366 THE GENERAL'S INDIAN EXPLOITS. 



up his leave and return to the Post. They took all the guns 

 and ammunition, and cutting the traces and the soldiers' saddle- 

 girths, they rode off, and so far as I could hear were never 

 captured, though parties of soldiers scoured the country in all 

 directions. These men might very easily have done the same 

 thing to us, as our escort always rode with their carbines in 

 slings beside the saddle, and we were so tightly wedged in the 

 ambulances that though the corners bristled with weapons, as 

 I knew to my cost when I nodded, we could never have got 

 them out in time ; the only man of our party who was ready 

 was Kelly, who carried his rifle across the front of his 

 saddle. 



At St. Paul's we were given a grand dinner, and from Bis- 

 marck to Chicago we were not allowed to pay for our railway 

 tickets, everyone wishing to honour the General on account of 

 his Indian exploits. I heard one of these which may interest 

 my readers. He had been pursuing White Cloud, the great 

 Sioux chief, for some days, and at last found him camped in a 

 deep ravine, where he evidently meant to make a stand. A 

 scout was sent to summon the chief and his warriors to sur- 

 render, when the answer was, that if the white men wanted 

 them they must come and take them. The General had some 

 mountain howitzers with him, and with these he shelled the 

 Indians' position, they returning the fire as well as they could. 

 This went on for two days, when the chief sent to say that he 

 would surrender, as the white men were too strong for him. 

 White Cloud and his warriors then came out of the ravine, 

 bringing their wounded with them, and marched slowly to 

 where the General was. They shook hands and sat down for 

 a talk, and the chief asked to be allowed to go away for eight 



