Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-08-05

a blood relation Of the Colonels, his po-
sitOn would have been made so I'M
comfortable in one way and another
that he would have been forced to re-
sign.
He not only drank too much to keep
his dignity and maintain the respect
due an officer. but was fault-finding and
tyrannical, and was given to med
ding with petty affairs which were
none of his business. Capt Bowers
excuse for getting down" on Private
Green was that the recruit was impu-
dent and arrogant. When this was
sfted down it was found that he had
questioned the soldier regarding his
past life and the reasons which had in
duced him to enlist. and this curiosity
had been by no means satisfied. He
may have been n little stiff in his re-
fusal, rs was his right under the cir
cumstances. but his refusal to unbosom
himself made the captain his enemy
and for months he was prosecuted
man. Few officers descend from their
pedestal to mag" an enlisted man. but
Capt. Bowers did it to his own shame
and to the scandal of the post. That
he was an enemy of Private Green
made all the sergcants and corporals
down on the man, and as conse-
quence he put in more days in the
guardhOuse than in his barracks 1t
was the general belief that the recruit
was trying his best, and that he was
by no means given fair show. Capt
Bowers knew that this was the feeling,
but that only made him the more per-
sistent in his course.
After three or four months something
happened which should have made the
captain change his program and feel
that he owed Private Green a debt of
gratitude. Companies b and d We're
scouting along the eastern edge of the
great Stakcd Plains of Texas in search
Of Indians, with whom we were then
at war. At noon one day the two COM
panies separated to beat up both sides
of ridge. and after mile or so the
b men were suddenly charged by about
100 Indians who had been concealed by
fringe Of bushes. The troopers were
|
fight of it, and after ten minutes beat
off their assailants. In their first rush
the Indians surrounded Capt Bowers,
who was few yards ahead of his COM
pany, and they sought to make him cap
tive instead of killing him. But for the
action of Private Green. who dashed
forward to the help of his officer while
oil off 70 ho
ment, the Captain would have been
taken.
1t went down in the military reports
that the new man killed three redskins
with his own hand, and all his COM
rades declared that he saved the leader
Of the troop. For the next two or three
weeks there was cessation of the nag
gings, but the fact that he owed his
life to the man he had prosecuted ran
killed. in the Captains breast, and after
while some excuse was found for
sending Private Green to the guard
house in disgrace. The man made up
his mind that he was being bounded,
and that life would be made miserable,
and he decided to desert. 1t is proba BILE
that the sentry on duty at midnight
winked at the escape from the guard
house. but 1t was unfortunate for
Green that he should meet his captain
face to face before he was clear of the
grounds. So it came about, and Capt.
Bowers seized and sought to detain
him. In the struggle he was knocked
down and rendered unconscious for a
time, and next morning the chase after
the deserter was taken up and pushed
with great energy. The country was
secured for days and days. but Private
Green had disappeared like a shadow.
A month after the assault and deser-
ton Company = was ordered out alone
for n scout over the same ground as be-
fore. with orders to pick up the trail
Of any small war party and follow it
up vigorously. Such a trail was found
leading straight out upon the sandy
desert. but it had not been followed
above two miles when the troopers ran
upon large force of Indians in am
bush behind a ridge of sand and were
badly cut up and scattered. Capt.
Bowers horse was wounded at the first
volley. and mad with pain and fright
dashed off to the west and could not be
checked. The troop broke up under the