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Show 22 FROM FORT LEAVENWORTH Here we made our next halt for a few days, and enjoyed much a short respite from daily marches. Contemplating this halt, the soldiers had made preparation for quite a novel exhibition in such a locality, and under such circum stances. A number of good singers and mimics had been practising for several days as Ethopian minstrels, and with the permission of the commanding officer gave a grand concert on the second night in camp. They were allowed the use of two large hospital tents, and every facility afforded them for making their entertainment as successful as possible. Nearly all the officers in our command, as well as those at the garrison with their families attended the performance, which I was told ( for I was not present) was exceedingly creditab e, and conducted with more pro priety than sometimes attend similar demonstrations in our large cities. Such performances are now becoming quite popular at many posts on the frontier. Here we parted with the first detachment that left our command. Two companies left for Fort Wardwell, which is located near Denver, one remained at Fort Sedg-wick, and the remainder crossed the river for stations further north and west. The melting of snow in the mountains causes the streams to be much swollen at this season, and apprehensions had been felt by the Col. of the regiment that he would be unable to ford the river with his command. Accordingly he had taken the precaution, before leaving Kearney, to order the construction of a large ferry- boat, which was com pleted when we arrived ; but the ferry was yet an experi ment, and proved to be as unsuccessful as was Robinson Crusoe's first effort at navigation. The boat was launched, however, without difficulty ; but when it got into the water it proved to be entirely too large to be managed in the swift current, and too heavy to float in the shallow water on the bars in the stream. The ferry, therefore, was a failure, and was abandoned. There we were, with a wide and rapid stream in front of us formidable looking, and too deep, it was supposed, to |