i54 



RECREA T10N. 



sharp lookout for Indians, with not 

 a word coming to our ears as to where 

 we were to find Thomas, and when our 

 tiresome march was to end. Finally, 

 about sunset, we were rewarded in 

 our search by receiving a volley, ac- 

 companied by the usual hideous yells 

 of Indians, all specially designed to 

 hurry us back over that rough trail to 

 our camp. We were too tired and 

 angry to be accommodating, so we 

 charged instead, and soon ended the 

 firing and yelling, but found nothing 

 but more rocks. 



Having occupied a commanding 

 position, our line was halted and we 

 were ordered to throw up breastworks 

 of stones (where natural cover could 

 not be found) on the line. Here, in 

 awful stillness, we waited — I never 

 knew why — until about midnight. I 

 was worn out with fatigue, yet could 

 not sleep, for the night was cold, and 

 I had neither overcoat nor blanket. 

 Then we were advanced, perhaps half 

 a mile, and again halted and ordered 

 to strengthen our position, divide our- 

 selves into groups of five men each, 

 and to keep one man of each group 

 posted as sentinel. I was fortunate 

 in drawing last relief, and more fortu- 

 nate in getting myself squeezed in 

 between two soldiers from whom I 

 received enough warmth to enable me 

 to sleep, in a restless fashion, until 

 called to go on post, just as the first 

 streak of daylight appeared in the 

 east. 



On being awakened I felt slightly 

 refreshed. My strong curiosity again 

 came to the surface. I began to won- 

 der what we were there for, and why 

 we were not finding Thomas. I ques- 

 tioned my predecessor on post — a griz- 

 zled Irish veteran — and received this 

 explanation: 



" Oi don't know ; but Oi think there's 

 thim her'n as knows their business, 

 and can manage this expedition widout 

 yer help, and they won't moind telling 

 ye what they want ye to do. So ye 

 can jist shut yer trap and lave me 

 sleep." 



This explanation was not entirely 

 satisfactory, so I set my mind at work 

 trying to frame a better one. While 

 thus engaged, and peering over the 

 rocks in our front, I noticed a white 

 object about ten paces distant. Any- 



thing white in that broad expanse of 

 brown lava rock was well worthy of 

 notice. Here was another mystery. 

 My curiosity could not stand this ad- 

 ditional strain. I must investigate. 

 Pistol in hand, I carefully crept out to 

 the object and found it to be the body 

 of a white man, stripped and mutilated. 

 I placed my hand upon his breast It 

 was icy cold. A piece of paper lying- 

 near him attracted my attention. I 

 picked it up and found it to be an old 

 envelope, on which I afterward read : 

 "Private William Eads, Co. ' E,' 12th 

 infantry." Probably this envelope had 

 brought the last words that ever reached 

 him from dear ones at home, who 

 were then in ignorance of the terrible 

 fate that had overtaken this son or 

 brother. This all came to my mind as 

 I crouched beside that lifeless body, 

 and it set me thinking of my own 

 home ; of those who were interested 

 in me, and of my chances for meeting 

 the same fate that had overtaken this 

 poor wretch. 



Such thoughts, however, were idle. 

 They were bad for my nerves ; so I 

 pulled myself together and hastened 

 back to my post. Soon afterward all 

 hands were aroused, and the search for 

 the dead and wounded began. 



What a horrible day's work we had ! 

 We found that we had spent the latter 

 part of the night just on the edge of 

 the battleground ; almost within a 

 stone's throw of some who were still 

 living, badly wounded, and had suf- 

 fered through that long night, not 

 daring to make a sound for fear of be- 

 traying themselves into the hands of 

 the enemy. They had heard the noise 

 of our victorious charge ; but then 

 came that long silence, during which 

 they were left to conjecture as to 

 whether we had been repulsed or 

 would yet come to their rescue. 



Pickets were posted in a chain en- 

 closing a large area, within which the 

 searchers worked. We found the men 

 in little groups, in well sheltered posi- 

 tions where, after being wounded, they 

 had fought off the enemy, and so well 

 had the wounded fought, that the In- 

 dians had stripped but eight or nine of 

 the dead, although they had all the 

 afternoon of the 26th in which to at- 

 tend to this, to them, important work. 



I was one of the party engaged in 



