The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-09-12
MILITARY MATTERS.

The following special orders have
been issued from headquarters depart
ment of the Platte:
Fort OMAHA, NEB., Sept. o.
1. The leave of absence for seven
days granted Acting Assistant Surgeon
John ]. Marston, U. S. A, by the
commanding officer, Fort Mckinney,
in special orders No. 152, is extended
seven days.
Q. Upon the Recommendation Of his
company and post commander, the un-
executed portion of confinement award
ed Private James Dunno, company Il,
Third cavalry, by sentence of general
court martial, promulgated in general
court martial orders No. 43, current
series, from these headquarters. is re-
mitted.
8. Leave of absence for one month,
to take effect when his services can be
spared by his post commander, is grant,
ed Capt. Gerhard L. Luhn, Fourth in
fantry, Fort Sanders.
A. Paragraph 2, special orders No.
II, current series, from these headquar-
ters, is revoked. The commanding
officer, Fort Sanders, will order Private
George e. Rodney, company D, Fourth
infantry, to report in person to the
commanding officer, Cheyenne ordnance
depot, for extra duty in the ordnance
department.
Out in certain western fort, some
time ago, the major conceived that
artillery might be used effectively in
fighting the Indians, by dispensing with
gun-carriages, and fastening the can
non upon the backs of mules. So he
explained his views to the command
ant, and it was determined to try the
experiment. A howitzer was selected
and strapped upon an ambulance mule,
with the muzzle pointing toward the
tail. When they had secured the gun,
and loaded it with ball cartridge, they
led the calm and steadfast mule out on
the bluff, and set up target in the
middle of the river to practice at. The
rear Of the mule was turned toward
the target, and he was backed gently
up to. the edge of the bluff. The off,
GERS stood round in a semi-circle while
the major went up and inserted a
time fuse in the vent of the howitzer.
When the fuse was ready the major
lit it, and retired. In a minute or two
the hitherto unruffied mule heard the
fizzlng back on his neck, and it made
him uneasy. He reached his head
around to ascertain what was going on,
and as he did SO his body turned, and
the howitzer began to sweep round the
horizon. The mule at last became ex-
cited, and his curiosity became more
and more intense; in second or two
he was standing with his four legs in a
bunch, making six revolutions per
minute, and the howitzer threat
ening sudden death to every man
within half q mile. The commandant
was observed to climb suddenly up a
tree. Officers were seen sliding over
the bluff into the river, as If they didn't
care at all about the high price of uni
forms; the adjutant made good time
toward the fort; sergeant began to
throw up breastworks with his bayonet;
the major rolled over the ground and
groaned. In minute or two there was
puff of smoke, and dull thud, and
the mule-ohl where was he? A soli-
tary mule might have been seen turn
ing successful back-somersaults over
the bluffs, only to rest at anchor, final
ly, with his howitzer at the bottom of
the river, while the ball went off tow
ard the fort, hit the chimney in the
majors quarters, rattling the adobe
bricks down into the parlor, and fright
ming the majors wife into convulsions.
They do not allude to it now, and no
report of the result of the experiment
was ever sent to the war department.
Monev and Stock Markcta