Sword and Pen: Ventures and Adventures of Willard GlazierOwens, John Algernon
History
Sword and Pen: Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier
Owens, John Algernon
Glazier, Willard W., 1841-1905; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
As the second night overtook the captives, the process of the previous
night was repeated: they built their fire, cooked and ate their antelope
steaks, and then prostrated themselves around the fire for the night.
The captives were again bound together at the wrists, and lay between
their two guards. Our friend was, however, on the alert and wide awake,
though pretending to be asleep. Quietly he passed the fingers of one
hand over the cords that bound his other to his companion, and concluded
that with patience and vigilance the knot could be unfastened. While the
guards dozed and slept as on the preceding night, the eyes of the
prisoners stealthily sought the ponies and the arms.
The latter were always placed at the head of each sleeper, to be ready
for immediate use in case of a surprise. Captain Glazier and his
companion were fully convinced that any attempt to escape, if detected,
would be followed by immediate torture and death; but were,
nevertheless, resolved to make the effort. It was also known that if
they quietly accompanied the Indians to their rendezvous or
headquarters, they would be retained as hostages, probably for a long
period, and be subject at any time to be tortured should a fit of
vengeance seize their captors. They would not, however, make an attempt
to escape unless there appeared a moral certainty of its successful
accomplishment.
The third day arrived, and at dawn, after partaking of the usual
breakfast of raw antelope or other game, they started again on their
march. They rode all day, with the usual stoppages for forage, and about
eight o'clock in the evening camped, supped, and lay down for the night,
as before, after assigning the usual night-guards to the prisoners, who
were again bound together.
Glazier, with the experience he had obtained in the South, and his
companion, with his intimate knowledge of the plains, kept themselves
constantly on the alert, prepared to take advantage of any opportunity
that offered to escape from their captors. They had each fixed his eye
on a pony in the herd. These animals were turned out to graze with their
saddles on, in order that they might be ready for instant use, if
required, in the night. The prisoners began snoring loudly under
pretence of being asleep, and at the same time the guards dozed and
slept at intervals, but were restless until about midnight, when they
both succumbed and were fast asleep.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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