d sticks (or
buffalo-chips), with which to cook a savory supper of bacon, potatoes,
and hot coffee. This is the time for cracking jokes, telling stories of
pioneer life,--and the colored boys are full of fun. We had one from
the South named Tom Williams, belonging to Colonel Mason, of the 5th
Cavalry. After enjoying our evening meal and getting ready to lie down
in our tents, spread on the grass, as the evening approached, the sun
was sinking behind Laramie Peak,--a mountain far away in the Black
Hills, towering up eight thousand feet,--and all nature was hushed into
repose, and each one with his lungs full of the light air, and his body
weary with a long ride, just dropping off to sleep,--all at once there
was a yell and halloo outside, which caused me to jump up and look out
to see if any red-skins had broke through the guard and invaded our
peaceful circle. Instead of scalping Sioux, there was nothing the
matter but the return of a drove of large beef-cattle we had passed
grazing on the Chugwater, and which sought our camping-ground on
account of a bare place where they could lie down and be warm for the
night. Our Tom was racing up and down among them, yelling "Hi, hi!" and
shaking his blanket in all directions to stampede the poor cattle, who
had as good a right as we to the soil.

Pickets were stationed all around us, and, save the snoring of some
tired sleeper and the occasional braying of a mule or two, we slept
soundly, with no fear of Indians. Here we met a white man and his wife,
a squaw, and several others, who were waiting for Red Cloud and his
chiefs, who were on their way to Washington from Fort Fetterman. They
were related to John Reichaud, a half-breed belonging to Red Cloud's
party. This Reichaud had lived about Laramie and Fetterman for many
years, and, by raising stock and trading, had accumulated, it is said,
about two hundred thousand dollars. During last winter, while drunk, he
quarreled with a soldier, and a little while after, in passing some
barracks at Fetterman, he aimed his revolver at a soldier, who was
sitting in front of his quarters, named Kernan, and killed him,
supposing it was the same soldier he had just before been quarreling
with. Finding out his mistake, he fled away up to Red Cloud's camp, and
while there incited the Indians to make war upon the whites. At the
time we were going up, General John E. Smith was journeying towards us
with Red Cloud and his band of warriors, and havin