The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-22

company and regimental drill after be-
ing called into the field by the outbreak
of the civil war, and it was only a
question of weeks when every soldier
knew how to take care of himself in
camp. 1t was grand material for an
army-farmers, miners, mechanics,
clerks, day laborers-men of Drawn and
men of pride, and such was the rush
at first that the recruiting officers
would reject a man almost on account
of an old scar. When raw material
was drilled and disciplined and hard
ened up, every man was a fighter. A
grave mistake was made by the COM
pany and regimental officers in the
very beginning, and. though rectified
in most instances before the year was
out, gross injustice had been done to
thousands of brave men.
There was but one officer in the
Fourth infantry who started in right.
He was ridiculed and burlesqued for
months, but time proved his sagacity
and brought him his promotion. He
was the captain of company CT, and
his very first move was to know every
man in his command by name. His
next was to study each man by him
self. Company G. was made up of all
sorts of men, from the sturdy farmer
of 40 to the boy of 20 who had always
been coddled as a pet. Not ten out of
the 100 had ever had their courage
tested. Taken altogether, they We're
fine-lookinS body of men, and after
six weeks of camp life they showed up
better than any other company Most
captains would have been proud and
satisfied and boosted little. Captain
White was simply pleased. Camp life
I.Hr
There would be long marches, and he
went at it to tougher his men. Every
day, rain or shine, they marched in
squads for so many miles. They were
taught the easiest step; their loads
were gradually increased; their feet
were hardened by, degrees.
When the Seventeenth was brigaded
with us, everybody spoke in praise of
its stalwart rank and file. No better
material could have been found in
America. A couple of weeks, however,
showed the colonel to be an egotist and
drunkard, and few of the regimental
or company officers seemed anxious to
give him credit. One day the Seven
teenth came out to relieve the Fourth
on the outpost duty. Not a man of
them had ever fired his musket; not a
man had ever seen a confederate; not
man had heard the ping of a bullet
long front and to guard a bridge and a
railroad crossing. AT mid-afternoon,
100 confederate cavalry divided into
squads of %, attacked four full COM
panieS of the Seventeenth at about the
same moment. One discharge of car
bines, followed by yell, did the bust
ness in each instance. The same 100
the Seventeenth, and routed 500 men
at a dash. One thousand men were
beaten, routed and disgraced by 100,
and all because the officers had not
coached them. Just a week later so
men out of company G fought $50 con-
federates for an hour, and prevented
them from burning a bridge.
That was the beginning of the hoodoo
of the Seventeenth. 1t had disgraced it
self and disgraced the brigade, and
nothing short of a gallant fight would
restore its prestige. The officers cursed
the men FOR towards and SkulkS, and
the men lost confidence in themselves.
Two weeks after its disgraceful rout
five companies were sent out at night
to, drive a score of confederate sharp
shooters out of an old mill and take
possession. The major in command had
hardly been seen by any of the men be-
fore. He hardly knew one of the ca--
tains by name. He staggered and
commanded, and the 500 marched out.
Companies would have marched in
open order, ready TO support each other
The major had no sense. He marched
his 500 in a solid body, with tramp
to be heard mile away. The sharp
81 ooters heard the tramp of infantry,
suspected what was coming, and 10 of
them went into ambush along the road
and, at a proper moment, opened fire.
In five minutes the five companies were
defeated and flying back to camp, leav-
ing a score of dead and wounded in
the enemy's hands. Officers and men
made a foot race of it, and as they
came streaming into the camp the brig
adler hunted out the major and shout
ed at him:
by God, sir, you are a contempti-
tle coward, sir. and this is another dis
grace on the brigade. If you don't put
your resignation in my hands within
half an hour. I'll horsewhip you at of
the camp"
The major complied and was glad to
get out. and the next day the colonel
suit. New officers were ap-
pointed. and to them the brigadier said:
Gentlemen. the Seventeenth has got
as good fighting blood as there is in this
army, but ii has disgraced the brigade
Go at it and work your men UP. If you
handle them right they will fight; if
SOu lCe eiiCli Siiili I'll tlic lcputdllOll VI
his brigade again, I'll hold you per-
sonally responsible"
The officers at once set about the
working up" business, but how was
t done? They insulted the captains,
and the captains retaliated on the rank
and file. One night, after a week or so
Captain White marched company G out
If camp. and an hour later had posses
sion of the old mill and % prisoners.
Then the brigadier said to the new col
)nel of the Seventeenth:
Think of that, sir Go to Captain
White and learn how to handle your
nen!'
But the colonel would have resigned