The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-07-27
The Red Muster Rolls
BY George d. Ruddy.
DRIvATE JOIN SCHUYLER was a

DRIVATE JOHN SCHUYLER was a
member of Troop NJ, -th United
States cavalry. He was an old soldier
who had worn the blue uniform of
the regular army for over 2S years.
The sleeves of his dress-coat, as he
wore ii on Sunday morning inspections,
showed six service and three campaign
stripes. He had served in every branch
OF the line-infantry, cavalry and artil-
lery-and his sleeves, from the fore
arm to elbow, showed an artistic and
picturesque display of blue, yellow and
red. Above the elbow, where the chew
rons of non-commissioned officers are
worn, no badge of rank appeared.
Schuyler had never been promoted; at
least he would never admit that he had
been, although it was said by some
without any apparent authority for the
truth of the story, that he had been
corporal for a short time in the in
fantry. He had always been mounted
soldier, with the exception of three
years as an infantryman, which always
remained to him as kind of night
mare.
mo more 'dough-boys' for me-" he
often said 1--WE carried Long Tom
all | ever will No more tramping all
day, with blistered feet, over the
plains, carrying 40 pounds of ball. my
blankets, haversack, canteen, and part
of shelter tent. Oh, no! I'm a
mounted man, and a good duty man,
If l do say it myself. AS long as can
get three or four nights in bed and
horse to ride, am going to stick to the
cavalry" And stick to the cavalry he
did, waiting until 80 years of service
should be up, and he could join the
battle-scarred veterans at the soldiers
home.
Schuyler was born cavairyman. He
was over six feet in height. and as
straight as an arrow, with closely
cropped gray hair on splendidly
shaped head an aquiline nose; aris-
tocratic features. and everything about
him showed the gentleman, by nature
and breeding. Drink had brought him
into the army, and drink kept him there
q private, while his fellowsoldiers, nc
half as well equipped mentally or
physically, had attained non-commis
stoned rank and some of them theircom-
missions. As a private he had fought
valiantly all through the civil war, and
had been wounded twice. When the
war was finished he served three years
in the infantry, but always said that
\ . l,ar t,1- ,,f u &c
military life. He made a splendid SOL
dier-perfectly fearless, as brave as a
lion, and in charge was usually the
first one to reach the enemy. But while
valiant in repelling one enemy, an
other always made him surrender. He
through his one weakness and was in
the guardhouse about half the time.
His first enlistment came from an
impulse at the end of long debauch,
though he was yet a young man.
II want to enlist in the regular army"
"Oh! ye do, eh? Well, We LUX as
though il would be a foine thing for
ye," said the sergeant. Can We roide?"
"I've been a rider of horses all my
ife," said John. why do you ask 2"
Were wanting somerecruits for the
ould First Dhragoons. Did We ever
hear of emp" asked the sergeant.
John was obliged to confess that he
never had.
"Shure such ignorance | niver heard
of. Ye've heard of the Mexican war, /
ruppose?'
"Yes, of course he replied.