California Joe's Weakness; A Trip to Camp Supply; Bringing in Renegade
Indians; Expedition to Panhandle, etc.
Previously to the time of which I am writing, the General had sent a bunch
of cavalry horses to Fort Arbuckle where he had made arrangements for
their keep. The Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians raised some crops and had
feed to spare and agreed to look after the horses. The General thought by
this time they would be sufficiently recuperated to be of service to him
in his present needs. Consequently he fitted up an escort and an ambulance
and took California Joe along as scout and guide to go and get them. (I
promised the reader to tell him of Joe's one fault and will take this
opportunity of doing so.) When they had arrived at Ft. Arbuckle, they
found everything in better shape than they had expected. The General began
making preparations for his return to Fort Sill. When everything was ready
he found to his surprise and amazement that California Joe was gloriously
drunk. As the prohibitory law in regard to the sale of intoxicants was in
full force, in the Indian Territory, he could not account for Joe's
condition. He thought he would remain over a day or so to give Joe a
chance to sleep off the effects of his overdose of liquid joy. The next
day found Joe as happy as a clam in high water and there was no indication
of a scarcity of liquor. The General was face to face with a difficulty.
He could not remain longer at Ft. Arbuckle, and he could not go on without
Joe, as he might need his services at any time. Patience ceased to be a
virtue and he bundled Joe into the ambulance, jumped in himself and
started off. They all reached Fort Sill the next day safe and sober. In
the meantime the General had not learned where his scout had obtained the
liquor to make him drunk. Joe himself told me years afterwards that he had
obtained access to the General's jug.
Upon his arrival at the fort, he found everything in as good condition as
the circumstances might warrant. It was a city of soldiers and Indians.
The habitations consisted of teepees and tents, while dug-outs were in
course of construction in case of a storm.
As it was one of Gen. Sheridan's principles to allow no guilty man to
escape, he ordered Gen. Custer to take a company of men, mounted on the
horses he had brought from Ft. Arbuckle, with some scouts among whom was
to be found California Joe, and proceed to the head of the Red river and
bring back those Indians who had escaped after the surrender when
returning to Ft. Cobb.
After Gen. Custer had taken his departure, Gen. Sheridan made provision
for the policing and government of the camp, also for the distribution of
rations to the Indians during his absence. As soon as he had completed
these regulations in a satisfactory manner, he began his own preparations
for a trip to Camp Supply. All these things took time and caused him no
little vexation, but he was equal to the emergency, and as soon as the
work was done he took his escort and full camp equipage and set out. It
was now getting along toward the first of March and the soft soil made the
wheeling of all vehicles a slavish task for man and beast. In spite of
this difficulty, he proceeded on his way and crossed the Washita above Ft.
Cobb and continued in a northerly direction until he reached the South
Canadian where to his great surprise he found the water very low, and what
was more pleasing, he found that the ice was all gone. The season was not
far enough advanced to thaw the snow on the mountains and consequently,
the river being almost dry, was easily forded. It is unnecessary for me to
go into details of that journey as it was but a repetition of his former
trip to Fort Sill, except for the floundering around in the snow banks and
the cutting of a passage through the ice to make a crossing possible.
These latter difficulties he escaped, owing to the lateness of the season.
Difficult passages through bad canyons were also avoided owing to Ben
Clark's thorough knowledge of the country. At best, it was a tedious
journey and on the seventh day after leaving Fort Sill, he crossed the
North Canadian just below the junction where the Beaver and Wolf Creeks
form the headquarters of the North Canadian. From there he proceeded to
Camp Supply, which was only a short distance away. When Sheridan arrived
at the camp, he found a message awaiting him, which had been brought from
Fort Dodge, Kansas, by stage. The despatch contained the announcement of
his promotion to the position of Lieut. General of the army and requested
him to proceed at once to Washington, D. C. Sheridan did not seem much
surprised at his promotion, and continued to perform his usual duties of
looking after the Indians and ordering supplies. (He saw to it that those
old squaws who had mangled and mutilated his soldier-comrades should be
properly cared for as prisoners of war.) (In fact, he was about the
busiest man in camp.)
