The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-22
The brave Army Packer and his
Flooding Mules.

One OF the most striking features OF the
whole campaign was the pack-traln- Inc
packers of the army are very like the
stokers ON board a waYship. They are
seldom heard OF, but their work is the
most important that Is done. They sup
ply the fundamental requisites, and should
their work stop the whole force would
suffer. They are the heart of the mill
tary system. and yet their praises are
never sung by poets. and they ara seldom
mentioned In dispatches They are never
seen In parades or reviews, and yet TO
these belong a great portion or the glory.
The packers of the army are even more
entitled TO the praise than are the sto-
kers OF the navy, for not only Is the work
OF the former the very hardest, but they
are compelled to go right up in the firing
line when the battle Is at Its height. and
where the danger Is greatest, and unpack
ammunition. II is really a remarkable
sight to see these men and their total In
difference at the front during an engage
men., and very often one or more OF their
mules are shot. 4.
The packers are all Western men and
in a measure used to dangers, as the from
tier is the only part OF the country where
the pack-trains are used regularly. Con-
sequentiy there Is that picturesque West
ern air about the men.
The army mule Is the most essential
feature OF campaigning, but there are sew
eral varieties. and the pack-mule is. with
out doubt the most unique and inteili-
gent There are about sixty animals in
a suil train, and these are led by the pa
ticnt ''beii-mare." a steady. well-broken
horse that leads the way and around
whose neck bell is suspended. The
sound OF this bell Is the guide the mules
follow. no matter where IL leads. They
follow blindiy, without any other guide
except the constant urging from the pack
ers who ride other mules along in the
train. The animals wear no bride. ex-
cept. perhaps. a halter. and yet they trot
along and never stray from the trail. AS
long as they are with the train they show
remarkable Intelligence. but once take
them away from the rest and they are
hopelessly lost, Horses were very scarce
during the Santiago campaign, and so a
few OF the pack animals were impressed
into service under the saddle. ! was for
tunate enough to have one and he was
not the least OF my troubles He was
branded with huge IA and in every
one OF his adventures he upheld the ira
dition OF that time-honored symbol OF
had luck. II was most amusing to see
him on the road. as he always imagined
that the pack-train was just ahead. and
at every bend he would crane hts neck
TO sec II the rest Of the mules were ahead
II he ever heard bell that sounded like
the one he had been following he would
make for IT, and no power could stop
him. When riding near the front / lived
In deadly fear lest some one in the enc
my's lines would sound a bell. II ever
heard paek~train coming I'm the opposite
direction / bad 20 climb down aud anchor
him 10 a tree or BE would Join it.
The packers CT this campaign worked
day and night and no one ever heard OF
them getting sick when the fever was lay
ing the best OF us low. There was TO
glory for them; they Vcre just simple.
hired civilians; no uniform no regiment
but just good-naturod. harei-working
WesterneTs. Each one OF the packers car
ried six-shootsr" of the frontier styIa
James +. ]. Archihalds Story OF sam
uago In Leslie's Weekly.