RECREATION. 



303 



babies, with the nurse, Mary, and a 

 driver lead off in the large ambulance, 

 drawn by four mules, while Mrs. M.,* 

 child and nurse, brought up the rear in 

 the small ambulance, both being fur- 

 nished with good drivers as far as our first 

 camp. I followed on a pony and had 

 proceeded about a mile when we crossed 

 the ridge in rear of the post and de- 

 scended to the valley beyond, along a 

 steep hill. The first ambulance got to 

 the bottom safely and I was near the 

 foot, when turning round to see how 

 Mrs. M. got on, I was horrified to see 

 the mules turning from the road at a 

 rapid pace, totally beyond the control 

 of the driver. I galloped back just in 



heartily ashamed of their part of the 

 performance. A messenger to the garri- 

 son soon brought us help ; the wagon 

 was pulled out without injury, and 

 sadder, but wiser, we went on our way 

 rejoicing. We locked our wheels at 

 every steep place thereafter, Mrs. M. 

 dismounting but once. 



Such was our departure from Fort 

 Leavenworth. Our return to it sixteen 

 months afterwards (Oct., '61) was very 

 different and much sadder. As we ap- 

 proached the scene of Mrs. M.'s mishap 

 we encountered long lines of freshly 

 made breast-works, thrown up to resist 

 an anticipated attack from our own 

 citizens, and behind these were large 



A KANSAS PIONEER. 



time to reach the place as the team 

 plunged into a deep ditch, falling as they 

 went and almost pulling the wagon on 

 top of them. It partly turned over and 

 was caught by a small tree, the wheel 

 on the opposite side remaining in the air. 

 Both the men jumped out, one before 

 the other, after the wagon came to a 

 standstill, the last springing to the win- 

 dow and, taking out the baby, laid it 

 on the ground where it began squalling 

 lustily. I sprang from my horse and 

 helped Mrs. M. and the nurse out. Both 

 were badly scared, but unhurt. The mules 

 were soon released by cutting a breast- 

 strap, and they scrambled out as if 



* A lady going out to join her husband at Camp Floyd. 



camps of volunteer regiments, with 

 strange faces in every direction, and 

 not one of the friendly faces we had 

 left behind, the year before, to welcome 

 us back. All had gone east to join in 

 the great civil war, and every thing 

 which met the eye spoke of war and dis- 

 organization. We were glad enough to 

 get away from the post and turn our 

 faces eastward again. The part of the 

 country we were now marching through 

 was afterward to become the flourish- 

 ing state of Kansas. The journal thus 

 describes the 



FIRST CAMP. 



About half past 4, we came in sight 

 of the tents and wagons camped on the 



