CHAPTER XXIV.
HUNTING EXPEDITION.
Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at Fort McPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends were coming out to the post to have a grand hunt in the vicinity, and to explore the country from McPherson to Fort Hays, in Kansas.

On the morning of September 22d they arrived in a special car at North Platte, a station on the Union Pacific, distant eighteen miles from Fort McPherson.
The party consisted of General Sheridan, Lawrence R.Jerome, James Gordon Bennett, of the _New York Herald_; Leonard W.Jerome, Carroll Livingston, Major J.G.Hecksher, General Fitzhugh, General H.E.Davies, Captain M.
Edward Rogers, Colonel J.Scuyler Crosby, Samuel Johnson, General Anson Stager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Charles Wilson, editor of the _Chicago Evening Journal_; General Rucker, Quartermaster-General, and Dr.Asch--the two last-named being of General Sheridan's staff.

They were met at the station by General Emory and Major Brown, with a cavalry company as escort and a sufficient number of vehicles to carry the distinguished visitors and their baggage.
A brisk drive of less than two hours over a hard and smooth road brought them to the fort, where they found the garrison, consisting of five companies of the Fifth Cavalry, under the command of General Carr, out on parade awaiting their arrival.

The band played some martial music, and the cavalry passed very handsomely in review before General Sheridan.

The guests were then most hospitably received, and assigned to comfortable quarters.
Lieutenant Hayes, the quartermaster of the expedition, arranged everything for the comfort of the party.