The Penn's Grove record., 1895-07-05

cut direct but he a made to feel
that he walked in the shadow. Had
they believed 1t was cowardice his res
ignation would have been demanded
within an hour. No, they could not
call 1t that but his loss Of nerve at a
critical moment was almost as bad.
There was a splendid opportunity to
make a gallant fight and lhfict loss
on the enemy, but he had ordered a
retreat and lost a third Of his men. 1t
was too small an affair in those stirring
days for a court of inquiry, and so the
young officer had to bear his burden.
He could not help but know that he had
lost caste with his brother officers, and
he could not help but read the same
story in the eyes of the enlisted men.
Everybody wondered why he did not
resign, and though many secretly sym
pathized with him he was forgiven by
none.
Weeks and months dragged away.
and then came a fresh campaign
against the hostiles. One day a troop
of sixty men was detached from the
main command for a scout. 1t was the
lieutenant's own company. The first
lieutenant was absent on detached SER
vice, and the second ranked next to the
captain, who had never openly cen.
sured him, and yet had eve forgiven
him for tine stain on the company
%escutcheon. After a ride of fifteen
miles the troopers wheeled about to find
that a band of hostiles had crept In
between them and the main command.
The fight opened with odds of four to
one, and in ten minutes the captain and
four men were lying dead, and the lit
tie force was being pushed back and
surrounded. Every man knew that the
boy lieutenant had once upon a time
lost his nerve, and as he assumed COM.
mand the lines became unsteady and a
panic was threatened. Then for the
first time they heard his voice above
the din Of battle shouting encourage
ment to them:
"stand fast, newsstand fastl Steady
down there on the left, and don't throw
away your cartridges"
He could not be seen a dozen feet
away through the smoke, but his voice
was steady and full Of fight and the
fear of disaster was replaced by grim
| determination Confident In the
strength of numbers, and determined
to make a slaughter, the Indians press
| ed recklessly forward. The lieutenant
| was down on the left flank when the
! bullets began to fly In there. and a ser
geant and ten men were left-faced to
meet the danger. he was up on the
right flank when the yelling warriors
bore down upon it. and a sergeant and
/ ten men were right-faced to drive them
back. Ten minutes later the horse
holders were being shot down from the
rear, but the lieutenant and q corporal
! and four or five privates were quickly
there and making every bullet count
Hes a daisyI He's a nghteri He's
got the nerve Of old Crook himselfp
said the troopers to each other as they
filed the chambers Of their Spencers-
After half an hour the fire Of the M
dams began to slacken. Help might
come at any moment to the little band
| holding out SO determined1y. There
had been no order to retreat-no signs
of a panic. The troopers were lying
behind rocks and bushes and in rife
pits dug by their knives, and they were
shooting to kill. The Indian has pluck
but lacks persistency. II victory can
not be won at a dash he anticipates de
feat. 1t was 90 in this instance. Sur
prised at the fierce defense-fearful OF
q superior force coming down upon
them-dispirited at their losses, which
were i've to one, they made ready to
draw OF. Then the exultant and
cheering troopers heard the voice OF
the lieutenant shouting:
"Up, men, and into your saddlesi We
have stood them olive have driven
them away-but that IL not enoughF'
There were forty-eight troopers who
swung themselye into the saddle and
followed the boy lieutenant as he
dashed out at the body Of Indians slow
ly riding away. with ringing cheers.
with sabers iashing-the little band
drove down Into the mass and through
It, cutting and slashiAg and shouting
defiance under the cloud Of dust Back
they came, sighting more like demons
than men. and then the Indians broke
and ned In terror and halted not until
hey were miles away. More than forty
Of them lay dead and wounded. OF the
troopers ten were dead--twenty wound
ed. And that night, after the general
bad complimented the boy lieutenant
and every officer had taken him by the
hand, the private soldiers called to each
other across the camp-hres:
"Who lost his nervel Who's undei
the banl Who can't 1ghti Well.
guess not-not for JosephF'-Detrol
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