第 45 节
作者:飘雪的季节      更新:2021-02-17 23:32      字数:9322
  officers and eleven men wounded。  The blow struck was a most
  effective one; and; fortunately; fell on one of the most villanous of
  the hostile bands that; without any provocation whatever; had
  perpetrated the massacres on the Saline and Solomon; committing
  atrocities too repulsive for recital; and whose hands were still red
  from their bloody work on the recent raid。  Black Kettle; the chief;
  was an old man; and did not himself go with the raiders to the Saline
  and Solomon; and on this account his fate was regretted by some。  But
  it was old age only that kept him back; for before the demons set out
  from Walnut Creek he had freely encouraged them by 〃making medicine;〃
  and by other devilish incantations that are gone through with at war
  and scalp dances。
  When the horrible work was over he undertook to shield himself by
  professions of friendship; but being put to the test by my offering
  to feed and care for all of his band who would come in to Fort Dodge
  and remain there peaceably; he defiantly refused。  The consequence of
  this refusal was a merited punishment; only too long delayed。
  I received the first news of Custer's fight on theWashita on the
  morning of November 29。  It was brought to me by one of his white
  scouts; 〃California Joe;〃 a noted character; who had been
  experiencing the ups and downs of pioneer life ever since crossing
  the Plains in 1849。  Joe was an invaluable guide and Indian fighter
  whenever the clause of the statute prohibiting liquors in theIndian
  country happened to be in full force。  At the time in question the
  restriction was by no means a dead letter; and Joe came through in
  thirty…six hours; though obliged to keep in hiding during daylight of
  the 28th。  The tidings brought were joyfully received by everybody at
  Camp Supply; and they were particularly agreeable tome; for; besides
  being greatly worried about the safety of the command in the extreme
  cold and deep snows; I knew that the immediate effect a victory would
  be to demoralize the rest of the hostiles; which of course would
  greatly facilitate and expedite our ultimate success。  Toward evening
  the day after Joe arrived the head of Custer's column made its
  appearance on the distant hills; the friendly Osage scouts and the
  Indian prisoners in advance。  As they drew near; the scouts began a
  wild and picturesque performance in celebration of the victory;
  yelling; firing their guns; throwing themselves on the necks and
  sides of their horses to exhibit their skill in riding; and going
  through all sorts of barbaric evolutions and gyrations; which were
  continued till night; when the rejoicings were ended with the hideous
  scalp dance。
  The disappearance of Major Elliott and his party was the only damper
  upon our pleasure; and the only drawback to the very successful
  expedition。  There was no definite information as to the detachment;
  and Custer was able to report nothing more than that he had not
  seen Elliott since just before the fight began。  His theory was;
  however; that Elliott and his men had strayed off on account of
  having no guide; and would ultimately come in all right to Camp
  Supply or make their way back to Fort Dodge; a very unsatisfactory
  view of the matter; but as no one knew the direction Elliott had
  taken; it was useless to speculate on other suppositions; and
  altogether too late to make any search for him。  I was now anxious to
  follow up Custer's stroke by an immediate move to the south with the
  entire column; but the Kansas regiment had not yet arrived。  At first
  its nonappearance did not worry me much; for I attributed the delay
  to the bad weather; and supposed Colonel Crawford had wisely laid up
  during the worst storms。  Further ;waiting; however; would give the
  Indians a chance to recover from the recent dispiriting defeat; so I
  sent out scouting parties to look Crawford up and hurry him along。
  After a great deal of searching; a small detachment of the regiment
  was found about fifty miles below us on the North Canadian; seeking
  our camp。  This detachment was in a pretty bad plight; and when
  brought in; the officer in charge reported that the regiment; by not
  following the advice of the guide sent to conduct it to Camp Supply;
  had lost its way。  Instead of relying on the guides; Crawford had
  undertaken to strike through the canyons of the Cimarron by what
  appeared to him a more direct route; and in the deep gorges; filled
