The Red Cloud chief., 1893-09-15
Writ ten for The CHIEF
RcmiuiscenCcs OF Army Life.
(DY A PRIVATE. }
NJ v.

(DY A PRIVArL.)
svMDLR v.
Although our regiment was mustered
into the service at Keokuk, Ia, in Aug
ust. '6l, We did not get farther than to
Benton Barricks. near ST. Louis, Mo,
until in December or January following,
having been kept there for reasons OF
which we were ignorant. except that,
while there, oil who had not been vacci.
mated at oil, aud those who had been
vaccinated several years before were, in
obedience to general orders, ~vaccinatcd.
or rc.vaccinatod, us a prccaution against
small pox, Of which there was supposed
to DO danger. This prolonged our stay
at the barracks, as many Of those thus
treated werc on that account unfit for
duty. We were carried by rail from st.
Louis to Roller, whore VIC went into
camp for several days. From that place
to Springfield. Mo-, tho first and third
brigadcs OF our regiment made a forced
march. riding tho first day a distance Of
a. miles without rest, stopping oncc in
that distance to feed our horses and cat
"a cold dinner from our havcrsacks, ar.
irving at Lebanon, Mo-, ON the evening
oil tho second day. We went into camp
IN q grove where there WINS plenty Of
timber, and each mess soon had q log
fire Tor tho double purpose OF warming
the chilled mon, and cooking a meal
for VIC wcro all tired and hungry. not
having had any coffee or warm victuals
for two days. Some confederate troops
had been in camp here a short time be.
fore, and, whilo looking around mex,
morning, some Of tho boys found among
other things left by the confcdcrates, d
cannon ball, which, after being rolled
around awhile, was picked up by n Of
Sergeant afterwards captain) Dan Brad
bury's moss, Of Co. \, and thrown into
the fire around which they were cooking
breakfast. An explosion soon followed
scattering tho logs, fire and cooking
utensils in all directions. Fortunately
. n Of the men were hurt, but some ol
them were badly scared. The grub
they were cooking was a total loss, ant
tho camp kettles aud coffee pots 50 bad
ly wrecked that they had TO borrow from
the neighboring messes until new onc'
could DO drawn. Tho moral they Learned
was Don't monkey with the bomshcll.
We rested here u day or two, and, as vi
were getting sufficiently near the ticl,
Of active operations to he on the look
out for a skirmish ut any time, we wer
ordered to 80 into the woods some dis
lance and discharge our ~rcvolvers
which were Colts Navy" in order L
clean and reload them. In complianc
with this order. Comradc Dan Bell an
!, being inexperienced in tho usc OF tn
revolver, and not caring to display ou
skill, or tho want OF it, to our comradc.
went together 10y ourselves some dit
TANGO from camp where we found q
empty cracker barrel. the head Of whic
We thought would make a good large
We laid the barrel on it's side an
stepped OF thirty or forty yards and pre-
posed to make u ~"cullcnder" Of it b
shooting u dozen holes in it, ATTIC
cmptying both rovolvers, werc not a Iii
tie surprised 10 find that not a ball ha
touched it. We we sure that the r.
volvcrs were mo good" for We were nc
in the least excited. and took careful
and deliberate aim, and were very sur
tho fault was in the weapons and not i
us. We consolcd ourselves with Tn
thought that il We should havo to shoe
at q man, wc would 10 likely to mis-
him, and VIC had no desire to kill @
wound anyone; and il VIC should hi
someone that We did not shoot ut.
would DO accidental, and VIC would ratl
or hurt one. Of our fcllow.mcn by acc
dent than design. Whether Dan nftcl
ward became more proficient as u marks
man, ! do not know, but l have no doub
hc did, for he was in several engage
monts and had tho reputation Of bcip
q. a good soldier. I eau bear testimony a
to the exccllcncy Of his character as (
morals and gcntlemanly department.
think ! improved some in marksman
for on a subsequent occasion, {
wiring Of Co. l., and l fred two shot
each at q mark without missing a sho,
do not remember the distance, nor tn
exact size Of the tree, but he distanc
was thirty yards-morc OF less -prSSs5al
ly less, and the tree had long since cease,
to be a sapling. But tho most remark
able exhibition-and l believe the las
orc-of my skill as a "crack ehot" wa
several months later in company wit
another man by the name OF King
forgot his first name-but he was sad
dler-sergeant OF company A, and hi
home was in Drakcvillc, H., and shout,
he see this, l have no doubt no woul,
verify the statement ! am about to max,
FOR he was a man ~ fha fr,th