We Have Ridden And Driven Up That Road Many, Many Times, And I Have
Often Ridden Through Those Rosebushes, But Have Never Seen Wolves Or
Coyotes.
Down in the lowland on the other side of the post we
frequently see a coyote that will greet us with the most unearthly
howls, and will sometimes follow carriages, howling all the time.
But
everyone looks upon him as a pet. Those big, gray timber wolves are
quite another animal, fierce and savage. Some one asked me why I
screamed, but I could not tell why. Perhaps it was to urge the
horse - perhaps to frighten the wolf - perhaps to relieve the strain on
my nerves. Possibly it was just because I was frightened and could not
help it!
FORT SHAW, MONTANA TERRITORY,
May, 1888.
SUCH upheaval orders have been coming to the post the past few days,
some of us wonder if there has not been an earthquake, and can only
sit around and wait in a numb sort of way for whatever may come next.
General Bourke, who has been colonel of the regiment, you know, has
been appointed a brigadier general and is to command the Department of
the Platte, with headquarters at Omaha, Nebraska. This might have
affected Faye under any circumstances, as a new colonel has the
privilege of selecting his own staff officers, but General Bourke, as
soon as he received the telegram telling of his appointment, told Faye
that he should ask for him as aide-de-camp. This will take us to
Omaha, also, and I am almost heartbroken over it, as it will be a
wretched life for me - cooped up in a noisy city! At the same time I am
delighted that Faye will have for four years the fine staff position.
These appointments are complimentary, and considered most desirable.
The real stir-up, however, came with orders for the regiment to go to
Fort Snelling, Minnesota, for that affects about everyone here.
Colonel Munson, who relieves General Bourke as colonel of the
regiment, is in St. Paul, and is well known as inspector general of
this department, which perhaps is not the most flattering introduction
he could have had to his new regiment. He telegraphed, as soon as
promoted, that he desired Faye to continue as adjutant, but of course
to be on the staff of a general is far in advance of being on the
staff of a colonel. The colonel commands only his own
regiment - sometimes not all of that, as when companies are stationed
at other posts than headquarters - whereas a brigadier general has
command of a department consisting of many army posts and many
regiments.
The one thing that distresses me most of all is, that I have to part
from my horse! This is what makes me so rebellious, for aside from my
own personal loss, I have great sorrow for the poor dumb animal that
will suffer so much with strangers who will not understand him.
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