  as they were with snow; he had been floundering about for days
  without being able to extricate his command。  Then; too; the men were
  out of rations; though they had been able to obtain enough buffalo
  meat to keep from starving。  As for the horses; since they could get
  no grass; about seven hundred of them had already perished from
  starvation and exposure。  Provisions and guides were immediately sent
  out to the regiment; but before the relief could reach Crawford his
  remaining horses were pretty much all gone; though the men were
  brought in without loss of life。  Thus; the regiment being dismounted
  by this misfortune at the threshold of the campaign; an important
  factor of my cavalry was lost to me; though as foot…troops the Kansas
  volunteers continued to render very valuable services till mustered
  out the next spring。
  CHAPTER XIV。
  A WINTER EXPEDITIONHERDS OF BUFFALOWOLVESBLIZZARDSA TERRIBLE
  NIGHTFINDING THE BODIES OF ELLIOTT'S PARTYTHE ABANDONED INDIAN
  CAMPSPUSHING DOWN THE WASHITATHE CAPTURED CHIEFSEVANS'S
  SUCCESSFUL FIGHTESTABLISHING FORT SILL〃CALIFORNIA JOE〃DUPLICITY
  OF THE CHEYENNESORDERED TO REPAIR TO WASHINGTON。
  A few days were necessarily lost setting up and refitting the Kansas
  regiment after its rude experience in the Cimarron canyons。  This
  through with; the expedition; supplied with thirty days' rations;
  moved out to the south on the 7th of December; under my personal
  command。  We headed for the Witchita Mountains; toward which rough
  region all the villages along the Washita River had fled after
  Custer' s fight with Black Kettle。  My line of march was by way of
  Custer's battle…field; and thence down the Washita; and if the
  Indians could not sooner be brought to terms; I intended to follow
  them into the Witchita Mountains from near old Fort Cobb。  The snow
  was still deep everywhere; and when we started the thermometer was
  below zero; but the sky being clear and the day very bright; the
  command was in excellent spirits。  The column was made up of ten
  companies of the Kansas regiment; dismounted; eleven companies of the
  Seventh Cavalry; Pepoon's scouts; and the Osage scouts。  In addition
  to Pepoon's men and the Osages; there was also 〃California Joe;〃 and
  one or two other frontiersmen besides; to act as guides and
  interpreters。  Of all these the principal one; the one who best knew
  the country; was Ben Clark; a young man who had lived with the
  Cheyennes during much of his boyhood; and who not only had a pretty
  good knowledge of the country; but also spoke fluently the Cheyenne
  and Arapahoe dialects; and was an adept in the sign language。
  The first day we made only about ten miles; which carried us to the
  south bank of Wolf Creek。  A considerable part of the day was devoted
  to straightening out matters in the command; and allowing time for
  equalizing the wagon loads; which as a general thing; on a first
  day's march; are unfairly distributed。  And then there was an
  abundance of fire…wood at Wolf Creek; indeed; here and on Hackberry
  Creekwhere I intended to make my next campwas the only timber
  north of the Canadian River; and to select the halting places near a
  plentiful supply of wood was almost indispensable; for as the men
  were provided with only shelter…tents; good fires were needed in
  order to keep warm。
  The second day; after marching for hours through vast herds of
  buffalo; we made Hackberry Creek; but not; however; without several
  stampedes in the wagon…train; the buffalo frightening the mules so
  that it became necessary to throw out flankers to shoot the leading
  bulls and thus turn off the herds。  In the wake of every drove
  invariably followed a band of wolves。  This animal is a great coward
  usually; but hunger had made these so ravenous that they would come
  boldly up to the column; and as quick as a buffalo was killed; or
  even disabled; they would fall upon the carcass and eagerly devour
  it。  Antelope also were very numerous; and as they were quite tame
  being seldom chasedand naturally very inquisitive; it was not an
  unfrequent thing to see one of the graceful little creatures run in
  among the men and be made a prisoner。  Such abundance of game
  relieved the monotony of the march to Hackberry Creek; but still;
  both men and animals were considerably exhausted by their long tramp;
  for we made over thirty miles that day。
  We camped in excellent shape on the creek and it was well we did; for
  a 〃Norther;〃 or ; 〃blizzard;〃 as storms on the Plains are now termed
  struck us in the n