USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1892 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 22
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BOWDOIN BOYS IN LABRADOR.
Saturday Aug. 15th, the march back to the bat cache vas wvanmed. Towards night, as they approached the place, smoke was seen rising from the ground, and fearing evil, the men broly: into a run during the last two miles. As Cary's journal puts it : "We arrived at our camp to find boat and stores burnt and the fire still smoking and spreading. Cole arrives first, and as el come thrashing through the bushes he sits on a rock munch- ing some burnt flour. He announces with an unsteady voice : "Well, she's gone.' We say not much, nothing that indicates poor courage, but go about to find what we can in the wreck, and pack up for a tramp down river. In an hour we have picked out everything useful, including my money, nails, thread and damaged provisions, and are on the way down river hoping to pass the rapids before dark, starting at 5."
Their position was certainly disheartening. They were one hundred and fifty miles from their nearest cache, and nearly three hundred from the nearest settlement, already greatly used up, needing rest and plenty of food; in a country that for- bade any extended tramping inland to cut off corners, on a river in most places either too rough for a raft or with too shuig- gish a current to make rafting pay; and above all, left with a stock of food comprising one quart of good rice, brought back with them, three quarts of mixed meal, barnt flour and burnt rice, a little tea, one can of badly dried tongue, and one can of baked beans that were really improved by the fire. Add to this some three dozen matches and twenty -five cartridges. blankets and what things they had on the tramp to the falls, and the list of their outfit, with which to cover the three hun- dred miles, is complete. There was no time to be wasted, and that same night six miles were made before camping. The next day the battle for life began. It was decided that any game or other supplies found on the way should be used liberally, while those with which they started were husbanded. This day several trout were caught, line and hooks being part of each man's outfit, and two square meals enjoyed, which proved the last for a week. A raft was made that would not float the men and baggage, and being somewhat discouraged
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on the subject of rafting by the failure, another was not then attempted, and the men continued tramping. Following th. river, they found its general course between the rapid. das Lake Wanimikapo, S. S. E. During part of that day and al the next, they followed in the track of a large panther, bat die not get in sight of him. Acting on the principle that they should save their strength as much as possible, camps were gone into fairly caily and were well made; and this night, in spite of the desperate straits they were in, both men enjoyed a most delightful sleep.
After this some time every morning was usually occupied in mending shoes. All sorts of devices were resorted to to get the last bit of wear out of them, even to shifting from right to left, but finally Cole had to make a pair of the nondescripts from the leather lining of his pack, which lasted him to the vessel. Cranberries were found during the day and at inter- vals during the tramp, and were always drawn upon for a meal. About two quarts were added to the stock of provision, and' many a supper was made off a red squirrel and a pint of stewed cranberries.
Wednesday, the 19th, another raft was made, which took the party into the lake. This was more comfortable than tracking. yet they were in the water for several hours while on the raft. which was made by lashing two cross-pieces about four feet long on the ends of five or six logs laid beside each other and from twenty to thirty feet long, all fastened with roots, and hay- ing a small pile of brush to keep the baggage dry. The still water of the lake made the raft useless, even in a fresh, fair breeze, and so this one was abandoned two miles down, and the weary tramping again resumed. Fortunately the water was so low that advantage could be taken of the closely overgrown shore by walking on the lake bed. and far better progress was made owing to the firmer footing. Three days were used in get- ting down the lake, during which time but one fish, a pickerel was caught, where they had expected to find an abundance.
At the foot of the lake. tracks were seen, which it was thought might be those of hunters. It was learned later that they were
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more probably tracks of Bryant's and Kenaston's party, who were following them up and probably had been passed on the opposite side of the lake, unnoticed in the heavy rain of the preceeding day. Some bits of meat that had been thrown away were picked up and helped to fill the gap, now becoming quite long, between square meals. Supper on this day is noted in Cary's journal because they " fcasted on three squirrels." Hav ing gotten out of the lake into rapid water, trout was once more caught, and as on the following day, Sunday, the 23d, a bear's heart. liver, etc., was found, and later several fish caught. The starvation period was over.
