Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-04

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| difficult situation for
TWO men to be placed in, and in most cases
the officer and his brother the enlisted
| man, have mutually consented to keep their
| relationship secret. There is probably no
| case OF this kind on record, however, in
which the relationship thus concealed has
not sooner or later been revealed owing to
inevitable wrangling between the two
| brothers.
singular example of such a case CROP
| PED out in the trial by general court-mar-
| tial of soldier in Montana in 1877. The
soldier, who was younger son Of a New
York man, who in his day was notable as
wit, had been expelled from West Point
Tor Wildness and general incorrigibiity
Rather than face the humiliation of going
nome to his people after his expulsion, he
went to Philadelphia and enlisted as
| private soldier in the army. Several years
| previous to this his eldest brother had
graduated from West Point with high hon
ors, and was now first lieutenant of
cavalry troop in a regiment that was oper-
aiing against Chief Joseph in the Nez Per-
ces war IN Montana. When the young
man, VINO had been dismissed from West
Polnt, ascertaned that he was to be sent
10 the same Montana post at which his
protner was stationed and that he might
even be assigned to the same troop of which
ms Drother was first lieutenant-for he had
enllsted as cavalryman-he made every
enort short of applying to his people in
New York for the exercise Of their in1u-
ence to get himself assigned to some other
outfit. for in enlisting in the army as a
private soldier he had formed the some
what boyish and unnecessary determine
tion not to let his people know anything
as to his whereabouts until he had in \
measure redeemed himself by one enlist
hSht OF upright and perhaps even heroic
soldering under an assumed name.
A Strange Meeting.
lie did not succeed in having the detail
altered, however, and. with a large batch
OF recruits, he was sent out to the Montana
post at which his brother the first lieu
tenant, was stationed. When the recruits
lined up at the commanding officers head
quarters for distribution among the vari-
Gus cavalry troops the ex-cadet suffered
the additional modification of hearing mis-
hctitfors name called out for assignment
to his brothers troop
Inc two men did not meet until reveille
Then the first lieutenant indicated by the
slightest monientary frown that he recoe-
nized his brother, who stood in the rear
rank. with his eyes straight before MIN.
Whether the brothers had any secret meet
ing or mutual understanding did not come
out, but the ex-cadet received no extra
favors at the hands of the first lieutenant
OF his troop. 1t was, in fact, observed
That he was treated trife harshly on
several occasions by that officer, who was
a GlSclplfnarian-anoSt a martinez
The ex-cadet, with his couple of wears
OF rigid training at West Point made a
fine cavalryman. He was rather put to it
TO conceal his knowledge of drill and other
soldierly duties. for had he displayed ali
that ne knew before the officers of the
regiment he would have excited their sus
plclons at once and probably have been
enlistment-for in enlisting he, of course
made no reference to his experience al
the Point.
Earned His Chevrons.
The suffers store began to have rather
100 much OF fascination for him after mis-
first few months of soldering, and he even
tually found himself in the guardhouse
working out a ten-day sentence. as the
result Of a payday drunk. This did not
help him in the good graces of his brother.
whose disposition to treat him with I'M
merited severity had a good deal to do
with his suffers store lapses. When he
came out Of the guardhouse his regiment
was Just about to move against Chief Jo-
seph. During the difficult campaign of the
ensuing few months the ex-cadet coDduct-
ed himself with such remarkable discre-
ton, nerve and gallantry that the cap
tsiiii VI Ills troop promoted him first TO the
corporars chevrons and then made him a
sergeant. When Chief Joseph was finally
rounded up with his tribe and forced tn
see that further resistance would be use
lines 10 ask for a consultation as to the
terms OF surrender He also asked for
hostages, his couriers to he held as hos
tages IN exchange-and the couriers, of
Wnom tnere were six, were all minor
chiefs The ex-cadet was the first man to
volunteer TO go to Chief Joseph's camn an
hostage, and he went. and remained in
the camp for several DAVIS while naen
tiations between the Indian chief and fhe
army officers were in progress This got
him the chevrons of a regimentaI sergeant
major.
When his regiment returned to garrison.
the first man the sergeant-major saw on
the parade ground was a second lieutenant.
just odt from West Point whom he had
oadly whipped In prize fight at the Point
a couple of years before The second lieu
tenant saw the sergeant-major at the same
time, and he repaired Immediately to the
commanding officers quarters to report
what he knew of the sergeant-ma jor's rec
ord. The sergeant-majcr. knowing that he
was caught, and consequently reckless, re-
pailed 10 the suffers store and became ex-
ceedingly drunk. He emerged from the
suffers store to face his brother who had
already been called up 10 the commanding
officers quarters to receive a wiggins for
not having revealed his relationship to the
ex-cadet and who was pretty sore in con-
y
store sobered his enlisted brother, VINO
stood to attention and saluted.
But Not q Cad.
You're a id loafer, SIR" said the first
lieutenant.
THAT may be-" said the experimentation
But there's one thing that am not-a
ID cad; that's what you are"
Are you aware that you are addressing
your superior officer, sir?" inquired the
first lieutenant, white with rage.
Perfectly" said his reckless brother
land by the same token I'm going to knock
my superior officer down."
Suittng the action to the word he caught
his brother with the shoulder straps on the
point of the jaw with his right fist, and
knocked him down and out. He was in
chains in the guardheuse dungeon three
minutes later.
The charges against him when he faced
the general court were sufficient to Land
him in military prison for dozen years
fraudulent enlistment, drunkenness on duty
striking his superior ofiacer, and numerous
others Of technical sort. He was given q
! long sentence at the military prison at Fort
1.ea and iynHae{18afelv mar.