SEPTEMBER, 1909

No. 3

OVERLANDE MONTHLY Vol. LIV

San Francisco
A PLAIN PURSUIT
A

BY FRED A. HUNT

as

HE DEPREDATIONS Infantry, and the guides departing on

of the Indians in the August 11th, and the remainder of the great Southwest had command on August 14th.

become virulent On the first day's march of the second T and persistent that a command an untoward incident occurred, punitive force

was owing to the defective knowledge of the organized to scout guides about the natural resources of the

through the Panhan- country to be traversed. Always on the dle of Texas and southern Kansas. Pur- march, the canteens are filled and lunchsuant to a request of Colonel Nelson A. eon rations distributed. The day was Miles, Fifth Infantry, to General William imperturbably hot, and the trail sandy T. Sherman (Colonel Miles being and drought inducing. The officers innephew of General Sherman by marriage) quired of the guides if there was plenty he was placed in command of the expedi- of water at Mulberry Creek, the first tion, which comprised eight companies halting place, and on an affirmative reply of the Sixth Cavalry—organized into two being received, they told the troops that battalions commanded by Majors Charles they need not husband their water, C. E. Compton and James Biddle respec

there would be ample to replenish the tively-four companies of the Fifth In- canteens at Mulberry Creek. But on arfantry, from which an artillery detach- riving there, the water holes were as dry ment was made under command of Sec- as a lime-kiln, and the thirsty soldiers inond Lieutenant James Worden

Worden Pope, stantly went raving mad. The famishFifth Infantry, and detachment of ment of hunger is a desperate condition; thirty-nine guides and trailers, the unquenchable longing for a chew of manded by First Lieutenant Frank D. tobacco is an unenviable predicament; Baldwin, Fifth Infantry, the Indians of the craving for a cocktail after a night this latter detachment being under the off is an unpleasant aridity, but the inleadership of Fall Leaf, a Delaware In- satiate and demoralizing state of a thirsty

, dian.

man is a species of dementia. Wherefore, The various troops were assembled at' soldiers gashed their veins and sucked the Fort Dodge, Kansas, a post near Dodge · blood, and did all sorts of other abhorrent City, which was at that time the Western things in a vain attempt to assuage their terminus of the Atchinson, Topeka and frightful and uncontrollable ravenousness Santa Fe Railway. There the numerous for water. General Miles (he was then details of preparation and outfitting were a Major-General by brevet), when he apmade, and in the early part of August, prehended the predicament, unloaded a 1874, the start was made; Major Comp- couple of wagons and put barrels on them, ton with his battalion, one company of and sent them and an ambulance ahead to

a