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

Moving slowly through the tall wheat grass they came to a small, rise in the landscape. Cahill brought his horse to a halt and using binoculars looked long and hard at the prairie in the distance. “Up ahead, about a mile there's a small stand of pines. They could be in there”, said Sandy.

“Barney said he was sending back troopers to bring them in”, said Jim.

“By the time the soldiers get here these bastards will be gone. We'll have to take them. The way I figure, we got repeating rifles. They have bow and arrows and now is the time to take them”.

“Have you thought of the possibility of those deserters having their Spencer's with them when they were killed?”, asked Jim.

“Good thinking. Now, that presents a slight problem should the Sioux have those carbines. I think the best thing to do is go rushing in, shooting all the way. Kill as many as we can. Barney said, dead or alive”,Sandy suggested.

“I say take them alive”, offered Jim.

“I agree, providing they surrender, added Sandy.

Dismounted, they walked beside their horses as they headed for the copse of pine trees. A slight winter breeze carried the odor of burning wood from the Sioux camp fire. Cahill held up one hand, a signal to stop. Using the binoculars again he peered into the group of trees. He could see smoke rising into the air. As he looked he saw five warriors sitting by the fire. All were wrapped in blankets. None were on watch or guard. Moving his head he counted five Indian ponies and two Army Cavalry mounts. He stood studying the situation. He noticed the warrior group were laughing and talking as they passed a bottle of whiskey around amongst themselves.

“Appears they get a bottle of whiskey from somewhere. That being the case they're probably half drunk. No one is on guard and no one is watching the horses. We'll get a little closer then mount up. Let's get out of these overcoats and boots. We don't want to be hampered when it comes to the fight. Right now, check your weapons, said Cahill.

As they moved cautiously across the grass covered sod sandy suddenly changed his direction moving to his left.

“Where are you going?”, asked Jim.

“The wind shifted. Those ponies won't like the smell of white men. They pick up our scent they'll start raising hell and those warriors will be up and fighting, drunk or sober,” Sandy explained in a whisper.

Fifteen minutes later and with no sign that the Sioux knew that they were there, the two men climbed into their saddles. Now, with the wind in their face they removed the Spencer carbines from the leather scabbards and placed a cartridge in the breech. Nudging their horses forward they moved towards the stand of trees. After one hundred yards they urged their mounts to trot. At fifty yards to the trees their horses were running at the gallop and the breath of the rushing steeds turned into steam as they raced across the prairie towards the trees.

One warrior came out of the wooded area trying to determine what it was that he was hearing. Sandy pulled back the hammer on the carbine, took aim and fired. The fifty two caliber bullet struck the Sioux high in the chest and sent him sprawling backwards as he fell to the ground.

Now, the two scouts were into the tree sheltered campsite. Four warriors stood up, throwing off their blankets and reaching for their weapons. One held a Spencer carbine. Again, Cahill fired from the saddle.

The shot killed the man instantly and his body fell into the fire. One warrior using a bow shot and arrow at Jim who shot in self defense. The bullet struck the man in the stomach spinning the assailant around before he fell. Jim felt his horse collapse and go to its knees. Rolling over on the ground then sitting up Jim saw that two of the Sioux had their hands up, surrendering.

Speaking in Sioux, Sandy yelled, “Ayusta!” (give up) Hecheto!”(It's finished) the remaining two Sioux did not move, Jim got slowly to his feet, saw that Cahill had the Sioux covered with the carbine then went to check on the Cayuse. The horse was down. Blood foamed as the animal exhaled through its nose. Jim saw that the arrow meant for him had missed and struck the mount, piercing its lungs.

“There's a length of raw hide in my saddle bags Jim. Get it and tie these bastards up while I keep them covered. And, bound them tight'.

When the captured warriors were tied and secured Jim walked back to where his horse lay. He saw that the animal was suffering as it tried to breath with a collapsed lung. He slowly removed the Colt revolver from the holster, pulled back the hammer with his thumb and fired one shot into the brain of the Cayuse ending both its life and its suffering. After replacing the weapon back in the holster he then removed the tack from the dead horse. He then turned and looked at the Sioux horses. All were in good shape. He noticed a large, mare, a black and white paint. As he walked up to the mare it began to shy away. “Easy girl, easy”, he said. The animal continued to move away even though it was hobbled.

“Speak to it in Sioux. That horse has never heard one word of English. To her you sound different and you smell different', said Sandy.

Jim raised a hand to pet the mare and as he did he spoke softly using the Sioux word for friend, “Cola”. Once again the animal shied away. Patiently, Jim repeated the word and eventually he was able to touch the mare. He scratched behind the horses ears, and rubbed its muzzle all the while talking to the mare. Moving slowly as he talked he removed the Indian saddle from the back of the animal and replaced it with his own.

