replied, "and one of them never has been ridden." + +"Well, I'll ride him for you;" and springing lightly to his feet, he +continued: "come on. Where is the animal?" + +Accordingly we all went to the place where Prince was lariated. The +stranger untied the rope from the picket pin, and taking a half-loop +around the pony's nose, he jumped on his back. + +In a moment he was flying over the prairie, the untamed steed rearing and +pitching every once in a while in his efforts to throw his rider; but the +man was not unseated. He was evidently an experienced horseman. I watched +his every movement. I was unconsciously taking another lesson in the +practical education which has served me so well through my life. + +The Californian rode the pony until it was completely mastered, then +coming up to me, jumped to the ground, handed me the rope, and said: + +"Here's your pony. He's all right now." + +I led Prince away, while father and the stranger sat down in the shade of +a tent, and began talking about the latter's horsemanship, which father +considered very remarkable. + +"Oh, that's nothing; I was raised on horseback," said the Californian; "I +ran away from home when a boy, went to sea, and finally landed in the +Sandwich Islands, where I fell in with a circus, with which I remained +two years. During that time I became a celebrated bare-back rider. I then +went to California, being attracted there by the gold excitement, the +news of which had reached the Islands. I did not go to mining, however, +but went to work as a _bocarro_-catching and breaking wild horses, great +numbers of which were roaming through California. Last summer we caught +this herd that we have brought with us across the plains, and are taking +it to the States to sell. I came with the outfit, as it gave me a good +opportunity to visit my relatives, who live at Cleveland, Ohio. I also +had an uncle over at Weston, across the river, when I ran away, and +to-morrow I am going to visit the town to see if he is there yet." + +[Illustration: BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO] + +"I am acquainted in Weston," said father, "and perhaps I can tell you +about your uncle. What is his name?" + +"Elijah Cody," said the Californian. + +"Elijah Cody!" exclaimed father, in great surprise; "why Elijah Cody is +my brother. I am Isaac Cody. Who are you?" + +"My name is Horace Billings," was the reply. + +"And you are my nephew. You are the son of my sister Sophia." + +Both men sprang to their feet and began shaking hands in the heartiest +manner possible. + +The next moment father called me, and said: "Come here, my son. Here is +some one you want to know." + +As I approached he introduced us. "Horace, this is my only son. We call +him little Billy;" and turning to me said: "Billy, my boy, this is a +cousin of yours, Horace Billings, whom you've often heard me speak of." + +Horace Billings had never been heard of from the day he ran away from +home, and his relatives had frequently wondered what had become of him. +His appearance, therefore, in our camp in the guise of a Californian was +somewhat of a mystery to me, and I could hardly comprehend it until I had +heard his adventurous story and learned the accidental manner in which he +and father had made themselves known to each other. + +Neither father nor myself would be satisfied until he had given us a full +account of his wanderings and adventures, which were very exciting to me. + +Late in the afternoon and just before the sun sank to rest, the +conversation again turned upon horses and horsemanship. Father told +Billings all about Little Gray, and his great fault of running away. +Billings laughed and said Little Gray could not run away with him. + +After supper he went out to look at the horse, which was picketed in the +grass. Surveying the animal carefully, he untied the lariat and slipped a +running noose over his nose; then giving a light bound, he was on his +back in a second, and away went the horse and his rider, circling round +and round on the prairie. Billings managed him by the rope alone, and +convinced him that he was his master. When half a mile away, the horse +started for camp at the top of his speed. Billings stood straight up on +his back, and thus rode him into camp. As he passed us he jumped to the +ground, allowed the horse to run to the full length of the lariat, when +he threw him a complete somersault. + +[Illustration: BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY.] + +"That's a pretty good horse," said Billings. + +"Yes, he's a California horse; he was captured there wild," replied +father. The exhibition of horsemanship given by Billings on this +occasion was really wonderful, and was the most skillful and daring feat +of the kind that I ever witnessed. The remainder of the evening was spent +around the camp, and Horace, who remained there, entertained us with +several interesting chapters of his experiences. + +Next morning he walked over to his own camp, but soon returned, mounted +on a beautiful horse, with a handsome saddle, bridle and lariat. I +thought he was a magnificent looking man. I envied his appearance, and my +ambition just then was to become as skillful a horseman as he was. He had +rigged himself out in his best style in order to make a good impression +on his uncle at Weston, whither father and I accompanied him on +horseback. + +He was cordially received by Uncle Elijah, who paid him every possible +attention, and gave me a handsome saddle and bridle for my pony, and in +the evening when we rode out to the farm to see my mother and sisters, I +started ahead to show them my present, as well as to tell them who was +coming. They were delighted to see the long-lost Horace, and invited him +to remain with us. When we returned to camp next day, Horace settled up +with the proprietor of the horses, having concluded to make his home with +us for that summer at least. + +Father employed him in cutting house logs and building houses, but this +work not being adapted to his tastes, he soon gave it up, and obtained +government employment in catching United States horses. During the +previous spring the government herd had stampeded from Fort Leavenworth, +and between two and three hundred of the horses were running at large +over the Kansas prairies, and had become quite wild. A reward of ten +dollars was offered for every one of the horses that was captured and +delivered to the quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth. This kind of work of +course just suited the roaming disposition of Billings, especially as it +was similar to that in which he had been engaged in California. The +horses had to be caught with a lasso, with which he was very expert. He +borrowed Little Gray, who was fleet enough for the wildest of the +runaways, and then he at once began his horse hunting. + +[Illustration: EXCITING SPORT.] + +Everything that he did, I wanted to do. He was a sort of hero in my eyes, +and I wished to follow in his footsteps. At my request and with father's +consent, he took me with him, and many a wild and perilous chase he led +me over the prairie. I made rapid advances in the art of horsemanship, +for I could have had no better teacher than Horace Billings. He also +taught me how to throw the lasso, which, though it was a difficult thing +to learn, I finally became, quite skillful in. + +Whenever Horace caught one of the horses which acted obstinately, and +would not be led, he immediately threw him to the ground, put a saddle +and bridle on him, and gave me Little Gray to take care of. He would then +mount the captive horse and ride him into Fort Leavenworth. I spent two +months with Horace in this way, until at last no more of the horses were +to be found. By this time I had become a remarkably good rider for a +youth, and had brought both of my ponies under easy control. + +Horace returned to assist father in hauling logs, which were being used +in building a dwelling for the family who had moved over from Missouri. +One day a team did not work to suit him, and he gave the horses a cruel +beating. This greatly displeased father, who took him to task for it. +Horace's anger flew up in a moment; throwing down the lines he hurried to +the house, and began packing up his traps. That same day he hired out to +a Mormon train, and bidding us all good-bye started for Salt Lake, +driving six yokes of oxen. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. + + +During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log house, and father +continued to trade with the Indians, who became very friendly; hardly a +day passed without a social visit from them. I spent a great deal of time +with the Indian boys, who taught me how to shoot with the bow and arrow, +at which I became quite expert. I also took part in all their sports, and +learned to talk the Kickapoo language to some extent. + +Father desired to express his friendship for these Indians, and +accordingly arranged a grand barbecue for them. He invited them all to be +present on a certain day, which they were; he then presented them with +two fat beeves, to be killed and cooked in the various Indian styles. +Mother made several large boilers full of coffee, which she gave to them, +together with sugar and bread. There were about two hundred Indians in +attendance at the feast, and they all enjoyed and appreciated it. In the +evening they had one of their grand fantastic war dances, which greatly +amused me, it being the first sight of the kind I had ever witnessed. + +My Uncle Elijah and quite a large number of gentlemen and ladies came +over from Weston to attend the entertainment. The Indians returned to +their homes well satisfied. + +My uncle at that time owned a trading post at Silver Lake, in the +Pottawattamie country, on the Kansas river, and he arranged an excursion +to that place. Among the party were several ladies from Weston, and +father, mother and myself. Mr. McMeekan, my uncle's superintendent, who +had come to Weston for supplies, conducted the party to the post. + +The trip across the prairies was a delightful one, and we remained at the +post several days. Father and one or two of the men went on to Fort Riley +to view the country, and upon their return my uncle entertained the +Pottawattamie Indians with a barbecue similar to the one given by father +to the Kickapoos. + +During the latter part of the summer father filled a hay contract at Fort +Leavenworth. I passed much of my time among the campers, and spent days +and days in riding over the country with Mr. William Russell, who was +engaged in the freighting business and who seemed to take a considerable +interest in me. In this way I became acquainted with many wagon-masters, +hunters and teamsters, and learned a great deal about the business of +handling cattle and mules. + +It was an excellent school for me, and I acquired a great deal of +practical knowledge, which afterwards I found to be of invaluable +service, for it was not long before I became employed by Majors & +Russell, remaining with them in different capacities, for several years. + +The winter of 1853-54 was spent by father at our little prairie home in +cutting house logs and fence rails, which he intended to use on his farm, +as soon as the bill for the opening of the territory for settlement +should pass. This bill, which was called the "Enabling act of Kansas +territory," was passed in April, 1854, and father immediately pre-empted +the claim on which we were living. + +The summer of that year was an exciting period in the history of the new +territory. Thousands and thousands of people, seeking new homes, flocked +thither, a large number of the emigrants coming over from adjoining +states. The Missourians, some of them, would come laden with bottles of +whisky, and after drinking the liquor would drive the bottles into the +ground to mark their land claims, not waiting to put up any buildings. + +The Missourians, mostly, were pro-slavery men, and held enthusiastic +meetings at which they expressed their desire that Kansas should be a +slave state and did not hesitate to declare their determination to make +it so. Rively's store was the headquarters for these men, and there they +held their meetings. + +[Illustration: STAKING OUT LOTS.] + +At first they thought father would coincide with them on account of his +brother Elijah being a Missourian, but in this they were greatly +mistaken. At one of their gatherings, when there were about one hundred +of the reckless men present, my father, who happened also to be there, +was called upon for a speech. After considerable urging, he mounted the +box and began speaking, as nearly as I can recollect, as follows: + +"Gentlemen and Fellow-citizens: You have called upon me for a speech, and +I have accepted your invitation rather against my will, as my views may +not accord with the sentiments of the rest of this assembly. My remarks, +at this time, will be brief and to the point. The question before us +to-day is, shall the territory of Kansas be a free or a slave state. The +question of slavery in itself is a broad one, and one which I do not care +at this time and place to discuss at length. I apprehend that your motive +in calling upon me is to have me express my sentiments in regard to the +introduction of slavery into Kansas. I shall gratify your wishes in that +respect. I was one of the pioneers of the State of Iowa, and aided in its +settlement when it was a territory, and helped to organize it as a state. + +"Gentlemen, I voted that it should be a _white_ state--that negroes, +whether free or slave, should never be allowed to locate within its +limits; and, gentlemen, I say to you now, and I say it boldly, that I +propose to exert all my power in making Kansas the same kind of a state +as Iowa. I believe in letting slavery remain as it now exists, and I +shall always oppose its further extension. These are my sentiments, +gentlemen and let me tell you--" + +He never finished this sentence, or his speech. His expressions were +anything but acceptable to the rough-looking crowd, whose ire had been +gradually rising to fever heat, and at this point they hooted and hissed +him, and shouted, "You black abolitionist, shut up!" "Get down from that +box!" "Kill him!" "Shoot him!" and so on. Father, however, maintained his +position on the dry-goods box, notwithstanding the excitement and the +numerous invitations to step down, until a hot-headed pro-slavery man, +who was in the employ of my Uncle Elijah, crowded up and said: "Get off +that box, you black abolitionist, or I'll pull you off." + +Father paid but little attention to him, and attempted to resume his +speech, intending doubtless to explain his position and endeavor to +somewhat pacify the angry crowd. But the fellow jumped up on the box, and +pulling out a huge bowie knife, stabbed father twice, who reeled and fell +to the ground. The man sprang after him, and would have ended his life +then and there, had not some of the better men in the crowd interfered in +time to prevent him from carrying out his murderous intention. + +The excitement was intense, and another assault would probably have been +made on my father, had not Rively hurriedly carried him to his home. +There was no doctor within any reasonable distance, and father at once +requested that he be conveyed in the carriage to his brother Elijah's +house in Weston. My mother and a driver accordingly went there with him, +where his wounds were dressed. He remained in Weston several weeks before +he was able to stir about again, but he never fully recovered from the +wounds, which eventually proved the cause of his death. + +[Illustration: MY FATHER STABBED] + +My uncle of course at once discharged the ruffian from his employ. The +man afterwards became a noted desperado, and was quite conspicuous in the +Kansas war. + +My father's indiscreet speech at Rively's brought upon our family all of +the misfortunes and difficulties which from that time on befell us. As +soon as he was able to attend to his business again, the Missourians +began to harass him in every possible way, and kept it up with hardly a +moment's cessation. Kickapoo City, as it was called, a small town that +had sprung into existence seven miles up the river from Fort +Leavenworth, became the hot-bed of the pro-slavery doctrine and the +headquarters of its advocates. Here was really the beginning of the +Kansas troubles. My father, who had shed the first blood in the cause of +the freedom of Kansas, was notified, upon his return to his trading post, +to leave the territory, and he was threatened with death by hanging or +shooting, if he dared to remain. + +[Illustration: MY FATHER'S ESCAPE] + +One night a body of armed men, mounted on horses, rode up to our house +and surrounded it. Knowing what they had come for, and seeing that there +would be but little chance for him in an encounter with them, father +determined to make his escape by a little stratagem. Hastily disguising +himself in mother's bonnet and shawl, he boldly walked out of the house +and proceeded towards the corn-field. The darkness proved a great +protection, as the horsemen, between whom he passed, were unable to +detect him in his disguise; supposing him to be a woman, they neither +halted him nor followed him, and he passed safely on into the +corn-field, where he concealed himself. + +The horsemen soon dismounted and inquired for father; mother very +truthfully told them that he was away. They were not satisfied with her +statement, however, and they at once made a thorough search of the house. +They raved and swore when they could not find him, and threatened him +with death whenever they should catch him. I am sure if they had captured +him that night, they would have killed him. They carried off nearly +everything of value in the house and about the premises; then going to +the pasture, they drove off all the horses; my pony Prince afterward +succeeding in breaking away from them and came back home. Father lay +secreted in the corn-field for three days, as there were men in the +vicinity who were watching for him all the time; he finally made his +escape, and reached Fort Leavenworth in safety, whither the pro-slavery +men did not dare to follow him. + +While he was staying at Fort Leavenworth, he heard that Jim Lane, Captain +Cleveland and Captain Chandler were on their way from Indiana to Kansas +with a body of Free State men, between two and three hundred strong. They +were to cross the Missouri river near Doniphan, between Leavenworth and +Nebraska City; their destination being Lawrence. Father determined to +join them, and took passage on a steamboat which was going up the river. +Having reached the place of crossing, he made himself known to the +leaders of the party, by whom he was most cordially received. + +The pro-slavery men, hearing of the approach of the Free State party, +resolved to drive them out of the territory. The two parties met at +Hickory Point, where a severe battle was fought, several being killed; +the victory resulted in favor of the Free State men, who passed on to +Lawrence without much further opposition. My father finally left them, +and seeing that he could no longer live at home, went to Grasshopper +Falls, thirty-five miles west of Leavenworth; there he began the +erection of a saw-mill. + +While he was thus engaged we learned from one of our hired workmen at +home, that the pro-slavery men had laid another plan to kill him, and +were on their way to Grasshopper Falls to carry out their intention. +Mother at once started me off on Prince to warn father of the coming +danger. When I had gone about seven miles I suddenly came upon a party of +men, who were camped at the crossing of Stranger Creek. As I passed along +I heard one of them, who recognized me, say, "That's the son of the old +abolitionist we are after;" and the next moment I was commanded to halt. + +[Illustration: LIFE OR DEATH.] + +Instead of stopping I instantly started my pony on a run, and on looking +back I saw that I was being pursued by three or four of the party, who +had mounted their horses, no doubt supposing that they could easily +capture me. It was very fortunate that I had heard the remark about my +being "the son of the abolitionist," for then I knew in an instant that +they were _en route_ to Grasshopper Falls to murder my father. I at once +saw the importance of my escaping and warning father in time. It was a +matter of life or death to him. So I urged Prince to his utmost speed, +feeling that upon him and myself depended a human life--a life that was +dearer to me than that of any other man in the world. I led my pursuers a +lively chase for four or five miles; finally, when they saw they could +not catch me, they returned to their camp. I kept straight on to +Grasshopper Falls, arriving there in ample time to inform him of the +approach of his old enemies. + +That same night father and I rode to Lawrence, which had become the +headquarters of the Free State men. There he met Jim Lane and several +other leading characters, who were then organizing what was known as the +Lecompton Legislature. + +Father was elected as a member of that body, and took an active part in +organizing the first legislature of Kansas, under Governor Reeder, who, +by the way, was a Free State man and a great friend of father's. + +About this time agents were being sent to the East to induce emigrants to +locate in Kansas, and father was sent as one of these agents to Ohio. +After the legislature had been organized at Lawrence, he departed for +Ohio and was absent several months. + +A few days after he had gone, I started for home by the way of Fort +Leavenworth, accompanied by two men, who were going to the fort on +business. As we were crossing a stream called Little Stranger, we were +fired upon by some unknown party; one of my companions, whose name has +escaped my memory, was killed. The other man and myself put spurs to our +horses and made a dash for our lives. We succeeded in making our escape, +though a farewell shot or two was sent after us. At Fort Leavenworth I +parted company with my companion, and reached home without any further +adventure. + +My mother and sisters, who had not heard of my father or myself since I +had been sent to warn him of his danger, had become very anxious and +uneasy about us, and were uncertain as to whether we were dead or alive. +I received a warm welcome home, and as I entered the house, mother seemed +to read from the expression of my countenance that father was safe; of +course the very first question she asked was as to his whereabouts, and +in reply I handed her a long letter from him which explained everything. +Mother blessed me again and again for having saved his life. + +While father was absent in Ohio, we were almost daily visited by some of +the pro-slavery men, who helped themselves to anything they saw fit, and +frequently compelled my mother and sisters to cook for them, and to +otherwise submit to a great deal of bad treatment. Hardly a day passed +without some of them inquiring "where the old man was," saying they would +kill him on sight. Thus we passed the summer of 1854, remaining at our +home notwithstanding the unpleasant surroundings, as mother had made up +her mind not to be driven out of the country. My uncle and other friends +advised her to leave Kansas and move to Missouri, because they did not +consider our lives safe, as we lived so near the headquarters of the +pro-slavery men, who had sworn vengeance upon father. + +Nothing, however, could persuade mother to change her determination. She +said that the pro-slavery men had taken everything except the land and +the little home, and she proposed to remain there as long as she lived, +happen what might. Our only friends in Salt Creek valley were two +families; one named Lawrence, the other Hathaway, and the peaceable +Indians, who occasionally visited us. My uncle, living in Missouri and +being somewhat in fear of the pro-slavery men, could not assist us much, +beyond expressing his sympathy and sending us provisions. + +In the winter of 1854-55 father returned from Ohio, but as soon as his +old enemies learned that he was with us, they again compelled him to +leave. He proceeded to Lawrence, and there spent the winter in attending +the Lecompton Legislature. The remainder of the year he passed mostly at +Grasshopper Falls, where he completed his saw-mill. He occasionally +visited home under cover of the night, and in the most secret manner; +virtually carrying his life in his hand. + +In the spring of this year (1855) a pro-slavery party came to our house +to search for father; not finding him, they departed, taking with them my +pony, Prince. I shall never forget the man who stole that pony. He +afterwards rose from the low level of a horse thief to the high dignity +of a justice of the peace, and I think still lives at Kickapoo. The loss +of my faithful pony nearly broke my heart and bankrupted me in business, +as I had nothing to ride. + +One day, soon afterwards, I met my old friend, Mr. Russell, to whom I +related all my troubles, and his generous heart was touched by my story. +"Billy, my boy," said he, "cheer up, and come to Leavenworth, and I'll +employ you. I'll give you twenty-five dollars a month to herd cattle." + +I accepted the offer, and heartily thanking him, hurried home to obtain +mother's consent. She refused to let me go, and all my pleading was in +vain. Young as I was--being then only in my tenth year, my ideas and +knowledge of the world, however, being far in advance of my age--I +determined to run away from home. Mr. Russell's offer of twenty-five +dollars a month was a temptation which I could not resist. The +remuneration for my services seemed very large to me, and I accordingly +stole away and walked to Leavenworth. + +Mr. Badger, one of Mr. Russell's superintendents, immediately sent me +out, mounted on a little gray mule, to herd cattle. I worked at this for +two months, and then came into Leavenworth. I had not been home during +all this time, but mother had learned from Mr. Russell where I was, and +she no longer felt uneasy, as he had advised her to let me remain in his +employ. He assured her that I was all right, and said that when the herd +came in he would allow me to make a visit home. + +Upon my arrival in Leavenworth with the herd of cattle, Mr. Russell +instructed his book-keeper, Mr. Byers, to pay me my wages, amounting to +fifty dollars. Byers gave me the sum all in half-dollar pieces. I put the +bright silver coins into a sack, which I tied to my mule, and started +home, thinking myself a _millionaire_. This money I gave to mother, who +had already forgiven me for running away. + +Thus began my service for the firm of Russell & Majors, afterwards +Russell, Majors & Waddell, with whom I spent seven years of my life in +different capacities--such as cavallard-driver, wagon-master, pony +express rider and driver. I continued to work for Mr. Russell during +the rest of the summer of 1855, and in the winter of 1855-56 I +attended school. + +Father, who still continued to secretly visit home, was anxious to have +his children receive as much of an education as possible, under the +adverse circumstances surrounding us, and he employed a teacher, Miss +Jennie Lyons, to come to our house and teach. My mother was well +educated--more so than my father--and it used to worry her a great deal +because her children could not receive better educational advantages. +However, the little school at home got along exceedingly well, and we all +made rapid advances in our studies, as Miss Lyons was an excellent +teacher. She afterwards married a gentleman named Hook, who became the +first mayor of Cheyenne, where she now lives. + +The Kansas troubles reached their highest pitch in the spring of 1856, +and our family continued to be harassed as much as ever by our old +enemies. I cannot now recollect one-half of the serious difficulties that +we had to encounter; but I very distinctly remember one incident well +worth relating. I came home one night on a visit from Leavenworth, being +accompanied by a fellow-herder--a young man. During the night we heard a +noise outside of the house, and soon the dogs began barking loudly. We +looked out to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and saw that the +house was surrounded by a party of men. Mother had become accustomed to +such occurrences, and on this occasion she seemed to be master of the +situation from the start. Opening a window, she coolly sang out, in a +firm tone of voice: "Who are you? What do you want here?" + +"We are after that old abolition husband of yours," was the answer from +one of the crowd. + +"He is not in this house, and has not been here for a long time," said +my mother. + +"That's a lie! We know he is in the house, and we are bound to have him," +said the spokesman of the party. + +I afterwards learned they had mistaken the herder, who had ridden home +with me, for my father for whom they had been watching. + +"My husband is not at home," emphatically repeated my heroic mother--for +if there ever was a heroine she certainly was one--"but the house is full +of armed men," continued she, "and I'll give you just two minutes to get +out of the yard; if you are not out by the end of that time I shall order +them to fire on you." + +She withdrew from the window for a few moments and hurriedly instructed +the herder to call aloud certain names--any that he might think of--just +as if the house was full of men to whom he was giving orders. He followed +her directions to the very letter. He could not have done it any better +had he rehearsed the act a dozen times. + +The party outside heard him, as it was intended they should, and they +supposed that my mother really had quite a force at her command. While +this little by play was being enacted, she stepped to the open window +again and said: + +"John Green, you and your friends had better go away or the men will +surely fire on you." + +At this, point the herder, myself and my sisters commenced stamping on +the floor in imitation of a squad of soldiers, and the herder issued his +orders in a loud voice to his imaginary troops, who were apparently +approaching the window preparatory to firing a volley at the enemy. This +little stratagem proved eminently successful. The cowardly villains began +retreating, and then my mother fired an old gun into the air which +greatly accelerated their speed, causing them to break and run. They soon +disappeared from view in the darkness. + +The next morning we accidentally discovered that they had intended to +blow up the house. Upon going into the cellar which had been left open on +one side, we found two kegs of powder together with a fuse secreted +there. It only required a lighted match to have sent us into eternity. My +mother's presence of mind, which had never yet deserted her in any trying +situation, had saved our lives. + +Shortly after this affair, I came home again on a visit and found father +there sick with fever, and confined to his bed. One day my old enemy rode +up to the house on my pony Prince, which he had stolen from me. + +"What is your business here to-day?" asked mother. + +"I am looking for the old man," he replied. "I am going to search the +house, and if I find him I am going to kill him. Here, you girls," said +he, addressing my sisters, "get me some dinner, and get it quick, too, +for I am as hungry as a wolf." + +"Very well; pray be seated, and we'll get you something to eat," said one +of my sisters, without exhibiting the least sign of fear. + +He sat down, and while they were preparing a dinner for him, he took out +a big knife and sharpened it on a whetstone, repeating his threat of +searching the house and killing my father. + +I had witnessed the whole proceeding, and heard the threats, and I +determined that the man should never go up stairs where father was lying +in bed, unable to rise. Taking a double-barreled pistol which I had +recently bought, I went to the head of the stairs, cocked the weapon, and +waited for the ruffian to come up, determined, that the moment he set +foot on the steps I would kill him. I was relieved, however, from the +stern necessity, as he did not make his appearance. + +The brute was considerably intoxicated when he came to the house, and the +longer he sat still the more his brain became muddled with liquor, and he +actually forgot what he had come there for. After he had eaten his +dinner, he mounted his horse and rode off, and it was a fortunate thing +for him that he did. + +Father soon recovered and returned to Grasshopper Falls, while I resumed +my cattle herding. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. + + +In July, 1856, the people living in the vicinity of our home--feeling the +necessity of more extensive educational facilities for their children +than they had yet had--started a subscription school in a little log +cabin on the bank of the creek, which for a while proved quite a success. +My mother being very anxious to have me attend this school, I acceded to +her oft-repeated wishes, and returning home, I became a pupil of the +institution. I made considerable progress in my studies--such as they +were--and was getting along very well in every other respect, until I +became involved in my first love affair. + +Like all school-boys, I had a sweetheart with whom I was "dead in +love"--in a juvenile way. Her name was Mary Hyatt. Of course I had a +rival, Stephen Gobel, a boy about three years my senior--the "bully" +of the school. He was terribly jealous, and sought in every way to +revenge himself upon me for having won the childish affections of +sweet little Mary. + +The boys of the school used to build play-houses or arbors among the +trees and bushes for their sweethearts. I had built a play-house for +Mary, when Steve, as we called him, leveled it to the ground. We +immediately had a very lively fight, in which I got badly beaten. The +teacher heard of our quarrel and whipped us both. This made matters worse +than ever, as I had received two thrashings to Steve's one; I smothered +my angry feelings as much as possible under the humiliating +circumstances, and during the afternoon recess built another play-house, +thinking that Gobel would not dare to destroy a second one; but I was +mistaken, for he pushed the whole structure over at the first +opportunity. I came up to him just as he finished the job, and said: + +"Steve Gobel, the next time you do that, I'll hurt you." And I meant it, +too; but he laughed and called me names. + +[Illustration: TWO TO ONE.] + +At recess, next morning, I began the construction of still another +playhouse, and when I had it about two-thirds finished, Steve slyly +sneaked up to the spot and tipped the whole thing over. I jumped for him +with the quickness of a cat, and clutching him by the throat for a moment +I had the advantage of him. But he was too strong for me, and soon had me +on the ground and was beating me severely. While away from home I had +someway come into possession of a very small pocket dagger, which I had +carried about with me in its sheath, using it in place of a knife. During +the struggle this fell from my pocket, and my hand by accident rested +upon it as it lay upon the ground. Exasperated beyond measure at Steve's +persistence in destroying my play-houses, and smarting under his blows, I +forgot myself for the moment, grasped the dagger and unthinkingly thrust +it into Steve's thigh. Had it been larger it would probably have injured +him severely; as it was, it made a small wound, sufficient to cause the +blood to flow freely and Steve to cry out in affright: + +"I am killed! O, I am killed!" + +The school children all rushed to the spot and were terrified at +the scene. + +"What's the matter?" asked one. + +"Bill Cody has killed Steve Gobel," replied another. + +The uproar reached the teacher's ear, and I now saw him approaching, with +vengeance in his eye and a big club in his hand. I knew that he was +coming to interview _me_. I was dreadfully frightened at what I had done, +and undecided whether to run away or to remain and take the consequences; +but the sight of that flag-staff in the school teacher's hand was too +much for me. I no longer hesitated, but started off like a deer. The +teacher followed in hot pursuit, but soon became convinced that he could +not catch me, and gave up the chase. I kept on running, until I reached +one of Russell, Major & Waddell's freight trains which I had noticed +going over the hill for the west. Fortunately for me I knew the +wagon-master, John Willis, and as soon as I recovered my breath I told +him what had happened. + +"Served him right, Billy," said he, "and what's more, we'll go over and +clean out the teacher." + +"Oh, no; don't do that," said I, for I was afraid that I might fall +into the hands of the wounded boy's friends, who I knew would soon be +looking for me. + +"Well, Billy, come along with me; I am bound for Fort Kearney; the trip +will take me forty days. I want you for a cavallard driver." + +"All right," I replied, "but I must go home and tell mother about it, and +get some clothes." + +"Well then, to-night after we make our camp, I'll go back with you." + +The affray broke up the school for the rest of the day as the excitement +was too much for the children. Late in the afternoon, after the train had +moved on some considerable distance, I saw Steve's father, his brother +Frank, and one of the neighbors rapidly approaching. + +"Mr. Willis, there comes old Gobel, with Frank and somebody else, and +they are after me--what am I going to do?" I asked. + +"Let 'em come," said he, "they can't take you if I've got anything to say +about it, and I rather think I have. Get into one of the wagons--keep +quiet and lay low. I'll manage this little job. Don't you fret a bit +about it." + +I obeyed his orders and felt much easier. + +Old Gobel, Frank and the neighbor soon came up and inquired for me. + +"He's around here somewhere," said Mr. Willis. + +"We want him," said Gobel; "he stabbed my son a little while ago, and I +want to arrest him." + +"Well, you can't get him; that settles it; so you needn't waste any of +your time around here," said Willis. + +Gobel continued to talk for a few minutes, but getting no greater +satisfaction, the trio returned home. + +When night came, Willis accompanied me on horseback to my home. Mother, +who had anxiously searched for me everywhere--being afraid that something +had befallen me at the hands of the Gobels--was delighted to see me, +notwithstanding the difficulty in which I had become involved. I at once +told her that at present I was afraid to remain at home, and had +accordingly made up my mind to absent myself for a few weeks or +months--at least until the excitement should die out. Mr. Willis said to +her that he would take me to Fort Kearney with him, and see that I was +properly cared for, and would bring me back safely in forty days. + +Mother at first seriously objected to my going on this trip fearing I +would fall into the hands of Indians. Her fears, however, were soon +overcome, and she concluded to let me go. She fixed me up a big bundle of +clothing and gave me a quilt. Kissing her and my sisters a fond farewell, +I started off on my first trip across the plains, and with a light heart +too, notwithstanding my trouble of a few hours before. + +The trip proved a most enjoyable one to me, although no incidents +worthy of note occurred on the way. On my return from Fort Kearney I +was paid off the same as the rest of the employees. The remainder of +the summer and fall I spent in herding cattle and working for Russell, +Majors & Waddell. + +I finally ventured home--not without some fear, however, of the Gobel +family--and was delighted to learn that during my absence mother had had +an interview with Mr. Gobel, and having settled the difficulty with him, +the two families had become friends again, and I may state, incidentally, +that they ever after remained so. I have since often met Stephen Gobel, +and we have had many a laugh together over our love affair and the affray +at the school-house. Mary Hyatt, the innocent cause of the whole +difficulty, is now married and living in Chicago. Thus ended my first +love scrape. + +In the winter of 1856-57 my father, in company with a man named J.C. +Boles, went to Cleveland, Ohio, and organized a colony of about thirty +families, whom they brought to Kansas and located on the Grasshopper. +Several of these families still reside there. + +It was during this winter that father, after his return from Cleveland, +caught a severe cold. This, in connection with the wound he had received +at Rively's--from which he had never entirely recovered--affected him +seriously, and in April, 1857, he died at home from kidney disease. + +This sad event left my mother and the family in poor circumstances, and I +determined to follow the plains for a livelihood for them and myself. I +had no difficulty in obtaining work under my old employers, and in May, +1857, I started for Salt Lake City with a herd of beef cattle, in charge +of Frank and Bill McCarthy, for General Albert Sidney Johnson's army, +which was then being sent across the plains to fight the Mormons. + +Nothing occurred to interrupt our journey until we reached Plum Creek, on +the South Platte river, thirty-five miles west of Old Fort Kearney. We +had made a morning drive and had camped for dinner. The wagon-masters and +a majority of the men had gone to sleep under the mess wagons; the cattle +were being guarded by three men, and the cook was preparing dinner. No +one had any idea that Indians were anywhere near us. The first warning we +had that they were infesting that part of the country was the firing of +shots and the whoops and yells from a party of them, who, catching us +napping, gave us a most unwelcome surprise. All the men jumped to their +feet and seized their guns. They saw with astonishment the cattle running +in every direction, they having been stampeded by the Indians, who had +shot and killed the three men who were on day-herd duty, and the red +devils were now charging down upon the rest of us. + +I then thought of mother's fears of my falling into the hands of the +Indians, and I had about made up my mind that such was to be my fate; but +when I saw how coolly and determinedly the McCarthy brothers were +conducting themselves and giving orders to the little band, I became +convinced that we would "stand the Indians off," as the saying is. Our +men were all well armed with Colt's revolvers and Mississippi yagers, +which last, carried a bullet, and two buckshots. + +The McCarthy boys, at the proper moment, gave orders to fire upon the +advancing enemy. The volley checked them, although they returned the +compliment, and shot one of our party through the leg. Frank McCarthy +then sang out, "Boys, make a break for the slough yonder, and we can then +have the bank for a breast-work." + +[Illustration: KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN.] + +We made a run for the slough which was only a short distance off, +and succeeded in safely reaching it, bringing with us the wounded +man. The bank proved to be a very effective breast-work, affording +us good protection. We had been there but a short time when Frank +McCarthy, seeing that the longer we were corraled the worse it would +be for us, said: + +"Well, boys, we'll try to make our way back to Fort Kearney by wading in +the river and keeping the bank for a breast-work." + +We all agreed that this was the best plan, and we accordingly proceeded +down the river several miles in this way, managing to keep the Indians at +a safe distance with our guns, until the slough made a junction with the +main Platte river. From there down we found the river at times quite +deep, and in order to carry the wounded man along with us we constructed +a raft of poles for his accommodation, and in this way he was +transported. + +Occasionally the water would be too deep for us to wade, and we were +obliged to put our weapons on the raft and swim. The Indians followed us +pretty close, and were continually watching for an opportunity to get a +good range and give us a raking fire. Covering ourselves by keeping well +under the bank, we pushed ahead as rapidly as possible, and made pretty +good progress, the night finding us still on the way and our enemies +still on our track. + +I being the youngest and smallest of the party, became somewhat tired, +and without noticing it I had fallen behind the others for some little +distance. It was about ten o'clock and we were keeping very quiet and +hugging close to the bank, when I happened to look up to the moon-lit sky +and saw the plumed head of an Indian peeping over the bank. Instead of +hurrying ahead and alarming the men in a quiet way, I instantly aimed my +gun at the head and fired. The report rang out sharp and loud on the +night air, and was immediately followed by an Indian whoop, and the next +moment about six feet of dead Indian came tumbling into the river. I was +not only overcome with astonishment, but was badly scared, as I could +hardly realize what I had done. I expected to see the whole force of +Indians come down upon us. While I was standing thus bewildered, the men, +who had heard the shot and the war-whoop and had seen the Indian take a +tumble, came rushing back. + +"Who fired that shot?" cried Frank McCarthy. + +"I did," replied I, rather proudly, as my confidence returned and I saw +the men coming up. + +"Yes, and little Billy has killed an Indian stone-dead--too dead to +skin," said one of the men, who had approached nearer than the rest, and +had almost stumbled upon the corpse. From that time forward I became a +hero and an Indian killer. This was, of course, the first Indian I had +ever shot, and as I was not then more than eleven years of age, my +exploit created quite a sensation. + +The other Indians, upon learning what had happened to their "advance +guard," set up a terrible howling, and fired several volleys at us, but +without doing any injury, as we were so well protected by the bank. We +resumed our journey down the river, and traveled all night long. Just +before daylight, Frank McCarthy crawled out over the bank and discovered +that we were only five miles from Fort Kearney, which post we reached in +safety in about two hours,--shortly after _reveille_--bringing the +wounded man with us. It was indeed a relief to us all to feel that once +more we were safe. + +Frank McCarthy immediately reported to the commanding officer and +informed him of all that had happened. The commandant at once ordered a +company of cavalry and one of infantry to proceed to Plum Creek on a +forced march--taking a howitzer with them--to endeavor to recapture the +cattle from the Indians. + +The firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell had a division agent at Kearney, +and this agent mounted us on mules so that we could accompany the troops. +On reaching the place where the Indians had surprised us, we found the +bodies of the three men whom they had killed and scalped, and literally +cut into pieces. We of course buried the remains. We caught but few of +the cattle; the most of them having been driven off and stampeded with +the buffaloes, there being numerous immense herds of the latter in that +section of the country at that time. The Indian's trail was discovered +running south towards the Republican river, and the troops followed it to +the head of Plum Creek, and there abandoned it, returning to Fort Kearney +without having seen a single red-skin. + +The company's agent, seeing that there was no further use for us in that +vicinity--as we had lost our cattle and mules--sent us back to Fort +Leavenworth. The company, it is proper to state, did not have to stand +the loss of the expedition, as the government held itself responsible for +such depredations by the Indians. + +On the day that I got into Leavenworth, sometime in July, I was +interviewed for the first time in my life by a newspaper reporter, and +the next morning I found my name in print as "the youngest Indian slayer +on the plains." I am candid enough to admit that I felt very much elated +over this notoriety. Again and again I read with eager interest the long +and sensational account of our adventure. My exploit was related in a +very graphic manner, and for a long time afterwards I was considerable of +a hero. The reporter who had thus set me up, as I then thought, on the +highest pinnacle of fame, was John Hutchinson, and I felt very grateful +to him. He now lives in Wichita, Kansas. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN BUSINESS. + + +In the summer of 1857, Russell, Majors & Waddell were sending a great +many trains across the plains to Salt Lake with supplies for General +Johnston's army. Men were in great demand, and the company was paying +teamsters forty dollars per month in gold. An old and reliable +wagon-master, named Lewis Simpson--who had taken a great fancy to me, and +who, by the way, was one of the best wagon-masters that ever ran a bull +train--was loading a train for the company, and was about to start out +with it for Salt Lake. He asked me to go along as an "extra hand." The +high wages that were being paid were a great inducement to me, and the +position of an "extra hand" was a pleasant one. All that I would have to +do would be to take the place of any man who became sick, and drive his +wagon until he recovered. I would have my own mule to ride, and to a +certain extent I would be a minor boss. + +My mother was very much opposed to my taking this long trip, as I would +be absent nearly a year, and there was a possibility that something +might arise to prevent me from ever coming back, as we could not often +tell how the Mormon difficulty would terminate. Then again, owing to the +Indians, a journey over the plains in those days was a perilous +undertaking. She said that as I had recently returned from the plains, +and had had a narrow escape from death at the hands of the Indians, she +did not want me to risk my life a second time. I told her that inasmuch +as I had determined to follow the plains for an occupation, nothing +could now stop me from going on this trip, and if it became necessary I +would run away. + +Seeing that it was impossible to keep me at home, she reluctantly gave +her consent, but not until she had called upon Mr. Russell and Mr. +Simpson in regard to the matter, and had obtained from the latter +gentleman his promise that I should be well taken care of, if we had to +winter in the mountains. She did not like the appearance of Simpson, and +upon inquiry she learned, to her dismay, that he was a desperate +character, and that on nearly every trip he had made across the plains he +had killed some one. Such a man, she thought, was not a fit master or +companion for her son, and she was very anxious to have me go with some +other wagon-master; but I still insisted upon remaining with Simpson. + +"Madam, I can assure you that Lew. Simpson is one of the most reliable +wagon-masters on the plains," said Mr. Russell, "and he has taken a great +fancy to Billy. If your boy is bound to go, he can go with no better man. +No one will dare to impose on him while he is with Lew. Simpson, whom I +will instruct to take good care of the boy. Upon reaching Fort Laramie, +Billy can, if he wishes, exchange places with some fresh man coming back +on a returning train, and thus come home without making the whole trip." + +This seemed to satisfy mother, and then she had a long talk with Simpson +himself, imploring him not to forget his promise to take good care of her +precious boy. He promised everything that she asked. Thus, after much +trouble, I became one of the members of Simpson's train. Before taking +our departure, I arranged with Russell, Majors & Waddell that when my pay +should fall due it should be paid over to mother. + +As a matter of interest to the general reader, it may be well in this +connection to give a brief description of a freight train. The wagons +used in those days by Russell, Majors & Waddell were known as the "J. +Murphy wagons," made at St. Louis specially for the plains business. They +were very large and were strongly built, being capable of carrying seven +thousand pounds of freight each. The wagon-boxes were very +commodious--being as large as the rooms of an ordinary house--and were +covered with two heavy canvas sheets to protect the merchandise from the +rain. These wagons were generally sent out from Leavenworth, each loaded +with six thousand pounds of freight, and each drawn by several yokes of +oxen in charge of one driver. A train consisted of twenty-five wagons, +all in charge of one man, who was known as the wagon-master. The second +man in command was the assistant wagon-master; then came the "extra +hand," next the night herder; and lastly, the cavallard driver, whose +duty it was to drive the lame and loose cattle. There were thirty-one men +all told in a train. The men did their own cooking, being divided into +messes of seven. One man cooked, another brought wood and water, another +stood guard, and so on, each having some duty to perform while getting +meals. All were heavily armed with Colt's pistols and Mississippi yagers, +and every one always had his weapons handy so as to be prepared for any +emergency. + +The wagon-master, in the language of the plains, was called the +"bull-wagon boss"; the teamsters were known as "bull-whackers"; and the +whole train was denominated a "bull-outfit." Everything at that time was +called an "outfit." The men of the plains were always full of droll +humor and exciting stories of their own experiences, and many an hour I +spent in listening to the recitals of thrilling adventures and +hair-breadth escapes. + +Russell, Majors & Waddell had in their employ two hundred and fifty +trains, composed of 6,250 wagons, 75,000 oxen, and about eight thousand +men; their business reaching to all the government frontier posts in the +north and west, to which they transported supplies, and they also carried +freight as far south as New Mexico. + +[Illustration: A PRAIRIE SCHOONER.] + +The trail to Salt Lake ran through Kansas to the northwest, crossing the +Big Blue river, then over the Big and Little Sandy, coming into Nebraska +near the Big Sandy. The next stream of any importance was the Little +Blue, along which the trail ran for sixty miles; then crossed a range of +sand-hills and struck the Platte river ten miles below Old Fort Kearney; +thence the course lay up the South Platte to the old Ash Hollow Crossing, +thence eighteen miles across to the North Platte--near the mouth of the +Blue Water, where General Harney had his great battle in 1855 with the +Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. From this point the North Platte was +followed, passing Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and +then on to Fort Laramie, where the Laramie River was crossed. Still +following the North Platte for some considerable distance, the trail +crossed this river at old Richard's Bridge, and followed it up to the +celebrated Red Buttes--crossing the Willow creeks to the Sweet Water, +passing the great Independence Rock and the Devil's gate, up to the Three +Crossings of the Sweet Water, thence past the Cold Springs, where, three +feet under the sod, on the hottest day of summer, ice can be found; +thence to the Hot Springs and the Rocky Ridge, and through the Rocky +Mountains and Echo Canon, and thence on to the Great Salt Lake valley. + +We had started on our trip with everything in good shape, following +the above described trail. During the first week or two out, I became +well acquainted with most of the train men, and with one in +particular, who became a life-long and intimate friend of mine. His +real name was James B. Hickok; he afterwards became famous as "Wild +Bill, the Scout of the Plains"--though why he was so called I never +could ascertain--and from this time forward I shall refer to him by +his popular nickname. He was ten years my senior--a tall, handsome, +magnificently built and powerful young fellow, who could out-run, +out-jump and out-fight any man in the train. He was generally admitted +to be the best man physically, in the employ of Russell, Majors & +Waddell; and of his bravery there was not a doubt. General Custer, in +his "Life on the Plains," thus speaks of Wild Bill: + + * * * * * + +"Among the white scouts were numbered some of the most noted of their +class. The most prominent man among them was 'Wild Bill,' whose highly +varied career was made the subject of an illustrated sketch in one of the +popular monthly periodicals a few years ago. 'Wild Bill' was a strange +character, just the one which a novelist might gloat over. He was a +plains-man in every sense of the word, yet unlike any other of his class. +In person he was about six feet and one inch in height, straight as the +straightest of the warriors whose implacable foe he was. He had broad +shoulders, well-formed chest and limbs, and a face strikingly handsome; a +sharp, clear blue eye, which stared you straight in the face when in +conversation; a finely shaped nose, inclined to be aquiline; a +well-turned mouth, with lips only partially concealed by a handsome +moustache. His hair and complexion were those of the perfect blonde. The +former was worn in uncut ringlets, falling carelessly over his powerfully +formed shoulders. Add to this figure a costume blending the immaculate +neatness of the dandy with the extravagant taste and style of the +frontiersman, and you have Wild Bill.... Whether on foot or on horseback, +he was one of the most perfect types of physical manhood I ever saw. + +"Of his courage there could be no question; it had been brought to the +test on too many occasions to admit of a doubt. His skill in the use of +the pistol and rifle was unerring; while his deportment was exactly the +opposite of what might be expected from a man of his surroundings. It was +entirely free from all bluster or bravado. He seldom spoke himself unless +requested to do so. His conversation, strange to say, never bordered +either on the vulgar or blasphemous. His influence among the frontiersmen +was unbounded, his word was law; and many are the personal quarrels and +disturbances which he has checked among his comrades by his simple +announcement that 'This has gone far enough,'--if need be followed by the +ominous warning that when persisted in or renewed the quarreler 'must +settle it with me.' + +"Wild Bill was anything but a quarrelsome man; yet no one but him could +enumerate the many conflicts in which he had been engaged, and which had +almost always resulted in the death of his adversary. I have a personal +knowledge of at least half a dozen men whom he had at various times +killed, one of these being at the time a member of my command. Others had +been severely wounded, yet he always escaped unhurt. + +"On the plains every man openly carries his belt with its invariable +appendages, knife and revolver--often two of the latter. Wild Bill always +carried two handsome ivory-handled revolvers of the large size; he was +never seen without them.... Yet in all the many affairs of this kind in +which Wild Bill has performed a part, and which have come to my +knowledge, there was not a single instance in which the verdict of twelve +fair-minded men would not have been pronounced in his favor." + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: WILD BILL.] + +Such is the faithful picture of Wild Bill as drawn by General Custer, who +was a close observer and student of personal character, and under whom +Wild Bill served as a scout. + +The circumstances under which I first made his acquaintance and learned +to know him well and to appreciate his manly character and +kind-heartedness, were these. One of the teamsters in Lew. Simpson's +train was a surly, overbearing fellow, and took particular delight in +bullying and tyrannizing over me, and one day while we were at dinner he +asked me to do something for him. I did not start at once, and he gave me +a slap in the face with the back of his hand,--knocking me off an +ox-yoke on which I was sitting, and sending me sprawling on the ground. +Jumping to my feet I picked up a camp kettle full of boiling coffee which +was setting on the fire, and threw it at him. I hit him in the face, and +the hot coffee gave him a severe scalding. He sprang for me with the +ferocity of a tiger, and would undoubtedly have torn me to pieces, had it +not been for the timely interference of my new-found friend, Wild Bill, +who knocked the man down. As soon as he recovered himself, he demanded of +Wild Bill what business it was of his that he should "put in his oar." +"It's my business to protect that boy, or anybody else, from being +unmercifully abused, kicked and cuffed, and I'll whip any man who tries +it on," said Wild Bill; "and if you ever again lay a hand on that +boy--little Billy there--I'll give you such a pounding that you won't get +over it for a month of Sundays." From that time forward Wild Bill was my +protector and intimate friend, and the friendship thus begun continued +until his death. + +Nothing transpired on the trip to delay or give us any trouble whatever, +until the train struck the South Platte river. One day we camped on the +same ground where the Indians had surprised the cattle herd, in charge of +the McCarty brothers. It was with difficulty that we discovered any +traces of anybody ever having camped there before, the only landmark +being the single grave, now covered with grass, in which we had buried +the three men who had been killed. The country was alive with buffaloes. +Vast herds of these monarchs of the plains were roaming all around us, +and we laid over one day for a grand hunt. Besides killing quite a +number of buffaloes, and having a day of rare sport, we captured ten or +twelve head of cattle, they being a portion of the herd which had been +stampeded by the Indians, two months before. The next day we pulled out +of camp, and the train was strung out to a considerable length along the +road which ran near the foot of the sand-hills, two miles from the river. +Between the road and the river we saw a large herd of buffaloes grazing +quietly, they having been down to the stream for a drink. + +Just at this time we observed a party of returning Californians coming +from the West. They, too, noticed the buffalo herd, and in another moment +they were dashing down upon them, urging their steeds to the greatest +speed. The buffalo herd stampeded at once, and broke for the hills; so +hotly were they pursued by the hunters that about five hundred of them +rushed through our train pell-mell, frightening both men and oxen. Some +of the wagons were turned clear round, and many of the terrified oxen +attempted to run to the hills, with the heavy wagons attached to them. +Others turned around so short that they broke the wagon tongues off. +Nearly all the teams got entangled in their gearing, and became wild and +unruly, so that the perplexed drivers were unable to manage them. + +The buffaloes, the cattle, and the drivers, were soon running in every +direction, and the excitement upset nearly everybody and everything. Many +of the cattle broke their yokes and stampeded. One big buffalo bull +became entangled in one of the heavy wagon-chains, and it is a fact that +in his desperate efforts to free himself, he not only actually snapped +the strong chain in two, but broke the ox-yoke to which it was attached, +and the last seen of him he was running towards the hills with it hanging +from his horns. A dozen other equally remarkable incidents happened +during the short time that the frantic buffaloes were playing havoc with +our train, and when they had got through and left us, our outfit was very +badly crippled and scattered. This caused us to go into camp and spend a +day in replacing the broken tongues, and repairing other damages, and +gathering up our scattered ox-teams. + +The next day we rolled out of camp, and proceeded on our way towards the +setting sun. Everything ran along smoothly with us from that point until +we came within about eighteen miles of Green river, in the Rocky +mountains--where we camped at noon. At this place we had to drive our +cattle about a mile and a half to a creek to water them. Simpson, his +assistant, George Woods and myself, accompanied by the usual number of +guards, drove the cattle over to the creek, and while on our way back to +camp, we suddenly observed a party of twenty horsemen rapidly approaching +us. We were not yet in view of our wagons, as a rise of ground +intervened, and therefore we could not signal the train-men in case of +any unexpected danger befalling us. We had no suspicion, however, that we +were about to be trapped, as the strangers were white men. When they had +come up to us, one of the party, who evidently was the leader, rode out +in front and said: + +"How are you, Mr. Simpson?" + +"You've got the best of me, sir," said Simpson, who did not know him. + +"Well, I rather think I have," coolly replied the stranger, whose words +conveyed a double meaning, as we soon learned. We had all come to a halt +by this time, and the strange horsemen had surrounded us. They were all +armed with double-barreled shot guns, rifles and revolvers. We also were +armed with revolvers, but we had had no idea of danger, and these men, +much to our surprise, had "got the drop" on us, and had covered us with +their weapons, so that we were completely at their mercy. The whole +movement of corraling us was done so quietly and quickly that it was +accomplished before we knew it. + +"I'll trouble you for your six shooters, gentlemen," now said the +leader. + +"I'll give 'em to you in a way you don't want," replied Simpson. + +The next moment three guns were leveled at Simpson. "If you make a move +you're a dead man," said the leader. + +Simpson saw that he was taken at a great disadvantage, and thinking it +advisable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on his +part, he said: "I see now that you have the best of me, but who are +you, anyhow?" + +"I am Joe Smith," was the reply. + +"What! the leader of the Danites?" asked Simpson. + +"You are correct," said Smith, for he it was. + +"Yes," said Simpson, "I know you now; you are a spying scoundrel." + +Simpson had good reason for calling him this and applying to him a much +more opprobrious epithet, for only a short time before this, Joe Smith +had visited our train in the disguise of a teamster, and had remained +with us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he had +gone or why he had come among us. But it was all explained to us now that +he had returned with his Mormon Danites. After they had disarmed us, +Simpson asked, "Well, Smith, what are you going to do with us?" + +"Ride back with us and I'll soon show you," said Smith. + +We had no idea of the surprise which awaited us. As we came upon the top +of the ridge, from which we could view our camp, we were astonished to +see the remainder of the train men disarmed and stationed in a group and +surrounded by another squad of Danites, while other Mormons were +searching our wagons for such articles as they wanted. + +"How is this?" inquired Simpson. "How did you surprise my camp without a +struggle? I can't understand it." + +"Easily enough," said Smith; "your men were all asleep under the +wagons, except the cooks, who saw us coming and took us for returning +Californians or emigrants, and paid no attention to us until we rode up +and surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we woke +them up, and told them that all they had to do was to walk out and drop +their pistols--which they saw was the best thing they could do under +circumstances over which they had no control--and you can just bet +they did it." + +"And what do you propose to do with us now?" asked Simpson. + +"I intend to burn your train," said he; "you are loaded with supplies +and ammunition for Sidney Johnson, and as I have no way to convey the +stuff to my own people, I'll see that it does not reach the United +States troops." + +"Are you going to turn us adrift here?" asked Simpson, who was anxious to +learn what was to become of himself and his men. + +"No; I hardly am as bad as that. I'll give you enough provisions to last +you until you can reach Fort Bridger," replied Smith; "and as soon as +your cooks can get the stuff out of the wagons, you can start." + +"On foot?" was the laconic inquiry of Simpson. + +"Yes sir," was the equally short reply. + +"Smith, that's too rough on us men. Put yourself in our place and see how +you would like it," said Simpson; "you can well afford to give us at +least one wagon and six yokes of oxen to convey us and our clothing and +provisions to Fort Bridger. You're a brute if you don't do this." + +"Well," said Smith, after consulting a minute or two with some of his +company, "I'll do that much for you." + +The cattle and the wagon were brought up according to his orders, and the +clothing and provisions were loaded on. + +"Now you can go," said Smith, after everything had been arranged. + +"Joe Smith, I think you are a mean coward to set us afloat in a hostile +country, without giving us our arms," said Simpson, who had once before +asked for the weapons, and had had his request denied. + +Smith, after further consultation with his comrades, said: "Simpson, +you are too brave a man to be turned adrift here without any means of +defense. You shall have your revolvers and guns." Our weapons were +accordingly handed over to Simpson, and we at once started for Fort +Bridger, knowing that it would be useless to attempt the recapture of +our train. + +When we had traveled about two miles we saw the smoke arising from our +old camp. The Mormons after taking what goods they wanted and could carry +off, had set fire to the wagons, many of which were loaded with bacon, +lard, hard-tack, and other provisions, which made a very hot, fierce +fire, and the smoke to roll up in dense clouds. Some of the wagons were +loaded with ammunition, and it was not long before loud explosions +followed in rapid succession. We waited and witnessed the burning of the +train, and then pushed on to Fort Bridger. Arriving at this post, we +learned that two other trains had been captured and destroyed in the same +way, by the Mormons. This made seventy-five wagon loads, or 450,000 +pounds of supplies, mostly provisions, which never reached General +Johnson's command, to which they had been consigned. