I gave him the two
war-bonnets I had taken from the Indians I shot from the back of Powder
Face, asking that he present them to the daughters of General Augur,
who were then visiting the Post.
Shortly after our return another expedition was organized, with the
Republican River country as its destination. It was commanded by
General Duncan, a blusterer, but a jolly old fellow. The officers who
knew him well said we would have a fine time, as he was very fond of
hunting. He was a good fighter. It was rumored that an Indian's bullet
could never hurt him. A cannon-ball, according to report, had hit him
in the head without injuring him at all, while another cannon-ball,
glancing off his skull, had instantly killed one of the toughest mules
in the army!
The Pawnee scouts, who had been mustered out of service during the
winter of 1869 and '70, were reorganized to accompany this expedition.
I was glad of this. I had become very much attached to Major North, one
of the officers, and to many of the Indians. Beside myself the only
white scout we had in the Post at this time was John Y. Nelson, whose
Indian name was Cha-Sha-Cha-Opeyse, or Red-Willow-Fill-the-Pipe. The
man was a character. He had a squaw wife and a half-breed family. He
was a good fellow, but had few equals and no superiors as a liar.
With the regimental band playing "The Girl I Left Behind Me" we started
out from the Post.
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