The times., 1897-08-01
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more-Capt. Biign, OF Company II, fOur-
teenth Infantry-but he had been on de-
tached service instead of in the field with
his men. He had read and talked OF the
battles In which the Fourteenth had been
engaged, and he was exultant over Its VIC
tories. He had imagined himself WITH the
company in the time of La attle-in his place
as comnlander-cailing out orders-cheer-
ing on the fighting-holding the men up To
their work like a stone wall. 1t had never
occurred to him that his courage might not
stand the test of battle. Had any one
questioned it the captain wouldhaye fought
him on the spot.
And Capt. Blgh had finally been re-
leased from special duty and sent TO the
front and his command, and he arrived
to find the camp in commoton. orders
had been issued to prepare three ays Ia
tiyns, and that meant movement, ana
the opening of the campaign. He was Jn-
bflant at first, and he wondered that the
men were gium and grim, instead OF eX-
ultant. Now and then he caught the
| sound of laughter. aut 1t was not sincere
Now aud then some soldier broke into song
| over his campfire, but score OF others
| growled him to silence. Capt. Bligh was
| looking for the romp of war, and this GRIM
| ness disappointed him and brought serious
| thoughts. Through the cotton walls of his
tent he heard two of the privates OF bis
| command talking as they stood guard over
| some commissary stores.
| sGoin' after Lee, eh?'' queried the first
s'That's the chalk, old man. Grants
| goin' to find Lee and go for him, and Wen
| be right in it,
..wonder If our captains got sand?''
"Dunno. If he hasn't he'd better go out
| and hang himself. Don't look to me ike u
| very gritty cuss.''
Nor mt, either. He hasn't even seen
| a fight yet, and, oh, Lord! how he'll
| weaken in the knees when the shells begin
to fly and the bullets to humI II he goes
back on us some Of the boys win put bullet
hinto him"
The words struck Capt. Bligh strangely.
The rank and file had been sizing him up,
and the verdict was Gnfavorable. The
men " ere questioning his courage, and in
going into battle every mans eye would be
upon him If he show ed the white feather
was ii possible, asked the captain of hiIa-
self, that his courage could fail him, and
that he might be branded as coward!
To ask that question was to doubt himself,
and as the doubt found lodgment his lips
became dry and his breath grew short Ten
minutes later lie was asking OF a corporal
whom he had sent for:
corporal Henderson. you have been in
several battles, haven't you?''
"Three big ones. sir, and three or four
hot skirmishes," was the reply.
''How did YOU feel in your first battle?"
. II wanted to bolt, sir, and the LORD only
know bow I pulled through it, / din't
get ever being scared till the scrgea nj
kicked me and made me mad. I ana told
that seven of our men got into ditch and
had TO be kicked out. The first battle is
hell on the nerves, sir, begging your par
DON"
but no officer ever bolts, corporal"
"Of course not. If q commissioned 9f'
ficer should run away it would be WORST
than death for him. No, sirUhis way
would be to shoot himself on the field"
For an ho.n after the corporal went
away the captain sat and thought over th'
matter and discussed it with himself
He feared his courage, now that IL wa.
to be put to The test, bat he was grimll
resolved not to disgrace his company Thi
corporal had given him an idea, and 1
worst came to worst he would act upon it
| a hundred JtOnSdiUf BiOht Cstiltil ftAAt
went marching to the south for twenty
miles, and then they found lion in th'
path. The heads of columns fIsed TO th'
right and left, guns were hurried up ant
planted at intervals, and the legions faoe'
each other in battle-Iine. There was enl,
skirmishing that day developing the stroni
and weak spots in each others position
A few hundred were biIled-a few hundre'
wounded. The Fourteenth had three o
four men wounded by stray bullets, an
the victims were laughed at as they wen
to the rear.
l 'sWatchthe captainl Watch the aptaini
4 whispered the Company ''B'' men at fTe
g quent intervals during the afternoon, an
j Capt. Biigh realized that his every NOV
) was under criticism
r AS the lines of battle We're formed h
n became pa!e-faced, aud there was atIeInO
g in his voice as he spoke. As sashellscreame
over the head OF the regiment he locke
e furtively about him but shut his teet
L hard. The cries of the wounded men an
= tie sight of blood made him stagger. but h
D nulled himself together after that one he
travail of weakness.
HE amt gon' to funk said one We
eran to another as they watched the ca
tain
''Nothiu to fun K over in this" replied Il
other; 'but you wait till tomorrer! q
hain't got a burned bit of sand TO carry
face like that, but he's got pride
whats pride got to do with it??''
"a mighty lot. He'll shoot himself rath
than run away How ye feeiin' yersetf
''Same as you-durned hemesick."
IL 'sRahl 1 don't mind it,"
e Eyer ALTAR We all mindit, thoughwei'
bin here before I'm kinder sUrry fur Il
d CAPTAIN, but mebbe he'll git hold of hiI
. self tomorrer Durn all this fightin! WI
dc can't folks git together and talk thin
over and settle lem that way? What T.
think CT tomorrer?"
u Hell to pay all along here, and it's
lars to cents that you git knocked over
"Sanne to you. Let's hey a smoke. "
y That night the men slept on their arm
3y and after the darkness had come do'
l there was no more firing. If any otf
~ man in Company B was awake, Cal
IL Bligh did not know it. He lay for hoU
looking up at the stars and fighting WI
himself The events OF the afternoon h
proved to him that he was lacking in col
age 1t was a hard thing to admit, but
as was true He had wanted to seek tn eeov
Iss of wall-to fling himself down in a ditcf
as to turn his back on his company and fly
H. the rear He had suffered with fear III
IS he was weak and exhausted Yes,
ut lacl-ed c,.iIraqe but ht, had pride Pri