The Progress., 1892-09-17
THE CAPTAIN OF COMPANY 8.
The Story OF q Coward on Battle
field.

L
and file sized up an officer on his merits
within ten minutes of the opening OF bat
tie. No matter how much they saw OF
| him in camp, no verdict was rendered I'M
| Til he had been tried by fire. While every
man is a portion OF great machine in bat
tie the rank and file moves only rs direct
ly commanded. We looked to be led. We
depended not upon each other. but upon
the one single man in command. He must
he brave; he must be cool; he must have
| good Judgment. He must even know when
| he is whipped and how to retreat to the
best advantage
Many officers made the mistake OF try
ing to pass off bravado for the genuine arti
Gle. For instance, they talked in loud
tones. not thinking that the sharp cared
men could easily detect the tremor Of their
voices. II bullets and shells were flying
over the line they so controlled their
nerves as not to duck and dodge When
they looked around for admiration they
saw faces wearing signs Of doubt.
He is holding himself up-be's no
good' was the criticism which went up
and down the lines. and it always had a
sure foundation.
Nobody had any sympathy for private
always sign of cowardice. but there was
never n more pitiful sight than the spec
tacle of captain breaking down on the
battlefield. Watch him as the regiment
suddenly receives the order to move by the
right flank from the shelter of the hill into
an open field to fill gap It's his first
fight. In camp he has been bulldozer
and a martinez. Back there with the re-
20 ha ~ he.
has folded his arms and assumed theatri
cal poses talked very loudly, handled his
sword and examined his revolvers Other
captains have watched him and perhaps
envied his nerve, but the men have NUT
tered to each other:
Hes too cool-too much showing of
waltz
AS we move out and a shell comes
screaming over our heads and a man is
struck here and there by bullet. our cap |
tain grows white faced and looks uneasily |
about him. There's a single gun on |
knoll to our right rs we fill the gap. II 1t |
Is supported, we cannot see the infantry. |
1t is glorious opportunity for hundred
men to distinguish themselves.
Captain Blank, take your company and
bring back that gum" shouts the colonel |
rs he rides up.
Attention, Company 81 Forward
guide right-marchr
Is that the voice of our captainf II IA
but 1t Is so changed that no man can idep
tify 1t. His lips IRE us white as one lying
dead for a day, and he drags his feet a. II
there was no spring to his knees. There
are ninety-two Of us. We leave almost
200 men in the lines behind us, each one
hoping for our success, but each one a
critic.
'Whizzl Screami Whew-ew-ew-ew-
,wf' comes shell, just clearing our heads.
md our captain falls fiat on his face He
caps up to wave his sword in a frantic
way and shout for us to charge. We do
lot obey. We are not near enough for
hat.
"Booml Rattle-wishi wishi wishp' come
he grapeshot, but not n man is struck
Our captain has thrown down his sword.
md Is crying and laughing In u hystericky
ashton l am near him and | can hear I
lin muttering:
1--WE can't do it-can't do tive shall all
'e killed. We must 20 backi Company
}, about facep'
Now, men, there's our gun and away
We gO-chargep shouts our first lieutep
mt, and with n yell we spring forward.
The captain ran after us. Then he a
urned and ran back. Then he advanced
gain. waving stick he had picked up on o
he ground. We dashed for the gun and
ot 1t, but as we were drawing 1t of a full
egiment Of the enemy suddenly came
nto view from behind a heavy fringe OF
fishes.
by the left flank - left flank - left :
ankr' screamed the captain. VI
by the right hankr shouted the first
eutenant, and we tumbled into dry ra,
inc and fired volley after volley into the
dvancing regiment, holding IL In check
ntil our lines came up.
The left flank was AN open plain. One
olley from that regiment would have lie
iped us out. Wedid not go back. Com n
my had advanced the battle line to the a. a.
wine. We were cheered and cheer~d
gain by the 900 men. +
Whats it for-what do they mean,"
routed our captain. "Oh, yes, / know.
ip-hurrahl Yea We got the gun,
lorious old Company Bi I am proud to T..
nd your a ~
We had sized him up He had lost his
cad In battle and we had no further use
II him. Not u man I'm Company b but %
hat pitied him, but not q man would
ave gone into battle with him again II
N nj haA l<u1,