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HARD TIMES. + + +As it was getting very late in the fall, we were compelled to winter at +Fort Bridger; and a long, tedious winter it was. There were a great many +troops there, and about four hundred of Russell, Majors & Waddell's +employees. These men were all organized into militia companies, which +were officered by the wagon-masters. Some lived in tents, others in +cabins. It was known that our supplies would run short during the winter, +and so all the men at the post were put on three-quarter rations to begin +with; before long they were reduced to one-half rations, and finally to +one-quarter rations. We were forced to kill our poor worn-out cattle for +beef. They were actually so poor that we had to prop them up to shoot +them down. At last we fell back on the mules, which were killed and +served up in good style. Many a poor, unsuspecting government mule passed +in his chips that winter in order to keep the soldiers and bull-whackers +from starvation. + +It was really a serious state of affairs. The wood for the post was +obtained from the mountains, but having no longer any cattle or mules to +transport it, the men were obliged to haul it themselves. Long lariats +were tied to the wagons, and twenty men manning each, they were pulled to +and from the mountains. Notwithstanding all these hardships, the men +seemed to be contented and to enjoy themselves. + +The winter finally passed away, and early in the spring, as soon as we +could travel, the civil employees of the government, with the teamsters +and freighters, started for the Missouri river; the Johnson expedition +having been abandoned. On the way down we stopped at Fort Laramie, and +there met a supply train bound westward. Of course we all had a square +meal once more, consisting of hard tack, bacon, coffee and beans. I can +honestly say that I thought it was the best meal I had ever eaten; at +least I relished it more than any other, and I think the rest of the +party did the same. + +On leaving Fort Laramie, Simpson was made brigade wagon-master, and was +put in charge of two large trains, with about four hundred extra men, who +were bound for Fort Leavenworth. When we came to Ash Hollow, instead of +taking the usual trail over to the South Platte, Simpson concluded to +follow the North Platte down to its junction with the South Platte. The +two trains were traveling about fifteen miles apart, when one morning +while Simpson was with the rear train, he told his assistant +wagon-master, George Woods and myself to saddle up our mules, as he +wanted us to go with him and overtake the head train. + +We started off at about eleven o'clock, and had ridden about seven miles +when--while we were on a big plateau, back of Cedar Bluffs--we suddenly +discovered a band of Indians coming out of the head of a ravine, half a +mile distant, and charging down upon us at full speed. I thought that our +end had come this time, sure. Simpson, however, took in the situation in +a moment, and knowing that it would be impossible to escape by running +our played-out mules, he adopted a bolder and much better plan. He jumped +from his own mule, and told us to dismount also. He then shot the three +animals, and as they fell to the ground he cut their throats to stop +their kicking. He then jerked them into the shape of a triangle, and +ordered us inside of the barricade. + +All this was but the work of a few moments, yet it was not done any too +soon, for the Indians had got within three hundred yards of us, and were +still advancing, and uttering their demoniacal yells or war-whoops. There +were forty of the red-skins and only three of us. We were each armed +with a Mississippi yager and two Colt's revolvers. + +"Get ready for them with your guns, and when they come within fifty +yards, aim low, blaze away and bring down your man!" + +Such was the quick command of Simpson. The words had hardly escaped from +his mouth, when the three yagers almost simultaneously belched forth +their contents. We then seized our revolvers and opened a lively fire on +the enemy, at short range, which checked their advance. Then we looked +over our little barricade to ascertain what effect our fire had produced, +and were much gratified at seeing three dead Indians and one horse lying +on the ground. Only two or three of the Indians, it seemed, had +fire-arms. It must be remembered that in those days every Indian did not +own a needle gun or a Winchester rifle, as they now do. Their principal +weapons were their bows and arrows. + +Seeing that they could not take our little fortification, or drive us +from it, they circled around us several times, shooting their arrows at +us. One of the arrows struck George Wood in the left shoulder, inflicting +only a slight wound, however, and several lodged in the bodies of the +dead mules; otherwise they did us no harm. + +The Indians finally galloped off to a safe distance, where our bullets +could not reach them, and seemed to be holding a council. This was a +lucky move for us, for it gave us an opportunity to reload our guns and +pistols, and prepare for the next charge of the enemy. During the brief +cessation of hostilities, Simpson extracted the arrow from Wood's +shoulder, and put an immense quid of tobacco on the wound. Wood was then +ready for business again. + +[Illustration: HOLDING THE FORT.] + +The Indians did not give us a very long rest, for with, another desperate +charge, as if to ride over us, they came dashing towards the mule +barricade. We gave them a hot reception from our yagers and revolvers. +They could not stand, or understand, the rapidly repeating fire of the +revolvers, and we again checked them. They circled around us once more +and gave us a few parting shots as they rode off, leaving behind them +another dead Indian and a horse. + +For two hours afterwards they did not seem to be doing anything but +holding a council. We made good use of this time by digging up the ground +inside the barricade with our knives and throwing the loose earth around +and over the mules, and we soon had a very respectable fortification. We +were not troubled any more that day, but during the night the cunning +rascals tried to burn us out by setting fire to the prairie. The buffalo +grass was so short that the fire did not trouble us much, but the smoke +concealed the Indians from our view, and they thought that they could +approach close to us without being seen. We were aware of this, and kept +a sharp look-out, being prepared all the time to receive them. They +finally abandoned the idea of surprising us. + +Next morning, bright and early, they gave us one more grand charge, and +again we "stood them off." They then rode away half a mile or so, and +formed a circle around us. Each man dismounted and sat down, as if to +wait and starve us out. They had evidently seen the advance train pass on +the morning of the previous day, and believed that we belonged to that +outfit and were trying to overtake it; they had no idea that another +train was on its way after us. + +Our hopes of escape from this unpleasant and perilous situation now +depended upon the arrival of the rear train, and when we saw that the +Indians were going to besiege us instead of renewing their attacks, we +felt rather confident of receiving timely assistance. We had expected +that the train would be along late in the afternoon of the previous day, +and as the morning wore away we were somewhat anxious and uneasy, at its +non-arrival. + +At last, about ten o'clock, we began to hear in the distance the loud and +sharp reports of the big bull-whips, which were handled with great +dexterity by the teamsters, and cracked like rifle shots. These were as +welcome sounds to us as were the notes of the bag-pipes to the beseiged +garrison at Lucknow, when the reinforcements were coming up and the +pipers were heard playing, "The Campbells are Coming." In a few moments +we saw the lead or head wagon coming slowly over the ridge, which had +concealed the train from our view, and soon the whole outfit made its +appearance. The Indians observed the approaching train, and assembling in +a group they held a short consultation. They then charged upon us once +more, for the last time, and as they turned and dashed away over the +prairie, we sent our farewell shots rattling after them. The teamsters, +seeing the Indians and hearing the shots, came rushing forward to our +assistance, but by the time they reached us the red-skins had almost +disappeared from view. The teamsters eagerly asked us a hundred questions +concerning our fight, admired our fort and praised our pluck. Simpson's +remarkable presence of mind in planning the defense was the general topic +of conversation among all the men. + +When the teams came up we obtained some water and bandages with which to +dress Wood's wound, which had become quite inflamed and painful, and we +then put him into one of the wagons. Simpson and myself obtained a +remount, bade good-bye to our dead mules which had served us so well, and +after collecting the ornaments and other plunder from the dead Indians, +we left their bodies and bones to bleach on the prairie. The train moved +on again and we had no other adventures, except several exciting buffalo +hunts on the South Platte, near Plum Creek. + +We arrived at Fort Leavenworth about the middle of July, 1858, when I +immediately visited home. I found mother in very poor health, as she was +suffering from asthma. My oldest sister, Martha, had, during my absence, +been married to John Crane, and was living at Leavenworth. + +During the winter at Fort Bridger I had frequently talked with Wild Bill +about my family, and as I had become greatly attached to him I asked him +to come and make a visit at our house, which he promised to do. So one +day, shortly after our return from Fort Bridger, he accompanied me home +from Leavenworth. My mother and sisters, who had heard so much about him +from me, were delighted to see him and he spent several weeks at our +place. They did everything possible to repay him for his kindness to me. +Ever afterwards, when he was at or near Leavenworth, Wild Bill came out +to our house to see the family, whether I was at home or not, and he +always received a most cordial reception. His mother and sisters lived in +Illinois, and he used to call our house his home, as he did not have one +of his own. + +I had been home only about a month, after returning from Fort Bridger, +when I again started out with another train, going this time as +assistant wagon-master under Buck Bomer. We went safely through to Fort +Laramie, which was our destination, and from there we were ordered to +take a load of supplies to a new post called Fort Wallach, which was +being established at Cheyenne Pass. We made this trip and got back to +Fort Laramie about November 1st. I then quit the employ of Russell, +Majors & Waddell, and joined a party of trappers who were sent out by +the post trader, Mr. Ward, to trap on the streams of the Chugwater and +Laramie for beaver, otter, and other fur animals, and also to poison +wolves for their pelts. We were out two months, but as the expedition +did not prove very profitable, and was rather dangerous on account of +the Indians, we abandoned the enterprise and came into Fort Laramie in +the latter part of December. + +Being anxious to return to the Missouri river, I joined with two others, +named Scott and Charley, who were also desirous of going East on a visit, +bought three ponies and a pack-mule, and we started out together. We made +rapid progress on our journey, and nothing worthy of note happened until +one afternoon, along the banks of the Little Blue River, we spied a band +of Indians hunting on the opposite side of the stream, three miles away. +We did not escape their notice, and they gave us a lively chase for two +hours, but they could find no good crossing, and as evening came on we +finally got away from them. + +We traveled until late in the night; when upon discovering a low, deep +ravine which we thought would make a comfortable and safe camping-place, +we stopped for a rest. In searching for a good place to make our beds, I +found a hole, and I called to my companions that I had found a fine place +for a nest. One of the party was to stand guard while the others slept. +Scott took the first watch, while Charley and I made a bed in the hole. + +While clearing out the place we felt something rough, but as it was dark +we could not make out what it was. At any rate we concluded that it was +bones or sticks of wood; we thought perhaps it might be the bones of some +animal which had fallen in there and died. These bones, for such they +really proved to be, we pushed one side and then we lay down. But +Charley, being an inveterate smoker, could not resist the temptation of +indulging in a smoke before going to sleep. So he sat up and struck a +match to light his old pipe. Our subterranean bed-chamber was thus +illuminated for a moment or two; I sprang to my feet in an instant for a +ghastly and horrifying sight was revealed to us. Eight or ten human +skeletons lay scattered upon the ground. + +The light of the match died out, but we had seen enough to convince us +that we were in a large grave, into which, perhaps, some unfortunate +emigrants, who had been killed by the Indians, had been thrown; or, +perhaps, seeking refuge there, they had been corraled and then killed on +the spot. If such was the case, they had met the fate of thousands of +others, whose friends have never heard of them since they left their +eastern homes to seek their fortunes in the Far West. However, we did not +care to investigate this mystery any further, but we hustled out of that +chamber of death and informed Scott of our discovery. Most of the +plains-men are very superstitious, and we were no exception to the +general rule. We surely thought that this incident was an evil omen, and +that we would be killed if we remained there any longer. + +[Illustration: CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE.] + +"Let us dig out of here quicker than we can say Jack Robinson," said +Scott; and we began to "dig out" at once. We saddled our animals and +hurriedly pushed forward through the darkness, traveling several miles +before we again went into camp. Next morning it was snowing fiercely, +but we proceeded as best we could, and that night we succeeded in +reaching Oak Grove ranch, which had been built during the summer. We +here obtained comfortable accommodations and plenty to eat and +drink--especially the latter. + +Scott and Charley were great lovers and consumers of "tanglefoot," and +they soon got gloriously drunk, keeping it up for three days, during +which time they gambled with the ranchmen, who got away with all their +money; but little they cared for that, as they had their spree. They +finally sobered up, and we resumed our journey, urging our jaded animals +as much as they could stand, until we struck Marysville, on the Big Blue. +From this place to Leavenworth we secured first-rate accommodations along +the road, as the country had become pretty well settled. + +It was in February, 1859, that I got home. As there was now a good school +in the neighborhood, taught by Mr. Divinny, my mother wished me to attend +it, and I did so for two months and a half--the longest period of +schooling that I ever received at any one time in my life. As soon as the +spring came and the grass began growing, I became uneasy and +discontented, and again longed for the free and open life of the plains. + +The Pike's Peak gold excitement was then at its height, and everybody was +rushing to the new gold diggings. I caught the gold-fever myself, and +joined a party bound for the new town of Auraria, on Cherry Creek, +afterwards called Denver, in honor of the then governor of Kansas. On +arriving at Auraria we pushed on to the gold streams in the mountains, +passing up through Golden Gate, and over Guy Hill, and thence on to +Black Hawk. We prospected for two months, but as none of us knew anything +about mining we met with very poor success, and we finally concluded that +prospecting for gold was not our forte. We accordingly abandoned the +enterprise and turned our faces eastward once more. + +[Illustration: RAFTING ON THE PLATTE.] + +When we struck the Platte River, the happy thought of constructing a +small raft--which would float us clear to the Missouri and thence down to +Leavenworth--entered our heads, and we accordingly carried out the plan. +Upon the completion of the raft we stocked it with provisions, and "set +sail" down the stream. It was a light craft and a jolly crew, and all was +smooth sailing for four or five days. + +When we got near old Julesburg, we met with a serious mishap. Our raft +ran into an eddy, and quick as lightning went to pieces, throwing us all +into the stream, which was so deep that we had to swim ashore. We lost +everything we had, which greatly discouraged us, and we thereupon +abandoned the idea of rafting it any farther. We then walked over to +Julesburg, which was only a few miles distant. This ranch, which became a +somewhat famous spot, had been established by "Old Jules," a Frenchman, +who was afterwards killed by the notorious Alf. Slade. + +The great pony express, about which so much has been said and written, +was at that time just being started. The line was being stocked with +horses and put into good running condition. At Julesburg I met Mr. George +Chrisman, the leading wagon-master of Russell, Majors & Waddell, who had +always been a good friend to me. He had bought out "Old Jules," and was +then the owner of Julesburg ranch, and the agent of the pony express +line. He hired me at once as a pony express rider, but as I was so young +he thought I would not be able to stand the fierce riding which was +required of the messengers. He knew, however, that I had been raised in +the saddle--that I felt more at home there than in any other place--and +as he saw that I was confident that I could stand the racket, and could +ride as far and endure it as well as some of the older riders, he gave me +a short route of forty-five miles, with the stations fifteen miles apart, +and three changes of horses. I was required to make fifteen miles an +hour, including the changes of horses. I was fortunate in getting +well-broken animals, and being so light, I easily made my forty-five +miles on time on my first trip out, and ever afterwards. + +I wrote to mother and told her how well I liked the exciting life of a +pony express rider. She replied, and begged of me to give it up, as it +would surely kill me. She was right about this, as fifteen miles an hour +on horseback would, in a short time, shake any man "all to pieces"; and +there were but very few, if any, riders who could stand it for any great +length of time. Nevertheless, I stuck to it for two months, and then, +upon receiving a letter informing me that my mother was very sick, I gave +it up and went back to the old home in Salt Creek Valley. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. + + +My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home very +long, and in November, after the recovery of my mother, I went up the +Republican River and its tributaries on a trapping expedition in company +with Dave Harrington. Our outfit consisted of one wagon and a yoke of +oxen for the transportation of provisions, traps, and other necessaries. +We began trapping near Junction City, Kansas, and then proceeded up the +Republican River to the mouth of Prairie Dog Creek, where we found plenty +of beavers. + +Having seen no signs of Indians thus far, we felt comparatively safe. We +were catching a large number of beavers and were prospering finely, when +one of our oxen, having become rather poor, slipped and fell upon the +ice, dislocating his hip, so that we had to shoot him to end his misery. +This left us without a team; but we cared little for that, however, as we +had made up our minds to remain there till spring, when, and it was +decided, that one of us should go to the nearest settlement and get a +yoke of oxen with which to haul our wagon into some place of safety where +we could leave it. + +We would probably have pulled through the winter all right had it not +been for a very serious accident which befell me just at that time. +Spying a herd of elk, we started in pursuit of them, and creeping up +towards them as slyly as possible, while going around the bend of a sharp +bluff or bank of the creek I slipped and broke my leg just above the +ankle. Notwithstanding the great pain I was suffering, Harrington could +not help laughing when I urged him to shoot me, as he had the ox, and +thus end my misery. He told me to "brace up," and that he would bring me +out "all right." "I am not much of a surgeon," said he, "but I can fix +that leg of yours, even if I haven't got a diploma." + +He succeeded in getting me back to camp, which was only a few yards from +the creek, and then he set the fracture as well as he knew how, and made +me as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances. We then +discussed the situation, which to say the least, looked pretty blue. +Knowing that, owing to our mishaps, we could not do anything more that +winter, and as I dreaded the idea of lying there on my back with a broken +leg for weeks, and perhaps months, I prevailed upon Harrington to go the +nearest settlement--about 125 miles distant--to obtain a yoke of cattle, +and then come back for me. + +This he consented to do; but before leaving he gathered plenty of wood, +and as the ground was covered with snow, I would have no difficulty in +getting water if I had a fire. There was plenty of fresh meat and other +provisions in the "dug-out," so that I had no fears of starvation. The +"dugout," which we had built immediately after we had determined to +remain there all winter, was a very cosy hole in the ground, covered with +poles, grass and sod, with a fireplace in one end. + +Harrington thought it would take him twenty days or more to make the +round trip; but being well provided for--for this length of time--I +urged him to go at once. Bidding me good-bye he started on foot. After +his departure, each day, as it came and went, seemed to grow longer to me +as I lay there helpless and alone. I made a note of each day, so as to +know the time when I might expect him back. + +[Illustration: SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN-IN-THE-FACE.] + +On the twelfth day after Harrington left me, I was awakened from a sound +sleep by some one touching me upon the shoulder. I looked up and was +astonished to see an Indian warrior standing at my side. His face was +hideously daubed with paint, which told me more forcibly than words could +have done that he was on the war-path. He spoke to me in broken English +and Sioux mixed, and I understood him to ask what I was doing there, and +how many there were with me. + +By this time the little dug-out was nearly filled with other Indians, who +had been peeping in at the door, and I could hear voices of still more +outside as well as the stamping of horses. I began to think that my time +had come, as the saying is, when into the cabin stepped an elderly +Indian, whom I readily recognized as old Rain-in-the-Face, a Sioux chief +from the vicinity of Fort Laramie. I rose up as well as I could and +showed him my broken leg. I told him where I had seen him, and asked him +if he remembered me. He replied that he knew me well, and that I used to +come to his lodge at Fort Laramie to visit him. I then managed to make +him understand that I was there alone and having broken my leg, I had +sent my partner off for a team to take me away. I asked him if his young +men intended to kill me, and he answered, that was what they had proposed +to do, but he would see what they had to say. + +The Indians then talked among themselves for a few minutes, and upon the +conclusion of the consultation, old Rain-in-the-Face turned to me and +gave me to understand that as I was yet a "papoose," or a very young man, +they would not take my life. But one of his men, who had no fire-arms, +wanted my gun and pistol. I implored old Rain-in-the-Face to be allowed +to keep the weapons, or at least one of them, as I needed something with +which to keep the wolves away. He replied that as his young men were out +on the war path, he had induced them to spare my life; but he could not +prevent them from taking what ever else they wanted. + +They unsaddled their horses as if to remain there for some time, and sure +enough they stayed the remainder of the day and all night. They built a +fire in the dug-out and cooked a lot of my provisions, helping themselves +to everything as if they owned it. However, they were polite enough to +give me some of the food after they had cooked it. It was a sumptuous +feast that they had, and they seemed to relish it as if it was the best +lay-out they had had for many a long day. They took all my sugar and +coffee, and left me only some meat and a small quantity of flour, a +little salt and some baking powder. They also robbed me of such cooking +utensils as they wished; then bidding me good-bye, early in the morning, +they mounted their ponies and rode off to the south, evidently bent on +some murdering and thieving expedition. + +I was glad enough to see them leave, as my life had undoubtedly hung by a +thread during their presence. I am confident that had it not been for my +youth and the timely recognition and interference of old Rain-in-the-Face +they would have killed me without any hesitation or ceremony. + +The second day after they had gone it began snowing, and for three long +and weary days the snow continued to fall thick and fast. It blocked the +door-way and covered the dug-out to the depth of several feet, so that I +became a snowbound prisoner. My wood was mostly under the snow, and it +was with great difficulty that I could get enough to start a fire with. +My prospects were gloomy indeed. I had just faced death at the hands of +the Indians, and now I was in danger of losing my life from starvation +and cold. I knew that the heavy snow would surely delay Harrington on his +return; and I feared that he might have perished in the storm, or that +some other accident might have befallen him. Perhaps some wandering band +of Indians had run across him and killed him. + +I was continually thinking of all these possibilities, and I must say +that my outlook seemed desperate. At last the twentieth day +arrived--the day on which Harrington was to return--and I counted the +hours from morning till night, but the day passed away with no signs of +Harrington. The wolves made the night hideous with their howls; they +gathered around the dug-out; ran over the roof; and pawed and scratched +as if trying to get in. + +Several days and nights thus wore away, the monotony all the time +becoming greater, until at last it became almost unendurable. Some days I +would go without any fire at all, and eat raw frozen meat and melt snow +in my mouth for water. I became almost convinced that Harrington had been +caught in the storm and had been buried under the snow, or was lost. Many +a time during that dreary period of uncertainty, I made up my mind that +if I ever got out of that place alive, I would abandon the plains and the +life of a trapper forever. I had nearly given up all hopes of leaving the +dug-out alive. + +It was on the twenty-ninth day, while I was lying thus despondently +thinking and wondering, that I heard the cheerful sound of Harrington's +voice as he came slowly up the creek, yelling, "whoa! haw!" to his +cattle. A criminal on the scaffold, with the noose around his neck, the +trap about to be sprung, and receiving a pardon just at the last moment, +thus giving him a new lease of life, could not have been more grateful +than I was at that time. It was useless for me to try to force the door +open, as the snow had completely blockaded it, and I therefore anxiously +awaited Harrington's arrival. + +"Hello! Billy!" he sang out in a loud voice as he came up, he evidently +being uncertain as to my being alive. + +"All right, Dave," was my reply. + +"Well, old boy, you're alive, are you?" said he. + +"Yes; and that's about all. I've had a tough siege of it since you've +been away, and I came pretty nearly passing in my chips. I began to +think you never would get here, as I was afraid you had been snowed +under," said I. + +He soon cleared away the snow from the entrance, and opening the door he +came in. I don't think there ever was a more welcome visitor than he was. +I remember that I was so glad to see him that I put my arms around his +neck and hugged him for five minutes; never shall I forget faithful Dave +Harrington. + +"Well, Billy, my boy, I hardly expected to see you alive again," said +Harrington, as soon as I had given him an opportunity to draw his breath; +"I had a terrible trip of it, and I didn't think I ever would get +through. I was caught in the snow-storm, and was laid up for three days. +The cattle wandered away, and I came within an ace of losing them +altogether. When I got started again the snow was so deep that it +prevented me from making much headway. But as I had left you here I was +bound to come through, or die in the attempt." + +Again I flung my arms around Dave's neck and gave him a hug that would +have done honor to a grizzly bear. My gratitude was thus much more +forcibly expressed than it could have been by words. Harrington +understood this, and seemed to appreciate it. The tears of joy rolled +down my cheeks, and it was impossible for me to restrain them. When my +life had been threatened by the Indians I had not felt half so miserable +as when I lay in the dug-out thinking I was destined to die a slow death +by starvation and cold. The Indians would have made short work of it, and +would have given me little or no time to think of my fate. + +I questioned Harrington as to his trip, and learned all the details. He +had passed through hardships which but few men could have endured. Noble +fellow, that he was. He had risked his own life to save mine. + +After he had finished his story, every word of which I had listened to +with eager interest, I related to him my own experiences, in which he +became no less interested. He expressed great astonishment that the +Indians had not killed me, and he considered it one of the luckiest and +most remarkable escapes he had ever heard of. It amused me, however, to +see him get very angry when I told him that they had taken my gun and +pistol and had used up our provisions. "But never mind, Billy," said he, +"we can stand it till the snow goes off, which will not be long, and then +we will pull our wagon back to the settlements." + +A few days afterwards Harrington gathered up our traps, and cleaned the +snow out of the wagon. Covering it with the sheet which we had used in +the dug-out, he made a comfortable bed inside, and helped me into it. We +had been quite successful in trapping, having caught three hundred +beavers and one hundred otters, the skins of which Harrington loaded on +the wagon. We then pulled out for the settlements, making good headway, +as the snow had nearly disappeared, having been blown or melted away, so +that we had no difficulty in finding a road. On the eighth day out we +came to a farmer's house, or ranch, on the Republican River, where we +stopped and rested for two days, and then went on to the ranch where +Harrington had obtained the yoke of cattle. We gave the owner of the team +twenty-five beaver skins, equal to $60, for the use of the cattle, and he +let us have them until we reached Junction City, sending his boy with us +to bring them back. + +At Junction City we sold our wagon and furs and went with a government +mule train to Leavenworth--arriving there in March, 1860. I was just able +to get around on crutches when I got into Leavenworth, and it was several +months after that before I entirely recovered the use of my leg. + +During the winter I had often talked to Harrington about my mother and +sisters, and had invited him to go home with me in the spring. I now +renewed the invitation, which he accepted, and accompanied me home. When +I related to mother my adventures and told her how Harrington had saved +my life, she thanked him again and again. I never saw a more grateful +woman than she was. She asked him to always make his home with us, as she +never could reward him sufficiently for what he had done for her darling +boy, as she called me. Harrington concluded to remain with us through the +summer and farm mother's land. But alas! the uncertainty of life. The +coming of death when least expected was strikingly illustrated in his +case. During the latter part of April he went to a nursery for some +trees, and while coming home late at night he caught a severe cold and +was taken seriously sick, with lung fever. Mother did everything in her +power for him. She could not have done more had he been her own son, but +notwithstanding her motherly care and attention, and the skill of a +physician from Leavenworth, he rapidly grew worse. It seemed hard, +indeed, to think that a great strong man like Harrington, who had braved +the storms, and endured the other hardships of the plains all winter +long, should, during the warm and beautiful days of spring, when +surrounded by friends and the comforts of a good home, be fatally +stricken down. But such was his fate. He died one week from the day on +which he was taken sick. We all mourned his loss as we would that of a +loved son or brother, as he was one of the truest, bravest, and best of +friends. Amid sorrow and tears we laid him away to rest in a picturesque +spot on Pilot Knob. His death cast a gloom over our household, and it was +a long time before it was entirely dispelled. I felt very lonely without +Harrington, and I soon wished for a change of scene again. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. + + +As the warm days of summer approached I longed for the cool air of the +mountains; and to the mountains I determined to go. After engaging a man +to take care of the farm, I proceeded to Leavenworth and there met my old +wagon-master and friend, Lewis Simpson, who was fitting out a train at +Atchison and loading it with supplies for the Overland Stage Company, of +which Mr. Russell, my old employer, was one of the proprietors. Simpson +was going with this train to Fort Laramie and points further west. + +"Come along with me, Billy," said he, "I'll give you a good lay-out. I +want you with me." + +"I don't know that I would like to go as far west as that again," +replied I, "but I do want to ride the pony express once more; there's +some life in that." + +"Yes, that's so; but it will soon shake the life out of you," said he. +"However, if that's what you've got your mind set on, you had better come +to Atchison with me and see Mr. Russell, who I'm pretty certain, will +give you a situation." + +I replied that I would do that. I then went home and informed mother of +my intention, and as her health was very poor I had great difficulty in +obtaining her consent. I finally convinced her that as I was of no use on +the farm, it would be better and more profitable for me to return to the +plains. So after giving her all the money I had earned by trapping, I +bade her good-bye and set out for Atchison. + +I met Mr. Russell there and asked him for employment as a pony +express-rider; he gave me a letter to Mr. Slade, who was then the stage +agent for the division extending from Julesburg to Rocky Ridge. Slade +had his headquarters at Horseshoe Station, thirty-six miles west of +Fort Laramie and I made the trip thither in company with Simpson and +his train. + +Almost the very first person I saw after dismounting from my horse was +Slade. I walked up to him and presented Mr. Russell's letter, which he +hastily opened and read. With a sweeping glance of his eye he took my +measure from head to foot, and then said: + +"My boy, you are too young for a pony express-rider. It takes men for +that business." + +"I rode two months last year on Bill Trotter's division, sir, and filled +the bill then; and I think I am better able to ride now," said I. + +"What! are you the boy that was riding there, and was called the youngest +rider on the road?" + +"I am the same boy," I replied, confident that everything was now all +right for me. + +"I have heard of you before. You are a year or so older now, and I think +you can stand it. I'll give you a trial anyhow and if you weaken you can +come back to Horseshoe Station and tend stock." + +That ended our first interview. The next day he assigned me to duty on +the road from Red Buttes on the North Platte, to the Three Crossings of +the Sweetwater--a distance of seventy-six miles--and I began riding at +once. It was a long piece of road, but I was equal to the undertaking; +and soon afterwards had an opportunity to exhibit my power of endurance +as a pony express rider. + +One day when I galloped into Three Crossings, my home station, I found +that the rider who was expected to take the trip out on my arrival, had +got into a drunken row the night before and had been killed; and that +there was no one to fill his place. I did not hesitate for a moment to +undertake an extra ride of eighty-five miles to Rocky Ridge, and I +arrived at the latter place on time. I then turned back and rode to Red +Buttes, my starting place, accomplishing on the round trip a distance of +322 miles. + +[Illustration: I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED HORSES] + +Slade heard of this feat of mine, and one day as he was passing on a +coach he sang out to me, "My boy, you're a brick, and no mistake. That +was a good run you made when you rode your own and Miller's routes, and +I'll see that you get extra pay for it." + +Slade, although rough at times and always a dangerous character--having +killed many a man--was always kind to me. During the two years that I +worked for him as pony express-rider and stage-driver, he never spoke an +angry word to me. + +As I was leaving Horse Creek one day, a party of fifteen Indians "jumped +me" in a sand ravine about a mile west of the station. They fired at me +repeatedly, but missed their mark. I was mounted on a roan California +horse--the fleetest steed I had. Putting spurs and whip to him, and lying +flat on his back, I kept straight on for Sweetwater Bridge--eleven miles +distant--instead of trying to turn back to Horse Creek. The Indians came +on in hot pursuit, but my horse soon got away from them, and ran into the +station two miles ahead of them. The stock-tender had been killed there +that morning, and all the stock had been driven off by the Indians, and +as I was therefore unable to change horses, I continued on to Ploutz's +Station--twelve miles further--thus making twenty-four miles straight run +with one horse. I told the people at Ploutz's what had happened at +Sweetwater Bridge, and with a fresh horse went on and finished the trip +without any further adventure. + +[Illustration: ATTACK ON STAGE COACH.] + +About the middle of September the Indians became very troublesome on the +line of the stage road along the Sweetwater. Between Split Rock and Three +Crossings they robbed a stage, killed the driver and two passengers, and +badly wounded Lieut. Flowers, the assistant division agent. The +red-skinned thieves also drove off the stock from the different stations, +and were continually lying in wait for the passing stages and pony +express-riders, so that we had to take many desperate chances in running +the gauntlet. + +The Indians had now become so bad and had stolen so much stock that it +was decided to stop the pony express for at least six weeks, and to run +the stages but occasionally during that period; in fact, it would have +been almost impossible to have run the enterprise much longer without +restocking the line. + +While we were thus nearly all lying idle, a party was organized to go +out and search for stolen stock. This party was composed of +stage-drivers, express-riders, stock-tenders, and ranchmen--forty of them +altogether--and they were well-armed and well-mounted. They were mostly +men who had undergone all kinds of hardships and braved every danger, and +they were ready and anxious to "tackle" any number of Indians. Wild Bill +(who had been driving stage on the road and had recently come down to our +division) was elected captain of the company. + +It was supposed that the stolen stock had been taken to the head of +Powder River and vicinity, and the party, of which I was a member, +started out for that section in high hopes of success. + +Twenty miles out from Sweetwater Bridge, at the head of Horse Creek, we +found an Indian trail running north towards Powder River, and we could +see by the tracks that most of the horses had been recently shod and were +undoubtedly our stolen stage stock. Pushing rapidly forward, we followed +this trail to Powder River; thence down this stream to within about forty +miles of the spot where old Fort Reno now stands. Here the trail took a +more westerly course along the foot of the mountains, leading eventually +to Crazy Woman's Fork--a tributary of Powder River. At this point we +discovered that the party whom we were trailing had been joined by +another band of Indians, and, judging from the fresh appearance of the +trail, the united body could not have left this spot more than +twenty-four hours before. + +Being aware that we were now in the heart of the hostile country and that +we might at any moment find more Indians than we had "lost," we advanced +with more caution than usual, and kept a sharp lookout. As we were +approaching Clear Creek, another tributary of Powder river, we discovered +Indians on the opposite side of the creek, some three miles distant; at +least we saw horses grazing, which was a sure sign that there were +Indians there. + +The Indians thinking themselves in comparative safety--never before +having been followed so far into their own country by white men--had +neglected to put out any scouts. They had no idea that there were any +white men in that part of the country. We got the lay of their camp, and +then held a council to consider and mature a plan for capturing it. We +knew full well that the Indians would outnumber us at least three to one, +and perhaps more. Upon the advice and suggestion of Wild Bill, it was +finally decided that we should wait until it was nearly dark, and then, +after creeping as close to them as possible, make a dash through their +camp, open a general fire on them, and stampede the horses. + +This plan, at the proper time, was most successfully executed. The dash +upon the enemy was a complete surprise to them. They were so overcome +with astonishment that they did not know what to make of it. We could not +have astonished them any more if we had dropped down into their camp from +the clouds. They did not recover from the surprise of this sudden charge +until after we had ridden pell-mell through their camp and got away with +our own horses as well as theirs. We at once circled the horses around +towards the south, and after getting them on the south side of Clear +Creek, some twenty of our men--just as the darkness was coming on--rode +back and gave the Indians a few parting shots. We then took up our line +of march for Sweetwater Bridge, where we arrived four days afterwards +with all of our own horses and about one hundred captured Indian ponies. + +The expedition had proved a grand success, and the event was celebrated +in the usual manner--by a grand spree. The only store at Sweetwater +Bridge did a rushing business for several days. The returned +stock-hunters drank, and gambled and fought. The Indian ponies, which had +been distributed among the captors, passed from hand to hand at almost +every deal of the cards. There seemed to be no limit to the rioting, and +carousing; revelry reigned supreme. On the third day of the orgie, Slade, +who had heard the news, came up to the bridge and took a hand in the +"fun," as it was called. To add some variation and excitement to the +occasion, Slade got in to a quarrel with a stage-driver and shot him, +killing him almost instantly. + +[Illustration: ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER.] + +The "boys" became so elated as well as "elevated" over their success +against the Indians, that most of them were in favor of going back and +cleaning out the whole Indian race. One old driver especially, Dan Smith, +was eager to open a war on all the hostile nations, and had the drinking +been continued another week he certainly would have undertaken the job, +single-handed and alone. The spree finally came to an end; the men +sobered down and abandoned the idea of again invading the hostile +country. The recovered horses were replaced on the road, and the stages +and pony express were again running on time. + +Slade, having taken a great fancy to me, said: "Billy, I want you to come +down to my headquarters, and I'll make you a sort of supernumerary rider, +and send you out only when it is necessary." I accepted the offer, and +went with him down to Horseshoe, where I had a comparatively easy time of +it. I had always been fond of hunting, and I now had a good opportunity +to gratify my ambition in that direction, as I had plenty of spare time +on my hands. In this connection I will relate one of my bear-hunting +adventures. One day, when I had nothing else to do, I saddled up an extra +pony express horse, and arming myself with a good rifle and pair of +revolvers, struck out for the foot hills of Laramie Peak for a bear-hunt. +Riding carelessly along, and breathing the cool and bracing autumn air +which came down from the mountains, I felt as only a man can feel who is +roaming over the prairies of the far West, well armed, and mounted on a +fleet and gallant steed. The perfect freedom which he enjoys is in itself +a refreshing stimulant to the mind as well as to the body. Such indeed +were my feelings on this beautiful day, as I rode up the valley of the +Horseshoe. Occasionally I scared up a flock of sage-hens or a +jack-rabbit. Antelopes and deer were almost always in sight in any +direction, but as they were not the kind of game I was after, on that +day, I passed them by, and kept on towards the higher mountains. The +further I rode the rougher and wilder became the country, and I knew that +I was approaching the haunts of the bear. I did not discover any, +however, although I saw plenty of tracks in the snow. + +About two o'clock in the afternoon, my horse having become tired, and +myself being rather weary, I shot a sage-hen, and dismounting, I +unsaddled my horse and tied him to a small tree, where he could easily +feed on the mountain grass. I then built a little fire, and broiling the +chicken and seasoning it with salt and pepper, which I had obtained from +my saddle-bags, I soon sat down to a "genuine square meal," which I +greatly relished. + +After resting for a couple of hours, I remounted and resumed my upward +trip to the mountains, having made up my mind to camp out that night +rather than go back without a bear, which my friends knew I had gone out +for. As the days were growing short, night soon came on, and I looked +around for a suitable camping place. While thus engaged, I scared up a +flock of sage-hens, two of which I shot, intending to have one for supper +and the other for breakfast. + +By this time it was becoming quite dark, and I rode down to one of the +little mountain streams, where I found an open place in the timber +suitable for a camp. I dismounted, and after unsaddling my horse and +hitching him to a tree, I prepared to start a fire. Just then I was +startled by hearing a horse whinnying further up the stream. It was +quite a surprise to me, and I immediately ran to my animal to keep him +from answering, as horses usually do in such cases. I thought that the +strange horse might belong to some roaming band of Indians, as I knew of +no white men being in that portion of the country at that time. I was +certain that the owner of the strange horse could not be far distant, +and I was very anxious to find out who my neighbor was, before letting +him know that I was in his vicinity. I therefore re-saddled my horse, +and leaving him tied so that I could easily reach him I took my gun and +started out on a scouting expedition up the stream. I had gone about +four hundred yards when, in a bend of the stream, I discovered ten or +fifteen horses grazing. + +On the opposite side of the creek a light was shining high up the +mountain bank. Approaching the mysterious spot as cautiously as possible, +and when within a few yards of the light--which I discovered came from a +dug-out in the mountain side--I heard voices, and soon I was able +distinguish the words, as they proved to be in my own language. Then I +knew that the occupants of the dug-out, whence the voices proceeded, were +white men. Thinking that they might be a party of trappers, I boldly +walked up to the door and knocked for admission. The voices instantly +ceased, and for a moment a deathlike silence reigned inside. Then there +seemed to follow a kind of hurried whispering--a sort of +consultation--and then some one called out: "Who's there?" + +"A friend and a white man," I replied. + +The door opened, and a big, ugly-looking fellow stepped, forth and said: + +"Come in." + +I accepted the invitation with some degree of fear and hesitation, which +I endeavored to conceal, as I saw that it was too late to back out, and +that it would never do to weaken at that point, whether they were friends +or foes. Upon entering the dug-out my eyes fell upon eight as rough and +villainous looking men as I ever saw in my life. Two of them I instantly +recognized as teamsters who had been driving in Lew Simpson's train, a +few months before, and had been discharged. + +They were charged with the murdering and robbing of a ranchman; and +having stolen his horses it was supposed that they had left the country. +I gave them no signs of recognition however, deeming it advisable to let +them remain in ignorance as to who I was. It was a hard crowd, and I +concluded that the sooner I could get away from them the better it would +be for me. I felt confident that they were a band of horse-thieves. + +"Where are you going, young man; and who's with you?" asked one of the +men who appeared to be the leader of the gang. + +"I am entirely alone. I left Horseshoe station this morning for a bear +hunt, and not finding any bears, I had determined to camp out for the +night and wait till morning," said I; "and just as I was going into camp, +a few hundred yards down the creek, I heard one of your horses whinnying, +and then I came up to your camp." + +[Illustration: THE HORSE THIEVES' DEN.] + +I was thus explicit in my statement in order, if possible to satisfy the +cut-throats that I was not spying upon them, but that my intrusion was +entirely accidental. + +"Where's your horse?" demanded the boss thief. + +"I left him down the creek," I answered. + +They proposed going after the horse, but I thought that that would never +do, as it would leave me without any means of escape, and I accordingly +said, in hopes to throw them off the track, "Captain, I'll leave my gun +here and go down and get my horse, and come back and stay all night." + +I said this in as cheerful and as careless a manner as possible, so as +not to arouse their suspicions in any way, or lead them to think that I +was aware of their true character. I hated to part with my gun, but my +suggestion of leaving it was a part of the plan of escape which I had +arranged. If they have the gun, thought I, they would surely believe that +I intended to come back. But this little game did not work at all, as one +of the desperadoes spoke up and said: + +"Jim and I will go down with you after your horse, and you can leave your +gun here all the same, as you'll not need it." + +"All right," I replied, for I could certainly have said nothing else. +It became evident to me that it would be better to trust myself with +two men than with the whole party. It was apparent that from this time +on, I would have to be on the alert for some good opportunity to give +them the slip. + +"Come along," said one of them, and together we went down the creek, and +soon came to the spot where my horse was tied. One of the men unhitched +the animal and said: "I'll lead the horse." + +"Very well," said I, "I've got a couple of sage-hens here. Lead on." + +I picked up the sage-hens, which I had killed a few hours before, and +followed the man who was leading the horse, while his companion brought +up the rear. The nearer we approached the dug-out the more I dreaded the +idea of going back among the villainous cut-throats. + +My first plan of escape having failed, I now determined upon another. + +[Illustration: MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES.] + +I had both of my revolvers with me, the thieves not having thought it +necessary to search me. It was now quite dark, and I purposely dropped +one of the sage-hens, and asked the man behind me to pick it up. While he +was hunting for it on the ground, I quickly pulled out one of my Colt's +revolvers and struck him a tremendous blow on the back of the head, +knocking him senseless to the ground. I then instantly wheeled around, +and saw that the man ahead who was only a few feet distant, had heard the +blow and had turned to see what was the matter, his hand upon his +revolver. We faced each other at about the same instant, but before he +could fire, as he tried to do, I shot him dead in his tracks. Then +jumping on my horse, I rode down the creek as fast as possible, through +the darkness and over the rough ground and rocks. + +The other outlaws in the dug-out, having heard the shot which I had +fired, knew there was trouble, and they all came rushing down the creek. +I suppose, by the time they reached the man whom I had knocked down, +that he had recovered and hurriedly told them of what had happened. They +did not stay with the man whom I had shot, but came on in hot pursuit of +me. They were not mounted, and were making better time down the rough +canon than I was on horseback. From time to time I heard them gradually +gaining on me. + +At last they had come so near that I saw that I must abandon my horse. So +I jumped to the ground, and gave him a hard slap with the butt of one of +my revolvers, which started him on down the valley, while I scrambled up +the mountain side. I had not ascended more than forty feet when I heard +my pursuers coming closer and closer; I quickly hid behind a large pine +tree, and in a few moments they all rushed by me, being led on by the +rattling footsteps of my horse, which they heard ahead of them. Soon I +heard them firing at random at the horse, as they no doubt supposed I was +still seated on his back. As soon as they had passed me I climbed further +up the steep mountain, and knowing that I had given them the slip, and +feeling certain that I could keep out of their way, I at once struck out +for Horseshoe station, which was twenty-five miles distant. I had hard +traveling at first, but upon reaching lower and better ground, I made +good headway, walking all night and getting into the station just before +daylight,--foot-sore, weary, and generally played out. + +I immediately waked up the men of the station and told them of my +adventure. Slade himself happened to be there, and he at once organized +a party to go out and hunt up the horse-thieves. Shortly after daylight +twenty well-armed stage-drivers, stock-tenders and ranchmen were +galloping in the direction of the dug-out. Of course I went along with +the party, notwithstanding I was very tired and had had hardly any rest +at all. We had a brisk ride, and arrived in the immediate vicinity of +the thieves' rendezvous at about ten o'clock in the morning. We +approached the dug-out cautiously, but upon getting in close proximity +to it we could discover no horses in sight. We could see the door of the +dug-out standing wide open, and we then marched up to the place. No one +was inside, and the general appearance of everything indicated that the +place had been deserted--that the birds had flown. Such, indeed, proved +to be the case. + +We found a new-made grave, where they had evidently buried the man whom I +had shot. We made a thorough search of the whole vicinity, and finally +found their trail going southeast in the direction of Denver. As it would +have been useless to follow them, we rode back to the station; and thus +ended my eventful bear-hunt. We had no more trouble for some time from +horse-thieves after that. + +During the winter of 1860 and the spring of 1861 I remained at Horseshoe, +occasionally riding pony express and taking care of stock. