The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-15
STAy-AT-h0ME REGULARS.
The Hard Lot of Those Chosen TO Re-
main at the Almost Deserted Posts.


this country at present are the army
posts OF the frontier from which have
gone the soldiers who have made the
life there SO pleasant by every post Is
town, and to these towns the absence
OF the regulars is like the taking away
of tho 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 ccMpen-
sated for the absence OF the large busi-
ness done tust previous TO the call for
the movement to the front. Tor M
stance. the photographers took pictures
of the soliiers and OF their families
day and tight that all might have re-
nembranSe. But when the trains pull
ed out there was sincere grief ana
longing that has not been assuased by
the passing of the long weeks.
And the lonesomest men In the.na-
ton are the dozen or so soldiers WHO
have been detailed to watch the weedy
parade ground and to keep IN order the
quarters of the troops who are at tho
front. One young West Pointer. detail
ed for duty at one OF the far North
west forts when he expected to have ~
berth near Washington. had added to
his disappointment the task OF staying
with the Indians and feeding them
with beef. while the other troops went
To Cuba. In desperation he offered his
services In any capacity to his home
governor, but there was such pull for
appointments that he wept some very
salty tears as he read OF the bravery OF
his comrades nj the front. ami had sew
eral periods OF vigorous scolding OF fate
for tho scurvy trick she played on him.
He 81 hut type. for 10 every regular
in the army and navy the war was the
chance of lifetime for promotion and
otfo m nc, f..r hos xrl
indeed hard. and the boys who are
guarding the posts feel t. Somebody
had to do IL, however and not always
the highest honors come from service
in the field.
On the most prominent height Of the
beautiful Fort Riley reservation In CEN
tral kansas.and at what Is called the
geographical centre of United States
stands monument to one OF the BRAY
est soldiers OF the nations history. He
did not win his lsurels on the battle
field--not his brightest ones. Major Og-
cen was one Of the military commits
sioners who selected the magnificent
1900O-acre reservation. He went there
with the troops. and when one day in
the later Sos the plague Of cholera
broke out among the soldiers he WAS
one of the mon who did not leave. He
STAYED day after day nursing the dying
soldiers and listening TO their last mes
not finch. and when at ,lass he felt the
numbness of the disease he gave up his
life as willingly as he had his services
They buried him there on the crown Of
a prairie hin. and every visitor rever-
ences the man who died in so noble
cause. The men who are guarding the
reservation while their comrades are
camped at FL caney, I'm sight of the
spires OF Santiago. look at the monn-
ment outlined against the evening skv
and take a new courage 20 NEE: their
condition.
There are other deserted forts and
posts on the frontier that VIII never ne
occupied by troops again. They arc
scattered along the watercourses of
| Kansas and Nebraska, where once the
| Indians were many, but where there
is nothing more TO be feared than the
herds of the cattlemen and the faml-
| les of the settlers. There are Fort Hays,
Fort Wallace, Fort Dodge and dozen
| others that have been once the scene OF
| the livelest happenings of the frontier.
| The rough riders of those days We're
| the men who rode after Custer and
J Sheridan and Forsythe. The Indian
( raids were frequent and severe. The
! tribes came down from the northern
reservations and terrified the settlers.
| killed a Few and destroyed the houses
| and stock. One OF these raids. headed
| by Roman Nose, ended in n company
| from Wallace and Hays following the
raiders up the Republican Fork. There
| the soldiers were surrounded on
piece OF low ground near the river, and
for four days and nights held the en-
! emy at bay until the brave trooper
| who sneaked out of the camp could goto
the fort and bring relnforcements.Such
| are the "reminiscences that cluster
about these forts, and the older mem-
bers OF the army recall them with af-
| lection. But there is now no use for
| the buildings. and pending the action
| OF Congress they have stood for years.
slowly rotting away. Fort Hays has a
! long lire Of officers houses that are
! gradually going to decay. and the land
itself is being used for a large cattle
| pasture. tt
| Strange as II may seem. the soldiers
| like the far frontier forts best. One day
! few months ago handsome cavalry
man sat on his horse near the depot at
Fort Riley as some companies came In
| from the West.
"They ought to be happy now" was
remarked. Here are fine buildings.
| good quarters and trees. They have
| been in Arizona. you know
Yes, I was there myseif."was the
response. II amt so sure they are hap
| py."
Don't you like II here?'
"Oh. yes. tiptop-a soldiers duty is
| staying where he is put--but somehow
| II isn't like the frontier There II is so
free and boundless like. We had bet
| ter time In Arizona than here. where
| there is so much style. We have to be
| more particular and careful, and don't
| have so much sunlight"
He meant It, too. The others OF his
regiment may not have agreed with
! him. but he was in earnest.
Some great celebrations will be held
| at the frontier forts when the boys re-
turn. The people OF all the surrounding
country will flock to see the heroes of
the recent victories and will want to
shake hands with the fighters at San
tiago. The Sunday school Dicnics to the
forts have been postponed this sum-
| mer for the f1rst time since the settle
nnent of the West The school that gets
the first date will reap fortune. There
| are soldiers and officers wives waiting
for the coming OF the boys from the
front. too They have watched the death
| lists day after day. and some Of them
have found names of loved ones. For
| these there Will he no Homecoming