The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-27
BRYAN AS A SOLDIER.
kindest of Friends, but Perfect
Laughing stock at Drill.
Chica go Record.

Chicago Record. t,tc-,, ....s
AS colonel Mr.. Bryan was fiat failure,
and again grand success. AS a command
ing officer at drill or on dress parade, as a
leader in the field, or at the head of his
regiment during a corps review his awk-
ward attempts were subjects of pity and
ridicule to all good soldiers. But as father
to the men in his charge, as a thoughtful
provider for their comfort, and a diligent
champion of their few privileges there was
more efficient colonel in the Seventh
Army Corps. His own men knew this, and
were quick to make the distinction, loving
the colonel of the camp and worrying but
little concerning the incapacity OF the col
onel in the field. And Colonel Bryan him.
self seemed Indifferent on this point. He ex-
hibited no ambition TO learn the difference
between preliminary command and one of
execution, and during the six months OF
his sojourn in the South he advanced but
little in the understanding OF the formal
field duties of his position His main care
seemed to be for the sanitary condition OF
his camp and for the welfare OF his men
in the hospitals, so TO this responsibility
he sacrificed any desire he may have felt
to became sound tactician and COM
handing officer of standing.
These precautions soon brought the regf-
ment into high repute among the ofhcerS
of the corps as one possessing as nearly
perfect sanitary arrangements as possible
When the One-hundred land sixty -nrst reg
iment of Indiana Volunteers arrived at
Jacksonville and was located near the Ne
braska camp its line officers visited the
latter, inspecting everything thoroughly,
and then laid out their own camp on SIM
liar lines.
Colonel Bryan was never able TO COM
prehend the class distinction between a
commissioned officer and enlisted man
generally so rigidly drawn and observed.
So no soldier of his command was ever
treated with the aloofness and reserve
which is the usual manner OF ofhcers to-
wards their interiors in rank. On the con-
trary, Colonel Bryan endeavored to estab-
hsh a close relationship between himself
and his men, thus laying himself open TO
much criticism on the score OF unmilitary
conduct. 1t was his ambition TO know per-
sonally by name every member or the regi-
ment. and this he practically realized dur
ing the short time he was in command. I'm
able to understand why colonel should
not take an interest in the welfare OF those
under him men well as machines,
Colonel Bryan utterly disregarded all mill
tary tradition and etiquette in this regard.
treating his privates cordially and as II on
an equal footing.
This interest took him regularly among
the hospitals, especially to the division
hospitals, where all serious cases were
taken. Here he paid almost daily visits.
hunting out each patient from his regiment,
which was always well represented in the
fever wards. His well-known magnetism
was of the greatest service at such tunes,
for he never failed to cheer the men who
had set the time for their own deaths. BY
his personal sympathy and his inspiring
buoyancy, which he seemed TO impart so
easily he practically won over several
cases of malignant typhoid which had
been given up because of the hopelessnesS
of the sufferers themselves. So the ema-
ciated fever patients learned TO watch for
his kindly greeting and his invigorating
presence and they loved him for the at
tention he gave them.
Colonel Bryan's absolute consistency was
nowhere more marked than In the per-
sistence with which he sought discharges
for his men. Almost before his regiment
had pitched its first camp the war ended
in Cuba, and from then on Colonel Bryan
was convinced that his command should
be out of the service. Failing TO accom-
plish its muster-out as whole, he deter
mined that he would at least secure a re-
lease for every individual possible. He
investigated personally the merit OF each
application for discharge, and hurried al
papers through, chatting considerably al
| the long delays at Washington.
One instance will illustrate at once the
uniqueness of his methods and their eff
cheney. Nineteen of the twenty discharges
allowed had already been granted in Com
pany H. or the large number OF remain
| ing applicants three seemed equally de-
serving. Each told of a mother at home
| depending on him for support. Mr.. Bryan
was compelled TO decide which one of the
| three should go, and he used the following
| test OF merit: interviewing each mar
| alone. he asked how much money he had
| sent to his mother since his enlistment
| One man had sent SIS. another 81 and the
| third none at all. The first man received
| the discharge. Mr.. Bryan telling sths
| others that II was very unlikely that they
would be OF much assistance to theil
mothers at home when they aided them -
little while drawing nay In the army.