Wellington's Quest by Robert F. Clifton (best books to read now .TXT) 📕

It was just a matter of time before the coyotes or wolves found it or it just dropped dead and became fare for the vultures. “The circle of life”, Jim thought to himself. “One comes from nothing and returns to nothing”.

Early the next morning Jim gazed upon a purple and gold sky as the sun began to rise. Sunlight appeared as gold leaf coating the clouds. Above the clouds a dark blue sky slowly gave up its murky night color while beneath the high billowing vapors there was a lavender coating. In the distance the ever present, scattered pines appeared as a black, silhouette.

As he sat with Sandy Cahill eating a breakfast of bacon, hardtack and black coffee Barney Mathis walked up to their fire. “Mornin. Jim, you ride drag again today. We be a good days ride to Fort Pierre. When we get there we'll be a restin for a few days. Meanwhile, life and work goes on. Sandy, I want you out in front today. Pay particular attention to high hills, mounds and knolls. What the hell am I sayin? Me. Tellin you how to do your job. You know what to look for. Alright, we be a wastin daylight. Should be boots and saddles any time now. See you fella's at supper”, he said.

Jim spent another day in the saddle dodging clouds of dust created by the wagons he followed in a now, arid prairie. Still, even with a bandana covering his nose and mouth he was able to scan the landscape, always vigilant, always alert.

The two thousand man army marched and rode into Fort Pierre Chousteau just before dark. The march had been uneventful still, the men looked forward to a few days rest.

Sandy caught up with Jim who stood brushing the coat of the Cayuse.

“Feel like something to eat beside army issued beef or pork?”, Cahill asked.

“Where and how?”, asked Jim.

“A place called, Minerva's Tea Room. Actually, it's a combination restaurant and whore house. I hear the food is good and the women have the pox. Put your stinger in anyone of them and you'll be pissing hot coals and fire a week later. Nonetheless, we can also get a hot bath there. Suppers on me. You pay for anything else that tickles your fancy”, said Cahill.

“That would be the bath. I stink so bad my horse can't stand me”, Jim replied.

The two men sat at a rough, hewed table and on course, cut benches. A young, Black girl brought two mugs of warm beer to them and they sat and drank as they waited for their meal. “Last time I saw a table cloth was back in Mankato”, said Jim.

“Yep, and it's probably the next place you'll see one again”, Cahill replied.

“Well? What do you hear? What's the General going to do next?”, asked Jim.

“The word I get is that he's still short of supplies. He needs more of everything, food, fodder, winter clothing, horse blankets. Right now he's got the fort blacksmith and farrier tending to the horses and mules. Incidentally, have you checked your mount?”

“Yep. Hell, he's in better shape than I am”, Jim answered.

“I assume that when Sully gets some concrete information about the Sioux he'll move and move quick”, Cahill continued.

The young girl returned this time bringing plates of buffalo steaks and baked potato's that they had ordered. “You want more beer?”, she asked.

“Yes”, Sandy answered and the girls picked up the empty mugs and headed for the kitchen.

“The question is, if he finds them will it be a long campaign or a short one?”, asked Jim.

“Figure it to be a long one. Sully will attack and attack and attack again until the tribes he's fighting agree to sign a treaty and obey the government. If I was you I'd get me a set of buckskins and make sure you draw an army buffalo coat and overshoes', said Sandy.

After chewing and swallowing a piece of steak, Jim asked, “Where do I find a suit of buckskins?”

“Hopefully, there's a Ponca squaw outside the fort, sitting on a pile of deer skins. You find her, she'll measure you and start cutting and sewing it up. You'll have it in two days, Cahill answered.

“How much will it cost me?”

“About one pound of salt, a pound of sugar, two pounds of coffee, three cigars and two bottles of whiskey. The whiskey's for her husband. He'll ask for more naturally. When he does just walk away from the deal. That will anger the squaw and she'll start raising hell. That's when you make the deal.”, Cahill, explained.

“Damn, this buffalo is good eating”, said Jim.

“True, true. Not much fat, but damn good lean', said Sandy.

The girl came back with the beer and when she set it on the table, Cahill said, “We both need a hot bath with soap and some laundering. Who do we have to see?”

“My Mama does the baths and the laundry. It be fifty cents for the bath and a dollar for the clothes, unless you got critters. Mama don't like no lice”, said the girl.

“Alright, when we're done eating you can show us the way to the bath house”, said Jim.

Later, the two men soaked in gallons of hot, soapy water, each in his own copper tub. Jim just sat, allowing the soap and water to penetrate the pores of his skin. Sandy scrubbed away the dirt and grime accumulated from riding over a hundred miles on the Dakota prairie. While they bathed the Black woman who owned the restaurant, bath house and laundry boiled their clothes in a large iron kettle that hanged over an open fire.

