to satisfy the most exacting soldier-- It
looked like a winter's job had been cut out for us--and secretly in our
hearts--we wished the trail might lead through the places he named.
Visions of Galveston, New Orleans and "Little Old New York" loomed up
very large--and alluring, for neither of us had visited those attractive
"burgs" and elysiums of pleasure--for a long time--but the conditional,
or "_If_" clause in this interview caused us to dubiously shake our
heads--with feeling of hope, it is true, but not of elation--and not
unmixed with some dread and apprehension for the future, hardly knowing
what was before us in this, to us, most novel frontier adventure-- It
was now nearly dark, and wishing Mackenzie "Good Night", and stepping
out into the gloom of approaching night to face the drizzle of a
gathering "Norther," we (Lawton and the writer) shook hands and
separated, both busily chewing the cud of reflection, inwardly cursing
our reputed Civil War efficiency that had led to our selection for such
"beastly" service, and industriously trying to digest and assimilate
these most elaborate and elastic, carte blanche instructions the "Old
Man" had given us-- While we felt that in a measure, we were free
lances--all freebooters, with nobody to say "Yea or Nay", our own
Commanding officers with no one to disturb our independence of thought
and action (and with such limited means of communication at that period
and under such conditions, one can easily see that no such limitations
could be imposed as are placed to-day), we also realized the terrible
responsibility so suddenly thrust upon us, and the great risks we ran in
dealing with determined men wrought up to such a desperate pitch as they
were by alleged acts of injustice--and hard and fast conditions under
which they were serving-- All this aided, as we felt these men might be,
by other equally bad gun-men--all over and down through that country
wherever we might trail them.

I had selected Corporal John B. Charlton of Troop "F" for my _civilian_
companion-- I considered him one of the best non-commissioned officers
in the regiment-- While he had a free, rollicking, reckless, dare devil
spirit about him--he was easily controlled, and perfectly amenable to
discipline-- He was a very handsome, intelligent, active, energetic
man of about 24 years of age--and was on his second 5 years
enlistment--his first having been in the Fifth Artillery-- He was fully
six feet--spare,