Across the plains in '64 : incidents of early days west of the Missouri River--two thousand miles in an open boat from Fort Benton to Omaha--reminiscences of the pioneer period of Galena, General Grant's old home

1904·11.1 MB·English

by  Collins, John Sloan, 1839-1910

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JOHN S. COLLINS
'64
Across the Plains in
-^^^
Incidents of Early Days Westofthe Missouri River
—
Two Thousand Miles in—an Open Boat From
Fort Benton to Omaha Reminiscences of
THE Pioneer Period of Galena, Gen-
eral Grant's Old Home.
-^K^
By JOHN S. COLLINS.
-^e^
OMAHA, NEBRASKA.
NATIONAL PRINTING COMPANY.
1904.
COPYRIGHT BY
JOHN 8. COLLINS
TO THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS VOLUME
Yielding to thecontinuedsolicitation ofhisfriends, afterthe
first volume of"Across the Plains in '64" waspublished, Mr.
John S. Collinsfinally decided to add to the volumeseveralof
the more noteworthy happenings which were a part of his
remarkably adventurous life in the real west, before railroads
had made transcontinental travel easy. When most of the
manuscripthad beenprepared it was deemed best to incorporate
thefirst volume and the latter additions in one volume. Mr.
Collins' sudden death upset all plansfor theproduction ofthe
new volumeat the timehehad decided topublish it.
But. acting upon the impulse tocarryout the wishes oftheir
uncle, just as ifhe were with them, the nephews and nieces of
Mr. Collins decided to have the new volume published as a
memorial to their uncle who had done a pioneer's share in the
tamingofthe wilderness.
The relatives of Mr. Collins who have made itpossible that
this hitherto unwritten historyofthewestshallremain a lasting
monument to his memory, are in possession ofscores ofletters
from distinguished menand women who received thefirstvolume
from its author, which commend in unstinted measure their
pleasureatreceivingsuchagift. Probably therearefewvolumes
which have been so highly commended by "the men of the
country"for truthfulness and real merit. One oftheforemost
literary journals in America compared the first volume with
the works of Francis Parkman, which it resembled in many
particulars.
The undersigned, who had charge of the editing of Mr-
Collins' manuscript, has lefi itjust as it was written byhim, the
work of editing concerning almost entirely punctuation and
capitalization. Mr. Collins made no pretense to literary style-
He had been a business man allhis lifeandhehaspreparedsuch
a volume as a business man who had a remarkable memory
would write. R. F. G.
Omaha,Neb., January, 1911.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Cover Design By Doane Powell
Frontispiece (Part I) John S. Collins
Frontispiece (Part II) "FiveTerrorsoftheWind RiverRange"
Three Days' Kill Opposite page 61, Part II
Bat and the Bear Skins Opposite page 64, Part II
Indians in Camp Opposite page 64, Part II
Leaving Fort Fetterman Opposite page 66, Part II
Bunched Up in the Road Opposite page 66, Part II
Crossing the Platte Opposite page 66, Part II
"Antelope Very Cunning" Opposite page 76, Part II
Ready for the Hunt Opposite page 82, Part II
"Fussin' " About Camp Opposite page 86, Part II
Author's Keys Which Went Through San Francisco
Earthquake and Fire Opposite page 139, Part II