The Diaries of John Gregory Bourke Volume 4: July 3, 1880--May 22, 1881

10: The Indian Territory

185 Chapter 10 ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ The Indian Territory C hristmas 1880. I have been much disappointed in not being able to pay a brief visit to mother and sister, a pleasure which our present official trip to the Indian Territory will cause me to defer until the middle of next month. Left Washington at 8 a.m., the snow-fringed branches of the trees looking like exquisite patterns of thread lace, as we drove through the streets to the Dépôt. At Altoona, Pennia, broke part of the running gear of our Pullman and had to change to a chair car to Pittsburgh. The yard-master, an underling of overbearing demeanor, made himself very offensive to the occupants of our car. Major Roberts “tackled” him and the situation became ludicrous, but the “bully” had to “take water”. December 26th . Snowing heavily in Indiana and Illinois; left Chicago in the fine hotel car of the Chicago and North-Western Railway, reached Omaha, Neb., on morning of December 27th , (a very cold day,) and at once drove out to Hd.Qrs. In the mail accumulated during my absence, I found a letter from E. A. Snow, formerly a trumpeter in Captain Mills’ company, 3rd Cavalry. In my note-books of the campaign against the Sioux and Cheyennes, in an account of the engagement on the Rosebud, Montana Ty., June 17th 1876, will be found a short reference to a 186 The Ponca Question Continues perilous predicament in which Snow and myself were caught and from which we were extricated by a wonderful piece of good luck. We were surrounded by a band of Cheyenne warriors from whom we escaped by a hair’s breadth, I unhurt, but poor Snow fearfully wounded in both arms.1 His letter, which gratified me immensely, announced that his wife had named her youngest boy, (born last Fall,) John G. Bourke Snow, after myself, a compliment with which I am delighted, coming as it does from so gallant a soldier.2 I also received a letter from Mike Burns, the Apache Indian boy, of whom I have said so much in preceding pages. Mike is at present a pupil in the Indian Training School, at Carlisle, Pennia., and since his letter indicates not alone his progress but also the type of his mind, I insert it entire, on this page.3 January 1st 1881. In company with my friend, Lt. M. C. Foote, Reg[imenta]l. Adjutant, 9th Infantry, paid a number of New Year’s Calls in Omaha. All or nearly all were very pleasant, but those at Richardson’s, Thrall’s, Ramsey’s, Lake’s, Wilson’s, Furey’s, Tverzalius ’ and Watsons especially so. At the last, we met Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Ezra and Mrs. Jas. Millard, Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Ringwalt, Mrs. O’Brien and Mrs. Horbach, a very charming set of ladies with all of whom I have the good fortune to be well acquainted. Major Roberts and wife left for St. Louis. January 3rd 1881. General Crook and Lt. Bourke, A.D.C., left Department Hd.Qrs., Fort Omaha, at 7 a.m. and caught the 8 o’clock “dummy”, connecting with the early morning train for Kansas City, Mo. The morning was very bright and cold, the temperature being certainly as low as -10° Fahr., the cars were crowded, passengers standing up in the aisle nearly all the way to Saint Joseph, Mo. At that point, we were met by Colonel A. C. Davis, General Passenger Agent of the road, an old friend of Genl. Crook’s. Between Saint Joseph and Kansas City, Mo., we were overtaken by the express train of the Missouri Pacific R.R., and engaged in a lively race, coming out neck and neck. Three squalling babies roared in concert for nearly an hour, much to the disgust of the gentlemen 1. See Robinson, Diaries, 1:326–27. 2. This is the second reference to this baby, the first appearing in Chapter 8. This one offers slightly more detail. 3. The letter apparently was not securely fastened as it is not part of the diary. The Indian Territory 187 in our car. We took on at New Hamburgh, Iowa, the remains of two lovely young ladies, 17 and 18 years old, who had been burned to death while dressing for a party. At Kansas City, at Union Dépôt Hotel, found the other members of the...