In the afternoon another raft was built and the next day car- ried them five miles down to the last cache. Though so terribly used up that the odd jobs connected with making and breaking camp dragged fearfully, and each day's advance had to be made by pure force of will, the men felt that the worst was over and their final getting out of the woods was a matter of time merely. At this cache, also, a note from Young and Smith was found an- nouncing their passage to that point all right and in less time than expected, so they had drawn no supplies from the stock there.
Tuesday, the 25th .- The day, by the way, that the Julia Decker and party arrived at Rigolette according to plans, ex- pecting to find the whole Grand River party, and instead found only Young and Smith, who had been waiting there about a Week. Rafting was continued in a heavy rain down to the Mininipi Rapids over which the raft was nearly carried against the will of the occupants. At the foot of these rapids a thirty mile tramp was begun, the raft that had carried them so well for forty-five miles being abandoned, which took them past the Horse Shoe and Gull Island Rapids and occupied most of the two following days. The tracking was fair, and as starvation was over pretty good time was made.
Thursday, the 27th .- A raft was made carly in the morning that took them by the Porcupine Rapids and landed them safely, though well soaked, at the head of the first falls. Camp was made that night at the first cache below the falls, forty miles having been covered during the day.
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Friday, they fully expected to reach Joe Michelin's hou .. and get the relief that was sadly needed, but as the necessity for keeping up became less imperative, their weakness beau to tell on them more. Cary's shoes became so bad that going barefoot was preferable, except over the sharpest rosk., and Cole's feet had become so sore that as a last resort his coat sleeves were cut off and served as a cross between stockings and boots. They were doomed to disappointment, however. and compelled to camp at nightfall with four or five miles b. ! travelling and the wide river between them and the house. Fires were made in hopes of attracting the trapper's attention and inducing him to cross the river in his boat, but as they learned the next day, though they were seen, the dark rainy night pre- vented his going over to find out what they meant. The last shot cartridge was used that night on a partridge, and the red squirrels went unmolested thereafter. This last shot deserves more than a passing notice. In one sense these shot cartridges for Cole's pistol were their salvation. Just before the expedi- tion started from Rockland it was remarked in conversation that the boat crew under DeLong, in the ill-fated expedition of the " Jeanette", met their death by starvation in the delta of the Lena, with the exception of two, Naros and Nindermann, simply because their hunter, Naros, had only a rifle with ball cartridges, the shot guns having been left on board the "Jea- nette;" that on the delta there was quite an abundance of small birds which it was almost impossible to kill by a bullet and even when killed by a lucky shot, little was left of the bird. Cole was impressed by these facts and upon inquiring ascer- tained that the pistol shot cartridges ordered by the expedition had been overlooked. He energetically set about supplying the lack, and after persistent search, almost at the last hour, suc- ceeded in finding a small stock in the city, which he bought out. To the remnant of this stock which escaped the fire at Burnt Cache camp, as has been said, is the escape of Cary and Cole from starvation largely due.
The value of these cartridges had day by day, on the weary return from Grand Falls, become more and more apparent to
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the owner. At the discharge of the last one, the partridge. fell not to the ground, but flew to another and remote cluster of spruces. To this thicket Cole hastened and stood watching to discover his bird. Cary came up and after waiting a little while, said, " It is no use to delay longer, time is too precious." The value of this last cartridge forced Cole to linger. He was reluctant to admit it was wasted. In a few minutes he heard something fall to the ground, he knew not what it was, but with eager steps pressed towards the place, and when near it a slight flutter and rustling of wings led him to discover the par- tridge, uninjured except that one leg was broken ; that by faint- ness or inability to hold its perch with one foot it had fallen to the ground. The darkness and rain of that night then closing around them were rendered less dark and disagreeable by the assurance that kind Providence showed its hand when the help of an unscen power was needed to deliver them from the perils of the unknown river. It rained hard all the next forenoon, and as the river was rough, the men stayed in camp, hoping Joe would come across, until noon, when a start was made for the house. A crazy raft took them across the river, the waves at times nearly washing over them, and landing on the other side, they started on the last tramp of the trip, which the rain and thick underbrush, together with their weakened condition, made the worst of the trip. About 3 P. M., they struck a path, and in a few minutes were once more under a roof and their perilous journey was practically done.
