The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-02
a REGULARS GR0Hh.
Thinks the Men of Other Wars Might BE
Better Treated by This Generation.

Thinks the Men of Other Wars Might BE
Better Treated by This Generation.
| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: We old
| Regulars, who smashed mud with Stanley on
the Yellowstone and raised saddle-bois with
| Crook in Arizona, smile when we read of the
new Army, and of the Large number OF
! young men from the best families who
are enlisting for the purpose Of qualifying
| for a commission"
| We are told that the enlisted man of to-
day is far superior, intellectually and morally,
| to his predecessor of % years ago and that
| he IS better housed, fed and clothed. He
sleeDs on spring bed with sheets and
pillows; eats from chnaware, and gets
enough to eat; and we wonder how ne would
pan out if he was stationed at some rusty
little stockade fort On the Mssouri-Buf
for instance-doing guard duty, with one
night In he'd; and making d0bes while rest
ing himself, eating bean soup from a lineup
six times n week, drinking coffee straight" !"
every evening, and sleeping, overcoat for a
pillow, Oh bundle of straw, with a pair of
blankets that had gathered mud at every
prairie camp from Benton to Randall, and
from Totten to Smelling.
We wonder if he would "kiek Z" if his
Captain stole the company funds, and ne
was compelled to spend his monthly stipend
in bread tickets or laundress pies, "pegged or
sewed"
And we ask ourselves, What was the matter
with our comrades of the 70s, that they
should be held in such light esteem, as they
seem to be, to-day? What allied those fine
fellows of the 5th Cav, who hunted the
willy and fiendish Apache to his hole, and
went in after him and brought him ont?
What was the matter with the boys who
followed Montgomery, Kellogg, and Mason
in many a wild charge? the heroes of
" Eskimizeen's stronghold and the be-
leaguered buffalo walIow?
What was wanting in the gallant troopers
who wore the bright seven and who fol-
lowed the Long-haired Chief into the Valley
of Death, or IN those whose guidons bore
the motto, Tonjours Pret"?
We saw nothing lacking in the dough
boys" of the 22d, 18th, and 9Th, and if the
Government has to-day better soldiers than
those who died at Phil Kearny, the Little
Big Horn, and the Rosebud, it is fortunate
indeed. But in justice to or comrades,
living and dead, we old GROWERS beg leave
to doubt it.
We hope that the new soldiers viii not
have occasion-as we have had many a
time-to wish that instead of 20 or so years
service az q soldier of the empire, we had
served 80 days or more during the war of
the rebellion" For it is wonderful how
many people there are who think there never |
was but 0De war in this country, and that |
there were no soldiers before 1861, and that
we have had 70 use for any since 1865 1t
would be news TO these people to learn that |
there are large National cemeteries filed |
with the dead of the Regular Army, killed |
or wounded in battle or died of disease con- |
tracted in the line of duty. The writer has |
brother buried in one of them, after IS |
years seryice-one of four brothers, whose |
aggregate service in Regulars and volunteers |
exceeds 80 years.
But it would be no news, perhaps, to learn |
that from the benefits of every measure of |
soldier legislation enacted by Congress the |
Regular has been systematically-an we |
suspect aiciously-excluded. No free |
headstone for him. no Soldiers Home unless |
he goes to 1t directly from the ranks after
20 years service or total disability In line of |
duty If he files a claim he finds il infinitely |
more difficult to convince the Bureau that |
he is entitled to it than does his neighbor, |
the volunteer
The Home in Washington has never cost |
the Government a cent, but is supported by
the rank and file of the Army-and well
too yet the soldier who served
five or ten years in fighting Indians and re-
deenling the West has no claim upon the
save as stated above.
This Is all wrong, and should speedily be
righted. Come, wake up, old comrades!
Where are the old boys of the 9Th Walk-a- |
heaps" 5th, 9th and Cd Cav? Let US hear |
from you; we have been silent too long
VIM GURNErT Co X Sth IT. s. 131 Bards- |
ley street, Fall River, Mass.