Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03
WITH THE WAGON TRAIN.
How . Corporal Got Promoted to . Ser
geantcy.

How . Corporal Got Promoted to . Ser
From the New York Sun.
Twenty army wagons and their drivers-fifty
cavalrymen from troop E-a pull of ninety miles
across the Indian country. Yes, We shall be
attacked by the hostiles. They would not let
such an opportunity pass They can muster
four to one. even if we counted in the team
sters. Col. Blank at the new post to which we
were bound had written to Capt. White, who
was to command the train:
My wife IL to come out with you. See that
my previous instructions are carried out She
knows what they are"
And we had not marched an hour when Capt
White sent for me and said:
Corporal. you will act as q special guard
over the third wagon
VERY well. SIR
The colonels wife is in that wagon, as you
probably know
''Ies, sir"
"In case the Indians are too strong for us
they must not and her alive. That's ALL
rode back to the third wagon and placed
my horse at the nigh fore wheel and lifted nv
cap to the lady, who had been provided with a
comfortable seat by herself. She a little
bit Of a woman, not over twenty-five years old
and married to the colonel only two years be-
! fore. She looked at me out OF her big blue
eyes and smiled but she could not steady her
voice as she leaned forward and inquired:
Corporal, do you-you think shall be
attacked!'
Quite likely, ma am, bu. We may squeeze
through
And if attacked and You can't beat the In
dians off. YOU
Il have the CAPTAINS orders. ma m
Yes: YER we'll.
We both understood / had been specially
detailed to kill her if l saw that we we're to be
| wiped oat. The thought of it made me dizzy
as rode along. Now and then glanced ND ~
her to find her face white and her eyes anx-
iouslt searching the horizon. l had my orders
and was there 10 obey them. but could do it?
Ii was the last living man OF that train could
raise my carbine and become her murderer!
At O'Clock on the afternoon of the second
dav ont we snw dozen mounted Indians or n
ridge TO the right and closed up the train. To
the left were a succession of ridges and if there
was any force OF hostIles about thew were hid
den behind them. The colonies wife was one
OF the frs to discover the Indians at the right
She was looking at as | glanced up.
We shall be attacked" she queried.
within ten minutes, ma am.'
We'll. you-you-h
"Yes IN. but hope we shall beat them off,
The redskins on the right now began TO ride
| to an fro and whoop and veil and seek to draw
our attention and force the train to halt. Or
ders had been given the day before to keep
moving in case of attack. In closing ~ the
wagons had doubled the line moving two
| abreast. The horsemen fell into their places
at once-twenty on 4 side. five in front and five
in rear. Some of the teamsters had carblnes.
while all had revolvers Half q mile berond
where we had seen the first Indian the attack
was made. and 1t was bold one As We came
opposite a valley running back into the ridges
lO0 or more mounted Indians came charging
down on us. The valley was Just about as wide
as the train was long. and therefore the twenty
OF us on that side had chance at the reds as
they came on in a mob. shooting. shouting and
SEEMINGLY determined TO 10
Corporal
1t was the voice of the colonel's wife, Just as
we were preparing TO fire.
''Ies m, remember" replied as lowered
my carbine to look up a. her
We poured the fire Of our carbines into the
charging mass and checked it's rush The In
dams then passed to our front and rear 80 as
to assail us on all sides. There were fully
300 of them. and had The train halted but for a
minute they would have had us wiped out.
part OF them had been ordered to fire only at
the mules attached to the wagons As thew
we're kept moving only three or four were
struck and none disabled.
Corporal"
There was fighting on front and rear and
both sides and the bullets were fying about US
in spiteful way. Five had passed through the
cover Of the wagon beside me-
II was the colonel's wife calling TO me- I
looked up into her white face and she gasped:
Corporal, are YOU going to-to-"
-Nos ~ aic uolliuS OWL. L repleQ
as turned to open fire again.
We were gradually getting out of the trap
Further on the ground was open and to our adj
vantage. The Indian always does his best fight
ing at the start. Here and there we had a man
wounded, but there was no confusion-no halt
ing. Whenever they gathered as if to charge
we opened fire on the spot and scattered them
Our fire was rapid and well sustained and at the
end OF quarter of an hour we had them
beaten. We were just drawing clear Of the
ridge when bullet struck the third wagon
teamster in the shoulder, and he fell forward
on his saddle 1t happened right under the
eyes of the colonels wife, and she called to me:
Corporal, obey your ordersr'
She had her hands over her face SO that she
might not see me as raised INV gun. The next
fe W seconds must have been terrible
beg pardon ma am, but the reds are draw
ing off and the victory is ours
She dropped her hands and stared at me for
minute as if she could not comprehend Then
she fell back in a dead faint, and it was long
half hour before her blue eyes opened to the
sunshine again. week later, at the new post,
Col. Blank called me in and asked:
Corporal, weren't you ordered to shoot Mrs.
Blank?'
Eyes. SIR"
'Then, why didn't you do it2" he sternly de-
manded.
IL was going to, but
But what, sir? It was gross disobedience Of
orders. and you are no longer a corporal
But that was the old martinets way of pro-
noting me to sergeantcy.