Seventeen days had been used in making the three hundred miles, all but about seventy-five of which were covered afoot. When they came in, besides the blankets, cooking tins and in- struments, nothing remained of the outfit with which they started on the return except three matches and one ball cart- ridge for the revolver, which, in Cole's hands, had proved their main stay from absolute starvation. The following day, Sun- day, after having had a night's rest in dry clothes and two civi- lized meals, Joe took them to Northwest River, where Mr. McLaren, the factor of the Hudson Bay Company's posts showed them every kindness till a boat was procured to take
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them to Rigoletto. A storm and rain, catching them on a ke shore and giving the already exhausted men one more tus k with fortune to get their small vessel into a position of safety, made a fitting end to their experiences.
Tuesday at 4 P. M., they reached the schooner and their jour- ney was done. Amid the banging of guns and rifles, yells of delight and echoes of B-O-W-D-O-J-N flying over the hill -. they clambered over the rail from the boat that had been sent to meet them and nearly had their arms wrung off in congratu- lations upon their success, about which the very first questions had been asked as soon as they came within hearing. They were nearly deafened with exclamations that their appearance called out, and by the questions that were showered on thein. At last some order was restored, and after pictures had been made of them just as they came aboard, dressed in sealskin tassock, sealskin and deerskin boots and moccasins, with which they had provided themselves at Northwest River, ragged rem- nants of trousers and shirts, and the barest apologies for hats, they were given an opportunity to make themselves comfort- able and eat supper, and then the professor took them into the cabin to give an account of themselves. It was many days be- fore their haggard appearance, with sunken eyes and dark rings beneath them, and their extreme weakness disappeared.
The return trip of Young and Smith from Lake Waminikapo, who reached Rigolette Aug. 18th, was made in five days to North- west River, and after resting two days, in two more to Rigolette. Their trip was comparatively uneventful. At the foot of Gull Island Lake they met Bryant and Kenaston, who with their party of Indians were proceeding very leisurely and apparently doing very little work themselves. At their rate of progress it seemed to our party very doubtfal if they ever reached the falls. They had picked up, in the pool at the foot of the first falls, one of the cans of flour lost in the upset, some fifty or six- ty miles up the river, with its contents all right, and strange to say not a dent in it, and returned it to Smith and Young when they met them. That night, with the assistance of the officers and passengers of the mail steamer, which lay alongside of us, a
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jollification was held. Our return race to Battle Harbor, the last concert of the Glee Club in Labrador waters, the exciting race over the gulf with the little Halifax trader, the tussle with the elements getting into Canso, the sensation of a return to civilization and hearty reception at Halifax, and greeting at Rockland, must remain for another letter.
JONATHAN P. CILLEY, JR.
The Bugler. BY
HENRY T. BARTLETT.
BUGLER FIRST MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY AND HEADQUARTERS BUGLER TO GEN. HENRY E. DAVIES.
There was a time, way back in 'sixty-two, When Johnny Rebs and even Boys in Blue Objected to the notes the bugle sent
To 'wake each corps, brigade and regiment Before day dawned, -- then through the morning mist The weary soldiers, roused from dreaming. hissed Their words of wrath and vengeance on my head With --- " Dunn that Bugler ! " " Shoot the Bugler dead ! "
But, since those days of war and war's alarms That broke your rest while sleeping on your arms, -- The drum's tattoo, the bugle's blast you fear No more. With willing hearts you come to hear Those old notes sound again. You come to see The bugle that rang out the " Reveille," 4. To Horse," the " Trot," the " Gallop " and the " Charge." When clashing squadrons, fighting o'er the large Virginia vales where placid waters rau. Drove out the Rebel hordes, with gallant Sheridan. The war has ceased; and now in peaceful halls I'm called upon to sound the bugle calls. I, too, shall cease; but not, I pray, until Some veteran's son and grandson learns to trill This bugle's call " To Arms," and " Boots and Sad les " - 'Till every foe to flag and peace " skedaddies " To that " last ditch," designed of old by fate. Where Gabriel's (resurrection) Trump shall never penetrate.
