personal memoirs-1-第3章

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occasionally　relieved；　though；　by　the　passage　of　immense　flocks　of

ducks　and　geese；　and　the　appearance　at　intervals　of　herds　of　deer；

and　sometimes　droves　of　wild　cattle；　wild　horses　and　mules。　　The

bands　of　wild　horses　I　noticed　were　sometimes　led　by　mules；　but

generally　by　stallions　with　long　wavy　manes；　and　flowing　tails　which

almost　touched　the　ground。



We　arrived　at　Laredo　during　one　of　those　severe　storms　incident　to

that　section；　which　are　termed　〃Northers〃　from　the　fact　that　the

north　winds　culminate　occasionally　in　cold　windstorms；　frequently

preceded　by　heavy　rains。　　Generally　the　blow　lasts　for　three　days；

and　the　cold　becomes　intense　and　piercing。　　While　the　sudden

depression　of　the　temperature　is　most　disagreeable；　and　often　causes

great　suffering；　it　is　claimed　that　these　〃Northers〃　make　the　climate

more　healthy　and　endurable。　　They　occur　from　October　to　May；　and　in

addition　to　the　destruction　which；　through　the　sudden　depression　of

the　temperature；　they　bring　on　the　herds　in　the　interior；　they　are

often　of　sufficient　violence　to　greatly　injure　the　harbors　on　the

coast。



The　post　near　Laredo　was　called　Fort　McIntosh；　and　at　this　period　the

troops　stationed　there　consisted　of　eight　companies　of　the　Fifth

Infantry　and　two　of　the　First；　one　of　the　First　Artillery；　and　three

of　the　Mounted　Rifles。　　Just　before　the　〃Norther〃　began　these　troops

had　completed　a　redoubt　for　the　defense　of　the　post；　with　the

exception　of　the　ditches；　but　as　the　parapet　was　built　of　sandthe

only　material　about　Laredo　which　could　be　obtained　for　its

constructionthe　severity　of　the　winds　was　too　much　for　such　a

shifting　substance；　and　the　work　was　entirely　blown　away　early　in　the

storm。



I　was　pleasantly　and　hospitably　welcomed　by　the　officers　at　the　post；

all　of　whom　were　living　in　tents；　with　no　furniture　except　a　cot　and

trunk；　and　an　improvised　bed　for　a　stranger；　when　one　happened　to

come　along。　　After　I　had　been　kindly　taken　in　by　one　of　the　younger

officers；　I　reported　to　the　commanding　officer；　and　was　informed　by

him　that　he　would　direct　the　quartermaster　to　furnish　me；　as　soon　as

convenient；　with　transportation　to　Fort　Duncan；　the　station　of　my

company。



In　the　course　of　a　day　or　two；　the　quartermaster　notified　me　that　a

Government　six…mule　wagon　would　be　placed　at　my　disposal　to　proceed

to　my　destination。　　No　better　means　offering；　I　concluded　to　set　out

in　this　conveyance；　and；　since　it　was　also　to　carry　a　quantity　of

quartermaster's　property　for　Fort　Duncan；　I　managed　to　obtain　room

enough　for　my　bed　in　the　limited　space　between　the　bows　and　load；

where　I　could　rest　tolerably　well；　and　under　cover　at　night；　instead

of　sleeping　on　the　ground　under　the　wagon；　as　I　had　done　on　the　road

from　Corpus　Christi　to　Laredo。



I　reached　Fort　Duncan　in　March；　1854。；　and　was　kindly　received　by　the

commanding　officer　of　the；　regiment；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Thompson

Morris；and　by　the　captain　of　my　company　（〃D〃）；　Eugene　E。　McLean；　and

his　charming　wife　the　only　daughter　of　General　E。　V。　Sumner；　who　was

already　distinguished　in　our　service；　but　much　better　known　in　after

years　in　the　operations　ofthe　Army　of　the　Potomac；　during　its　early

campaigns　in　Virginia。　　Shortly　after　joining　company　〃D〃　I　was　sent

out　on　scouting　duty　with　another　company　of　the　regiment　to　Camp　La

Pena；　about　sixty　or　seventy　miles　east　of　Fort　Duncan；　in　a　section

of　country　that　had　for　some　time　past　been　subjected　to　raids　by　the

Lipan　and　Comanche　Indians。　　Ournoutpost　at　La　Pena　was　intended　as　a

protection　against　the　predatory　incursions　of　these　savages；　so

almost　constant　scouting　became　a　daily　occupation。　　This　enabled　me

soon　to　become　familiar　with　and　make　maps　of　the　surrounding

country；　and；　through　constant　association　with　our　Mexican　guide；　to

pick　up　in　a　short　time　quite　a　smattering　of　the　Spanish　language；

which　was　very　useful　to　one　serving　on　that　frontier。



At　that　early　day　western　Texas　was　literally　filled　with　game；　and

the　region　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　La　Pena　contained　its　full

