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ss？〃 etc。； but I caught Corwin's eye； which said plainly； 〃Don't mind him； pay attention to me；〃 and in this way we entered the Senate…chamber by a side…door。 Once in； Corwin said； 〃Now you can take care of yourself；〃 and I thanked him cordially。
I found a seat close behind Mr。 Webster； and near General Scott； and heard the whole of the speech。 It was heavy in the extreme； and I confess that I was disappointed and tired long before it was finished。 No doubt the speech was full of fact and argument； but it had none of the fire of oratory； or intensity of feeling； that marked all of Mr。 Clay's efforts。
Toward the end of July； as before stated； all the family went home to Lancaster。 Congress was still in session； and the bill adding four captains to the Commissary Department had not passed； but was reasonably certain to； and I was equally sure of being one of them。 At that time my name was on the muster…roll of （Light） Company C； Third Artillery （Bragg's）； stationed at Jefferson Barracks； near St。 Louis。 But； as there was cholera at St。 Louis； on application； I was permitted to delay joining my company until September。 Early in that month； I proceeded to Cincinnati； and thence by steamboat to St。 Louis； and then to Jefferson Barracks； where I reported for duty to Captain and Brevet…Colonel Braxton Bragg； commanding （Light） Company C； Third Artillery。 The other officers of the company were First…Lieutenant James A。 Hardie； and afterward Haekaliah Brown。 New horses had just been purchased for the battery； and we were preparing for work； when the mail brought the orders announcing the passage of the bill increasing the Commissary Department by four captains； to which were promoted Captains Shiras； Blair； Sherman； and Bowen。 I was ordered to take post at St。 Louis； and to relieve Captain A。 J。 Smith； First Dragoons； who had been acting in that capacity for some months。 My commission bore date September 27；1850。 I proceeded forthwith to the city； relieved Captain Smith； and entered on the discharge of the duties of the office。
Colonel N。 S。 Clarke； Sixth Infantry； commanded the department； Major D。 C。 Buell was adjutant…general； and Captain W。 S。 Hancock was regimental quartermaster； Colonel Thomas Swords was the depot quartermaster； and we had our offices in the same building； on the corner of Washington Avenue and Second。 Subsequently Major S。 Van Vliet relieved Colonel Swords。 I remained at the Planters' House until my family arrived； when we occupied a house on Chouteau Avenue； near Twelfth。
During the spring and summer of 1851； Mr。 Ewing and Mr。 Henry Stoddard； of Dayton； Ohio； a cousin of my father； were much in St。 Louis； on business connected with the estate of Major Amos Stoddard； who was of the old army； as early as the beginning of this century。 He was stationed at the village of St。 Louis at the time of the Louisiana purchase； and when Lewis and Clarke made their famous expedition across the continent to the Columbia River。 Major Stoddard at that early day had purchased a small farm back of the village； of some Spaniard or Frenchman； but； as he was a bachelor； and was killed at Fort Meigs； Ohio； during the War of 1812； the title was for many years lost sight of； and the farm was covered over by other claims and by occupants。 As St。 Louis began to grow； his brothers and sisters； and their descendants； concluded to look up the property。 After much and fruitless litigation； they at last retained Mr。 Stoddard； of Dayton； who in turn employed Mr。 Ewing； and these； after many years of labor； established the title； and in the summer of 1851 they were put in possession by the United States marshal。 The ground was laid off； the city survey extended over it； and the whole was sold in partition。 I made some purchases； and acquired an interest； which I have retained more or less ever since。
We continued to reside in St。 Louis throughout the year 1851； and in the spring of 1852 I had occasion to visit Fort Leavenworth on duty； partly to inspect a lot of cattle which a Mr。 Gordon； of Cass County； had contracted to deliver in New Mexico； to enable Colonel Sumner to attempt his scheme of making the soldiers in New Mexico self…supporting； by raising their own meat； and in a measure their own vegetables。 I found Fort Leavenworth then； as now； a most beautiful spot； but in the midst of a wild Indian country。 There were no whites settled in what is now the State of Kansas。 Weston； in Missouri； was the great town； and speculation in town…lots there and thereabout burnt the fingers of some of the army…officers； who wanted to plant their scanty dollars in a fruitful soil。 I rode on horseback over to Gordon's farm； saw the cattle； concluded the bargain； and returned by way of Independence； Missouri。 At Independence I found F。 X。 Aubrey； a noted man of that day； who had just made a celebrated ride of six hundred miles in six days。 That spring the United States quartermaster； Major L。 C。 Easton； at Fort Union； New Mexico； had occasion to send some message east by a certain date； and contracted with Aubrey to carry it to the nearest post…office （then Independence； Missouri）； making his compensation conditional on the time consumed。 He was supplied with a good horse； and an order on the outgoing trains for an exchange。 Though the whole route was infested with hostile Indians； and not a house on it； Aubrey started alone with his rifle。 He was fortunate in meeting several outward…bound trains； and there； by made frequent changes of horses； some four or five； and reached Independence in six days； having hardly rested or slept the whole way。 Of course； he was extremely fatigued； and said there was an opinion among the wild Indians that if a man 〃sleeps out his sleep；〃 after such extreme exhaustion； he will never awake； and； accordingly； he instructed his landlord to wake him up after eight hours of sleep。 When aroused at last； he saw by the clock that he had been asleep twenty hours； and he was dreadfully angry； threatened to murder his landlord； who protested he had tried in every way to get him up； but found it impossible； and had let him 〃sleep it out〃 Aubrey； in describing his sensations to me； said he took it for granted he was a dead man； but in fact he sustained no ill effects； and was off again in a few days。 I met him afterward often in California； and always esteemed him one of the best samples of that bold race of men who had grown up on the Plains； along with the Indians； in the service of the fur companies。 He was afterward； in 1856； killed by R。 C。 Weightman； in a bar…room row； at Santa Fe； New Mexico； where he had just arrived from California。
In going from Independence to Fort Leavenworth； I had to swim Milk Creek； and sleep all night in a Shawnee camp。 The next day I crossed the Kaw or Kansas River in a ferry boat； maintained by the blacksmith of the tribe； and reached the fort in the evening。 At that day the whole region was unsettled； where now exist many rich counties； highly cultivated； embracing several cities of from ten to forty thousand inhabitants。 From Fort Leavenworth I returned by steamboat to St。 Louis。
In the summer of 1852； my family went to Lancaster； Ohio； but I remained