personal memoirs-2-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Evans；　moving　from　Monument　Creek　toward　the　western　base　of　the

Witchita　Mountains　on　Christmas　Day；　had　the　good　fortune　to　strike

their　village。　　In　the　snow　and　cold　his　approach　was　wholly

unexpected；　and　he　was　thus　enabled　to　deal　the　band　a　blow　that

practically　annihilated　it。　　Twenty…five　warriors　were　killed

outright；　most　of　the　women　and　children　captured；　and　all　the

property　was　destroyed。　　Only　a　few　of　the　party　escaped；　and　some　of

these　made　their　way　in　to　Fort　Cobb；　to　join　the　rest　of　their　tribe

in　confinement；　while　others；　later　in　the　season；　surrendered　at

Fort　Bascom。



This　sudden　appearance　of　Evans　in　the　Red　River　region　also　alarmed

the　Cheyennes　and　Arapahoes；　and　their　thoughts　now　began　to　turn　to

submission。　　Food　was　growing　scarce　with　them；　too；　as　there　was　but

little　game　to　be　found　either　in　the　Witchita　Mountains　or　on　the

edge　of　the　Staked　Plains；　and　the　march　of　Carr's　column　from

Antelope　Hills　precluded　their　returning　to　where　the　buffalo　ranged。

Then；　too；　many　of　their　ponies　were　dead　or　dying；　most　of　their

tepees　and　robes　had　been　abandoned；　and　the　women　and　children；

having　been　kept　constantly　on　the　move　in　the　winter's　storms；　were

complaining　bitterly　of　their　sufferings。



In　view　of　this　state　of　things　they　intimated；　through　their

Comanche…Apache　friends　at　Fort　Cobb；　that　they　would　like　to　make

terms。　　On　receiving　their　messages　I　entered　into　negotiations　with

Little　Robe；　chief　of　the　Cheyennes；　and　Yellow　Bear；　chief　of　the

Arapahoes；　and　despatched　envoys　to　have　both　tribes　understand

clearly　that　they　must　recognize　their　subjugation　by　surrendering　at

once；　and　permanently　settling　on　their　reservations　in　the　spring。

Of　course　the　usual　delays　of　Indian　diplomacy　ensued；　and　it　was

some　weeks　before　I　heard　the　result。



Then　one　of　my　messengers　returned　with　word　that　Little　Robe　and

Yellow　Bear　were　on　their　way　to　see　me。　　They　arrived　a　few　days

later；　and；　promptly　acceding　to　the　terms；　promised　to　bring　their

people　in；　but　as　many　of　them　would　have　to　come　on　foot　on　account

of　the　condition　of　the　ponies；　more　time　was　solicited。　　Convinced

of　the　sincerity　of　their　professions　I　gave　them　a　reasonable

extension；　and　eventually　Yellow　Bear　made　good　his　word；　but　Little

Robe；　in　spite　of　earnest　and　repeated　efforts；　was　unable　to　deliver

his　people　till　further　operations　were　begun　against　them。



While　these　negotiations　were　in　progess　I　came　to　the　conclusion

that　a　permanent　military　post　ought　to　be　established　well　down　on

the　Kiowa　and　Comanche　reservation；　in　order　to　keep　an　eye　on　these

tribes　in　the　future；　Fort　Cobb；　being　an　unsuitable　location；

because　too　far　to　the　north　to　protect　the　Texas　frontier；　and　too

far　away　from　where　it　was　intended　to　permanently　place　the　Indians。

With　this　purpose　in　view　I　had　the　country　thoroughly　explored；　and

afterward　a　place　was　fixed　upon　not　far　from　the　base　of　the

Witchita　Mountains；　and　near　the　confluence　of　Medicine　Bluff　and

Cash　creeks；　where　building　stone　and　timber　could　be　obtained　in

plenty；　and　to　this　point　I　decided　to　move。　　The　place　was　named

Camp　Sill…now　Fort　Sillin　honor　of　my　classmate；　General　Sill；

killed　at　Stone　River；　and　to　make　sure　of　the　surrendered　Indians；　I

required　them　all；　Kiowas；　Comanches；　and　Comanche…Apaches；　to

accompany　us　to　the　new　post；　so　they　could　be　kept　under　military

control　till　they　were　settled。



During　the　march　to　the　new　camp　the　weather　was　not　so　cold　as　that

experienced　in　coming　down　from　Camp　Supply；　still；　rains　were

