Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-03-16
Early Military Discipline in Texas.

the New Republic, from Western Tennessee.
and Northern Mississippi. Among the emf
grants from the former was Col. S. He had
been honored while in Tennessee with the
commission Of captain IN the regular militia,
an office which, as he thought, he had filed
with no little credit TO himself. He was,
moreover, exceedingly proud of his title, and
looked with not little scorn upon any one
who might chance to address him without Civ
ing the military prefix 10 his name, its longest, I,
broadest and proudest sound. .r
Arrived in Texas, where at the time there
was hardly man under the rank Of lieutenant,
our hero was Of course anxious for military
advancement. At an election for regimental
officers, which shortly after took place in the
sectiOn in which he had located, Captain S..
was exceedingly officious not only with stories
Of his military performances while in command
of small fraction of the nations bulwark in
Tennessee, but also with barrel of corn whis-
key which he had purchased for electioneerng
purposes, and Of which he freely and cordially
invited every voter to partake.
A man who talked SO much Of his own mill
tary talents, and who was SO very liberal with
his whiskey withal, was bound to win in an
election, and in counting the votes after it was
over found that he had been duly elected colonel
of the regiment by large majority.
Here was a long step towards the high sum-
nit Of his ambitious hopes, and the head Of
Col. s. was now elevated and carried back in
degree corresponding with his advancement.
He really knew as little Of military science as
a monkey does Of sacred psalmody bnt ne-
tber Julius Caesar nor Napoleoh Bonaparte
could have convinced him of the fact by all the
arguments they conld have mastered. He had
read an abridgement of some work upon mill
tary tactics, had trained his company on sun
dry occasions while in Tennessee, and was
therefore theoretically and practically conver-
SAINT with the art and science of war upon
the most approved principles.
But few weeks after bis elevation he called
his regiment nut for inspection and review.
A motley crowd it was, armed with smooth
bores, fowing pieces, muskets, and double
barreled guns-good locks and poor locks, flint
locks and percussion locks. He formed his
men into lines, platOOns and squares, such as
euvreing Of the men who followed Peter the
Hermit in his crusade for the recovery of the
Holy Land, was not conducted upon more SCI
entifc military principles.
There were two or three officers present at
the time, who well understood the science Of
which Colonel S. knew so litte-men who had
seen much service, and before whom Colonel
S. was extremely anxious 10 show Off TO the
best possible advantage. To do this more ef-
fectually, he beihought himself better plan
would be TO give the officers above mentioned
a specimen of the manner in which his men
could fire general volIey. He accordingly,
after much 'geeing' and having formed into
line directly in front of large field Of corn.
In order to make more sure of their firing in a
body, and all as nearly at the same moment as
possible, he next made them short and pithy
address, something in the following STYLE
'Fellow-sogers The eyes Of Texas; the
eyes Of some of her bravest officers, my eyes
are upon you-Eneland expects every man to
do his duty-I expect you will do yonrs. Eel
low-sogers, just imagine that field Of corn there
10 be the slaughtering, tomahawking, blood
thirsty MeAicans, let loose upon you in full
bast-imagine yourselves TO be Texans,
drawn up in the proudest kind Of array TO give
your grim enemy particular and unequlvocal
goss. Upon the result Of tine volley you are
about 10 shoot, depends the very existence now
and forevermore, Of your beloved, devastated
and fertile country. If you shoot altogether,
50 that the report Of your well-tried arms may
sound even as one general, decided, aud all al
once kind of crack, then We are safe, and our
hearths and jams remain unpolluted-if you
don't, we are gone-plum-used up-sure.
will give the word-make ready, take aim,
fire.
phE, pop, snap, crack went the different
implements Of war in the hands Of Col. SIS
men, one at time, and in no kind of order
Each soldier manifested zeal truly commend
able TO get his gun off at some time, though
they appeared entirely 10 have forgotten the
emphatic injunction of their commander to fire
as nearly together as possible. Some who
had flint locks that missed fire, picked theil
flints or rubbed the brims Of their wool hats Il
them and snapped again. Some fresh primet
their guns, while those who had percussion
locks put on new caps if they missed fire, and
gave a second trial. In this way the rattle
was almost inCessant for several minutes, dur
ing which COL S. was horror-stricken at a re-
suit of trial which he had fondly hoped would
rebound in his glory. He awaited patiently
the cessation of the firing, and as the last re-
port Of a mnsket, which had been primec
twice and the flint of which had been three
times picked, died away, he raised his hand:
as though in agony, and exclaimed with much
emotion, 'Teras is lost, blamed if she aintr
Murder will Out"
Tn mixed company the conversation chancet