MILITARY ESCORT. . 
CHAPTER V. 
FORT WASHITA TO LOWER CROSS TIMBERS. 
Leave the Fort.—Military escort—Adventure with a Chickasaw.—Arrive at Red 
River.—Scenes at the Ferry.—Town of Preston.—Desperate fight.—Description 
of soil, ke.—Cross Big Mineral—Basin Spring.—Distances on Plains dece 
+ 
tlve.—aA a 
Uross ill vers. 
June 29th.—At noon to-day we left our comfortable quar- 
ters at our friend S. H——’s, and bidding adieu to Washita, 
with its green plains, noble hearts and bright faces, we entered 
the timber, skirting the plain on the south-east, and com- 
menced our long journey to unexplored Texas. 
Our military escort, which arrived onthe twenty-eighth, 
consisted of forty non-commissioned officers and men, from 
the seventh Regiment of infantry,commanded by Lieutenants 
P—e and C——n of that regiment. 
The command was a mixed one of Americans, Germans and 
Irish, a fine body of men, and as they had all volunteered for 
the expedition, we flattered ourselves that, should we get into 
a fight, we should have good material to depend upon. 
The afternoon was oppressively hot, so we made but ashort 
march, and on coming into camp found two-thirds of the com- 
mand “hors de combat,” from indulging too freely in whiskey, 
where obtained no one could ‘tell, but the fact spoke for 
itself, . gee 
