Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-07-01
THE FATAL UNIFORM.
COLONEL SEXTON TELLS HOW 1T
CHANGED HIS LIFE.


DIDN'T Like 'he Idea of Young Fellows
In ohicerI- Clothes-she ReIented Lit
tie Wnen Her Admirer Was wounded.
The only bad feature of this thing
of addressing the school children" said
Colonel James A. Sexton, the former
postmaster, sis the fact that they al
ways want me to wear my regimentals.
It's thing haven't the courage to do
except when I'm among uniformed
body of men.
my aversion to wearing a uniform
about in public dates from my boyhood
days. Upon that aversion is based an
early incident that may have had a
good deal to do with the course of my
subsequent life.
Il enlisted as a private at the outbreak
of the war, being then a boy Of II;
rather mature looking, however, for
those years. Like all boys of that age,
was Of a romantic turn, but exceed
ingly bashful in the presence Of women.
The one woman in whose presence was
especially shy was dear girl whom
uSOu W oCO AoAlO AiOAl 1uOCtAuk'
"No parting in all that time of part
ing was more affecting than was ours
when my regiment started for the front.
When, year later, was sent back to
Chicago to recover from wound in the
Jaw, I found myself as dear 10 her as
ever, and she as dear to me, 1t goes
without saying. was in the hospital
at Camp Douglas. My wound healed
rapidly. was allowed to go about the
city very much as 1 chose, and prayer
meetings, with their escort privileges,
claimed great part of my attention.
About that time the Y. NJ. G. A.
was organizing a regiment. to be COM
posed exclusively of men who professed
religion. The scheme naturally attract
ed a great deal of attention. The papers
were full of it. was selected to cap
tain one Of the new regiments compa-
mics. Protest against the selection was
made on account of my age-then just
IS. The matter was carried up to the
adjutant general of the state, who final
ly decided in my favor. My age, the
singular character of the case and the
popularity of the regiment caused such
an amount of newspaper gossip that it
seemed as though everybody must have
heard of the matter at least All this
time / never wore my uniform outside
of camp. The dear girl, therefore, new
er saw me except in citizens clothes.
It's an outrage, she said just after
we met a very youthful looking man in
captains uniform On one of our walks,
that such young men are trusted with
the responsibilities of command. don't
know what the country is coming to-
For a moment I was overcome by
the shock. When recovered my breath,
I told her that youth did not necessarily
debar man from possession Of the
qualities Of commander. She declined
to be convinced, and the conversation
became decidedly chilly. Instead of
making my customary call when we
reached her house, stopped at the front
gate.
Laura said, I must tell you
goodby. My regiment has orders to
leave for the front tomorrow. It may
be that we never shall see each other
again.
But we did. All fashionable Chicago
came to Camp Douglas the next day to
see the final dress parade of the much
talked Of Y. M. @. A. regiment, and I
could see the dear girl among the crowd.
My new captains uniform gave me
good deal Of satisfaction just at that
time, can tell you. The colonel of the
regiment had asked me, ON account of
the power Of my voice, to act as adju-
tant for the occasion. That furnished
additional qualification. The parade had
the magnificent splendor that only a
dress parade can have, and the solemnity
of this occasion was vastly increased by
the reflection, not to be dismissed, that
many of those among regiment and spec
tators were seeing each other for the
last time on earth. The band played as
though speaking our last farewell to
our friends. Every one, am sure, was
deeply impressed. 1t was at this time
that the dear girl had her first and last
view Of me in my captains uniform.
Officers to the front and center!
March, ordered, with all the dignity
I could assume. AS they reached the
center they saluted me.
d" Sir, the parade is formed, said,
saluting the colonel.
"The colonel returned as grave sa.
lutte as he had received and put the reg.
iment through the manual of arms,
Meantime I marched few PAGES be,
hind him, turned squarely and took pc
sition almost within arms length OF
the dear girl. There 7 stood at parade
rest, with my back to her, until the
regiment wheeled into column to march
off the field. at that juncture I took
command of my company and went
with 1t aboard an Illinois Central train.
Between the dear girl and myself there
passed no word.
"A few months passed and received
slight wound. The circumstance was
mentioned in the Chicago papers. Then,
for the first time after my departure
loo s,1 30 n,