recruits just enlisted in the distant cities of the East and sent out to
help us fight Indians. One out of ten might know how to load a gun, but
as frontier soldiers not one in fifty was worth having. But they brought
with them capital horses, strong, fat, grain-fed, and these we
campaigners levied on at once. Merritt led the old soldiers and the new
horses down into the valley of the Cheyenne on a chase after some
scattering Indian bands, while "Black Bill" was left to hammer the
recruits into shape and teach them how to care for invalid horses. Two
handsome young sorrels had come to me as my share of the plunder, and
with these for alternate mounts I rode the Cheyenne raid, leaving Van to
the fostering care of the gallant old cavalryman who had been so struck
with his points the week previous.

One week more, and the reunited forces of the expedition, Van and all,
trotted in to "round up" the semi-belligerent warriors at the Red Cloud
agency on White River, and, as the war-ponies and rifles of the scowling
braves were distributed among the loyal scouts, and dethroned
Machpealota (old Red Cloud) turned over the government of the great
Sioux nation, Ogallallas and all, to his more reliable rival,
Sintegaliska,--Spotted Tail,--Van surveyed the ceremony of abdication
from between my legs, and had the honor of receiving an especial pat and
an admiring "_Washtay_" from the new chieftain and lord of the loyal
Sioux. His highness Spotted Tail was pleased to say that he wouldn't
mind swapping four of his ponies for Van, and made some further remarks
which my limited knowledge of the Brule Dakota tongue did not enable me
to appreciate as they deserved. The fact that the venerable chieftain
had hinted that he might be induced to throw in a spare squaw "to boot"
was therefore lost, and Van was saved. Early November found us, after an
all-summer march of some three thousand miles, once more within sight
and sound of civilization. Van and I had taken station at Fort D. A.
Russell, and the bustling prairie city of Cheyenne lay only three miles
away. Here it was that Van became my pet and pride. Here he lived his
life of ease and triumph, and here, gallant fellow, he met his knightly
fate.

Once settled at Russell, all the officers of the regiment who were
blessed with wives and children were speedily occupied in getting their
quarters ready for their reception; and late in November my own little
household arrived and were present