Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-03-09
A RAW RECRUIT.

a. w l.
A lean, lank, half starved looking in
dividual made his appearance one day early
In 1868 at a recruiting Office in an eastern
city and expressed desire to ego for
soldier"
He was accepted and sent at once to join
his regiment, and within week after his
enlistment was at work in uniform learn
ing to be soldier. He was slow In &C.
curing knowledge Of his duties and was
constantly doing absurd things. He got
into the generals tent one day by mistake,
and on repeated occasions got lost in the
other regiments of the division. His cap
tain was somewhat irritable at best and
much inclined to be exacting. He con-
ceived violent dislike for the "new man,"
as he was commonly called, and for a
month or more made his life miserable
Nothing that the recruit could do pleased
Sim. He did not stand square in the
ranks, nor sit erect at his meals, nor do
anything, in fact, as the captain wanted it
done. The "new man. bore it all patient
ly, but sometimes 1t was observed that his
face grew pale under the captains reproof
and that his eyes burned like Goals of fire.
He got through somehow at last with
his preliminary training and was taken up
finally on the morning report as private
and on the next day marched on guard.
Unfortunately his captain marched on the
same morning as officer of the day The
"new man" was placed on an outpost of
the camp guard and at once began walking
his beat industriously In the hot sun,
repeating quietly to himself as he went
back and forth the special instructions
that had been given him in order that he
might be ready to "rattle them of, Z" he
said, If any of the officers should come
around and ask for them. Some time late
in the afternoon the officer Of the day ap-
preached him, and after acknowledging
his salute directed him to repeat his in
structions.
II allows no one to monkey around
here, y said the "new man.
whats that?" exclaimed the officer Of
the day severely.
81 allows no one to monkey around
here" repeated the sentinel in much
louder tone II allows
"What's that? What's that" repeated
the officer of the day, his voice pitched at
a high key.
The sentinel instantly dropped his rifle
to the order, and rising on his toes fairly
screamed:
II allows no one to monkey around here
I told you SO before. I've forgot the rest
of it, butt
"That will do! That will do!'' exolaim-
ed the officer of the day sharply. Call
tho oorporoJ of tho oI1ard ;,
II don't know his name, - replied the
sentinel
"Call the corporal of the guard, persist
ed the officer of the day, and after some
further emphatic Instructions from the
captain cry went up for the corporal OF
the guard, post No 4. !"
The corporal came promptly, and the
sentinel soon after found himself disarm-
ed, stripped of his equipments and pris-
oner in the guard tent. On investigation
it was found, principally through the state
ment of the prisoner himself, that the in
struotions he had attempted to give to the
officer of the day had been communicated
to him as correct by some roguish COM
rade. He was therefore released from con-
flnement at length and again trusted with
a sentinel's post. 1t was nearly midnight
when the officer Of the day again approach
ed him. He very promptly challenged, and
on receiving the reply, "Officer of the
day." again astonished the captain by a
cordial "Thank you, please advance, sir,
and be reconciled.
This was too much Of draft upon both
the dignity Of the captain and the disci-
pline of the service, and the sentinel found
himself speedily prisoner once more in
the guard tent. Again, OH investigation IL
was discovered, principally, as before, on
the prisoner own evidence, that the COM
rades Of the "new man. had been playing
tricks on him, and approaching his post
after dark had announced themselves as
the "off1oer of the day" or the command
ing officer" as suited their fancy. He was
therefore again released and once more
placed on post.
just before daylight the officer Of the
day made the rounds Of the sentinels,
and on approaching ''No. 4" found the
"new man" on the post. AS he advanced
to give the countersign the sentinel brought
his rifle down upon him, and In very
quiet, decided tone Of voice directed him
to hold up his hands or he would kill him
where he stood The captain turned about
instantly and started to run. He had
scarcely taken dozen steps, however, be-
fore the sentinel overlook him and seiz-
ing him by the COLLAR threw him violently
to the ground.
IT don't want to shoot you," he said.
"1t would make too much noise. But
want to tell you before bid you goodby
what a miserable, contemplate piece OF
humanity you are can scarcely resist
the temptation to stick my bayonet into
you. You are heartless, petty tyrant
and deserve hanging. I can't kill you,
you know" he went on, because 1t
wouldn't be fair. Some time we can have
1t out on more equal conditions My home
is in Georgia, he said, "just two miles
from Milledgeville. My name Is Dawson,
and any one in town can tell you where /
live. have paid you visit In the inter-
est of the Confederate cause, and you will
have to get another soldier In my place.
Goodby, old man; goodby.
He turned about and quickly disappeared
in the darkness. The captain sprang at
once to his feet and called Justify for the
guard. A lieutenant and squad of men
came running to the spot, and by direction
Of the officer of the day moved forward
rapidly in search Of the sentinel. The
commanding officer Of the camp was hur-
riedly informed Of the occurrence, and q
strong detachment of cavalry was dis
patched to join In the pursuit. The whole
day was spent in the search, but no trace
whatever Of the man could be found.
The oolonel's black riding mare was
missing from the. picket line In the morn
ing, and near where she had stood plain
white card was found fastened to fence