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAST DRIVING. + + +It was in the spring of 1861, while I was at Horseshoe, that the +eastern-bound coach came in one day loaded down with passengers and +baggage, and stopped for dinner; Horseshoe being a regular dinner +station as well as a home station. The passengers consisted of six +Englishmen, and they had been continually grumbling about the slow time +that was being made by the stages, saying that the farther they got East +the slower they went. + +"These blarsted 'eathens don't know hanything habout staging, hany-'ow," +remarked one of them. + +"Blarst me bloody heyes! they cawn't stage in this country as we do in +Hingland, you know," said another. + +Their remarks were overheard by Bob Scott, who was to drive the coach +from Horseshoe to Fort Laramie, and he determined to give them +satisfaction before they got over his route. Scott was known to be the +best reinsman and the most expert driver on the whole line of the road. +He was a very gentlemanly fellow in his general appearance and conduct, +but at times he would become a reckless dare-devil, and would take more +desperate chances than any other driver. He delighted in driving wild +teams on the darkest nights, over a mountain road, and had thus become +the hero of many a thrilling adventure. + +It happened on this day he was to drive a team of six pony express +horses, which had been only partially broken in as a stage team. As the +stock-tenders were hitching them up, Bob, who was standing by, said, +"I'll show them Englishmen that we 'blarsted heathens' do know something +about staging in this country." We all knew from Bob's looks that +something was up. + +It required several men to hitch up this frisky team, as a man had to +hold on to each one of the horses by the bits, while they were stringing +them out. The Englishmen came out from dinner, and were delighted to see +the horses prancing and pawing as if anxious to start. + +"Ha! my deah fellah, now we will 'ave a fine ride this hafternoon," said +one of them. + +"By Jove! those are the kind of 'orses they hought to 'ave on hall the +teams," remarked another. + +"Are you the lad who is going to drive to-day?" asked another of Bob. + +"Yes, gentlemen," answered Bob, "I'll show you how we stage it in +this country." + +Bob mounted the box, gathered the lines, and pulling the horses strongly +by the bits, he sang out to the Englishmen, "All aboard!" Bob's companion +on the box was Capt. Cricket; a little fellow who was the messenger of +the coach. After everybody was seated, Bob told the stock-tenders to +"turn 'em loose." + +We, who were standing around to see the stage start out, expected it +would go off at a lively rate. We were considerably surprised, therefore, +when, after the horses had made a few lively jumps, Bob put on the big +California brakes and brought them down to a walk. The road, for a +distance of four miles, gradually rose to the top of a hill, and all the +way up this ascent, Bob held the impatient team in check. + +"Blarst your heyes, driver, why don't you let them go?" exclaimed one of +the passengers, who had all along been expecting a very brisk ride. Every +once in a while they would ask him some such question, but he paid no +attention to them. At last he reached the top of the hill, and then he +suddenly flung three of the lines on the left side of the team, and the +other three on the right side. He then began "playing the silk to +them,"--that is to say, he began to lash them unmercifully. The team +started off like a streak of lightning, so to speak, without a single +rein being held by the driver. Bob cried out to the Englishmen, saying, +"Hold on, gentlemen, and I'll give you a lively ride, and show you how +to stage it in the Rocky Mountains." + +[Illustration: BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH RIDE.] + +His next movement was to pull the lamps out of the sockets and throw them +at the leaders. The glass broke upon their backs and nearly set them +wild, but being so accustomed to running the road, they never once left +the track, and went flying on down the grade towards the next station, +eight miles distant, the coach bouncing over the loose stones and small +obstacles, and surging from side to side, as an eggshell would in the +rapids of Niagara. Not satisfied with the break-neck rate at which they +were traveling, Bob pulled out his revolver and fired in rapid +succession, at the same time yelling in a demoniacal manner. + +By this time the Englishmen had become thoroughly frightened, as they saw +the lines flying wildly in every direction and the team running away. +They did not know whether to jump out or remain in the coach. Bob would +occasionally look down from his seat, and, seeing their frightened faces, +would ask, "Well, how do you like staging in this country now?" The +Englishmen stuck to the coach, probably thinking it would be better to do +so than to take the chances of breaking their necks by jumping. + +As the flying team was nearing the station, the stock tender saw that +they were running away and that the driver had no control over them +whatever. Being aware that the pony express horses were accustomed to +running right into the stable on arriving at the station, he threw open +the large folding doors, which would just allow the passage of the team +and coach into the stable. The horses, sure enough, made for the open +doorway. Capt. Cricket, the messenger, and Scott got down in the boot of +the coach to save themselves from colliding with the top of the stable +door. The coach would probably have passed through into the stable +without any serious damage had it not been for the bar or threshold that +was stretched across the ground to fasten the doors to. This bar was a +small log, and the front wheels struck it with such force that the coach +was thrown up high enough to strike the upper portion of the door frame. +The top of the coach was completely torn off, and one of the passenger's +arms was broken. This was the only serious injury that was done; though +it was a matter of surprise to all, that any of the travelers escaped. + +The coach was backed out, when the running gear was found to be as good +as ever. The top was soon patched up, a change of team was made, and Bob +Scott, mounting the box as if nothing had happened, took the reins in +hand, and shouted, "All aboard!" The Englishmen, however, had had enough +of Bob Scott, and not one of the party was willing to risk his life with +him again. They said that he was drunk, or crazy or both, and that they +would report him and have him discharged for what he had already done. + +Bob waited a few minutes to give them an opportunity to take their seats +in the coach, but they told him most emphatically that he could drive on +without them, as they intended to wait there for the next stage. Their +traps were taken off, and Bob drove away without a single passenger. He +made his usual time into Fort Laramie, which was the end of his run. The +Englishmen came through on the next day's coach, and proceeded on to +Atchison, where they reported Bob to the superintendent of the line, who, +however, paid little or no attention to the matter, as Bob remained on +the road. Such is the story of the liveliest and most reckless piece of +stage-driving that ever occurred on the Overland stage road. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. + + +Having been away from home nearly a year, and having occasionally heard +of my mother's poor health, I determined to make her a visit; so +procuring a pass over the road, I went to Leavenworth, arriving there +about June 1st, 1861, going from there home. The civil war had broken +out, and excitement ran high in that part of the country. My mother, of +course, was a strong Union woman, and had such great confidence in the +government that she believed the war would not last over six months. + +Leavenworth at that time was quite an important outfitting post for the +West and Southwest, and the fort there was garrisoned by a large number +of troops. While in the city one day I met several of the old, as well as +the young men, who had been members of the Free State party all through +the Kansas troubles, and who had, like our family, lost everything at the +hands of the Missourians. They now thought a good opportunity offered to +retaliate and get even with their persecutors, as they were all +considered to be secessionists. That they were all secessionists, +however, was not true, as all of them did not sympathize with the South. +But the Free State men, myself among them, took it for granted that as +Missouri was a slave state the inhabitants must all be secessionists, and +therefore our enemies. A man by the name of Chandler proposed that we +organize an independent company for the purpose of invading Missouri and +making war on its people on our own responsibility. He at once went about +it in a very quiet way, and succeeded in inducing twenty-five men to join +him in the hazardous enterprise. Having a longing and revengeful desire +to retaliate upon the Missourians for the brutal manner in which they had +treated and robbed my family, I became a member of Chandler's company. +His plan was that we should leave our homes in parties of not more than +two or three together, and meet at a certain point near Westport, +Missouri, on a fixed day. His instructions were carried out to the +letter, and we met at the rendezvous at the appointed time. Chandler had +been there some days before us, and, thoroughly disguised, had been +looking around the country for the whereabouts of all the best horses. He +directed us to secretly visit certain farms and collect all the horses +possible, and bring them together the next night. This we did, and upon +reassembling it was found that nearly every man had two horses. We +immediately struck out for the Kansas line, which we crossed at an Indian +ferry on the Kansas river, above Wyandotte, and as soon as we had set +foot upon Kansas soil we separated with the understanding; that we were +to meet one week from that day at Leavenworth. + +[Illustration: NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES.] + +Some of the parties boldly took their confiscated horses into +Leavenworth, while others rode them to their homes. This action may look +to the reader like horse-stealing, and some people might not hesitate to +call it by that name; but Chandler plausibly maintained that we were only +getting back our own, or the equivalent, from the Missourians, and as the +government was waging war against the South, it was perfectly square and +honest, and we had a good right to do it. So we didn't let our +consciences trouble us very much. + +We continued to make similar raids upon the Missourians off and on during +the summer, and occasionally we had running fights with them; none of the +skirmishes, however, amounting to much. + +The government officials hearing of our operations, put detectives upon +our track, and several of the party were arrested. My mother, upon +learning that I was engaged in this business, told me it was neither +honorable nor right, and she would not for a moment countenance any such +proceedings. Consequently I abandoned the jay-hawking enterprise, for +such it really was. + +About this time the government bought from Jones and Cartwright several +ox-trains, which were sent to Rolla, Missouri, all being put in charge of +my old and gallant friend, Wild Bill, who had just become the hero of the +day, on account of a terrible fight which he had had with a gang of +desperadoes and outlaws, who infested the border under the leadership of +the then notorious Jake McCandless. In this fight he had killed +McCandless and three of his men. + +The affair occurred while Wild Bill was riding the pony express in +western Kansas. + +The custom with the express riders, when within half a mile of a +station, was either to begin shouting or blowing a horn in order to +notify the stock tender of his approach, and to have a fresh horse +already saddled for him on his arrival, so that he could go right on +without a moment's delay. + +One day, as Wild Bill neared Rock Creek station, where he was to change +horses, he began shouting as usual at the proper distance; but the +stock-tender, who had been married only a short time and had his wife +living with him at the station, did not make his accustomed appearance. +Wild Bill galloped up and instead of finding the stock-tender ready for +him with a fresh horse, he discovered him lying across the stable door +with the blood oozing from a bullet-hole in his head. The man was dead, +and it was evident that he had been killed only a few moments before. + +In a second Wild Bill jumped from his horse, and looking in the direction +of the house he saw a man coming towards him. The approaching man fired +on him at once, but missed his aim. Quick as lightning Wild Bill pulled +his revolver and returned the fire. The stranger fell dead, shot through +the brain. + +"Bill, Bill! Help! Help! save me!" Such was the cry that Bill now heard. +It was the shrill and pitiful voice of the dead stock-tender's wife, and +it came from a window of the house. She had heard the exchange of shots, +and knew that Wild Bill had arrived. + +He dashed over the dead body of the villain whom he had killed, and just +as he sprang into the door of the house, he saw two powerful men +assaulting the woman. One of the desperadoes was in the act of striking +her with the butt end of a revolver, and while his arm was still raised, +Bill sent a ball crashing through his skull, killing him instantly. Two +other men now came rushing from an adjoining room, and Bill, seeing that +the odds were three to one against him, jumped into a corner, and then +firing, he killed another of the villains. Before he could shoot again +the remaining two men closed in upon him, one of whom had drawn a large +bowie knife. Bill wrenched the knife from his grasp and drove it through +the heart of the outlaw. + +[Illustration: WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS.] + +The fifth and last man now grabbed Bill by the throat, and held him at +arm's length, but it was only for a moment, as Bill raised his own +powerful right arm and struck his antagonist's left arm such a terrible +blow that he broke it. The disabled desperado, seeing that he was no +longer a match for Bill, jumped through the door, and mounting a horse he +succeeded in making his escape--being the sole survivor of the Jake +McCandless gang. + +Wild Bill remained at the station with the terrified woman until the +stage came along, and he then consigned her to the care of the driver. +Mounting his horse he at once galloped off, and soon disappeared in the +distance, making up for lost time. + +This was the exploit that was on everybody's tongue and in every +newspaper. It was one of the most remarkable and desperate hand to hand +encounters that has ever taken place on the border. + +I happened to meet Wild Bill at Leavenworth as he was about to depart for +Rolla; he wished me to take charge of the government trains as a sort of +assistant under him, and I gladly accepted the offer. Arriving at Rolla, +we loaded the trains with freight and took them to Springfield, Missouri. + +On our return to Rolla we heard a great deal of talk about the +approaching fall races at St. Louis, and Wild Bill having brought a fast +running horse from the mountains, determined to take him to that city and +match him against some of the high-flyers there; and down to St. Louis we +went with this running horse, placing our hopes very high on him. + +Wild Bill had no difficulty in making up a race for him. All the money +that he and I had we put up on the mountain runner, and as we thought we +had a sure thing, we also bet the horse against $250. I rode the horse +myself, but nevertheless, our sure thing, like many another sure thing, +proved a total failure, and we came out of that race minus the horse and +every dollar we had in the world. + +Before the race it had been "make or break" with us, and we got "broke." +We were "busted" in the largest city we had ever been in, and it is no +exaggeration to say that we felt mighty blue. + +On the morning after the race we went to the military headquarters, where +Bill succeeded in securing an engagement for himself as a government +scout, but I being so young failed in obtaining similar employment. Wild +Bill, however, raised some money, by borrowing it from a friend, and then +buying me a steamboat ticket he sent me back to Leavenworth, while he +went to Springfield, which place he made his headquarters while scouting +in southeastern Missouri. + +One night, after he had returned from a scouting expedition, he took a +hand in a game of poker, and in the course of the game he became involved +in a quarrel with Dave Tutt, a professional gambler, about a watch which +he had won from Tutt, who would not give it up. + +Bill told him he had won it fairly, and that he proposed to have it; +furthermore, he declared his intention of carrying the watch across the +street next morning to military headquarters, at which place he had to +report at nine o'clock. + +Tutt replied that he would himself carry the watch across the street at +nine o'clock, and no other man would do it. + +Bill then said to Tutt that if he attempted anything of the kind, he +would kill him. + +A challenge to a duel had virtually been given and accepted, and +everybody knew that the two men meant business. At nine o'clock the next +morning, Tutt started to cross the street. Wild Bill, who was standing on +the opposite side, told him to stop. At that moment Tutt, who was +carrying his revolver in his hand, fired at Bill but missed him. Bill +quickly pulled out his revolver and returned the fire, hitting Tutt +squarely in the forehead and killing him instantly. + +Quite a number of Tutt's friends were standing in the vicinity, having +assembled to witness the duel, and Bill, as soon as Tutt fell to the +ground, turned to them and asked if any one of them wanted to take it up +for Tutt; if so, he would accommodate any of them then and there. But +none of them cared to stand in front of Wild Bill to be shot at by him. + +Nothing of course was ever done to Bill for the killing of Tutt. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SOLDIER. + + +In the fall of 1861 I made a trip to Fort Larned, Kansas, carrying +military dispatches, and in the winter I accompanied George Long through +the country, and assisted him in buying horses for the government. + +The next spring, 1862, an expedition against the Indians was organized, +consisting of a volunteer regiment, the Ninth Kansas, under Colonel +Clark. This expedition, which I had joined in the capacity of guide and +scout, proceeded to the Kiowa and Comanche country, on the Arkansas +river, along which stream we scouted all summer between Fort Lyon and +Fort Larned, on the old Santa Fe trail. We had several engagements with +the Indians, but they were of no great importance. + +In the winter of 1862, I became one of the "Red Legged Scouts,"--a +company of scouts commanded by Captain Tuff. Among its members were some +of the most noted Kansas Rangers, such as Red Clark, the St. Clair +brothers, Jack Harvey, an old pony express-rider named Johnny Fry, and +many other well known frontiersmen. Our field of operations was confined +mostly to the Arkansas country and southwestern Missouri. We had many a +lively skirmish with the bushwhackers and Younger brothers, and when we +were not hunting them, we were generally employed in carrying dispatches +between Forts Dodge, Gibson, Leavenworth, and other posts. Whenever we +were in Leavenworth we had a very festive time. We usually attended all +the balls in full force, and "ran things" to suit ourselves. Thus I +passed the winter of 1862 and the spring of 1863. + +Subsequently I engaged to conduct a small train to Denver for some +merchants, and on reaching that place in September, I received a letter +stating that my mother was not expected to live. I hastened home, and +found her dangerously ill. She grew gradually worse, and at last, on the +22d of November, 1863, she died. Thus passed away a loving and +affectionate mother and a noble, brave, good and loyal woman. That I +loved her above all other persons, no one who has read these +reminiscences can for a moment doubt. + +Previous to this said event my sister Julia had been married to a +gentleman named J.A. Goodman, and they now came to reside at our +house and take charge of the children, as my mother had desired that +they should not be separated. Mr. Goodman became the guardian of the +minor children. + +I soon left the home now rendered gloomy by the absence of her whom I had +so tenderly loved, and going to Leavenworth I entered upon a dissolute +and reckless life--to my shame be it said--and associated with gamblers, +drunkards, and bad characters generally. I continued my dissipation about +two months, and was becoming a very "hard case." About this time the +Seventh Kansas regiment, known as "Jennison's Jay-hawkers," returned from +the war, and re-enlisted and re-organized as veterans. Among them I met +quite a number of my old comrades and neighbors, who tried to induce me +to enlist and go south with them. I had no idea of doing anything of the +kind; but one day, after having been under the influence of bad whisky, I +awoke to find myself a soldier in the Seventh Kansas. I did not remember +how or when I had enlisted, but I saw I was in for it, and that it would +not do for me to endeavor to back out. + +In the spring of 1864 the regiment was ordered to Tennessee, and we got +into Memphis just about the time that General Sturgis was so badly +whipped by General Forrest. General A. J. Smith re-organized the army to +operate against Forrest, and after marching to Tupalo, Mississippi, we +had an engagement with him and defeated him. This kind of fighting was +all new to me, being entirely different from any in which I had ever +before engaged. I soon became a non-commissioned officer, and was put on +detached service as a scout. + +After skirmishing around the country with the rest of the army for some +little time, our regiment returned to Memphis, but was immediately +ordered to Cape Girardeau, in Missouri, as a confederate force under +General Price was then raiding that state. The command of which my +regiment was a part hurried to the front to intercept Price, and our +first fight with him occurred at Pilot Knob. From that time for nearly +six weeks we fought or skirmished every day. + +I was still acting as a scout, when one day I rode ahead of the command, +some considerable distance, to pick up all possible information +concerning Price's movements. I was dressed in gray clothes, or Missouri +jeans, and on riding up to a farm-house and entering, I saw a man, also +dressed in gray costume, sitting at a table eating bread and milk. He +looked up as I entered, and startled me by saying: + +"You little rascal, what are you doing in those 'secesh' clothes?" Judge +of my surprise when I recognized in the stranger my old friend and +partner, Wild Bill, disguised as a Confederate officer. + +"I ask you the same question, sir," said I without the least hesitation. + +"Hush! sit down and have some bread and milk, and we'll talk it all over +afterwards," said he. + +I accepted the invitation and partook of the refreshments. Wild Bill +paid the woman of the house, and we went out to the gate where my horse +was standing. + +"Billy, my boy," said he, "I am mighty glad to see you. I haven't seen or +heard of you since we got busted on that St. Louis' horse-race." + +"What are you doing out here?" I asked. + +"I am a scout under General McNiel. For the last few days I have been +with General Marmaduke's division of Price's army, in disguise as a +southern officer from Texas, as you see me now," said he. + +"That's exactly the kind of business that I am out on to-day," said I; +"and I want to get some information concerning Price's movements." + +"I'll give you all that I have;" and he then went on and told me all that +he knew regarding Price's intentions, and the number and condition of his +men. He then asked about my mother, and when he learned that she was dead +he was greatly surprised and grieved; he thought a great deal of her, for +she had treated him almost as one of her own children. He finally took +out a package, which he had concealed about his person, and handing it to +me he said: + +"Here are some letters which I want you to give to General McNiel." + +"All right," said I as I took them, "but where will I meet you again?" + +"Never mind that," he replied; "I am getting so much valuable information +that I propose to stay a little while longer in this disguise." Thereupon +we shook hands and parted. + +It is not necessary to say much concerning Price's raid in general, as +that event is a matter of recorded history. I am only relating the +incidents in which I was personally interested either as one of the +actors or as an observer. + +Another interesting and I may say exciting episode happened to me a day +or two after my unexpected meeting with Wild Bill. I was riding with the +advance guard of our army, and wishing a drink of water, I stopped at a +farmhouse. There were no men about the premises, and no one excepting a +very fine and intellectual looking lady and her two daughters. They +seemed to be almost frightened to death at seeing me--a "yank"--appear +before them. I quieted their fears somewhat, and the mother then asked me +how far back the army was. When I told her it would be along shortly, she +expressed her fears that they would take everything on the premises. They +set me out a lunch and treated me rather kindly, so that I really began +to sympathize with them; for I knew that the soldiers would ransack their +house and confiscate everything they could lay their hands on. At last I +resolved to do what I could to protect them. After the generals and the +staff officers had passed by, I took it upon myself to be a sentry over +the house. When the command came along some of the men rushed up with the +intention of entering the place and carrying off all the desirable +plunder possible, and then tearing and breaking everything to pieces, as +they usually did along the line of march. + +"Halt!" I shouted; "I have been placed here by the commanding officer as +a guard over this house, and no man must enter it." + +This stopped the first squad; and seeing that my plan was a success, I +remained at my post during the passage of the entire command and kept out +all intruders. + +It seemed as if the ladies could not thank me sufficiently for the +protection I had afforded them. They were perfectly aware of the fact +that I had acted without orders and entirely on my own responsibility, +and therefore they felt the more grateful. They urgently invited me to +remain a little while longer and partake of an excellent dinner which +they said they were preparing for me. I was pretty hungry about that +time, as our rations had been rather slim of late, and a good dinner was +a temptation I could not withstand, especially as it was to be served up +by such elegant ladies. While I was eating the meal, I was most agreeably +entertained by the young ladies, and before I had finished it the last of +the rear-guard must have been at least two miles from the house. + +Suddenly three men entered the room, and I looked up and saw three +double-barreled shot-guns leveled straight at me. Before I could speak, +however, the mother and her daughters sprang between the men and me. + +"Father! Boys! Lower your guns! You must not shoot this man," and similar +exclamations, were the cry of all three. + +The guns were lowered, and then the men, who were the father and +brothers of the young ladies, were informed of what I had done for them. +It appeared that they had been concealed in the woods near by while the +army was passing, and on coming into the house and finding a Yankee +there, they determined to shoot him. Upon learning the facts, the old man +extended his hand to me, saying: + +"I would not harm a hair of your head for the world; but it is best that +you stay here no longer, as your command is some distance from here now, +and you might be cut off by bushwhackers before reaching it." + +Bidding them all good-bye, and with many thanks from the mother and +daughters, I mounted my horse and soon overtook the column, happy in the +thought that I had done a good deed, and with no regrets that I had saved +from pillage and destruction the home and property of a confederate and +his family. + +Our command kept crowding against Price and his army until they were +pushed into the vicinity of Kansas City, where their further advance was +checked by United States troops from Kansas; and then was begun their +memorable and extraordinary retreat back into Kansas. + +While both armies were drawn up in skirmish line near Fort Scott, Kansas, +two men on horseback were seen rapidly leaving the Confederate lines, and +suddenly they made a dash towards us. Instantly quick volleys were +discharged from the Confederates, who also began a pursuit, and some five +hundred shots were fired at the flying men. It was evident that they were +trying to reach our lines, but when within about a quarter of a mile of +us, one of them fell from his horse to rise no more. He had been fatally +shot. His companion galloped on unhurt, and seven companies of our +regiment charged out and met him, and checked his pursuers. The fugitive +was dressed in Confederate uniform, and as he rode into our lines I +recognized him as Wild Bill, the Union scout. He immediately sought +Generals Pleasanton and McNiel, with whom he held a consultation. He told +them that although Price made a bold showing on the front, by bringing +all his men into view, yet he was really a great deal weaker than the +appearance of his lines would indicate; and that he was then trying to +cross a difficult stream four miles from Fort Scott. + +It was late in the afternoon, but General Pleasanton immediately ordered +an advance, and we charged in full force upon the rear of Price's army, +and drove it before us for two hours. + +If Wild Bill could have made his successful dash into our lines earlier +in the day, the attack would have been made sooner, and greater results +might have been expected. The Confederates had suspected him of being a +spy for two or three days, and had watched him too closely to allow an +opportunity to get away from them sooner. His unfortunate companion who +had been shot, was a scout from Springfield, Missouri, whose name I +cannot now remember. + +From this time on, Wild Bill and myself continued to scout together until +Price's army was driven south of the Arkansas River and the pursuit +abandoned. We then returned to Springfield, Missouri, for a rest and for +supplies, and Wild Bill and myself spent two weeks there in "having a +jolly good time," as some people would express it. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A WEDDING. + + +It was during the winter of 1864-65, while I was on detached service at +military headquarters, at St. Louis, that I became acquainted with a +young lady named Louisa Frederici, whom I greatly admired and in whose +charming society I spent many a pleasant hour. The war closing in +1865, I was discharged, and after a brief visit at Leavenworth I +returned to St. Louis, having made up my mind to capture the heart of +Miss Frederici, whom I now adored above any other young lady I had ever +seen. Her lovely face, her gentle disposition and her graceful manners +won my admiration and love; and I was not slow in declaring my +sentiments to her. The result was that I obtained her consent to marry +me in the near future, and when I bade her good-bye I considered myself +one of the happiest of men. + +Meantime I drove a string of horses from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney, +where I met my old friend Bill Trotter, who was then division stage +agent. He employed me at once to drive stage between Kearney and Plum +Creek, the road running near the spot where I had my first Indian fight +with the McCarthy brothers, and where I killed my first Indian, nearly +nine years before. I drove stage over this route until February, 1866, +and while bounding over the cold, dreary road day after day, my thoughts +turned continually towards my promised bride, until I at last determined +to abandon staging forever, and marry and settle down. Immediately after +coming to this conclusion, I went to St. Louis, where I was most +cordially received by my sweetheart; it was arranged between us that our +wedding should take place on the 6th day of March, following. + +At last the day arrived, and the wedding ceremony was performed at the +residence of the bride's parents, in the presence of a large number of +invited friends, whose hearty congratulations we received. I was +certainly to be congratulated, for I had become possessed of a lovely +and noble woman, and as I gazed upon her as she stood beside me arrayed +in her wedding costume, I indeed felt proud of her; and from that time +to this I have always thought that I made a most fortunate choice for a +life partner. + +An hour after the ceremony we--my bride and myself--were on board of a +Missouri river steamboat, bound for our new home in Kansas. My wife's +parents had accompanied us to the boat, and had bidden us a fond farewell +and a God-speed on our journey. + +During the trip up the river several very amusing, yet awkward +incidents occurred, some of which I cannot resist relating. There +happened to be on board the boat an excursion party from Lexington, +Missouri, and those comprising it seemed to shun me, for some reason +which I could not then account for. They would point at me, and quietly +talk among themselves, and eye me very closely. Their actions seemed +very strange to me. After the boat had proceeded some little distance, +I made the acquaintance of several families from Indiana, who were _en +route_ to Kansas. A gentleman, who seemed to be the leader of these +colonists, said to me, "The people of this excursion party don't seem +to have any great love for you." + +"What does it mean?" I asked; "What are they saying? It's all a +mystery to me." + +"They say that you are one of the Kansas jay-hawkers, and one of +Jennison's house burners," replied the gentleman. + +"I am from Kansas--that's true; and was a soldier and a scout in the +Union army," said I; "and I was in Kansas during the border ruffian war +of 1856. Perhaps these people know who I am, and that explains their +hard looks." I had a lengthy conversation with this gentleman--for such +he seemed to be--and entertained him with several chapters of the +history of the early Kansas troubles, and told him the experiences of +my own family. + +In the evening the Lexington folks got up a dance, but neither the +Indiana people, my wife or myself were invited to join them. My +new-found friend thereupon came to me and said: "Mr. Cody, let us have a +dance of our own." + +"Very well," was my reply. + +"We have some musicians along with us, so we can have plenty of music," +remarked the gentleman. + +"Good enough!" said I, "and I will hire the negro barber to play the +violin for us. He is a good fiddler, as I heard him playing only a +little while ago." The result was that we soon organized a good string +band and had a splendid dance, keeping it up as long as the Lexington +party did theirs. + +The second day out from St. Louis, the boat stopped to wood up, at a +wild-looking landing. Suddenly twenty horsemen were seen galloping up +through the timber, and as they came nearer the boat they fired on the +negro deckhands, against whom they seemed to have a special grudge, and +who were engaged in throwing wood on board. The negroes all quickly +jumped on the boat and pulled in the gang plank, and the captain had only +just time to get the steamer out into the stream before the +bushwhackers--for such they proved to be--appeared on the bank. + +"Where is the black abolition jay-hawker?" shouted the leader. + +"Show him to us, and we'll shoot him," yelled another. + +But as the boat had got well out in the river by this time, they could +not board us, and the captain ordering a full head of steam, pulled out +and left them. + +I afterwards ascertained that some of the Missourians, who were with the +excursion party, were bushwhackers themselves, and had telegraphed to +their friends from some previous landing that I was on board, telling +them to come to the landing which we had just left, and take me off. Had +the villains captured me they would have undoubtedly put an end to my +career, and the public would never have had the pleasure of being bored +by this autobiography. + +I noticed that my wife felt grieved over the manner in which these +people had treated me. Just married, she was going into a new country, +and seeing how her husband was regarded, how he had been shunned, and +how his life had been threatened, I was afraid she might come to the +conclusion too soon that she had wedded a "hard customer." So when the +boat landed at Kansas City I telegraphed to some of my friends in +Leavenworth that I would arrive there in the evening. My object was to +have my acquaintances give me a reception, so that my wife could see +that I really did have some friends, and was not so bad a man as the +bushwhackers tried to make out. + +Just as I expected, when the boat reached Leavenworth, I found a general +round-up of friends at the landing to receive us. There were about sixty +gentlemen and ladies. They had a band of music with them, and we were +given a fine serenade. Taking carriages, we all drove to South +Leavenworth to the home of my sister Eliza, who had married George Myers, +and there we were given a very handsome reception. All this cheered up my +wife, who concluded that I was not a desperado after all. + +Having promised my wife that I would abandon the plains, I rented a hotel +in Salt Creek Valley--the same house by the way, which my mother had +formerly kept, but which was then owned by Dr. J.J. Crook, late surgeon +of the 7th Kansas. This hotel I called the Golden Rule House, and I kept +it until the next September. People generally said I made a good +landlord, and knew how to run a hotel--a business qualification which, it +is said, is possessed by comparatively few men. But it proved too tame +employment for me, and again I sighed for the freedom of the plains. +Believing that I could make more money out West on the frontier than I +could at Salt Creek Valley, I sold out the Golden Rule House, and started +alone for Saline, Kansas, which was then the end of the track of the +Kansas Pacific railway, which was at that time being built across the +plains. On my way I stopped at Junction City, where I again met my old +friend Wild Bill, who was scouting for the government; his headquarters +being at Fort Ellsworth, afterwards called Fort Harker. He told me that +they needed more scouts at this post, and I accordingly accompanied him +to that fort, where I had no difficulty in obtaining employment. + +During the winter of 1866-67, I scouted between Fort Ellsworth and Fort +Fletcher. In the spring of 1867 I was at Fort Fletcher, when General +Custer came out to go on an Indian expedition with General Hancock. I +remained at this post until it was drowned out by the heavy floods of Big +Creek, on which it was located; the water rose about the fortifications +and rendered the place unfit for occupancy; so the government abandoned +the fort, and moved the troops and supplies to a new post--which had been +named Fort Hays--located further west, on the south fork of Big Creek. It +was while scouting in the vicinity of Fort Hays that I had my first ride +with the dashing and gallant Custer, who had come up to the post from +Fort Ellsworth with an escort of only ten men. He wanted a guide to pilot +him to Fort Larned, a distance of sixty-five miles across the country. + +I was ordered by the commanding officer to guide General Custer to his +desired destination, and I soon received word from the General that he +would start out in the morning with the intention of making the trip in +one day. Early in the morning, after a good night's rest, I was on hand, +mounted on my large mouse-colored mule--an animal of great endurance--and +ready for the journey; when the General saw me, he said: + +"Cody, I want to travel fast and go through as quickly as possible, and I +don't think that mule of yours is fast enough to suit me." + +"General, never mind the mule," said I, "he'll get there as soon as your +horses. That mule is a good one," as I knew that the animal was better +than most horses. + +"Very well; go ahead, then," said he, though he looked as if he thought I +would delay the party on the road. + +For the first fifteen miles, until we came to the Smoky Hill River, +which we were to cross, I could hardly keep the mule in advance of the +General, who rode a frisky, impatient and ambitious thoroughbred steed; +in fact, the whole party was finely mounted. The General repeatedly told +me that the mule was "no good," and that I ought to have had a good +horse. But after crossing the river and striking the sand-hills, I began +letting my mule out a little, and putting the "persuaders" to him. He +was soon out-traveling the horses, and by the time we had made about +half the distance to Fort Larned, I occasionally had to wait for the +General or some of his party, as their horses were beginning to show +signs of fatigue. + +"General, how about this mule, anyhow?" I asked, at last. + +"Cody, you have a better vehicle than I thought you had," was his reply. + +From that time on to Fort Larned I had no trouble in keeping ahead of the +party. We rode into the fort at four o'clock in the afternoon with about +half the escort only, the rest having lagged far behind. + +General Custer thanked me for having brought him straight across the +country without any trail, and said that if I were not engaged as post +scout at Fort Hays he would like to have me accompany him as one of his +scouts during the summer; and he added that whenever I was out of +employment, if I would come to him he would find something for me to do. +This was the beginning of my acquaintance with General Custer, whom I +always admired as a man and as an officer. + +[Illustration: GENERAL CUSTER] + +A few days after my return to Fort Hays, the Indians made a raid on the +Kansas Pacific Railroad, killing five or six men and running off about +one hundred horses and mules. The news was brought to the commanding +officer, who immediately ordered Major Arms, of the Tenth Cavalry--which, +by the way, was a negro regiment,--with his company and one mountain +howitzer, to go in pursuit of the red-skins, and I was sent along with +the expedition as scout and guide. On the second day out we suddenly +discovered, on the opposite side of the Saline River, about a mile +distant, a large body of Indians, who were charging down upon us. Major +Arms, placing the cannon on a little knoll, limbered it up and left +twenty men to guard it; and then, with the rest of the command, he +crossed the river to meet the Indians. + +Just as he had got the men over the stream, we heard a terrific yelling +and shouting in our rear, and looking back to the knoll where the cannon +had been stationed, we saw the negroes, who had been left there to guard +the gun, flying towards us, being pursued by about one hundred Indians; +while another large party of the latter were dancing around the captured +cannon, as if they had got hold of an elephant and did not know what to +do with it. + +Major Arms turned his command back and drove the Indians from the gun. +The troops then dismounted and took position there. Quite a severe fight +ensued, lasting about two hours. Five or six of the soldiers, as well as +Major Arms, were wounded, and several of the horses were shot. The +Indians seemed to grow thicker and thicker, as if receiving +reinforcements from some large party. The colored troops, who had been +bragging all the way that if they could only see some Indians "dey would +blow 'em off de farm,"--which was a favorite expression of theirs,--were +now singing a different tune. Every time the Indians would make a charge +at us, the darkeys would cry out: + +"Heah dey cum;" "Dey must be ten thousand ob 'em;" "De whole country is +alive wid 'em;" "Massa Bill, does you tink we is eber agoin' to get out +o' heah?" and many other similar expressions. + +Major Arms, who was wounded and lying under the cannon--which, by the +way, had become useless,--called me up and asked if I thought there was +any show of getting back to the fort. I replied that there was. + +Orders were accordingly given by Major Arms for a retreat, the cannon +being left behind. During the movement several of our men were killed, +but as night came and dense darkness prevailed, we succeeded in making +good headway, and got into Fort Hays just at daylight next morning, in a +very played-out condition. + +During our absence the cholera had broken out at the post, and five or +six men were dying daily. It was difficult to tell which was the greater +danger--fighting Indians on the prairie, or facing the cholera in camp; +but the former was decidedly the more inviting. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A MILLIONAIRE. + + +Soon after returning to Fort Hays, I was sent with dispatches to Fort +Harker. After delivering the messages, I visited the town of Ellsworth, +about three miles west of Fort Harker, and there I met a man named +William Rose, a contractor on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, who had a +contract for grading near Fort Hays. He had had his stock stolen by the +Indians, and had come to Ellsworth to buy more. + +During the course of our conversation, Mr. Rose incidentally remarked +that he had some idea of laying out a town on the west side of Big Creek, +about one mile from the fort, where the railroad was to cross. He asked +my opinion of the contemplated enterprise, and I told him that I thought +it was "a big thing." He then proposed taking me as a partner in the +scheme, and suggested that after we got the town laid out and thrown open +to the public, we should establish a store and saloon there. + +Thinking it would be a grand thing to be half-owner of a town, I at once +accepted his proposition. We bought a stock of such articles as are +usually found in a frontier store, and transported them to the place on +Big Creek, where we were to found our town. We hired a railroad engineer +to survey the site and stake it off into lots; and we gave the new town +the ancient and historical name of Rome. To a "starter," we donated lots +to any one who would build on them, but reserved the corner lots and +others which were best located for ourselves. These reserved lots we +valued at fifty dollars each. + +Our modern Rome, like all mushroom towns along the line of a new +railroad, sprang up as if by magic, and in less than one month we had two +hundred frame and log houses, three or four stores, several saloons, and +one good hotel. Rome was looming up, and Rose and I already considered +ourselves millionaires, and thought we "had the world by the tail." But +one day a fine-looking gentleman, calling himself Dr. W.E. Webb, appeared +in town, and dropping into our store introduced himself in a very +pleasant way. + +"Gentlemen, you've got a very flourishing little town here. Wouldn't you +like to have a partner in your enterprise?" + +"No, thank you," said I, "we have too good a thing here to whack up +with anybody." + +My partner agreed with me, but the conversation was continued, and at +last the stranger said: + +"Gentlemen, I am the agent or prospector of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, +and my business is to locate towns for the company along the line." + +"We think we have the only suitable town-site in this immediate +locality," said Mr. Rose, "and as a town is already started, we have +saved the company considerable expense." + +"You know as well as I do," said Dr. Webb, "that the company expects to +make money by selling lands and town lots; and as you are not disposed to +give the company a show, or share with me, I shall probably have to start +another town near you. Competition is the life of trade, you know." + +"Start your town, if you want to. We've got the 'bulge' on you, and can +hold it," said I, somewhat provoked at his threat. + +But we acted too independently and too indiscreetly for our own good Dr. +Webb, the very next day after his interview with us, began hauling +material to a spot about one mile east of us, where he staked out a new +town, which he called Hays City. He took great pains to circulate in our +town the story that the railroad company would locate their round-houses +and machine shops at Hays City, and that it was to be _the_ town and a +splendid business center. A ruinous stampede from our place was the +result. People who had built in Rome came to the conclusion that they had +built in the wrong place; they began pulling down their buildings and +moving them over to Hays City, and in less than three days our once +flourishing city had dwindled down to the little store which Rose and I +had built. + +It was on a bright summer morning that we sat on a pine box in front of +our crib, moodily viewing the demolition of the last building. Three days +before, we had considered ourselves millionaires; on that morning we +looked around and saw that we were reduced to the ragged edge of poverty. +Our sanguine expectations of realizing immense fortunes were dashed to +the ground, and we felt pretty blue. The new town of Hays had swallowed +Rome entirely. Mr. Rose facetiously remarked that he felt like "the last +rose of summer," with all his lovely companions faded and gone, and _he_ +left blooming alone. I told him I was still there, staunch and true, but +he replied that that didn't help the matter much. Thus ends the brief +history of the "Rise, Decline and Fall" of Modern Rome. + +It having become evident to me that there was very little hope of Rome +ever regaining its former splendor and prosperity, I sent my wife and +daughter Arta--who had been born at Leavenworth in the latter part of +December, 1866--to St. Louis on a visit. They had been living with me +for some little time in the rear part of our "store." + +At this time Mr. Rose and myself had a contract under Schumacher, Miller +& Co., constructors of the Kansas Pacific, for grading five miles of +track westward from Big Creek, and running through the site of Rome. +Notwithstanding we had been deserted, we had some small hope that they +would not be able to get water at the new town, and that the people would +all soon move back to Rome, as we really had the best location. We +determined, therefore, to go on with our grading contract, and wait for +something better to turn up. It was indeed hard for us, who had been +millionaires, to come down to the level of common railroad contractors-- +but we had to do it, all the same. + +We visited the new town of Hays almost daily, to see how it was +progressing, and in a short time we became much better acquainted with +Dr. Webb, who had reduced us from our late independent to our present +dependent position. We found him a perfect gentleman--a whole-souled, +genial-hearted fellow, whom everybody liked and respected. Nearly +every day, "Doc." and I would take a ride over the prairie together +and hunt buffalo. + +On one occasion, having ventured about ten miles from the town, we spied +a band of Indians not over two miles distant, who were endeavoring to get +between us and the town, and thus cut us off. I was mounted on my +celebrated horse Brigham, the fleetest steed I ever owned. On several +subsequent occasions he saved my life, and he was the horse that I rode +when I killed sixty-nine buffaloes in one day. Dr. Webb was riding a +beautiful thoroughbred bay, which he had brought with him from the East. +Having such splendid horses, we laughed at the idea of a band of Indians +overtaking us on a square run, no matter how well they might be mounted; +but not caring to be cut off by them, we ran our steeds about three +miles towards home, thus getting between the braves and the town. The +Indians were then about three-quarters of a mile distant, and we stopped +and waved our hats at them, and fired some shots at long range. There +were thirteen in the party, and as they were getting pretty close to us, +we struck out for Hays. They came on in pursuit and sent several +scattering shots after us, but we easily left them behind. They finally +turned and rode off towards the Saline River. + +The Doctor thought this glorious sport, and wanted to organize a party to +go in pursuit of them, but I induced him to give up this idea, although +he did so rather reluctantly. The Doctor soon became quite an expert +hunter, and before he had remained on the prairie a year there were but +few men in the country who could kill more buffaloes on a hunt than he. + +Being aware that Rose and myself felt rather downhearted over our +deserted village, the Doctor one day said that, as he had made the +proprietors of Rome "howl," he would give us two lots each in Hays, and +did so. We finally came to the conclusion that our old town was dead +beyond redemption or revival, and we thereupon devoted our undivided +attention to our railroad contract. One day we were pushed for horses to +work on our scrapers--so I hitched up Brigham, to see how he would work. +He was not much used to that kind of labor, and I was about giving up the +idea of making a work-horse of him, when one of the men called to me that +there were some buffaloes coming over the hill. As there had been no +buffaloes seen anywhere in the vicinity of the camp for several days, we +had become rather short of meat. I immediately told one of our men to +hitch his horses to a wagon and follow me, as I was going out after the +herd, and we would bring back some fresh meat for supper. I had no +saddle, as mine had been left at the camp a mile distant, so taking the +harness from Brigham, I mounted him bareback and started out after the +game, being armed with my celebrated buffalo-killer, "Lucretia +Borgia,"--a newly-improved breech-loading needle gun, which I had +obtained from the government. + +While I was riding toward the buffaloes I observed five horsemen coming +out from the fort, who had evidently seen the buffaloes from the post, +and were going out for a chase. They proved to be some newly-arrived +officers in that part of the country, and when they came up closer, I +could see by the shoulder straps that the senior officer was a captain, +while the others were lieutenants. + +"Hello! may friend," sang out the captain, "I see you are after the same +game we are." + +"Yes, sir; I saw those buffaloes coming over the hill, and as we were +about out of fresh meat I thought I would go and get some," said I. + +They scanned my cheap-looking outfit pretty closely, and as my horse was +not very prepossessing in appearance, having on only a blind bridle, and +otherwise looking like a work-horse they evidently considered me a green +hand at hunting. + +"Do you expect to catch those buffaloes on that Gothic steed?" laughingly +asked the captain. + +"I hope so, by pushing on the reins hard enough," was my reply. + +"You'll never catch them in the world, my fine fellow," said the captain. +"It requires a fast horse to overtake the animals on these prairies." + +"Does it?" asked I as if I didn't know it. + +"Yes; but come along with us as we are going to kill them more for +pleasure than anything else. All we want are the tongues and a piece of +tender loin, and you may have all that is left," said the generous man. + +"I am much obliged to you, Captain, and will follow you," I replied. +There were eleven buffaloes in the herd and they were not more than a +mile from us. The officers dashed ahead as if they had a sure thing on +killing them all before I could come up with them; but I had noticed that +the herd was making towards the creek for water, and as I knew buffalo +nature, I was perfectly aware that it would be difficult to turn them +from their direct course. Thereupon, I started towards the creek to head +them off, while the officers came up in the rear and gave chase. + +The buffaloes came rushing past me not a hundred yards distant, with the +officers about three hundred yards in the rear. Now, thought I, is the +time to "get my work in," as they say; and I pulled the blind-bridle from +my horse, who knew as well as I did that we were out for buffaloes--as he +was a trained hunter. The moment the bridle was off, he started at the +top of his speed, running in ahead of the officers, and with a few jumps +he brought me alongside of the rear buffalo. Raising old "Lucretia +Borgia" to my shoulder, I fired, and killed the animal at the first shot. +My horse then carried me alongside the next one, not ten feet away, and I +dropped him at the next fire. + +As soon as one buffalo would fall, Brigham would take me so close to the +next, that I could almost touch it with my gun. In this manner I killed +the eleven buffaloes with twelve shots; and, as the last animal dropped, +my horse stopped. I jumped to the ground, knowing that he would not leave +me--it must be remembered that I had been riding him without bridle, +reins or saddle--and turning round as the party of astonished officers +rode up, I said to them: + +"Now, gentlemen, allow me to present to you all the tongues and +tender-loins you wish from these buffaloes." + +[Illustration: TONGUES AND TENDER LOINS.] + +Captain Graham, for such I soon learned was his name, replied: "Well, I +never saw the like before. Who under the sun are you, anyhow?" + +"My name is Cody," said I. + +One of the lieutenants, Thompson by name, who had met me at Fort Harker, +then recognized me, and said: "Why, that is Bill Cody, our old scout." He +then introduced me to the other officers, who were Captain Graham, of the +Tenth Cavalry, and Lieutenants Reed, Emmick and Ezekiel. + +Captain Graham, who was considerable of a horseman, greatly admired +Brigham, and said: "That horse of yours has running points." + +"Yes, sir; he has not only got the points, he is a runner and knows how +to use the points," said I. + +"So I noticed," said the captain. + +They all finally dismounted, and we continued chatting for some little +time upon the different subjects of horses, buffaloes, Indians and +hunting. They felt a little sore at not getting a single shot at the +buffaloes, but the way I had killed them had, they said, amply repaid +them for their disappointment. They had read of such feats in books, but +this was the first time they had ever seen anything of the kind with +their own eyes. It was the first time, also, that they had ever witnessed +or heard of a white man running buffaloes on horseback without a saddle +or a bridle. + +I told them that Brigham knew nearly as much about the business as I did, +and if I had had twenty bridles they would have been of no use to me, as +he understood everything, and all that he expected of me was to do the +shooting. It is a fact, that Brigham would stop if a buffalo did not fall +at the first fire, so as to give me a second chance, but if I did not +kill the buffalo then, he would go on, as if to say, "You are no good, +and I will not fool away time by giving you more than two shots." Brigham +was the best horse I ever owned or saw for buffalo chasing. + +Our conversation was interrupted in a little while by the arrival of the +wagon which I had ordered out; I loaded the hind-quarters of the youngest +buffaloes on it, and then cut out the tongues and tender loins, and +presented them to the officers, after which I rode towards the fort with +them, while the wagon returned to camp. + +Captain Graham told me that he expected to be stationed at Fort Hays +during the summer, and would probably be sent out on a scouting +expedition, and in case he was he would like to have me accompany him as +scout and guide. I replied that notwithstanding I was very busy with my +railroad contract I would go with him if he was ordered out. I then left +the officers and returned to our camp. + +That very night the Indians unexpectedly made a raid on the horses, and +ran off five or six of our very best work-teams, leaving us in a very +crippled condition. At daylight I jumped on old Brigham and rode to Fort +Hays, when I reported the affair to the commanding officer; Captain +Graham and Lieutenant Emmick were at once ordered out with their company +of one hundred colored troops, to pursue the Indians and recover our +stock if possible. In an hour we were under way. The darkies had never +been in an Indian fight and were anxious to catch the band we were after +and "Sweep de red debels from off de face ob de earth." Captain Graham +was a brave, dashing officer, eager to make a record for himself, and it +was with difficulty that I could trail fast enough to keep out of the way +of the impatient soldiers. Every few moments Captain Graham would ride up +to see if the trail was freshening and how soon we should be likely to +overtake the thieves. + +At last we reached the Saline river, where we found the Indians had only +stopped to feed and water the animals, and had then pushed on towards the +Solomon. After crossing the Saline they made no effort to conceal their +trail, thinking they would not be pursued beyond that point--consequently +we were able to make excellent time. We reached the Soloman before +sunset, and came to a halt; we surmised that if the Indians were camped +on this river, that they had no suspicion of our being in the +neighborhood. I advised Captain Graham to remain with the company where +it was, while I went ahead on a scout to find the Indians, if they were +in the vicinity. + +After riding some distance down the ravine that led to the river, I left +my horse at the foot of a hill; then, creeping to the top, I looked +cautiously over the summit upon the Solomon, below. I at once discovered +in plain view, not a mile away, a herd of horses grazing, our lost ones +among them; very shortly I made out the Indian camp, noted its lay, and +how we could best approach it. Reporting to Captain Graham, whose eyes +fairly danced with delight at the prospect of surprising and whipping +the redskins, we concluded to wait until the moon rose, then get into +the timber so as to approach the Indians as closely as possible without +being discovered, and finally to make a sudden dash into their camp, and +clean them out. We had everything "cut and dried," as we thought, but, +alas! just as we were nearing the point where we were to take the open +ground and make our charge, one of the colored gentlemen became so +excited that he fired off his gun. We immediately commenced the charge, +but the firing of the gun and the noise of our rush through the +crackling timber alarmed the Indians, who at once sprang to their +horses and were away from us before we reached their late camp. Captain +Graham called out "Follow me boys!" which we did for awhile, but in the +darkness the Indians made good their escape. The bugle then gave the +re-call, but some of the darkies did not get back until morning, having, +in their fright, allowed their horses to run away with them whithersoever +it suited the animal's pleasure to go. + +[Illustration: THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES.] + +We followed the trail the next day for awhile, but as it become evident +that it would be a long chase to overtake the enemy, and as we had +rations only for the day, we commenced the return. Captain Graham was +bitterly disappointed in not being able to get the fight when it seemed +so near at one time. He roundly cursed the "nigger" who fired the gun, +and as a punishment for his carelessness, he was compelled to walk all +the way back to Fort Hays. