Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-05

From, the Ne1o York Sun.
The following story was told Dy young
man who had deserted the United States
army:
81 was born and reared in New York
pitv. | ran away and became tramp.
The summer of 1888 found me in Chicago,
and one day made up my mind to quit
.ramping and join the army. On sept
Is. 1888, ! enlisted in Troop ID. First
United States Cavalry, and happy boy l
was that day to think of the glory OF brass
buttons, sabres, carbines, drills and bat
ties that was in store for me, to say moth
ing of S13 per month and my rations. In
view of the fact that had been strapped
and begging for several months, conslo-
cred had struck gold mine.
81 got my uniform and Announcements IN
Chicago, and hung around there couple
Of weeks, feeling good, ana waiting ior Or
lers. ! went West on Oct. 10. arrived
a. Fort Ellis, Montana, and there stayed
eight months. II | live thousand years
| shall never forget my experience mere
The fine notions had formed OF army lie
vanished in a jify. How long do you
;hinka plain tramp like me could be nap
oy getting up at daybreak and grooming
horses two hours every morning before
breakfast? Yes, sir; il is cold fact that
l. heretofore a man of leisure, hungry
one, to be sure, but yet man OF leisure,
mad to go to the stables every morning al
Ter reVeille and groom horses about Two
hours. Ihave had this thing to do many
q time on an empty stomach Wnen the
thermometer was % deg. below zero. we
breakfasted between and 9 O'Clock on
hash, bread and coffee for breakfast. pork
aud Deans for dinner. I'll bet I've eaten
enough hash to run a boarding house
year. But / didn't complain about the
ratiOns; had Jared worse before turned
soldier. Alter breakfast ne were ordered
''all hands out to police" which meantto
clean up quarters, rake off the snow, and
,straighten up things generally. Then
came the time for saving and hauling
wood. We cut all our own wood by mule
power. The mule worked a treadmill,
and cut the wood that way. at last
rose from groom TO the more aristocratic
rank of a scullion. | washed the dishes
In which the hash had been perpetrated.
But my mental duties as a soldier were
aOt relaxed. just why | had to stand
guard over haystack two hours at night
when 1t was 40 deg. below zero l never
knew. But / did it. But had one con-
ISOLATION. My relief Jared worse than
lid. He wore heavy undercl0thes, a Ia
tigue uniform, a blouse and big buffalo
0Yereoat, two pairs of Wo0llen SOCKS,
army boots and fur-lined OVershOes,
gloves and ear NUTS; he walked constant
" during his two hours watch, and drank
quart OF whisky to keep his blood in cir
culation, and yet his ears and feet and
hands were frozen as hard as Iron.
81 had been in the service four months
before / received cent of money; my
clothes had cost all my pay. Then re-
ceived SIT. That was in January, 1884.
The next pay / received was in May
Then l received 1924 90, my full salary for
two months less SOC. for the Soldiers
home and 81 for broken bowl. During
eight months service l had received
SAL 80. made up my mind to make room
IN the service for some other patriot. On
the night OF May 7, 1884, shortly after
taps, l left the Fort and the army forever.
The snow was falling thick and fast. 1t
was very cold. l went direct to Boze-
man and bought some citizens clothes l
met a cowboy who gave me an old SON.
brero for my soldiers cap. Then, with
only Sc in my pocket, l began my long
Journey to New York. began climb
the Rockies at midnight and walked 40
miles through the snow. stopped at a
n hut next day and got something to eat.
Il Then thought / would try the railroad,
and bribed q brakeman on freight train
to let me ride in a box car TO Fort Lin
coin. A negro regiment was stationed at
his place. Our own troop had passed
through there on its way West, and did
not care to show myself in daylight. so
| went a couple OF miles out of town, and
slept all day under haystack. got very
hungry toward night. and went TO house
and asked for something to eat, Offering to
raw for it. The woman OF the house told
me could have supper If | would wait
little while. She looked at me little Gu
riously, / thought and presently she
asked me if l wasn't soldier. | told her
no. Then she told me that good many
ba Of ha for
must confess l got little nervous at
his, although 1 did not know whether she
meant that army men or plain citizens
we're going to be there. However, l said
boldly didn't care how many men were
going TO be there, that l would take a lit
lie walk and return In plenty time for
supper. 1 went out Of the house and
walked around awhile, feeling dreadfully
weak and hungry, and thinking had bet
ter give myself up and be sent to Fort
Leayenworth a prisoner. But l took
heart directly. Remembering my citi-
zen's clothes and my cowboys hat,
thought surely could not be detected in
nv disguise Finally went back to the
house for supper The woman eyed rue
closely again, and SAID
81 say, young fellow, amt you q SOL
dierp
"'No,' said [, Il told you that before.'
"Well,' said she, with kind OF a jerk,
walk out the house list now, with your
head up, your shoulders back, and your
little fingers 10 the seams or your pants,
saws to myself that feller's a skipper.
You can't fool me, young man, know
you. Why, didn't I see you gOin' through
here with some cavalry last ially / know
did; you can't fool me-
".No,' said l again, desperately; Il am
! not a soldier, l arm "A cowboy?
Lord Lordv the woman laughed,
holding up her hands, show some men can
lei Never mind, though, amt goin'
10 blow on you; supper is ready come
IN
~ didn't 20 in. l skipped out or the
house, and ran AS fastas 1 could till was
ave miles from the tort. thought Pddie
OF hunger that night. / gotd on my
all fours and drank some water out OK
brook. Il had no taste at all, except that
IL was wet, audit made me ieel as II had
got 30 much lead ia me. ] trudged on TO
Inc next station on the Northern Pacific
road, and got something 70 eat | mad
been without food FOR four days. A pas
seuger train came along and stOpped, aud
boarded IL. but It had not gone lar when
the conductor put me OF. went back 10
the station and waited Tor Il freight train.
The way D. travel out there ~ 10 tip the