Raynors HCA 2019-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/30/2019
Soldier’s diary kept by William Ridings of the 10th U.S. Infantry, 1867-1868, 3-1/2”x6-3/4”, with ink stamp on fly leaf “W.Ridings” containing almost daily entries of his travels from Minnesota & the Dakota Territory to Kentucky and Texas. Sgt. William Ridings served from 1861-1865 with the 3rd Wisconsin. Good soldier content throughout with mention of Sioux and Chippewa Indians. In small part: “...[3/20/1867] I enlisted today in the U.S Service at Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the period of three years...[5/16/1867] we are stationed one mile from camp at a Beer Salon to keep the men from getting drunk. One of our guard took a little too much beer for the good of his health. There was three Indian squaws came to our tent...[7/1] stopped at the Chippewa Trading post...[7/2] we passed a train of fur traders. There was one hundred wagons...[7/9] went to visit the immigrants which are part English and part Dutch there is about fifty families of them all going to Oregon..[7/16] passed by an Indian camp who are out hunting for Buffalo. They had some out drying when dried cut it fine and makes what is called pemberton [Pemmican] of it...[7/17] we traveled all day on the Prairie we saw the bodies of thirteen buffaloes...[7/18] I saw two fine Buffaloes calves the first I ever saw...I saw the remains of a Sioux Indian that was burned to death by a Chippewa Indian for killing his son..[7/20] Indians had been out hunting for buffaloes...the boys all ready they brought word that there is 2000 hostile indians forty miles north west of here...[7/22] ONe of our bull drivers had a foot race with a half breed Indian. Our man beat him bad, they ran for one dollar....[7/24] our guide that is a half breed Sixou his name is Frank. He is half French. He is to have six dollars per day...[7/26] we killed one buffalo...” Much more in this vein. Fine condition.
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