BY J. W. RICH, LIBRARIAN STATE UNIVERSITY, IOWA CITY, IOWA.

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OHN S. TILFORD was born in Clark county,

Indiana, July 30, 1811, and died in Vinton, Ben

ton county, Iowa, June 30, 1893. His parents were natives of Rockbridge county, Virginia.

The family moved at an early day to Kentucky, thence to Indiana where they made a "clearing" and established a home. The educational opportunities of those early pioneers were conspicuous by their absence. At the age of sixteen the subject of this sketch had never met with one of these opportunities, and so he was apprenticed to a trade, cabinetmaking. However, it was not proposed to send him out into the world entirely without educational training, so it was stipulated in the agreement that during the four years' service, he should have "board and four months' schooling." The full four years were served, the board was had, and one week's schooling was enjoyed-or endured. The schooling was cut short because of the worthlessness of the teacher. That was the beginning and ending of school-life for young Tilford.

When the call came for volunteers for the Blackhawk War, the subject of this sketch was one to respond, enlisting at Charlestown, Indiana, July 4, 1832, in a company of U. S. Rangers, under Capt. Lemuel Ford-term of service one year; pay one dollar per day, the soldier finding his own horse and accouterments, except saber and holster pistols. Rations were allowed when they could be had. When rations could not be had, the soldier foraged, and was allowed ten cents a day commutation.

The company marched by way of Indianapolis to Fort Dearborn-now Chicago-where it went into camp for a few days' rest. Resuming the march westward, the company came up with Gen. Winfield Scott, with the regulars and some Illinois volunteers, at Dixon's Ferry, on Rock River. It is probable, though Mr. Tilford could not be certain of it, that Lieut. "Abe" Lincoln was one of the Illinois volunteers at Dixon's Ferry. The march was continued to the Mississippi at Rock Island, though the war was really over before the command reached its destination, having closed with the battle of Bad-Ax in August.

In September, Gen. Scott treated with the Sac and Fox Indians, on the present site of Davenport, and Mr. Tilford was present with his company. On the conclusion of the treaty, the troops crossed back to the east side of the Mississippi and went into camp, where they encountered a more relentless foe than the untamed sons of the forest and prairie -the cholera! So virulent and fatal was the disease that the camp was designated "camp cholera." Mr. Tilford was himself one of the victims, though he fared better than some of his comrades. The disease resisted all efforts of the medical staff, until Gen. Scott, in sheer desperation, so the story goes. and Mr. Tilford's recollection confirms the story-undertook himself to treat a case. He ordered an attendant with a supply of flannels and a pail of brandy to meet him in the tent of a soldier dangerously ill with the disease. The general himself, with coat off and sleeves up, began a vigorous exter

nal application of the brandy--not forgetting the internal as well. The result was highly satisfactory, and the treatment was ordered continued.

The close of the war did not terminate the service of the Rangers. There were other Indian difficulties to be settled in the Southwest, and marching orders were issued for Fort Gibson, in the Indian Territory. The precise date of breaking camp on the Mississippi, I am not able to fix, but a diary kept by the young soldier fixes a date soon after the march began, so that they must have broken camp about the middle of October. The diary which lies before me is brown with age, is water-stained and bears unmistakable evidence of having seen service. It begins abruptly, as though a portion was lost, as is evidently the case. The entries are brief, as might be expected, but they were made with a regularity and constancy that might well make many another would-be diarist envious. From the 25th of October, to the 30th, of the following April not a day is omitted.

The first entry, Oct. 25, 1832, locates the marching column, and the entry is as follows:

"T. 25. This morning is rainy. The Capt. is gone again -never here. Boone company came up. We came together again and took up the line of march; traveled 11 miles; came to the Missouri River opposite City Jefferson, the capital of Missouri. This is a pretty bottom, timber mostly cottonwood -very lofty timber. I don't like this river, on account of the

sand-bars, snags, etc."

It is not my purpose to publish this diary, or to extract largely from it, though there is a charm about the simple story of the uneducated soldier-boy that is almost irresistible, telling as it does of the marching of a handful of men, poorly armed and equipped as we would now think, through a trackless wilderness into the Indian country.

The day following the above entry, the companies crossed the Missouri" and camped close above the City of Jefferson." Here they "drew beef" and "salted it away," but " someone stole it before day." But notwithstanding the loss of the

beef ration, the march was resumed next morning, in “rain and fog" toward Booneville. On the 28th, they marched through a "hilly, flinty, barren country," and a stream was forded swimming high. On the 29th, a march of thirty miles was made to Booneville. Two days later there was an inspection for pay, but no pay.

November 1st, each man drew 15 to 20 weight of flour to last to Fort Gibson," and the march began the same day. The next day they were cheered by letters from home, brought in by comrades who had been out after "deserters," and on Sunday the 4th, they attended a Methodist meeting in “Pilot Grove Meetinghouse." On the 6th there was snow and it was "cold as Greenland," and to add to the discomfort of the weather, "corn is scarce," though the distress in this regard seems to have been relieved two or three days later, for they foraged "corn, whisky, pumpkins, fodder, honey and chickens."

The first Indians were encountered on the 8th, at the crossing of the Osage River, but they were apparently harmless Kickapoos. Corn was worth here "five bits a bushel." James Fork of White River was reached and crossed on the 12th, at a Delaware town," and the command was about "all sick." Here they pound corn meal to eat, and the next day march over some of "the worst road I ever saw," to a camp on White River, where "corn is a dollar a bushel and the closest neighbor is 25 miles." The Arkansas line is reached on the 15th-"half the men without flour," but corn is found at Fayetteville, for 37 cents a bushel, Snow is encountered again on the 18th and it is again "cold as Greenland."

The territory of the Cherokee Nation is reached on the 19th where there is "snow to lay on the ground-cold and frosty "—and corn, selling for 50 cents a bushel in the evening, goes to a dollar next morning. In the Cherokee Nation they find "rich Indians who own negroes, hogs, horses, and cattle."