The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-24
THE RED MUSTER ROLLS
IN ARMY STORY or PRIV1TE
SCHUYLER!S DISGRACE.
Schuyler Was an Old Campaigner and IA
Born Fighter but Loved Whiskcy-
Drunk Red Ink-Why the "I" Troop
Had TO Wait for Their Pay.

Had TO Wait for Their Pay.
Private John Schuyler was a mem
Der of troop M, til United States
cavalry. He was an old soldier who
had worn the blue uniform of the regu-
lar army for over twenty-eight years.
The sleeves of his dress coat, as he
wore it on Sunday morning inspections
showed six service and three campaign
stripes. He had served in every
branch of the line-infantry, cavalry
and artillery-and his sleeves, from
forearm to elbow, showed an artistic
and picturesque display of blue, yellow
and red. Above the elbow, where the
chevrons of non-commissioned officers
are worn, no badge of rank appeared.
Schuyler had never been promoted; at
least he would never admit that ne
had been, although it was said by some
without any apparent authority for the
truth of the story, that he had been
corporal for short time in the infan-
try He had always been a mounted
soldier, with the exception OF three
years as an infantryman, which al
ways remained to him as kind OF
nightmare.
mo more 'dough-goys' for me-" he
often said; 'I've carried a Long Tom
all L ever will. No more tramping all
day, with blistered feet, over the
plains, Carrying forty rounds of ball, my
blankets, haversacks, canteen and part
of a shelter tent. Oh, no, I'm mount
ed 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 cav
airy" And stick to the cavalry he
did; waiting until his thirty years OF
service should be up, and he could JON
the battle-scarred veterans at the Sol
diers' Home.
Schuyler was a born cavalryman,
He was over six feet in height, and as
straight as an arrow, with closely
cropped gray hair on splendldly
shaped head; an aquiline nose, aristo-
cratic features, and everything about
him showed the gentleman, by nature
and breeding. Drink had brought him
into the army, and drink kept him
there private while his felloW-sol-
diers, not half as we'll equipped men
tally or physically had attained nom
commissioned rank and some of them
their commissions. 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 doing so was the great mis-
take of his military life. He made a
splendid soldier-perfectly fearless, as
brave as a lion, and in a charge was
usually the first one to reach the enc
my. But while valiant in repelling
one enemy, another always made him
surrender. He was always in some
sort of trouble through his one weak
ness, and was in the guard house about
half the time.
His first enlistment came from an
impulse at the end of a long debauch,
though he was yet a young man.
IT want to enlist in the regular
army"
"Oh We do, Ell? Well, We LUX as
though it would be a foine thing for
ye," said the sergeant. Can We
roide?'
1--WE been a rider of horses all my
life" said John; why do you ask?"
Were wanting some recruits for
the Guild First Dhragoons. Did ye ever
hear of 'em?" asked the sergeant.
John was Obliged to confess that he
never had.
"Shure such ignorance l niver heard
Of. we've heard Of the Mexican war, I
SUPPOSE"
Eyes, of course" he replied.
"Well, l didn't think ye had, or We
would know about the First Dhra-
goons That's the regiment l belong
to, and there's no finer in the sarvice.
l wint through the Mexican war with
me throop and many a brave lad was
tun1bled out of his saddle by Greaser
bullets. Do we see this?" and the ser
geant pointed to long, white scar eX-
tending halfway across his forehead.
IVAN of their lancers gave me that,
but saber cut him down shortly af-
Their" and his eyes glared at the recol-
lection.
when I go in don't care how soon
death COMES" said John, gloomily
One night while on stable guard and
with just enough whiskey in him to be
ugly, he gave his horse Douglas-a
beautiful bay and the best horse in the
troop-a terrible beating with a stable
broom. The snorting and thrashing Of
the horse in his stall, and his half-hu-
man cry of distress, partially sobered
Schuyler and showed him what he was
doing Dropping the broom he went
into the stall, put his arms around the
neck of the splendid animal, and Whis
pered brokenly: Douglas, old boy
forgive men! It was the whisky, not /. +"
You are the best friend ! have on
earth, and how could I abuse you?"
And the horse looked at him sympa-
thetically out of his large, intelligent
eyes, and laid bis head on the shoulder
of the trooper.
Drink always made a demon of him
for the time being, but when the effects
had worn away he was repentant and
sorrowful. He was more especially re-
morseful during the thirty days he
usually spent in confinement in charge
of the guard, after the garrison court
martial had finished with him, for then
he would take the sum coming to him,
from the paymaster on his final state
ment," usually amounting to several
hundred dollars, repair to the nearest
town, and have a royal debauch as long
as his money lasted. A soldier can
get higher paw during that enlistment