Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-09-24
THE RAW RECRUIT.
Enlisted as a Substitute and Lost His
Life After Rattle.

Enlisted as n substitute and Lost Ill
Life After Battle.
1t was at the hour of midnight
We received marching orders ant
fell into line to join our comrades
who had but few hours before pre-
ceded us. Welcome news it hat
been to our attul;on, for it was il
the fall of the year, and for twenty
four hours we had not been permit
ted to light fire lest our move
ments be discovered by the enemy
who was close behind us. Several
new recruits had joined us-one a
tall, gaunt Irishman, who had evi
IDENTIFY been tempted to enlist as a
substitute, not thinking he would
so soon be sent to the front.
He was very nervous and i'll at
ease, showing the white feather long
before he smelled the smoke of bat
tie. Connonading in the distance
seemed nearly to paralyze him, and
when three of our piclzets were shot
dead at their posts his face assumed
the color of corpse. The boys were
cruel enough to tell him this was a
common occurrence and that he
would never return to camp if he
went on picket duty.
Military tactics to him were yet a
blank, and always would be, for that
matter, as the drillmaster never
lived who could make soldier of
Mike Degan. He was placed in the
rear, and Us it was my duty to pre-
vent struggling had hard work to
keep him in line. Every now and
then Click" would go a rifle in the
hands of some sharpshooter am
bushed upon the mountains, and an
other of our gallant boys lying stark
and still along the roadside told us
how true had been the aim.
These silent messengers of our con
stant danger were a great trial to
Mike, and he would shake his head
and eXclaim, "It's meself that would
be wishing / was out of this!"
We had marched about a mile
amid gloom and silence when the
ominolls order, Haiti" was given. +
stood near Mike when the command
was received, and more pitiable
looking specimen of manhood | have
never seen as he exclaimed, "Why
do we be stopping here, SURF"
well, Mike" +" replied, I'VE have
either got to stop here or some one
will stop us farther on" for l had
learned but few minutes before
that reconnoitering party had dis
covered danger ahead; consequently
we had to change our line of march.
After halt of several minutes.
which seemed hours to us, we start
ed at the order, Forward march. +"
Then came the command, Left OBJ
lique."
Mike, now several PAGES behind
MS comrades, gazed at me in silent |
awe, threw down his musket and |
rushed wildly to the rear and en-
!eavored to extract huge stone
rom its frozen foundation. Get
back with him there,"I exclaimed.
have You gone crazys" Sure, sur"
'eplied Nike, didn't yees hear the
'ap'n's orders to lift a breek. Divil |
breek | see at all, and l Thought a
tone might do, for Wen all be mur.
Tered, SO we will"
1t was with difficulty that / could
laughter at Mikes definition
# the captains orders.
did not see Mike again for several
hours when he approached me, look
ng SO wan and weary that 1 really
elt sorry for him.
He had white handkerchief tied
bout his throat. Sure, sur" said
le, I'D loike to go to the ambu.
ance, for I've a bad pain in me trete
nd me knees are that stiff can't be
sing them at all. at all. F"
! sent him to the surgeon, who
lust have placed him on the sick
st and srnt him To the ambulance
rain. but Mike evidently lost his
'ay, for he was reported as found ,
cad beside the road with a bullet
ole in his head.
The white handkerchief had made
good target for some sharnshooter
o one knows whether it was the
lie of friend or foe Nav Vo,.l, po