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No more we answer " Sturgeon's Call " for pills And whiskey to keep off the ague's chills; No more we fight for hard-tack and for glory; No more the daily " Roll Call " inventory; No weary, midnight picket path we walk; No more the sergeant orders " No back tall: ! " Fach veteran now may have his own sweet way. While captains listen, privates have their say About the war. How General So-and-So Was flanked or whipped for being much too slow,
When Southern troops came bounding through the pines Like beasts of prey, and doubled up our lines.
No " Stables," " Guard Mount," " Drill " or " Dress Parade," Nor scout, nor sly guerrilla, nor the raid. No " Fours Right Wheel," " March," " Forward," " Guide Left," " Trot !" No hissing bullets, shells, nor screaming shot, Except in dreams now fading fast away, Of bloody fields and mingling blue and grey. But, while I live and strength of will remains To give this bugle its accustomed strains, Those strains that roused you, veterans, in the field,
To stand for equal rights o living shield -- Its echoing notes your memories shall renew From sixty-one until the grand review, Where elbows touched and troops rode boot to boot, Triumphant 'neath the flag the south and North soluce. New York, May 28th, 1802.
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THE COUNTRY FOR WHICH YOU FOUGHT.
The Country for Which You Fought.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF A TRIP TO THE PACIFIC COAST BY THE EDITOR.
I .- FROM RHODE ISLAND TO COLORADO.
DEAR COMRADES-Since the April Call left the hands of the printer it has been my good fortune to take a ride across thi: great and glorious country of ours, each way. Having enjoyed the journey I propose to give you some account of the scenes and pleasures incident to such a trip, as well as some idea, if I can, of the extent and greatness of this country for which you fought and for which our loved comrades gave their lives, that you may, perhaps, realize more than ever before something of how great and grand this country is, and how well worthy it is of the sacrifices made for it. In February last the Rhode Island Press Association did me the honor, to select me a delegate to the National Editorial Association, which held its annual meet- ing in San Francisco in May. At first I regarded their selec- tion as an empty honor, as there then seemed about as much possibility of my flying as of my paying a visit to California; but fortunately matters personal took such a turn that it became possible for me to make the journey, and ) did not deem it wise to let so favorable an opportunity pass by, especially as I was able to take with me my oldest son, Edward P. Tobie, Jr., Presi- dent of the Sons of the First of Maine, the Pawtucket corre- spondent and agent of the Providence Evening News.
On the morning of the sixth of May we left our home in Pawtucket, and in the afternoon took passage in the Wagner sleeping car " Monmouth," at the Fitchburg depot in Boston. for Chicago, via the Boston and Fitchburg and Grand Trunk railroads. In this car were more than a score of other delegates. from Massachusetts and Connecticut, with their wives, daugh-
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ters and sons. And right here, before I forget it, I wish to heartily and sincerely thank R. S. Barrows of the Jamaica Plain News, Boston, for many favors by which the pleasures of the trip were greatly enhanced and which assisted materially in the 'work and details of preparation, I also wish to extend thanks to the Boston and Fitchburg, Grand Trunk, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, Rio Grande Western, Denver and Rio Grande, Manitou and Pike's Peak, and New York, Lake Erie and Western railroad companies, for courtesies tenderel and for safely carrying us on our wonderful ride of some ten thousand miles. In due time I hope to give you some account of the ride over and the scenery along these railroads, as well as of the places visited. The Pullman and Wagner sleeping car companies, too, are deserving of thanks for courtesies. I also wish to thank the Union Pacific, Chicago and Northwestern, and Southern California railroads, for courtesies tendcicd, which I was unable to accept. But more than all, I wish to thank J. M. Page of Jerseyville, Ill., corre- sponding secretary of the National Editorial Association, for courtesies, for advice, and for his successful preparations for the trip, and J rejoice that his services in this line were recog- nized by his unanimous re-election to that office. Those who followed the instructions in J. M. PANE. his " little book" found themselves much better prepared for the pleasures of the journey and much less free from care, anxiety and " running around," than did those who thought they already " knew it all" and " took their chances."
