The National tribune., 1890-05-15

difficulty the Government is having in getting
muskets has been repeatedly explained TO rs.
| Wo have actually had to stand guard with
clubs which hurt my pride, for il seemed 10
make us appear ridiculous in the eyes of all
who saw US. My heart sWeled up until it felt
too big for my ribs, when Burt COnners came
running up with his eyes flashing and told US
that the guns had actually been hauled into
camp and were now in front of the COOnePs
quarters. He ordered the company to fall in,
to march up and get its quota. We have never
formed so quickly since we have been in camp.
i was handed heavy musket, a bsyonet, car
fridge box, and waist and shoulder belts, with
brass plates and felt that was at last in shape
10 encounter the enemies OF the country. Nor
did let Job CartwrighPs disparaging comment
as he examined his armament depress me.
"Dumbed old smoothbore" he grambled
"altered from a flintlocll won't carry mOre'n
200 yards an can't hit barn door with it at 10
steps. Likely to knock the whole northwest
corner often me every time / shoot it. Wisbt
I'd brought my old deer-riIe with me.
wouldn't give it for q wagonlOad o. such
blunderbusses as this. But its milingtary, /
spOse, to hev guns that'll only waste powder
an make noise. I'll carry this till l git
chance TO down some rebel an capture his rife.
Then I'll hurt somebody"
j did not care. / was proud to have a real
gun of any kind. / resolved that if my gun
my chance to slip up close enough to make up
the difference. The more | looked at it, the
more l liked it. 1t was strong and heavy, the
hammer came down with a vicious snap that
pleased me, and the bayonet was sharp and
strong. The main drawback was that no car
tridges were given us, and could not slip out
into the woods and try it on a tree ] planned
that at the first opportunity would buy some
ammunition, and go off somewhere on q pri-
Yate target excursion.
We were given an hour to clean up our guns
an hour to practice in the manual of arms,
and then we were to appear on dress parade.
| am sure that at the end Of an hour my guns
and brass plates were the brightest in the whole
regiment, except perhaps Lam Green's. /
rubbed at them with ashes and a woolen rag
until the skin was off my fingers and my
arms achCd. The manual of the musket in
terested me so much that / remembered it the
first time that Burt read it from the book OF
course Job had fit of grumblng.
The wust tomfoolery Of all, he said. 'The
idee o loadin in nine times, au' heVin' TO carry
your gun with one finger Jest here and the other
jest there. an your thumb in precisely sich a
place. Did you ever hear o sich nonsense2
Dye spOse them ere rebels are goin' TO wait for
us to load in nine times2 Not much, Mary
Ann. My idee is that rebel shoOtin' is very
much like deer shootia'-if you're goiu' to do
it, you must do it the quickest way you know
iiDWt sly yic OF no style. TGueMDBE TeaUlu OF
fight between white man an an Injun chief,
who met on the shore of lake, where they'd
gone to wash out their guns Both begun
loadn' at the same time. The Injun put his ram
rod back, but the white man drOpt his'n n on the
ground and gained that much time. The Injun
had to prime his musket, while the white man
only struck the butt of his rife on the ground
and it primed itself, an he shot the IDjun
through the heart, as the old copper-cOlor was
raising his gun to fire. That's my idee o. war,
an I'll bet $40 to cent that l don't let no
rebel git the drop on me by my goin' through
nine motions in loadin It may'n't be strickly
accordin' to reggerlations, but I'd much ruther
git his scalp my way than lose my own By
stickin' close to the directions in the book"
But was 20 fascinated with my gun that I
paid little attention to him. After supper /
gave it another good cleaning, and then borrow
ing the Tactics from Burt went carefully
through tho whole manual of arms, following
the directions to the letter.
Burt. observing my fascination, said sneer-
ipgly that he was sorry he could not allow me
10 take the gau to bed with me-wheh really
would have liked to do-but the Regulations
compelled me to put it into the stack with the
rest
/ wish you could see me with my belts on
and gun in hand. / think / present an ap-
pearauce so waFiike that y0u would be aston
iShed. / am going 10 have my picture taken
to send to you and Agnes. Do you suppose she
would care for Ouel
Your loving son, TRACY.
ITO Be contfntsdl