Scenes and Adventures in the Army: Or, Romance of Military Life
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/ ADVENTURES IN THE ARMY: ROMANCE OF MILITARY LIFE. BY IN ST. G. COOKE, COLONEL SECOND DRAGOONS, P. S. A. PIIILAPELPIIIA: LINDSAY & BLAKISTON, 1 8 5 9. .C77 Entered, according to Act of Congress in the year 1856 BY LINDSAY AND BLAKISTON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Peuugylvania. 2/V^^ %-^' !i " I ADDRESS not, then, tlie sliallow or hurried world- ling ; but the friendly one, who, in the calm intervals from worldly cares, grants me the aid of a quiet and thoughtful, and, if it may be, a poetic mood." — CONTENTS. PART I. CHAPTER I. PAGE A Journey Westward in 182Y—A Merry Company—Kentucky Horse-race—Scenes on the Ohio—Arrival at Jefferson Bar- racks, 13 CHAPTER II. St. Louis in 1827—Scenes at Mess—Anecdotes—A Large and Lively Garrison—Military Balls, • . .16 CHAPTER II L Departure np the Mississippi—Open Boats and Storms—Scenery —Rock Island—Prairie du Chien, . .22 CHAPTER IV. Scenery of the Upper Mississippi—On a Bluff by Moonlight Night Sail, and Prairies on Fire—Lake Pepin—Arrive at Fort Snelling, 28 CHAPTER V. Falls of St. Anthony—Departure—Night Scene with Indians Fall Overboard—Lady in an Open Boat—Galena in 1828 Breakfast on Gin—A Gambling Scene—Arrive at St. Louis, . 32 CHAPTER VL Jefferson Barracks in 1828—Further West—Fort Leavenworth March on Santa Fe Road—Prairie Scenery—Buffalo Hunting, 39 LL VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAGE Caravan Attacked—Night March, "Wild Scenery—A Desert and a Sirocco—Return to Chouteau Island—Man Killed —Dreadful March—Camp Attacked by 500 Camanches—Night Alarm, . 46 CHAPTERVIII. Life in the Wilderness-^—Another Indian Fight—Funeral and Wild Storm—Prairie Animals—Adventure with Wolves, . 55 CHAPTER IX. Prairie Evening Amusements—Indian Love-story related—Sha- wah-now— (Indian Battle, Flight, and Massacre), . .62 CHAPTER X. Another Indian Romance— Mah-za-pa-mee, . 75 CHAPTER XL Adventures, and Nan-ow Escape of an Expressman—His Com- rade Killed—Return of Caravan—Escort of Mexican Troops and Indians—Attacked by Arapahoes — Indian Dance and Night Scenes, 82 CHAPTER XI Part with Mexicans—March for Home—Multitudes of Buffalo — Prairie Afire—Arrive at Fort Leavenworth, . .89 CHAPTER XII Beautiful Scenery—Amusements at Fort Leavenworth—Trip up the Missouri—Dangerous Flood by Night—Fine Country, Hunting, 93 CHAPTER XIV. Prairie Musings—Platte River—Deserted Indian Town, by Night —Indian Houses Described—Dangerous Crossing of the Platte —Ruins of Fort Atkinson, Council Bluffs—Canoe Voyage down the Missouri—Deer Chase in the River, . .100 LL — CONTENTS. Vll CHAPTER XV. FAQS One Hundred Pawnees at Fort Leavenworth—Characteristic Dances—Sketch of I-e-tan, Otto Chief—His Romantic Life, and Tragic Death, . .109 CHAPTER XV L The Indian Character and Customs—Medical System—Supersti- tions and Ceremonies—Tradition of Migration and Divisions of Winnebagoes—Agricultural and Hunting System, . .115 CHAPTER XVI L Contains no ''Romance"—A Plea for the Indians—Incapable of Christian Religion—How First to Commence their Civilization —Plan for their Management, . .122 CHAPTER XVII Sketch of Black Bird, a Celebrated Chief—Power acquired by Using Arsenic—War Chief and Prophet—His Extreme Des- potism—Contest with a Rival—Death and Romantic Burial, . 