The passengers in the " Monmouth" were all strangers to me, but I found some companionable spirits among them, and did not get very lonesome. One of the Connecticut men was an old army comrade, and we revived old memories for a while in the evening and again the next day. The old soldier you know is never lonesome when with a comrade, even though that comrade served with another army.
The first night in a sleeping car is not generally considered a good night for rest and sleep, and this one was no exception.
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But we managed to get some sleep. We reached Niagara Falls in the morning, walked across the famous suspension bridge for the sake of a more satisfactory look at the falls and at the whirlpool rapids, and then stood on foreign soil. We had a sort of breakfast, or rather lunch, at the Canadian lunch coun- ter, where were served the sickliest-looking baked beans ever seen by a New Englander-beans that would have made any of you comrades growl at the hungriest time you saw during the whole four years' service. We had to traverse one hundred and eighty-three miles of Her Majesty's dominions before we were again in our own country, and to me that seemed longer than the ride over the desert, as I felt further from home while out from under the stars and stripes. We obtained glances of Lakes Erie and Ontario, and felt the breezes from Lake Huron, but were glad when we crossed the line and were once more in the United States. We came through the tunnel un- der the river at Sarnia, as we had through the Hoosac moun- tain, and I was unable to realize any difference in the sensation of having a mountain on top, or a large river flowing over, me. At Port Huron most of the party set their watches back one hour to keep with the railroad time, having crossed one of the dividing lines, but I kept the eastern time, as I did through the whole trip, thus having to figure up what time it was every time I looked at the watch.
CHICAGO.
We arrived at Chicago in the evening and drove at once to the Auditorium Hotel, which was the headquarters of the association in that city. Chicago is a great city. There isn't any doubt of that. It is big enough to have the World's Fair and ought to have it. I am aware that such a statement is treason in the eastern States, but the fact remains the same. Ed. and I started out on that Sunday morning to look it over. During the forenoon Ed. thought it was quite a village, but somehow it did not seem like Chicago -- not as he expected to find it from his ideas formed from reading and hearing about it -- but before night it came nearer his expectations. We found good wide, level, straight streets, crossing each other at right
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angles, and plenty of large and tall buildings , towejog or fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and even twenty stories high, so the the famous Ames building in Boston, with its thirteen stories. looked low, in the mind's eye, compared with them. We font cable cars with good service and enjoyed riding on them. . ways preferring the front seat as best for sight-seeing, althou i it was very windy and dusty, and I began to understand way Chicago is called the "windy city." We found immense Sut- day papers-thirty-six, forty-four and forty-eight pages, a"' wondered if any one ever read them all. We didn't attempt : read them, or even to look over them-life is too short --- he: sent some to friends at home that they might read if they chose. We found that the people of Chicago understand the benefit of advertising, and know how to advertise to catch the eye and the pocket. Some of the dead walls and fences for covered with exceedingly catching ads. We found new build ings going up on which the work was in progress on the inside and outside at once ---- on the inside before even the walls of the first story were completed- and then thought we were begin ning to understand how the city grows so fast and big ban- ings go up so quickly. We passed the building then in proces of erection for the Democratic National Convention. While t' .. walls of this building were but partially up, the floor washth the balcony well under way, and the platforms for the sort. in place and partially completed. This was a new idea bet I think we took in the lesson.
We visited the grounds where the World's Fair is to be and for the first time realized something of the immensity of th undertaking, for the first time had the thought that we wanted! to go to the fair. Though the buildings for the various depart. ments were by no means completed, enough had been done to show that the arrangement of the grounds, the size and con- struction of the buildings, everything, will make an exhibit : that will be well worth a visit of any American citizen -! worthy of the city of Chicago, of the country, ard cf s. event of which it is in commemoration. I had an unples ant though funny experience here. At one point it Bi-
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