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +EARNING A TITLE. + + +It was about this time that the end of the Kansas Pacific track was in +the heart of the buffalo country, and the company was employing about +twelve hundred men in the construction of the road. As the Indians were +very troublesome, it was difficult to obtain fresh meat for the workmen, +and the company therefore concluded to engage the services of hunters to +kill buffaloes. Having heard of my experience and success as a buffalo +hunter, Messrs. Goddard Brothers, who had the contract for boarding the +employees of the road, met me in Hays City one day and made me a good +offer to become their hunter, and I at once entered into a contract with +them. They said that they would require about twelve buffaloes per day; +that would be twenty-four hams, as we took only the hind-quarters and +hump of each buffalo. As this was to be dangerous work, on account of the +Indians, who were riding all over that section of the country, and as I +would be obliged to go from five to ten miles from the road each day to +hunt the buffaloes, accompanied by only one man with a light wagon for +the transportation of the meat, I of course demanded a large salary. They +could afford to remunerate me well, because the meat would not cost them +anything. They agreed to give me five hundred dollars per month, provided +I furnished them all the fresh meat required. + +Leaving my partner, Rose, to complete our grading contract, I immediately +began my career as a buffalo hunter for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and +it was not long before I acquired considerable notoriety. It was at this +time that the very appropriate name of "Buffalo Bill," was conferred upon +me by the road-hands. It has stuck to me ever since, and I have never +been ashamed of it. + +During my engagement as hunter for the company--a period of less than +eighteen mouths--I killed 4,280 buffaloes; and I had many exciting +adventures with the Indians, as well as hair-breadth escapes, some of +which are well worth relating. + +One day in the spring of 1868, I mounted Brigham and started for Smoky +Hill River. After galloping about twenty miles I reached the top of a +small hill overlooking the valley of that beautiful stream. + +As I was gazing on the landscape, I suddenly saw a band of about thirty +Indians nearly half a mile distant; I knew by the way they jumped on +their horses that they had seen me as soon as I came into sight. + +The only chance I had for my life was to make a run for it, and I +immediately wheeled and started back towards the railroad. Brigham seemed +to understand what was up, and he struck out as if he comprehended that +it was to be a run for life. He crossed a ravine in a few jumps, and on +reaching a ridge beyond, I drew rein, looked back and saw the Indians +coming for me at full speed and evidently well-mounted. I would have had +little or no fear of being overtaken if Brigham had been fresh; but as he +was not, I felt uncertain as to how he would stand a long chase. + +[Illustration: BUFFALO BILL.] + +My pursuers seemed to be gaining on me a little, and I let Brigham shoot +ahead again; when we had run about three miles farther, some eight or +nine of the Indians were not over two hundred yards behind, and five or +six of these seemed to be shortening the gap at every jump. Brigham now +exerted himself more than ever, and for the next three or four miles he +got "right down to business," and did some of the prettiest running I +ever saw. But the Indians were about as well-mounted as I was, and one of +their horses in particular--a spotted animal--was gaining on me all the +time. Nearly all the other horses were strung out behind for a distance +of two miles, but still chasing after me. + +[Illustration: DOWN WENT HIS HORSE.] + +The Indian who was riding the spotted horse was armed with a rifle, and +would occasionally send a bullet whistling along, sometimes striking the +ground ahead of me. I saw that this fellow must be checked, or a stray +bullet from his gun might hit me or my horse; so, suddenly stopping +Brigham, and quickly wheeling him around, I raised old "Lucretia" to my +shoulder, took deliberate aim at the Indian and his horse, hoping to hit +one or the other, and fired. He was not over eighty yards from me at this +time, and at the crack of my rifle down went his horse. Not waiting to +see if he recovered, I turned Brigham, and in a moment we were again +fairly flying towards our destination; we had urgent business about that +time, and were in a hurry to get there. + +The other Indians had gained on us while I was engaged in shooting at +their leader, and they sent several shots whizzing past me, but +fortunately none of them hit the intended mark. To return their +compliment I occasionally wheeled myself in the saddle and fired back at +them, and one of my shots broke the leg of one of their horses, which +left its rider _hors(e) de combat_, as the French would say. + +Only seven or eight Indians now remained in dangerous proximity to me, +and as their horses were beginning to lag somewhat, I checked my faithful +old steed a little, to allow him an opportunity to draw an extra breath +or two. I had determined, if it should come to the worst, to drop into a +buffalo wallow, where I could stand the Indians off for a while; but I +was not compelled to do this, as Brigham carried me through most nobly. + +The chase was kept up until we came within three miles of the end of the +railroad track, where two companies of soldiers were stationed for the +purpose of protecting the workmen from the Indians. One of the outposts +saw the Indians chasing me across the prairie, and gave the alarm. In a +few minutes I saw, greatly to my delight, men coming on foot, and +cavalrymen, too, came galloping to our rescue as soon as they could mount +their horses. When the Indians observed this, they turned and ran in the +direction from which they had come. In a very few minutes I was met by +some of the infantrymen and trackmen, and jumping to the ground and +pulling the blanket and saddle off of Brigham, I told them what he had +done for me; they at once took him in charge, led him around, and rubbed +him down so vigorously that I thought they would rub him to death. + +Captain Nolan, of the Tenth Cavalry, now came up with forty of his men, +and upon learning what had happened he determined to pursue the Indians. +He kindly offered me one of the cavalry horses, and after putting my own +saddle and bridle on the animal, we started out after the flying Indians, +who only a few minutes before had been making it so uncomfortably lively +for me. Our horses were all fresh and of excellent stock, and we soon +began shortening the distance between ourselves and the redskins. Before +they had gone five miles we overtook and killed eight of their number. +The others succeeded in making their escape. On coming up to the place +where I had killed the first horse--the spotted one--on my "home run," I +found that my bullet had struck him in the forehead and killed him +instantly. He was a noble animal, and ought to have been engaged in +better business. + +When we got back to camp I found old Brigham grazing quietly and +contentedly on the grass. He looked up at me as if to ask if we had got +away with any of those fellows who had chased us. I believe he read the +answer in my eyes. + +Another very exciting hunting adventure of mine which deserves a place in +these reminiscences occurred near Saline river. My companion at the time +was a man called Scotty, a butcher, who generally accompanied me on these +hunting expeditions to cut up the buffaloes and load the meat into a +light wagon which he brought to carry it in. He was a brave little fellow +and a most excellent shot. I had killed some fifteen buffaloes, and we +had started for home with a wagon-load of meat. When within about eight +miles of our destination, we suddenly ran on to a party of at least +thirty Indians who came riding out of the head of a ravine. + +On this occasion I was mounted on a most excellent horse belonging to the +railroad company, and could easily have made my escape; but of course I +could not leave Scotty who was driving a pair of mules hitched to the +wagon. To think was to act, in those days; and as Scotty and I had often +talked over a plan of defense in case we were ever surprised by Indians, +we instantly proceeded to carry it out. We jumped to the ground, +unhitched the mules quicker than it had ever been done before, and tied +them and my horse to the wagon. We threw the buffalo hams upon the +ground, and piled them around the wheels in such a shape as to form a +breastwork. All this was done in a shorter time than it takes to tell it; +and then, with our extra box of ammunition and three or four extra +revolvers, which we always carried along with us, we crept under the +wagon and were fully prepared to give our visitors the warmest kind of a +reception. + +The Indians came on pell-mell, but when they were within one hundred +yards of us we opened such a sudden and galling fire upon them, that they +held up and began to circle around the wagon instead of riding up to +take tea with us. They however charged back and forth upon us several +times, and their shots killed the two mules and my horse; but we gave it +to them right and left, and had the satisfaction of seeing three of them +fall to the ground not more than fifty yards away. On seeing how well we +were fortified and protected by our breastwork of hams, they probably +came to the conclusion that it would be a difficult undertaking to +dislodge us, for they drew off and gave us a rest, but only a short one. + +This was the kind of fighting we had been expecting for a long time, as +we knew that sooner or later we would be "jumped" by Indians while we +were out buffalo hunting. I had an understanding with the officers who +commanded the troops at the end of the track, that in case their pickets +should at any time notice a smoke in the direction of our hunting ground, +they were to give the alarm, so that assistance might be sent to us for +the smoke was to indicate that we were in danger. + +I now resolved to signal to the troops in the manner agreed on, and at +the first opportunity set fire to the grass on the windward side of the +wagon. The fire spread over the prairie at a rapid rate, causing a dense +smoke which I knew would be seen at the camp. The Indians did not seem to +understand this strategic movement. They got off from their horses, and +from behind a bank or knoll, again peppered away at us; but we were well +fortified, and whenever they showed their heads we let them know that we +could shoot as well as they. + +[Illustration: THE FIRE SIGNAL.] + +After we had been cooped up in our little fort, for about an hour, we +discovered cavalry coming toward us at full gallop over the prairie. Our +signal of distress had proved a success. The Indians saw the soldiers at +about the same time that we did, and thinking that it would not be +healthy for them to remain much longer in that vicinity, they mounted +their horses and disappeared down the canons of the creek. When the +soldiers came up we had the satisfaction of showing them five "_good_" +Indians, that is dead ones. + +Two hours later we pulled into camp with our load of meat, which was +found to be all right, except that it had a few bullets and arrows +sticking in it. + +While I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific railway, I had the pleasure, +in the fall of 1867, of meeting the celebrated Kit Carson, one of, if not +the oldest and most noted scout, guide, and hunter that our western +country has ever produced. He was on his way to Washington. I also met +him on his return from the East, and invited him to be my guest for a few +days at Hays City, which invitation he accepted. He then proceeded to +Fort Lyon, Colorado, near which place his son-in-law, Mr. Boggs, and +family, resided. At this time his health was failing, and shortly +afterwards he died at Mr. Boggs' residence on the Picket Wire Creek. + +[Illustration: KIT CARSON] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. + + +Shortly after the adventures mentioned in the preceding chapter, I had my +celebrated buffalo hunt with Billy Comstock, a noted scout, guide and +interpreter, who was then chief of scouts at Fort Wallace, Kansas. +Comstock had the reputation, for a long time, of being a most successful +buffalo hunter, and the officers in particular, who had seen him kill +buffaloes, were very desirous of backing him in a match against me. It +was accordingly arranged that I should shoot him a buffalo-killing match, +and the preliminaries were easily and satisfactorily agreed upon. We were +to hunt one day of eight hours, beginning at eight o'clock in the +morning, and closing at four o'clock in the afternoon. The wager was five +hundred dollars a side, and the man who should kill the greater number of +buffaloes from on horseback was to be declared the winner. + +The hunt took place about twenty miles east of Sheridan, and as it had +been pretty well advertised and noised abroad, a large crowd witnessed +the interesting and exciting scene. An excursion party, mostly from St. +Louis, consisting of about a hundred gentlemen and ladies, came out on a +special train to view the sport, and among the number was my wife, with +little baby Arta, who had come to remain with me for a while. + +The buffaloes were quite plenty, and it was agreed that we should go into +the same herd at the same time and "make a run," as we called it, each +one killing as many as possible. A referee was to follow each of us on +horseback when we entered the herd, and count the buffaloes killed by +each man. The St. Louis excursionists, as well as the other spectators, +rode out to the vicinity of the hunting grounds in wagons and on +horseback, keeping well out of sight of the buffaloes, so as not to +frighten them, until the time came for us to dash into the herd; when +they were to come up as near as they pleased and witness the chase. + +We were fortunate in the first run in getting good ground. Comstock was +mounted on one of his favorite horses, while I rode old Brigham. I felt +confident that I had the advantage of Comstock in two things--first, I +had the best buffalo horse that ever made a track; and second, I was +using what was known at that time as the needle-gun, a breech-loading +Springfield rifle--calibre 50,--it was my favorite old "Lucretia," which +has already been introduced to the notice of the reader; while Comstock +was armed with a Henry rifle, and although he could fire a few shots +quicker than I could, yet I was pretty certain that it did not carry +powder and lead enough to do execution equal to my calibre 50. + +At last the time came to begin the match. Comstock and I dashed into a +herd, followed by the referees. The buffaloes separated; Comstock took +the left bunch and I the right. My great _forte_ in killing buffaloes +from horseback was to get them circling by riding my horse at the head of +the herd, shooting the leaders, thus crowding their followers to the +left, till they would finally circle round and round. + +On this morning the buffaloes were very accommodating, and I soon had +them running in a beautiful circle, when I dropped them thick and fast, +until I had killed thirty-eight; which finished my run. + +Comstock began shooting at the rear of the herd, which he was chasing, +and they kept straight on. He succeeded, however, in killing +twenty-three, but they were scattered over a distance of three miles, +while mine lay close together. I had "nursed" my buffaloes, as a +billiard-player does the balls when he makes a big run. + +After the result of the first run had been duly announced, our St. Louis +excursion friends--who had approached to the place where we had +stopped--set out a lot of champagne, which they had brought with them, +and which proved a good drink on a Kansas prairie, and a buffalo hunter +was a good man to get away with it. + +While taking a short rest, we suddenly spied another herd of buffaloes +coming toward us. It was only a small drove, and we at once prepared to +give the animals a lively reception. They proved to be a herd of cows and +calves--which, by the way, are quicker in their movements than the bulls. +We charged in among them, and I concluded my run with a score of +eighteen, while Comstock killed fourteen. The score now stood fifty-six +to thirty-seven, in my favor. + +Again the excursion party approached, and once more the champagne was +tapped. After we had eaten a lunch which was spread for us, we resumed +the hunt. Striking out for a distance of three miles, we came up close to +another herd. As I was so far ahead of my competitor in the number +killed, I thought I could afford to give an extra exhibition of my skill. +I had told the ladies that I would, on the next run, ride my horse +without saddle or bridle. This had raised the excitement to fever heat +among the excursionists, and I remember one fair lady who endeavored to +prevail upon me not to attempt it. + +"That's nothing at all," said I; "I have done it many a time, and old +Brigham knows as well as I what I am doing, and sometimes a great +deal better." + +So, leaving my saddle and bridle with the wagons, we rode to the windward +of the buffaloes, as usual, and when within a few hundred yards of them +we dashed into the herd. I soon had thirteen laid out on the ground, the +last one of which I had driven down close to the wagons, where the ladies +were. It frightened some of the tender creatures to see the buffalo +coming at full speed directly toward them; but when he had got within +fifty yards of one of the wagons, I shot him dead in his tracks. This +made my sixty-ninth buffalo, and finished my third and last run, Comstock +having killed forty-six. + +As it was now late in the afternoon, Comstock and his backers gave up +the idea that he could beat me, and thereupon the referees declared me +the winner of the match, as well as the champion buffalo-hunter of the +plains.[A] + +[Footnote A: Poor Billy Comstock was afterwards treacherously murdered by +the Indians. He and Sharpe Grover visited a village of Indians, supposed +to be peaceably inclined, near Big Spring Station, in Western Kansas; and +after spending several hours with the redskins in friendly conversation, +they prepared to depart, having declined an invitation to pass the night +there. It appears that Comstock's beautiful white-handled revolver had +attracted the attention of the Indians, who overtook him and his +companion when they had gone about half a mile. After surrounding the two +men they suddenly attacked them. They killed, scalped and robbed +Comstock; but Grover, although severely wounded, made his escape, owing +to the fleetness of the excellent horse which he was riding. This sad +event occurred August 27, 1868.] + +On our way back to camp, we took with us some of the choice meat and +finest heads. In this connection it will not be out of place to state +that during the time I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific, I always +brought into camp the best buffalo heads, and turned them over to the +company, who found a very good use for them. They had them mounted in the +best possible manner, and sent them to all the principal cities and +railroad centers in the country, having them placed in prominent +positions at the leading hotels, depots, and other public buildings, as a +sort of trade-mark, or advertisement, of the Kansas Pacific Railroad; and +to-day they attract the attention of the traveler almost everywhere. +Whenever I am traveling over the country and see one of these +trade-marks, I feel pretty certain that I was the cause of the death of +the old fellow whose body it once ornamented, and many a wild and +exciting hunt is thus called to mind. + +The end of the track finally reached Sheridan, in the month of May, 1868, +and as the road was not to be built any farther just then, my services as +a hunter were not any longer required. At this time there was a general +Indian war raging all along the western borders. General Sheridan had +taken up his headquarters at Fort Hayes, in order to be in the field to +superintend the campaign in person. As scouts and guides were in great +demand, I concluded once more to take up my old avocation of scouting +and guiding for the army. + +Having no suitable place in which to leave my old and faithful +buffalo-hunter Brigham, and not wishing to kill him by scouting, I +determined to dispose of him. I was very reluctant to part with him, but +I consoled myself with the thought that he would not be likely to receive +harder usage in other hands than he had in mine. I had several good +offers to sell him; but at the suggestion of some gentlemen in Sheridan, +all of whom were anxious to obtain possession of the horse, I put him up +at a raffle, in order to give them all an equal chance of becoming the +owner of the famous steed. There were ten chances at thirty dollars each, +and they were all quickly taken. + +Old Brigham was won by a gentleman--Mr. Ike Bonham,--who took him to +Wyandotte, Kansas, where he soon added new laurels to his already +brilliant record. Although I am getting ahead of my story, I must now +follow Brigham for a while. A grand tournament came off four miles from +Wyandotte, and Brigham took part in it. As has already been stated, his +appearance was not very prepossessing, and nobody suspected him of being +anything but the most ordinary kind of a plug. The friends of the rider +laughed at him for being mounted on such a dizzy-looking steed. When the +exercises--which were of a very tame character, being more for style than +speed--were over, and just as the crowd were about to return to the city, +a purse of $250 was made up, to be given to the horse that could first +reach Wyandotte, four miles distant. The arrangement was carried out, and +Brigham was entered as one of the contestants for the purse. Everybody +laughed at Mr. Bonham when it became known that he was to ride that +poky-looking plug against the five thoroughbreds which were to take part +in the race. + +When all the preliminaries had been arranged, the signal was given, and +off went the horses for Wyandotte. For the first half-mile several of +the horses led Brigham, but on the second mile he began passing them one +after the other, and on the third mile he was in advance of them all, and +was showing them all the road at a lively rate. On the fourth mile his +rider let him out, and arrived at the hotel--the home-station--in +Wyandotte a long way ahead of his fastest competitor. + +Everybody was surprised, as well as disgusted, that such a homely +"critter" should be the winner. Brigham, of course, had already acquired +a wide reputation, and his name and exploits had often appeared in the +newspapers, and when it was learned that this "critter" was none other +than the identical buffalo-hunting Brigham, nearly the whole crowd +admitted that they had heard of him before, and had they known him in the +first place they certainly would have ruled him out. + +I finally lost track of Brigham, and for several years I did not know +what had become of him. Three years ago, while I was at Memphis, +Tennessee, I met a Mr. Wilcox, who had been one of the superintendents of +construction of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and he informed me that he +owned Brigham, and that he was at that time on his farm, only a few miles +out of town. The next day I rode out with Mr. Wilcox and took a look at +the gallant old horse. He was comfortably cared for in Mr. Wilcox's +stable, and looked the same clever pony that he always was. It seemed as +if he almost remembered me, and I put my arms around his neck, as though +he had been a long-lost child. Mr. Wilcox bought the horse at Wyandotte, +from the gentleman who had won him at the raffle, and he intends to keep +him as long as he lives. I am grateful that he is in such good hands, and +whenever I again visit Memphis I shall surely go and see Brigham if he is +still alive. + +But to return to the thread of my narrative, from which I have wandered. +Having received the appointment of guide and scout, and having been +ordered to report at Fort Larned, then commanded by Captain Dangerfield +Parker, I saw it was necessary to take my family--who had remained with +me at Sheridan, after the buffalo-hunting match--to Leavenworth, and +there leave them. This I did at once, and after providing them with a +comfortable little home, I returned and reported for duty at Fort Larned. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A COURIER. + + +The scouts at Fort Larned, when I arrived there, were commanded by Dick +Curtis--an old guide, frontiersman and Indian interpreter. There were +some three hundred lodges of Kiowa and Comanche Indians camped near the +fort. These Indians had not as yet gone upon the war-path, but were +restless and discontented, and their leading chiefs, Satanta, Lone Wolf, +Kicking Bird, Satank, Sittamore, and other noted warriors, were rather +saucy. The post at the time was garrisoned by only two companies of +infantry and one of cavalry. + +General Hazen, who was at the post, was endeavoring to pacify the Indians +and keep them from going on the war-path. I was appointed as his special +scout, and one morning he notified me that he was going to Fort Harker, +and wished me to accompany him as far as Fort Zarah, thirty miles +distant. The General usually traveled in an ambulance, but this trip he +was to make in a six-mule wagon, under the escort of a squad of twenty +infantrymen. So, early one morning in August, we started; arriving safely +at Fort Zarah at twelve o'clock. General Hazen thought it unnecessary +that we should go farther, and he proceeded on his way to Fort Harker +without an escort, leaving instructions that we should return to Fort +Larned the next day. + +After the General had gone I went to the sergeant in command of the +squad, and told him that I was going back that very afternoon, instead of +waiting till the next morning; and I accordingly saddled up my mule and +set out for Fort Larned. I proceeded uninterruptedly until I got about +half-way between the two posts, when at Pawnee Rock I was suddenly +"jumped" by about forty Indians, who came dashing up to me, extending +their hands and saying, "How! How!" They were some of the same Indians +who had been hanging around Fort Larned in the morning. I saw that they +had on their war-paint, and were evidently now out on the war-path. + +[Illustration: A BIG JOKE.] + +My first impulse was to shake hands with them, as they seemed so desirous +of it. I accordingly reached out my hand to one of them, who grasped it +with a tight grip, and jerked me violently forward; another pulled my +mule by the bridle, and in a moment I was completely surrounded. Before I +could do anything at all, they had seized my revolvers from the holsters, +and I received a blow on the head from a tomahawk which nearly rendered +me senseless. My gun, which was lying across the saddle, was snatched +from its place, and finally the Indian, who had hold of the bridle, +started off towards the Arkansas River, leading the mule, which was being +lashed by the other Indians who were following. + +The savages were all singing, yelling and whooping, as only Indians can +do, when they are having their little game all their own way. While +looking towards the river I saw, on the opposite side, an immense village +moving down along the bank, and then I became convinced that the Indians +had left the post and were now starting out on the war-path. My captors +crossed the stream with me, and as we waded through the shallow water +they continued to lash the mule and myself. Finally they brought me +before an important looking body of Indians, who proved to be the chiefs +and principal warriors. I soon recognized old Satanta among them, as well +as others whom I knew, and I supposed it was all over with me. + +The Indians were jabbering away so rapidly among themselves that I could +not understand what they were saying. Satanta at last asked me where I +had been; and, as good luck would have it, a happy thought struck me. I +told him I had been after a herd of cattle or "whoa-haws," as they called +them. It so happened that the Indians had been out of meat for several +weeks, as the large herd of cattle which had been promised them had not +yet arrived, although expected by them. + +The moment that I mentioned that I had been searching for the +"whoa-haws," old Satanta began questioning me in a very eager manner. He +asked me where the cattle were, and I replied that they were back only a +few miles, and that I had been sent by General Hazen to inform him that +the cattle were coming, and that they were intended for his people. This +seemed to please the old rascal, who also wanted to know if there were +any soldiers with the herd, and my reply was that there were. Thereupon +the chiefs held a consultation, and presently Satanta asked me if General +Hazen had really said that they should have the cattle. I replied in the +affirmative, and added that I had been directed to bring the cattle to +them. I followed this up with a very dignified inquiry, asking why his +young men had treated me so. The old wretch intimated that it was only "a +freak of the boys"; that the young men had wanted to see if I was brave; +in fact, they had only meant to test my bravery, and that the whole thing +was a joke. + +The veteran liar was now beating me at my own game of lying; but I was +very glad of it, as it was in my favor. I did not let him suspect that I +doubted his veracity, but I remarked that it was a rough way to treat +friends. He immediately ordered his young men to give me back my arms, +and scolded them for what they had done. Of course, the sly old dog was +now playing it very fine, as he was anxious to get possession of the +cattle, with which he believed "there was a heap of soldiers coming." He +had concluded it was not best to fight the soldiers if he could get the +cattle peaceably. + +Another council was held by the chiefs, and in a few minutes old Satanta +came and asked me if I would go over and bring the cattle down to the +opposite side of the river, so that they could get them. I replied, "Of +course; that's my instruction from General Hazen." + +Satanta said I must not feel angry at his young men, for they had only +been acting in fun. He then inquired if I wished any of his men to +accompany me to the cattle herd. I replied that it would be better for me +to go alone, and then the soldiers could keep right on to Fort Larned, +while I could drive the herd down on the bottom. So, wheeling my mule +around, I was soon re-crossing the river, leaving old Satanta in the +firm belief that I had told him a straight story, and was going for the +cattle, which only existed in my imagination. + +I hardly knew what to do, but thought that if I could get the river +between the Indians and myself I would have a good three-quarters of a +mile the start of them, and could then make a run for Fort Larned, as my +mule was a good one. + +Thus far my cattle story had panned out all right; but just as I reached +the opposite bank of the river, I looked behind and saw that ten or +fifteen Indians who had begun to suspect something crooked, were +following me. The moment that my mule secured a good foothold on the +bank, I urged him into a gentle lope towards the place where, according +to my statement, the cattle were to be brought. Upon reaching a little +ridge, and riding down the other side out of view, I turned my mule and +headed him westward for Fort Larned. I let him out for all that he was +worth, and when I came out on a little rise of ground, I looked back, and +saw the Indian village in plain sight. My pursuers were now on the ridge +which I had passed over, and were looking for me in every direction. + +Presently they spied me, and seeing that I was running away, they struck +out in swift pursuit, and in a few minutes it became painfully evident +that they were gaining on me. They kept up the chase as far as Ash Creek, +six miles from Fort Larned. I still led them half a mile, as their horses +had not gained much during the last half of the race. My mule seemed to +have gotten his second wind, and as I was on the old road I had played +the whip and spurs on him without much cessation. The Indians likewise +had urged their steeds to the utmost. + +Finally, upon reaching the dividing ridge between Ash Greek and Pawnee +Fork, I saw Fort Larned only four miles away. It was now sundown, and I +heard the evening gun at the fort. The troops of the garrison little +dreamed that there was a man flying for his life from the Indians and +trying to reach the post. The Indians were once more gaining on me, and +when I crossed the Pawnee Fork, two miles from the post, two or three of +them were only a quarter of a mile behind me. Just as I had gained the +opposite bank of the stream I was overjoyed to see some soldiers in a +government wagon, only a short distance off. I yelled at the top of my +voice, and riding up to them, told them that the Indians were after me. + +[Illustration: AMBUSHING THE INDIANS.] + +Denver Jim, a well-known scout, asked how many there were, and upon my +informing him that there were about a dozen, he said: "Let's drive the +wagon into the trees, and we'll lay for 'em." The team was hurriedly +driven in among the trees and low box-elder bushes, and there secreted. + +We did not have to wait long for the Indians, who came dashing up, +lashing their horses, which were panting and blowing. We let two of them +pass by, but we opened a lively fire on the next three or four, killing +two at the first crack. The others following, discovered that they had +run into an ambush, and whirling off into the brush they turned and ran +back in the direction whence they had come. The two who had passed heard +the firing and made their escape. We scalped the two that we had killed, +and appropriated their arms and equipments; and then catching their +horses, we made our way into the post. The soldiers had heard us firing, +and as we were approaching the fort the drums were being beaten, and the +buglers were sounding the call to fall in. The officers had thought that +Satanta and his Indians were coming in to capture the fort. + +It seems that on the morning of that day, two hours after General Hazen +had taken his departure, old Satanta drove into the post in an ambulance, +which he had received some months before as a present from the +government. He appeared to be angry and bent on mischief. In an interview +with Captain Parker, the commanding officer, he asked why General Hazen +had left the post without supplying the beef cattle which had been +promised to him. The Captain told him that the cattle were surely on the +road, but he could not explain why they were detained. + +The interview proved to be a stormy one, and Satanta made numerous +threats, saying that if he wished, he could capture the whole post with +his warriors. Captain Parker, who was a brave man, gave Satanta to +understand that he was reckoning beyond his powers, and would find it a +more difficult undertaking than he had any idea of, as they were prepared +for him at any moment. The interview finally terminated, and Satanta +angrily left the officers presence. Going over to the sutler's store he +sold his ambulance to Mr. Tappan the past trader, and with a portion of +the proceeds he secretly managed to secure some whisky from some bad men +around the fort. There are always to be found around every frontier post +some men who will sell whisky to the Indians at any time and under any +circumstances, notwithstanding it is a flagrant violation of both civil +and military regulations. + +Satanta mounted his horse, and taking the whisky with him, he rode +rapidly away and proceeded straight to his village. He had not been gone +over an hour, when he returned to the vicinity of the post accompanied +by his warriors who came in from every direction, to the number of seven +or eight hundred. It was evident that the irate old rascal was "on his +ear," so to speak, and it looked as if he intended to carry out his +threat of capturing the fort. The garrison at once turned out and +prepared to receive the red-skins, who, when within half a mile, circled +around the fort and fired numerous shots into it, instead of trying to +take it by assault. + +While this circular movement was going on, it was observed that the +Indian village in the distance was packing up, preparatory to leaving, +and it was soon under way. The mounted warriors remained behind some +little time, to give their families an opportunity to get away, as they +feared that the troops might possibly in some manner intercept them. +Finally, they encircled the post several times, fired some farewell +rounds, and then galloped away over the prairie to overtake their fast +departing village. On their way thither, they surprised and killed a +party of wood-choppers down on the Pawnee Fork, as well as some herders +who were guarding beef cattle; some seven or eight men in all, were +killed, and it was evident that the Indians meant business. + +The soldiers with the wagon--whom I had met at the crossing of the Pawnee +Fork--had been out for the bodies of the men. Under the circumstances it +was no wonder that the garrison, upon hearing the reports of our guns +when we fired upon the party whom we ambushed, should have thought the +Indians were coming back to give them another "turn." + +We found that all was excitement at the post; double guards had been put +on duty, and Captain Parker had all the scouts at his headquarters. He +was endeavoring to get some one to take some important dispatches to +General Sheridan at Fort Hays. I reported to him at once, and stated +where I had met the Indians and how I had escaped from them. + +"You was very fortunate, Cody, in thinking of that cattle story; but +for that little game your hair would now be an ornament to a Kiowa's +lodge," said he. + +Just then Dick Curtis spoke up and said: "Cody, the Captain is anxious +to send some dispatches to General Sheridan, at Fort Hays, and none of +the scouts here seem to be very willing to undertake the trip. They +say they are not well enough acquainted with the country to find the +way at night." + +As a storm was coming up it was quite dark, and the scouts feared that +they would lose the way; besides it was a dangerous ride, as a large +party of Indians were known to be camped on Walnut Creek, on the direct +road to Fort Hays. It was evident that Curtis was trying to induce me to +volunteer. I made some evasive answer to Curtis, for I did not care to +volunteer after my long day's ride. But Curtis did not let the matter +drop. Said he: + +"I wish, Bill, that you were not so tired by your chase of to-day, for +you know the country better than the rest of the boys, and I am certain +that you could go through." + +"As far as the ride to Fort Hays is concerned, that alone would matter +but little to me," I said, "but it is a risky piece of work just now, as +the country is full of hostile Indians; still if no other scout is +willing to volunteer, I will chance it. I'll go, provided I am furnished +with a good horse. I am tired of being chased on a government mule by +Indians." At this Captain Nolan, who had been listening to our +conversation, said: + +"Bill, you may have the best horse in my company. You can take your +choice if you will carry these dispatches. Although it is against +regulations to dismount an enlisted man, I have no hesitancy in such a +case of urgent necessity as this is, in telling you that you may have any +horse you may wish." + +"Captain, your first sergeant has a splendid horse, and that's the one I +want. If he'll let me ride that horse, I'll be ready to start in one +hour, storm or no storm," said I. + +"Good enough, Bill; you shall have the horse; but are you sure you can +find your way on such a dark night as this?" + +"I have hunted on nearly every acre of ground between here and Fort Hays, +and I can almost keep my route by the bones of the dead buffaloes." I +confidently replied. + +"Never fear, Captain, about Cody not finding the way; he is as good in +the dark as he is in the daylight," said Curtis. + +An orderly was sent for the horse, and the animal was soon brought up, +although the sergeant "kicked" a little against letting him go. After +eating a lunch and filling a canteen with brandy, I went to +headquarters and put my own saddle and bridle on the horse I was to +ride. I then got the dispatches, and by ten o'clock was on the road to +Fort Hays, which was sixty-five miles distant across the country. The +scouts had all bidden me a hearty good-bye, and wished me success, not +knowing when, if ever, they would again gaze upon "my warlike form," as +the poet would say. + +It was dark as pitch, but this I rather liked, as there was little +probability of any of the red-skins seeing me unless I stumbled upon them +accidentally. My greatest danger was that my horse might run into a hole +and fall down, and in this way get away from me. To avoid any such +accident, I tied one end of my rawhide lariat to the bridle and the +other end to my belt. I didn't propose to be left on foot, alone out on +the prairie. + +[Illustration: WHOA THERE!] + +It was, indeed, a wise precaution that I had taken, for within the next +three miles the horse, sure enough, stepped into a prairie-dog's hole, +and down he went, throwing me clear over his head. Springing to his feet, +before I could catch hold of the bridle, he galloped away into the +darkness; but when he reached the full length of the lariat, he found +that he was picketed to Bison William. I brought him up standing, and +after finding my gun, which had dropped to the ground, I went up to him +and in a moment was in the saddle again, and went on my way rejoicing +keeping straight on my course until I came to the ravines leading into +Walnut Creek, twenty-five miles from Fort Larned, where the country +became rougher, requiring me to travel slower and more carefully, as I +feared the horse might fall over the bank, it being difficult to see +anything five feet ahead. As a good horse is not very apt to jump over a +bank, if left to guide himself, I let mine pick his own way. I was now +proceeding as quietly as possible, for I was in the vicinity of a band of +Indians who had recently camped in that locality. I thought that I had +passed somewhat above the spot, having made a little circuit to the west +with that intention; but as bad luck would have it this time, when I came +up near the creek I suddenly rode in among a herd of horses. The animals +became frightened and ran off in every direction. + +I knew at once that I was among Indian horses, and had walked into the +wrong pew; so without waiting to apologize, I backed out as quickly as +possible. At this moment a dog, not fifty yards away, set up a howl, and +then I heard some Indians engaged in conversation;--they were guarding +the horses, and had been sleeping. Hearing my horse's retreating +footsteps toward the hills, and thus becoming aware that there had been +an enemy in their camp, they mounted their steeds and started for me. + +I urged my horse to his full speed, taking the chances of his falling +into holes, and guided him up the creek bottom. The Indians followed me +as fast as they could by the noise I made, but I soon distanced them; and +then crossed the creek. + +When I had traveled several miles in a straight course, as I supposed, I +took out my compass and by the light of a match saw that I was bearing +two points to the east of north. At once changing my course to the direct +route, I pushed rapidly on through the darkness towards Smoky Hill River. +At about three o'clock in the morning I began traveling more cautiously, +as I was afraid of running into another band of Indians. Occasionally I +scared up a herd of buffaloes or antelopes, or coyotes, or deer, which +would frighten my horse for a moment, but with the exception of these +slight alarms I got along all right. + +After crossing Smoky Hill River, I felt comparatively safe as this was +the last stream I had to cross. Riding on to the northward I struck the +old Santa Fe trail, ten miles from Fort Hays, just at break of day. + +My horse did not seem much fatigued, and being anxious to make good time +and get as near the post as possible before it was fairly daylight as +there might be bands of Indians camped along Big Creek, I urged him +forward as fast as he could go. As I had not "lost" any Indians, I was +not now anxious to make their acquaintance, and shortly after _reveille_ +rode into the post. I proceeded directly to General Sheridan's +headquarters, and, was met at the door, by Colonel Moore, _aid-de-camp_ +on General Sheridan's staff who asked me on what business I had come. + +"I have dispatches for General Sheridan, and my instructions from Captain +Parker, commanding Fort Larned, are that they shall be delivered to the +General as soon as possible," said I. + +Colonel Moore invited me into one of the offices, and said he would hand +the dispatches to t h e General as soon as he got up. + +[Illustration: DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO SHERIDAN.] + +"I prefer to give these dispatches to General Sheridan myself, and at +once," was my reply. + +The General, who was sleeping in the same building, hearing our voices, +called out, "Send the man in with the dispatches." I was ushered into the +General's presence, and as we had met before he recognized me and said: + +"Hello, Cody, is that you?" + +"Yes, sir; I have some dispatches here for you, from Captain Parker," +said I, as I handed the package over to him. + +He hurriedly read them, and said they were important; and then he asked +me all about General Hazen and where he had gone, and about the +breaking out of the Kiowas and Comanches. I gave him all the +information that I possessed, and related the events and adventures of +the previous day and night. + +"Bill," said he, "you must have had a pretty lively ride. You certainly +had a close call when you ran into the Indians on Walnut Creek. That was +a good joke that you played on old Satanta. I suppose you're pretty +tired after your long journey?" + +"I am rather weary, General, that's a fact, as I have been in the saddle +since yesterday morning;" was my reply, "but my horse is more tired than +I am, and needs attention full as much if not more," I added. Thereupon +the General called an orderly and gave instructions to have my animal +well taken care of, and then he said, "Cody, come in and have some +breakfast with me." + +"No, thank you, General," said I, "Hays City is only a mile from here, +and I prefer riding over there, as I know about every one in the town, +and want to see some of my friends." + +"Very well; do as you please, and come to the post afterwards as I want +to see you," said he. + +Bidding him good-morning, and telling him that I would return in a few +hours, I rode over to Hays City, and at the Perry House I met many of my +old friends who were of course all glad to see me. I took some +refreshments and a two hours nap, and afterward returned to Fort Hays, as +I was requested. + +As I rode up to the headquarters I noticed several scouts in a little +group, evidently engaged in conversation on some important matter. +Upon inquiry I learned that General Sheridan had informed them that he +was desirous of sending a dispatch to Fort Dodge, a distance of +ninety-five miles. + +The Indians had recently killed two or three men while they were carrying +dispatches between Fort Hays and Fort Dodge, and on this account none of +the scouts seemed at all anxious to volunteer, although a reward of +several hundred dollars was offered to any one who would carry the +dispatches. They had learned of my experiences of the previous day, and +asked me if I did not think it would be a dangerous trip. I gave it as my +opinion that a man might possibly go through without seeing an Indian, +but that the chances were ten to one that he would have an exceedingly +lively run and a hard time before he reached his destination, if he ever +got there at all. + +Leaving the scouts to decide among themselves as to who was to go, I +reported to General Sheridan, who also informed me that he wished some +one to carry dispatches to Fort Dodge. While we were talking, his chief +of scouts Dick Parr, entered and stated that none of the scouts had yet +volunteered. Upon hearing this I got my "brave" up a little, and said: + +"General, if there is no one ready to volunteer, I'll carry your +dispatches myself." + +"I had not thought of asking you to do this duty, Cody, as you are +already pretty hard worked. But it is really important that these +dispatches should go through," said the General. + +"Well, if you don't get a courier by four o'clock this afternoon, I'll be +ready for business at that time. All I want is a fresh horse," said I; +"meantime I'll take a little more rest." + +It was not much of a rest, however, that I got, for I went over to Hays +City again and had "a time with the boys." I came back to the post at the +appointed hour, and finding that no one had volunteered, I reported to +General Sheridan. He had selected an excellent horse for me, and on +handing me the dispatches he said: + +"You can start as soon as you wish--the sooner the better; and good luck +go with you, my boy." + +In about an hour afterwards I was on the road, and just before dark I +crossed Smoky Hill River. I had not yet urged my horse much, as I was +saving his strength for the latter end of the route, and for any run that +I might have to make in case the "wild-boys" should "jump" me. So far I +had not seen a sign of Indians, and as evening came on I felt +comparatively safe. + +I had no adventures worth relating during the night, and just before +daylight I found myself approaching Saw-log Crossing, on the Pawnee Fork, +having then ridden about seventy miles. + +A company of colored cavalry, commanded by Major Cox, was stationed at +this point, and I approached their camp cautiously, for fear that the +pickets might fire upon me--as the darkey soldiers were liable to shoot +first and cry "halt" afterwards. When within hearing distance I yelled +out at the top of my voice, and was answered by one of the pickets. I +told him not to shoot, as I was a scout from Fort Hays; and then, calling +the sergeant of the guard, I went up to the vidette of the post, who +readily recognized me. I entered the camp and proceeded to the tent of +Major Cox, to whom I handed a letter from General Sheridan requesting him +to give me a fresh horse. He at once complied with the request. + +After I had slept an hour and had eaten a lunch, I again jumped into the +saddle, and before sunrise I was once more on the road. It was +twenty-five miles to Fort Dodge, and I arrived there between nine and ten +o'clock, without having seen a single Indian. + +After delivering the dispatches to the commanding officer, I met Johnny +Austin, chief of scouts at this post, who was an old friend of mine. Upon +his invitation I took a nap at his house, and when I awoke, fresh for +business once more, he informed me that the Indians had been all around +the post for the past two or three days, running off cattle and horses, +and occasionally killing a stray man. It was a wonder to him that I had +met with none of the red-skins on the way there. The Indians, he said, +were also very thick on the Arkansas River, between Fort Dodge and Fort +Larned, and making considerable trouble. Fort Dodge was located +sixty-five miles west of Fort Larned, the latter post being on the Pawnee +Fork, about five miles from its junction with the Arkansas River. + +The commanding officer at Fort Dodge was anxious to send some +dispatches to Fort Larned, but the scouts, like those at Fort Hays, +were rather backward about volunteering, as it was considered a very +dangerous undertaking to make the trip. As Fort Larned was my post, +and as I wanted to go there anyhow, I said to Austin that I would carry +the dispatches, and if any of the boys wished to go along, I would like +to have them for company's sake. Austin reported my offer to the +commanding officer, who sent for me and said he would be happy to have +me take his dispatches, if I could stand the trip on top of all that I +had already done. + +"All I want is a good fresh horse, sir," said I. + +"I am sorry to say that we haven't a decent horse here, but we have +a reliable and honest government mule, if that will do you," said +the officer. + +"Trot out your mule," said I, "that's good enough for me. I am ready at +any time, sir." + +The mule was forthcoming, and at dark I pulled out for Fort Larned, and +proceeded uninterruptedly to Coon Creek, thirty miles out from Dodge. I +had left the main wagon road some distance to the south, and had traveled +parallel with it, thinking this to be a safer course, as the Indians +might be lying in wait on the main road for dispatch bearers and scouts. + +At Coon Creek I dismounted and led the mule by the bridle down to the +water, where I took a drink, using my hat for a dipper. While I was +engaged in getting the water, the mule jerked loose and struck out down +the creek. I followed him in hopes that he would catch his foot in the +bridle rein and stop, but this he seemed to have no idea of doing. He was +making straight for the wagon road, and I did not know what minute he +might run into a band of Indians. He finally got on the road, but instead +of going back toward Fort Dodge, as I naturally expected he would do, he +turned eastward toward Fort Larned, and kept up a little jog trot just +ahead of me, but would not let me come up to him, although I tried it +again and again. I had my gun in my hand, and several times I was +strongly tempted to shoot him, and would probably have done so had it not +been for fear of bringing Indians down upon me, and besides he was +carrying the saddle for me. So I trudged on after the obstinate +"critter," and if there ever was a government mule that deserved and +received a good round cursing it was that one. I had neglected the +precaution of tying one end of my lariat to his bit and the other to my +belt, as I had done a few nights before, and I blamed myself for this +gross piece of negligence. + +Mile after mile I kept on after that mule, and every once in a while I +indulged in strong language respecting the whole mule fraternity. From +Coon Creek to Fort Larned it was thirty-five miles, and I finally +concluded that my prospects were good for "hoofing" the whole distance. +We--that is to say, the confounded mule and myself--were making pretty +good time. There was nothing to hold the mule, and I was all the time +trying to catch him--which urged him on. I made every step count, for I +wanted to reach Fort Larned before daylight, in order to avoid if +possible the Indians, to whom it would have been "pie" to have caught me +there on foot. + +The mule stuck to the road and kept on for Larned, and I did the +same thing. Just as day was beginning to break, we--that is the mule +and myself--found ourselves on a hill looking down into the valley +of the Pawnee Fork, in which Fort Larned was located, only four +miles away; and when the morning gun belched forth we were within +half a mile of the post. + +"Now," said I, "Mr. Mule, it is my turn," and raising my gun to my +shoulder, in "dead earnest" this time, I blazed away, hitting the animal +in the hip. Throwing a second cartridge into the gun, I let him have +another shot, and I continued to pour the lead into him until I had him +completely laid out. Like the great majority of government mules, he was +a tough one to kill, and he clung to life with all the tenaciousness of +his obstinate nature. He was, without doubt, the toughest and meanest +mule I ever saw, and he died hard. + +The troops, hearing the reports of the gun, came rushing out to see what +was the matter. They found that the mule had passed in his chips, and +when they learned the cause they all agreed that I had served him just +right. Taking the saddle and bridle from the dead body, I proceeded into +the post and delivered the dispatches to Captain Parker. I then went over +to Dick Curtis' house, which was headquarters for the scouts, and there +put in several hours of solid sleep. + +During the day General Hazen returned from Fort Harker, and he also had +some important dispatches to send to General Sheridan. I was feeling +quite elated over my big ride; and seeing that I was getting the best of +the other scouts in regard to making a record, I volunteered to carry +General Hazen's dispatches to Fort Hays. The General accepted my +services, although he thought it was unnecessary for me to kill myself. I +told him that I had business at Fort Hays, and wished to go there +anyway, and it would make no difference to the other scouts, for none of +them appeared willing to undertake the trip. + +Accordingly, that night I left Fort Larned on an excellent horse, and +next morning at daylight found myself once more in 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 in riding to Fort Dodge, +and that I had taken dispatches from Fort Dodge to Fort Larned; and when, +in addition to this, I mentioned my journey of the night previous, +General Sheridan thought my ride from post to post, taken as a whole, was +a remarkable one, and he said that he did not know of its equal. I can +safely say that I have never heard of its being beaten in a country +infested with hostile Indians. + +To recapitulate: I had ridden from Fort Larned to Fort Zarah (a distance +of sixty-five miles) and back in twelve hours, including the time when I +was taken across the Arkansas by the Indians. In the succeeding twelve +hours I had gone from Fort Larned to Fort Hays, a distance of sixty-five +miles. In the next twenty-four hours I had gone from Fort Hays to Fort +Dodge, a distance of ninety-five miles. The following night I had +traveled from Fort Dodge thirty miles on muleback and thirty-five miles +on foot to Fort Larned; and the next night sixty-five miles more to Fort +Hays. Altogether I had ridden (and walked) 355 miles in fifty-eight +riding hours, or an average of over six miles an hour. Of course, this +may not be regarded as very fast riding, but taking into consideration +the fact that it was mostly done in the night and over a wild country, +with no roads to follow, and that I had to be continually on the look out +for Indians, it was thought at the time to be a big ride, as well as a +most dangerous one. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN APPOINTMENT. + + +General Sheridan highly complimented me for what I had done, and informed +me that I need not report back to General Hazen, as he had more important +work for me to do. He told me that the Fifth Cavalry--one of the finest +regiments in the army--was on its way to the Department of the Missouri, +and that he was going to send it on an expedition against the Dog Soldier +Indians, who were infesting the Republican River region. + +"Cody," continued he, "I have decided to appoint you as guide and chief +of scouts with the command. How does that suit you?" + +"First-rate, General, and I thank you for the honor," I replied, as +gracefully as I knew how. + +The Dog Soldier Indians were a band of Cheyennes and unruly, turbulent +members of other tribes, who would not enter into any treaty, or keep a +treaty if they made one, and who had always refused to go upon a +reservation. They were a warlike body of well-built, daring and restless +braves, and were determined to hold possession of the country in the +vicinity of the Republican and Solomon Rivers. They were called "Dog +Soldiers" because they were principally Cheyennes--a name derived from +the French _chien_, a dog. + +After my conversation with the General, I went over to Hays City, where I +met some of General Forsyth's scouts, who had just returned from one of +the severest battles ever fought with the Indians. As it will not be out +of place in this connection, I will here give a brief history of that +memorable event. + +[Illustration: GENERAL PHIL. SHERIDAN.] + +The Indians had become quite troublesome, and General Sheridan had +selected General George A. Forsyth to go out on an expedition, and +punish them for their recent depredations. There was a scarcity of troops +at Fort Hays at that time, so General Forsyth recruited a company of +frontiersmen who could move rapidly, as they were to carry no luggage, +and were to travel without the ordinary transportation. Thirty of these +frontiersmen came from Fort Harker, and twenty from Fort Hays. It was +certainly a small body of men, but nearly every one of them was an +experienced hunter, guide, scout and Indian-fighter, and they could fight +the red-skins in their own way. + +In four days they were prepared to take the field, and on the morning of +the 29th of August, 1868, they rode out of Fort Hays to meet the Indians. +Lieutenant F.H. Beecher, of the Third Infantry, nephew of Henry Ward +Beecher, was second in command; Brevet Major-General W.H.H. McCall, who +had been in the volunteer army, acted as first sergeant; Dr. John Mowers, +of Hays City, who had been a volunteer army surgeon, was the surgeon of +the expedition; and Sharpe Grover was the chief guide. + +Resting at Fort Wallace, they started September 10th, for the town of +Sheridan, thirteen miles distant, where a band of Indians had attacked a +train, killed two teamsters, and stolen some cattle. Arriving at Sheridan +they easily found the Indian trail, and followed it for some distance. On +the eighth day out from Fort Wallace, the command went into camp late in +the afternoon, on the Arickaree, which was then not more than eight or +nine feet wide at that point, and only two or three inches deep. It was +evident to the men that they were not far from the Indians, and it was +decided that the next day they would find them and give them a fight. + +Early next morning, September 19th, the cry of "Indians" startled the +command. Every man jumped for his horse. A half-dozen red-skins, yelling +and whooping and making a hideous racket, and firing their guns, rode up +and attempted to stampede the horses, several of which, together with the +four pack-mules, were so frightened that they broke loose and got away. +The Indians then rode off, followed by a few shots. In a minute +afterwards, hundreds of Indian warriors--it was estimated that there were +nearly one thousand--came galloping down upon the command from every +quarter, completely hemming them in. + +Acting under the order of General Forsyth, the men retreated to a small +island, tied their horses in a circle to the bushes, and then, throwing +themselves upon the ground, they began the defense by firing at the +approaching enemy, who came pretty close and gave them a raking fire. The +besieged scouts at the first opportunity threw up a small breastwork with +their knives. The firing, however, continued back and forth, and early in +the fight Forsyth was twice seriously wounded--once in the right thigh, +and once in the left leg. Dr. Mowers was also wounded in the head, and +soon died. Two other men had been killed, and several wounded. All the +horses of the command were killed by nine o'clock in the morning. + +Shortly afterwards over three hundred Dog-Soldier Indians commanded by +old "Roman Nose," charged down upon the little band of heroes, giving +them volley after volley; but finally the scouts, at a favorable +opportunity, returned their fire with telling effect. "Roman Nose" and +"Medicine Man" were killed, and fell from their horses when within less +than one rod of the scouts, who thereupon sent up a triumphant shout. The +charging braves now weakened, and in a few moments they were driven back. +It was a brilliant charge, and was most nobly and bravely repulsed. The +scouts had again suffered severely, having several men wounded, among the +number being Lieutenant Beecher who died that night. The Indians, too, +had had quite a number killed, several of whom had fallen close to the +earthworks. The dismounted Indian warriors still continued firing, but as +the scouts had thrown up their intrenchments sufficiently to protect +themselves by closely hugging the ground, little or no damage was done. + +A second charge was made by the mounted Indians about two o'clock in the +afternoon, and they were again repulsed with a severe loss. Darkness +finally came on, and then ensued a cessation of hostilities. Two of the +scouts had been killed, four fatally wounded, and fourteen others were +wounded more or less severely. There were just twenty-eight able-bodied +men left out of the fifty. The supplies had run out, and as Dr. Mowers +had been mortally wounded and the medical stores captured, the wounded +men could not be properly cared for. + +Although they were entirely surrounded, and one hundred and ten miles +from the nearest post, the men did not despair. They had an abundance of +ammunition, plenty of water, under ground only a short distance, and for +food they had their horses and mules. At night two of the scouts, Tradeau +and Stillwell, stole through the lines of the Indians, and started +swiftly for Fort Wallace to obtain relief. It was a dangerous +undertaking, but they were brave and experienced scouts. Stillwell was +only nineteen or twenty years old, but he was, in every sense of the +word, a thoroughbred frontiersman. + +During the night the besieged scouts threw up their breastworks +considerably higher and piled the dead animals on top. They dug down to +water, and also stored away a lot of horse and mule meat in the sand to +keep it fresh as long as possible. The Indians renewed their firing next +morning, and kept it up all day, doing but little injury, however, as the +scouts were now well entrenched; but many an Indian was sent to his happy +hunting ground. + +[Illustration: BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE] + +Night came again, and the prospects were indeed gloomy. An attempt was +made by two more of the scouts to creep through the Indian lines, but +they were detected by the enemy and had to return to their comrades. +The next morning the Indians renewed hostilities as usual. Their women +and children began to disappear about noon, and then the Indians tried to +draw the scouts out by displaying a white flag for a truce. They appeared +to want to have a talk with General Forsyth, but as their treachery was +well-known, the scouts did not fall into this trap. The Indians had +apparently become tired of fighting, especially as they found that they +had a most stubborn foe to deal with. + +Night once more threw its mantle over the scene, and under the cover of +the darkness Donovan and Plyley, two of the best scouts, stealthily made +their way out of the camp, and started for Fort Wallace with a dispatch +from General Forsyth, who gave a brief summary of the situation, and +stated that if necessary he could hold out for six days longer. + +When the day dawned again, only a small number of warriors could be +seen, and they probably remained to watch, the scouts and keep them +corraled. The uninjured men attended to the wounded as well as they +could under the adverse circumstances, but from want of proper +treatment, evidences of gangrene appeared in some of the wounds on the +sixth day. The mule and horse meat became totally unfit for use, but +they had nothing else to eat, and had to eat it or starve. Under these +trying circumstances the General told the men that any who wished to go +might do so, and take their chances; but they all resolved to remain, +and die together, if need be. + +Relief came at last. Tradeau and Stillwell had safely reached Fort +Wallace, and on the morning of the 25th of September, Colonel Carpenter +and a detachment of cavalry arrived with supplies. This assistance to the +besieged and starving scouts came like a vessel to ship-wrecked men +drifting and starving on a raft in mid-ocean. + +It was with the survivors of this terrible fight that I spent the few +days at Hays City, prior to the arrival of the Fifth Cavalry. