Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-08
WITH HIS LIFE.
The Price Paid For a Fatal Error by .
"Youngstcr."


"Youngstcr."
He had come out TO us rs a second lieu
tenant-a young and beardless graduate
from West Portland the ragged old
troopers who had been fighting Indians for
three years smiled in contempt. Pity was
mingled with contempt, however. 1t was
apjust to the boy to put him up against
the savage Apaches for his first trial.
Even some of the veteran officers of the
war had made a bad failure of it when
they came out to the plains
1.-The youngster," as the men called him,
had been with us fortnight when the
colonel ordered him out on a scout. We
were to 20 down the valley four miles,
turn 10 the west and ride down the bank
of Walnut creek three miles and then
come back over the hills. One sergeant,
one corporal-25 troopers in all. At that
time the chances were against sighting an
Indian, but the movement would tell their
spies that we were alert and watchful.
In due time we reached the creek and
turned in. It was lined with trees and
bushes and offered cover to an enemy.
The youngster" gave no orders, however,
and appeared greatly surprised when he
looked back and observed the attitude OF
the men. They held their carbines ready
for what might come and obliqued off
against the hillside. think the officer
was about to hurl some indignant protest
Mt us when we got IL volley from the
bushes. Every man in that troop realized
on the instant that we had only ten or n
dozen redskins TO deal with-every man
but the officer. Had we wheeled into line,
fired n volley and charged, we should have
driven them from cover and had a good
show to eXterminatc the band. The
youngster'' WAS ratified by the suddenness
of the attack, and because two or three
horses went down he lost his head and
ordered us to push forward Mt gallop
leaving two men who had been dismounted
but were unhurt, to be deliberately shot
down as they sought for cover. We had
dashed forward about half mile when
every trooper suddenly pulled up and
wheeled about. No one gave the order
but all acted in concert. We We're too late
to save our comrades, but the sight OF
their mutilated bodies brought shouts for
revenge MS we charged the thicket. We
got feeble Vollcy, and another horse went
down, but liz 10 minutes we had wiped out
the last skulking warrior. Nine of them
had put the - of us to flight.
THE yuungSter" was brought haCk TO u,
by the sound OF the firing. His face Wort
a look of astonishment and diSmay as lac
saw the dead When he was informed that
we had made IA cowardly retreat before such
u
the scalp locks OF our dead comrades and
growled out that they had been abandoned
to their fate when cool head would hav,
saved them, the face of the Young man was
white rs death and he made no reply. \
trooper was sent TO the fort for an ambu
lance to carry in the dead, and after beat
ing up the bushes again we sat down &c
await his return. The lieutenant dismOunt
ed and sat by himself. For a long time he
sat with his face in his hands gazing ut the
earth, and there wasn't one of us who
didn't feel sorry for him. by and by he
called the sergeant over to him and asked:
Sergeant. did you realize that We Were
being fired on by 50 small a force"
Il judgeththem to number from to l.
sir" was the reply.
And had You been i'll command what &c
tion would You have taken
''Fours right, " heel ard give en- vol
ley and then charge. That would hav,
been my way if they had numbered 100
for a dash would have driven them from
cover and let us in
And the order gave was To push for
ward, which WAS the same as retreat"
so We understood, sir
And you returned and attacked without
orders"
Without orders, sir"
That will do, sergeant, The ambulance
should be here soon. aud YOU will see about
the bodies Try and tell plain. straight
story ahcuJ The fight NJ hen You report Il
the captain.
With that hr .sut up and moved up lii,
hill as If survey ing the country. and no on,
happened tu E, looking at him when he pu
his revolver l." hl~ head AMI >rut a bulIe
into his hiuiu~. He W. dead hcfure ",
reached him. p,or ''youngstgr,' y Court
martial would have dismissed him from
the service Even had no char=r~ been pre-
(, RED. lie could rot have held lis head III
among mCu--ightiug men.
LAY" exclaimed th,. sergeant a. W,
stool luuhiu. at the body, The made Il mis-
take. but paid for il with his life, and 10
man shall speak i'll II him. lie WAS
yuun..ster and had never >,'ru an Iuiun
and That's all that allied him