Non-fiction account #1 told by Angus

This is a campfire story in the old oral tradition.
Some ghost stories are written...
some are created
but i bring you one handed down to me
from my grandfather
It is said to be true
and there is documentation to prove it
I do not have it written down
I tell it to you as it was told to me
and, no, I am not Scottish by birth
but by tradition
My Scottish great grandfather married a native woman
so I am of two great  clans :)
this is a story of the old west
in a time when cowboys were still Caballeros
before the time of the gunslinger
there was a great trade route opened up
through the plains
brave men made their way 700 miles from  Missouri
to Santa Fe
there was the traditional route
through the mountians
but it was longer 
and harder
the short route was called the Cimarron cut-off
it had a great danger
not as much water
on this route this tale occured in 1866
The American Civil War was over
but there was great unrest
the natives had used the opportunity to increase depredations on the trains
they were, after all, trying to protect their lands, their peoples
as a result, the government increased military patrols
created forts
Mexico had lost this area to the US in the Mexican-American war
Fort Union was established earlier on the east side of the Rockies,
a refuge to weary travelers
Lieutenant Anderson was newly assigned to the fort
As was customary, he brought with him his young bride
Anne
They were deeply in love and glad to be together after the long War between the States
he had been conscripted as a private

      (( Right at this point, Angus lost connection to the internet...  When reconnected, he resumed his story...))

we are sitting around a campfire on the old Santa Fe Trail
we are now going to step into a camprire of that era
what we relive now happened
the man that lived it told this to my grandfather
who told it to me
there are plenty of sounds out here to make ones hair stand on end
The lonesome howl of the wolf
The yipping of coyotes off in the far distance
The hooting of burrowing owls
and the eerie scream of the Mountain Lion
but none of those have the impact of what will happen to us tonight
it is after dark
people are preparing beans, dried meat
stewing dried fruit
When out of the dark rides a cavalry troop
they are white with the dust of the trail
A young Lieutenant gets off his horse
and asks directions to Fort Union
The trail boss scratched his head, for surely the soldiers knew
But having traveled the trail many times, gave directions..  The fort  was some 35 miles to the southwest
The soldiers, saying nothing more, rode off  in the direction he gave.
The train, consisitng of some 50 wagons ladened with goods bound for Santa Fe, left  the next morning. 
And three days later arrived at Fort Union.
On arrival,  the trail boss inquired after Lt Anderson and his troop
The old sergeant  paled at the query
Surely you jest, he said.
The trail boss said no.  He asked us for directions not three days ago
The sergeant  said come,  we must talk
The sergeant told him a tale of woe.
It seems a few years ago, there was a Lt Anderson at the fort.
He had gone out on patrol one winter's day..
during the height of the conflicts with the naitves there.
There was to be a grand Christmas ball at the fort that week.
Anne was desperate for her young groom to return for it
she pleaded for him to be back, and made him promise to do so
He made an oath to be there for her and to dance with her.
As the ball approached,  the party was not to be seen.
They were then a day overdue, for he had made arrangements to be back for it.
The ball started,  no Lt Anderson.
She was not to be consoled
It came for the last dance, the grand recessional.
In those days , dancing was quite different than what we are accustomed
They were grand coreographed events
each knew their part..
She could not participate without him
just as the band started to play
he came through the door
she ran into his arms
and they danced
all eyes were upon  them
over 200 officers, men and their ladies were present
many accounts have been written of this 
after the dance, he slipped away
No one knew where he went.
But three days later, a party arrived
with the bodies of Lt Anderson and his men,  dead for more than a week's time.
End of story