The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-06-12
QUEER ENLISTED MEN,
THERE ARE ODD CHARACTERS IN
THE REGULAR ARMY.


Comfort-Stealing Wagon-A Brides
Washing Assorted in an Amusing Way.
Odd characters, such as Dickens
would have delighted to describe, are
nowhere so strongly developed in this
country as in the army, Quaint sub
jects of the provincial type for illustra-
ton by words or on canvas are plenti-
full all over the land On the seashore,
in the mountains and mining camps, on
the plains, and for years and years on
Southern plantations, 'the characters"
Of many sketch, worded or penciled,
have been found. Each type has had
its dialect in story Or anecdote made
famous, but "the old soldier" without
a dialect, but q vocabulary of his own,
is not without pecularities that make
him distinctly an American character.
Above everything, and subordinating
everything else it is, he is loyal. He is
only a thirteen-dollar-a month en-
ploye Of the Government. He may
grumble about his rations, curse the
cook, deplore long marches or become
Disguised with the routine Of garrison
duty, but his loyalty to the flag cannot
be disputed.
Loyalty to flag is not the only loyal
ty felt by the old soldier. He is
loyal to regiment, to company and to
his officers, while ''the striker" (sol-
der servant) is character without
the like in all the gamut Of life. He
will steal and lie-for the officer he
serves-but never take thing from
him nor ever tell him anything but the
truth There's one exception. The
officers whisky is held by the 'strik-
err to be property in common.
There are no better servants on
earth than Strikers" as they used to
be. He looked after every detail, reg
ulated the life Of the officer he served,
laying out clean linen when he thought
it was time for change, and not in.
frequently sought his captain or lieu
tenant at special hours Of the nigh
when he thought he was out too late
The best there was must come to hi
officers household, even if he had tx
go out foraging for it.
On the march in 1868 against tn
southern Indians four companies o
the Fifth Infantry were attached t
Clusters command to guard his wagol
train. Lieutenant George P. Border
commanded Company X, and hi
"striker" was the best who ever serve
J. an army officer. Goodhardt-that wa
;, his name-who was clean-cut soldie
II in appearance and alert to the interest
: of the lieutenant, became freque1
Il visitor to the Seventh cavalry viii
$ the command was in camp on tt
l. banks of the Arkansas at Fort Dodg
D This friendliness on the part Of Coco
x; hardt began to be manifested just a
~ ter tho lieutenant's tent had bee
y. 10 blown down in gale Of wind, Il
=, wooden tent pins not holding in tt
=, ~ frozen ground. After every visit
:: Goodhardt's to the cavalry camp ire
a. ~: picket pins, to which the horses we
d tethered while grazing, were missin
~ Goodhardt was never discovered, b
NJ Lieutenant Borden's tent didn't bic
a. down again during the long white:
IL. campaign, because every guy rope h
VI been secured by an iron pin.
,is But Goodhardt's greatest achie7
II, ment Of this campaign was the tn
Of an OK wagon, or prairie schoon'
and three yoke Of oxen-all for
> lieutenant's comfort At Fort Hay
Kan, when the expedition 'starte
transportation was apportioned to
command-one OK wagon to each
fantry company, and four six-m7
i. wagons to each cavalry troop. On
irving at Fort Dodge and going IL
camp on the south bank of the Ark
sas to further equip the expedition,
r inspection Of transportation was
: dered. Major Henry Inman was
4 quartermaster in charge, and just at
e reyeille the inspection began. Rea
r ing Company K, he found it in posS
S sion OF two schooners, great big VIII
topped, canvas-covered wagons,
4 charging. up to Lieutenant Bordt
= quarters, he wanted to know, YOGI
3 ously, where he had got the e'
wagon. Words followed words, sp
kled with hot emphasis that al
y pated the icicles from their mustac]
y Finally Major Inman became SO
K bose in his emphasis that betw
e words did not afford space enough
" y his explosives, so he stuffed then
ID between syllables.
" Then Goodhardt quietly stepped
O. and calmly explained that he had :
the wagon up at Hayes astray, {
+. were, and that he thought it woul@
e7: convenient to carry the lieutene
things in, and so he had brougl
. along. -
81 It fell to the lot Of this same u
49, 49,. hardt, little while before these
9iAo,Ao II, IF a l1l71fA