Autobiography Volume 3 circa 1865-1866
When I arose on the morning of the I found the
earth covered with snow and that the city had been alive with our
soldiers since midnight preparing to go into the mountains to meet with
the enemy.
Col. Johnson said to Maj. Allen, of our Expedition, whom they
had taken prisoner "God damn you when I get to Bridger I will hang you."
So Maj. Allen thinking there was not much chance
for his life and prefering shooting to hanging during the same evening,
though closly guarded by 24 men, pulled off his boots and walked up to
a fire to warm his toes and while steping around to warm his feet he
made a spring and cleared himself of the guard.
Escape of Major Allen From the U.S. Army
He ran into the midst of a herd of cattle so they could not shoot
him. Horsemen immediately started in persuit but in the darkness
of the night they could not overtake him. He ran in his stocking
feet in the snow for 30 miles carrying his boots in his hand not daring
to stop to put them on and arrived in our camp in safety.
Our men took 100 head of cattle one night and
300 head another which were now coming into the city
