Frontier Cavalry Trooper: The Letters of Private Eddie Matthews, 1869–1874

9: “When Eddie Comes Marching Home” April–August 1874

337 ✯ ChaPTer nIne “When Eddie Comes Marching Home” april–august 1874 In the spring of 1874, a group of enterprising Dodge City merchants, aware that the buffalo hunting grounds were shifting southward as the number of animals steadily declined in Kansas, seized upon a bold plan to establish a trading post on the Canadian River, thereby staking an early claim both on the hide business and supplying the hunters. The place they chose was well known as Adobe Walls, site of the eroded remains of a trading post built some thirty-five years earlier by the well-known firm of Bent, St. Vrain and Company. The place had also been the scene of an 1864 engagement between Indians and a force of New Mexico Volunteers from Fort Bascom under the command of Colonel Kit Carson. Within a short time after the Dodge City traders arrived, the new Adobe Walls complex, consisting of two stores, a saloon, and a blacksmith shop, was well stocked and open for business. The Indians, cognizant of the threat posed to their culture and very existence by the decimation of the buffalo, were incensed by this blatant invasion of what they considered to be their exclusive hunting domain. Incited to general war by an influential new medicine man, Comanche, Kiowa, and even some 338 chapter nine Cheyenne war parties struck the whites—hunters, teamsters, surveying parties, and soldiers alike—wherever they encountered them over the region south of the Arkansas River. Particularly repugnant to the Indians were the buffalo hunters and their trading post at Adobe Walls, situated just 150 miles downstream from Fort Bascom, which would again be Eddie Matthews’s summer home away from home. Fort Union, New Mexico sunday night, april 5, 1874 I have now returned to my room after spending an hour very pleasantly at one of our Laundresses quarters, and will before [I] retire answer Lizzies, and Clellies letters which [I] received yesterday. Was ever so glad to hear from you, and know that you were all well, but not all well, for a person suffering with neuralgia is far from well. I will not complain of any neglect on your part my dear Sister, for writing to me so seldom, for I know your time is so much taken up and when you do have a spare moment to yourself you do not feel like letter writing but rest assured your letters are appreciated and read with pleasure . Blessed be the name of the good Lord, the time is nearing when we can dispense with letter writing. Won’t it be nice when we can all sit together around the family board and have a general talk. The letter of Fathers you speak of was received and answered so it must be my letter that is missing instead of his. You folks will never get me mixed up again and get the laugh on me for not hearing from you at regular dates, for [I] am never going to allow myself to be disappointed. If I hear from you [I] will be happy, and if [I] do not [I] will make myself happy with the prospects of hearing from you some time. Wish I could have been home at Johnnies party. Remember the one we had at East End. And a real nice one it was. We will have another one next September, won’t we? Guess my big Sister will look awful stylish in her new silk dress. Won’t you be too proud to associate with an ex-soldier when I come home? No news yet about our summers scout. General Alexander who has been East is expected here during the coming week, and then perhaps we will find out whether there is to be a scout or not. The weather is “When Eddie Comes Marching Home” 339 fearful windy, and every thing covered with sand. Can almost shovel it out of our room. Received a letter from Jennie the other day, first one for a long time. Enclosed find a note from a friend of mine who is Post Commisary Sergt. and to who I gave the Capt. letter to read. I have finished making out my Quarterly papers, compaired them without finding a single mistake. I can’t think of a single thing to write you and am most ashamed to send this. Will write to the boys sometime during the week, and...