The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-30
woke Up 60, 600 soldiers.

There never was any question as to the
Majors bravery" said the Colonel at a
dinner of veterans last week, according to
the New York Sun, but he never got
above the rank of Major because he was
overzealous. Too much zeal is quite as
Objectionable as too little and particularly
In volunteer regiment such as ours was.
The Major had been advanced to his Ma
jors commission from the ranks with
speed and he really felt that he could
give Grant good advice on how the cam
paign should be directed. He was a mill
tary en- -husiast and no detail was too
small for his attention He stayed awake
nights to plan campaigns. During the fall
of SO our regiment was bngaded with the
regulars and our army lines extended some
four miles. We had been pushing forward
and il was known that the Confederates
were in force before US and that big en-
gagement was near. The troops had been
hard pressed and on the night when the
Major distinguished himself the army, eX-
cept the pickets was sleeping the sleep OF
the tired.
"Our pickets had been re-enforced and
thrown far out in front TO avoid a sur
prise. Our regiment was on the advanced
line. The Major had just received his
commission and as he awoke about l
o'clock in the morning to think about it
he wondered how he might show that he
was worthy of his trust Why not test
his regiment by false alarm? The mora
the Major thought Of this the better it APP
peared and at 2 o'clock in the morning he
tried it. He fired several shots from his
revolver, started a cry to arms, and then
with his watch in his hand timed the
sleepy men as they turned out. half-dress-
ed and fell in by companies. The up
roar was great and it became greater.
Drums ratified on either side of our regi-
ms nd ia in hp
iment after regiment was formed and Or
derlies began to dash up and down the
lines looking for Information for headquar-
ters. The Major had not noticed the tn
multi around him. He was too busy timing
his own regiment and complimenting the
companies which turned out promptly. 1
had been aroused from a sound sleep when
an orderly came to my tent for informa-
ton.
This looks like an attack in for, e,
Colonel he said.
Il rushed out to find half of the regiment
formed and the Major in full uniform
beaming on the men.
What is the alarm Major?" l asked.
" L was just testing the men, Colonel
" Is there no attack?''
4" No, just false alarm which l got up
for practice said the Mapor.
THE Major swore that he would prefer
charges against me for the language
which | used, but he never did. Message
after message came to me from headquar-
ters three miles away asking where the
enemy was attacking and in what form.
I got tired explaining that my Major had
been merely testing my men with a false
alarm. From headquarters down to the
smallest drummer every man in that army
cursed the Major Nearly 60,000 tired men
had been awakened in the middle of the
night by his false alarm His name be-
came known all over the lines the next
day. The Major made no charges against
me and fortunately for him he got off with
a severe calling down from headquarters.
| He fought bravely to the end of the war,
but his chance for promotion had been
| lost by his zeal, which was great