The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-21
PitiabIe Return of Troops,

| VIM - near MS journey enulnSs swung
from behind the commissary sheds into
view of the half thousand men and wo-
| men who were standing about the station
at Montauk Point. l. l.. Wednesday
coon, silently watching the troops from
| the transport ST. Paul pass by on their
way TO Camp Winof, there was an old
man. with a bronze Grand Army button
on the lapel of his coat. standing a few
| feet in front OF the line of spectators.
| He stood quite still-possibiy because OF
his deep interest-until the last row in
that struggling line had passed by. Then
he turned abruptly TO the reporter Of the
| New York Evening Post
That's the return" he said. Il seen
| EN- go QUIT"
His words recalled to a number OF men
! the bleak day, a few months ago, when
! the Seventy-first, the gallant Seventy
first" as 1t was called then. left Hemp
/ stead Plains for the front. the envied OF
! the seven regiments left behind-how that
the men had cheered madly when Col.
! Greene made his orders known; how the
1 recruits has sung the Soldiers Fare
I WELL" as they stood in company formation
waiting for their turn TO draw the brand
new guns and equipment; how the women
and children had chung 10 them as they
marched over the plain. men OF Troop
I.
Of the National Guard riding at their
| head; how the band had played THE
| Girl 1 Left Behind Me-" and When
Johnnie Comes Marching Home" how the
people cheered and blessed them-indeed
all about the glory of their going off TO
war.
i've seen ragged regiments in my days.
boys" continued the veteran of the Civil
| War. I've seen some pretty
tough-looking regiments. but 1 never saw
'em look like that; not just like that-not
with them faces and them eyes. Why, l
tell you. half OF EN- ought to be on lit
tiers! Why didn't they look at US? What's
the matter with emp
few minutes before some one had
called out: What regiments this?'
Battalion of the seventy-first," pri-
vate answered, listlessly.
What battalion?'
First, if you want TO know so bad"
the private. who was carrying two guns
while the comrade next him carried none,
had said, neutrality-suspicious. perhaps.
What about it?" The other men had
seemed not to have heard the question,
but TO have concentrated all thought on
the probability of being able to make the
steep hill they saw before them. and all
effort on getting through the deep sand
and to the foot of 1t. IF you've got any
thing to say. the private had continued.
you can say 1t later. My names c."
There was one slight young fellow in
the rear ranks. barely full-grown yet, who
had hold of the arm Of a great-whiskered
man. He carried nothing but his blanket,
which was rolled and tied, over his Shout
der; but his feet were dragging, and his
head was unsteady, rolling from right TO
Lei wi fer VII n
had been a burly man, was heavily load
ed; his blouse was in tatters and very
dirty, and for hat he wore bandanna
handkerchief, knotted at the four corners
He seemed to give no heed to the weak
ening condition of the youth he was help
ing; but it was evident, in his sideward
leaning, that he was giving much from
little strength.
That boy will drop" said one Of the
spectators.
The two had not gone ten PAGES far
Their before the boys knees gave way.
The man was brought to stop; he look
ed at his burden in a daZed way. and as
though having comprehended with diff
Guilty that he was utterly exhausted, drag
ged him to the restaurant steps and sat
him down. Then he seated himself; and
it seemed to those looking that he real
lied his powerlessness to help the other
and was bound to get what rest he could
while waiting for him to revive.
1.-THE man is used to that sort of thing"
some one said.
Soon some of the provost marshars
guard came along and kept the people
back The boy was taken to the deten-
ton camp in an ambulance; but the man
trudged over the road alone.
Some of the men of the battalion look
ed sturdy enough and happy enough.
There was one who had doubled his load
with souvenirs of the campaign, appar-
emily. He had a Cuban machete, upon the
stock of which he had carved his name
and much else. He waved this and
shouted, Hello, Tommy B-!' to a man
who was standing on the platform steps.
Tommy looked at him closely without |
recognizing him; it was only after the
second call of his name and flourish of
the trophy that he responded;
rs that you, Bob?' he said. God {
bless you, old fellow; why. we heard you /
were dead" and he ran TO the line TO /
shake hands. I'VE worked in the same 1
store for five years and were room-mates /
for one" ne said afterwards. And I /
swear-I don't know yet whether its him /
or not"
When the column was on it's way up 4
the hill-the road over which all the re-
turned troops pass is a new one, broad /
and hard, and in plain sight from the sta
tion-it could be seen that the men were (.
dropping out 10 rest. They were sitting /
or lying on the roadside, one here and 4
two there all along its length. Had there /
been ambulances enough to have car /
ried even the very weak at one time an I
officer said, the short mile from dock 20 I
camp need not have broken down a single !
man. But. as It was, one man dropped /
out before the battalion had marched I
200 yards.
A lieutenant fell out OF line 70 help him.
and after a few minutes rest. the two
began to run to catch their company. The |
Lieutenant was almost as weak as the
man, and both petered out near the sta
ton.
What are you doing here man7" Cap
tain Edwards asked the private.
The lieutenant tried TO explain for him.
but he was so short OF breath that he
held his mouth wide open 70 breathe the
freer. and 50 weak that he could net
speak He whispered few words and
gave up; and, as the private and the
captain talked. he looked from one 20 the
other. staring yacantly. The private
could speak intelIgibly. but be was very
weak-very pale and trembling-and on
the verge % weeping.
II can walk. sir" he said. salutinE
Yes, I can. sir" touching his hat again.
I only sat down for a minute. sir.
ian walk the mile We were Just trying
10 catch the company. sir" AZ this. the
lieutenant nodded.
They were given a seat n the shade
q a stoTe-house. and were Il orce sur
rounded b. the people who had been lis j.
,ening % the talk IRE private found an
Old friend in she group. After he had re-