The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-01
WITH THE ROUGH RIDERS
Work of the Montana Squadron
of Grigsby's Men.
ALL KINDS OF DRILLING
The Score for the Regiment Averaged
Sixteen Points Out of Twenty
Five Sad Lot of the Sick
Now in Camp.

~ -
Corporal wilds of troop +:
Camp George H.. Thomas, Third L. 5.
Volunteer Cavalry. July 24.-Monday
morning at 6 o'clock boots and sad
dies sounded. and the LIST squadron
rode away to the south and west. with
carbines. ammunition and a days ra-
| lions, They went in marching order
through the forest, across the fields ana
over the hills to the site Of the large
range. Horses were picketed, "A COOK
fire built and all day long the rifles
blazed away at the harmless painted
figure 240 yards away. Some bullets
flew high. some low, but nearly all were
true line" shots. At night a weary,
dusty lot of men came jogging back TO
what w for home. though pity IT
is to shame the sacred word.
Tuesday morning the 2d squadron
wendell it's way over the same trail. ana
at noon was followed by the Sd (Mon-
tana) squadron. The same scene was
enacted as on Monday. We reached
home at Z p. M. n supper was not
forthcoming until s. The tired soldiers
were Just seeking their downy beds
when came the call. 'Fal in to draw
revolvers." Just as the closing notes OF
tattoo were echoing through camp, the
last man received his and
turned in to sleep, as IL WERE, ION his
arms"
Al daybreak blows the r~eveiIle, and
Oh! the drowsy lids that will not ope!
Stables. breakfast and drin call. Then
as we are mounting is the order, Get
your dishes and prepare for the day.
All is hurry and worry. for only 10 min
utes are left in which to be under way.
over the o a of the previous day we
go, all sore and fatigued from former
exertion. The forenoon is taken up in
rifle practice by the men who did not
shoot on Tuesday. while those who had
their turn scatter over the country in
search of ripe orchards and unmatched
| gardens-but someone has been before
them, and the search Is unrewarded.
The wagon which was to have brought
our dinner has not arrived when mess
call is sounded. and our noon feast con-
sists of dry bread, pepper and salt, pur-
chased from a struggling peddler. At
about / o'clock a detail arrives with
cooked beef, which is much enjoyed.
Now comes the fun. Mounted. in col
umn of tours. with loaded revolvers we
proceed to a hollow. ~Dismounting, two
volleys are fired near our horses heads,
and then. remounting, we rid in single
file past the targets. firing four shots.
There are wild horses and tame horses.
nervous horses and calm horses. eXcit-
ed horses and quiet horses. But I'm the
% and Sd ~squadrons not an accident
happens: in II troop of the LIST squad
ron one man kills his horse and shoots
himself through the leg-a painful, but
not serious wound.
Home again, and back to our rou-
tine.
The score for the regiment averaged
16 points out Of a possible %.
on Thursday, Sergeant Mitchell of l.
troop, sergeant-major of the 3D. squad
ron, while handling his revolver. shot
himself in the right knee. He was car
ried to the hospital and his wound, a
slight one. dressed. The accident men
toned is the only one recorded-an eX-
ceptionally fortunate record. consider
ing the unfamiliar arms. green horses
and large umb of men.
Far from home and friends, removed
from the influence of the family cir
Gle, a few of the volunteers are passing
into the great, uncertain future. Pros
trate on a cot. there is no mothers gem
tie hand, no sisters kind care, no faith
er's anxious attention to sooth the
%throbbing brow. to cool the fevered lips,
TO minister to the thousands Of wants of
the sinking man. Not his the satisfaC-
ton of an honorable wound. not his the
speedy death of the battlefield: not his
the soldiers glorious death. Day after
day, night after night. he lies there,
Nnlle lHt IdthlnE pam Is swiftly SUCK
ing his vitality. Hour by hour he grows
weaker. while his mind wanders back
over the days that have seemed weeks,
to the days when war was but a dream.
He sees again the home where often
times he sat and whiled away the even
ing hours among his relatives. Once
more he is in the wildwood. beside the
gurgling stream. He sits upon the bank,
listening to the music of the waters,
| Nhila Mt his side iG tho NRpDaan no loves
the woman who has given TO his life
a new zeal. a new fire. How happy
were those days! oh. the sweet peace
OF Ii all, how dear II seemsi He is liV-
ing IL all over again when a great
spasm wakes him to the present and
suffering. Regretfully now he remem-
bers the ple%adings of mother and faith
er who sought to keep him safe at
home. But young blood was high. and
his pulses bounded at the prospect of
heroism. Fame was before him; his
country called, and he must go. He
must seek glory on the battlefield: he
must make a stand for freedom and hui
manity; he must aid the afflicted.
But. 10! How strange a battle is this.
IT'S waged between the great captain
generals. Life and Death. and he. a
poor private. must needs fall a victim
TO the relentless sword Of the inevita-
ble-for who ever yet hut ultimately
succumbed To the black monster.
Yea, taps are sounding now. and the
Lights out. lights OUT has a fuller.
more awful meaning than is it's wont.
As the candle is blown out in the sol
diers' tents. so is snuffed out the light
OF life from the fe~ver-parChed body.
Too true. too true. taps ave sounded
from Gods trumpeter. and soon the
dawn Of eternity. when from Gabriel's
own trump will sound the reveille that
the soul from the couchlike
grave TO answer to the roll call in the
skies.
Aye. build him a monument. raise II
high, and grave thereon. Here lies a
hero" For who shall gainsay this man
has done. this man has died. nobly. al
belt he struck no blows. Requiescat IN
pace . GEO. BYRNE WILDS.
Champion Fish story.