The National tribune., 1899-11-09


periences on the road. The recruits are
divided up among the companies-Co. Q
receiving seven.
Shorty is Arraigned before the Courtmartial.
To rest, reft after the sharp fighting and
marching, and to wait for the slightly
wounded and other convalescents to come
up, the brigade went into camp on the
banks of the Oostenaula River, near Cal
houn. Ga, and about 20 miles south of
Dalton, which had been the objective at the
opening of the campaign.
And while the men were washing and
J mendlng their clothes, 1t was decided to put
the discipline of the brigade, which had
suffered similarly by the rough campaign,
through somewhat like process of fur
blShing and renovation.
A court-martial was ordered, "to try such
cases as may be brought before it,"
| The court convened with all the form and
ceremony prescribed by the Army Regula-
tons for tribunals which pass judgment
upon the pay, honor and lives OF officers and
men.
The officers detailed for the court sent
back to the baggage wagons, and got their
Wrnkled dreSs-suitS out of the valiSeS, they
buttoned these to their throats, donned
| their swords. SaSheS and white gloves, and
gathered stitfty and solemnly about long,
rough table, which had been put up unGer
| heSpreading limbs of giant oaks. Guards
pacing at a little distance kept all the
curious and inquisitive out of earshot.
| The camp gossips, full of interest as TO
the late OF those who We're 10 be tried,
could see an aggrayating pantomlme
acted out, but hear no word.
A squad of offenders of various degrees
of turpltude ranging from absence without
leave to sleeping on post, were huddled
together under the Provost Guard while 81
and Shorty, being non-commssioned Off
GERS, were allowed TO remain with their
company, to be produced by Capt. Nc
Giilicuddy when wanted. They kept them
selves rIgidly apart from the rest Of the
| company, repelling the freely-of1ered SYM
pathY of their comrades. Si was most
deeply concerned about Shorty, who was
| so desperate over his fall from grace, that
! he regretted that he had not killed the
young Aid, while he was at him, so as to
have relieved his comrades of him, and
made his own condemnation and execu-
| ton sure.
"Old Maj Truax, of the 1st Oshkosh, is
President of the court" said the Orderly
Sergeant as the company was anxiousy
canvaSSing the boys chances.
/ Gosh, that settles it," groaned Jerry
Wilkinson; that old bull o the woods d
! rather shoot a man than not. He's always
| lookin' around for some excuse for sculp-
ing man, and the less he has the savager
| he is"
81 don't believe it." said the Orderly.
"l've watched old Fruax. when he's been
| roaring around, and ! always found that
he was after somebody that deserved it.
Men OF that kind are pretty certain to be
very soft on good soldiers, like ST and
| Shorty, and / think he's all right. The
| boys of the LIST Oshkosh all swear by him.
and you can trust a mans own regiment to
| know him surer than anybody else. And
then there's Capts. Suter and Harris, Of the
Maumee Muskrats. ~
| Terrible strict" muttered Jerry de-
spairingly.
"Lieuts. Newton and Bonesteel, of the
Kankakees," continued the Orderly.
Good men-promoted from the ranks,
and remember that they once carried a gun
! themselves"
Lieut. McJimsey of the staff"
| "A waSp-waiSted West Pointer, raw from
school; thinks he's learned all there's to
know about war out of a book on trigger
nometry. Has no more feelin for private
sOljer than | have for mule. Calls 'em
my men,, roared Jerry.
And as he's only a Second Lieutenant
| he'll have the first vote, slighed the Orderly
| And Lieut.. BOwersox is to be the Judge
| Advocate. He'll have to do the prosecut-
ing. 1 know he hates the job. He thinks
the world and all of ST and Shorty, but he's
the kind of man TO do his duty without
fear, favor or affection. And all of us III
| have to testify. Dumb Shorty fool SOUL
| Why didn't he get up his ruction some
where where the boys couldn't see him, and
with him or Si."
| Lieut.. Steig armeyer. the complainant
stalked by in solemn dignity.
Cant shoot that dod-blasted Aid, and
save Shorty, and take it all on MYSELF"
| blubbered little PETE who had been in tears
ever since he had seen the grave ASSEM-
| blage of officers in full dress.
shut up, you little fool. said the Orderly
savagely. In the sefishness of his sorrow
1t made him angry to see anybody else
show more grief than his.
The Orderly, in stating Lieut.. Bowersox's IS
position. forgot. or was not aware of the fact |
that while the ,Judge-Advocats represents
the Government at trial as the Prose
cutting Attorney, he is also the counsel for
the defense; dual role which has important
and frequently unexpected results.
After the memters were duly seated
according 10 rank, with Mai. Truax at the |
head of the table, Lieut.. Bowersox read the
order for holding the count, and called the
names of the members. He then said:
Gentlemen, tine first case ! shall present
TO your notice is one of exceeding gravity, |
affecting a member of my own regiment |
AS it is the most important case that YOU
shall have to consider. thoughtit hest that
| it should be disposed OF first. Sergeant,
bring in Corp1 Daniel Elliott, Co. Q, 20Oth
Ind. Volunteer Infantry"
Shorty entered the court with an air of
extreme depression i'll face and manner. |
| instead of the usual confident self-assertion
WHICH seemed 10 HOW nom every look and
motion. He stood with eyes fixed upon the |
ground.
Prisoner" said Lieut.. Bowersox, "this |
court has met to try you. Look around
| upon the members, and see if there is any
one to whom you have objection. If so, |
state it."
Shorty glanced listlessly from the head
of the table )Ward the foot. There his eve |
rested on the Second Lieutenant for a |
minute, and then he muttered to himself, |
NO, he's no worse than the rest ought TO be |
on me-" and shook his head in answer to the |
Judge-Advocate's formal question
You will each Of you rise, hold up your
right hand and be sworn" said the Judge |
Advocate and they each pronounced after |
him the prolix and ponderous oath pre- |
scribed by the regulations:
you, Maj. Benjamin Truax, do swear |
that you will well and truly try and de- |
termine, according to evidence, the matter |
now before you, between the United States |
of America and the prisoner to be tried. and |
that you will duly administer Justice, |
according to the provisions of an act es-
tablishing rules and articles for the govern
ment of the armies of the United States
without partially. favor or affection: and |
if any doubt shall arise not explained by
said articles, according to your understand
ing and the custom of war in such cases.
And you co further swear that you will not |
divulge the sentence of the court, until it |
shall be published by proper authority;
neither will You disclose or discover the vote
or opinion of any particular member of the
4