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCOUTING. + + +On the third day of October the Fifth Cavalry arrived at Fort Hays, and I +at once began making the acquaintance of the different officers of the +regiment. I was introduced by General Sheridan to Colonel William Royal, +who was in command of the regiment. He was a gallant officer, and an +agreeable and pleasant gentleman. He is now stationed at Omaha as +Inspector General in the department of the Platte. I also became +acquainted with Major W.H. Brown, Major Walker. Captain Sweetman, +Quartermaster E.M. Hays, and in fact all the officers of the regiment. + +General Sheridan, being anxious to punish the Indians who had lately +fought General Forsyth, did not give the regiment much of a rest, and +accordingly on the 5th of October it began its march for the Beaver Creek +country. The first night we camped on the South fork of Big Creek, four +miles west of Hays City. By this time I had become pretty well acquainted +with Major Brown and Captain Sweetman, who invited me to mess with them +on this expedition; and a jolly mess we had. There were other scouts in +the command besides myself, and I particularly remember Tom Renahan, Hank +Fields and a character called "Nosey" on account of his long nose. + +On the morning of the 6th we pulled out to the north, and during the day +I was very favorably struck with the appearance of the regiment. It was a +beautiful command, and when strung out on the prairie with a train of +seventy-five six-mule wagons, ambulances and pack mules, I felt very +proud of my position as guide and chief of scouts of such a warlike +expedition. + +Just as we were about to go into camp on the Saline river that night, we +ran on to a band of about fifteen Indians, who, seeing us, dashed across +the creek, followed by some bullets which we sent after them; but as the +small band proved to be a scouting party, we pursued them only a mile or +two, when our attention was directed to a herd of buffaloes--they being +very plenty--and we succeeded in killing ten or fifteen for the command. + +The next day we marched thirty miles, and late in the afternoon we went +into camp on the South fork of the Solomon. At this encampment Colonel +Royal asked me to go out and kill some buffaloes for the boys. + +"All right, Colonel, send along a wagon or two to bring in the +meat," I said. + +"I am not in the habit of sending out my wagons until I know that there +is something to be hauled in; kill your buffalo first and then I'll send +out the wagons," was the Colonel's reply. I said no more, but went out on +a hunt, and after a short absence returned and asked the Colonel to send +his wagons over the hill for the half dozen buffaloes I had killed. + +The following afternoon he again requested me to go out and get some +fresh buffalo meat. I didn't ask him for any wagons this time, but rode +out some distance, and coming up with a small herd, I managed to get +seven of them headed straight for the encampment, and instead of shooting +them just then, I ran them at full speed right into the camp, and then +killed them all, one after the other in rapid succession. Colonel Royal +witnessed the whole proceeding, which puzzled him somewhat, as he could +see no reason why I had not killed them on the prairie. He came up, +rather angrily, and demanded an explanation. "I can't allow any such +business as this, Cody," said he, "what do you mean by it?" + +"I didn't care about asking for any wagons this time, Colonel; so I +thought I would make the buffaloes furnish their own transportation," was +my reply. The Colonel saw the point in a moment, and had no more to say +on the subject. + +[Illustration: BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP.] + +No Indians had been seen in the vicinity during the day, and Colonel +Royal having carefully posted his pickets, supposed everything was serene +for the night. But before morning we were roused from our slumbers by +hearing shots fired, and immediately afterwards one of the mounted +pickets came galloping into camp, saying that there were Indians close +at hand. The companies all fell into line, and were soon prepared and +anxious to give the red-skins battle; but as the men were yet new in the +Indian country a great many of them were considerably excited. No +Indians, however, made their appearance, and upon going to the +picket-post where the picket said he had seen them, none could be found +nor could any traces of them be discovered. The sentinel,--who was an +Irishman--insisted that there certainly had been red-skins there. + +[Illustration: "INDIANS!"] + +"But you must be mistaken," said Colonel Royal. + +"Upon me sowl, Colonel, I'm not; as shure ez me name's Pat Maloney, one +of thim rid divils hit me on the head wid a club, so he did," said Pat; +and so, when morning came, the mystery was further investigated and was +easily solved. Elk tracks were found in the vicinity and it was +undoubtedly a herd of elks that had frightened Pat; as he had turned to +run, he had gone under a limb of a tree, against which he hit his head, +and supposed he had been struck by a club in the hands of an Indian. It +was hard to convince Pat however, of the truth. + +A three days uninteresting march brought us to Beaver Creek where we +camped and from which point scouting parties were sent out in different +directions. Neither of these parties discovering Indians they all +returned to camp about the same time, finding it in a state of great +excitement, it having been attacked a few hours previous by a party of +Indians, who had succeeded in killing two men and in making off with +sixty horses belonging to Co. H. + +That evening the command started on the trail of these Indian +horse-thieves; Major Brown with two companies and three days rations +pushing ahead in advance of the main command. Being unsuccessful, +however, in overtaking the Indians, and getting nearly out of +provisions--it being our eighteenth day out, the entire command marched +towards the nearest railroad point, and camped on the Saline River; +distant three miles from Buffalo Tank. + +While waiting for supplies we received a new commanding officer, Brevet +Major-General E.A. Carr, who was the senior major of the regiment, and +who ranked Colonel Royal. He brought with him the now celebrated Forsyth +scouts, who were commanded by Lieutenant Pepoon, a regular army officer. + +[Illustration: GEN'L E.A. CARR.] + +It was also while waiting in this camp that Major Brown received a new +lieutenant to fill a vacancy in his company. On the day that this officer +was to arrive, Major Brown had his private ambulance brought out, and +invited me to accompany him to the railroad station to meet his +lieutenant, whose name was A.B. Bache. He proved to be a fine gentleman, +and a brave, dashing officer. On the way to the depot Major Brown had +said, "Now, Cody, when we come back we'll give Bache a lively ride and +shake him up a little." + +Major Brown was a jolly good fellow, but sometimes he would get "a little +off," and as this was one of his "off days" he was bound to amuse himself +in some original and mischievous way. Reaching the depot just as the +train came in, we easily found the Lieutenant, and giving him the back +seat in the ambulance we were soon headed for camp. + +Pretty soon Major Brown took the reins from his driver, and at once began +whipping the mules. After getting them into a lively gallop he pulled out +his revolver and fired several shots. The road was terribly rough and the +night was so dark that we could hardly see where we were going. It Was a +wonderful piece of luck that we were not tipped over and our necks +broken. Finally Bache said, good-humoredly: + +"Is this the way you break in all your Lieutenants, Major?" + +"Oh, no; I don't do this as a regular thing, but it's the way we +frequently ride in this country," said the Major; "just keep your +seat, Mr. Bache, and we'll take you through on time." The Major +appropriated the reply of the old California stage driver, Hank Monk, +to Horace Greely. + +We were now rattling down a steep hill at full speed, and just as we +reached the bottom, the front wheels struck a deep ditch over which the +mules had jumped. We were all brought up standing by the sudden stoppage +of the ambulance. Major Brown and myself were nearly pitched out on the +wheels, while the Lieutenant came flying headlong from the back seat to +the front of the vehicle. + +"Take a back seat, Lieutenant," coolly said Major Brown. + +"Major, I have just left that seat," said Bache. + +We soon lifted the wagon out of the ditch, and then resumed our drive, +running into camp under full headway, and creating considerable +amusement. Every one recognized the ambulance and knew at once that +Major Brown and I were out on a "lark," and therefore there was not much +said about our exploit. Halting with a grand flourish in front of his +tent, Major Brown jumped out in his most gallant style and politely +asked his lieutenant in. A very pleasant evening was spent there, quite +a number of the officers calling to make the acquaintance of the new +officer, who entertained the visitors with an amusing account of the +ride from the depot. + +Next morning at an early hour, the command started out on a hunt for +Indians. General Carr having a pretty good idea where he would be most +likely to find them, directed me to guide him by the nearest route to +Elephant Rock on Beaver Creek. + +Upon arriving at the south fork of the Beaver on the second day's march, +we discovered a large, fresh Indian trail which we hurriedly followed for +a distance of eight miles, when suddenly we saw on the bluffs ahead of +us, quite a large number of Indians. + +General Carr ordered Lieutenant Pepoon's scouts and Company M to the +front. This company was commanded by Lieutenant Schinosky, a Frenchman by +birth and a reckless dare-devil by nature, who was anxious to have a +hair-lifting match. Having advanced his company nearly a mile ahead of +the main command, about four hundred Indians suddenly charged down upon +him and gave him a lively little fight, until he was supported by our +full force. + +The Indians kept increasing in numbers all the while until it was +estimated that we were fighting from eight hundred to one thousand of +them. The engagement became quite general, and several were killed and +wounded on each side. The Indians were evidently fighting to give their +families and village, a chance to get away. We had undoubtedly surprised +them with a larger force than they had expected to see in that part of +the country. We fought them until dark, all the time driving them before +us. At night they annoyed us considerably by firing down into our camp +from the higher hills, and several times the command was ordered out to +dislodge them from their position and drive them back. + +After having returned from one of these little sallies, Major Brown, +Captain Sweetman, Lieutenant Bache and myself were taking supper +together, when "whang!" came a bullet into Lieutenant Bache's plate, +breaking a hole through it. The bullet came from the gun of one of the +Indians, who had returned to the high bluff over-looking our camp. Major +Brown declared it was a crack shot, because it broke the plate. We +finished our supper without having any more such close calls. + +At daylight next morning we struck out on the trail, and soon came to the +spot where the Indians had camped the day before. We could see that +their village was a very large one, consisting of about five hundred +lodges; and we pushed forward rapidly from this point on the trail which +ran back toward Prairie Dog Creek. + +About two o'clock we came in sight of the retreating village, and soon +the warriors turned back to give us battle. They set fire to the prairie +grass in front of us, and on all sides, in order to delay us as much as +possible. We kept up a running fight for the remainder of the afternoon, +and the Indians repeatedly attempted to lead us off the track of their +flying village, but their trail was easily followed, as they were +continually dropping tepee poles, camp kettles, robes, furs and all heavy +articles belonging to them. They were evidently scattering, and it +finally became difficult for us to keep on the main trail. When darkness +set in, we went into camp, it being useless to try to follow the Indians +after nightfall. + +Next morning we were again on the trail, which led north, and back +towards the Beaver Creek, which stream it crossed within a few miles of +the spot where we had first discovered the Indians, they having made +nearly a complete circle, in hopes of misleading us. Late in the +afternoon, we again saw them going over a hill far ahead of us, and +towards evening the main body of warriors came back and fought us once +more; but we continued to drive them until darkness set in, when we +camped for the night. + +The Indians soon scattered in every direction, but we followed the main +trail to the Republican river, where we made a cut-off, and then went +north towards the Platte river. We found, however, that the Indians by +traveling night and day had got a long start, and the General concluded +that it was useless to follow them any further, as we had pushed them so +hard, and given them such a scare that they would leave the Republican +country and go north across the Union Pacific railroad. Most of the +Indians, as he had predicted, did cross the Platte river, near Ogallala, +on the Union Pacific, and thence continued northward. + +That night we returned to the Republican river and camped in a grove +of cottonwoods, which I named Carr's Grove, in honor of the +commanding officer. + +The General told me that the next day's march would be towards the +head-waters of the Beaver, and he asked me the distance. I replied that +it was about twenty-five miles, and he said we would make it the next +day. Getting an early start in the morning, we struck out across the +prairie, my position as guide being ahead of the advance guard. About two +o'clock General Carr overtook me, and asked how far I supposed it was to +water. I thought it was about eight miles, although we could see no sign +or indication of any stream in our front. + +"Pepoon's scouts say that you are going in the wrong direction," said the +General, "and in the way you are bearing it will be fifteen miles before +you can strike any of the branches of the Beaver; and that when you do, +you will find no water, for the Beavers are dry at this time of the year +at that point." + +"General, I think the scouts are mistaken," said I, "for the Beaver has +more water near its head than it has below; and at the place where we +will strike the stream we will find immense beaver dams, large enough and +strong enough to cross the whole command, if you wish." + +"Well, Cody, go ahead," said he, "I'll leave it to you, but remember +that I don't want a dry camp." + +"No danger of that," said I, and then I rode on, leaving him to return to +the command. As I had predicted, we found water seven or eight miles +further on, where we came upon a beautiful little stream--a tributary of +the Beaver--hidden in the hills. We had no difficulty in selecting a +good halting place, and obtaining fresh spring water and excellent grass. +The General, upon learning from me that the stream--which was only eight +or nine miles long--had no name, took out his map and located it, and +named it Cody's Creek, which name it still bears. + +We pulled out early next morning for the Beaver, and when we were +approaching the stream I rode on ahead of the advance guard, in order to +find a crossing. Just as I turned a bend of the creek, "bang!" went a +shot, and down went my horse--myself with him. I disentangled myself, and +jumped behind the dead body. Looking in the direction whence the shot had +come, I saw two Indians, and at once turned my gun loose on them, but in +the excitement of the moment I missed my aim. They fired two or three +more shots, and I returned the compliment, wounding one of their horses. + +On the opposite side of the creek, going over the hill, I observed a few +lodges moving rapidly away, and also some mounted warriors, who could see +me, and who kept blazing away with their guns. The two Indians who had +fired at me and had killed my horse were retreating across the creek on a +beaver dam. I sent a few shots after them to accelerate their speed, and +also fired at the ones on the other side of the stream. I was undecided +as to whether it was best to run back to the command on foot or hold my +position. I knew that within a few minutes the troops would come up, and +if they heard the firing they would come rapidly. + +The Indians, seeing that I was alone, turned and charged down the hill, +and were about to re-cross the creek to corral me, when the advance guard +of the command put in an appearance on the ridge, and dashed forward to +my rescue. The red-skins whirled and made off. + +When General Carr came up, he ordered Company I to go in pursuit of the +band. I accompanied Lieutenant Brady, who commanded, and we had a running +fight with the Indians, lasting several hours. We captured several head +of their horses and most of their lodges. At night we returned to the +command, which by this time had crossed the creek on the beaver dam. + +We scouted for several days along the river, and had two or three lively +skirmishes. Finally our supplies began to run low, and General Carr gave +orders to return to Fort Wallace, which we reached three days afterwards, +and where we remained several days. + +While the regiment was waiting here for orders, I spent most of the time +in hunting buffaloes, and one day while I was out with a small party, we +were "jumped" by about fifty Indians. We had a severe fight of at least +an hour, when we succeeded in driving the enemy. They lost four of their +warriors, and probably concluded that we were a hard crowd. I had some +excellent marksmen with me, and they did some fine work, sending the +bullets thick and fast where they would do the most good. Two or three of +our horses had been hit, and one man had been wounded; we were ready and +willing to stay with the red-skins as long as they wished--but they +finally gave it up however, as a bad job, and rode off. We finished our +hunt, and went back to the post loaded down with plenty of buffalo meat, +and received the compliments of the General for our little fight. + +[Illustration: A HARD CROWD.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A TOUGH TIME. + + +General Carr soon received orders from General Sheridan that he was to +make a winter's campaign in the Canadian river country, and that we were +to proceed to Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas river, in Colorado, and there +fit out for the expedition. Leaving Fort Wallace in November, 1868, we +arrived at Fort Lyon in the latter part of the month, and outfitted for +the coming expedition. + +General Penrose had left this post three weeks previously with a command +of some three hundred men. He had taken no wagons with him and his supply +train was composed only of pack mules. General Carr was ordered to follow +with supplies on his trail and overtake him as soon as possible. I was +particularly anxious to catch up with Penrose's command, as my old +friend Wild Bill was among his scouts. We followed the trail very easily +for the first three days, and then we were caught in Freeze-Out canyon by +a fearful snow storm, which compelled us to go into camp for a day. The +ground now being covered with snow, we found that it would be almost +impossible to follow Penrose's trail any further, especially as he had +left no sign to indicate the direction he was going. General Carr sent +for me and said that as it was very important that we should not lose the +trail, he wished that I would take some scouts with me, and while the +command remained in camp, push on as far as possible and see if I could +not discover some traces of Penrose or where he had camped at any time. + +[Illustration: CAMPING IN THE SNOW.] + +Accompanied by four men I started out in the blinding snow storm, taking +a southerly direction. We rode twenty-four miles, and upon reaching a +tributary of the Cimarron, we scouted up and down the stream for a few +miles and finally found one of Penrose's old camps. It was now late in +the afternoon, and as the command would come up the next day, it was not +necessary for all of us to return with the information to General Carr. +So riding down into a sheltered place in a bend of the creek, we built a +fire and broiled some venison from a deer which we had shot during the +day, and after eating a substantial meal, I left the four men there, +while I returned to bring up the troops. + +It was eleven o'clock at night when I got back to the camp. A light was +still burning in the General's tent, he having remained awake, anxiously +awaiting my return. He was glad to see me, and was overjoyed at the +information I brought, for he had great fears concerning the safety of +General Penrose. He roused up his cook and ordered him to get me a good +hot supper, all of which I greatly appreciated. I passed the night in the +General's tent, and next morning rose refreshed and prepared for a big +day's work. + +The command took up its march next day for the Cimarron, and had a hard +tramp of it on account of the snow having drifted to a great depth in +many of the ravines, and in some places the teamsters had to shovel their +way through. We arrived at the Cimarron at sundown, and went into a nice +warm camp. Upon looking around next morning, we found that Penrose, +having been unencumbered by wagons, had kept on the west side of the +Cimarron, and the country was so rough that it was impossible for us to +stay on his trail with our wagons; but knowing that he would certainly +follow down the river, General Carr concluded to take the best wagon +route along the stream, which I discovered to be on the east side. Before +we could make any headway with our wagon train we had to leave the river +and get out on the divide. We were very fortunate that day in finding a +splendid road for some distance, until we were all at once brought up +standing on a high table-land, overlooking a beautiful winding creek that +lay far below us in the valley. The question that troubled us, was, how +we were to get the wagons down. We were now in the foot-hills of the +Rattoon Mountains, and the bluff we were on was very steep. + +"Cody, we're in a nice fix now," said General Carr. + +"Oh, that's nothing," was my reply. + +"But you can never take the train down," said he. + +"Never you mind the train, General. You say you are looking for a good +camp. How does that beautiful spot down in the valley suit you?" I +asked him. + +"That will do. I can easily descend with the cavalry, but how to get the +wagons down there is a puzzler to me," said he. + +"By the time you've located your camp, your wagons shall be +there," said I. + +"All right, Cody, I'll leave it to you, as you seem to want to be boss," +replied he pleasantly. He at once ordered the command to dismount and +lead the horses down the mountain-side. The wagon train was a mile in the +rear, and when it came up, one of the drivers asked: "How are we going +down there?" + +"Run down, slide down or fall down--any way to get down," said I. + +"We never can do it; it's too steep; the wagons will run over the mules," +said another wagon-master. + +"I guess not; the mules have got to keep out of the way," was my reply. + +Telling Wilson, the chief wagon-master, to bring on his mess-wagon, which +was at the head of the train, I said I would try the experiment at least. +Wilson drove the team and wagon to the brink of the hill, and following +my directions he brought out some extra chains with which we locked both +wheels on each side, and then rough-locked them. We then started the +wagon down the hill. The wheel-horses--or rather the wheel-mules--were +good on the hold-back, and we got along finely until we nearly reached +the bottom, when the wagon crowded the mules so hard that they started on +a run and galloped down into the valley and to the place where General +Carr had located his camp. Three other wagons immediately followed in the +same way, and in half an hour every wagon was in camp, without the least +accident having occurred. It was indeed an exciting sight to see the +six-mule teams come straight down the mountain and finally break into a +full run. At times it looked as if the wagons would turn a somersault and +land on the mules. + +This proved to be a lucky march for us as far as gaining on Penrose was +concerned, for the route he had taken on the west side of the stream +turned out to be a bad one, and we went with our immense wagon train as +far in one day as Penrose had in seven. His command had marched on to a +plateau or high table-land so steep, that not even a pack mule could +descend it, and he was obliged to retrace his steps a long ways, thus +losing three days time as we afterwards learned. + +While in this camp we had a lively turkey hunt. The trees along the +banks of the stream were literally alive with wild turkeys, and after +unsaddling the horses between two and three hundred soldiers surrounded a +grove of timber and had a grand turkey round-up, killing four or five +hundred of the birds, with guns, clubs and stones. Of course, we had +turkey in every style after this hunt--roast turkey, boiled turkey, fried +turkey, "turkey on toast," and so on; and we appropriately called this +place Camp Turkey. + +From this point on, for several days, we had no trouble in following +Penrose's trail, which led us in a southeasterly direction towards the +Canadian River. No Indians were seen, nor any signs of them found. One +day, while riding in advance of the command, down San Francisco Creek, I +heard some one calling my name from a little bunch of willow brush on the +opposite bank, and, upon looking closely at the spot, I saw a negro. + +"Sakes alive! Massa Bill, am dat you?" asked the man, whom I recognized +as one of the colored soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry. I next heard him say +to some one in the brush: "Come out o' heah. Dar's Massa Buffalo Bill." +Then he sang out, "Massa Bill, is you got any hawd tack?" + +"Nary a hard tack; but the wagons will be along presently, and then you +can get all you want," said I. + +"Dat's de best news I'se heerd foah sixteen long days, Massa Bill," said +he. "Where's your command? Where's General Penrose?" I asked. + +"I dunno," said the darkey; "we got lost, and we's been a starvin' +eber since." + +By this time two other negroes had emerged from their place of +concealment. They had deserted Penrose's command--which was out of +rations and nearly in a starving 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 somewhere on Polladora Creek; but we could +not learn anything definite from the starved "mokes," for they knew not +where they were themselves. + +Having learned that General Penrose's troops were in such bad shape, +General Carr ordered Major Brown to start out the next morning with two +companies of cavalry and fifty pack-mules loaded with provisions, and to +make all possible speed to reach and relieve the suffering soldiers. I +accompanied this detachment, and on the third day out we found the +half-famished soldiers camped on the Polladora. The camp presented a +pitiful sight, indeed. For over two weeks the men had had only quarter +rations, and were now nearly starved to death. Over two hundred horses +and mules were lying dead, having died from fatigue and starvation. +General Penrose, having feared that General Carr would not find him, had +sent back a company of the Seventh Cavalry to Fort Lyon for supplies; but +no word as yet had been heard from them. The rations which Major Brown +brought to the command came none too soon, and were the means of saving +many a life. + +[Illustration: A WELCOME VISITOR] + +About the first man I saw after reaching the camp was my old, true and +tried friend, Wild Bill. That night we had a jolly reunion around the +camp-fires. + +General Carr, upon arriving with his force, took command of all the +troops, he being the senior officer and ranking General Penrose. After +selecting a good camp, he unloaded the wagons and sent them back to Fort +Lyon for fresh supplies. He then picked out five hundred of the best men +and horses, and, taking his pack-train with him, he started south for the +Canadian River, distant about forty miles, leaving the rest of the troops +at the supply camp. + +I was ordered to accompany this expedition. We struck the south fork of +the Canadian River, or Rio Colorado, at a point a few miles above the old +_adobe_ walls, which at one time had composed a fort, and was the place +where Kit Carson once had a big Indian fight. We were now within twelve +miles of a new supply depot, called Camp Evans, which had been +established for the Third Cavalry and Evans's Expedition from New Mexico. +The scouts who had brought in this information also reported that they +expected the arrival at Camp Evans of a bull-train from New Mexico with +a large quantity of beer for the soldiers. This news was "pie" for Wild +Bill and myself, and we determined to lie low for that beer outfit. That +very evening it came along, and the beer that was destined for the +soldiers at Camp Evans never reached its destination. It went straight +down the thirsty throats of General Carr's command. It appears that the +Mexicans living near Fort Union had manufactured the beer, and were +taking it through to Camp Evans to sell to the troops, but it struck a +lively market without going so far. It was sold to our boys in pint cups, +and as the weather was very cold we warmed the beer by putting the ends +of our picket-pins heated red-hot into the cups. The result was one of +the biggest beer jollifications I ever had the misfortune to attend. + +One evening General Carr summoned me to his tent, and said he wished to +send some scouts with dispatches to Camp Supply, which were to be +forwarded from there to Sheridan. He ordered me to call the scouts +together at once at his headquarters, and select the men who were to go. +I asked him if I should not go myself, but he replied that he wished me +to remain with the command, as he could not spare me. The distance to +Camp Supply was about two hundred miles, and owing to the very cold +weather it was anything but a pleasant trip. Consequently none of the +scouts were anxious to undertake it. It was finally settled, however, +that Wild Bill, a half-breed called Little Geary, and three other scouts +should carry the dispatches, and they accordingly took their departure +next day, with instructions to return to the command as soon as possible. + +For several days we scouted along the Canadian River, but found no signs +of Indians. General Carr then went back to his camp, and soon afterwards +our wagon train came in from Fort Lyon with a fresh load of provisions. +Our animals being in poor condition, we remained in different camps along +San Francisco Creek and the north fork of the Canadian, until Wild Bill +and his scouts returned from Camp Supply. + +Among the scouts of Penrose's command were fifteen Mexicans, and between +them and the American scouts there had existed a feud; when General Carr +took command of the expedition--uniting it with his own--and I was made +chief of all the scouts, this feud grew more intense, and the Mexicans +often threatened to clean us out; but they postponed the undertaking from +time to time, until one day, while we were all at the sutler's store, the +long-expected fight took place, and resulted in the Mexicans getting +severely beaten. + +General Carr, upon hearing of the row, sent for Wild Bill and myself, he +having concluded, from the various statements which had been made to +him, that we were the instigators of the affair. But after listening to +what we had to say, he thought that the Mexicans were as much to blame +as we were. + +It is not to be denied that Wild Bill and myself had been partaking too +freely of "tanglefoot" that evening; and General Carr said to me: "Cody, +there are plenty of antelopes in the country, and you can do some hunting +for the camp while we stay here." + +"All right, General, I'll do it." + +After that I put in my time hunting, and with splendid success, killing +from fifteen to twenty antelopes a day, which kept the men well supplied +with fresh meat. + +At length, our horses and mules having become sufficiently recruited to +travel, we returned to Fort Lyon, arriving there in March, 1869, where +the command was to rest and recruit for thirty days, before proceeding to +the Department of the Platte, whither it had been ordered. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AN EXCITING CHASE. + + +General Carr, at my request, kindly granted me one month's leave of +absence to visit my family in St. Louis, and ordered Captain Hays, our +quartermaster, to let me ride my mule and horse to Sheridan, distant 140 +miles, where I was to take the cars. I was instructed to leave the +animals in the quartermaster's corral at Fort Wallace until I should come +back, but instead of doing this I put them both in the care of my old +friend Perry, the hotel-keeper at Sheridan. After a twenty days absence +in St. Louis, pleasantly spent with my family, I returned to Sheridan, +and there learned that my mule and horse had been seized by the +government. + +It seems that the quartermaster's agent at Sheridan had reported to +General Bankhead, commanding Fort Wallace, and to Captain Laufer, the +quartermaster, that I had left the country and had sold a government +horse and mule to Mr. Perry, and of course Captain Laufer took possession +of the animals and threatened to have Perry arrested for buying +government property. Perry explained to him the facts in the case and +said that I would return in a few days; but the captain would pay no +attention to his statements. + +I immediately went over to the office of the quartermaster's agent, and +had Perry point him out to me. I at once laid hold of him, and in a +short time had treated him to just such a thrashing as his contemptible +lie deserved. + +He then mounted a horse, rode to Fort Wallace, and reported me to General +Bankhead and Captain Laufer, and obtained a guard to return with and +protect him. + +The next morning I secured a horse from Perry, and proceeding to Fort +Wallace demanded my horse and mule from General Bankhead, on the ground +that they were quartermaster Hays' property and belonged to General +Carr's command, and that I had obtained permission to ride them to +Sheridan and back. General Bankhead, in a gruff manner ordered me out of +his office and off the reservation, saying that if I didn't take a +hurried departure he would have me forcibly put out. I told him to do it +and be hanged; I might have used a stronger expression, and upon second +thought, I believe I did. I next interviewed Captain Laufer and demanded +of him also the horse and mule, as I was responsible for them to +Quartermaster Hays. Captain Laufer intimated that I was a liar and that I +had disposed of the animals. Hot words ensued between us, and he too +ordered me to leave the post. I replied that General Bankhead had +commanded me to do the same thing, but that I had not yet gone; and that +I did not propose to obey any orders of an inferior officer. + +Seeing that it was of no use to make any further effort to get possession +of the animals I rode back to Sheridan, and just as I reached there I met +the quartermaster's agent coming out from supper, with his head tied up. +It occurred to me that he had not received more than one half the +punishment justly due him, and that now would be a good time to give him +the balance--so I carried the idea into immediate execution. After +finishing the job in good style, I informed him that he could not stay in +that town while I remained there, and convinced him that Sheridan was not +large enough to hold us both at the same time; he accordingly left the +place and again went to Fort Wallace, this time reporting to General +Bankhead that I had driven him away, and had threatened to kill him. + +That night while sleeping at the Perry House, I was awakened by a tap on +the shoulder and upon looking up I was considerably surprised to see the +room filled with armed negroes who had their guns all pointed at me. The +first words I heard came from the sergeant, who said: + +"Now look a-heah, Massa Bill, ef you makes a move we'll blow you off de +farm, shuah!" Just then Captain Ezekiel entered and ordered the soldiers +to stand back. + +"Captain, what does this mean?" I asked. + +"I am sorry, Bill, but I have been ordered by General Bankhead to arrest +you and bring you to Fort Wallace," said he. + +"That's all right," said I, "but you could have made the arrest alone, +without having brought the whole Thirty-eighth Infantry with you." "I +know that, Bill," replied the Captain, "but as you've not been in very +good humor for the last day or two, I didn't know how you would act." + +I hastily dressed, and accompanied Captain Ezekiel to Fort Wallace, +arriving there at two o'clock in the morning. + +"Bill, I am really sorry," said Captain Ezekiel, as we alighted, "but I +have orders to place you in the guard-house, and I must perform my duty." + +"Very well, Captain; I don't blame you a bit," said I; and into the +guard-house I went as a prisoner for the first and only time in my life. +The sergeant of the--guard who was an old friend of mine, belonging to +Captain Graham's company, which was stationed there at the time--did not +put me into a cell, but kindly allowed me to stay in his room and occupy +his bed, and in a few minutes I was snoring away as if nothing unusual +had occurred. + +Shortly after _reveille_ Captain Graham called to see me. He thought it +was a shame for me to be in the guard-house, and said that he would +interview General Bankhead in my behalf as soon as he got up. The Captain +had a nice breakfast prepared for me, and then departed. At guard-mount I +was not sent for, contrary to my expectations, and thereupon I had word +conveyed to Captain Graham, who was officer of the day, that I wanted to +see General Bankhead. The Captain informed me that the General absolutely +refused to hold any conversation whatever with me. + +At this time there was no telegraph line between Fort Wallace and Fort +Lyon, and therefore it was impossible for me to telegraph to General +Carr, and I determined to send a dispatch direct to General Sheridan. I +accordingly wrote out a long telegram informing him of my difficulty, +and had it taken to the telegraph office for transmission; but the +operator, instead of sending it at once as he should have done, showed +it to General Bankhead, who tore it up, and instructed the operator not +to pay any attention to what I might say, as he was running that post. +Thinking it very strange that I received no answer during the day I +went to the telegraph office, accompanied by a guard, and learned from +the operator what he had done. "See here, my young friend," said I, +"this is a public telegraph line, and I want my telegram sent, or +there'll be trouble." + +I re-wrote my dispatch and handed it to him, accompanied with the money +to pay for the transmission, saying, as I did so: "Young man, I wish that +telegram sent direct to Chicago. You know it is your duty to send it, and +it must go." + +He knew very well that he was compelled to transmit the message, but +before doing so he called on General Bankhead and informed him of what I +had said, and told him that he would certainly have to send it, for if he +didn't he might lose his position. The General, seeing that the telegram +would have to go, summoned me to his headquarters, and the first thing he +said, after I got into his presence was: + +"If I let you go, sir, will you leave the post at once and not bother my +agent at Sheridan again?" + +"No, sir;" I replied, "I'll do nothing of the kind. I'll remain in the +guard-house until I receive an answer from General Sheridan." + +"If I give you the horse and mule will you proceed at once to Fort Lyon?" + +"No, sir; I have some bills to settle at Sheridan and some other business +to transact," replied I. + +"Well, sir; will you at least agree not to interfere any further with the +quartermaster's agent at Sheridan?" + +"I shall not bother him any more, sir, as I have had all I want from +him," was my answer. + +General Bankhead thereupon sent for Captain Laufer and ordered him to +turn the horse and mule over to me. In a few minutes more I was on my way +to Sheridan, and after settling my business there, I proceeded to Fort +Lyon, arriving two days afterwards. I related my adventures to General +Carr, Major Brown, and other officers, who were greatly amused thereby. + +"I'm glad you've come, Bill," said General Carr, "as I have been +wanting you for the last two weeks. While we have been at this post +several valuable animals, as well as a large number of government +horses and mules have been stolen, and we think that the thieves are +still in the vicinity of the fort, but as yet we have been unable to +discover their rendezvous. I have had a party out for the last few days +in the neighborhood of old Fort Lyon, and they have found fresh tracks +down there and seem to think that the stock is concealed somewhere in +the timber, along the Arkansas river. Bill Green, one of the scouts who +has just come up from there, can perhaps tell you something more about +the matter." + +Green, who had been summoned, said that he had discovered fresh trails +before striking the heavy timber opposite old Fort Lyon, but that in the +tall grass he could not follow them. He had marked the place where he had +last seen fresh mule tracks, so that he could find it again. + +"Now, Cody, you're just the person we want," said the General. + +"Very well, I'll get a fresh mount, and to-morrow I'll go down and see +what I can discover," said I. + +"You had better take two men besides Green, and a pack mule with eight or +ten days' rations," suggested the General, "so that if you find the trail +you can follow it up, as I am very anxious to get back this stolen +property. The scoundrels have taken one of my private horses and also +Lieutenant Forbush's favorite little black race mule." + +Next morning I started out after the horse-thieves, being accompanied by +Green, Jack Farley, and another scout. The mule track, marked by Green, +was easily found, and with very little difficulty I followed it for about +two miles into the timber and came upon a place where, as I could plainly +see from numerous signs, quite a number of head of stock had been tied +among the trees and kept for several days. This was evidently the spot +where the thieves had been hiding their stolen stock until they had +accumulated quite a herd. From this point it was difficult to trail +them, as they had taken the stolen animals out of the timber one by one +and in different directions, thus showing that they were experts at the +business and experienced frontiersmen, for no Indian could have exhibited +more cunning in covering up a trail than did they. + +I abandoned the idea of following their trail in this immediate locality, +so calling my men together, I told them that we would ride out for about +five miles and make a complete circuit about the place, and in this way +we would certainly find the trail on which they had moved out. While +making the circuit we discovered the tracks of twelve animals--four mules +and eight horses--in the edge of some sand-hills, and from this point we +had no trouble in trailing them down the Arkansas river, which they had +crossed at Sand Creek, and then had gone up the latter stream, in the +direction of Denver, to which place they were undoubtedly bound. When +nearing Denver their trail became so obscure that we at last lost it; but +by inquiring of the settlers along the road which they had taken, we +occasionally heard of them. + +When within four miles of Denver--this was on a Thursday--we learned that +the horse-thieves had passed there two days before. I came to the +conclusion they would attempt to dispose of the animals in Denver, and +being aware that Saturday was the great auction day there, I thought it +best to remain where we were at a hotel, and not go into the city until +that day. It certainly would not have been advisable for me to have gone +into Denver meantime--because I was well-known there, and if the thieves +had learned of my presence in the city they would at once have suspected +my business. + +Early Saturday morning, we rode into town and stabled our horses at the +Elephant Corral. I secured a room from Ed. Chase, overlooking the corral, +and then took up my post of observation. I did not have long to wait, for +a man, whom I readily recognized as one of our old packers, rode into the +corral mounted upon Lieutenant Forbush's racing mule, and leading another +government mule, which I also identified. It had been recently branded, +and over the "U.S." was a plain "D.B." I waited for the man's companion +to put in an appearance, but he did not come, and my conclusion was that +he was secreted outside of the city with the rest of the animals. + +Presently the black mule belonging to Forbush was put up at auction. Now, +thought I, is the time to do my work. So, walking through the crowd, who +were bidding for the mule, I approached the man who had offered him for +sale. He recognized me and endeavored to escape, but I seized him by the +shoulder, saying: "I guess, my friend, that you'll have to go with me. If +you make any resistance, I'll shoot you on the spot." He was armed with a +pair of pistols, which I took away from him. Then informing the +auctioneer that I was a United States detective, and showing him--as well +as an inquisitive officer--my commission as such, I told him to stop the +sale, as the mule was stolen property, and that I had arrested the thief, +whose name was Williams. + +Farley and Green, who were near at hand, now came forward, and together +we took the prisoner and the mules three miles down the Platte River; +there, in a thick bunch of timber, we all dismounted and made +preparations to hang Williams from a limb, if he did not tell us where +his partner was. At first he denied knowing anything about any partner, +or any other stock; but when he saw that we were in earnest, and would +hang him at the end of the given time--five minutes--unless he +"squealed," he told us that his "pal" was at an unoccupied house three +miles further down the river. + +We immediately proceeded to the spot indicated, and as we came within +sight of the house we saw our stock grazing near by. Just as we rode up +to the door, another one of our old packers, whom I recognized as Bill +Bevins, stepped to the front, and I covered him instantly with my rifle +before he could draw his revolver. I ordered him to throw up his hands, +and he obeyed the command. Green then disarmed him and brought him out. +We looked through the house and found their saddles, pack-saddles, +blankets, overcoats, lariats and two Henry rifles, which we took +possession of. The horses and mules we tied in a bunch, and with the +whole outfit we returned to Denver, where we lodged Williams and Bevins +in jail, in charge of my friend, Sheriff Edward Cook. The next day we +took them out, and, tying each one on a mule, we struck out on our return +trip to Fort Lyon. + +At the hotel outside the city, where we had stopped on Thursday and +Friday, we were joined by our man with the pack-mule. That night we +camped on Cherry Creek, seventeen miles from Denver. The weather--it +being in April--was cold and stormy, but we found a warm and cosy +camping place in a bend of the creek. We made our beds in a row, with our +feet towards the fire. The prisoners so far had appeared very docile, and +had made no attempt to escape, and therefore I did not think it necessary +to hobble them. We made them sleep on the inside, and it was so arranged +that some one of us should be on guard all the time. + +At about one o'clock in the night it began snowing, while I was watching. +Shortly before three o'clock, Jack Farley, who was then on guard, and +sitting on the foot of the bed, with his back to the prisoners, was +kicked clear into the fire by Williams, and the next moment Bevins, who +had got hold of his shoes--which I had thought were out of his +reach--sprang up and jumped over the fire, and started on a run. I sent a +shot after him as soon as I awoke sufficiently to comprehend what was +taking place. Williams attempted to follow him, and as he did so, I +whirled around and knocked him down with my revolver. Farley by this time +had gathered himself out of the fire, and Green had started after Bevins, +firing at him on the run; but the prisoner made his escape into the +brush. In his flight, unfortunately for him, and luckily for us, he +dropped one of his shoes. + +Leaving Williams in the charge of Farley and "Long Doc," as we called +the man with the pack-mule, Green and myself struck out after Bevins as +fast as possible. We heard him breaking through the brush, but knowing +that it would be useless to follow him on foot, we went back to the camp +and saddled up two of the fastest horses, and at daylight we struck out +on his trail, which was plainly visible in the snow. He had got an hour +and a half the start of us. His tracks led us in the direction of the +mountains and the South Platte River, and as the country through which he +was passing was covered with prickly pears, we knew that he could not +escape stepping on them with his one bare foot, and hence we were likely +to overtake him in a short time. We could see, however, from the long +jumps that he was taking, that he was making excellent time, but we +frequently noticed, after we had gone some distance, that the prickly +pears and stones along his route were cutting his bare foot, as nearly +every track of it was spotted with blood. + +We had run our horses some twelve miles when we saw Bevins crossing a +ridge about two miles ahead. Urging our horses up to their utmost speed, +we reached the ridge just as he was descending the divide towards the +South Platte, which stream was very deep and swift at this point. It +became evident that if he should cross it ahead of us, he would have a +good chance of making his escape. So pushing our steeds as fast as +possible, we rapidly gained on him, and when within a hundred yards of +him I cried to him to halt or I would shoot. Knowing I was a good shot, +he stopped, and, coolly sitting down, waited till we came up. + +"Bevins, you've given us a good run," said I. + +"Yes," said he, "and if I had had fifteen minutes more of a start and +got across the Platte, I would have laughed at the idea of your ever +catching me." + +Bevin's run was the most remarkable feat of the kind ever known, either +of a white man, or an Indian. A man who could run bare-footed in the +snow eighteen miles through a prickly pear patch, was certainly a +"tough one," and that's the kind of a person Bill Bevins was. Upon +looking at his bleeding foot I really felt sorry for him. He asked me +for my knife, and I gave him my sharp-pointed bowie, with which he dug +the prickly pear briars out of his foot. I considered him as "game" a +man as I had ever met. + +"Bevins, I have got to take you back," said I, "but as you can't walk +with that foot, you can ride my horse and I'll foot it." + +We accordingly started back for our camp, with Bevins on my horse, which +was led either by Green or myself, as we alternately rode the other +horse. We kept a close watch on Bevins, for we had ample proof that he +needed watching. His wounded foot must have pained him terribly but not a +word of complaint escaped him. On arriving at the camp we found Williams +bound as we had left him and he seemed sorry that we had captured Bevins. + +[Illustration: THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS.] + +After breakfasting we resumed our journey, and nothing worth of note +again occurred until we reached the Arkansas river, where we found a +vacant cabin and at once took possession of it for the night. There was +no likelihood of Bevins again trying to escape, for his foot had swollen +to an enormous size, and was useless. Believing that Williams could not +escape from the cabin, we unbound him. We then went to sleep, leaving +Long Doc on guard, the cabin being comfortably warmed and well lighted by +the fire. It was a dark, stormy night--so dark that you could hardly see +your hand before you. At about ten o'clock, Williams asked Long Doc to +allow him to step to the door for a moment. + +Long Doc, who had his revolver in his hand, did not think it necessary to +wake us up, and believing that he could take care of the prisoner, he +granted his request. Williams thereupon walked to the outer edge of the +door, while Long Doc, revolver in hand, was watching him from the inside. +Suddenly Williams made a spring to the right, and before Doc could even +raise his revolver, he had dodged around the house. Doc jumped after him, +and fired just as he turned a corner, the report bringing us all to our +feet, and in an instant we knew what had happened. I at once covered +Bevins with my revolver, but as I saw that he could hardly stir, and was +making no demonstration, I lowered the weapon. Just then Doc came in +swearing "a blue streak," and announced that Williams had escaped. There +was nothing for us to do except to gather our horses close to the cabin +and stand guard over them for the rest of the night, to prevent the +possibility of Williams sneaking up and stealing one of them. That was +the last I ever saw or heard of Williams. + +We finally got back to Fort Lyon with Bevins, and General Carr, to whom I +immediately reported, complimented us highly on the success of our trip, +notwithstanding we had lost one prisoner. The next day we took Bevins to +Boggs' ranch on Picket Wire Creek, and there turned him over to the civil +authorities, who put him in a log jail to await his trial. He never was +tried, however, for he soon made his escape, as I expected he would do. I +heard no more of him until 1872, when I learned that he was skirmishing +around on Laramie Plains at his old tricks. He sent word by the gentleman +from whom I gained this information, that if he ever met me again he +would kill me on sight. He finally was arrested and convicted for +robbery, and was confined in the prison at Laramie City. Again he made +his escape, and soon afterwards he organized a desperate gang of outlaws +who infested the country north of the Union Pacific railroad, and when +the stages began to run between Cheyenne and Deadwood, in the Black +Hills, they robbed the coaches and passengers, frequently making large +hauls of plunder. They kept this up for some time, till finally most of +the gang were caught, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary for +a number of years. Bill Bevins and nearly all of his gang are now +confined in the Nebraska state prison, to which they were transferred, +from Wyoming. + +[Illustration: ROBBING A STAGE COACH.