frequent；　and　each　was　invariably　followed　by　a　depression　of

temperature　and　high　winds；　very　destructive　to　our　animals；　much

weakened　by　lack　of　food。　　The　men　fared　pretty　well；　however；　for　on

the　rough　march　along　the　Washita；　and　during　our　stay　at　Fort　Cobb；

they　had　learned　to　protect　themselves　materially　from　the　cold。　　For

this　they　had　contrived　many　devices；　the　favorite　means　being

dugoutsthat　is；　pits　dug　in　the　ground；　and　roofed　over；　with

shelter…tents；　and　having　at　one　end　a　fire…place　and　chimney

ingeniously　constructed　with　sod。　　In　these　they　lived　very　snugly

four　men　in　eachand　would　often　amuse　themselves　by　poking　their

heads　out　and　barking　at　the　occupants　of　adjacent　huts　in　imitation

of　the　prairie…dog；　whose　comfortable　nests　had　probably　suggested

the　idea　of　dugouts。　　The　men　were　much　better　off；　in　fact；　than

many　of　the　officers；　for　the　high　winds　frequently　made　havoc　with

our　wall…tents。　　The　horses　and　mules　suffered　most　of　all。　　They

could　not　be　sheltered；　and　having　neither　grain　nor　grass；　the　poor

beasts　were　in　no　condition　to　stand　the　chilling　blasts。　　Still；　by

cutting　down　cottonwood…trees；　and　letting　the　animals　browse　on　the

small　soft　branches；　we　managed　to　keep　them　up　till；　finally　even

this　wretched　food　beginning　to　grow　scarce；　I　had　all　except　a　few

of　the　strongest　sent　to　Fort　Arbuckle；　near　which　place　we　had　been

able；　fortunately；　to　purchase　some　fields　of　corn　from　the　half…

civilized　Chickasaws　and　Choctaws。



Through　mismanagement；　as　previously　noted；　the　greater　part　of　the

supplies　which　I　had　ordered　hauled　to　Arbuckle　the　preceding　fall

had　not　got　farther　on　the　way　than　Fort　Gibson；　which　post　was　about

four　hundred　miles　off；　and　the　road　abominable；　particularly　east　of

Arbuckle；　where　it　ran　through　a　low　region　called　〃boggy　bottom。〃

All　along　this　route　were　abandoned　wagons；　left　sticking　in　the　mud；

and　hence　the　transportation　was　growing　so　short　that　I　began　to

fear　trouble　in　getting　subsistence　up　for　the　men。　　Still；　it　would

not　do　to　withdraw；　so　I　made　a　trip　to　Arbuckle　chiefly　for　the

purpose　of　reorganizing　the　transportation；　but　also　with　a　view　to

opening　a　new　route　to　that　post；　the　road　to　lie　on　high　ground；　so

as　to　avoid　the　creeks　and　mud　that　had　been　giving　us　so　much

trouble。　　If　such　a　road　could　be　made；　I　hoped　to　get　up　enough

rations　and　grain　from　the　cornfields　purchased　to　send　out　a

formidable　expedition　against　the　Cheyennes；　so　I　set　out　for

Arbuckle　accompanied　by　my　quartermaster；　Colonel　A。　J。　McGonigle。

〃California　Joe〃　also　went　along　to　guide　us　through　the　scrub…oaks

covering　the　ridge；　but　even　the　most　thorough　exploration　failed　to

discover　any　route　more　practicable　than　that　already　in　use；　indeed；

the　high　ground　was；　if　anything；　worse　than　the　bottom　land；　our

horses　in　the　springy　places　and　quicksands　often　miring　to　their

knees。　　The　ground　was　so　soft　and　wet；　in　fact；　that　we　had　to　make

most　of　the　way　on　foot；　so　by　the　time　we　reached　Arbuckle　I　was

glad　to　abandon　the　new　road　project。



Finding　near　Arbuckle　more　fields　of　corn　than　those　already

purchased；　I　had　them　bought　also；　and　ordered　more　of　the　horses

back　there　to　be　fed。　　I　next　directed　every　available　mule　to　be　put

to　hauling　rations；　having　discovered　that　the　full　capacity　of　the

transportation　had　not　yet　been　brought　into　play　in　forwarding

stores　from　Gibson；　and　with　this　regulation　of　the　supply　question　I

was　ready　to　return　immediately　to　Camp　Sill。　　But　my　departure　was

delayed　by　California　Joe；　who；　notwithstanding　the　prohibitory　laws

