C.L. Joclyn's memoirs were published in a book called Mostly Alkali. It has been his experiences in the 1870s while in the military. I have copy of a portion of the book, about moving the troops from Reno, Nevada to Fort Bidwell, California, which they walked the entire trip of some 250 miles. I found quite interesting, and hope others do as well. Chapter XII 1872-1873 Jocelyn's Company commander was Captain Thomas S. Dunn, who held the brevet trank of lieutenant colonel, having been twice cited for her meritorious services during the Civil War. Colonel Dunn was now absent from his company, having committed some indisrection which was under investigation. This left Jocelyn in command of Company D and as he was not only devoted to Colonel Dunn, but also admired the Dunn family--which included two pleasant and intelligent daughters--he regretted the separation, aside from any question of extra work entailed by being the only officer with the company. Company D was ordered to Camp Bidwell in the extreme northeastern corner of California, among the more or less friendly Paiute Indians. It entailed a march on foot of about 250 miles from the town Reno, which has sprung up overnight with the coming of the first railroad to the coast. If only from the fact that Nevada adopted the sagebrush as is "state flower" one already acquires some idea of the country through which Jocelyn's company had to march and why the alkali plans--sagebrush and alkali going hand in hand--made it a necessity to space marches from halfway drinkable water to more halfway drinkable water. Water, grass for pack or wagon animals and sagebrush for fuel were what determined the camping spots for each night, as was the case all through the West for many years to come. A glance at any map of northwestern Nevada even today shows hardly a village along Jocelyn's line of march. Sheepshead, which in 1872 was called "Sheep Head" due to the fact that the large skull and horns of a mountain sheep were reposing near some drinkable water, is the only spot on modern maps which corresponds to the names of "Itineraries of Routes" as published by the Military Division of the Pacific in those old days. There was a garrison called Fort Sage (aptlyenough) forty-six miles north of Reno. Other picturesque names along the route were Buffalo Meadow, Rotten Egg, Fish Spring and Tuledad. Along the route Jocelyn discovered some short cuts which later reduced the distance about fourteen miles and which were accepted by headquarters at San Francisco. On the night of the first day five soldiers deserted, evidently not relishing the seventeen day march to the out-of-the-way post of Camp Bidwell. Jocelyn sent a guard back to Reno, but the deserters were never caught. He thought they had probably headed for the then booming mining town of Virginia City, twenty miles south of Reno. One of the soldiers was a recruit for a company of the First Calvary, already stationed at Bidwell. Shortly after reaching Bidwell, Jocelyn wrote home, "I had a rather stupid march up from Reno, where I last wrote you, as my only companion was a scientific bore in the shape of a medical officer. His tongue wagged incessantly and only stopped at night when he failed to get an answer to his question: "Are you listening?" ===== Of note, there are news reports at the moment of the Burning Man Festival on the Black Rock Desert, with some 10,000 participants this weekend. Jocelyn's journey was only a short distance to the west of that location. Part II is Joceyln's actually diary account of the trip. Tim Purdy Susanville, CA