CHAPTER 34 LOST AND NEW COMMAND

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON HAD BEEN RELIVE OF COMMAND OF FORT RILEY BY COLONEL MC AFEE. BEFORE HE GOT THERE GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN ; TOLD HIM DO NOT INTERFERE WITH LT COLONEL RICHARDSON. HE HAS HIS ORDERS AND THEY CLASSIFIED. LT COLONEL HAS SET UP TEMP COMMAND AT HIS QUARTERS TO SET UP THE MISSION. THERE IS A KNOCK ON HIS DOOR, AND LT COLONEL RICHARDSON SAYS COME IN,

SERGEANT MAJOR MC DUFF COMES IN AND SNAP TO ATTENTION AND SOLUTE THE COLONEL

SERGEANT MAJOR "SIR" SERGEANT MAJOR MC DUFF REPORTING AS DIRECTED,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON AT EASE SERGEANT MAJOR. I GOT A MISSION TO DO AND I REQUESTED YOU TO A COMPANY ME ON IT.

SERGEANT MAJOR "SIR" I AM HONORED YOU REQUESTED MY SERVICES, WHAT MIGHT THEY BE?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON YOU ARE TO BE MY AID "SIR" YOU STAY CLOSE TO ME WATCH MY BACK, AND SEE MY ORDERS ARE CARRY OUT. I CAN NOT TELL YOU WHAT THE MISSION IS UNTIL THE RIGHT TIME

SERGEANT MAJOR "SIR" SOUNDS LIKE WE MIGHT GET INTO A WEE TUFF, AM I CORRECT? I WOULD LIKE THAT "SIR"

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON LOT MORE THAN A WEE I THINK, GOOD CHANCE NONE COME BACK.

SERGEANT MAJOR FIRST ORDER TELL CAPTAIN PAR DEE OF COMPANY A I WANT TO SEE HIM AS SOON HE CAN MAKE IT.

SERGEANT MAJOR SNAP TO ATTENTION "YES SIR" AND SOLUTE AND OUT THE DOOR HE GOES.

10 MINUTES PAST AND LT COLONEL RICHARDSON SIPPING ON A CUP COFFEE. KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON "COME IN"

CAPTAIN PAR DEE CAPTAIN PAR DEE REPORTING AS DIRECTED "SIR"

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON RETURN THE SOLUTE "AT EASE CAPTAIN" PORE YOU A CUP OF COFFEE WE GOT SOME TALKING TO DO.

CAPTAIN DOES AS LT COLONEL RE QUESTED AND SET DOWN AT SMALL TABLE THAT RICHARDSON IS AT.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON CAPTAIN PAR DEE YOUR COMPANY IS DETACH FORM COMMAND OF THE GARRISON HERE AND UNDER MY COMMAND NOW. HERE THE WRITTEN ORDERS.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE READS THE ORDERS, SAYS SIGN BY GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN. WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON FIRST I WANT YOU TO TRANSFER EVERY MARRIED MAN OUT YOUR COMPANY. THIS IS A JOB FOR SINGLE MEN ONLY.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE I GOT A OFFICER I HATE TO LOSE.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON EVERY MARRIED MAN "SIR" PICK A OFFICER FROM ANOTHER COMPANY OF EQUAL SKILL I SEE YOU GET HIM. WE BE UNDER DIRECT COMMAND OF GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN. I GET MY ORDERS FROM HIM ONLY.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE MAY I ASK WHAT OUR ORDERS ARE?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON FOR YOUR EARS ONLY, NEVER REPEAT THEM TO ANY BODY, IN CASE I GET KILL, YOU NEED TO KNOW, "WE ARE TO A COMPANY A WAGON TRAIN TO THIS LOCATION IN NEBRASKA TERRITORY AND BUILD A FORT THERE , IT BE CALL FORT LINCOLN. WE NOT BE RETURNING HERE "SIR" WE LEVE IN 3 DAYS, GET KICKING SIR.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE I HAVE A FIELD BATTERY ATTACH TO MY COMPANY "SIR" DO THEY GO?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON EVERYTHING GOES, THIS GET US MORE WAGONS FOR SUPPLYS.PLUS A DOCTOR, AND MEDICAL WAGON. DRAW 3 MOUTH SUPPLYS,30,000 ROUNDS, YOU MAY SEE COMBAT "SIR"

CAPTAIN PAR DEE I SEE WHY NO MARRIED MEN NOW,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON "SIR" YOUR COMPANY BE UP AGAINST 12,000 FINEST LIGHT CALVARY IN THE WORLD, THE SIOUX ON THE WAR PATH

CAPTAIN PAR DEE "O" SHIT. SORRY SIR.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON GET IT DONE CAPTAIN, THATS WHAT I THOUGHT WHEN SHERIDAN DROP IT ON ME.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE STANDS AND SOLUTE THE COLONEL AND HE RETURN IT, AND GOES OUT THE DOOR

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON "MUMBLES TO HIM SELF, "BETTER GET THEM HENRYS OR WE DEAD MEAT"

JOHN ROBERSON AND MRS. MINNIE BEEN MOVING CROSS COUNTRY AND STOP BY A DOWN PORE OF RAIN,

MRS. MINNIE WELL JOHN THERE THE RAIN YOU WISH FOR.

