The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-15


his horses. black his boots, polish his
spurs and saber. hew wood, draw water,
make the fires, sweep the kitchen, run
errands and do all manner of small
chores about the house-than to do sol
der duty with his comrades. When the
captain closed up his quarters and left
the post, taking his family eastward
with him, Lieut.. Hearn moved in to
look after them for him. This was by
the captains own request, and having
no use for the services of Welsh, he mott
fed that worthy to return to duty with
the troop forthwith. This Welsh bitterly
resented. He insisted that the captain
had told him before going that he was
to stay in charge of his quarters and be
excused from all military duty. Hearn
replied that there was probably some
mistake. but telegraphed to the captain
and obtained immediate reply to the eff
feet that he had never given the soldier
any such promise and that he desired
that he be now returned to. duty with
the troop and taught something of the
practical duties of soldier, which he
had too long neglected.
Hearn smiled to himself as he read
this, thinking whose fault it was that
i Welsh had been allowed to live in igno-
rance of much of the drill, and wonder
| ing not a little at the change of heart
that seemed to have come over the cap
tain, now that he was fairly away. A
smart young corporal was detailed to
]
ton in the saber exercise and the man.
ual of the carbine and pistol, in ad-
dition to which Welsh was now required
to attend all roll calls, stable duty, and
drills with the troop, and take his guard
tour every fifth day, and disguised
man he was in consequence.
As the captains ''striker" he had led a
life of comparative ease, for that veteran
officer had long since outlived any am
bition to shine in the service, and looked
upon it onlyas means of livelihood. At
the outbreak of the war old Blauvelt was
!; keeping a country store in Ohio, but
dropped his yardstick and sugar scoop
at the first call for volunteers, fought
like man all through the four years
contest, was wounded, and, having risen
, to be a major of volunteer infantry, ne
decided in '66 to stick to soldering, fol
; at that time it was easy to obtain COM
; mission in the regular service if a man
: had any congressional influence or con
nections at all. When the army was re-
modelled by the drastic process in 1871
and, as a first lieutenant, he was dropped
to the supernumerary list from the regi
ment of infantry with which he had beer
serving, Blauvelt decided that he was
now too old to begin bookkeeping over
, again, and so he made vigorous effort tC
, be retained in the army, and, together
with few other men who did not know
horse from a handsaw, was trans
| ferred to vacancy in the cavalry, ant
there the placid old fellow had been eve,
since.
t Reckoning from the east with batcl
r Of recruits, Immediately after the arriva
$ of the regiment from Arizona, Blauvelt
had resumed command of G troop, ant
@ had given directions that the tall, gyps,
: looking fellow Welsh, who was one o
1 the new corners, should be put in charg
: of his horses. Next he moved thos
8 veteran quadrupeds from the troo
4 stables to little barn in the back var,
e of his own quarters. Then Welsh him
/ self moved his Exit" from barracks to
e little room in the barn, and graduall
f. became an inmate of the captains house
d hold, taking his meals under the cap
:. tain's roof. performing no duty with tn
r. troop, exempted from the authority o
V the first sergeant, yet spending all hi
r leisure moments in loafng among tn
t company's quarters, where he speedil
j gained the reputation of being surly an
: and a mischief maker among the men
Il For recruit who had only recently en-
l. listed it was surprising how much h
l., knew about the ms and outs of soldie
q life.
/ Sergt. Wren openly accused him o
L having been in service somewhere be
fore, and as he had no papers to show
5 he must be either a deserter or bob
: tall "a soldier whose discharge pape
y has had the character" cut Off. Welsl
u saber drill and certain troop detail
10 seemed to bear him out But then,
% said Wren, ''he might have been in tn
IL dough boys" Welsh avoided the troo
g quarters for while after this episode
: and was more civil to the sergeants, bu
4 right after pay day he again appeared
Y eager to try his luck in any game goin
y on. Then it transpired that if not a
l. expert with saddle and saber, he wa
10 with the cards, and the troopers los
L their money to him without exactly III
1T derstanding how. The first sergeant IT
ar ported these occurrences to Capt Blar
N welt, and the old man seemed great
lg vexed. 1t was established that Wells
N had been neglecting the horses Will
S, playing his game, but he was not IT
a lieved and ordered back to duty wit
i'll the troop, as had been expected. If any
thing he became more insolent i'll maj
ke ner to the sergeants than before. TIL
IS whole affair seemed unaccountable t
ir the other men.
,ir One morning about a month afte
n Welshs arrival at the post Lieut.. Hear
in came leaping lightly up the steps
IN make an inspection of the barracks
he Corp. Quinn. seeing him approach tt
at quarters, had given word to the mel
nd and those of them who were in shi
m sleeves jumped into their flannel blouse
ed while others knocked the ashes out
he their pipes and put them away. Thrt
1T. or four were seated around little tab
ed playing cards, and among these was tt
MT gypsy fellow Welsh, who had been the