Post by marcabrams on Mar 22, 2017 21:33:11 GMT -6
First of all, holy crap, I remembered my log in details after some twenty years away, give or take fifteen years. So I recently came across an August 1881 newspaper article that was an interview with Guido Ilges (whose name will probably be familiar to many here... he was in the 7th Infantry during the Great Sioux War). The article consisted of an interview with him about the Apaches and one of their chiefs named Nana. he also had occasion to mention James Calhoun and that part follows:
“Another time I went after Nana on an order from General [Thomas L.] Crittenden, who informed me that the Apaches had stolen 100 head of cattle from the vicinity of Prescott, and as he reported only eighteen or twenty bucks in the party, I started out with all the mounted men I could get together—only twelve besides myself, as I didn’t have any cavalry at that time. The Apaches are, or were then, footmen, and so we easily caught up with them, but to my surprise, instead of 20 there were more than 100 men, and I thought at first sight they had several thousand head of cattle, but it afterward appeared they had only 800. I tried to skirmish with them, but my men had the old muzzle loaders, and the Indians surrounding us partially I was compelled to retreat. [Lieut. James] Calhoun, who was killed with Custer, was with me, and he had a Ballard rifle, which I firmly believe I captured this winter from the Sioux at Poplar Creek. During the ride back to the fort on that occasion my knee was broken by a kick from a mule, and I was laid up for more than two months.”
So does anyone know if Calhoun indeed had a Ballard rifle at LBH? Is this a new piece of minutiae (if true) or old news?
Also, we all know what became of Calhoun, but if you want to read what became of Ilges, here's a good webpage:
fortbenton.blogspot.com/2013/04/major-guido-ilges-1835-1918-indian-wars.html
“Another time I went after Nana on an order from General [Thomas L.] Crittenden, who informed me that the Apaches had stolen 100 head of cattle from the vicinity of Prescott, and as he reported only eighteen or twenty bucks in the party, I started out with all the mounted men I could get together—only twelve besides myself, as I didn’t have any cavalry at that time. The Apaches are, or were then, footmen, and so we easily caught up with them, but to my surprise, instead of 20 there were more than 100 men, and I thought at first sight they had several thousand head of cattle, but it afterward appeared they had only 800. I tried to skirmish with them, but my men had the old muzzle loaders, and the Indians surrounding us partially I was compelled to retreat. [Lieut. James] Calhoun, who was killed with Custer, was with me, and he had a Ballard rifle, which I firmly believe I captured this winter from the Sioux at Poplar Creek. During the ride back to the fort on that occasion my knee was broken by a kick from a mule, and I was laid up for more than two months.”
So does anyone know if Calhoun indeed had a Ballard rifle at LBH? Is this a new piece of minutiae (if true) or old news?
Also, we all know what became of Calhoun, but if you want to read what became of Ilges, here's a good webpage:
fortbenton.blogspot.com/2013/04/major-guido-ilges-1835-1918-indian-wars.html