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A MILITARY EXPEDITION. + + +A day or two after my return to Fort Lyon, the Fifth Cavalry were ordered +to the Department of the Platte, and took up their line of march for Fort +McPherson, Nebraska. We laid over one day at Fort Wallace, to get +supplies, and while there I had occasion to pass General Bankhead's +headquarters. His orderly called to me, and said the General wished to +see me. As I entered the General's office he extended his hand and said: +"I hope you have no hard feelings toward me, Cody, for having you +arrested when you were here. I have just had a talk with General Carr and +Quartermaster Hays, and they informed me that you had their permission to +ride the horse and mule, and if you had stated this fact to me there +would have been no trouble about the matter whatever." "That is all +right, General," said I; "I will think no more of it. But I don't believe +that your quartermaster's agent will ever again circulate false stories +about me." + +"No," said the General; "he has not yet recovered from the beating that +you gave him." + +From Fort Wallace we moved down to Sheridan, where the command halted for +us to lay in a supply of forage which was stored there. I was still +messing with Major Brown, with whom I went into the village to purchase a +supply of provisions for our mess; but unfortunately we were in too jolly +a mood to fool away money on "grub." We bought several articles, however, +and put them into the ambulance and sent them back to the camp with our +cook. The Major and myself did not return until _reveille_ next morning. +Soon afterwards the General sounded "boots and saddles," and presently +the regiment was on its way to McPherson. + +It was very late before we went into camp that night, and we were tired +and hungry. Just as Major Brown was having his tent put up, his cook +came to us and asked where the provisions were that we had bought the +day before. + +"Why, did we not give them to you--did you not bring them to camp in the +ambulance?" asked Major Brown. + +"No, sir; it was only a five-gallon demijohn of whiskey, a five-gallon +demijohn of brandy, and two cases of Old Tom-Cat gin," said the cook. + +"The mischief!" I exclaimed; "didn't we spend any money on grub at all?" + +"No, sir," replied the cook. + +"Well, that will do for the present," said Major Brown. + +It seems that our minds had evidently been running on a different subject +than provisions while we were loitering in Sheridan, and we found +ourselves, with a two hundred and fifty mile march ahead of us, without +anything more inviting than ordinary army rations. + +At this juncture Captain Denny came up, and the Major apologized for not +being able to invite him to take supper with us; but we did the next best +thing, and asked him to take a drink. He remarked that that was what he +was looking for, and when he learned of our being out of commissary +supplies, and that we had bought nothing except whiskey, brandy and gin, +he said, joyously: + +"Boys, as we have an abundance, you can eat with us, and we will drink +with you." + +It was a satisfactory arrangement, and from that time forward we traded +our liquids for their solids. When the rest of the officers heard of what +Brown and I had done, they all sent us invitations to dine with them at +any time. We returned the compliment by inviting them to drink with us +whenever they were dry. Although I would not advise anybody to follow our +example, yet it is a fact that we got more provisions for our whiskey +than the same money, which we paid for the liquor, would have bought; so +after all it proved a very profitable investment. + +On reaching the north fork of the Beaver and riding down the valley +towards the stream, I suddenly discovered a large 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 down that +way. Judging from the size of the trail, I thought there could not be +less than four hundred lodges, or between twenty-five hundred and three +thousand warriors, women and children in the band. I galloped hack to the +command, distant about three miles, and reported the news to General +Carr, who halted the regiment, and, after consulting a few minutes, +ordered me to select a ravine, or as low ground 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 several miles, +and find out how fast the Indians were traveling. I was soon convinced, +by the many camps they had made, that they were traveling slowly, and +hunting as they journeyed. We went down the Beaver on this scout about +twelve miles, keeping our horses well concealed under the banks of the +creek, so as not to be discovered. + +At this point, Lieutenant Ward and myself, leaving our 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 miles away we could see a whole Indian village +in plain sight, 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 coming in, loaded down with buffalo meat. + +"This is no place for us, Lieutenant," said I; "I think we have important +business at the camp to attend to as soon as possible." + +"I agree 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 command +and deliver the message. The man started off on a gallop, 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 +immediately upon receiving my note." + +In a few minutes we heard two or three shots in the direction in which +our dispatch courier had gone, and soon after we saw him come flying +around the bend of the creek, pursued by four or five Indians. The +Lieutenant, with his squad of soldiers and myself, at once charged upon +them, when they turned and ran across the stream. + +"This will not do," said Lieutenant Ward, "the whole Indian village will +now know that soldiers are near by. + +"Lieutenant, give me that note, and I will take it to the +General," said I. + +He gladly handed me the dispatch, and spurring my horse I dashed up the +creek. After having ridden a short distance, I observed another party of +Indians also going to the village with meat; but instead of waiting for +them to fire upon me, I gave them a shot at long range. Seeing one man +firing at them so boldly, it surprised them, and they did not know what +to make of it. While they were thus considering, I got between them and +our camp. By this time they had recovered from their surprise, and, +cutting 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 +take me long to leave them far in the rear. + +I reached the command in less than an hour, delivered the dispatch to +General Carr, and informed him of what I had seen. He instantly had the +bugler sound "boots and saddles," and all the troops--with the exception +of two companies, which we left to guard the train--were soon galloping +in the direction of the Indian camp. + +We had ridden about three miles when we met Lieutenant Ward, who was +coming slowly towards us. He reported that he had run into a party of +Indian buffalo-hunters, and had killed one of the number, and had had +one of his horses wounded. We immediately pushed forward and after +marching about five miles came within sight of hundreds of mounted +Indians advancing up the creek to meet us. They formed a complete line +in front of us. General Carr, being desirous of striking their village, +ordered the troops to charge, break through their line, and keep +straight on. This movement would, no doubt, have been successfully +accomplished had it not been for the rattle-brained and dare-devil +French Lieutenant Schinosky, commanding Company B, who, misunderstanding +General Carr's orders, charged upon some Indians at the left, while the +rest of the command dashed through the enemy's line, and was keeping +straight on, when it was observed that Schinosky and his company were +surrounded by four or five hundred red-skins. The General, to save the +company, was obliged to sound a halt and charge back to the rescue. The +company, during this short fight, had several men and quite a number of +horses killed. + +All this took up valuable time, and night was coming on. The Indians were +fighting desperately to keep us from reaching their village, which being +informed by couriers of what was taking place, was packing up and getting +away. During that afternoon it was all we could do to hold our own in +fighting the mounted warriors, who were in our front and contesting every +inch of the ground. The General had left word for our wagon train to +follow up with its escort of two companies, but as it had not made its +appearance he entertained some fears that it had been surrounded, and to +prevent the possible loss of the supply train we had to go back and look +for it. About 9 o'clock that evening we found it, and went into camp for +the night. + +Next morning we passed down the creek and there was not an Indian to be +seen. They had all disappeared and gone on with their village. Two miles +further on we came to where a village had been located, and here we found +nearly everything belonging or pertaining to an Indian camp, which had +been left in the great hurry to get away. These articles were all +gathered up and burned. We then pushed out on the trail as fast as +possible. It led us to the northeast towards the Republican; but as the +Indians had a night the start of us we entertained but little hope of +overtaking them that day. Upon reaching the Republican in the afternoon +the General called a halt, and as the trail was running more to the east, +he concluded to send his wagon train on to Fort McPherson by the most +direct route, while he would follow on the trail of the red-skins. + +Next morning at daylight we again pulled out and were evidently gaining +rapidly on the Indians for we could occasionally see them in the +distance. About 11 o'clock that day while Major Babcock was ahead of the +main command with his company, and while we were crossing a deep ravine, +we were surprised by about three hundred warriors who commenced a lively +fire upon us. Galloping out of the ravine on to the rough prairie the men +dismounted and returned the fire. We soon succeeded in driving the enemy +before us, and were so close upon them at one time, that they abandoned +and threw away nearly all their lodges and camp equipages, and everything +that had any considerable weight. They left behind them their played-out +horses, and for miles we could see Indian furniture strewn along in every +direction. The trail became divided, and the Indians scattered in small +bodies, all over the prairie. As night was approaching and our horses +were about giving out, a halt was called. A company was detailed to +collect all the Indian horses running loose over the country, and to burn +the other Indian property. + +The command being nearly out of rations I was sent to the nearest point, +Old Fort Kearney, about sixty miles distant for supplies. + +Shortly after we reached Fort McPherson, which continued to be the +headquarters of the Fifth Cavalry for some time. We remained there for +ten days, fitting out for a new expedition to the Republican river +country, and were reinforced by three companies of the celebrated Pawnee +Indian scouts, commanded by Major Frank North; his officers being Captain +Lute North, brother of the Major, Captain Cushing, his brother-in-law, +Captain Morse, and Lieutenants Beecher, Matthews and Kislandberry. +General Carr recommended at this time to General Augur, who was in +command of the Department, that I be made chief of scouts in the +Department of the Platte, and informed me that in this position I would +receive higher wages than I had been getting in the Department of the +Missouri. This appointment I had not asked for. + +I made the acquaintance of Major Frank North,[B] and I found him, and his +officers, perfect gentlemen, and we were all good friends from the very +start. The Pawnee scouts had made quite a reputation for themselves as +they had performed brave and valuable services, in fighting against the +Sioux, whose bitter enemies they were; being thoroughly acquainted with +the Republican and Beaver country, I was glad that they were to be with +the expedition, and they did good service. + +[Footnote B: Major North is now my partner in a cattle ranch in +Nebraska.] + +During our stay at Fort McPherson I made the acquaintance of Lieutenant +George P. Belden, known as the "White Chief," whose life was written by +Colonel Brisbin, U.S. army. I found him to be an intelligent, dashing +fellow, a splendid rider and an excellent shot. An hour after our +introduction he challenged me for a rifle match, the preliminaries of +which were soon arranged. We were to shoot ten shots each for fifty +dollars, at two hundred yards, off hand. Belden was to use a Henry rifle, +while I was to shoot my old "Lucretia." This match I won and then Belden +proposed to shoot a one hundred yard match, as I was shooting over his +distance. In this match Belden was victorious. We were now even, and we +stopped right there. + +While we were at this post General Augur and several of his officers, and +also Thomas Duncan, Brevet Brigadier and Lieutenant Colonel of the Fifth +Cavalry, paid us a visit for the purpose of reviewing the command. The +regiment turned out in fine style and showed themselves to be well +drilled soldiers, thoroughly understanding military tactics. The Pawnee +scouts were also reviewed and it was very amusing to see them in their +full regulation uniform. They had been furnished a regular cavalry +uniform and on this parade some of them had their heavy overcoats on, +others their large black hats, with all the brass accoutrements attached; +some of them were minus pantaloons and only wore a breech clout. Others +wore regulation pantaloons but no shirts on and were bareheaded; others +again had the seat of the pantaloons cut out, leaving only leggins; some +of them wore brass spurs, but had no boots or moccasins on. They seemed +to understand the drill remarkably well for Indians. The commands, of +course, were given to them in their own language by Major North, who +could talk it as well as any full-blooded Pawnee. The Indians were well +mounted and felt proud and elated because they had been made United +States soldiers. Major North, has had for years complete power over these +Indians and can do more with them than any man living. That evening after +the parade was over the officers and quite a number of ladies visited a +grand Indian dance given by the Pawnees, and of all the Indians I have +seen, their dances excel those of any other tribe. + +Next day the command started; when encamped, several days after, on the +Republican river near the mouth of the Beaver, we heard the whoops of +Indians, followed by shots in the vicinity of the mule herd, which had +been taken down to water. One of the herders came dashing into camp with +an arrow sticking into him. My horse was close at hand, and, mounting him +bare-back, I at once dashed off after the mule herd, which had been +stampeded. I supposed certainly that I would be the first man on the +ground. I was mistaken, however, for the Pawnee Indians, unlike regular +soldiers, had not waited to receive orders from their officers, but had +jumped on their ponies without bridles or saddles, and placing ropes in +their mouths, had dashed off in the direction whence the shots had come, +and had got there ahead of me. It proved to be a party of about fifty +Sioux, who had endeavored to stampede our mules, and it took them by +surprise to see their inveterate enemies--the Pawnees--coming at full +gallop towards them. They were not aware that the Pawnees were with the +command, and as they knew that it would take regular soldiers sometime to +turn out, they thought they would have ample opportunity to secure the +herd before the troops could give chase. + +We had a running fight of fifteen miles, and several of the enemy were +killed. During this chase I was mounted on an excellent horse, which +Colonel Royal had picked out for me, and for the first mile or two I was +in advance of the Pawnees. Presently a Pawnee shot by me like an arrow +and I could not help admiring the horse that he was riding. Seeing that +he possessed rare running qualities, I determined if possible to get +possession of the animal in some way. It was a large buckskin or yellow +horse, and I took a careful view of him so that I would know him when I +returned to camp. + +After the chase was over I rode up to Major North and inquired about the +buckskin horse. + +"Oh yes," said the Major, "that is one of our favorite steeds." + +"What chance is there to trade for him?" I asked. + +"It is a government horse," said he, "and the Indian who is riding him is +very much attached to the animal." + +"I have fallen in love with the horse myself," said I, "and I would like +to know if you have any objections to my trading for him if I can arrange +it satisfactorily with the Indian?" + +He said: "None whatever, and I will help you to do it; you can give the +Indian another horse in his place." + +A few days after this, I persuaded the Indian, by making him several +presents, to trade horses with me, and in this way I became the owner of +the buckskin steed, not as my own property, however, but as a government +horse that I could ride. I gave him the name of "Buckskin Joe" and he +proved to be a second Brigham. That horse I rode on and off during the +summers of 1869, 1870, 1871 and 1872, and he was the horse that the Grand +Duke Alexis rode on his buffalo hunt. In the winter of 1872, after I had +left Fort McPherson, Buckskin Joe was condemned and sold at public sale, +and was bought by Dave Perry, at North Platte, who in 1877 presented him +to me, and I still own him. He is now at my ranch on the Dismal river, +stone blind, but I shall keep him until he dies. + +The command scouted several days up the Beaver and Prairie Dog rivers, +occasionally having running fights with war parties of Indians, but did +not succeed in getting them into a general battle. At the end of twenty +days we found ourselves back on the Republican. + +Hitherto the Pawnees had not taken much interest in me, but while at this +camp I gained their respect and admiration by showing them how I killed +buffaloes. Although the Pawnees were excellent buffalo killers, for +Indians, I have never seen one of them who could kill more than four or +five in one run. A number of them generally surround the herd and then +dash in upon them, and in this way each one kills from one to four +buffaloes. I had gone out in company with Major North and some of the +officers, and saw them make a "surround." Twenty of the Pawnees circled a +herd and succeeded in killing only thirty-two. + +"While they were cutting up the animals another herd appeared in sight. +The Indians were preparing to surround it, when I asked Major North to +keep them back and let me show them what I could do. He accordingly +informed the Indians of my wish and they readily consented to let me have +the opportunity. I had learned that Buckskin Joe was an excellent buffalo +horse, and felt confident that I would astonish the natives; galloping in +among the buffaloes, I certainly did so by killing thirty-six in less +than a half-mile run. At nearly every shot I killed a buffalo, stringing +the dead animals out on the prairie, not over fifty feet apart. This +manner of killing was greatly admired by the Indians who called me a big +chief, and from that time on, I stood high in their estimation." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A DESPERATE FIGHT. + + +On leaving camp, the command took a westward course up the Republican, +and Major North with two companies of his Pawnees and two or three +companies of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Royal, made a scout to +the north of the river. Shortly after we had gone into camp, on the Black +Tail Deer Fork, we observed a band of Indians coming over the prairie at +full gallop, singing and yelling and waving their lances and long poles. +At first we supposed them to be Sioux, and all was excitement for a few +moments. We noticed, however, that our Pawnee Indians made no hostile +demonstrations or preparations towards going out to fight them, but began +swinging and yelling themselves. Captain Lute North stepped up to General +Carr and said: + +"General, those are our men who are coming, and they have had a fight. +That is the way they act when they come back from a battle and have taken +any scalps." + +The Pawnees came into camp on the run. Captain North calling to one of +them--a sergeant--soon found out that they had run across a party of +Sioux who were following a large Indian trail. These Indians had +evidently been in a fight, for two or three of them had been wounded and +they were conveying the injured persons on _travois_. The Pawnees had +"jumped" them and had killed three or four more of them. + +Next morning the command, at an early hour, started out to take up this +Indian trail which they followed for two days as rapidly as possible; it +becoming evident from the many camp fires which we passed, that we were +gaining on the Indians. Wherever they had encamped we found the print of +a woman's shoe, and we concluded that they had with them some white +captive. This made us all the more anxious to overtake them, and General +Carr accordingly selected all his best horses, which could stand a hard +run, and gave orders for the wagon train to follow as fast as possible, +while he pushed ahead on a forced march. At the same time I was ordered +to pick out five or six of the best Pawnees, and go on in advance of the +command, keeping ten or twelve miles ahead on the trail, so that when we +overtook the Indians we could find out the location of their camp, and +send word to the troops before they came in sight, thus affording ample +time to arrange a plan for the capture of the village. + +After having gone about ten miles in advance of the regiment, we began +to move very cautiously, as we were now evidently nearing the Indians. We +looked carefully over the summits of the hills before exposing ourselves +to plain view, and at last we discovered the village, encamped in the +sand-hills south of the South Platte river at Summit Springs. Here I left +the Pawnee scouts to keep watch, while I went back and informed General +Carr that the Indians were in sight. + +The General at once ordered his men to tighten their saddles and +otherwise prepare for action. Soon all was excitement among the officers +and soldiers, every one being anxious to charge the village. I now +changed my horse for old Buckskin Joe, who had been led for me thus far, +and was comparatively fresh. Acting on my suggestion, the General made a +circuit to the north, believing that if the Indians had their scouts out, +they would naturally be watching in the direction whence they had come. +When we had passed the Indians and were between them and the Platte +river, we turned to the left and started toward the village. + +By this manoeuver we had avoided discovery by the Sioux scouts, and we +were confident of giving them a complete surprise. Keeping the command +wholly out of sight, until we were within a mile of the Indians, the +General halted the advance guard until all closed up, and then issued an +order, that, when he sounded the charge, the whole command was to rush +into the village. + +As we halted on the top of the hill overlooking the camp of the +unsuspecting Indians, General Carr called out to his bugler: "Sound the +charge!" The bugler for a moment became intensely excited, and actually +forgot the notes. The General again sang out: "Sound the charge!" and +yet the bugler was unable to obey the command. Quartermaster Hays--who +had obtained permission to accompany the expedition--was riding near +the General, and comprehending the dilemma of the man, rushed up to +him, jerked the bugle from his hands and sounded the charge himself in +clear and distinct notes. As the troops rushed forward, he threw the +bugle away, then drawing his pistols, was among the first men that +entered the village. + +The Indians had just driven up their horses and were preparing to make a +move of the camp, when they saw the soldiers coming down upon them. A +great many of them succeeded in jumping upon their ponies, and, leaving +every thing behind them, advanced out of the village and prepared to meet +the charge; but upon second thought they quickly concluded that it was +useless to try to check us, and, those who were mounted rapidly rode +away, while the others on foot fled for safety to the neighboring hills. +We went through their village shooting right and left at everything we +saw. The Pawnees, the regular soldiers and the officers were all mixed up +together, and the Sioux were flying in every direction. + +General Carr had instructed the command that when they entered the +village, they must keep a sharp look out for white women, as he was +confident the Indians had some captives. The company which had been +ordered to take possession of the village after its capture, soon found +two white women, one of whom had just been killed and the other wounded. +They were both Swedes, and the survivor could not talk English. A +Swedish soldier, however, was soon found who could talk with her. The +name of this woman was Mrs. Weichel, and her story as told to the +soldier was, that as soon as the Indians saw the troops coming down upon +them, a squaw--Tall Bull's wife--had killed Mrs. Alderdice, the other +captive, with a hatchet, and then wounded her. This squaw had evidently +intended to kill both women to prevent them from telling how cruelly +they had been treated. + +[Illustration: INDIAN VILLAGE.] + +The attack lasted but a short time, and the Indians were driven several +miles away. The soldiers then gathered in the herd of Indian horses, +which were running at large over the country and drove them back to the +camp. After taking a survey of what we had accomplished, it was found +that we had killed about one hundred and forty Indians, and captured one +hundred and twenty squaws and papooses, two hundred lodges, and eight +hundred horses and mules. The village proved to be one of the richest I +had ever seen. The red-skins had everything pertaining to an Indian +camp, besides numerous articles belonging to the white settlers whom +they had killed on the Saline. The Pawnees, as well as the soldiers, +ransacked the camp for curiosities, and found enough to start twenty +museums, besides a large amount of gold and silver. This money had been +stolen from the Swedish settlers whom they had murdered on the Saline. +General Carr ordered that all the tepees, the Indian lodges, buffalo +robes, all camp equipage and provisions, including dried buffalo meat, +amounting to several tons, should be gathered in piles and burned. A +grave was dug in which the dead Swedish woman, Mrs. Alderdice, was +buried. Captain Kane, a religious officer, read the burial service, as +we had no chaplain with us. + +While this was going on, the Sioux warriors having recovered from their +surprise, had come back and a battle took place all around the camp. I +was on the skirmish line, and I noticed an Indian, who was riding a +large bay horse, and giving orders to his men in his own +language--which I could occasionally understand--telling them that they +had lost everything, that they were ruined, and he entreated them to +follow him, and fight until they died. His horse was an extraordinary +one, fleet as the wind, dashing here and there, and I determined to +capture him if possible, but I was afraid to fire at the Indian for +fear of killing the horse. + +I noticed that the Indian, as he rode around the skirmish line, passed +the head of a ravine not far distant, and it occurred to me that if I +could dismount and creep to the ravine I could, as he passed there, +easily drop him from his saddle without danger of hitting the horse. +Accordingly I crept into and secreted myself in the ravine, reaching the +place unseen by the Indians, and I waited there until Mr. Chief came +riding by. + +When he was not more than thirty yards distant I fired, and the next +moment he tumbled from his saddle, and the horse kept on without his +rider. Instead of running toward the Indians, however, he galloped toward +our men, by one of whom he was caught. Lieutenant Mason, who had been +very conspicuous in the fight and who had killed two or three Indians +himself, single-handed, came galloping up to the ravine and jumping from +his horse, secured the fancy war bonnet from the head of the dead chief, +together with all his other accoutrements. We both then rejoined the +soldiers, and I at once went in search of the horse; I found him in the +possession of Sergeant McGrath, who had caught him. The Sergeant knew +that I had been trying to get the animal and having seen me kill his +rider, he handed him over to me at once. + +Little did I think at that time that I had captured a horse which, for +four years afterwards was the fastest runner in the state of Nebraska, +but such proved to be the fact. + +[Illustration: THE KILLING OF TALL BULL.] + +I jumped on his back and rode him down to the spot where the prisoners +were corraled. One of the squaws among the prisoners suddenly began +crying in a pitiful and hysterical manner at the sight of this horse, +and upon inquiry I found that she was Tall Bull's wife, the same squaw +that had killed one of the white women and wounded the other. She stated +that this was her husband's favorite war-horse, and that only a short +time ago she had seen Tall Bull riding him. I gave her to understand +that her liege lord had passed in his mortal chips and that it would be +sometime before he would ride his favorite horse again, and I informed +her that henceforth I should call the gallant steed "Tall Bull," in +honor of her husband. + +Late in the evening our wagon train arrived, and placing the wounded +woman, Mrs. Weichel, in the ambulance--she having been kindly attended to +by the surgeons,--and gathering up the prisoners--the squaws and +papooses--and captured stock, we started at once for the South Platte +River, eight miles distant, and there went into camp. + +Next morning General Carr issued an order that all the money found in the +village should be turned over to the adjutant. About one thousand dollars +was thus collected, and the entire amount was given to Mrs. Weichel. The +command then proceeded to Fort Sedgwick, from which point the particulars +of our fight, which took place on Sunday, July 11th, 1869, were +telegraphed to all parts of the country. + +We remained at this post for two weeks, during which General Augur, of +the Department of the Platte, paid us a visit, and highly complimented +the command for the gallant service it had performed. For this fight at +Summit Springs General Carr and his command were complimented not only in +General Orders, but received a vote of thanks from the Legislatures of +Nebraska and Colorado--as Tall Bull and his Indians had long been a +terror to the border settlements--and the resolutions of thanks were +elegantly engrossed and sent to General Carr. + +The wounded white woman was cared for in the hospital at this post, and +after her recovery she soon married the hospital steward, her former +husband having been killed by the Indians. + +Our prisoners were sent to the Whetstone Agency, on the Missouri River, +where Spotted Tail and the friendly Sioux were then living. The +captured horses and mules were distributed among the officers, scouts +and soldiers. Among the animals that I thus obtained were my Tall Bull +horse, and a pony which I called "Powder Face," and which afterwards +became quite celebrated, as he figured prominently in the stories of +Ned Buntline. + +One day, while we were lying at Fort Sedgwick, General Carr received a +telegram from Fort McPherson stating that the Indians had made a dash on +the Union Pacific Railroad, and had killed several section-men and run +off some stock near O'Fallon's Station; also that an expedition was going +out from Fort McPherson to catch and punish the red-skins if possible. +The General ordered me to accompany the expedition, and accordingly that +night I proceeded by rail to McPherson Station, and from thence rode on +horseback to the fort. Two companies, under command of Major Brown, had +been ordered out, and next morning, just as we were about to start, Major +Brown said to me: + +"By the way, Cody, we are going to have quite an important character with +us as a guest on this scout. It's old Ned Buntline, the novelist." + +Just then I noticed a gentleman, who was rather stoutly built, and who +wore a blue military coat, on the left breast of which were pinned +about twenty gold medals and badges of secret societies. He walked a +little lame as he approached us, and I at once concluded that he was +Ned Buntline. + +"He has a good mark to shoot at on the left breast," said I to Major +Brown, "but he looks like a soldier." As he came up, Major Brown said: + +"Cody, allow me to introduce you to Colonel E.B.O. Judson, otherwise +known as Ned Buntline." + +"Colonel Judson, I am glad to meet you," said I; "the Major tells me that +you are to accompany us on the scout." + +"Yes, my boy, so I am," said he; "I was to deliver a temperance lecture +to-night, but no lectures for me when there is a prospect for a fight. +The Major has kindly offered me a horse, but I don't know how I'll stand +the ride, for I haven't done any riding lately; but when I was a young +man I spent several years among the fur companies of the Northwest, and +was a good rider and an excellent shot." + +"The Major has given you a fine horse, and you'll soon find yourself at +home in the saddle," said I. + +The command soon pulled out for the South Platte River, which was very +wide and high, owing to recent mountain rains, and in crossing it we had +to swim our horses in some places. Buntline was the first man across. We +reached O'Fallon's at eleven o'clock, and in a short time I succeeded in +finding the Indian trail; the party seemed to be a small one, which had +come up from the south. We followed their track to the North Platte, but +as they had a start of two days, Major Brown abandoned the pursuit, and +returned to Fort McPherson, while I went back to Fort Sedgwick, +accompanied by Buntline. + +During this short scout, Buntline had asked me a great many questions, +and he was determined to go out on the next expedition with me, providing +he could obtain permission from the commanding officer. I introduced him +to the officers--excepting those he already knew--and invited him to +become my guest while he remained at the post, and gave him my pony +Powder Face to ride. + +By this time I had learned that my horse Tall Bull was a remarkably fast +runner, and therefore when Lieutenant Mason, who was quite a sport and +owned a racer, challenged me to a race, I immediately accepted it. We +were to run our horses a single dash of half a mile for one hundred +dollars a side. Several of the officers, and also Reub. Wood, the +post-trader, bantered me for side bets, and I took them all until I had +put up my last cent on Tall Bull. + +The ground was measured off, the judges were selected, and all other +preliminaries were arranged. We rode our horses ourselves, and coming up +to the score nicely we let them go. I saw from the start that it would be +mere play to beat the Lieutenant's horse, and therefore I held Tall Bull +in check, so that none could see how fast he really could run. I easily +won the race, and pocketed a snug little sum of money. Of course +everybody was now talking horse. Major North remarked that if Tall Bull +could beat the Pawnees' fast horse, I could break his whole command. + +The next day the troops were paid off, the Pawnees with the rest, and for +two or three days they did nothing but run horse-races, as all the +recently captured horses had to be tested to find out the swiftest among +them. Finally the Pawnees wanted to run their favorite horse against Tall +Bull, and I accordingly arranged a race with them. They raised three +hundred dollars and bet it on their horse, while of course, I backed Tall +Bull with an equal amount, and in addition took numerous side bets. The +race was a single dash of a mile, and Tall Bull won it without any +difficulty. I was ahead on this race about seven hundred dollars, and the +horse was fast getting a reputation. Heretofore nobody would bet on him, +but now he had plenty of backers. + +I also made a race for my pony Powder Face, against a fast pony +belonging to Captain Lute North. I selected a small boy, living at the +post to ride Powder Face, while an Indian boy was to ride the other pony. +The Pawnees as usual wanted to bet on their pony, but as I had not yet +fully ascertained the running qualities of Powder Face, I did not care +about risking very much money on him. Had I known him as well then as I +did afterwards I would have backed him for every dollar I had, for he +proved to be one of the swiftest ponies I ever saw, and had evidently +been kept as a racer. + +The race was to be four hundred yards, and when I led the pony over the +track he seemed to understand what he was there for. North and I finally +put the riders on, and it was all I could do to hold the fiery little +animal after the boy became seated on his back. He jumped around and made +such quick movements, that the boy was not at all confident of being able +to stay on him. The order to start was at last given by the judges, and +as I brought Powder Face up to the score and the word "go" was given, he +jumped away so quickly that he left his rider sitting on the ground; +notwithstanding he ran through and won the race without him. It was an +easy victory, and after that I could get up no more races. Thus passed +the time while we were at Fort Sedgwick. + +General Carr having obtained a leave of absence, Colonel Royal was given +the command of an expedition that was ordered to go out after the +Indians, and in a few days--after having rested a couple of weeks--we set +out for the Republican; having learned that there were plenty of Indians +in that section of the country. At Frenchman's Fork we discovered an +Indian village, but did not surprise it, for its people had noticed us +approaching, and were retreating when we reached their camping-place. We +chased them down the stream, and they finally turned to the left, went +north, and crossed the South Platte river five miles above Ogallala. We +pushed rapidly after them, following them across the North Platte and on +through the sand-hills towards the Niobrara; but as they were making much +better time than we, the pursuit was abandoned. + +While we were in the sand-hills, scouting the Niobrara country, the +Pawnee Indians brought into camp, one night, some very large bones, one +of which a surgeon of the expedition pronounced to be the thigh-bone of a +human being. The Indians claimed that the bones they had found were those +of a person belonging to a race of people who a long time ago lived in +this country. That there was once a race of men on the earth whose size +was about three times that of an ordinary man, and they were so swift and +powerful that they could run along-side of a buffalo, and taking the +animal in one arm could tear off a leg and eat the meat as they walked. +These giants denied the existence of a Great Spirit, and when they heard +the thunder or saw the lightning they laughed at it and said that they +were greater than either. This so displeased the Great Spirit that he +caused a great rain-storm to come, and the water kept rising higher and +higher so that it drove those proud and conceited giants from the low +grounds to the hills, and thence to the mountains, but at last even the +mountain tops were submerged, and then those mammoth men were all +drowned. After the flood had subsided, the Great Spirit came to the +conclusion that he had made man too large and powerful, and that he would +therefore correct the mistake by creating a race of men of smaller size +and less strength. This is the reason, say the Indians, that modern men +are small and not like the giants of old, and they claim that this story +is a matter of Indian history, which has been handed down among them from +time immemorial. + +As we had no wagons with us at the time this large and heavy bone was +found, we were obliged to leave it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. + + +On returning to Fort McPherson we found that Brevet Major General W.H. +Emory, Colonel of the Fifth Cavalry, and Brevet Brigadier General Thomas +Duncan, Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, had arrived there during our +absence. General Emory had been appointed to the command of the District +of the Republican, with headquarters at Fort McPherson. As the command +had been continually in the field, it was generally thought that we were +to have a long rest; and it looked as if this post was to be my home and +headquarters for some time to come. I accordingly sent to St. Louis for +my wife and daughter to join me there. General Emory promised to build a +house for me, but before the building was completed my family arrived. + +During the fall of 1869 there were two or three scouting expeditions +sent out; but nothing of very great importance was accomplished by them. +I found Fort McPherson to be a lively and pleasant post to be stationed +at, especially as there was plenty of game in the vicinity, and within a +day's ride there were large herds of deer, antelope and elk. + +During the winter of 1869-70 I spent a great deal of time in pursuit of +game, and during the season we had two hunting parties of Englishmen +there; one party being that of Mr. Flynn, and the other that of George +Boyd Houghton, of London--the well known caricaturist. Among their +amusements were several horse races, which I arranged, and in which Tall +Bull and Powder Face were invariably the winners. Tall Bull by this time +had such a reputation as a running horse, that it was difficult to make a +race for him. I remember one however, in which he ran against a horse in +Captain Spaulding's Company of the Second Cavalry. + +This race was rather a novel affair. I had made a bet that Tall Bull +would beat the Second Cavalry horse around a one mile track, and, during +the time that he was running, I would jump off and on the horse eight +times. I rode the horse bareback; seized his mane with my left hand, +rested my right on his withers, and while he was going at full speed, I +jumped to the ground, and sprang again upon his back, eight times in +succession. Such feats I had seen performed in the circus and I had +practiced considerably at it with Tall Bull, so that I was certain of +winning the race in the manner agreed upon. + +Early one morning, in the spring of 1870, the Indians, who had +approached during the night, stole some twenty-one head of horses from +Mr. John Burke--a Government contractor--Ben. Gallagher and Jack Waite. +They also ran off some horses from the post; among the number being my +pony Powder Face. The commandant at once ordered out Lieutenant Thomas +with Company I of the Fifth Cavalry, and directed me to accompany them as +trailer. We discovered the trail after some little difficulty, as the +Indians were continually trying to hide it, and followed it sixty miles, +when darkness set in. + +We were now within about four miles of Red Willow Creek and I felt +confident the Indians would camp that night in that vicinity. Advising +Lieutenant Thomas to halt his company and "lay low" I proceeded on to the +creek, where, moving around cautiously, I suddenly discovered horses +feeding in a bend of the stream on the opposite side. I hurried back to +the troops with the information, and Lieutenant Thomas moved his company +to the bank of the creek, with the intention of remaining there until +daylight, and then, if possible, surprise the Indians. + +Just at break of day we mounted our horses, and after riding a short +distance we ascended a slight elevation, when, not over one hundred yards +distant, we looked down into the Indian camp. The Indians, preparing to +make an early start, had driven up their horses and were in the act of +mounting, when they saw us charging down upon them. In a moment they +sprang upon their ponies and dashed away. Had it not been for the creek, +which lay between us and them, we would have got them before they could +have mounted their horses; but as it was rather miry, we were +unexpectedly delayed. The Indians fired some shots at us while we were +crossing, but as soon as we got across we went for them in hot pursuit. A +few of the red-skins had not had time to mount and had started on foot +down the creek toward the brush. One of these was killed. + +A number of our soldiers, who had been detailed before the charge to +gather up any of the Indian horses that would be stampeded, succeeded in +capturing thirty-two. I hurriedly looked over them to see if Powder Face +was among them; but he was not there. Starting in pursuit of the +fugitives I finally espied an Indian mounted on my favorite, dashing away +and leading all the others. We continued the chase for two or three +miles, overtaking a couple who were mounted upon one horse. Coming up +behind them I fired my rifle, when about thirty feet distant; the ball +passed through the backs of both, and they fell headlong to the ground; +but I made no stop however just then, for I had my eye on the gentleman +who was riding Powder Face. It seemed to be fun for him to run away from +us, and run away he did, for the last I saw of him was when he went over +a divide, about three miles away. I bade him adieu. On my way back to the +Indian camp I stopped and secured the war bonnets and accoutrements of +the pair I had killed, and at the same time gently "raised their hair." + +We were feeling rather tired and hungry, as we had started out on the +trail thirty-six hours before without a breakfast or taking any food with +us; but not a murmur or complaint was heard among the men. In the +abandoned Indian camp, however, we found enough dried buffalo meat to +give us all a meal, and after remaining there for two hours, to rest our +animals, we started on our return to Fort McPherson, where we arrived at +night, having traveled 130 miles in two days. + +This being the first fight Lieutenant Thomas had ever commanded in, he +felt highly elated over his success, and hoped that his name would be +mentioned in the special orders for gallantry; sure enough when we +returned both he, myself and the whole command received a complimentary +mention in a special order. This he certainly deserved for he was a +brave, energetic, dashing little officer. The war bonnets which I had +captured I turned over to General Carr, with the request that he +present them to General Augur, whose daughters were visiting at the +post at the time. + +Shortly after this, another expedition was organized at Fort McPherson +for the Republican river country. It was commanded by General Duncan, who +was a jolly, blustering old fellow, and the officers who knew him well, +said that we would have a good time, as he was very fond of hunting. He +was a good fighter, and one of the officers said that an Indian bullet +never could hurt him, as he had been shot in the head with a cannon ball +which had not injured him in the least; another said the ball glanced off +and killed one of the toughest mules in the army. + +The Pawnee scouts who had been mustered out of service, during the winter +of 1869 and '70, were reorganized to accompany this expedition. I was +glad of this, as I had become quite attached to one of the officers, +Major North, and to many of the Indians. The only white scout we had at +the post, besides myself at that time, was John Y. Nelson, whose Indian +name was Cha-Sha-Cha-Opoyeo,[C] which interpreted means +Red-Willow-Fill-the-Pipe. This man is a character in his way; he has a +Sioux squaw for a wife, and consequently a half-breed family. John is a +good fellow, though as a liar he has but few equals and no superior. + +[Footnote C: Since traveled with me in my Dramatic Combination as +interpreter for Sioux Indians.] + +We started out from the post with the regimental band playing the lively +air of "The Girl I Left Behind Me." We made but a short march that day, +and camped at night at the head of Fox Creek. Next morning General Duncan +sent me word by his orderly that I was to bring up my gun and shoot at a +mark with him; but I can assure the reader that I did not feel much like +shooting anything except myself, for on the night before, I had returned +to Fort McPherson and spent several hours in interviewing the sutler's +store, in Company with Major Brown. I looked around for my gun, and +found that I had left it behind. The last I could remember about it was +that I had it at the sutler's store. I informed Major Brown of my loss, +who said that I was a nice scout to start out without a gun. I replied +that that was not the worst of it, as General Duncan had sent for me to +shoot a match with him, and I did not know what to do; for if the old +gentleman discovered my predicament, he would very likely severely +reprimand me. + +"Well, Cody," said he, "the best you can do is to make some excuse, and +then go and borrow a gun from some of the men, and tell the General that +you lent yours to some man to go hunting with to-day. While we are +waiting here, I will send back to the post and get your rifle for you." + +I succeeded in obtaining a gun from John Nelson, and then marching up to +the General's headquarters I shot the desired match with him, which +resulted in his favor. + +This was the first scout the Pawnees had been out on under command of +General Duncan, and in stationing his guards around the camp he posted +them in a manner entirely different from that of General Carr and Colonel +Royal, and he insisted that the different posts should call out the hour +of the night thus: + +"Post No. 1, nine o'clock, all is well! Post No. 2, nine o'clock, all is +well!" etc. + +The Pawnees, who had their regular turns at standing upon guard, were +ordered to call the hour the same as the white soldiers. This was very +difficult for them to do, as there were but few of them who could express +themselves in English. Major North explained to them that when the man on +post next to them should call out the hour, they must call it also as +near like him as possible. It was very amusing to hear them do this. They +would try to remember what the other man had said on the post next to +them. For instance, a white soldier would call out: "Post No. I, +half-past nine o'clock, all is well!" The Indian standing next to him +knew that he was bound to say something in English, and he would sing +out something like the following: + +"Poss number half pass five cents--go to ----! I don't care!" + +This system was really so ridiculous and amusing that the General had to +give it up, and the order was accordingly countermanded. + +Nothing of any great interest occurred on this march, until one day, +while proceeding up Prairie Dog Creek,[D] Major North and myself went out +in advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes. +Night was approaching, and I began to look around for a suitable camping +ground for the command. Major North dismounted from his horse and was +resting, while I rode down to the stream to see if there was plenty of +grass in the vicinity. I found an excellent camping spot, and returning +to Major North told him that I would ride over the hill a little way, so +that the advance guard could see me. This I did, and when the advance +came in sight I dismounted and laid down upon the grass to rest. + +[Footnote D: Near the lonely camp where I had so long been laid up with a +broken leg, when trapping years before with Dave Harrington.] + +Suddenly I heard three or four shots, and in a few moments Major North +came dashing up towards me, pursued by eight or ten Indians. I instantly +sprang into my saddle, and fired a few shots at the Indians, who by this +time had all come in sight, to the number of fifty. We turned our horses +and ran, the bullets flying after us thick and fast--my whip being shot +from my hand and daylight being put through the crown of my hat. We were +in close quarters, when suddenly Lieutenant Valkmar came galloping up to +our relief with several soldiers, and the Indians seeing them whirled and +retreated. As soon as Major North got in sight of his Pawnees, he began +riding in a circle. This was a sign to them that there were hostile +Indians in front, and in a moment the Pawnees broke ranks pell-mell and, +with Major North at their head, started for the flying warriors. The rest +of the command pushed rapidly forward also, and chased the enemy for +three or four miles, killing three of them. + +But this was a wrong move on our part, as their village was on Prairie +Dog Creek, while they led us in a different direction; one Indian only +kept straight on up the creek--a messenger to the village. Some of the +command, who had followed him, stirred up the village and accelerated its +departure. We finally got back to the main force, and then learned that +we had made a great mistake. Now commenced another stern chase. + +The second day that we had been following these Indians we came upon an +old squaw, whom they had left on the prairie to die. Her people had built +for her a little shade or lodge, and had given her some provisions, +sufficient to last her on her trip to the Happy Hunting grounds. This the +Indians often do when pursued by an enemy, and one of their number +becomes too old and feeble to travel any longer. This squaw was +recognized by John Nelson who said that she was a relative of his wife. +From her we learned that the flying Indians were known as Pawnee, +Killer's band, and that they had lately killed Buck's surveying party, +consisting of eight or nine men; the massacre having occurred a few days +before on Beaver Creek. We knew that they had had a fight with surveyors, +as we found quite a number of surveying instruments, which had been left +in the abandoned camp. We drove these Indians across the Platte river and +then returned to Fort McPherson, bringing the old squaw with us, from +there she was sent to the Spotted Tail Agency. + +During my absence, my wife had given birth to a son, and he was several +weeks old when I returned. No name had yet been given him and I selected +that of Elmo Judson, in honor of Ned Buntline; but this the officers and +scouts objected to. Major Brown proposed that we should call him Kit +Carson, and it was finally settled that that should be his name. + +During the summer we made one or two more scouts and had a few +skirmishes with the Indians: but nothing of any great importance +transpired. In the fall of 1870, while I was a witness in a court +martial at Fort D.A. Russell I woke up one morning and found that I was +dead broke;--this is not an unusual occurrence to a frontiersman, or an +author I may add, especially when he is endeavoring to kill time--to +raise necessary funds I sold my race horse Tall Bull to Lieutenant +Mason, who had long wanted him. + +In the winter of 1870 and 1871 I first met George Watts Garland, an +English gentleman, and a great hunter, whom I had the pleasure of guiding +on several hunts and with whom I spent some weeks. During the winter I +also took several parties out on the Loupe River country, hunting and +trapping. Although I was still chief of scouts I did not have much to do, +as the Indians were comparatively quiet, thus giving me plenty of time +for sporting. + +In the spring of 1871 several short scouting expeditions were sent out +from Fort McPherson, but all with minor results. + +About this time General Emory was considerably annoyed by petty offenses +committed in the vicinity of the post, and as there was no justice of the +peace in the neighborhood, he was anxious to have such an officer there +to attend to the civilians; one day he remarked to me that I would make +an excellent justice. + +"General, you compliment me rather too highly, for I don't know any more +about law than a government mule does about book-keeping," said I. + +"That doesn't make any difference," said he, "for I know that you will +make a good 'Squire." He accordingly had the county commissioners +appoint me to the office of justice of the peace, and I soon received my +commission. + +One morning a man came rushing up to my house and stated that he wanted +to get out a writ of replevin, to recover possession of a horse which a +stranger was taking out of the country. I had no blank forms, and had not +yet received the statutes of Nebraska to copy from, so I asked the man: + +"Where is the fellow who has got your horse?" + +"He is going up the road, and is about two miles away," replied he. + +"Very well," said I, "I will get the writ ready in a minute or two." + +I saddled up my horse, and then taking my old reliable gun, "Lucretia," I +said to the man: "That's the best writ of replevin that I can think of; +come along, and we'll get that horse, or know the reason why." + +We soon overtook the stranger who was driving a herd of horses, and as we +came up to him, I said: + +"Hello, sir; I am an officer, and have an attachment for that horse," and +at the same time I pointed out the animal. + +"Well, sir, what are you going to do about it?" he inquired. + +"I propose to take you and the horse back to the post," said I. + +"You can take the horse," said he, "but I haven't the time to return +with you." + +"You'll have to take the time, or pay the costs here and now," said I. + +"How much are the costs?" + +"Twenty dollars." + +"Here's your money," said he, as he handed me the greenbacks. + +I then gave him a little friendly advice, and told him that he was +released from custody. He went on his way a wiser and a poorer man, while +the owner of the horse and myself returned to the fort. I pocketed the +twenty dollars, of course. Some people might think it was not a square +way of doing business, but I didn't know any better just then. I had +several little cases of this kind, and I became better posted on law in +the course of time, being assisted by Lieutenant Burr Reilly, of the +Fifth Cavalry, who had been educated for a lawyer. + +One evening I was called upon to perform a marriage ceremony. The +bridegroom was one of the sergeants of the post. I had "braced up" for +the occasion by imbibing rather freely of stimulants, and when I arrived +at the house, with a copy of the Statutes of Nebraska, which I had +recently received, I felt somewhat confused. Whether my bewilderment was +owing to the importance of the occasion and the large assembly, or to the +effect of Louis Woodin's "tanglefoot," I cannot now distinctly +remember--but my suspicions have always been that it was due to the +latter cause. I looked carefully through the statutes to find the +marriage ceremony, but my efforts were unsuccessful. Finally the time +came for the knot to be tied. I told the couple to stand up, and then I +said to the bridegroom: + +"Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to support and +love her through life?" + +"I do," was the reply. + +Then addressing myself to the bride, I said, "Do you take this man to be +your lawful wedded husband through life, to love, honor and obey him?" + +[Illustration: A WEDDING CEREMONY.] + +"I do," was her response. + +"Then join hands," said I to both of them; "I now pronounce you to be man +and wife, and whomsoever God and Buffalo Bill have joined together let no +man put asunder. May you live long and prosper. Amen." + +This concluded the interesting ceremony, which was followed by the usual +festivities on such occasions. I was highly complimented for the elegant +and eloquent manner in which I had tied the matrimonial knot. + +During the summer of 1871, Professor Marsh, of Yale College, came out to +McPherson, with a large party of students to have a hunt and to look for +fossils. Professor Marsh had heard of the big bone which had been found +by the Pawnees in the Niobrara country, and he intended to look for that +as well as other bones. He accordingly secured the services of Major +Frank North and the Pawnees as an escort. I was also to accompany the +bone-hunters, and would have done so had it not been for the fact that +just at that time I was ordered out with a small scouting party to go +after some Indians. + +[Illustration: A RIDE FOR LIFE.] + +The day before the Professor arrived at the fort, I had been out hunting +on the north side of the North Platte River, near Pawnee Springs, with +several companions, when we were suddenly attacked by Indians, who +wounded one of our number, John Weister. We stood the Indians off for a +little while, and Weister got even with them by killing one of their +party. The Indians, however, outnumbered us, and at last we were forced +to make a run for our lives. In this we succeeded, and reached the fort +in safety. The General wanted to have the Indians pursued, and said he +could not spare me to accompany Professor Marsh. + +However, I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the eminent +Professor, whom I found to be not only a well-posted person but a very +entertaining gentleman. He gave me a geological history of the country; +told me in what section fossils were to be found; and otherwise +entertained me with several scientific yarns, some of which seemed too +complicated and too mysterious to be believed by an ordinary man like +myself; but it was all clear to him. I rode out with him several miles, +as he was starting on his bone-hunting expedition, and I greatly enjoyed +the ride. His party had been provided with Government transportation and +his students were all mounted on Government horses. + +As we rode along he delivered a scientific lecture, and he convinced me +that he knew what he was talking about. I finally bade him good-bye, and +returned to the post. While the fossil-hunters were out on their +expedition, we had several lively little skirmishes with the Indians. +After having been absent some little time Professor Marsh and his party +came back with their wagons loaded down with all kinds of bones, and the +Professor was in his glory. He had evidently struck a bone-yard, and +"gad!"[E] wasn't he happy! But they had failed to find the big bone which +the Pawnees had unearthed the year before. + +[Footnote E: A favorite expression of the Professor's.