As their clothes dried in the sun Cahill and Jim sat on a log bench wrapped in old blankets. The laundress finally walked in carrying their clothes. “You want these things ironed it goin to cost you another ten cents, each”, she said.

“Ironed? Do you want us to be the laughing stock of this army?”, asked Cahill.

“Suit yourself', the woman responded as she left the room.

“Both men dressed and walked out side. “The problem with taking a bath it makes me want to take a nap afterward s', said Jim

“Sorry friend, we still got things to do. There's that old Ponca couple living just outside the main gate. Let's hope she has the skins we need for your buckskins”, said Cahill.

“Do you speak Ponca?”asked Jim.

“Nope, but I speak sign. I'll have to parley with the husband like I told you. He'll try to fleece at the same time as we fleece him. The trick is to get the old woman on our side of the banter. When she gets to be aware of all the things we're offering she should come around. The old man is only interested in tobacco and whiskey', Cahill answered.

Three days later, now dressed in buckskins Jim rode with Cahill as they scouted the prairie for signs of the Sioux. They searched hill tops, knolls, ponds and old camp sites, finding nothing.

Shortly after noon they spotted three objects in the distance. Dismounting, they made their way to the top of a mound and in the prone position Sandy peered through army issued binoculars. “Looks like buffalo carcasses. Must be recent kills, even the vultures haven't spotted them yet. Alright, let's move on down there and see what sign they left us. One things for sure, the travois with all that meat will leave marks in the grass, leading us right to the village', said Cahill.

Chapter Eight

White Stone Hill

The bugler blew revile before sunrise. Sandy and Jim sat up and tossed aside the blankets that had covered them through the night. As they sat on the ground, both pulling on their boots Barney Mathis walked up to them. "Well, since you boys are the one's that say you found the Sioux, both of you get to head out in front of the column. The General wants to know just what he'll be facing today and he don't want any guess work," said the head scout.

"Is the General going to allow us to have breakfast first?", asked Sandy.

"Yep, a quick breakfast. Get over to the mess. Coffee's on, mush and bacon fryin. Eat, then get your asses out on the grassland," said Barney as he walked away.

As the sun began to rise the two men rode over familiar land making their way back to the site of the buffalo carcasses. An hour out on the plain they saw the remains of the animals. Now, a flock of black vultures fed on what little the Sioux women had left. Sandy looked down from his place in the saddle, saw the travois, hoof and foot prints in the grass and urged his horse forward again. "They left so much sign it's almost as tho they made a road that leads right to them", he said to Jim.

Later, as they approached a high knoll topped with a copse of Ponderosa pine Sandy dismounted and made his way to the top of the hill. There, hidden among the pine trees and using the binoculars again he scanned the terrain in front of him. Then he saw the village. He quickly counted the tipi's. some were still erect, but others were being taken down by the women. "They're getting ready to pull out", he said to Jim.

"What now?", Jim asked.

"You ride back. The column should be on the move by now. Tell the General what we've found and the fact that the Sioux are moving the village. Tell him I figure two hundred lodges.

"Jim had the Cayuse running, following the course they had made on their way out on to the grassland. The horse was moving at a good pace. The question was how long could the animal last. They had been moving constantly all morning and there were signs that the mount was tiring. Thirty minutes later, the Cayuse stopped running and began to walk slowly. Jim dismounted and led the horse now covered with sweat towards the advancing army. As he walked the sun began to beat down on him. He wished he had the old, cotton shirt that was much cooler than the buckskin he now wore. He removed the wide brim hat and wiped his brow with his bandana. Then, in the distance he saw a rider. He checked the revolver in the holster worn at his side. making sure it was loose for a draw. When the rider came in sight he saw that it was Barney Mathis.

Mathis rode up to him and Jim told the scout what they had seen and the location of the retreating Sioux. "Alright, I’ll ride back and report what you say to the General. You stay here. both you and your horse need a rest. When the column comes up I’ll see if I can get you another mount. Don't expect too much. Might be an old charger that now pulls a canon", said Barney.

When the troops finally came up to where Jim waited the General sent for him. As he approached General Sully, he saw that the commanding officer was surrounded by other commissioned ranks. Looking up from a map that had been spread out on the tailgate of a wagon he beckoned Jim to come to him. "I hear that you found the Sioux", said Sully.

"Yes sir".

"Show me where, here on this map", Sully ordered.

Jim took a moment to read the map, his eyes searching for what would indicate hill and knolls, hoping that elevations were listed, but they weren't. "Best I can figure sir is that we spotted them from this hilltop. From that knoll to the village is flat land, good land for cavalry. That's where they set up their