130 CHAPTER XIX. Sketch of Hugh Glass, a Missouri River Hunter—Their Manner of Life—Trapping the Beaver—Combat with a Grizzly Bear —Desperately Wounded and Abandoned—Crawls Forty Days, 135 CHAPTER XX. Glass's Recovery—Escape in a Surprise and Massacre—Deadly Combat with an Indian—Rejoins His Old Party—His Revenge, 142 CHAPTER XXL A Solitary Walk—Afternoon Repose of Beautiful Nature—A Day- dream of the Ancient Indians —Orders for Another Frontier, 152 CHAPTER XXI Black Hawk War—Brought on by the Militia—Embark for St. Louis and Illinois River—Join Head Quarters—Old Friends Volunteers Organizing—Queer Scenes—March for Rock — via CONTENTS. PAGE River—False Alarm, and Rations thrown Away—Unaccount- able Panic at Night—Army Marches North, .... 156 CHAPTER XXII I. General Stampede of Horses at Night—Camping in Wet Wea- ther—Battle of " Wisconsin Heights"—Scenery of Wisconsin River—Trail Found—Ridiculous Incidents, . .168 CHAPTER XXIV. March in a Dense and Dark Forest—Painful Responsibility of Commanders— Sufferings of Indian Retreat—Forced March A Dead Warrior in His Paint, 174 CHAPTER XXV. Battle of Bad Axe—Descriptions of Battles—^Report of this Battle—Steamer Arrives, Firing Grape Shot—Indians Shot from 'Trees like Squirrels, 180 CHAPTER XXVI. Sac Band Broken Up—A Dandy on the Battle Ground—Em- bark for Prairie du Chien—Indian Hags—Cholera in General Scott's Army—Night Adventure, 187 CHAPTER XXVII. General Scott's Division Arrives at Rock Island—Brings the Cholera—Indian Fighters most Afraid—Recklessness—Black Hawk a Prisoner—Winter at Jefferson Barracks, . .192 CHAPTER XXVII I. Recruiting for Dragoons in West Tennessee—Adventures There A Baptist Sermon, and Life at Perryville—Electioneering and Horse-swapping — Jackson, Tennessee — David Crockett Nashville, 197 CHAPTER XXIX. ' New Regiment at Jefferson Barracks—Cavalry Ill-appreciated Causes—Instances of Great Cavalry Success—Its Services in " Our Old Wars—The Indian Long Knives," . .204 — CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XXX. PAGE Winter March to Fort Gibson—Value and Cost of Militia Sys- tem—Changed Character of Western Frontier—March with- out an Object—Indian Fear of Regular Troops, . 215 CHAPTER XXXI. Hot March on a Desert—Great Mortality—Reach Toweash Vil- lage—Exchange of Prisoners—Regiment Returns to Fort Gib- son, and Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, . .225 PART II. CHAPTER I. On the " Gi'and Prairie''—Book-making—A Botanical Walk Dialogue—Indian Anecdote, . .228 CHAPTER II. Dialogue on Books and Authors—Discovery of New Mexico Council Grove—Splendid Sunset—Gold Mines—Wet March Thoughts on the Murder of Chavis, 2.SG CHAPTER III. Another Squadron Joins—Dialogue on Newspapers and Books An Alarm—News—Pawnee Rock—Buffalo Charge the Camp, 250 CHAPTER IV. Indians About—Jackson Grove—A Buffalo that could not be Killed—Dialogue on Indian Tactics—Where shall the Winter be Passed?—Wolf Howling, Music and Romance— Meet Mexican Escort, 261 CHAPTER V. Return March—Splendid Elk Chase—Dialogue and Soliloquy Buffalo Chase—Criticism of J. P. R. James—Prairie on Fire —Snow Storm—Fort Leavenworth, . .272 LL —— CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. March for the Rocky Mountains—Emigrants—Pretty Scenery Dialogue—A Prairie Marriage—The Little Blue—A Hurri- cane—Pawnees—Attacked by a Dog—Splendid Sunrise on the Platte, 282 CHAPTER VI The Platte—A Phenomenon—Thoughts on Cortez, and Con- quest of Mexico—A Picturesque Funeral—Beautiful Camp- ing Scene—Bad Grass—Buffalo, and the Chase—Scene at Crossing of the Platte—Dialogue—Day-dreams—And a Real Dream in Ash Hollow, . 