returned to Sheridan. There I learned that my horse and mule had been
seized by the Government.

The quartermaster's agent at Sheridan had reported to General Bankhead,
commanding at Fort Wallace, and to Captain Laufer, the quartermaster,
that I had left the country and had sold the animals to Perry. Laufer
took possession of the animals, and threatened to have Perry arrested
for buying Government property. He refused to pay any attention to
Perry's statement that I would return in a few days, and that the
animals had merely been left in his care.

As soon as I found this out I proceeded to the office of the
quartermaster's agent who had told this lie, and gave him the thrashing
he richly deserved. When I had finished with him he hastened to the
fort, reported what had happened, and returned with a guard to protect
him.

Next morning, securing a horse from Perry, I rode to Fort Wallace and
demanded my horse and mule from General Bankhead. I told him they were
Quartermaster Hays's property and belonged to General Carr's command,
and explained that I had obtained permission to ride them to Sheridan
and return.

General Bankhead gruffly ordered me out of his office and off the
reservation, declaring that if I didn't leave in a hurry he would have
me removed by force.

I told him he might do this and be hanged, using, very possibly, a
stronger expression. That night, while sleeping at the Perry House, I
was awakened by a tap on my shoulder and was astonished to see the room
filled with armed negro soldiers with their guns all pointed at me. The
first word came from the sergeant.

"Now looka heah, Massa Bill; if you move we'll blow you off de fahm,
suah!" Just then Captain Ezekial entered, and ordered the soldiers to
stand back.

"I'm sorry, Bill," he said, when I demanded to know what this meant.
"But I've been ordered by General Bankhead to arrest you and bring you
to Fort Wallace."

"All right," said I. "But you could have made the arrest without
bringing the whole Thirty-eighth Infantry with you."

"I know that, Bill, but you've not been in a very good humor the last
day or two, and we didn't know how you'd act."

I dressed hurriedly and accompanied the captain to Fort Wallace. When
we reached there at two o'clock in the morning the captain said:

"Bill, I'm sorry, but my orders are to put you in the guardhouse."

I told him I did not blame him for carrying out orders, and was made a
guardhouse prisoner f