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUNTING EXPEDITION. + + +Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at Fort +McPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends were +coming out to the post to have a grand hunt in the vicinity, and to +explore the country from McPherson to Fort Hays, in Kansas. On the +morning of September 22d they arrived in a special car at North Platte, a +station on the Union Pacific, distant eighteen miles from Fort McPherson. + +The party consisted of General Sheridan, Lawrence R. Jerome, James Gordon +Bennett, of the _New York Herald_; Leonard W. Jerome, Carroll Livingston, +Major J.G. Hecksher, General Fitzhugh, General H.E. Davies, Captain M. +Edward Rogers, Colonel J. Scuyler Crosby, Samuel Johnson, General Anson +Stager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Charles Wilson, editor of +the _Chicago Evening Journal_; General Rucker, Quartermaster-General, +and Dr. Asch--the two last-named being of General Sheridan's staff. They +were met at the station by General Emory and Major Brown, with a cavalry +company as escort and a sufficient number of vehicles to carry the +distinguished visitors and their baggage. + +A brisk drive of less than two hours over a hard and smooth road brought +them to the fort, where they found the garrison, consisting of five +companies of the Fifth Cavalry, under the command of General Carr, out +on parade awaiting their arrival. The band played some martial music, +and the cavalry passed very handsomely in review before General +Sheridan. The guests were then most hospitably received, and assigned to +comfortable quarters. + +Lieutenant Hayes, the quartermaster of the expedition, arranged +everything for the comfort of the party. One hundred cavalry under +command of Major Brown were detailed as an escort. A train of sixteen +wagons was provided to carry the baggage, supplies, and forage for the +trip; and, besides these, there were three four-horse ambulances in which +the guns were carried, and in which members of the party who became weary +of the saddle might ride and rest. At General Sheridan's request I was to +accompany the expedition; he introduced me to all his friends, and gave +me a good send-off. + +During the afternoon and evening the gentlemen were all entertained at +the post in a variety of ways, including dinner and supper parties, and +music and dancing; at a late hour they retired to rest in their tents at +the camp which they occupied outside the post--named Camp Rucker in honor +of General Rucker. + +At five o'clock next morning a cavalry bugle sounded the _reveille_, and +soon all were astir in the camp, preparatory to pulling out for the first +day's march. I rose fresh and eager for the trip, and as it was a nobby +and high-toned outfit which I was to accompany, I determined to put on a +little style myself. So I dressed in a new suit of light buckskin, +trimmed along the seams with fringes of the same material; and I put on a +crimson shirt handsomely ornamented on the bosom, while on my head I wore +a broad _sombrero_. Then mounting a snowy white horse--a gallant +stepper--I rode down from the fort to the camp, rifle in hand. I felt +first-rate that morning, and looked well. + +The expedition was soon under way. Our road for ten miles wound through a +wooded ravine called Cottonwood Canon, intersecting the high ground, or +divide, as it is called, between the Platte and Republican Rivers. Upon +emerging from the canon we found ourselves upon the plains. First in the +line rode General Sheridan, followed by his guests, and then the +orderlies. Then came the ambulances, in one of which were carried five +greyhounds, brought along to course the antelope and rabbit. With the +ambulances marched a pair of Indian ponies belonging to Lieutenant +Hayes--captured during some Indian fight--and harnessed to a light wagon, +which General Sheridan occasionally used. These little horses, but +thirteen hands high, showed more vigor and endurance than any other of +the animals we had with us. Following the ambulances came the main body +of the escort and the supply wagons. + +We marched seventeen miles the first day, and went into camp on Fox +Creek, a tributary of the Republican. No hunting had as yet been done; +but I informed the gentlemen of the party that we would strike the +buffalo country the next day. A hundred or more questions were then +asked me by this one and that one, and the whole evening was spent +principally in buffalo talk, sandwiched with stories of the plains--both +of war and of the chase. Several of the party, who were good vocalists, +gave us some excellent music. We closed the evening by christening the +camp, naming it Camp Brown, in honor of the gallant officer in command of +the escort. + +At three o'clock next morning the bugle called us to an early start. We +had breakfast at half-past four, and at six were in the saddle. All were +eager to see and shoot the buffaloes which I assured them we would +certainly meet during the day. After marching five miles, the advance +guard, of which I had the command, discovered six buffaloes grazing at a +distance of about two miles from us. We returned to the hunters with this +information, and they at once consulted with me as to the best way to +attack the "enemy." + +Acting upon my suggestions, Fitzhugh, Crosby, Lawrence Jerome, +Livingston, Hecksher and Rogers, accompanied by myself as guide, rode +through a convenient canon to a point beyond the buffaloes, so that we +were to the windward of the animals. The rest of the party made a detour +of nearly five miles, keeping behind the crest of a hill. We charged down +upon the buffaloes, at full gallop, and just then the other party emerged +from their concealment and witnessed the exciting chase. The buffaloes +started off in a line, single file. Fitzhugh, after a lively gallop, led +us all and soon came alongside the rear buffalo, at which he fired. The +animal faltered, and then with another shot Fitzhugh brought him to the +ground. Crosby dashed by him and leveled another of the herd, while +Livingston dropped a third. Those who were not directly engaged in the +hunt now came up and congratulated the men upon their success, and +Fitzhugh was at once hailed as the winner of the buffalo cup; while all +sympathized with Hecksher, whose chance had been the best at the start, +but who lost by reason of his horse falling and rolling over him. + +The hunt being over, the column moved forward on its march passing +through a prairie-dog town, several miles in extent. These animals are +found throughout the plains, living together in a sort of society; their +numberless burrows in their "towns" adjoin each other, so that great care +is necessary in riding through these places, as the ground is so +undermined as often to fall in under the weight of a horse. Around the +entrance to their holes the ground is piled up almost a foot high; on +these little elevations the prairie-dogs sit upon their hind legs, +chattering to each other and observing whatever passes on the plains. +They will permit a person to approach quite near, but when they have +viewed him closely, they dive into their dens with wonderful quickness. +They are difficult to kill, and if hit, generally succeed in crawling +underground before they can be captured. Rattlesnakes and small owls are +generally found in great numbers in the prairie-dog towns, and live in +the same holes with the dogs on friendly terms. A few of the prairie-dogs +were killed, and were found to be very palatable eating. + +[Illustration: PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGE.] + +A short distance beyond the dog town we discovered a settlement of five +white men, who proved to be the two Clifford brothers, Arthur Ruff, Dick +Seymour and John Nelson--the latter already referred to in these pages. +Each of them had a squaw wife and numerous half-breed children, living in +tents of buffalo skins. They owned a herd of horses and mules and a few +cattle, and had cultivated a small piece of land. Their principal +occupation was hunting, and they had a large number of buffalo hides, +which, they had tanned in the Indian manner. + +Upon reaching Pleasant Valley, on Medicine Creek, our party divided into +two detachments--one hunting along the bank of the stream for elk or +deer, and the other remaining with the main body of the escort. The elk +hunters met with no success whatever, but the others ran across plenty of +buffaloes, and nearly everybody killed one or more before the day was +over. Lawrence Jerome made an excellent shot; while riding in an +ambulance he killed a buffalo which attempted to cross the line of march. + +At about four o'clock P.M., we arrived at Mitchell's Fork of the +Medicine, having traveled thirty-five miles during that day, and there we +went into camp--calling it Camp Jack Hayes, in honor of Lieutenant Hayes. + +On the next morning, the 25th, we moved out of camp at eight o'clock. +The party was very successful through the day in securing game, +Hecksher, Fitzhugh, Livingston and Lieutenant Hayes; and in fact all did +good shooting. + +Lawrence Jerome persuaded me to let him ride Buckskin Joe, the best +buffalo horse in the whole outfit, and on his back he did wonders among +the buffaloes. Leonard Jerome, Bennett and Rogers also were very +successful in buffalo hunting. + +Our camp of this night was named Camp Asch to commemorate our surgeon, +Dr. Asch. The evening was pleasantly spent around the camp fires in +relating the adventures of the day. + +Upon crossing the Republican river on the morning of the 26th, we came +upon an immense number of buffaloes scattered over the country in every +direction, as far as the eye could reach and all had an opportunity to +do as much hunting as they wished. The wagons and troops moved slowly +along in the direction of the next camp, while the hunters went off +separately, or by twos and threes, in different directions, and all were +rewarded with abundant success. Lawrence Jerome, however, had his career +suddenly checked. He had dismounted to make a steady and careful shot, +and thoughtlessly let go of the bridle. The buffalo failing to take a +tumble, as he ought to have done, started off at a lively gait, followed +by Buckskin Joe--the horse being determined to do some hunting on his own +account--the last seen of him, he was a little ahead of the buffalo, and +gaining slightly, leaving his late rider to his own reflections and the +prospect of a tramp; his desolate condition was soon discovered and +another horse warranted not to run under any provocation, was sent to +him. It maybe stated here that three days afterwards, as I subsequently +learned, Buckskin Joe, all saddled and bridled, turned up at Fort +McPherson. + +We pitched our tents for the night in a charming spot on the bank of +Beaver Creek. The game was so abundant that we remained there one day. +This stopping place was called. Camp Cody, in honor of the reader's +humble servant. + +The next day was spent in hunting jack-rabbits, coyotes, elks, +antelopes and wild turkeys. We had a splendid dinner as will be seen +from the following: + + + BILL OF FARE. + + SOUP. + Buffalo Tail. + + FISH. + Cisco broiled, fried Dace. + + ENTREES. +Salmi of Prairie Dog, Stewed Rabbit, Fillet of Buffalo, + Aux Champignons. + + ROAST. + Elk, Antelope, Black-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey. + + BROILED. + Teal, Mallard, Antelope Chops, Buffalo-Calf Steaks, + Young Wild Turkey. + + VEGETABLES. + Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas. + + DESSERT. + Tapioca Pudding. + + WINES. + Champagne Frappe, Champagne au Naturel, Claret, + Whiskey, Brandy, Bass' Ale. + + COFFEE. + + +This I considered a pretty square meal for a party of hunters, and +everybody did ample justice to it. + +In the evening a court-martial was held, at which I presided as chief +justice. We tried one of the gentlemen for aiding and abetting in the +loss of a government horse, and for having something to do with the +mysterious disappearance of a Colt's pistol. He was charged also with +snoring in a manner that was regarded as fiendish, and with committing a +variety of other less offenses too numerous to mention. + +The accused made a feeble defense as to the pistol, and claimed that +instead of losing a government horse, the fact was that the horse had +lost him. His statements were all regarded as "too thin," and finally +failing to prove good character, he confessed all, and threw himself upon +the mercy of the court. The culprit was Lawrence Jerome. + +As chief justice I delivered the opinion of the court, which my modesty +does not prevent me from saying, was done in an able and dignified +manner; as an act of clemency I suspended judgment for the time being, +remarking that while the camp fire held out to burn, the vilest sinner +might return; and in hope of the accused's amendment, I would defer +pronouncing sentence. The trial afforded its considerable amusement, and +gave me a splendid opportunity to display the legal knowledge which I had +acquired while acting as justice of the peace at Fort McPherson. + +On the morning of the 28th the command crossed the South Beaver, distant +nine miles from Camp Cody, and then striking a fair road we made a rapid +march until we reached our camp on Short Nose or Prairie Dog Creek, +about 2 P. M., after having made twenty-four miles. The remainder of the +afternoon was spent in hunting buffaloes and turkeys. Camp Stager was the +name given to this place, in honor of General Stager, of the Western +Union Telegraph Company. + +The next day we made a march of twenty-four miles, and then halted at +about 1 P. M. on the North Solomon River. This day we killed three +buffaloes, two antelopes, two raccoons, and three teal ducks. Near our +camp, which we named Camp Leonard Jerome, was a beaver dam some six feet +high and twenty yards wide; it was near the junction of two streams, and +formed a pond of at least four acres. + +On the 30th we traveled twenty-five miles, and during the march nine +turkeys, two rabbits, and three or four buffaloes were killed. We went +into camp on the bank of the South Fork of the Solomon River and called +the place Camp Sam Johnson. We were now but forty-five miles from Fort +Hays, the point at which General Sheridan and his guests expected to +strike the Kansas Pacific Railway, and thence return home. That evening +I volunteered to ride to Fort Hays and meet the party next day, +bringing with me all the letters that might be at the post. Taking the +best horse in the command I started out, expecting to make the trip in +about four hours. + +The next morning the command got an early start and traveled thirty miles +to Saline River, where they made their last camp on the plains. As some +of the party were attacking a herd of buffaloes, I rode in from Fort Hays +and got into the middle of the herd, and killed a buffalo or two before +the hunters observed me. I brought a large number of letters, which +proved welcome reading matter. + +In the evening we gathered around the camp-fire for the last time. The +duty of naming the camp, which was called Camp Davies, having been duly +performed, we all united in making that night the pleasantest of all that +we had spent together. We had eloquent speeches, songs, and interesting +anecdotes. I was called upon, and entertained the gentlemen with some +lively Indian stories. + +The excursionists reached Fort Hays, distant fifteen miles, on the +morning of October 2d, where we pitched our tents for the last time, and +named the camp in honor of Mr. Hecksher. That same afternoon General +Sheridan and his guests took the train for the East, after bidding Major +Browa, Lieutenant Hayes and myself a hearty good-bye, and expressing +themselves as greatly pleased with their hunt, and the manner in which +they had been escorted and guided. + +It will be proper and fair to state here that General Davies afterwards +wrote an interesting account of this hunt and published it in a neat +volume of sixty-eight pages, under the title of "Ten Days on the Plains." +I would have inserted the volume bodily in this book, were it not for the +fact that the General has spoken in a rather too complimentary manner of +me. However, I have taken the liberty in this chapter to condense from +the little volume, and in some places I have used the identical language +of General Davies without quoting the same; in fact, to do the General +justice, I ought to close this chapter with several lines of quotation +marks to be pretty generally distributed by the reader throughout my +account of our ten days' hunt. + +Soon after the departure of General Sheridan's party, we returned to Fort +McPherson and found General Carr about to start out on a twenty days' +scout, not so much for the purpose of finding Indians, but more for the +object of taking some friends on a hunt. His guests were a couple of +Englishmen,--whose names I cannot now remember--and Mr. McCarthy, of +Syracuse, New York, who was a relative of General Emory. The command +consisted of three companies of the Fifth Cavalry, one company of Pawnee +Indians, and twenty-five wagons. Of course I was called on to accompany +the expedition. + +One day, after we had been out from the post for some little time, I was +hunting on Deer Creek, in company with Mr. McCarthy, about eight miles +from the command. I had been wishing for several days to play a joke on +him, and had arranged a plan with Captain Lute North to carry it into +execution. I had informed North at about what time we would be on Deer +Creek, and it was agreed that he should appear in the vicinity with some +of his Pawnees, who were to throw their blankets around them, and come +dashing down upon us, firing and whooping in true Indian style; while he +was to either conceal or disguise himself. This programme was faithfully +and completely carried out. I had been talking about Indians to McCarthy, +and he had become considerably excited, when just as we turned a bend of +the creek, we saw not half a mile from us about twenty Indians, who +instantly started for us on a gallop, firing their guns and yelling at +the top of their voices. + +"McCarthy, shall we dismount and fight, or run?" said I. + +He didn't wait to reply, but wheeling his horse, started at full speed +down the creek, losing his hat and dropping his gun; away he went, never +once looking back to see if he was being pursued. I tried to stop him by +yelling at him and saying that it was all right, as the Indians were +Pawnees. Unfortunately he did not hear me, but kept straight on, not +stopping his horse until he reached the camp. + +[Illustration: MCCARTHY'S FRIGHT.] + +I knew that he would tell General Carr that the Indians had jumped him, +and that the General would soon start out with the troops. So as soon as +the Pawnees rode up to me I told them to remain there while I went after +my friend. I rode after him as fast as possible, but he had arrived at +the command some time before me and when I got there the General had, as +I had suspected he would do, ordered out two companies of cavalry to go +in pursuit of the Indians. I told the General that the Indians were only +some Pawnees, who had been out hunting and that they had merely played a +joke upon us. I forgot to inform him that I had put up the trick, but +as he was always fond of a good joke himself, he did not get very angry. +I had picked up McCarthy's hat and gun which I returned to him, and it +was some time afterwards before he discovered who was at the bottom of +the affair. + +When we returned to Fort McPherson we found there Mr. Royal Buck, whose +father had been killed with his entire party by Pawnee Killer's band of +Indians on the Beaver Creek. He had a letter from the commanding officer +of the Department requesting that he be furnished with an escort to go in +search of the remains of his father and the party. Two companies of +cavalry were sent with him and I accompanied them as guide. As the old +squaw, which we had captured, and of which mention is made in a previous +chapter, could not exactly tell us the place on Beaver Creek where the +party had been killed, we searched the country over for two days and +discovered no signs of the murdered men. At last, however, our efforts +were rewarded with success. We found pieces of their wagons and among +other things an old letter or two which Mr. Buck recognized as his +father's handwriting. We then discovered some of the remains, which we +buried; but nothing further. It was now getting late in the fall and we +accordingly returned to Fort McPherson. + +A short time after this the Fifth Cavalry was ordered to Arizona, a not +very desirable country to soldier in. I had become greatly attached to +the officers of the regiment, having been continually with them for over +three years, and had about made up my mind to accompany them, when a +letter was received from General Sheridan instructing the commanding +officer "not to take Cody" with him, and saying that I was to remain in +my old position. In a few days the command left for its destination, +taking the cars at McPherson Station, where I bade my old friends adieu. +During the next few weeks I had but little to do, as the post was +garrisoned by infantry, awaiting the arrival of the Third Cavalry. + +[Illustration: FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. + + +About the first of January, 1872, General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, of +Sheridan's staff came out to Fort McPherson to make preparations for a +big buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia; and as this was to +be no ordinary affair, these officers had been sent by General Sheridan +to have all the necessary arrangements perfected by the time the Grand +Duke should arrive. They learned from me that there were plenty of +buffaloes in the vicinity and especially on the Red Willow, sixty miles +distant. They said they would like to go over on the Red Willow and pick +out a suitable place for the camp; they also inquired the location of +the Spotted Tail, Sioux Indians. Spotted Tail had permission from the +Government to hunt the buffalo, with his people during the winter, in the +Republican river country. It was my opinion that they were located +somewhere on the Frenchman's Fork about one hundred and fifty miles from +Fort McPherson. + +General Sheridan's commissioners informed me, that he wished me to visit +Spotted Tail's camp, and induce about one hundred of the leading warriors +and chiefs, to come to the point where it should be decided to locate the +Alexis hunting camp, and to be there by the time the Grand Duke should +arrive, so that he could see a body of American Indians and observe the +manner in which they killed buffaloes. The Indians would also be called +upon to give a grand war dance in honor of the distinguished visitor. + +Next morning General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, accompanied by Captain Hays, +who had been left at Fort McPherson in charge of the Fifth Cavalry +horses, taking an ambulance and a light wagon, to carry their tents, and +provisions sufficient to last them two or three days; started, under my +guidance, with a small escort, for Red Willow Creek, arriving there at +night. The next day we selected a pleasant camping place on a little +knoll in the valley of the Red Willow. General Forsyth and his party +returned to the post the next day while I left for Spotted Tail's camp. + +The weather was very cold and I found my journey by no means a pleasant +one as I was obliged to camp out with only my saddle blankets; and +besides, there was more or less danger from the Indians themselves; for, +although Spotted Tail himself was friendly, I was afraid I might have +difficulty in getting into his camp. I was liable at any moment to run +into a party of his young men who might be out hunting, and as I had +many enemies among the Sioux, I would be running considerable risk in +meeting them. + +At the end of the first day I camped on Stinking Water, a tributary of +the Frenchman's Fork, where I built a little fire in the timber; but it +was so very cold I was not able to sleep much. Getting an early start in +the morning I followed up the Frenchman's Fork and late in the afternoon +I could see, from the fresh horse tracks and from the dead buffaloes +lying here and there, recently killed, that I was nearing Spotted Tail's +camp. I rode on for a few miles further, and then hiding my horse in a +low ravine, I crawled up a high hill, where I obtained a good view of the +country. I could see for four or five miles up the creek, and got sight +of a village and of two or three hundred ponies in its vicinity. I waited +until night came and then I succeeded in riding into the Indian camp +unobserved. + +[Illustration: SPOTTED TAIL.] + +I had seen Spotted Tail's camp when he came from the north and I knew the +kind of lodge he was living in. As I entered the village I wrapped a +blanket around my head so that the Indians could not tell whether I was a +white or a red man. In this way I rode around until I found Spotted +Tail's lodge. Dismounting from my horse I opened his tent door and looked +in and saw the old chief lying on some robes. I spoke to him and he +recognized me at once and invited me to enter. Inside the lodge I found a +white man, an old frontiersman, Todd Randall, who was Spotted Tail's +agent and who had lived a great many years with the Indians. He +understood their language perfectly and did all the interpreting for +Spotted Tail. Through him I readily communicated with the chief and +informed him of my errand. I told him that the warriors and chiefs would +greatly please General Sheridan if they would meet him in about ten +sleeps at the old Government crossing of the Red Willow. I further +informed him that there was a great chief from across the water who was +coming there to visit him. Spotted Tail replied that he would be very +glad to go; that the next morning he would call his people together and +select those who would accompany him. I told Spotted Tail how I had +entered his camp. He replied that I had acted wisely; that although his +people were friendly, yet some of his young men had a grudge against me, +and I might have had difficulty with them had I met them away from the +village. He directed his squaw to get me something to eat, and ordered +that my horse be taken care of, and upon his invitation I spent the +remainder of the night in his lodge. + +Next morning the chiefs and warriors assembled according to orders, and +to them was stated the object of my visit. They were asked: + +"Do you know who this man is?" + +"Yes, we know him well," replied one, "that is Pa-he-haska," (that being +my name among the Sioux, which translated means "Long Hair") "that is our +old enemy," a great many of the Indians, who were with Spotted Tail at +this time, had been driven out of the Republican country. + +"That is he," said Spotted Tail. "I want all my people to be kind to him +and treat him as my friend." + +I noticed that several of them were looking daggers at me. They appeared +as if they wished to raise my hair then and there. Spotted Tail motioned +and I followed him into his lodge, and thereupon the Indians dispersed. +Having the assurance of Spotted Tail that none of the young men would +follow me I started back for the Red Willow, arriving the second night. + +There I found Captain Egan with a company of the Second Cavalry and a +wagon train loaded with tents, grain, provisions, etc. The men were +leveling off the ground and were making preparations to put up large wall +tents for the Grand Duke Alexis and his _suite_, and for General +Sheridan, his staff and other officers, and invited guests of the party. +Proceeding to Fort McPherson I reported what had been done. Thereupon +Quartermaster Hays selected from the five or six hundred horses in his +charge, seventy-five of the very best, which were sent to the Red Willow, +to be used by Alexis and his party at the coming hunt. In a day or two a +large supply of provisions, liquors, etc., arrived from Chicago, together +with bedding and furniture for the tents; all of which were sent over to +Camp Alexis. + +[Illustration: GRAND DUKE ALEXIS.] + +At last, on the morning of the 12th of January, 1872, the Grand Duke and +party arrived at North Platte by special train; in charge of a Mr. +Francis Thompson. Captain Hays and myself, with five or six ambulances, +fifteen or twenty extra saddle-horses and a company of cavalry under +Captain Egan, were at the depot in time to receive them. Presently +General Sheridan and a large, fine-looking young man, whom we at once +concluded to be the Grand Duke came out of the cars and approached us. +General Sheridan at once introduced me to the Grand Duke as Buffalo Bill, +for he it was, and said that I was to take charge of him and show him how +to kill buffalo. + +In less than half an hour the whole party were dashing away towards the +south, across the South Platte and towards the Medicine; upon reaching +which point we halted for a change of horses and a lunch. Resuming our +ride we reached Camp Alexis in the afternoon. General Sheridan was well +pleased with the arrangements that had been made and was delighted to +find that Spotted Tail and his Indians had arrived on time. They were +objects of great curiosity to the Grand Duke, who spent considerable time +in looking at them, and watching their exhibitions of horsemanship, sham +fights, etc. That evening the Indians gave the grand war dance, which I +had arranged for. + +[Illustration: INDIAN EXERCISES.] + +General Custer, who was one of the hunting party, carried on a mild +flirtation with one of Spotted Tail's daughters, who had accompanied her +father thither, and it was noticed also that the Duke Alexis paid +considerable attention to another handsome red-skin maiden. The night +passed pleasantly, and all retired with great expectations of having a +most enjoyable and successful buffalo hunt. The Duke Alexis asked me a +great many questions as to how we shot buffaloes, and what kind of a gun +or pistol we used, and if he was going to have a good horse. I told him +that he was to have my celebrated buffalo horse Buckskin Joe, and when +we went into a buffalo herd all he would have to do was to sit on the +horse's back and fire away. + +At nine o'clock next morning we were all in our saddles, and in a few +minutes were galloping over the prairies in search of a buffalo herd. We +had not gone far before we observed a herd some distance ahead of us +crossing our way; after that we proceeded cautiously, so as to keep out +of sight until we were ready to make a charge. + +Of course the main thing was to give Alexis the first chance and the best +shot at the buffaloes, and when all was in readiness we dashed over a +little knoll that had hidden us from view, and in a few minutes we were +among them. Alexis at first preferred to use his pistol instead of a gun. +He fired six shots from this weapon at buffaloes only twenty feet away +from him, but as he shot wildly, not one of his bullets took effect. +Riding up to his side and seeing that his weapon was empty, I exchanged +pistols with him. He again fired six shots, without dropping a buffalo. + +Seeing that the animals were bound to make their escape without his +killing one of them, unless he had a better weapon, I rode up to him, +gave him my old reliable "Lucretia," and told him to urge his horse close +to the buffaloes, and I would then give him the word when to shoot. At +the same time I gave old Buckskin Joe a blow with my whip, and with a few +jumps the horse carried the Grand Duke to within about ten feet of a big +buffalo bull. + +"Now is your time," said I. He fired, and down went the buffalo. The +Grand Duke stopped his horse, dropped his gun on the ground, and +commenced waving his hat. When his _suite_ came galloping up, he began +talking to them in a tongue which I could not understand. Presently +General Sheridan joined the group, and the ambulances were brought up. +Very soon the corks began to fly from the champagne bottles, in honor of +the Grand Duke Alexis, who had killed the first buffalo. + +It was reported in a great many of the newspapers that I shot the first +buffalo for Alexis, while in some it was stated that I held the buffalo +while His Royal Highness killed it. But the way I have related the affair +is the correct version. + +It was thought that we had had about sport enough for one day, and +accordingly I was directed by General Sheridan to guide the party back to +camp, and we were soon on our way thither. Several of the party, however, +concluded to have a little hunt on their own account, and presently we +saw them galloping over the prairie in different directions in pursuit of +buffaloes. + +While we were crossing a deep ravine, on our way to camp, we ran into a +small band of buffaloes that had been frightened by some of the hunters. +As they rushed past us, not more than thirty yards distant, Alexis raised +his pistol, fired and killed a buffalo cow. It was either an +extraordinary good shot or a "scratch"--probably the latter, for it +surprised the Grand Duke as well as everybody else. We gave him three +cheers, and when the ambulance came up we took a pull at the champagne +in honor of the Grand Duke's success. I was in hopes that he would kill +five or six more buffaloes before we reached camp, especially if a basket +of champagne was to be opened every time he dropped one. + +General Sheridan directed me to take care of the hides and heads of the +buffaloes which Alexis had killed, as the Duke wished to keep them as +souvenirs of the hunt. I also cut out the choice meat from the cow and +brought it into camp, and that night at supper Alexis had the pleasure of +dining on broiled buffalo steak obtained from the animal which he had +shot himself. + +We remained at this camp two or three days, during which we hunted most +of the time, the Grand Duke himself killing eight buffaloes. + +One day Alexis desired to see how the Indians hunted buffaloes and killed +them with bow and arrow; so Spotted Tail, selecting some of his best +hunters, had them surround a herd, and bring the animals down, not only +with arrows, but with lances. The Grand Duke was told to follow upon the +heels of one celebrated Indian hunter, whose name was "Two Lance," and +watch him bring down the game; for this chief had the reputation of being +able to send an arrow through and through the body of a buffalo. Upon +this occasion he did not belie his reputation, for he sent an arrow +_through_ a buffalo, which fell dead at the shot, and the arrow was given +to Alexis as a souvenir of his hunt on the American Plains. + +[Illustration: TWO LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO.] + +When the Grand Duke was satisfied with the sport, orders were given for +the return to the railroad. The conveyance provided for the Grand Duke +and General Sheridan was a heavy double-seated open carriage, or rather +an Irish dog-cart, and it was drawn by four spirited cavalry horses which +were not much used to the harness. The driver was Bill Reed, an old +overland stage driver and wagon master; on our way in, the Grand Duke +frequently expressed his admiration of the skillful manner in which Reed +handled the reins. + +General Sheridan informed the Duke that I also had been a stage-driver in +the Rocky Mountains, and thereupon His Royal Highness expressed a desire +to see me drive. I was in advance at the time, and General Sheridan sang +out to me: + +"Cody, get in here and show the Duke how you can drive. Mr. Reed will +exchange places with you and ride your horse." + +"All right, General," said I, and in a few moments I had the reins and we +were rattling away over the prairie. When we were approaching Medicine +Creek, General Sheridan said: "Shake 'em up a little, Bill, and give us +some old-time stage-driving." I gave the horses a crack or two of the +whip, and they started off at a very rapid gait. They had a light load to +pull, and kept increasing their speed at every jump, and I found it +difficult to hold them. They fairly flew over the ground, and at last we +reached a steep hill, or divide, which, led down into the valley of the +Medicine. There was no brake on the wagon, and the horses were not much +on the hold-back. I saw that it would be impossible to stop them. All I +could do was to keep them straight in the track and let them go it down +the hill, for three miles; which distance, I believe, was made in about +six minutes. Every once in a while the hind wheels would strike a rut and +take a bound, and not touch the ground again for fifteen or twenty feet. +The Duke and the General were kept rather busy in holding their positions +on the seats, and when they saw that I was keeping the horses straight in +the road, they seemed to enjoy the dash which we were making. I was +unable to stop the team until they ran into the camp where we were to +obtain a fresh relay, and there I succeeded in checking them. The Grand +Duke said he didn't want any more of that kind of driving, as he +preferred to go a little slower. + +On arriving at the railroad, the Duke invited me into his car, and made +me some valuable presents, at the same time giving me a cordial +invitation to visit him, if ever I should come to his country. + +General Sheridan took occasion to remind me of an invitation to visit New +York which I had received from some of the gentlemen who accompanied the +General on the hunt from Fort McPherson to Hays City, in September of the +previous year. Said he: + +"You will never have a better opportunity to accept that invitation than +now. I have had a talk with General Ord concerning you, and he will give +you a leave of absence whenever you are ready to start. Write a letter to +General Stager, of Chicago, that you are now prepared to accept the +invitation, and he will send you a pass." + +Thanking the General for his kindness, I then bade him and the Grand Duke +good-bye, and soon their train was out of sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGHT-SEEING. + + +General Ord, commanding the Department of the Platte at the time, and who +had been out on the Alexis hunt, had some business to attend to at Fort +McPherson, and I accepted his invitation to ride over to the post with +him in an ambulance. On the way thither he asked me how I would like to +have an officer's commission in the regular army. He said that General +Sheridan and himself had had some conversation about the matter, and if I +wanted a commission, one could easily be procured for me. I thanked +General Ord for his kindness, and said that although an officer's +commission in the regular army was a tempting prize, yet I preferred to +remain in the position I was then holding. He concluded by stating that +if at any time I should wish a commission, all that I would have to do to +secure it would be to inform him of my desire. + +Having determined to visit New York, I acted upon General Sheridan's +suggestion and wrote to General Stager, from whom in a few days I +received my railroad passes. Obtaining thirty days' leave of absence from +the department, I struck out for the East. On arriving in Chicago, in +February, 1872, I was met at the depot by Colonel M.V. Sheridan, who said +that his brother, the General, had not yet returned, but had sent word +that I was to be his and the Colonel's guest, at their house, while I +remained in Chicago. + +I spent two or three days very pleasantly in the great city of the West, +meeting several of the gentlemen who had been out on the Sheridan hunt in +September--General Stager, Colonel Wilson, editor of the _Journal_; Mr. +Sam Johnson, General Rucker and others--by all of whom I was most +cordially received and well entertained. I was introduced to quite a +number of the best people of the city, and was invited to several "swell" +dinners. I also accompanied General Sheridan--who meantime had returned +to the city--to a ball at Riverside--an aristocratic suburb. + +[Illustration: AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION] + +On this occasion I became so embarrassed that it was more difficult for +me to face the throng of beautiful ladies, than it would have been to +confront a hundred hostile Indians. This was my first trip to the East, +and I had not yet become accustomed to being stared at. And besides +this, the hundreds of questions which I was called upon to answer further +embarrassed and perplexed me. + +According to the route laid out for me by General Stager, I was to stop +at Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Rochester on my way to New York, and he +provided me with all the necessary railroad passes. Just as I was about +to leave Chicago I met Professor Henry A. Ward, of Rochester, for whom +during the previous year or two I had collected a large number of +specimens of wild animals. He was on his way to Rochester, and kindly +volunteered to act as my guide until we reached that point. We spent one +day in viewing the wonders of Niagara, and I stopped one day at Rochester +and was shown the beauties of that handsome city by Professor Ward, and I +had the honor of receiving an invitation to dine with the Mayor. + +On arriving at New York I was met at the depot by Mr. J.G. Hecksher, who +had been appointed as "a committee of one" to escort me to the Union +Club, where James Gordon Bennett, Leonard W. Jerome and others were to +give me an informal reception, and where I was to make my headquarters +during my visit in the great metropolis. I had an elegant dinner at the +club rooms, with the gentlemen who had been out on the September hunt, +and other members of the club. + +After dinner, in company with Mr. Hecksher--who acted as my guide--I +started out on the trail of my friend, Ned Buntline, whom we found at the +Brevoort Place Hotel. He was delighted to see me, and insisted on my +becoming his guest. He would listen to no excuses, and on introducing me +to Messrs. Overton & Blair, proprietors of the Brevoort, they also gave +me a pressing invitation to make my home at their house. I finally +compromised the matter by agreeing to divide my time between the Union +Club, the Brevoort House, and Ned Buntline's quarters. + +The next few days I spent in viewing the sights of New York, everything +being new and startling, convincing me that as yet I had seen but a small +portion of the world. I received numerous dinner invitations, as well as +invitations to visit different places of amusement and interest; but as +they came in so thick and fast, I soon became badly demoralized and +confused. I found I had accepted invitations to dine at half a dozen or +more houses on the same day and at the same hour. James Gordon Bennett +had prepared a dinner for me, at which quite a large number of his +friends were to be present, but owing to my confusion, arising from the +many other invitations I had received, I forgot all about it, and dined +elsewhere. This was "a bad break," but I did not learn of my mistake +until next day, when at the Union Club House several gentlemen, among +them Lawrence Jerome, inquired "where in the world I had been," and why I +had not put in an appearance at Bennett's dinner. They said that Bennett +had taken great pains to give me a splendid reception, that the party had +waited till nine o'clock for me, and that my non-arrival caused +considerable disappointment. I apologized as well as I could, by saying +that I had been out on a scout and had got lost, and had forgotten all +about the dinner; and expressed my regret for the disappointment I had +created by my forgetfulness. August Belmont, the banker, being near said: + +"Never mind, gentlemen, I'll give Cody a dinner at my house." + +"Thank you, sir," said I; "I see you are determined that I shall not run +short of rations while I am in the city. I'll be there, sure." + +Both Mr. Jerome and Mr. Hecksher told me that I must not disappoint Mr. +Belmont, for his dinners were splendid affairs. I made a note of the +date, and at the appointed time I was promptly at Mr. Belmont's mansion, +where I spent a very enjoyable evening. + +Mr. Bennett, who was among the guests, having forgiven my carelessness, +invited me to accompany him to the Liederkranz masked ball, which was to +take place in a few evenings, and would be a grand spectacle. Together we +attended the ball, and during the evening I was well entertained. The +dancers kept on their masks until midnight, and the merry and motley +throng presented a brilliant scene, moving gracefully beneath the bright +gas-light to the inspiriting music. To me it was a novel and entertaining +sight, and in many respects reminded me greatly of an Indian war-dance. + +Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Bennett, I had dressed myself in my +buckskin suit, and I naturally attracted considerable attention; +especially when I took part in the dancing and exhibited some of my +backwoods steps, which, although not as graceful as some, were a great +deal more emphatic. But when I undertook to do artistic dancing, I found +I was decidedly out of place in that crowd, and I accordingly withdrew +from the floor. + +I occasionally passed an evening at Niblo's Garden, viewing the many +beauties of "The Black Crook," which was then having its long run, under +the management of Jarrett & Palmer, whose acquaintance I had made, and +who extended to me the freedom of the theater. + +Ned Buntline and Fred Maeder had dramatized one of the stories which the +former had written about me for the _New York Weekly_. The drama was +called "Buffalo Bill, the King of Border Men." While I was in New York it +was produced at the Bowery Theater; J.B. Studley, an excellent actor, +appearing in the character of "Buffalo Bill," and Mrs. W.G. Jones, a fine +actress, taking the part of my sister, a leading _role_. I was curious to +see how I would look when represented by some one else, and of course I +was present on the opening night, a private box having been reserved for +me. The theater was packed, every seat being occupied as well as the +standing-room. The drama was played smoothly, and created a great deal of +enthusiasm. + +The audience, upon learning that the real "Buffalo Bill" was present, +gave several cheers between the acts, and I was called on to come out on +the stage and make a speech. Mr. Freleigh, the manager, insisted that I +should comply with the request, and that I should be introduced to Mr. +Studley. I finally consented, and the next moment I found myself standing +behind the footlights and in front of an audience for the first time in +my life. I looked up, then down, then on each side, and everywhere I saw +a sea of human faces, and thousands of eyes all staring at me. I confess +that I felt very much embarrassed--never more so in my life--and I knew +not what to say. I made a desperate effort, and a few words escaped me, +but what they were I could not for the life of me tell, nor could any one +else in the house. My utterances were inaudible even to the leader of the +orchestra, Mr. Dean, who was sitting only a few feet in front of me. +Bowing to the audience, I beat a hasty retreat into one of the canons of +the stage. I never felt more relieved in my life than when I got out of +the view of that immense crowd. That evening Mr. Freleigh offered to +give me five hundred dollars a week to play the part of "Buffalo Bill" +myself. I thought that he was certainly joking, especially as he had +witnessed my awkward performance; but when he assured me that he was in +earnest, I told him that it would be useless for me to attempt anything +of the kind, for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, even +if it was to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actor +out of a government mule. I thanked him for the generous offer, which I +had to decline owing to a lack of confidence in myself; or as some people +might express it, I didn't have the requisite cheek to undertake a thing +of that sort. The play of "Buffalo Bill" had a very successful run of six +or eight weeks, and was afterwards produced in all the principal cities +of the country, everywhere being received with genuine enthusiasm. + +I had been in New York about twenty days when General Sheridan arrived in +the city. I met him soon after he got into town. In answer to a question +how I was enjoying myself, I replied that I had struck the best camp I +had ever seen, and if he didn't have any objections I would like to have +my leave of absence extended about ten days. This he willingly did, and +then informed me that my services would soon be required at Fort +McPherson, as there was to be an expedition sent out from that point. + +At Westchester, Pennsylvania, I had some relatives living whom I had +never seen, and now being so near, I determined to make them a visit. +Upon mentioning the matter to Buntline, he suggested that we should +together take a trip to Philadelphia, and thence run out to Westchester. +Accordingly the next day found us in the "City of Brotherly Love," and in +a few hours we arrived at the home of my uncle, General Henry R. Guss, +the proprietor of the Green Tree Hotel, who gave us a cordial reception. + +Inviting us into the parlor, my uncle brought in the members of his +family, among them an elderly lady, who was my grandmother, as he +informed me. He told me that my Aunt Eliza, his first wife, was dead, and +that he had married a second time; Lizzie Guss, my cousin, I thought was +the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. They were all very anxious to +have us remain several days, but as I had some business to attend to in +New York, I was obliged to return that day. Assuring them, however, that +I would visit them again soon, I bade them adieu, and with Buntline took +the train for New York. + +The time soon arrived for my departure for the West; so packing up my +traps I started for home, and on the way thither I spent a day with my +Westchester relatives, who did everything in their power to entertain me +during my brief stay with them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HONORS. + + +Upon reaching Fort McPherson, I found that the Third Cavalry, commanded +by General Reynolds, had arrived from Arizona, in which Territory they +had been on duty for some time, and where they had acquired quite a +reputation on account of their Indian fighting qualities. + +Shortly after my return, a small party of Indians made a dash on +McPherson Station, about five miles from the fort, killing two or three +men and running off quite a large number of horses. Captain Meinhold and +Lieutenant Lawson with their company were ordered out to pursue and +punish the Indians if possible. I was the guide of the expedition and had +as an assistant T.B. Omohundro, better known as "Texas Jack" and who was +a scout at the post. + +Finding the trail, I followed it for two days, although it was difficult +trailing because the red-skins had taken every possible precaution to +conceal their tracks. On the second day Captain Meinhold went into camp +on the South Fork of the Loupe, at a point where the trail was badly +scattered. Six men were detailed to accompany me on a scout in search of +the camp of the fugitives. We had gone but a short distance when we +discovered Indians camped, not more than a mile away, with horses grazing +near by. They were only a small party, and I determined to charge upon +them with my six men, rather than return to the command, because I feared +they would see us as we went back and then they would get away from us +entirely. I asked the men if they were willing to attempt it, and they +replied that they would follow me wherever I would lead them. That was +the kind of spirit that pleased me, and we immediately moved forward on +the enemy, getting as close to them as possible without being seen. + +I finally gave the signal to charge, and we dashed into the little camp +with a yell. Five Indians sprang out of a willow tepee, and greeted us +with a volley, and we returned the fire. I was riding Buckskin Joe, who +with a few jumps brought me up to the tepee, followed by my men. We +nearly ran over the Indians who were endeavoring to reach their horses on +the opposite side of the creek. Just as one was jumping the narrow stream +a bullet from my old "Lucretia" overtook him. He never reached the other +bank, but dropped dead in the water. Those of the Indians who were +guarding the horses, seeing what was going on at the camp, came rushing +to the rescue of their friends. I now counted thirteen braves, but as we +had already disposed of two, we had only eleven to take care of. The odds +were nearly two to one against us. + +While the Indian reinforcements were approaching the camp I jumped the +creek with Buckskin Joe to meet them, expecting our party would follow +me; but as they could not induce their horses to make the leap, I was the +only one who got over. I ordered the sergeant to dismount his men, and +leaving one to hold the horses, to come over with the rest and help me +drive the Indians off. Before they could do this, two mounted warriors +closed in on me and were shooting at short range. I returned their fire +and had the satisfaction of seeing one of them fall from his horse. At +this moment I felt blood trickling down my forehead, and hastily running +my hand through my hair I discovered that I had received a scalp wound. +The Indian, who had shot me, was not more than ten yards away, and when +he saw his partner tumble from his saddle, he turned to run. + +By this time the soldiers had crossed the creek to assist me, and were +blazing away at the other Indians. Urging Buckskin Joe forward, I was +soon alongside of the chap who had wounded me, when raising myself in the +stirrups I shot him through the head. + +The reports of our guns had been heard by Captain Meinhold, who at once +started with his company up the creek to our aid, and when the remaining +Indians, whom we were still fighting, saw these reinforcements coming +they whirled their horses and fled; as their steeds were quite fresh they +made their escape. However, we killed six out of the thirteen Indians, +and captured most of their stolen stock. Our loss was one man killed, and +one man--myself--slightly wounded. One of our horses was killed, and +Buckskin Joe was wounded, but I didn't discover the fact until some time +afterwards as he had been shot in the breast and showed no signs of +having received a scratch of any kind. Securing the scalps of the dead +Indians and other trophies we returned to the fort. + +I made several other scouts during the summer with different officers of +the Third Cavalry, one being with Major Alick Moore, a good officer, +with whom I was out for thirty days. Another long one was with Major +Curtis, with whom I followed some Indians from the South Platte river to +Fort Randall on the Missouri river in Dakota, on which trip the command +ran out of rations and for fifteen days subsisted entirely upon the game +we killed. + +In the fall of 1872 the Earl of Dunraven and Dr. Kingsley with several +friends came to Fort McPherson with a letter from General Sheridan, +asking me to accompany them on an elk hunt. I did so, and I afterwards +spent several weeks in hunting with the Earl of Dunraven, who was a +thorough sportsman and an excellent hunter. It was while I was out with +the Earl, that a Chicago party--friends of General Sheridan--arrived at +Fort McPherson for the purpose of going out on a hunt. They, too, had a +letter from, the General requesting me to go with them. The Earl had not +yet finished his hunt, but as I had been out with him for several weeks, +and he had by this time learned where to find plenty of elks and other +game, I concluded to leave him and accompany the Chicago party. I +informed him of my intention and gave him my reasons for going, at the +same time telling him that I would send him one of my scouts, Texas Jack, +who was a good hunter, and would be glad to accompany him. The Earl +seemed to be somewhat offended at this, and I don't think he has ever +forgiven me for "going back on him." Let that be as it may, he found +Texas Jack a splendid hunter and guide, and Jack has been his guide on +several hunts since. + +[Illustration: TEXAS JACK] + +Among the gentlemen who composed the Chicago party were E.P. +Green,--son-in-law of Remington, the rifle manufacturer,--Alexander +Sample, Mr. Milligan, of the firm of Heath & Milligan, of Chicago, and +several others, whose names I do not now remember. Mr. Milligan was a +man full of life, and was continually "boiling over with fun." He was a +regular velocipede, so to speak, and was here, there, and everywhere. +He was exceedingly desirous of having an Indian fight on the trip, not +that he was naturally a blood-thirsty man but just for variety he +wanted a little "Indian pie." He was in every respect the life of the +party, during the entire time that we were out. One day while he was +hunting with Sample and myself we came in sight of a band of thirty +mounted Indians. + +"Milligan, here's what you've been wanting for some time," said I, "for +yonder is a war party of Indians and no mistake; and they'll come for +us, you bet." + +"I don't believe this is one of my fighting days," replied Milligan, "and +it occurs to me that I have urgent business at the camp." + +Our camp was five or six miles distant on the Dismal river, and our +escort consisted of a company of cavalry commanded by Captain Russell. +The soldiers were in camp, and Milligan thought that Captain Russell +ought to be at once notified of the appearance of these Indians. Knowing +that we could reach the camp in safety, for we were well mounted, I +continued to have considerable amusement at Milligan's expense, who +finally said: + +"Cody, what's making my hat raise up so. I can hardly keep it on my +head." + +Sample, who was as cool as a cucumber, said to Milligan: "There must be +something wrong with your hair. It must be trying to get on end." + +"It's all very fine for you fellows to stand here and talk," replied +Milligan, "but I am not doing justice to my family by remaining. Sample, +I think we are a couple of old fools to have come out here, and I never +would have done so if it had not been for you." + +By this time the Indians had discovered us and were holding a +consultation, and Milligan turned his horse in the direction of the camp. +I never believed that he was half as scared as he seemed to be, but that +he was merely pretending so that we could enjoy our joke. However, we did +not wait any longer but rode into camp and notified Captain Russell, who +immediately started with his company to pursue the band. + +While we were riding along with the company Milligan said to Sample: +"Now, Alick, let them come on. We may yet go back to Chicago covered +with glory." + +We struck the trail going north, but as we had not come out on a scout +for Indians, we concluded not to follow them; although Milligan was now +very anxious to proceed and clean them out. + +The hunt came to an end in a day or two, and we escorted the visiting +hunters to North Platte, where they took the train for Chicago. Before +their departure they extended to me a very cordial invitation to come to +their city on a visit, promising that I should be well taken care of. + +Soon after this I had the pleasure of guiding a party of gentlemen from +Omaha on a buffalo hunt. Among the number were Judge Dundy, Colonel +Watson B. Smith, and U.S. District Attorney Neville. We left Fort +McPherson in good trim. I was greatly amused at the "style" of Mr. +Neville, who wore a stove-pipe hat and a swallow-tail coat, which made up +a very comical rig for a buffalo hunter. As we galloped over the prairie, +he jammed his hat down over his ears to keep it from being shaken off his +head, and in order to stick to his horse, he clung to the pommel of his +saddle. He was not much of a rider, and he went bouncing up and down, +with his swallow-tails flopping in the air. The sight I shall never +forget, for it was enough to make a "horse laugh," and I actually believe +old Buckskin Joe did laugh. + +However, we had a splendid hunt, and on the second day I lariated, or +roped, a big buffalo bull and tied him to a tree,--a feat which I had +often performed, and which the gentlemen requested me to do on this +occasion for their benefit, as they had heard of my skill with the +lariat. I captured several other buffaloes in the same way. The gentlemen +returned to Omaha well pleased with their hunt. + +In the fall of the year, 1872, a convention was held at Grand Island, +when some of my friends made me their candidate to represent the +Twenty-sixth District in the legislature of Nebraska; but as I had always +been a Democrat and the State was largely Republican, I had no idea of +being elected. In fact I cared very little about it, and therefore made +no effort whatever to secure an election. However, I was elected and that +is the way in which I acquired my title of Honorable. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN ACTOR. + + +During the summer and fall of 1872, I received numerous letters from Ned +Buntline, urging me to come East and go upon the stage to represent my +own character. "There's money in it," he wrote, "and you will prove a big +card, as your character is a novelty on the stage." + +At times I almost determined to make the venture; but the recollection of +that night when I stood on the stage of the Bowery Theatre and was unable +to utter a word above a whisper, would cause me to stop and think and +become irresolute. I feared that I would be a total failure, and wrote +Buntline to that effect. But he insisted that I would soon get over all +that embarrassment, and become accustomed to the stage, so that I would +think no more of appearing before five thousand people than I would +before half a dozen. He proposed to organize a good company, and wished +me to meet him in Chicago, where the opening performance would be given. + +I remained undecided as to what I ought to do. The officers at the fort +as well as my family and friends to whom I had mentioned the matter, +laughed at the idea of my ever becoming an actor. That I, an old scout +who had never seen more than twenty or thirty theatrical performances in +my life, should think of going upon the stage, was ridiculous in the +extreme--so they all said. + +A few days after my election to the legislature a happy event occurred in +my family circle, in the birth of a daughter whom we named Ora; about the +same time I received another letter from Buntline, in which he requested +me to appear on the stage for a few months as an experiment; and he said +that if I made a failure or did not like the business, I could easily +return to my old life. + +My two sisters who had been living with us had married,--Nellie, to A. +C. Jester, a cattle man, and May, to Ed. Bradford, a railroad +engineer--and consequently left us; and my wife had been wishing for a +long time to visit her parents in St. Louis. Taking these and other +things into consideration I finally resolved to resign my seat in the +legislature and try my luck behind the footlights. I informed General +Reynolds of my determination, telling him at the same time that at the +end of the month, November, I would resign my position under him. The +General regretted to hear this, and advised me not to take the step, for +I was leaving a comfortable little home, where I was sure of making a +good living for my family; while, on the other hand, I was embarking +upon a sea of uncertainty. Having once made up my mind, however, nothing +could change it. + +While I was selling my horses and other effects, preparatory to leaving +the fort, one of my brother scouts, Texas Jack, said that he would like +to accompany me. Now as Jack had also appeared as the hero in one of +Ned Buntline's stories, I thought that he would make as good a "star" +as myself, and it was accordingly arranged that Jack should go with me. +On our way East we stopped in Omaha a day or two to visit General Augur +and other officers, and also the gentlemen who were out on the Judge +Dundy hunt. Judge Dundy and his friends gave a dinner party in my honor +at the leading restaurant and entertained me very handsomely during my +stay in the city. + +At Omaha I parted with my family, who went to St. Louis, while Jack and +myself proceeded to Chicago. Ned Buntline and Mr. Milligan, having been +apprised of our coming by a telegram, met us at the depot. Mr. Milligan +accompanied us to the Sherman House, where he had made arrangements for +us to be his guests while we remained in the city. I didn't see much of +Buntline that evening, as he hurried off to deliver a temperance lecture +in one of the public halls. The next day we met him by appointment, and +the first thing he said, was: + +"Boys, are you ready for business?" + +"I can't answer that," replied I, "for we don't know what we are +going to do." + +"It's all arranged," said he, "and you'll have no trouble whatever. Come +with me. We'll go and see Nixon, manager of the Amphitheatre. That's the +place where we are to play. We'll open there next Monday night." Jack and +myself accordingly accompanied him to manager Nixon's office without +saying a word, as we didn't know what to say. + +"Here we are, Mr. Nixon," said Buntline; "here are the stars for you. +Here are the boys; and they are a fine pair to draw too. Now, Nixon, I am +prepared for business." + +Nixon and Buntline had evidently had a talk about the terms of our +engagement. Buntline, it seems, was to furnish the company, the drama, +and the pictorial printing, and was to receive sixty per cent. of the +gross receipts for his share; while Nixon was to furnish the theater, the +_attaches_, the orchestra, and the local printing; and receive forty per +cent. of the gross receipts. + +"I am ready for you, Buntline. Have you got your company yet?" +asked Nixon. + +"No, sir; but there are plenty of idle theatrical people in town, and I +can raise a company in two hours," was his reply. + +"You haven't much time to spare, if you open on Monday night," said +Nixon. "If you will allow me to look at your drama, to see what kind of +people you want, I'll assist you in organizing your company." + +"I have not yet written the drama," said Buntline. + +"What the deuce do you mean? This is Wednesday, and you propose to open +on next Monday night. The idea is ridiculous. Here you are at this late +hour without a company and without a drama. This will never do, Buntline. +I shall have to break my contract with you, for you can't possibly write +a drama, cast it, and rehearse it properly for Monday night. Furthermore, +you have no pictorial printing as yet. These two gentlemen, whom you have +with you, have never been on the stage, and they certainly must have time +to study their parts. It is preposterous to think of opening on Monday +night, and I'll cancel the engagement." + +This little speech was delivered in rather an excited manner by Mr. +Nixon. Buntline said that he would write the drama that day and also +select his company and have them at the theater for rehearsal next +morning. Nixon laughed at him, and said that there was no use of trying +to undertake anything of the kind in so short a time--it was utterly +impossible to do it. Buntline, whose ire was rising, said to Nixon: + +"What rent will you ask for your theater for next week?" + +"Six hundred dollars," was the reply. + +"Well, sir, I'll take your theater for next week at that price, and here +is half of the amount in advance," said Buntline, as he threw down three +hundred dollars on the stand. + +Nixon took the money, gave a receipt for it, and had nothing more to say. + +"Now, come with me boys," said Buntline; and away we went to the hotel. +Buntline immediately obtained a supply of pens, ink and paper, and then +engaged all the hotel clerks as penmen. In less than an hour after he had +rented the theater, he was dashing off page after page of his proposed +drama--the work being done in his room at the hotel. He then set his +clerks at copying for him, and at the end of four hours, he jumped up +from the table, and enthusiastically shouted: + +"Hurrah for 'The Scouts of the Plains!' That's the name of the play. The +work is done. Hurrah!" + +The parts were then all copied off separately by the clerks, and handing +us our respective portions Buntline said: + +"Now, boys, go to work, and do your level best to have this dead-letter +perfect for the rehearsal, which takes place to-morrow morning at ten +o'clock, prompt. I want to show Nixon that we'll be ready on time." + +[Illustration: STUDYING THE PARTS.] + +I looked at my part and then at Jack; and Jack looked at his part and +then at me. Then we looked at each other, and then at Buntline. We did +not know what to make of the man. + +"How long will it take you to commit your part to memory, Bill?" +asked Jack. + +"About six months, as near as I can calculate. How long will it take +you?" answered I. + +"It will take me about that length of time to learn the first line," said +Jack. Nevertheless we went to our room and commenced studying. I thought +it was the hardest work I had ever done. + +"This is dry business," finally remarked Jack. + +"That's just what it is," I answered; "jerk the bell, Jack." The bell-boy +soon appeared. We ordered refreshments; after partaking thereof we +resumed our task. We studied hard for an hour or two, but finally gave it +up as a bad job, although we had succeeded in committing a small portion +to memory. Buntline now came into the room and said: + +"Boys, how are you getting along?" + +"I guess we'll have to go back on this studying business as it isn't our +_forte_" said I. + +"Don't weaken now, Bill; you'll come out on the top of the heap yet. Let +me hear you recite your part," said Buntline. I began "spouting" what I +had learned, but was interrupted by Buntline: + +"Tut! tut! you're not saying it right. You must stop at the cue." + +"Cue! What the mischief do you mean by the cue? I never saw any cue +except in a billiard room," said I. Buntline thereupon explained it to +me, as well as to Jack, who was ignorant as myself concerning the +"cue" business. + +"Jack, I think we had better back out and go to hunting again," said I. + +"See here, boys; it won't do to go back on me at this stage of the game. +Stick to it, and it may be the turning point in your lives and lead you +on to fortune and to fame." + +"A fortune is what we are after, and we'll at least give the wheel a turn +or two and see what luck we have," said I. This satisfied Buntline, but +we didn't study any more after he left us. The next morning we appeared +at rehearsal and were introduced to the company. The first rehearsal was +hardly a success; and the succeeding ones were not much better. The stage +manager did his best to teach Jack and myself what to do, but when Monday +night came we didn't know much more about it than when we began. + +The clock struck seven, and then we put on our buckskin suits, which were +the costumes we were to appear in. The theater was being rapidly filled, +and it was evident that we were going to make our _debut_ before a packed +house. As the minutes passed by, Jack and I became more and more nervous. +We occasionally looked through the holes in the curtain, and saw that the +people were continuing to crowd into the theatre; our nervousness +increased to an uncomfortable degree. + +When, at length the curtain arose, our courage had returned, so that we +thought we could face the immense crowd; yet when the time came for us +to go on, we were rather slow in making our appearance. As we stepped +forth we were received with a storm of applause, which we acknowledged +with a bow. + +[Illustration: BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS.] + +Buntline, who was taking the part of "Cale Durg," appeared, and gave me +the "cue" to speak "my little piece," but for the life of me I could not +remember a single word. Buntline saw I was "stuck," and a happy thought +occurred to him. He said--as if it were in the play: + +"Where have you been, Bill? What has kept you so long?" + +Just then my eye happened to fall on Mr. Milligan, who was surrounded by +his friends, the newspaper reporters, and several military officers, all +of whom had heard of his hunt and "Indian fight"--he being a very popular +man, and widely known in Chicago. So I said: + +"I have been out on a hunt with Milligan." + +This proved to be a big hit. The audience cheered and applauded; which +gave me greater confidence in my ability to get through the performance +all right. Buntline, who is a very versatile man, saw that it would be a +good plan to follow this up, and he said: + +"Well, Bill, tell us all about the hunt." + +I thereupon proceeded to relate in detail the particulars of the affair. +I succeeded in making it rather funny, and I was frequently interrupted +by rounds of applause. Whenever I began to "weaken," Buntline would give +me a fresh start, by asking some question. In this way I took up fifteen +minutes, without once speaking a word of my part; nor did I speak a word +of it during the whole evening. The prompter, who was standing between +the wings, attempted to prompt me, but it did no good; for while I was on +the stage I "chipped in" anything I thought of. + +"The Scouts of the Plains" was an Indian drama, of course; and there were +between forty and fifty "supers" dressed as Indians. In the fight with +them, Jack and I were at home. We blazed away at each other with blank +cartridges; and when the scene ended in a hand-to-hand encounter--a +general knock-down and drag-out--the way Jack and I killed Indians was "a +caution." We would kill them all off in one act, but they would come up +again ready for business in the next. Finally the curtain dropped; the +play was ended; and I congratulated Jack and myself on having made such a +brilliant and-successful _debut_. There was no backing out after that. + +The next morning there appeared in the Chicago papers some very funny +criticisms on our first performance. The papers gave us a better send-off +than I expected, for they did not criticise us as actors. The _Chicago +Times_ said that if Buntline had actually spent four hours in writing +that play, it was difficult for any one to see what he had been doing all +the time. Buntline, as "Cale Durg," was killed in the second act, after a +long temperance speech; and the _Inter-Ocean_ said that it was to be +regretted that he had not been killed in the first act. The company, +however, was very good, and Mdlle. Morlacchi, as "Pale Dove," +particularly fine; while Miss Cafarno "spouted" a poem of some seven +hundred and three verses, more or less, of which the reader will be glad +to know that I only recall the words "I was born in March." + +Our engagement proved a decided success financially, if not artistically. +Nixon was greatly surprised at the result, and at the end of the week he +induced Buntline to take him in as a partner in the company. + +The next week we played at DeBar's Opera House, in St. Louis, doing an +immense business. The following week we were at Cincinnati, where the +theater was so crowded every night that hundreds were unable to obtain +admission. We met with equal success all over the country. Theatrical +managers, upon hearing of this new and novel combination; which was +drawing such tremendous houses, were all anxious to secure us; and we +received offers of engagements at all the leading theaters. We played +one week at the Boston Theater, and the gross receipts amounted to +$16,200. We also appeared at Niblo's Garden, New York, the theater being +crowded to its utmost capacity every night of the engagement. At the Arch +Street Theater, Philadelphia, it was the same way. There was not a single +city where we did not have crowded houses. + +We closed our tour on the 16th of June, 1873, at Port Jervis, New York, +and when I counted up my share of the profits I found that I was only +about $6,000 ahead. I was somewhat disappointed, for, judging from our +large business, I certainly had expected a greater sum. + +Texas Jack and myself longed for a hunt on the Western prairies once +more; and on meeting in New York a party of gentlemen who were desirous +of going with us, we all started Westward, and after a pleasant trip +arrived at Fort McPherson. