CHAPTER 33 ON TO ST JO

JOHN HAS KILL FROGGIE BILL AND HIS TWO SONS, AFTER A 3 HOUR NAP HE GET UP IN THE BOOTH AND CRACK THE WHIP OVER THE HEADS OF THE TEAM AND NOW ON THE MOVE. SHORTLY MRS. MINNIE WAKES UP AND GETS BE SIDE JOHN.

MRS. MINNIE JOHN YOU LURED THEM OUT HERE TO KILL THEM . DID NOT YOU?

JOHN YES MUM, IT SEEM LIKE THE THING TO DO AT THE TIME. THEY KILL US IF THEY CAUGHT US.

MRS. MINNIE YOU THINK SO?

JOHN ROBERSON WE CAN TELL ALL THEY TRIED TO ROB US FOR THE MONEY THEY PAID FOR THE LAND. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY DONE IT ,,BY WHAT THE BOY WERE TALKING ABOUT. IF WE TALK OTHERS THEY DONE IT TO , WOULD PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER.FROGGIE BILL COULD NOT HAVE THAT.

HE HAD TO KILL US, WE KNEW TO MUCH.

MRS. MINNIE WELL HE ANT CHASTEN US NOW,

JOHN ROBERSON THE BUZZARDS WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM.

MRS. MINNIE WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?

JOHN ROBERSON TO ST JO JOIN A WAGON TRAIN TO OREGON , AND PUT SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN THOSE BODY'S AND US.

MRS. MINNIE THINK ANY BODY BE LOOKING FOR THEM?

JOHN ROBERSON MAYBE ,,I ANT TAKEN ANY CHANCES,,,, WISH IT RAIN.

MRS. MINNIE WHY YOU WANT IT TO RAIN?

JOHN ROBERSON TO WASH OUT OUR TRACKS

MRS. MINNIE WHICH WAY TO ST JO JOHN?

JOHN ROBERSON NORTH BY EAST HUN. NORTH WEST CORNER OF MISSOURI.

AS WAGON ROCK AND BUMP ALONG JIMMIE WOKE UP. AND STUCK HIS HEAD OUT.

JIMMIE DID IT RAIN SOME TIME LAST NIGHT I HEARD THUNDER?

JOHN ROBERSON JUST DRY STORM JIMMIE,LOT THUNDER FEW FLASHES LIGHTEN, NO RAIN

JIMMIE SOUNDED VERY LOUD.

JOHN ROBERSON DRY STORMS LIKE THAT.

JIMMIE IS MR. BILL STILL CHASING US?

MRS. MINNIE NO HE GAVE UP AND WENT HOME JIMMIE

JIMMIE GOOD I WAS GETTING SCARED HE MIGHT HURT US.

JOHN ROBERSON JIMMIE HE ANT GOING TO HURT ANY BODY NEVER AGAIN

JIMMIE GOOD I GET THE SLEEP NOW, I WAS SHOOK ALL NIGHT.

AS JIMMIE GOES BACK IN SIDE THE WAGON MRS. MINNIE LOOK UP TO THE HAVENS AND SAYS ''GOD FORGIVE US''' JOHN LOOKS AT MRS. MINNIE AND SHE LOOKS AT HIM.

AT FIRST LIGHT CHEROKEE BILL WAS UP DIGGING HOLES FOR A COREL TO PUT MARES IN.

LIZZIE IT GOT BE BIG BILL TO HOLD 30 OR SO, WHEN WE GET 30 CUT OUT WE LET REST GO

BILL HUUM ME MAKE BIG.

LIZZIE WHERE IS SUSIE?

BILL SHE GETTING POLES GOT AXE CHOPPING THEM DOWN.

LIZZIE I GO HELP HER

BILL YOU STAY WITH JACK, YOU CHOP THIS AFTER NOON, SHE STAY WITH JACK,

LIZZIE THAT SEEMS FAIR, I WANT TO DO MY PART,

BILL JACK NEED TO BE KEEP IN PLACE, HE MIGHT TRY TO MOVE.

LIZZIE GOES BACK TO CAMP SPOT, JACK HAS HIS BACK TO THE LOG, AND EATING BISCUITS AND GRAVY ,, AND HAS CUP OF COFFEE. SPOTTED DEER LOOKING AT HIS LEG.

SPOTTED DEER HUUUM LEG LOOKS BETTER, THINK YOU MAKE IT IF INFECTION DOES NOT SET IN, I USE MORE TREE MOSS.

JACK IT HAS GOT BE BETTER MY LEG DOES NOT HURT ANY MORE.

LIZZIE SET ON LOG BE SIDE JACK, AND PUT HER HAND ON JACK SHOULDER.

JACK LIZZIE HUN GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, HOW BILL DOING ON COREL?

LIZZIE HE DIGGING THE HOLES AND SUSIE IS CHOPPING THE POLES DOWN, HE TOLD ME STAY WITH YOU.

JACK BILL ALWAYS BEEN REAL PROTECTIVE OF ME, I WAS HAVING NIGHT MARES

WHEN HE WAS SCOUTING FOR THE CALVARY AND FOLLOWING ME. I WOULD NOT KILL HIM UNDER ANY CONDITION. MIGHT SHOT HIS HORSE, MAKE HIM WALK, I TRIED GET HIM DRUNK. LOSE HIM.

LIZZIE BILL AND YOUR UNCLE ARE PARTNERS HE TOLD ME THEY GOT MORGAN'S TO SELL PLOW HORSES, BOUGHT THEM OUT THE MONEY HE GOT FOR YOUR BODY,HEHEHE

JACK HE AND CAPTAIN RICHARDSON PULL A GOOD ONE, GOT THE BEST OF THE RED LEGS HEHEHE.