Before Gen. Sheridan had left Camp Sill, Gen. Custer had returned from his
trip to the head of Red river, which he had made at his own request. He
reported that he had found nothing but a bleak waste. He stated that there
was no sign of animal or vegetable life to be seen and that he did not
think it possible for the Indians to subsist there. On hearing this report
Gen. Sheridan said nothing but took the matter into consideration and,
after revolving the affair in his own mind for some time, it was plain to
be seen that he was dissatisfied with the report. He ordered Gen. Custer
to increase his force by taking the Kansas volunteers and mounting them on
the horses he had brought from Fort Arbuckle, to refit and refurnish them
thirty days rations and return. He also ordered him to take a full
complement of scouts and scour the country until he did find the Indians
and bring them into Camp Supply, or whip them into subjection, with all of
which Custer was ready to cheerfully comply. The camp was now alive, each
soldier fitting up his belongings for a return trip. Gen. Sheridan told
Custer that he had to return to Supply and that he wanted the Indian
business closed up as soon as possible and for all time to come; that he
did not want the band left at liberty until the grass was green as they
would then be self-supporting and could prey upon the stockmen and the
settlers at will; that it was his duty to prevent this and he would,
regardless of consequences.
It did not take long to make the proper preparations for the return trip,
and Custer took a sufficient number of men to overpower any ordinary band
of Indians, and on the following morning set out for the Panhandle
country. Gen. Sheridan intended to set out the same day, but as he said he
had neglected his correspondence, he thought it better to take another day
to devote to that matter and arrange everything of that nature before
leaving.
On the second day afterwards he had his baggage and other effects packed
ready for the trip and went down to the corral to bid his old comrades and
teamsters good-bye. He made them a short talk, thanking them for their
faithful services they had always so readily rendered. He said that whilst
he did not ever expect to return to that post again, that he would be glad
to meet any of them, at any time or place. After shaking hands with all
the boys he started for the ambulance which was to take him away. When he
met Johnny Murphy, his tried and trusty teamster all through the campaign,
he said, "Well, Johnnie, I am going to leave you. Be a good boy, and if
you should ever come to Washington, call on me. I shall always be glad to
meet you." He shook hands with him and when he had gone a short distance,
he turned and shouted back, "Now, Johnnie, do not fail to call on me." At
his departure there could be seen on the cheeks of more than one of those
old battle-scarred veterans, a glistening tear, the true token of
deep-seated regret. It was a sorrowful parting as these men had followed
him through the din of battle for four years during the rebellion and
through the Indian campaigns and had come to look upon him as their
dearest friend for whom it was a pleasure to shed their blood in the
performance of duty. But such was life in the west. When he had gone, each
turned to his duty and tried to forget his sorrow. It was such little
traits as this that made Sheridan loved by his own men, revered by his
friends, and admired and respected by his enemies.
The General had hoped to be able to reach Washington to lead his old
command in the Inaugural parade on March 4th, but such was not to be, as
his duties in the Territory delayed him, too long, as it was now March
2nd. He set out as soon as it was possible for him to leave his command.
If there was any bad weather, it seemed to be his luck to be out in it. It
sleeted and as scout and guide to go and get them. I promised the rained
all during the journey to Bluff Creek and continued to do the same all the
way to Dodge City.
Gen. Custer, a very energetic man and strict disciplinarian, too strict in
fact to always retain the respect of his men, kept everybody and
everything on the move. The snow was now fast disappearing from the
Territory, but the mud and slush caused by the thawing snow, made
travelling a slavish task. Each day was a repetition of the preceding one
and such it continued to be until they reached the Panhandle country where
they found more snow and less protection from the winds. They still
advanced keeping the scouts well to the fore to escape any chance of being
taken by surprise. Each day brought the same routine of duties and the
same results until it became monotonous, so much so that the boys said
that they would like to have a little fight just for a change and to liven
things up a little. On and on they went across the dreary desolate plain,
with not even a buffalo to be seen as they had been driven from the flats
by the severe storms that swept that part of the country prior to the
trip. A gray wolf might be seen occasionally, or perhaps an antelope, but
that was about all as the wild horses or mustangs had sought shelter in
the canyons or brakes. Desolation reigned supreme and were it not for the
company they found in each other they wouldn't have been able to endure
the loneliness of the place. Duty urged them on, and forward they went
well out on the Staked Plains. One day the scouts returned with the
information that they had discovered an Indian village. Such news was
music to their ears and each and all began to prepare for the impending
conflict. Strange as it may seem, those Indians were aware of the approach
of the scouts and fully realized their danger. The scouts had scarcely
returned to camp when Custer saw through his field-glasses a lively
movement among the Indians. He knew that he had sufficient force to crush
them, but hesitated to do so as he had learned that they held two white
women as captives, and thought it best to parley with them, for if he
attacked them they might repeat the act of cruelty and cold-blooded murder
that was perpetrated by Satanta on the Washita rather than deliver her up
to her rescuers. They did not have to wait, for it was a short time until
the white flag which the Indian always kept within easy reach, was brought
forth. When well out from the village and not far distant from the train,
the general and his staff with an interpreter went out to meet them. It
did not take long to arrange the preliminaries as they were anxious to
surrender, or more so, than he was to capture them. Whilst the
negotiations were being conducted for their surrender and return to Camp
Supply, Chief Tall Bull made his escape with a few followers and was not
heard of until a year later when the report was made that General Parr
had made a final settlement with him and sent him "where the wicked cease
from troubling", and "the weary are at rest," up on the Republican river
in Colorado.