JOHN ROBERSON THAT WASH OUT THE TRACKS OF WAGON AND ANY CONNECTION TO THE BODY'S BACK THERE.

MRS. MINNIE IT WAS IN SELF DEFENSE JOHN.

JOHN ROBERSON YES ,IT WAS ,BUT WE GOT A TRAIN TO CATCH, CAN NOT BE TIED UP IN A INQUEST, I AM TO MEET CHEROKEE BILL IN 4 WEEKS IN ST JO

MRS. MINNIE CHEROKEE BILL ,SOUND LIKE A INDIAN!

JOHN ROBERSON HE IS ,,MY PARTNER, BEST INDIAN SCOUT, THERE IS, HE PUT UP LOT THE MONEY FOR THE MORGAN'S

JIMMIE "A REAL INDIAN"

JOHN ROBERSON YES JIMMIE.. FINE MAN. GLAD TO SAY HE IS MY FRIEND.

MRS. MINNIE WE MIGHT NEED A NEW TARP HERE, THIS HAS A SMALL LEAK TO IT HERE.

JOHN ROBERSON PORE LITTLE WAX ON IT THERE IT WANT LEAK ANY MORE, BUT WE GET ONE MORE AT ST JO. MIGHT WANT SET IN THE SHADE ,IN THE BREEZE AT LATE DAY. ATTACH IT TO SIDE WAGON.

MRS. MINNIE THAT BE NICE, JOHN

CHEROKEE BILL HAS THE CORRAL BUILD ,LIZZIE HAS GONE INTO THE CANYON AND ROPE 3 MARES AND PUT THEM IN THE CARREL.

LIZZIE WE HAVE THEM CUT OUT TOMORROW ,THEN WE LET REST LOSE.

JACK HOW THE GRASS AND WATER IN THERE,

LIZZIE IT IS GOOD, THAT POND GOT A UNDER GROWN SPRING FEEDING IT.

JACK SPOTTED DEER LOOK AT LEG AND SAID LOOKING FINE, GOT GOOD COLOR TO IT, HOLE HEALING GOOD. A WEEK IT BE HEAL OVER, THEN NO DANGER OF INFECTION. WHEN GET HORSES CUT OUT, YOU AND SUSIE GO TO TRADING POST ,BUY A WAGON. AND SUPPLIES, GET ANY HENRYS IF HE GOT MORE. WE MAY NEED MORE. TAKE CHEROKEE BILL WITH YOU.

SUSIE JACK YOU BE HERE A LONG.

JACK SPOTTED DEER GOT A SICK PERSON AT HIS VILLAGE, A MESSENGER CAME TODAY. I TOLD HIM SEND CRAZY DOG BACK. TO WATCH ME,

SUSIE HE DRINK UP WHISKEY JACK, I KILL HIM.

JACK BUY A NEW JUG SUSIE, I WANT TO HAVE A PARTY WITH MY OLD FRIENDS, WE MAY NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN,

LIZZIE A FAIR WELL PARTY,

JACK YA ,HE AND RED BEAR. AND SPOTTED DEER ,WE OWE THEM SO MUCH.

SUSIE YOU HELP THEM THE MOST. BY SENDING SPOTTED DEER TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.

JACK YOU RIGHT SUSIE, HE NEEDS TO GO BACK, 200 GOLD DO THAT. THIS I WILL DO. GIVE TO RED BEAR, FOR HIS PEOPLE.

LIZZIE JACK HOW MUCH YOU THINK WE NEED AT TRADING POST,

JACK WE GOT ONE HENRY, HE GOT MORE BUY THEM ALL. AND CARTAGES. AND WAGON AND TEAM, 300 GOLD SHOULD  COVER IT.

LIZZIE PISTOLS?

JACK GOT ANY MORE LIKE THIS SCHFIELDS BUY THEM AND BULLETS. MORE POWER IF NOT AND SHOT. WE MAY RUN INTO TROUBLE UP NORTH, CHEYENNE AND SIOUX UP THERE.

SUSIE CHEYENNE NOT TO BAD,SOUIX THEY BAD ALL THE WAY.

JACK MAYBE WE CAN JOIN UP WITH A WAGON TRAIN, THEY WANT KNOW ME.

BROTHER JACK MC MEAN MORMON