LIZZIE THE CAPTAIN IS A MAJOR NOW, YOUR UNCLE HAD HIM PROMOTED, NOW POST COMMANDER,

JACK A FEATHER BED JOB

LIZZIE YOU THINK SO?

JACK WHAT CAN GO WRONG IN KANSAS, THAT HE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH?

MAJOR RICHARDSON AT HIS DESK, FILLING OUT REPORTS, WHEN THE ORDERLY CAME IN.

ORDERLY SIR THERE A GENERAL OUT SIDE TO SEE YOU. SIR.

MAJOR RICHARDSON SHOW HIM IN ORDERLY

AS THE GENERAL WALK IN MAJOR RICHARDSON SNAP TO ATTENTION AND SOLUTE HIM.

THE GENERAL MAJOR RICHARDSON MY NAME IS PHIL SHERIDAN BE SEATED.

MAJOR RICHARDSON GET THE GENERAL A CHAIR AND CLOSE THE DOOR.

THIS IS DONE ,AND ORDERLY GOES OUT SIDE THE DOOR IS CLOSE.

MAJOR RICHARDSON SIR I AM HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE AT MY COMMAND.

PHIL SHERIDAN MAJOR RICHARDSON I CHECK YOUR RECORD , YOU SHOWN FINE LEADER SHIP IN THE FIELD. BRING IN GRAY RIDER BODY, PROVE YOU CAN DO WHAT NEEDED.

MAJOR RICHARDSON WE JUST TRAP HIM HE KILL HIM SELF,

PHIL SHERIDAN THE SIOUX IS ON WAR PATH, THEY HAVE DESTROYED LAST TWO WAGON TRAIN TO OREGON,

MAJOR RICHARDSON THAT'S BAD , WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM,

PHIL SHERIDAN I WANT YOU TAKE A COMPANY OF TROOP, AND GO WITH NEXT WAGON TRAIN AND BUILD A FORT HERE, POINT TO A SPOT ON MAP IN NEBRASKA TERRITORY, WE CALL THIS FORT [FORT LINCOLN]

MAJOR RICHARDSON I TAKE IT I AM RELIEVE OF COMMAND HERE.

PHIL SHERIDAN YES I NEED FIELD COMMANDERS THAT ARE GOOD. YOU TO GOOD FOR THIS FEATHER BED POST. I GOT A COLONEL CAN NOT FINE HIS ASS WITH TWO HANDS TAKE OVER HERE. THIS YOU DID NOT HEAR

MAJOR RICHARDSON THIS I DID NOT HEAR SIR. JUST ONE TROOP?

PHIL SHERIDAN NEXT TROOP COME WITH NEXT WAGON TRAIN, WE DO THAT UNTIL HAVE A REGIMENT THERE, THEN YOU MOVE ON DO THIS AGAIN.

MAJOR RICHARDSON WHEN WILL I BE RELIVE OF COMMAND?

PHIL SHERIDAN TOMORROW MAJOR RICHARDSON, SORRY I NEED FIELD COMMAND . COMMANDERS THAT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. YOU IT. WHEN YOU GET FORT BUILD ILL SEND CUSTER TO TAKE OVER YOU BUILD NEW FORT TO WEST, YOU WILL BE BUILDING A PATH ACROSS AMERICA.

MAJOR RICHARDSON I WISH I HAD MY CHIEF SCOUT BACK, HE RETIRED. HE I COULD TRUST.

PHIL SHERIDAN I GOT SOME CROW SCOUTS, THEY KNOW THE SIOUX, I SEND YOU TWO.

MAJOR RICHARDSON CAN I PICK WHICH TROOP I WANT TO GO WITH ME?

PHIL SHERIDAN YES YOU CAN WHICH IS IT?

MAJOR RICHARDSON A TROOP SIR, THE CAPTAIN IS A GOOD OFFICER, AND THE SERGEANT MAJOR.

PHIL SHERIDAN GOOD CHOICE I PICK THEM TOO, ALL BY THE WAY, YOU NOW LT COLONEL, YOU PULL THIS OFF YOU BE A GENERAL.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON MY MAN NEED TO BE WELL ARM SIR, WITH HENRYS. THE INDIAN GOT A HABIT COMING IN WAVES TRYING TO OVER RUN YOU WHILE RELOADING, HENRY BREAK THEIR BACKS SIR. HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH PONNEE

PHIL SHERIDAN WE GOT SOME,, A 100,, I SEE THAT THEY ARE AT ST JO WEIGHTING ON YOU, WITH 20000 CARTAGES.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON WHEN THE NEXT TRAIN GOING OUT ,SIR,

PHIL SHERIDAN IN FOUR WEEKS , FROM ST JO,, YOU BE THERE, THEY REQUESTING PROTECTION FROM THE INDIANS.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON A TROOP BE THERE SIR READY TO MOVE WITH THEM.

PHIL SHERIDAN SORRY ABOUT YOUR LOST OF COMMAND HERE, BUT THE COUNTRY NEED YOU ELSE WHERE. I BROUGHT SOME WHISKEY TO TOAST YOUR PROMOTION WITH, ILL PORE ''TOAST" HERE TO AMERICA.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON TOAST,, TO THE SAFE PASSAGE ACROSS AMERICA.

PHIL SHERIDAN I GOT TO GO NOW, GET THAT BIRD ON THE SHOULDERS

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON YES ,,SIR,,

PHIL SHERIDAN GET UP LT COLONEL RICHARDSON SOLUTE HIM AND HE LAVES AS FAST HE CAME.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON SETS A PONDER HIS FORTUNE , GRAY RIDER DID THIS, AND ALL A LIE