proportion　of　deer；　antelope；　and　wild　turkeys。　　The　temptation　to

hunt　was　therefore　constantly　before　me；　and　a　desire　to　indulge　in

this　pastime；　whenever　free　from　the　legitimate　duty　of　the　camp；

soon　took　complete　possession　of　me；　so　expeditions　in　pursuit　of

game　were　of　frequent　occurrence。　　In　these　expeditions　I　was　always

accompanied　by　a　soldier　named　Frankman；　belonging　to　〃　D　〃　company；

who　was　a　fine　sportsman；　and　a　butcher　by　trade。　　In　a　short　period

I　learned　from　Frankman　how　to　approach　and　secure　the　different

species　of　game；　and　also　how　to　dress　and　care　for　it　when　killed。

Almost　every　expedition　we　made　was　rewarded　with　a　good　supply　of

deer；　antelope；　and　wild　turkeys；　and　we　furnished　the　command　in

camp　with　such　abundance　that　it　was　relieved　from　the　necessity　of

drawing　its　beef　ration；　much　to　the　discomfiture　of　the　disgruntled

beef　contractor。



The　camp　at　La　Pena　was　on　sandy　ground；　unpleasant　for　men　and

animals；　and　by　my　advice　it　was　moved　to　La　Pendencia；　not　far　from

Lake　Espantosa。　　Before　removal　from　our　old　location；　however；　early

one　bright　morning　Frankman　and　I　started　on　one　of　our　customary

expeditions；　going　down　La　Pena　Creek　to　a　small　creek；　at　the　head

of　which　we　had　established　a　hunting　rendezvous。　　After　proceeding

along　the　stream　for　three　or　four　miles　we　saw　a　column　of　smoke　on

the　prairie；　and　supposing　it　arose　from　a　camp　of　Mexican　rancheros

catching　wild　horses　or　wild　cattle；　and　even　wild　mules；　which　were

very　numerous　in　that　section　of　country　along　the　Nueces　River；　we

thought　we　would　join　the　party　and　see　how　much　success　they　were

having；　and　observe　the　methods　employed　in　this　laborious　and

sometimes　dangerous　vocation。　　With　this　object　in　view；　we　continued

on　until　we　found　it　necessary　to　cross　to　the　other　side　of　the

creek　to　reach　the　point　indicated　by　the　smoke。　　Just　before

reaching　the　crossing　I　discovered　moccasin　tracks　near　the　water's

edge；　and　realizing　in　an　instant　that　the　camp　we　were　approaching

might　possibly　be　one　of　hostile　Indiansall　Indians　in　that　country

at　that　time　were　hostileFrankman　and　I　backed　out　silently；　and

made　eager　strides　for　La　Pena；　where　we　had　scarcely　arrived　when

Captain　M。　E。　Van　Buren；　of　the　Mounted　Rifle　regiment；　came　in　with

a　small　command；　and　reported　that　he　was　out　in　pursuit　of　a　band　of

Comanche　Indians；　which　had　been　committing　depredations　up　about

Fort　Clark；　but　that　he　had　lost　the　trail。　　I　immediately　informed

him　of　what　had　occurred　to　me　during　the　morning；　and　that　I　could

put　him　on　the　trail　of　the　Indians　he　was　desirous　of　punishing。



We　hurriedly　supplied　with　rations　his　small　command　of　thirteen；

men；　and　I　then　conducted　him　to　the　point　where　I　had　seen　the

smoke；　and　there　we　found　signs　indicating　it　to　be　the　recently

abandoned　camp　of　the　Indians　he　was　pursuing；　and　we　also　noticed

that　prairie　rats　had　formed　the　principal　article　of　diet　at　the

meal　they　had　just　completed。　　As　they　had　gone；　I　could　do　no　more

than　put　him　on　the　trail　made　in　their　departure；　which　was　well

marked；　for　Indians；　when　in　small　parties；　and　unless　pressed；

usually　follow　each　other　in　single　file。　　Captain　Van　Buren　followed

the　trail　by　Fort　Ewell；　and　well　down　toward　Corpus　Christi；　day　and

night；　until　the　Indians；　exhausted　and　used　up；　halted；　on　an　open

