Following the Guidon (Illustrated Edition). Elizabeth Bacon Custer

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СКАЧАТЬ of such a herd would still more strongly have tempted the constantly menacing Indians to follow and recapture so much valuable property. There was little time to deliberate, for one of the captured squaws reported, what afterwards proved to be true, that along the Washita, for twelve miles, were scattered many other villages. In this comparatively sheltered valley all the southern tribes had congregated. It was a hundred miles outside the reservation, but the timber, water, and grass were favorable for winter camps.

      There was still one detachment from which no news had come. Men were sent out for two miles in the direction taken by Major Elliott, but no clew to his whereabouts was obtained. Officers and men felt the imminent danger that surrounded them. Nine hundred men so far from a base of supplies, exhausted from a long fast, and with horses worn out with a difficult march through the snow, were in no condition to risk the lives of the whole command in further search for their dead comrades. Not till the regiment returned to the battle-ground, a short time later, were the bodies of the brave officer and his men found.

      In order to escape from the situation, which was most threatening, for the Indians were assembling constantly on the bluffs overlooking the command, General Custer put on a brave front, and ordered the band to play "Garryowen", and the colors to be unfurled; the skirmishers were sent on in advance, and the command set out in the direction of the other villages. I have often thought what nerve it required to assume so bold an attitude and march towards an enemy scattered for twelve miles in advance; the horses and men so exhausted, the ammunition low, and Indians outnumbering them three to one. The Indians, perceiving not only the determined advance, but appreciating that every sign of past victory was apparent, supposed the triumphant troops were about to march on the villages below, and they fled before the column. After dark the order to countermarch was given, and as rapidly as possible the tired troopers rode back to the train of supplies that had been endeavoring for days to make its way to the regiment.

      In General Sheridan's letter to General Custer, after the battle, he says, in congratulation: "The Battle of the Washita River is the most complete and successful of all our private battles, and was fought in such unfavorable weather and circumstances as to reflect the highest credit on yourself and regiment."

      The following extracts are from General Custer's letters to me:

      The sad side of the story is the killed and wounded. Major Elliott and six men, who charged after two Indians, and Captain Hamilton, are gone. I had Captain Hamilton's body brought to this point (Beaver Creek, supply depot), where we buried him with full military honors. Eleven companies of cavalry and three of infantry followed him to the grave. The band played the dead-march; his horse was draped in mourning, carrying his boots, sword, etc., and followed his body. We intend to take the remains back with us when we go to Leavenworth. Colonel Barnitz was wounded by a rifle-ball through his bowels. We all regarded him as mortally wounded at first, but he is almost certain to recover now. He acted very gallantly, killing two Indians before receiving his wound. "Tom" had a flesh-wound in his hand.

      FORT COBB, INDIAN TERRITORY, December 19th.

      Here we are, after twelve days' marching through snow, mud, rain, and over an almost impassable country, where sometimes we made only eight miles a day. We have been following an Indian trail, and three days ago we overtook the Kiowas; but in order to get the whole tribe together, as well as not to frighten the Apaches and Comanches, who were also with the Kiowas, we refrained from attacking, but permitted Satanta and Lone Wolf, and many other chiefs and warriors, to come into our lines. We find it almost impossible to hurry the Indians much, they have so many powwows and ceremonies before determining upon any important action.

      A few moments ago one of the chiefs, Kicking Bird, came in with the news that the entire Kiowa village was hastening in to give themselves up. The Cheyennes and Arapahoes are sick of war since the battle of the Washita. Five miles below the battle-ground, in a deserted Indian village, the bodies of a young and beautiful white woman and her babe were found, and I brought them away for burial at Arbuckle. The woman was captured by Indians—I think, near Fort Lyon, as she was recognized by several of our command.

      FORT COBB, January 2d.

      The last remaining tribes of hostile Indians have sent in their head chiefs to beg pity from us.

      Yesterday a grand council was held near my tent. All the head chiefs of the Apaches, Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes were assembled. I was alone with them, except one officer, who took stenographic notes of the speeches. A line of sentinels had to be thrown around the council to keep back the observers, as there were crowds of officers, soldiers, and employés of the quartermaster's department.

      The council lasted for hours. The arrogance and pride is whipped out of the Indians; they no longer presume to make demands of us; on the contrary, they have surrendered themselves into our keeping. We are left to fix the terms upon which they may resume peaceful relations with the Government.

      MEDICINE BLUFF CREEK, January 14, '69.

      I want to tell you about the courage of one of the guides. Last evening, about two hours before dark, a soldier came running into my tent, and said a man nearly naked was mounted on a mule and riding through camp. We rushed out, and sure enough there was the man. It's Stillwell, we both said simultaneously. He is one of my couriers, sent on the 4th with the mail to Camp Supply, and whose return with our mail we were anxiously awaiting. He had just returned, and this was the first we saw of him. I began calling to him in my delicate tones, and we soon had him in my tent. After pouring a gill of whiskey down him that I directed the surgeon to administer, he was able to speak. Heavy rains for several days have filled all the streams to overflowing. We are encamped on the south bank of this creek, and it is impassable at any point except by swimming, and even then at great risk to both horse and rider, as the current is both rapid and powerful. Stillwell, with his party, and their pack-mules bearing the mail, reached the opposite bank about a mile above camp, found the stream impassable for the loaded mules, as they thought; so he plunged in with his horse and swam the stream, and being nearly frozen with the ice-water, he was making his way to the scouts' fire as rapidly as possible. He decided that, owing to the rapid current, it was impossible to bring the mail over till morning, when it was hoped the water would fall and render swimming unnecessary.

      The others submitted to this decision, but I said I knew there were letters for me, and I was going to try for that mail, and read my letters, if I had to put a candle in my pocket and swim the stream. My tongue fairly rattled off the directions. "Bishop, bring me a horse; don't wait to saddle him." I ordered so many men to report to me with lariats, axes, etc.; to another officer I called out to gallop up the stream, and tell the scouts to bring on the mail until they shall see me on the bank.

      Jumping on Bishop's horse bareback, I forded one branch of the stream, and sought the most available point to cross the mail over the main stream. Some of the officers came down at first and looked on, but it was too cold, and they returned to their tent fires. I found a place where we could roll a long log out some distance in the water, and from it a rope could be thrown across to the other bank and secured by the mail-carriers. The men had to strip off their boots and pantaloons, and work in the water. I encouraged them all I could, and had the doctor send them whiskey, which Colonel Cook distributed to them. Tom thought he could make his way over on horseback, and tried it; but the current carried him and his horse down, and he had to struggle to get back. Finally we got the rope over and secured on both banks. One of the men volunteered to strip off and make his way across, holding on to the rope. In he went, and soon called out All right from the other shore. Fastening a mail-bag to his neck, he jumped in, and hard pulling against a roaring torrent brought him across; strong hands were waiting to lift him and his precious load out of the water. All this was after dark. In again he went and called out, as before, from the other side, "All right." Seven times did that brave man breast СКАЧАТЬ