Captain Graham told me that he would be stationed at Fort Hays during the summer.  In the event of his being sent out on a scouting expedition he wanted me as scout and guide.  I said that although I was very busy with my railroad contract I would be glad to go with him.

That night the Indians unexpectedly raided our horses, and ran off five or six of the best work-teams.  At daylight I jumped on Brigham, rode to Fort Hays, and reported the raid to the commanding officer.  Captain Graham and Lieutenant Emmick were ordered out with their company of one hundred colored troops.  In an hour we were under way.  The darkies had never been in an Indian fight and were anxious to “sweep de red debbils off de face ob de earth.”  Graham was a dashing officer, eager to make a record, and it was with difficulty that I could trail fast enough to keep out of the way of the impatient soldiers.  Every few moments the captain would ride up to see if the trail was freshening, and to ask how soon we would overtake the marauders.

At the Saline River we found the Indians had stopped only to graze and water the animals and had pushed on toward Solomon.  After crossing the river they made no effort to conceal their trail, thinking they were safe from pursuit.  We reached Solomon at sunset.  Requesting Captain Graham to keep his command where it was, I went ahead to try to locate the redmen.

Riding down a ravine that led to the river, I left my horse, and, creeping uphill, looked cautiously over the summit upon Solomon.  In plain sight, not a mile away, was a herd of horses grazing, among them the animals which had been stolen from us.  Presently I made out the Indian camp, noted its “lay,” and calculated how best we could approach it.

Graham’s eyes danced with excitement when I reported the prospect of an immediate encounter.  We decided to wait until the moon rose, and then make a sudden dash, taking the redskins by surprise.

We thought we had everything cut and dried, but alas! just as we were nearing the point where we were to take the open ground and make our charge, one of the colored gentlemen became so excited that he fired his gun.

We began the charge immediately, but the warning had been sounded.  The Indians at once sprang to their horses, and were away before we reached their camp.  Captain Graham shouted, “Follow me, boys!” and follow him we did, but in the darkness the Indians made good their escape.  The bugle sounded the recall, but some of the darkies did not get back to camp until the next morning, having, in their fright, allowed the horses to run wherever it suited them to go.

We followed the trail awhile the next day, but it became evident that it would be a long chase, and as we were short of rations we started back to camp.  Captain Graham was bitterly disappointed at being cheated out of a fight that seemed at hand.  He roundly cursed the darky who bad given, the warning with his gun.  That gentleman, as a punishment, was compelled to walk all the way back to Fort Hays.