plain；　unsaddled　their　horses；　mounted　bareback；　and　offered　battle。

Their　number　was　double　that　of　Van　Buren's　detachment；　but　he

attacked　them　fearlessly；　and　in　the　fight　was　mortally　wounded　by　an

arrow　which　entered　his　body　in　front；　just　above　the　sword　belt；　and

came　through　the　belt　behind。　　The　principal　chief　of　the　Indians　was

killed；　and　the　rest　fled。　　Captain　Van　Buren's　men　carried　him　to

Corpus　Christi；　where　in　a　few　days　he　died。



After　our　removal　to　La　Pendencia　a　similar　pursuit　of　savages

occurred；　but　with　more　fortunate　results。　　Colonel　John　H。　King；　now

on　the　retired　list；　then　a　captain　in　the　First　Infantry；　came　to

our　camp　in　pursuit　of　a　marauding　band　of　hostile　Indians；　and　I　was

enabled　to　put　him　also　on　the　trail。　　He　soon　overtook　them；　and

killing　two　without　loss　to　himself；　the　band　dispersed　like　a　flock

of　quail　and　left　him　nothing　to　follow。　　He　returned　to　our　camp

shortly　after；　and　the　few　friendly　Indian　scouts　he　had　with　him

held　a　grand　pow…wow　and　dance　over　the　scalps　of　the　fallen　braves。



Around　La　Pendencia；　as　at　La　Pena；　the　country　abounded　in　deer；

antelope；　wild　turkeys；　and　quail；　and　we　killed　enough　to　supply

abundantly　the　whole　command　with　the　meat　portion　of　the　ration。

Some　mornings　Frankman　and　I　would　bring　in　as　many　as　seven　deer；

and　our　hunting　expeditions　made　me　so　familiar　with　the　region

between　our　camp　arid　Fort　Duncan；　the　headquarters　of　the　regiment；

that　I　was　soon　enabled　to　suggest　a　more　direct　route　of

communication　than　the　circuitous　one　then　traversed；　and　in　a　short

time　it　was　established。



Up　to　this　time　I　had　been　on　detached　duty；　but　soon　my　own　company

was　ordered　into　the　field　to　occupy　a　position　on　Turkey　Creek；

about　ten　or　twelve　miles　west　of　the　Nueces　River；　on　the　road　from

San　Antonio　to　Fort　Duncan；　and　I　was　required　to　join　the　company。

Here　constant　work　and　scouting　were　necessary；　as　our　camp　was

specially　located　with　reference　to　protecting　from　Indian　raids　the

road　running　from　San　Antonio　to　Fort　Duncan；　and　on　to　the　interior

of　Mexico。　　In　those　days　this　road　was　the　great　line　of　travel；　and

Mexican　caravans　were　frequently　passing　over　it；　to　and　fro；　in　such

a　disorganized　condition　as　often　to　invite　attack　from　marauding

Comanches　and　Lipans。　　Our　time；　therefore；　was　incessantly　occupied

in　scouting；　but　our　labors　were　much　lightened　because　they　were

directed　with　intelligence　and　justice　by　Captain　McLean；　whose

agreeable　manners　and　upright　methods　are　still　so　impressed　on　my

memory　that　to　this　day　I　look　back　upon　my　service　with　〃D〃　Company

of　the　First　Infantry　as　among　those　events　which　I　remember　with

most　pleasure。



In　this　manner　my　first　summer　of　active　field　duty　passed　rapidly

away；　and　in　the　fall　my　company　returned　to　Fort　Duncan　to　go　into

winter　quarters。　　These　quarters；　when　constructed；　consisted　of　〃A〃

tents　pitched　under　a　shed　improvised　by　the　company。　　With　only

these　accommodations　I　at　first　lived　around　as　best　I　could　until

the　command　was　quartered；　and　then；　requesting　a　detail　of　wagons

from　the　quartermaster；　I　went　out　some　thirty　miles　to　get　poles　to

build　a　more　comfortable　habitation　for　myself。　　In　a　few　days　enough

poles　for　the　construction　of　a　modest　residence　were　secured　and

brought　in；　and　then　the　building　of　my　house　began。　　First；　the

poles　were　cut　the