Private Thomas comes to attention and salutes as Henry walks up. Yor horse be ready, Suh. Lieutenant Sandy askd me to make sure the tack be fitted properly.
Henry returns a brief salute. Thank you, Private. Now can you tell me something about him?
He be ridn good, Suh. You see, hes a Morgan.
Henrys eyes beam as he leads the horse a few paces and mounts. Chance stands quietly, ears alert.
He be an easy mount. Do ya think, Suh? questions Emanuel.
That he is! Henry smiles as he rides Chance to the front of the formation. Lieutenant Sandy looks back for a final check of readiness. Okay, move out! he orders as he throws his right arm forward and legs his horse.
Henry feels an immediate affection for Chance as the Company walks out of the post in file formation, and then moves into a posting trot. Henry reflects back to West Point and the difficult time he had learning to post correctly with the up and down movement of the horses hindquarters. He knows, however, that this is the best gait to cover a lot of ground without tiring the horses too quickly. Especially on a day like today, hot and no breeze.
The column is thirty-five miles out, near a deep ravine as Lieutenant Sandy, followed by Henry and Private Thomas, raises his hand to halt. Private Thomas is carrying the Tenth Cavalry, Company H flag, a small swallow-tailed Gideon. As flag bearer, it is his duty to stay close to Lieutenant Sandy at the front of the column. Besides, he knows the territory. What ya think, Private Thomas? questions Lieutenant Sandy as he halts the column.
Private Thomas looks around. Look at all dem trees an bushes. Does you hear what I hear?
Henry looks around curiously as Lieutenant Sandy studies the terrain. I dont hear anything, or see anything, concludes Lieutenant Sandy.
Jus what I means, Suh. No sound of birds or nothin. Too quiet fo me. Not even a Meadowlark. Somethins wrong!
Lieutenant Sandy gives the signal for readiness as the patrol slowly moves forward. Suddenly the sound of shots comes from the ravine one-hundred-yards to the left of the patrol. Not knowing for sure from where the shots are being fired, Lieutenant Sandy orders his men at a full gallop to the top of the hill just above the ravine. In the process three Indian sentries, accidentally flushed from the thick brush, head out immediately in front of the patrol.
There they are! yells Lieutenant Sandy. After them men!
Are you sure they arent decoys? yells Henry to Lieutenant Sandy, recalling the use of decoys as a common ploy used by a small force to lead overly aggressive or nave soldiers into ambush by a larger Indian force.
Maybe! responds Lieutenant Sandy.
As the Indians scatter over the hill, Lieutenant Sandy splits his column into two, twenty-man patrols and orders Henry to take one patrol and come up on the flank of the hill. Lieutenant Sandy then proceeds around the opposite side.
As they both reach the ridge of the oblong sand covered hill, the two units re-converge. Instantly they witness the three Indian riders reining in at the edge of an encircled wagon train less than a mile down the hill.
Shit! yells Lieutenant Sandy. Theyre sentries for the war party hitting those wagons below. Lieutenant Sandy waves his arm, the bugle blows, and the patrol gallops in full charge toward the wagons.
It is a matter of seconds before the Indians scramble to mount their horses, reacting to their sentries alert and the bugle sound. Lieutenant Sandy commands as he rides at full gallop, indicating to Henry to take his part of the column and pursue the Indians that are riding away.
Henrys adrenalin is pumping as he anticipates his first real combat experience and attempts to overtake the Indians in the far distance. Private Thomas splits into Henrys group after giving the Gideon to another soldier. Lieutenant Sandy rushes directly towards the wagons.
The Indians that Henry is pursuing split again, and he reacts immediately by ordering Private Thomas and ten men to pursue the five Indians heading into the riverbed. The six Indians that Henry pursued have too much of a head start and Henry knows that the horses can not maintain a full gallop for more than several miles, if that. Henry halts his group and turns to see Private Thomas and the men with him shooting their rifles with accuracy at a full gallop, killing three of the Indian raiders.
Henry is amazed at the ability of Thomas. Damn! he thinks to himself. I never thought anyone could ride and shoot like that! This image cements itself in Henrys mind as he rides up next to Lieutenant Sandy and the wagon master.
The wagon master, who is shot in the leg, is swearing at Lieutenant Sandy as Henry rides up. He sees settlers; men, women, and children, wounded and dead. Some of the horses are dead in their hitches and others lay dying. Henry is appalled at the site as he rides up next to Lieutenant Sandy and the wagon master.
Where the hell you been, Lieutenant? screams the wagon master at Lieutenant Sandy. I damn near had ta shoot myself before the Indians scalped me!
Looking for you people! replies Lieutenant Sandy.
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