Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-22
CHAPTER I.

division headquarters and the men IN |
the nearest regimental camps, regular
and volunteer, were lined up" along
the sentry posts and silently, eagerly
watching and waiting. For week
rumor had been rife that orders for a
move were coming, and the brigades
hailed it with delight. For month
shivering at night in dripping, drench-
ing fogs drifting in from the Pacific, or
drilling for hours each day on the bleak
slopes of the Preside heights, they had
been praying for something to break
the monotony of the routine. They
were envious of the comrades who had
been shipped to Manila, emnlous OF
those who had stormed Santiago, and
would have welcomed with unreason-
ing enthusiasm any mandate that bore
promise of change of scene-or duty.
The afternoon was raw and chilly; the
wet wind blew salt and strong from the
westward sea, and the mist rolled in,
thick and tieecy, hiding from view the
familiar landmarks of the neighborhood
and forcing q display of lamplights in
the row of gaudy saloons across the
street that bounded the camp ground
toward the setting sun, though that in
visible luminary was still an hour high
and afternoon drill only just over.
Company after company in their cam
paign hats and flannel shirts, in worn
blue trousers and brown canvas leg
gings, the men had come swinging in
from the broad driveways of the beau
tiful park to the south and, as they
passed the tents of the commanding
general, even though they kept their
heads erect and noses to the front, their
wary eyes glanced quickly at the un-
usual array of saddled horses, of car
riages and Concord wagons halted along
the curbstone, and noted the number
of officers grouped about the gate.
Ponchos and overcoat capes were much
in evidence on every side as The men
broke ranks, scattered to their tents
to stow away their dripping arms and
belts, and then came streaming out to
stare, unrebuked, at headquarters. 1t
was still early in the war days, and,
among the volunteers and, indeed,
among regiments of the regulars whose
ranks were sprinkled with college men
who had rubbed shoulders but few
months earlier with certain subalterns,
the military line OF demarcation was a
dead letter when "tbe boys" were out
of sight and hearing of their seniors,
and SO it happened that when a young
officer came hurrying down the path
way that led from the tents of the gen
Il 80 Go1l - ~,
Tenth California, he was hailed by more
than one group ofregulars along whose
lines he passed, and, as rule, the query
took the terse, soldierly form of What's
up, Billy"
The lieutenant nodded affably to sew
eral of his fellows of the football field,
but his hand crept out from underneath
the shrouding cape, palm down, sig
mailing caution. "Orders-some kind,
he answered in tones just loud enough
to be heard by those nearest him. "Seen
the old man anywhere? The general
wants him." and, never hating for re-
ply, the youngster hurried on.
He was bright, CHEEKY, brave-eyed
lad of 20 who six months earlier was
stumbling through the sciences at tho
great university on the heights beyond
the glorious bay, never dreaming O
deadlier battle than that in which hi!
pet eleven grappled with the striped
team of rival college. All on sud
den, to the amaze of the elders of tn
great republic, the tenets and tradi
tions of the past were thrown to tn
orI tho lama,
the seas and flew at the strongholds o
the Spanish colonies. Volunteers spran,
up by the hundred thousand and re
luctant congress accorded u meage
addition to the regular army. Many
college athlete joined the ranks, Will
a limited few, gifted with relatives VIII
had both push and pull" were pei
mitted to pass not very exacting eS
animation and join the permanent es
Establishment as second lieutenants forth
with. Counting those commissions
in the regular artillery and infantry
there must have been dozen in tn
thronging camps back of the great city
and of these dozen, Billy Gray "Bellig
erent Billy" as tutor dubbed hir
when the war and Billy broke out to
gether, the latter to the extent of
four-days' absence from all collegiat
duty-was easily the gem of the lot
One of the brightest minds" in hi
class, he was one of the LATEST; one O
the quickest and most agile whel
aroused, he was one of the torpids a
a rule. One of the kind who Shout,
have gone in for honors," us the fac
ulty said, he came nearer going out TO
devilment. The only son of retire.
colonel of the army who had made Cali
fornia his home, Billy had spent year
in camp and field and saddle and kne,
the west as he could never hope to kno,
Haswell. The only natural soldier o
his class when, sorely against the Wi
of most, they entered the student bal
talon, he promptly won the highes
chevrons that could be given in tn
sophomore year, and, almost as prompt
ly, lost them for "lates" and absence!
When the varsity was challenged by
neighboring institute to competitiv
drill the scouts" of the former repor'
ed that the crack company of the Sa
Pedros had the snappiest captain the
ever saw, and that, with far better ms
terial to choose from, and more of
the varsity wouldn't stand ghost of
show in the eyes of the professions
judges unless Billy would "brace up
and take hold" Billy was willing Il
Barkis, but the faculty said it woul
put a premium on laxity to make Bill
a varsity captain, even though the pre-:
ent incumbents were ready, any {
them, TO resign in his favor. "Prex
said no in no uncertain terms; the cha
lenge was declined, whereat the riv;
institute crowed Justify and the thin
got into the papers. AS result a selee
company of student volunteers wa
formed; it's members agreed to drill a
hour daily in addition to the prescribe
work, provided Billy would stake hold
in earnest, and this was the compan
that, under his command, swept tn
boards six weeks later and left Sa
! palr y. 4,