many promises of friendship were made by
the Indians. When the council was concluded, General Sherman sent for
me.

"Billy," he said, "I want you to send two good men to Fort Ellsworth
with dispatches, where they can be forwarded to Fort Riley, the end of
the telegraph line. After your men are rested they can return to Fort
Zarrah and join us." When the two men were instructed by the General
and were on their way, he took me into his tent.

"I want to go to Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River," he said, "then to
Fort St. Barine, on the Platte, and then to Laramie; after that we will
go to Cottonwood Springs, then to Fort Kearney and then to Leavenworth.
Can you guide me on that trip?"

I told him that I could, and was made guide, chief of scouts, and
master of transportation, acting with an army officer as quartermaster.

At Bent's Fort another council of two days was held with the Indians.
The journey homeward was made without difficulty. At Leavenworth I took
leave of one of the noblest and kindest-hearted men I have ever known.
In bidding me good-by, General Sherman said:

"I don't think these councils we have held will amount to much. There
was no sincerity in the Indians' promises. I will see that the promises
we made to them are carried out to the letter, but when the grass grows
in the spring they will be, as usual, on the warpath. As soon as the
regular army is organized it will have to be sent out here on the
border to quell fresh Indian uprisings, because these Indians will give
us no peace till they are thoroughly thrashed."

The General thanked me for my services, and told me he was very lucky
to find me. "It is not possible that I will be with the troops when
they come," he said. "They will be commanded by General Philip
Sheridan. You will like Sheridan. He is your kind of a man. I will tell
him about you when I see him. I expect to hear great reports of you
when you are guiding the United States army over the Plains, as you
have so faithfully guided me. The quartermaster has instructions to pay
you at the rate of $150 a month, and as a special reward I have ordered
that you be paid $2000 extra. Good-by! I know you will have good luck,
for you know your business."

After the departure of General Sherman I made a brief visit to my
sisters in Salt Creek Valley, and for a time, there being no scouting
work to do, drove stage between Plum Creek and Fort Kearney.

I was still corresponding with Miss Fred