Mr.Reed will exchange places with you and ride your horse." "All right, General," said I, and in a few moments I had the reins and we were rattling away over the prairie.

When we were approaching Medicine Creek, General Sheridan said: "Shake 'em up a little, Bill, and give us some old-time stage-driving." I gave the horses a crack or two of the whip, and they started off at a very rapid gait.

They had a light load to pull, and kept increasing their speed at every jump, and I found it difficult to hold them.

They fairly flew over the ground, and at last we reached a steep hill, or divide, which, led down into the valley of the Medicine.

There was no brake on the wagon, and the horses were not much on the hold-back.