Chapter 24
The Scout
“General Cook, my name is Esben Hjerstedt, they call me Yellow Hair. I was told you were looking for a scout and I would like to be considered for the job. I have lived in the Wyoming Territory for over ten years and I know it as well as any white man.”
“Aren’t you the boy raised by the Lakota? We met outside of Bosler a few years ago. You were with your mother and Grey Wolf. I am sorry about what happened to them.
“Thank you, General Cook.”
“Are you doing alright?”
“I’m fine general, thank you. “
“I’m glad to hear that, the General replied. We have asked the U.S. Marshalls Office to find out who was behind that. The Earp brothers have been around asking questions. Hopefully they will be able to find out who was responsible and bring them to justice.
Yellow Hair merely nodded his head knowing he had his own justice planned for those responsible and that he had already meted out that justice to two of them. He didn’t hold much hope for justice to be shown when it was Sioux who were killed by Wasichus. If it were the other way around, they would have already arrested the Sioux they thought were responsible.
“Are you still in need of a scout?” He asked.
“I am,” the General responded. “The job usually lasts eight weeks but we have two wagon trains scheduled to come through here so we have extended it another four weeks to twelve. We are sending a patrol out to lead the first wagon train across the Wyoming Territory in a few days. The patrol will be meeting up with the wagons in the Black Hills when they cross over from the South Dakota Territory. Think you would be interested?
“Yes sir,” he replied.
“Just so you know in 1866, Congress authorized us to use some Indians as well as civilians as scouts. We hire civilians as contractors and call them scouts. The Indians we enlist in the military so we can keep better control over them and they are called scouts as well.” the General said.
Yellow Hair knew a Shoshone named Sgt. Crow Heart who carried the rank of sergeant after serving four tours. Crow Heart was proud of that rank. Yellow Hair had no interest in serving more than the twelve weeks and since he wasn’t a blooded Indian, he wasn’t eligible for rank or a pension.
“We pay five dollars a day in United States Greenbacks plus expenses. Do you know what greenbacks are Esben?
“Yes sir,” he replied
Corporal Reilly will take you to the paymaster who will sign you up.”
Yellow Hair turned and followed the corporal out the door to fill out the paperwork.
Five dollars a day was more money than he had ever made, so he signed on for the twelve weeks.
He was kept busy scouting for the army out of Fort Laramie. He led one wagon train across the Wyoming Territory and was heading to the Black Hills to meet up with the last one before his contract expired. It had been close to ten weeks since he had seen Isom Prentice Olive. He was on his mind every day. He was getting anxious to find him and kill him. The vow he made on his mother’s grave to avenge Grey Wolf’s and her death was one he would keep. This drive was keeping him going.