About the first request made by these Indians was for chuckaway as they
were almost famished for want of something to eat. Custer readily acceded
to their demand and gave them a liberal supply of rations. Then they made
ready to move. They had no pianos, sewing machines, or bric-a-brac to pack
and crate, but they had a good quantity of buffalo robes, blankets, tanned
buckskin, pots, skillets, and other belongings of an Indian camp and it
took some time to get them in readiness for transportation. To a person
who has never witnessed such a thing, it is very interesting. The teepees
had to be taken down and put in shape to be packed on ponies. In fact,
everything had to be packed on ponies as a wagon was an unknown thing to
them. They had a substitute for the wagon which they made from a green cow
hide. This while soft and pliable they fastened by each corner to a post
and weighted down the center until it assumed the form of a large dish.
When it became dry and hard, they attached it to two long teepee poles
fastened one on each side of a pony. Into the hide they then put anything
they wished to transport and turned the pony loose with the rest of the
herd. I have seen them place papooses in this rude vehicle and the old
pony wandered at will over the prairie. The teepee poles were made of
cedar and were very light. Sometimes as many as a dozen poles would be
fastened to a pony with other luggage fastened on his back. The young
babies, or small papooses, were strapped to the squaws shoulders where she
usually carried it in all kinds of weather. The older children climbed on
the back of a pony, as that is about the first thing they learned, and
were ready for any kind of a journey. The Indian ponies are usually very
docile as they are broken to handle from colthood. It is a very rare thing
to see one of them bucking or running away, and consequently we seldom
hear of an accident to an Indian caused by a vicious horse.
When everything was in readiness, the general gave orders to set out and
off they started on their return trip to Camp Supply. Their progress was
necessarily very slow owing to the starved condition of their ponies, but
Custer urged them on to the limit of their endurance as he had now a great
many new boarders on hand and he feared that he might run short of
supplies. Each day of the journey was like the other. One thing was
favorable, the weather was warmer and the ground was not so soft and muddy
as on their advance into that country. One day one of the soldiers shot a
buffalo and he and his comrades cut off the hump and one hind quarter to
divide among his companions. He told the Indians to help themselves to the
rest. The general called a halt to give the Indians a chance to attend to
the remnant of the buffalo and put the cook to work preparing some of the
hump for himself. They also fed the stock some grain and by the time the
General finished his slice of hump there was not enough of that buffalo
left to bait a mouse trap. There was nothing left but the horns, hooves,
and bones. Even the entrails did not escape their ravenous appetite.
Nevertheless, the buffalo saved the General's commissary the necessity of
providing one good meal and that was quite a consideration at that
particular time, as provisions were beginning to get low. Each day brought
its quota of petty annoyances. Sometimes a wagon would bog down in the
creek, or a whiffle-tree would break or a mule balk. But that is all the
part of a journey. On they went until they came to the South Canadian
river where they expected to meet the greatest difficulty of their trip,
but to the surprise of all parties, the water was very low and they
succeeded in crossing it with much less trouble than they had to contend
with in crossing some of the smaller streams. The quicksand was their
greatest obstacle to be encountered in the way. The Indian ponies, as I
have said, being very poor and weak, one of them would frequently fall and
flounder around in the quicksand throwing his burden, a squaw and her
papoose. There they struggled with the treacherous sands until a soldier
equal to the emergency would gallantly go to their rescue and bring them
back to safety on the opposite bank. The bucks faced the ordeal very
reluctantly, but seeing that it was a case of the 'devil take the
hindmost' they removed their moccasins, blankets, and in many cases
reduced themselves to a state of primitive simplicity, and made their way
across as best they could. Much to the relief of the commanding officer
the last of them, after a good deal of struggling and snorting, landed on
the north bank of the treacherous stream in safety. The general in his
eagerness to proceed, did not wait for them to arrange their toilets, but
pushed on through the brakes and canyons until he reached the flats where
he went into camp. He was eager to reach his destination to unload his
responsibility and one cannot blame him for that feeling after performing
such an arduous task. It took three more days to reach Camp Supply where
Gen. Custer turned over his charge to the Indian Department and in due
course of time discharged the regiment that had rendered such valuable
service. During that expedition Custer had brought back those renegades
and turned them over to the Department without firing a gun except at game
on the way.