293 CHAPTER VIII. A Ridiculous Buffelo Chase—A Narrow Escape—Creole "En- gages"—Dialogue on Poetry, Astronomy, and Natural Philo- sophy, 309 CHAPTER IX. Wonderful Mirage, and Beautiful Scenery—A Sioux Village Dialogue, Women Compared with Men—Poetry and Romance Favorable to Women— Verses, 318 CHAPTER X. Scott's BlufF, Romantic Scenery—The Prairie Animals—Motives of Emigration—Dialogue, and Night Thoughts, . 328 CHAPTER XL Fort Laramie—Mongrel Population—The Sioux in Council March for the Mountains—A Lost Squaw and Children—Man Shot—Night Scene, 335 CHAPTER XI Grizzly Bear Chase—Volcanic Desert and Epsom Salt—BufiFalo Chase There—Independence Rock, and Sweet Water—Devil's Gate, Sublime Scene—Chamois, or " Big-horn" Chase —First View of Snow Peaks, ........ 344 CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XIII. PAGE Tyranny Halt in a Beautiful Valley—Dialogue on The Beautiful— of Society and Fashion—Golden Sands, Palseontology—One View of Niagara Falls, 353 CHAPTER XIV. South Pass, Camp in Oregon—The Spring of the Sweet Water 362 —Moonlight Soliloquy on a Mountain Peak, . CHAPTER XV. Homeward Bound—Poor Lands of Oregon—Prairie Pet Ani- „i:ils_Fuurth of July Thoughts, Independence, Liberty, and and Eciuality—What Nations have them—Indian Romance, American Literature, ^"-^ CHAPTER XVL Farewell. to Sweet Water—The Emigrants—Magnificent Scenery First Seen by Whites—A Romantic Night Watch, Dialogue- Episode of the Florida War, 373 CHAPTER XVIL Singular Disease, For- Was it a Dream ? Watcher's Soliloquy— tunately no Physician—Cub, a Tragedy in Three Acts—Great Fire and Escape—First March Southward—Evening Medita- "^^^ tion, CHAPTER XVI IL Romantic Cheyenne Village — Adventures There — Our Few Wants Unsujpplied in the Wilderness—March Without Water —Lost Squaw Restored to her Friends—Long's Peak—Arrive at South Platte, -^^^ CHAPTER XIX. A " New Style"—Dialogue—Lost Hunters Return—Mount Pike —A Charming Mountain Valley—Night Scenes and Adven- 404 tures—Storm in the Mountains, — XU CONTENTS. CHAPTER XX. PAGE The Storm Discussed—Daily Showers in the ]\Iountains, some- times Snow—The Arkansas, Bent's Fort—Mexicans, Donkeys, Indians—A Medicine Lodge—Indian Customs, . 412 CHAPTER XXL Our Daily Labors—Reverie—Botany—Languajje of Flowers Last Buffalo Chase—Hard and Hot March—Reach Home, . 421 : SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN THE ARMY, PART I. CHAPTER I. My furlough was past ! What varied emotions did that reflection excite ! Strong were the regrets at parting for an indefinite period from devoted rehitions ; and the young heart yearning with romantic hope, might well shudder on the threshold of the real life. The stage-coach was at the door. Those sorrowful partings over, with happy elasticity, I was soon enjoying the rapid motion of the coach—always exhilarating—but then severing me from the safe haven of home affections, and hearts which trembled painfully as I was thus launched on life's perilous voyage. For at careless eighteen, impressions are fleeting ; and the world, aye, the western world, was all before me, and bright with the anticipations of novelty and enjoyment and the freshness and adventure of travel, were to be shared by the warm friends of my academical youth.