Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-08-17
The Red Muster Rolls
By George d. Ruddy.
nR1vATE JOHN SCHUYLER was .

- III
member of Troop NJ, til United
States cavalry. He was an old soldier
who had worn the blue uniform of
the regular army for over 20 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 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 chey-
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 a
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 a kind of night
mare.
NO more 'dough-boys' for me,'' he
often said; 'I've 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! Tn a
mounted man, and good duty man,
if I do say it myself. AS long as 1 can
get three or four nights in bed and a
horse to ride, I 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 cavalryman. 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 every thing about
him showed the gentleman, by nature
and breeding. Drink had brought him
into the army. and drink kept him there
private, while his fcllow-soldiers, not
half as well equipped mentally or
physically, had attained non-commis-
stoned rank and some of them their COM
missions. AS a private he had. fought
yaliantly 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 mistake of his
military life. He made splendid SOL
Unexpectedly fearless, as brave as a
lion, and in a charge was usually the
first one to reach the enemy. But while
valiant in repelling one enemy, an
other always made him surrender. He
was always in some sort of trouble
through his one weakness and was in
the guardhouse 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.
Iwant to enlist in the regular army
"Oh! We do, Ell? Well, We LUX as
though it would be foine thing for
ye," said the sergeant. ''Can We rode ?''
''I've been rider of horses all nv
life" said John. 'Why do you ask?"
''We're wanting some recruits for the
ould First dragons. Did We ever
hear of 'em?" asked the sergeant.
\ John was obliged TO confess that he
never had.
''Shure such ignorance niver heard
Of. we've heard of the Mexican war.
suppose
Eyes, of course" he replied.
swell, didn't think We had, or We
would know about the First Dhragoons.
That's the regiment 1 belong to, and
there's no finer in the sarvice. whit
through the Mexican war with me
throop, and many brave lad tumbled
out of his saddle by greaser bullets.
Do We see this?" and the sergeant
pointed to long, white scar, extend
ing halfway across his forehead.
''Wan Of their lancers gave me that,
but saber cut him down shortly
afther," and his eyes glared at the rec
objection.
"When go in I don't care how soon
death comes said John, gloomily.
One night while on stable guard,
ard with just enough whisky in him
to be ugly, he gave his horse Doug
las"-a beautiful bay and the best
horse in the troop-a terrible beating
with stable broom. The snorting and
thrashing of the horse in his stall, and
his half-human cry of distress, partial
" sobered Schuyler and showed him