Evening star., 1898-10-08
THEY DID THEIR DUTY, TOO
Soldiers Who We're Left Behind at Western
Frontier Posts
Do Not Like Their rAssfgnments--No
Chance for Promotion Are
DreadfuIIy Lonesome.
From the Chicago Times-Herald.

From the Chicago Times Herald.
About the lonesomest places in this coun-
try at present are the army posts of the
frontier from which have gone the soldiers
who made the life there so pleasant BY
every post is a town, and to these towns
the absence of the regulars is like the TAX
ing away of the charter; it means loss of
trade and of people on the streets that
gives the place the appearance of having a
funeral. A few trades almost compensated
Tor the absence of the large business done
Just previous to the call for the movement
70 the front For instance, the photog-
raphers took pictures of the soldiers and
or their families day and night that all
might have remembrance. But when the
trains pulled out there was sincere grief
and longing that has not been assuagcl bv
the passing of the long weeks.
ana the lonesomest men in the nation are
the dozen or so soldiers who have been de-
tailed TO watch the weedy parade ground
ara ara TO Keep in order the quarters of the
troops who are at the front One Young
West Pointer, detailed for duty at one of
the far northwest forts when he expected
10 nave berth near Washington, had add
ed TO ms disappointment the task of stay.
ing with the Indians and feeding them with
peer while the other troops Went to Cuba,
In desperation he offered his services in
any capacity to his home governor hut
there was such a pull for appointments
that t ne was not considered 1t is on record
tnat ne Wept some very salty tears as ne
read of the bravery of his comrades at the
front, and had several periods of vigorous
scolding of fate for the scurvy trick she
Played on him. He is but type, for to
every regular in the army and navy the
war was the chance of a lifetime for pro-
motlon and experience. To be deprived Of
these was indeed hard, and the bows who
are guarding the posts feel it, Somebody
nad TO DO 1t, however, and NOT ALWAYS the
rxy;,
field. -- 'iie
On the most prominent height of the
beautiful Fort Riley reservation, In central
hanSas, ana at what Is called the geo.
srapnlcai center of the United States
stands a monument to one of the brayest
soiuleFs OF the nations history He did not
WIN his laurels on the battlefeld-not his
brightest ones. Maj Ogden was one of the
military commissioners who selected the
magnificent 19,00O-acre reservation He
went there with the troops and when one
day In the later sos the plague of cholera
proke out among the soldiers ne was one
oa = the men who did not leave. He stayed
DAY after day nursing the dying soldiers
ana listening to their last messages. 1t was
weary staying, but he did not finch and
When at last he felt the numDness of the
ulsease ne gave up his life as willingly as
ne mad his services. They buried him there
on the crown of prairie MILL and every
VISITOR reverences the man who died in so
noble a cause. The men who are guarding
Tie reservation while their comrades are
camped at Ell Caney, in sight of the spires
OF Santiago, look at the monument outlined
against the evening sky and take a new
courage TO meet their condition
There are other deserted forts and posts
on the frontier that will never be occupied
ny troops again. They are scattered along
the water courses of Kansas and Nebra ska.
"nere once the Indians were many but
Where there is nothing more to be feared
Ihan the nerds of the cattlemen and the
Iamliies OF the settlers. There are Fort
Rays, Fort Wallace, Fort Dodge and a
dozen others that have been once the scene
OF the hVellest happenings of the frontier.
Inc rouSh riders of those days We're the
men who rode after Custer and Sheridan
and Forsythe. The Indian raids were fire.
Quent and severe. The tribes came down
from the northern reservations and terri
ned the settlers, killed few and destrovad
the houses and stock. One of these raids
headed by Roman Nose ended in a com
pany from Wallace and Hays following the
raiders up the Republican Fork There the
soidlers were surrounded on a piece of low
srouhd near the river, and for four days
s'Iu hlshts held the enemy at bay until the
pfaVe trooper who sneaked out of the camn
coulu go 10 the fort and bring reinforce.
menus. Such are the "reminiscences that
cluster about these forts. and the older
members OF the army recall them with af-
iectlon. But there Is now 10 use for the
buildings, and pending the action of Com
gress they have stood for years SLOWLY
rotting away. Fort Hays mas Jone line Of
ofncers houses that are gradually going TO
decay, and the land itself is beng used for
a large cattle pasture.