Chief of Scouts by William F. Drannan
page 72 of 323 (22%)
page 72 of 323 (22%)
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here in a few days, so you are in good time to catch the first of
them, and I want you both to stay right here with me until you make arrangements to leave for California. We will take a trip down the road every day, and if there are any emigrants coming we will meet them." [Illustration: The first thing we knew the whole number that we had first seen was upon us.] After breakfast next morning an orderly brought in our horses, all saddled, the General's as well as ours. We all mounted and started down the road. We had made five or six miles when we saw an emigrant train coming towards us. The General said, "Look, boys, there they come now. Let me do the talking." The General had his uniform on, and Jim and I were dressed in buck-skin from head to foot, and we were a rather conspicuous trio, as we rode up to them. There were six or eight men on horse back, riding ahead of the train. As we met them the General saluted them. One of the men said, "Is this the commander at the Fort?" The General answered, "I am. My name is Kerney." One of the men said, "General, can you tell us whether the Indians are on the war path or not between here and Salt Lake?" The General answered, "I surely can. Every tribe of Indians between here and the Sierra Nevada mountains is on the war path, and the emigrants who get through this year without losing their lives or their stock may consider themselves lucky," and pointing to Jim and me, he continued. "These two men took a train through last year and only lost two men and |
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