Sandy gathered three Spencer carbines, wrapped them in a blanket and tied the bundle to one of the Sioux horses. He then helped the two captives to mount their ponies. Turning to Jim he said, “That one on the ground, the one you shot. He's still alive. Shoot him”.

“He's wounded. I can't shoot a helpless man”, Jim responded.

“If that was you instead of him, he'd be pulling off your scalp right now. Shoot him!”, Cahill ordered.

“No! If you want him shot, you shoot him!”,said Jim loudly.

Sandy took out his revolver, walked over to where the Sioux lay on the ground, pulled back the hammer of his Colt and shot the wounded man in the head.

“That was murder”, said Jim.

“Yep, it sure was. We don't have time to nurse a wounded man and an enemy at that all the way back to the fort. You're the one that shot him. I was the one who put him out of his misery, but you call it anything you want”, said Sandy as he mounted his horse.

There was a wall of silence between the two white men as they rode back to the fort. The Sioux captives aware that the two wasichu's (White men) spoke their language remained silent in the saddle. Sandy led the group while Jim brought up the rear herding the horses and watching the back trail. Two hours later they saw the patrol sent out by Barney Mathis and they kept moving towards it. When they met with the Cavalry they gave the Indian captives to the care of the troops. Relieved of the responsibility of the prisoners Sandy and Jim fell in line behind the cavalry, then rode in silence all the way to Fort Rice.

The next morning Jim stood in the sutler's store buying a new pair of socks. Somewhere out beyond the parade ground the sound of a volley of rifle shots was carried on the air. Jim turned towards the sound. “Wonder what that was?”, he said aloud.

The store clerk said matter of factually, “Just the firing squad. They're executing those two Indians that was brought in yesterday”.

“Executed? They didn't even have a trial”, said Jim.

“Didn't need one. They found the scalps of those three dead deserters tied in their ponies mane as decoration”, explained the merchant.

Jim paid for the socks, placed them in his overcoat pocket and after walking outside headed for where he saw a small crowd gathering. As he approached the people assembled there he saw the people begin to leave.

A toothless old man grinned at him and said, “You be too late. Execution is over. They be cuttin off the heads right now. May be so you'll be lucky and get to see the last one decapitated”.

Seeing Sandy Jim walked up to him. “Just what in the hell is going on?”, he asked

“The army executed those two we captured yesterday”, Cahill replied.

“I know, but I want to know why. We brought them in for questioning, not to be executed and beheaded', Jim said in anger.

“The General saw the bodies of the deserters. Not only were they scalped, but they were mutilated. They were shot full of arrows. Thighs and calf’s in their legs cut and slashed, eyes cut out. Even their stingers were cut off. Then, they found the deserter's scalps tied in the ponies manes. Guess the General kinds wants to get even. He'll send the bodies out on to the grassland and dump them where Sioux war or hunting parties are sure to find them, making sure they notice that the heads have been removed. Word I get is the heads will be placed on sticks in a location where the women and children dig for timpsula,”said Cahill.

“Wasn't it you that told me sometime ago that Sioux warriors mutilate the bodies of their enemies so they can't walk in the here after and that they removed the eyes of their enemies so they can't see to hunt or fight again in Mapiyah(heaven)?”

“Yep. I sure did”, Cahill replied.

“Then what does the General expect?”, asked Jim.

“Expect? I'll tell you what he expects. He expects to beat the Sioux into submission. He expects them to come to him to sign a treaty. He expects the Sioux to go and live on a reservation. He expects them to live like the white man and give up the old ways. He expects them to become civilized. That's what he expects”, said Cahill.

“Civilized. You call beheading two executed prisoners being civilized?”, asked Jim.

Sandy shook his head. “There's just no talking to you. Maybe the best thing for you to do is go and buy a blanket and go live with them. Sit on your ass in a tipi and have a squaw wait on you hand and foot. But, let me tell you this. You and your tipi and all the tipi's will be swept away by progress. They are in the way and if you are with them,, then you are in the way', he said as he walked away.

Chapter Ten

Rescue

By June 1864 four thousand troops occupied Fort Rice. Steamboats were moored on the Missouri River ready to take troops that would be kept in reserve should General Sully need them as he advanced against the Sioux following that watercourse. In addition, two artillery batteries with eight howitzers were ready to roll when the General gave the command.

Sully left two thousand men at Fort rice with orders to protect civilian emigrants, then began his campaign against the tribes. As his troops marched across the grassland Barney Mathis ordered Cahill and Joel Bean to scout two miles ahead of the column. Jim and Horace Green were ordered to search along the shore of