. Civil War echoes: character sketches and state secrets . hin three or four days distance fromour original starting point. Several of our party had long since returned by the over-land stages; among them my fastidious companion-du-voyage, and the M. C. from Baltimore, who complained ofthe scarcity of quail on toast, terrapin, clams, and cham-pagne, and of being compelled instead, to eat eternallystrong buffalo and antelope meat and dry ham, and imbibealkaline water that often was scooped up from buffalowallows, and was full of little lizards, snakes, and thingsgenerally. The incident referred
. Civil War echoes: character sketches and state secrets . hin three or four days distance fromour original starting point. Several of our party had long since returned by the over-land stages; among them my fastidious companion-du-voyage, and the M. C. from Baltimore, who complained ofthe scarcity of quail on toast, terrapin, clams, and cham-pagne, and of being compelled instead, to eat eternallystrong buffalo and antelope meat and dry ham, and imbibealkaline water that often was scooped up from buffalowallows, and was full of little lizards, snakes, and thingsgenerally. The incident referred to was one of the most dramaticand picturesque scenes in my life. Our little train had reached a lonely ranch that had theappearance of having been but just raided and deserted;not a living thing upon it. We stopped, and some of usespying what looked like a human being lying out on theground at a distance, went to it and found a mans bodythat bore the marks of a bullet hole through the back andthe scalp was but lately cut off the top of his head. We 249. MAJOR GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK, U. S. CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT Sketches and State Secrets knew then that hostile Indians were somewhere the cold body upon a blanket we brought it backto the yard in front of the little deserted cabin that stoodon a slight knoll. We covered the body with a blanket, and as we stoodaround it with blanched faces and fluttering hearts, expect-ing any moment to be charged upon by several thousandsavage Indians and mercilessly slaughtered, and counselingwhat had best be done, the Episcopal minister having inhis hand the book of prayer preparatory to performing thebeautiful service of that denomination over the burial of thedead, our eyes were quickly gladdened and amazed at thesight of a distinguished horseman who dashed up in muchaplomb. It was the celebrated Wild Bill—the most noted gov-ernment scout ever on the western plains. His real namewas William Hickox. He, a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidcivi, booksubjectstatesmen