of　the　Territory；　in　some　unaccountable　way　had　got　gloriously　tipsy；

which　caused　a　loss　of　time　that　disgusted　me　greatly；　but　as　we

could　not　well　do　without　Joe；　I　put　off　starting　till　the　next　day；

by　which　time　it　was　thought　he　would　sober　up。　　But　I　might　just　as

well　have　gone　at　first；　for　at　the　end　of　the　twenty…four　hours　the

incorrigible　old　rascal　was　still　dead　drunk。　　How　he　had　managed　to

get　the　grog　to　keep　up　his　spree　was　a　mystery　which　we　could　not

solve；　though　we　had　had　him　closely　watched；　so　I　cut　the　matter

short　by　packing　him　into　my　ambulance　and　carrying　him　off　to　Camp

Sill。



By　the　time　I　got　back　to　Sill；　the　Arapahoes　were　all　in　at　the

post；　or　near　at　hand。　　The　promised　surrender　of　the　Cheyennes　was

still　uncertain　of　fulfillment；　however；　and　although　Little　Robe　and

his　family　had　remained　with　us　in　evidence　of　good　faith；　the

messages　he　sent　to　his　followers　brought　no　assurance　of　the　tribe's

coming　inthe　runners　invariably　returning　with　requests　for　more

time；　and　bringing　the　same　old　excuse　of　inability　to　move　because

the　ponies　were　so　badly　off。　　But　more　time　was　just　what　I　was

determined　not　to　grant；　for　I　felt　sure　that　if　a　surrender　was　not

forced　before　the　spring　grass　came；　the　ponies　would　regain　their

strength；　and　then　it　would　be　doubtful　if　the　Cheyennes　came　in　at

all。



To　put　an　end　to　these　delays；　Custer　proposed　to　go　out　and　see　the

Cheyennes　himself；　taking　with　him　for　escort　only　such　number　of　men

as　could　be　fairly　well　mounted　from　the　few　horses　not　sent　back　to

Arbuckle。　　At　first　I　was　inclined　to　disapprove　Custer's

proposition；　but　he　urged　it　so　strongly　that　I　finally　consented；

though　with　some　misgivings；　for　I　feared　that　so　small　a　party　might

tempt　the　Cheyennes　to　forget　their　pacific　professions　and　seek　to

avenge　the　destruction　of　Black　Kettle's　band。　　However；　after

obtaining　my　approval；　Custer；　with　characteristic　energy；　made　his

preparations；　and　started　with　three　or　four　officers　and　forty

picked　men；　taking　along　as　negotiators　Yellow　Bear　and　Little　Robe；

who　were　also　to　conduct　him　to　the　head…waters　of　the　Red　River；

where　it　was　supposed　the　Cheyennes　would　be　found。　　His　progress　was

reported　by　couriers　every　few　days；　and　by　the　time　he　got　to　the

Witchita　foot…hills　he　had　grown　so　sanguine　that　he　sent　California

Joe　back　to　me　with　word　that　he　was　certain　of　success。　　Such

hopeful　anticipation　relieved　me　greatly；　of　course；　but　just　about

the　time　I　expected　to　hear　that　his　mission　had　been　achieved　I　was

astonished　by　the　party's　return。　　Inquiring　as　to　the　trouble；　I

learned　that　out　toward　the　Staked　Plains　every　sign　of　the　Cheyennes

had　disappeared。　　Surprised　and　disappointed　at　this；　and　discouraged

by　the　loneliness　of　his　situationfor　in　the　whole　region　not　a

trace　of　animal　life　was　visible；　Custer　gave　up　the　search；　and　none

too　soon；　I　am　inclined　to　believe；　to　save　his　small　party　from

perishing。



This　failure　put　a　stop　to　all　expeditions　till　the　latter　part　of

February；　by　which　time　I　had　managed　to　lay　in　enough　rations　to

feed　the　command　for　about　thirty　days；　and　the　horses　back　at

Arbuckle　having　picked　up　sufficiently　for　field　service　they　were

ordered　to　Sill；　and　this　time　I　decided　to　send　Custer　out　with　his

own　and　the　Kansas　regiment；　with　directions　to　insist　on　the

immediate　surrender　of　the　Cheyennes；　or　give　them　a　sound　thrashing。

He　was　ordered　to　get　everything　ready　by　March　1；　and　then　move　to

the　mouth　of　Salt　Creek；　on　the　North　Fork　of　the　Red　River；　at　which

place　I　proposed　to　establish　a