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +STARRING. + + +Texas Jack and I spent several weeks in hunting in the western part of +Nebraska, and at the end of our vacation we felt greatly re-invigorated +and ready for another theatrical campaign. We accordingly proceeded to +New York and organized a company for the season of 1873-74. Thinking that +Wild Bill would be quite an acquisition to the troupe, we wrote to him at +Springfield, Missouri, offering him a large salary if he would play with +us that winter. He was doing nothing at the time, and we thought that he +would like to take a trip through the States, as he had never been East. + +Wild Bill accepted our offer, and came on to New York; though he told us +from the start that we could never make an actor out of him. Although he +had a fine stage appearance and was a handsome fellow, and possessed a +good strong voice, yet when he went upon the stage before an audience, +it was almost impossible for him to utter a word. He insisted that we +were making a set of fools of ourselves, and that we were the +laughing-stock of the people. I replied that I did not care for that, as +long as they came and bought tickets to see us. + +Wild Bill was continually playing tricks upon the members of the +company, and it was his especial delight to torment the "supers." Quite +frequently in our sham Indian battles he would run up to the "Indians" +(the supers), and putting his pistol close to their legs, would fire at +them and burn them with the powder, instead of shooting over their +heads. This would make them dance and jump, so that it was difficult to +make them fall and die--although they were paid twenty-five cents each +for performing the "dying business." The poor "supers" often complained +to me about this, and threatened not to go on the stage and be killed +again if that man Wild Bill did not stop shooting and burning their +legs. I would order Wild Bill to stop his mischief; he would laugh and +then promise not to do it any more. But it would not be long before he +was at his old tricks again. + +My company, known as the "Buffalo Bill Combination," did a fine business, +all through the East. Wild Bill continued his pranks, which caused us +considerable annoyance, but at the same time greatly amused us. + +One day at Titusville, Pennsylvania, while Burke, the business agent, was +registering our names and making arrangements for our accommodation, +several of us started for the billiard room; but were met by the +landlord, who stopped me and said that there was a party of roughs from +the lower oil region who were spreeing, and had boasted that they were +staying in town to meet the Buffalo Bill gang and clean them out. The +landlord begged of me not to allow the members of the troupe to enter the +billiard room, as he did not wish any fight in his house. To please the +landlord, and at his suggestion, I called the boys up into the parlor and +explained to them the situation. Wild Bill wanted to go at once and fight +the whole mob, but I persuaded him to keep away from them during the day. + +In order to entirely avoid the roughs, the members of the company entered +the theater through a private door from the hotel, as the two buildings +joined each other. While I was standing at the door of the theater taking +the tickets, the landlord of the hotel came rushing up and said that Wild +Bill was having a fight with the roughs in the bar-room. It seemed that +Bill had not been able to resist the temptation of going to see what kind +of a mob it was that wanted to test the pluck of the Buffalo Bill party; +and just as he stepped into the room, one of the bruisers put his hand on +his shoulder and said: + +"Hello, Buffalo Bill! we have been looking for you all day." + +"My name is not Buffalo Bill; you are mistaken in the man," was +the reply. + +"You are a liar!" said the bruiser. + +Bill instantly knocked him down, and then seizing a chair he laid out +four or five of the crowd on the floor, and drove the rest out of the +room. All this was done in a minute or two, and by the time I got down +stairs, Bill was coming out of the bar-room, whistling a lively tune. + +"Well!" said he, "I have been interviewing that party who wanted to +clean us out." + +"I thought you promised to come into the Opera House by the private +entrance?" + +"I did try to follow that trail, but I got lost among the canons, and +then I ran in among the hostiles," said he; "but it is all right now. +They won't bother us any more. I guess those fellows have found us." And +sure enough they had. We heard no more of them after that. + +Another incident occurred, one night, at Portland, Maine. Bill found it +impossible to go to sleep at the hotel on account of the continued +talking of some parties who were engaged in a game of cards in an +adjoining room. He called to them several times to make less noise, but +they paid little or no attention to him. He finally got up and went to +the room with the intention of cleaning out the whole crowd. He knocked +and was admitted; greatly to his surprise, he found the party to be some +merchants of the city, whom he had met the previous day. They were +playing poker, and invited him to take a hand. Bill sat down at the +table, and said that, inasmuch as they would not let him sleep, he +wouldn't mind playing for a while, provided they would post him a little +in the game, for he didn't know much about it. At first he didn't play +very well, intentionally making many blunders and asking numerous +questions; but when morning came, he was about seven hundred dollars +ahead. Bill put the money in his pocket, and just as he was leaving the +room he advised them never to wake a man up and invite him to play poker. + +[Illustration: LEARNING THE GAME.] + +Wild Bill remained with me until we reached Rochester. I met my family +there, and having bought some property in that city, with the intention +of making the place my home, I asked Bill not to cut up any of his +capers, for I wanted the performance to go off smoothly, as I expected a +large audience that evening. He, of course, promised to behave himself. +When the curtain rose the house was crowded. The play proceeded finely +until the Indian fight in the second act, when Bill amused himself by his +old trick of singeing the legs of the "supers." + +After the curtain dropped, the "supers" complained to me about it. +Bill's conduct made me angry, and I told him that he must either stop +shooting the "supers," or leave the company. He made no reply, but went +to the dressing-room and changed his buckskin suit for his citizen's +dress, and during one of my scenes I looked down in front and saw him +elbowing his way through the audience and out of the theater. When I had +finished the scene, and had retired from the stage, the stage-carpenter +came up and said: + +"That long-haired gentleman, who passed out a few minutes ago, requested +me to tell you that you could go to thunder with your old show." + +That was the last time that Wild Bill and I ever performed together on +the stage. After the evening's entertainment I met him at the Osborn +House. By this time he had recovered from his mad fit and was in as good +humor as ever. He had made up his mind to leave for the West the next +day. I endeavored to persuade him to remain with me till spring, and then +we would go together; but it was of no use. I then paid him the money due +him, and Jack and myself made him a present of $1,000 besides. + +Bill went to New York the next day, intending to start west from there. +Several days afterwards I learned that he had lost all his money in New +York by playing faro; also that a theatrical manager had engaged him to +play. A company was organized and started out, but as a "star" Wild Bill +was not a success; the further he went the poorer he got. This didn't +suit Bill by any means, and he accordingly retired from the stage. The +company, however, kept on the road, using Bill's name, and employing an +actor to represent him not only on the stage but on the street and +elsewhere. Bill heard of this deception and sent word to the manager to +stop it, but no attention was paid to his message. + +Finally, Bill resolved to have satisfaction and he proceeded to a town +where the company was to play; he entered the theater and took a seat +near the stage, and watched the performance until the bogus Wild Bill +appeared. He then sprang upon the stage, knocked the actor clear through +one of the scenes, and grabbing the manager by the shoulders he threw him +over the foot-lights into the orchestra. + +[Illustration: GETTING SATISFACTION.] + +The other actors screamed and yelled "Police!" The audience could not at +first understand what it all meant, some of them supposing the affair to +be a part of the play. + +Wild Bill retired from the stage in good order, resumed his seat, and +told them to go on with their show. A policeman now appearing, Bill was +pointed out as the disturber of the peace; the officer tapping him on the +shoulder, said: + +"I'll have to arrest you, sir." + +"How many of you are there?" asked Bill. + +"Only myself," said the policeman. + +"You had better get some help," said Bill. The officer then called up +another policeman, and Bill again asked: + +"How many of you are there now?" + +"Two," was the reply. + +"Then I advise you to go out and get some more reinforcements," said +Bill, very coolly. + +The policemen thereupon spoke to the sheriff, who was dressed in +citizen's clothes. The sheriff came up and said he would have to take him +into custody. + +"All right, sir," replied Bill, "I have no objections to walking out with +you, but I won't go with any two policemen." At the court next morning +Bill stated his reasons for having acted as he had done, and the judge +fined him only three dollars and costs. + +This was the last time that Wild Bill appeared on the stage. He shortly +afterwards returned to the West, and on arriving at Cheyenne, he visited +Boulder's gambling room and sat down at a faro table. No one in the room +recognized him, as he had not been in Cheyenne for several years. After +losing two or three bets he threw down a fifty dollar bill and lost that +also. Boulder quietly raked in the money. Bill placed a second fifty +dollar note on another card, when Boulder informed him that the limit was +twenty-five dollars. + +"You have just taken in a fifty dollar bill which I lost," said Bill. + +"Well you needn't make any more such bets, as I will not go above my +limit," replied Boulder. + +"I'll just play that fifty dollar bill as it lays. If it loses, it's +yours; if it wins, you'll pay me fifty dollars, or I'll know the +reason why." + +"I am running this game, and I want no talk from you, sir," said Boulder. + +One word brought on another, until Boulder threatened to have Bill put +out of the house. Bill was carrying the butt end of a billiard cue for a +cane, and bending over the table, he said: "You'd rob a blind man." Then +he suddenly tapped Boulder on the head with the cane, with such force as +to knock him over. With another sweep of the cane he tumbled the +"look-out" from his chair, and then reaching over into the money drawer +he grabbed a handful of greenbacks and stuck them in his pocket. + +At this stage of the game four or five men--who were employed as +"bouncers" for the establishment to throw out the noisy persons--rushed +up to capture Bill, but he knocked them right and left with his cane, and +seeing the whole crowd was now closing in on him, he jumped into a +corner, and with each hand drew a revolver and faced the enemy. At this +moment the bar-keeper recognized him, and sang out in a loud voice: + +"Look out boys--that's Wild Bill you've run against." + +That settled the matter; for when they heard the name of Wild Bill they +turned and beat a hasty retreat out of the doors and windows, and in less +time than it takes to tell it, Wild Bill was the only man in the room. +He coolly walked over to Dyer's hotel, and retired for the night. Boulder +claimed that he had taken $500, but he really got only $200. Boulder, +upon learning that it was Wild Bill who had cleaned him out, said nothing +more about the money. The next day the two men met over a bottle of wine, +and settled their differences in an amicable manner. + +Poor Bill was afterwards killed at Deadwood, in the Black Hills, in a +cowardly manner, by a desperado who sneaked up behind him while he was +playing a game of cards in a saloon, and shot him through the back of the +head, without the least provocation. The murderer, Jack McCall, was tried +and hung at Yankton, Dakotah, for the crime. Thus ended the career of a +life-long friend of mine who, in spite of his many faults, was a noble +man, ever brave and generous hearted. + +Jack and myself continued playing through the country after Wild Bill +left us, and we finally closed our season in Boston on the 13th of +May, 1874. + +Business called me from Boston to New York, and after I had been there a +few days, I met an English gentleman, Thomas P. Medley, of London, who +had come to America for a hunt on the Plains. He had often heard of me, +and was anxious to engage me as his guide and companion, and he offered +to pay the liberal salary of one thousand dollars a month while I was +with him. He was a very wealthy man, as I learned upon inquiry, and was a +relative of Mr. Lord, of the firm of Lord & Taylor, of New York. Of +course I accepted his offer. + +When we reached the hunting ground in Nebraska, he informed me, somewhat +to my surprise, that he did not want to go out as Alexis did, with +carriages, servants, and other luxuries, but that he wished to rough it +just as I would do--to sleep on the ground in the open air, and kill and +cook his own meat. We started out from North Platte, and spent several +weeks in hunting all over the county. Dr. W. F. Carver, who then resided +at North Platte, and who has recently acquired considerable notoriety as +a rifle-shot, hunted with us for a few days. + +Mr. Medley proved to be a very agreeable gentleman and an excellent +hunter. While in camp he busied himself in carrying wood and water, +attending to the fire, and preparing and cooking the meals, never asking +me to do a thing. He did not do this to save expenses, but because he +wanted to do as the other hunters in the party were doing. After spending +as much time as he wished, we returned to the railroad, and he took the +train for the East. Everything that was required on this hunt was paid +for in the most liberal manner by Mr. Medley, who also gave the members +of the party several handsome presents. + +About this time an expedition consisting of seven companies of cavalry +and two companies of infantry--to be commanded by Colonel Mills of the +Third Cavalry, was being organized to scout the Powder River and Big Horn +country, and I was employed as guide for the command. Proceeding to +Rawlins, Wyoming, we "outfitted," and other guides were engaged--among +them Tom Sun and Bony Ernest, two noted Rocky Mountain scouts. We there +left the railroad, and passing through the Seminole range of the Rocky +Mountains we established our supply camp at the foot of Independence Rock +on the Sweetwater. I was now on my old familiar stamping ground, and it +seemed like home to me. Fifteen years before, I had ridden the pony +express and driven the overland stages through this region, and the +command was going into the same section of country where Wild Bill's +expedition of stage-drivers and express-riders had recaptured from the +Indians a large number of stolen stage-horses. + +Leaving the infantry to guard the supply camp, Colonel Mills struck out +for the north with the seven companies of cavalry. One day while we were +resting on a prairie near the head of Powder river, a horseman was seen +in the distance approaching us. At first it was thought he was an Indian, +but as he came near we saw that he was a white man, and finally when he +rode up to us, I recognized him as "California Joe," a noted scout and +frontiersman who had spent many years in California, on the plains and in +the mountains. He was armed with a heavy old Sharpe's rifle, a revolver +and a knife. I introduced him to Colonel Mills and the other officers and +asked him where he was going. He replied that he was out for a morning +ride only; but the fact was that he had been out prospecting alone for +weeks along the foot of the Big Horn mountains. + +Having no permanent occupation just at that time, Joe accompanied us for +two or three days, when Colonel Mills suggested that I had better employ +him as a scout, so that he could make a little money for himself. Joe +didn't seem to care whether I hired him or not; but I put him on the +pay-roll, and while he was with us he drew his five dollars a day. It was +worth the money to have him along for company's sake, for he was a droll +character in his way, and afforded us considerable amusement. We finally +surprised Little Wolf's band of Arapahoes and drove them into the +agencies. We then scouted the Powder river, Crazy Woman's Fork, and Clear +Fork, and then pushed westward through the mountains to the Wind river. +After having been out for a month or two we were ordered to return. + +I immediately went East and organized another Dramatic company for the +season of 1874-75, Texas Jack being absent in the Yellowstone country +hunting with the Earl of Dunraven. I played my company in all the +principal cities of the country, doing a good business wherever I went. +The summer of 1875 I spent at Rochester with my family. + +For the season of 1875-6, Texas Jack and I reorganized our old +Combination, and made a very successful tour. While we were playing at +Springfield, Massachusetts, April 20th and 21st 1876, a telegram was +handed me just as I was going on the stage. I opened it and found it to +be from Colonel G.W. Torrence, of Rochester, an intimate friend of the +family, who stated that my little boy Kit was dangerously ill with the +scarlet fever. This was indeed sad news, for little Kit had always been +my greatest pride. I sent for John Burke, our business manager, and +showing him the telegram, told him that I would play the first act, and +making a proper excuse to the audience, I would then take the nine +o'clock train that same evening for Rochester, leaving him to play out my +part. This I did, and at ten o'clock the next morning I arrived in +Rochester, and was met at the depot by my intimate friend Moses Kerngood +who at once drove me to my home. I found my little boy unable to speak +but he seemed to recognize me and putting his little arms around my neck +he tried to kiss me. We did everything in our power to save him, but it +was of no avail. The Lord claimed his own, and that evening at six +o'clock my beloved little Kit died in my arms. We laid him away to rest +in the beautiful cemetery of Mount Hope amid sorrow and tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +I RETURN TO THE PLAINS. + + +We closed our theatrical season earlier than usual in the spring of 1876, +because I was anxious to take part in the Sioux war which was then +breaking out. Colonel Hills had written me several letters saying that +General Crook was anxious to have me accompany his command, and I +promised to do so, intending to overtake him in the Powder river country. +But when I arrived at Chicago, on my way West, I learned that my old +regiment, the gallant Fifth Cavalry, was on its way back from Arizona to +join General Crook, and that my old commander, General Carr, was in +command. He had written to military headquarters at Chicago to learn my +whereabouts, as he wished to secure me as his guide and chief of scouts. +I then gave up the idea of overtaking General Crook, and hastening on to +Cheyenne, where the Fifth Cavalry had already arrived, I was met at the +depot by Lieutenant King, adjutant of the regiment, he having been sent +down from Fort D. A. Russell for that purpose by General Carr, who had +learned by a telegram from military headquarters at Chicago that I was on +the way. I accompanied the Lieutenant on horseback to the camp, and as we +rode up, one of the boys shouted, "Here's Buffalo Bill!" Soon after there +came three hearty cheers from the regiment. Officers and men all were +glad to see me, and I was equally delighted to meet them once more. The +General at once appointed me his guide and chief of scouts. + +The next morning the command pulled out for Fort Laramie, and on reaching +that post we found General Sheridan there, accompanied by General Frye +and General Forsyth, _en route_ to Red Cloud agency. As the command was +to remain here a few days, I accompanied General Sheridan to Red Cloud +and back, taking a company of cavalry as escort. + +The Indians having recently committed a great many depredations on the +Black Hills road, the Fifth Cavalry was sent out to scout the country +between the Indian agencies and the hills. The command operated on the +South Fork of the Cheyenne and at the foot of the Black Hills for about +two weeks, having several small engagements with roving bands of Indians +during the time. General Wesley Merritt--who had lately received his +promotion to the Colonelcy of the Fifth Cavalry--now came out and took +control of the regiment. I was sorry that the command was taken from +General Carr, because under him it had made its fighting reputation. +However, upon becoming acquainted with General Merritt, I found him to be +an excellent officer. + +The regiment, by continued scouting, soon drove the Indians out of that +section of the country, as we supposed, and we had started on our way +back to Fort Laramie, when a scout arrived at the camp and reported the +massacre of General Custer and his band of heroes on the Little Big Horn, +on the 25th of June, 1876; and he also brought orders to General Merritt +to proceed at once to Fort Fetterman and join General Crook in the Big +Horn country. + +Colonel Stanton, who was with the Fifth Cavalry on this scout, had been +sent to Red Cloud agency two days before, and that same evening a scout +arrived bringing a message from him that eight hundred Cheyenne warriors +had that day left the Red Cloud agency to join Sitting Bull's hostile +forces in the Big Horn region. Notwithstanding the instructions to +proceed immediately to join General Crook by the Way of Fort Fetterman, +Colonel Merritt took the responsibility of endeavoring to intercept the +Cheyennes, and as the sequel shows he performed a very important service. + +He selected five hundred men and horses, and in two hours we were making +a forced march back to Hat, or War-Bonnet Creek--the intention being to +reach the main Indian trail running to the north across that creek before +the Cheyennes could get there. We arrived there the next night, and at +daylight the following morning, July 17th, 1876, I went out on a scout, +and found that the Indians had not yet crossed the creek. On my way back +to the command I discovered a large party of Indians, which proved to be +the Cheyennes, coming up from the south, and I hurried to the camp with +this important information. + +The cavalrymen quietly mounted their horses, and were ordered to remain +out of sight, while General Merritt, accompanied by two or three _aides_ +and myself, went out on a little tour of observation to a neighboring +hill, from the summit of which we saw that the Indians were approaching +almost directly towards us. Presently fifteen or twenty of them dashed +off to the west in the direction from which we had come the night before; +and upon closer observation with our field glasses, we discovered two +mounted soldiers, evidently carrying dispatches for us, pushing forward +on our trail. + +The Indians were evidently endeavoring to intercept these two men, and +General Merritt feared that they would accomplish their object. He did +not think it advisable to send out any soldiers to the assistance of the +couriers, for fear that would show to the Indians that there were troops +in the vicinity who were waiting for them. I finally suggested that the +best plan was to wait until the couriers came closer to the command, and +then, just as the Indians were about to charge, to let me take the scouts +and cut them off from the main body of the Cheyennes, who were coming +over the divide. + +"All right, Cody," said the General, "if you can do that, go ahead." + +I rushed back to the command, jumped on my horse, picked out fifteen men, +and returned with them to the point of observation. I told General +Merritt to give us the word to start out at the proper time, and +presently he sang out: + +"Go in now, Cody, and be quick about it. They are going to charge on the +couriers." + +The two messengers were not over four hundred yards from us, and the +Indians were only about two hundred yards behind them. We instantly +dashed over the bluffs, and advanced on a gallop towards the Indians. A +running fight lasted several minutes, during which we drove the enemy +some little distance and killed three of their number. The rest of them +rode off towards the main body, which had come into plain sight, and +halted, upon seeing the skirmish that was going on. We were about half +a mile from General Merritt, and the Indians whom we were chasing +suddenly turned upon us, and another lively skirmish took place. One of +the Indians, who was handsomely decorated with all the ornaments +usually worn by a war chief when engaged in a fight, sang out to me, in +his own tongue: + +"I know you, Pa-he-haska; if you want to fight, come ahead and fight me." + +The chief was riding his horse back and forth in front of his men, as if +to banter me, and I concluded to accept the challenge. I galloped towards +him for fifty yards and he advanced towards me about the same distance, +both of us riding at full speed, and then, when we were only about thirty +yards apart, I raised my rifle and fired; his horse fell to the ground, +having been killed by my bullet. + +Almost at the same instant my own horse went down, he having stepped into +a hole. The fall did not hurt me much, and I instantly sprang to my feet. +The Indian had also recovered himself, and we were now both on foot, and +not more than twenty paces apart. We fired at each other simultaneously. +My usual luck did not desert me on this occasion, for his bullet missed +me, while mine struck him in the breast. He reeled and fell, but before +he had fairly touched the ground I was upon him, knife in hand, and had +driven the keen-edged weapon to its hilt in his heart. Jerking his +war-bonnet off, I scientifically scalped him in about five seconds. + +The whole affair from beginning to end occupied but little time, and the +Indians, seeing that I was some little distance from my company, now came +charging down upon me from a hill, in hopes of cutting me off. General +Merritt had witnessed the duel, and realizing the danger I was in, +ordered Colonel Mason with Company K to hurry to my rescue. The order +came none too soon, for had it been given one minute later I would have +had not less than two hundred Indians upon me. As the soldiers came up I +swung the Indian chieftain's top-knot and bonnet in the air, and shouted: + "_The first scalp for Custer_." + +General Merritt, seeing that he could not now ambush the Indians, ordered +the whole regiment to charge upon them. They made a stubborn resistance +for a little while, but it was of no use for any eight hundred, or even +sixteen hundred Indians to try and check a charge of the gallant old +Fifth Cavalry, and they soon came to that conclusion and began a running +retreat towards Red Cloud Agency. For thirty-five miles we drove them; +pushing them so hard that they were obliged to abandon their loose +horses, their camp equipage and everything else. We drove them into the +agency, and followed in ourselves, notwithstanding the possibility of our +having to encounter the thousands of Indians at that point. We were +uncertain whether or not the other agency Indians had determined to +follow the example of the Cheyennes and strike out upon the war-path; but +that made no difference with the Fifth Cavalry, for they would have +fought them all if necessary. It was dark when we rode into the agency, +where we found thousands of Indians collected together; but they +manifested no disposition to fight. + +[Illustration: A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND.] + +While at the agency I learned the name of the Indian Chief whom I had +killed in the morning; it was Yellow Hand; a son of old Cut-nose--a +leading chief of the Cheyennes. Cut-nose, having learned that I had +killed his son sent a white interpreter to me with a message to the +effect that he would give me four mules if I would turn over to him +Yellow Hand's war-bonnet, guns, pistols, ornaments, and other +paraphernalia which I had captured. I sent back word to the old gentleman +that it would give me pleasure to accommodate him, but I could not do it +this time. + +The next morning we started to join General Crook, who was camped near +the foot of Cloud Peak in the Big Horn mountains; awaiting the arrival +of the Fifth Cavalry, before proceeding against the Sioux, who were +somewhere near the head of the Little Big Horn,--as his scouts informed +him. We made rapid marches and reached General Crook's camp on Goose +Creek about the 3d of August. + +At this camp I met many old friends, among whom was Colonel Royal, who +had received his promotion to the Lieutenant Colonelcy of the Third +Cavalry. He introduced me to General Crook, whom I had never met before, +but of whom I had often heard. He also introduced me to the General's +chief guide, Frank Grouard, a half breed, who had lived six years with +Sitting Bull, and knew the country thoroughly. + +We remained in this camp only one day, and then the whole troop pulled +out for the Tongue river, leaving our wagons behind, but taking with us +a large pack train. We marched down the Tongue river for two days, +thence in a westerly direction over to the Rosebud, where we struck the +main Indian trail, leading down this stream. From the size of the trail, +which appeared to be about four days old, we estimated that there must +have been in the neighborhood of seven thousand Indians who had made the +broad trail. + +At this point we were overtaken by Jack Crawford, familiarly known as +"Captain Jack, the Poet Scout of the Black Hills," and right here I will +insert the following lines, written by him, just after the "Custer +Massacre," upon receiving from me the following dispatch: + +"Jack, old boy, have you heard of the death of Custer?" + +CUSTER'S DEATH. + +Did I hear the news from Custer? + Well, I reckon I did, old pard; +It came like a streak of lightnin', + And, you bet, it hit me hard. +I ain't no hand to blubber, + And the briny ain't run for years; +But chalk me down for a lubber, + If I didn't shed regular tears. + +What for? Now look you here, Bill, + You're a bully boy, that's true; +As good as e'er wore buckskin, + Or fought with the boys in blue; +But I'll bet my bottom dollar + Ye had no trouble to muster +A tear, or perhaps a hundred, + At the news of the death of Custer. + +He always thought well of you, pard, + And had it been heaven's will, +In a few more days you'd met him, + And he'd welcome his old scout Bill. +For if ye remember at Hat Creek, + I met ye with General Carr; +We talked of the brave young Custer, + And recounted his deeds of war. + +But little we knew even then, pard, + (And that's just two weeks ago), +How little we dreamed of disaster, + Or that he had met the foe-- +That the fearless, reckless hero, + So loved by the whole frontier, +Had died on the field of battle + In this, our centennial year. + +I served with him in the army, + In the darkest days of the war: +And I reckon ye know his record, + For he was our guiding star; +And the boys who gathered round him + To charge in the early morn, +War just like the brave who perished + With him on the Little Horn. + +And where is the satisfaction, + And how will the boys get square? +By giving the reds more rifles? + Invite them to take more hair? +We want no scouts, no trappers, + Nor men who know the frontier; +Phil, old boy, you're mistaken, + _We must have the volunteer_. + +Never mind that two hundred thousand + But give us a hundred instead; +Send five thousand men towards Reno, + And soon we won't leave a red. +It will save Uncle Sam lots of money, + In fortress we need not invest, +Jest wollup the devils this summer, + And the miners will do all the rest. + +The Black Hills are filled with miners, + The Big Horn will soon be as full, +And which will show the most danger + To Crazy Horse and old Sitting Bull +A band of ten thousand frontier men, + Or a couple of forts with a few +Of the boys in the East now enlisting-- + Friend Cody, I leave it with you. + +They talk of peace with these demons + By feeding and clothing them well: +I'd as soon think an angel from Heaven + Would reign with contentment in H--l + +And one day the Quakers will answer + Before the great Judge of us all, +For the death of daring young Custer + And the boys who round him did fall. + +Perhaps I am judging them harshly, + But I mean what I'm telling ye, pard; +I'm letting them down mighty easy, + Perhaps they may think it is hard. +But I tell you the day is approaching-- + The boys are beginning to muster-- +That day of the great retribution, + The day of revenge for our Custer. + +And I will be with you, friend Cody, + My weight will go in with the boys; +I shared all their hardships last winter, + I shared all their sorrows and joys; +Tell them I'm coming, friend William, + I trust I will meet you ere long; +Regards to the boys in the mountains; + Yours, ever; in friendship still strong. + +Jack was a new man in the country, but evidently had plenty of nerve and +pluck, as he had brought dispatches from Fort Fetterman, a distance of +300 miles through a dangerous Indian country. The dispatches were for +General Crook, and notified him that General Terry was to operate with a +large command south of the Yellowstone, and that the two commands would +probably consolidate somewhere on the Rosebud. + +Jack at once hunted me up and gave me a letter from General Sheridan, +informing me that he had appointed him (Jack) as one of the scouts. + +While we were conversing, Jack informed me that he had brought me a +present from Colonel Jones of Cheyenne, and that he had it in his +saddle-pockets. Asking the nature of the gift, he replied that it was +only a bottle of good whiskey. + +I placed my hand over his mouth and told him to keep still, and not to +whisper it even to the winds, for there were too many dry men around us; +and only when alone with him did I dare to have him take the treasure +from his saddle-pockets. + +In this connection I may remark that Jack Crawford is the only man I +have ever known that could have brought that bottle of whiskey through +without _accident_ befalling it, for he is one of the very few teetotal +scouts I ever met. + +Not wishing to have a game of "whiskey _solitaire_," I invited General +Carr to sample the bottle with me. We soon found a secluded spot, and +dismounting, we thought we were going to have a nice little drink all by +ourselves, when who should ride up but Mr. Lathrop, the Reporter of the +Associated Press of the Pacific slope--to whom we had given the name of +the "Death Rattler,"--and who was also known in San Francisco as "the man +with the iron jaw," he having, with the true nose of a Reporter, smelt +the whiskey from afar off, and had come to "interview" it. He was a good +fellow withal, and we were glad to have him join us. + +Now to resume: For two or three days we pushed on, but we did not seem to +gain much on the Indians, as they were evidently making about the same +marches that we were. On the fourth or fifth morning of our pursuit, I +rode ahead of the command about ten miles, and mounting a hill I scanned +the country far and wide with my field glass, and discovered an immense +column of dust rising about ten miles further down the creek, and soon I +noticed a body of men marching towards me, that at first I believed to be +the Indians of whom we were in pursuit; but subsequently they proved to +be General Terry's command. I sent back word to that effect to General +Crook, by a scout who had accompanied me, but after he had departed I +observed a band of Indians on the opposite side of the creek, and also +another party directly in front of me. This led me to believe that I had +made a mistake. + +But shortly afterwards my attention was attracted by the appearance of a +body of soldiers, who were forming into a skirmish line, and then I +became convinced that it was General Terry's command after all, and that +the red-skins whom I had seen were some of his friendly Indian scouts, +who had mistaken me for a Sioux, and fled back to their command terribly +excited, shouting, "The Sioux are coming!" + +General Terry at once came to the post, and ordered the Seventh +Cavalry to form line of battle across the Rosebud; he also ordered up +his artillery and had them prepare for action, doubtless dreading +another "Custer massacre." I afterwards learned the Indians had seen +the dust raised by General Crook's forces, and had reported that the +Sioux were coming. + +These manoeuvres I witnessed from my position with considerable +amusement, thinking the command must be badly demoralized, when one man +could cause a whole army to form line of battle and prepare for action. +Having enjoyed the situation to my heart's content, I galloped down +towards the skirmish line, waving my hat and when within about one +hundred yards of the troops, Colonel Weir, of the Seventh Cavalry, +galloped out and met me. He recognized me at once, and accompanied me +inside the line; then he sang out, "Boys, here's Buffalo Bill. Some of +you old soldiers know him; give him a cheer!" Thereupon the regiment gave +three rousing cheers, and it was followed up all along the line. + +Colonel Weir presented me to General Terry, and in answer to his +questions I informed him that the alarm of Indians which had been given +was a false one, as the dust seen by his scouts was caused by General +Crook's troops. General Terry thereupon rode forward to meet General +Crook, and I accompanied him at his request. That night both commands +went into camp on the Rosebud. General Terry had his wagon train with +him, and everything to make life comfortable on an Indian campaign. He +had large wall tents and portable beds to sleep in, and large hospital +tents for dining-rooms. His camp looked very comfortable and attractive, +and presented a great contrast to that of General Crook, who had for his +headquarters only one small fly tent; and whose cooking utensils +consisted of a quart cup--in which he made his coffee himself--and a +stick, upon which he broiled his bacon. When I compared the two camps, I +came to the conclusion that General Crook was an Indian fighter; for it +was evident that he had learned that, to follow and fight Indians, a body +of men must travel lightly and not be detained by a wagon train or heavy +luggage of any kind. + +That evening General Terry ordered General Miles to take his regiment, +the Fifth Infantry, and return by a forced march to the Yellowstone, +and proceed down that river by steamboat to the mouth of Powder river, +to intercept the Indians, in case they attempted to cross the +Yellowstone. General Mills made a forced march that night of +thirty-five miles, which was splendid traveling for an infantry +regiment through a mountainous country. + +Generals Crook and Terry spent that evening and the next day in council, +and on the following morning both commands moved out on the Indian trail. +Although General Terry was the senior officer, he did not assume command +of both expeditions, but left General Crook in command of his own troops, +although they operated together. We crossed the Tongue river to Powder +river, and proceeded down the latter stream to a point twenty miles from +its junction with the Yellowstone, where the Indian trail turned to the +southeast in the direction of the Black Hills. The two commands now +being nearly out of supplies, the trail was abandoned, and the troops +kept on down Powder river to its confluence with the Yellowstone, and +remained there several days. Here we met General Mills, who reported that +no Indians had as yet crossed the Yellowstone. Several steamboats soon +arrived with a large quantity of supplies, and once more the "Boys in +Blue" were made happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +DANGEROUS WORK. + + +One evening while we were in camp on the Yellowstone at the mouth of +Powder river, I was informed that the commanding officers had selected +Louis Richard, a half breed, and myself to accompany General Mills on a +scouting expedition on the steamer Far West, down the Yellowstone as far +as Glendive Creek. We were to ride on the pilot house and keep a sharp +lookout on both sides of the river for Indian trails that might have +crossed the stream. The idea of scouting on a steamboat was indeed a +novel one to me, and I anticipated a pleasant trip. + +At daylight next morning we reported on board the steamer to General +Mills, who had with him four or five companies of his regiment. We were +somewhat surprised when he asked us where our horses were, as we had not +supposed that horses would be needed if the scouting was to be done on +the steamer. He said we might need them before we got back, and thereupon +we had the animals brought on board. In a few minutes we were booming +down the river, at the rate of about twenty miles an hour. + +The steamer Far West was commanded by Captain Grant Marsh, whom I found +to be a "brick." I had often heard of him, for he was and is yet one of +the best known river captains in the country. He it was who, with his +steamer the Far West, transported the wounded men from the battle of the +Little Big Horn to Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Missouri river, and on +that trip he made the fastest steamboat time on record. He was a skillful +and experienced pilot, handling his boat with remarkable dexterity. + +While Richard and myself were at our stations on the pilot house, the +steamer with a full head of steam went flying past islands, around bends, +over sand bars, at a rate that was exhilarating. Presently I thought I +could see horses grazing in a distant bend of the river and I reported +the fact to General Mills, who asked Captain Marsh if he could land the +boat near a large tree which he pointed out to him. + +[Illustration: SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT.] + +"Yes, sir; I can land her there, and make her climb the tree if +necessary," said he. + +On reaching the spot designated, General Mills ordered two companies +ashore, while Richard and myself were ordered to take our horses off +the boat and push out as rapidly as possible to see if there were +Indians in the vicinity. While we were getting ashore, Captain Marsh +remarked that if there was only a good heavy dew on the grass he would +shoot the steamer ashore and take us on the scout without the trouble +of leaving the boat. + +It was a false alarm, however, as the objects we had seen proved to be +Indian graves. Quite a large number of braves who had probably been +killed in some battle, had been buried on scaffolds, according to the +Indian custom, and some of their clothing had been torn loose from the +bodies by the wolves and was waving in the air. + +On arriving at Glendive Creek we found that Colonel Rice and his company +of the Fifth Infantry, who had been sent there by General Mills, had +built quite a good little fort with their trowel-bayonets--a weapon +which Colonel Rice was the inventor of, and which is, by the way, a very +useful implement of war, as it can be used for a shovel in throwing up +intrenchments and can be profitably utilized in several other ways. On +the day previous to our arrival, Colonel Rice had a fight with a party of +Indians, and had killed two or three of them at long range with his +Rodman cannon. + +The Far West was to remain at Glendive over night, and General Mills +wished to send dispatches back to General Terry at once. At his request I +took the dispatches and rode seventy-five miles that night through the +bad lands of the Yellowstone, and reached General Terry's camp next +morning, after having nearly broken my neck a dozen times or more. + +There being but little prospect of any more fighting, I determined to go +East as soon as possible to organize a new "Dramatic Combination," and +have a new drama written for me, based upon the Sioux war. This I knew +would be a paying investment as the Sioux campaign had excited +considerable interest. So I started down the river on the steamer +Yellowstone _en route_ to Fort Beauford. On the same morning Generals +Terry and Crook pulled out for Powder river, to take up the old Indian +trail which we had recently left. + +The steamer had proceeded down the stream about twenty miles when it was +met by another boat on its way up the river, having on board General +Whistler and some fresh troops for General Terry's command. Both boats +landed, and almost the first person I met was my old friend and partner, +Texas Jack, who had been sent out as a dispatch carrier for the _New +York Herald_. + +General Whistler, upon learning that General Terry had left the +Yellowstone, asked me to carry to him some important dispatches from +General Sheridan, and although I objected, he insisted upon my performing +this duty, saying that it would only detain me a few hours longer; as an +extra inducement he offered me the use of his own thorough-bred horse, +which was on the boat. I finally consented to go, and was soon speeding +over the rough and hilly country towards Powder river; and I delivered +the dispatches to General Terry that same evening. General Whistler's +horse, although a good animal, was not used to such hard riding, and was +far more exhausted by the journey than I was. + +After I had taken a lunch, General Terry asked me if I would carry some +dispatches back to General Whistler, and I replied that I would. Captain +Smith, General Terry's aid-de-camp, offered me his horse for the trip, +and it proved to be an excellent animal; for I rode him that same night +forty miles over the bad lands in four hours, and reached General +Whistler's steamboat at one o'clock. During my absence the Indians had +made their appearance on the different hills in the vicinity, and the +troops from the boat had had several skirmishes with them. When General +Whistler had finished reading the dispatches, he said: + +"Cody, I want to send information to General Terry concerning the Indians +who have been skirmishing around here all day. I have been trying all the +evening long to induce some one to carry my dispatches to him, but no one +seems willing to undertake the trip, and I have got to fall back on you. +It is asking a great deal, I know, as you have just ridden eighty miles; +but it is a case of necessity, and if you'll go, Cody, I'll see that you +are well paid for it." + +"Never mind about the pay," said I, "but get your dispatches ready, and +I'll start at once." + +In a few minutes he handed me the package, and mounting the same horse +which I had ridden from General Terry's camp, I struck out for my +destination. It was two o'clock in the morning when I left the boat, and +at eight o'clock I rode into General Terry's camp, just as he was about +to march--having made one hundred and twenty miles in twenty-two hours. + +General Terry, after reading the dispatches, halted his command, and then +rode on and overtook General Crook, with whom he held a council; the +result was that Crook's command moved on in the direction which they had +been pursuing, while Terry's forces marched back to the Yellowstone and +crossed the river on steamboats. At the urgent request of General Terry I +accompanied the command on a scout in the direction of the Dry Fork of +the Missouri, where it was expected we would strike some Indians. + +The first march out from the Yellowstone was made in the night, as we +wished to get into the hills without being discovered by the Sioux +scouts. After marching three days, a little to the east of north, we +reached the buffalo range, and discovered fresh signs of Indians, who had +evidently been killing buffaloes. General Terry now called on me to carry +dispatches to Colonel Rice, who was still camped at the mouth of Glendive +Creek, on the Yellowstone--distant about eighty miles from us. + +Night had set in with a storm, and a drizzling rain was falling when, at +ten o'clock, I started on this ride through a section of country with +which I was entirely unacquainted. I traveled through the darkness a +distance of about thirty-five miles, and at daylight I rode into a +secluded spot at the head of a ravine where stood a bunch of ash trees, +and there I concluded to remain till night; for I considered it a +dangerous undertaking to cross the wide prairies in broad +daylight--especially as my horse was a poor one. + +[Illustration: CLOSE QUARTERS] + +I accordingly unsaddled my animal, and ate a hearty breakfast of bacon +and hard tack which I had stored in the saddle-pockets; then, after +taking a smoke, I lay down to sleep, with my saddle for a pillow. In a +few minutes I was in the land of dreams. + +After sleeping some time--I can't tell how long--I was suddenly awakened +by a roaring, rumbling sound. I instantly seized my gun, sprang to my +horse, and hurriedly secreted him in the brush. Then I climbed up the +steep side of the bank and cautiously looked over the summit; in the +distance I saw a large herd of buffaloes which were being chased and +fired at by twenty or thirty Indians. Occasionally a buffalo would drop +out of the herd, but the Indians kept on until they had killed ten or +fifteen. They then turned back, and began to cut up their game. + +I saddled my horse and tied him to a small tree where I could reach him +conveniently in case the Indians should discover me by finding my trail +and following it. I then crawled carefully back to the summit of the +bluff, and in a concealed position watched the Indians for two hours, +during which time they were occupied in cutting up the buffaloes and +packing the meat on their ponies. When they had finished this work they +rode off in the direction whence they had come and on the line which I +had proposed to travel. It appeared evident to me that their camp was +located somewhere between me and Glendive Creek, but I had no idea of +abandoning the trip on that account. + +I waited till nightfall before resuming my journey, and then I bore off +to the east for several miles, and by making a semi-circle to avoid the +Indians, I got back on my original course, and then pushed on rapidly to +Colonel Rice's camp, which I reached just at daylight. + +Colonel Rice had been fighting Indians almost every day since he had been +encamped at this point, and he was very anxious to notify General Terry +of the fact. Of course I was requested to carry his dispatches. After +remaining at Glendive a single day I started back to find General Terry, +and on the third day out I overhauled him at the head of Deer Creek while +on his way to Colonel Rice's camp. He was not, however, going in the +right direction, but bearing too far to the east, and I so informed him. +He then asked me to guide the command and I did so. + +On arriving at Glendive I bade good-bye to the General and his officers +and took passage on the steamer Far West, which was on her way down the +Missouri. At Bismarck I left the steamer, and proceeded by rail to +Rochester, New York, where I met my family. + +Mr. J. Clinton Hall, manager of the Rochester Opera House, was very +anxious to have me play an engagement at his theatre. I agreed to open +the season with him as soon as I had got my drama written; and I did so, +meeting with an enthusiastic reception. + +My new drama was arranged for the stage by J.V. Arlington, the actor. It +was a five-act play, without head or tail, and it made no difference at +which act we commenced the performance. Before we had finished the season +several newspaper critics, I have been told, went crazy in trying to +follow the plot. It afforded us, however, ample opportunity to give a +noisy, rattling, gunpowder entertainment, and to present a succession of +scenes in the late Indian war, all of which seemed to give general +satisfaction. + +From Rochester I went to New York and played a very successful +engagement at the Grand Opera House under the management of Messrs. +Poole and Donnelly. Thence my route took me to all the principal cities +in the Eastern, Western and Middle States, and I everywhere met with +crowded houses. I then went to the Pacific Coast, against the advice of +friends who gave it as their opinion that my style of plays would not +take very well in California. I opened for an engagement of two weeks at +the Bush Street Theatre, in San Francisco, at a season when the +theatrical business was dull, and Ben DeBar and the Lingards were +playing there to empty seats. I expected to play to a slim audience on +the opening night, but instead of that I had a fourteen hundred dollar +house. Such was my success that I continued my engagement for five +weeks, and the theatre was crowded at every performance. Upon leaving +San Francisco I made a circuit of the interior towns and closed the +season at Virginia City, Nevada. + +On my way East, I met my family at Denver, where they were visiting my +sisters Nellie and May who were then residing there. + +Some time previously I had made arrangements to go into the cattle +business in company with my old friend, Major Frank North, and while I +was in California he had built our ranches on the South Fork of the +Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, in Nebraska. +Proceeding to Ogalalla, the headquarters of the Texas cattle drovers, I +found Major North there awaiting me, and together we bought, branded and +drove to our ranches, our first installment of cattle. This occupied us +during the remainder of the summer. + +Leaving the cattle in charge of Major North, I visited Red Cloud Agency +early in the fall, and secured some Sioux Indians to accompany me on my +theatrical tour of 1877-78. Taking my family and the Indians with me, I +went directly to Rochester. There I left my oldest daughter, Arta, at a +young ladies' seminary, while my wife and youngest child traveled with me +during the season. + +I opened at the Bowery Theatre, New York, September 3d, 1877, with a new +Border Drama entitled, "May Cody, or Lost and Won," from the pen of Major +A.S. Burt, of the United States army. It was founded on the incidents of +the "Mountain Meadow Massacre," and life among the Mormons. It was the +best drama I had yet produced, and proved a grand success both +financially and artistically. The season of 1877-78 proved to be the most +profitable one I had ever had. + +In February, 1878, my wife became tired of traveling, and proceeded to +North Platte, Nebraska, where, on our farm adjoining the town, she +personally superintended the erection of a comfortable family +residence, and had it all completed when I reached there, early in May. +In this house we are now living, and we hope to make it our home for +many years to come. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +After my arrival at North Platte, I found that the ranchmen or +cattle-men, had organized a regular annual "round-up," to take place in +the spring of the year. + +The word "round-up" is derived from the fact that during the winter +months the cattle become scattered over a vast tract of land, and the +ranchmen assemble together in the spring to sort out and each secure his +own stock. They form a large circle, often of a circumference of two +hundred miles, and drive the cattle towards a common centre, where, all +the stock being branded, each owner can readily separate his own from the +general herd, and then he drives them to his own ranch. + +In this cattle driving business is exhibited some most magnificent +horsemanship, for the "cow-boys," as they are called, are invariably +skillful and fearless horsemen--in fact only a most expert rider could be +a cow-boy, as it requires the greatest dexterity and daring in the saddle +to cut a wild steer out of the herd. + +Major North was awaiting me, upon my arrival at North Platte, having with +him our own horses and men. Other cattle owners, such as Keith and +Barton, Coe and Carter, Jack Pratt, the Walker Brothers, Guy and Sim +Lang, Arnold and Ritchie and a great many others with their outfits, were +assembled and were ready to start on the round-up. + +My old friend Dave Perry, who had presented Buckskin Joe to me, and who +resided at North Platte, was most anxious to go with us for pleasure, and +Frank North told him he could, and have plenty of fun, provided he would +furnish his own horses, provisions and bedding, and do the usual work +required of a cow-boy. This, Dave was willing to undertake. We found him +to be a good fellow in camp, and excellent company. + +As there is nothing but hard work on these round-ups, having to be in the +saddle all day, and standing guard over the cattle at night, rain or +shine, I could not possibly find out where the fun came in, that North +had promised me. But it was an exciting life, and the days sped rapidly +by; in six weeks we found ourselves at our own ranch on Dismal river, the +round-up having proved a great success, as we had found all our cattle +and driven them home. + +This work being over, I proposed to spend a few weeks with my family at +North Platte, for the purpose of making their better acquaintance, for my +long and continued absence from home made me a comparative stranger under +my own roof-tree. One great source of pleasure to me was that my wife was +delighted with the home I had given her amid the prairies of the far +west. Soon after my arrival, my sisters Nellie and May, came to make us a +visit, and a delightful time we all had during their stay. When they left +us, I accompanied them to their home in Denver, Colorado, where I passed +several days visiting old friends and scenes. + +Returning to Ogallala I purchased from Bill Phant, an extensive cattle +drover from Texas, a herd of cattle, which I drove to my ranch on the +Dismal river, after which I bade my partner and the boys good-bye, and +started for the Indian Territory to procure Indians for my Dramatic +Combination for the season of 1878-79. + +_En route_ to the Territory, I paid a long promised visit to my sisters, +Julia--Mrs. J.A. Goodman--and Eliza--Mrs. George M. Myers--who reside in +Kansas, the state which the reader will remember was my boyhood home. + +Having secured my Indian actors, and along with them Mr. O. A. Burgess, a +government interpreter, and Ed. A. Burgess, known as the "Boy Chief of +the Pawnees," I started for Baltimore, where I organized my combination, +and which was the largest troupe I had yet had on the road; opening in +that city at the Opera House, under the management of Hon. John T. Ford, +and then started on a southern tour, playing in Washington, Richmond and +as far south as Savannah, Georgia, where we were brought to a sudden +halt, owing to the yellow fever which was then cruelly raging in the +beautiful cities of the "Land of the cotton and the cane." + +[Illustration: ONE OF THE TROUPE.] + +While playing in Washington, I suddenly learned from a +reporter--Washington newspaper men know everything--that my Indians were +to be seized by the Government and sent back to their agency. Finding +that there was foundation for the rumor, I at once sought General Carl +Shurz, Secretary of the Interior, and asked him if he intended depriving +me of my Indian actors. He said that he did, as the Indians were away +from their reservation without leave. I answered that I had had Indians +with me the year before and nothing had been said about it; but +Commissioner Haight replied that the Indians were the "wards of the +government," and were not allowed off of their reservation. + +I told the Commissioner that the Indians were frequently off of their +reservations out west, as I had a distinct remembrance of meeting them +upon several occasions "on the war path," and furthermore I thought I was +benefitting the Indians as well as the government, by taking them all +over the United States, and giving them a correct idea of the customs, +life, etc., of the pale faces, so that when they returned to their people +they could make known all they had seen. + +After a conversation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Commissioner +concluded to allow me to retain the Indians, by appointing me Indian +Agent, provided I would give the necessary bonds, and pledge myself to +return them in safety to their agency--which terms I agreed to. + +From Savannah, Georgia, having changed my route on account of the yellow +fever, I jumped my entire company to Philadelphia, and at once continued +on a north-eastern tour, having arranged with the well-known author and +dramatist, Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, to write a play for me. + +The drama entitled "The Knight of the Plains, or Buffalo Bill's Best +Trail," was first produced at New Haven, Conn.; it has proved a great +success, and I expect to play it in England, where I purpose to go next +season on a theatrical tour, having been urged to do so by my many +friends abroad. + +After a successful tour of six weeks on the Pacific Slope, thus ending +the season of 1878-79, I am at my home at North Platte, Nebraska, for the +summer; and thus ends the account of my career as far as it has gone. + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life of Hon. 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