Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-08
PATCHO OF
MOONLIGHT
A Soldier on Picket II Fright.
ened to Death.
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Now and then you have read Of a sol
der being drummed out Of the army for
cowardice, and you felt nothing but con
tempt for him. 1t is human nature to
despise a coward. No dog will own a
master who shows the white feather.
Cowardice in a citizen is bad enough, but
when displayed by one who is paid, drill
ed and equipped to fight our battles and
who has been passed upon as a brave
man you can find no excuse for him. You
condemn him offhand and remember only
to avoid him. You go too fast. Soldiers
have been disgraced who would have
made proud records if circumstances had
been a little different. For every cow
ard weeded out a thousand have been left
in the ranks.
Did you ever go to war expecting to
be killed? OF course not. There would
be dead and wounded, but you would not
be among them. No one had cause to
wonder whether you were a brave man or
a coward until your first battle. Then
there were hubbub and confusion, and if
your nerve gave way you had plenty Of
company, and it was not commented on.
You were afraid, MORALLY afraid. Don't
deny it, for no one but a buffer will be-
lieve you. Shot and shell and bullet and
roar Of battle, with men finging up their
hands and screaming in agony, benumbed
you. 1t was a horrible nightmare, and
you deserved neither praise nor censure.
You carried yourself better on the second
occasion, but don't say that on the third
you felt no %trepidation. That would be
false and find no believers. How many
Of us took in all the big battles, from Nc
Clellan's first to Grants last, and yet did
we sweep forward under Custer at Sail
or's creek without fear Of death? There
were pale cheeks and chattering teeth
and choking hearts as we went, and there
was a cause for it.
But il a soldier went through his first
battle with credit his courage was not
put beyond question. There was a hard
er trial in store for him. 1t was the pick
ct post at night, with the enemy's posts
only half a mile away, and a day Of bat
tie was not to be compared to.a turn Of
two hours in the darkness under the
trees. Here is post No. Z in the far edge
Of q piece of forest. A quarter of a mile
in rear Of it is a bivouac of the reserves.
In front is al old cotton field. On the
far edge of the field is a farmhouse, and
beyond that the enemy may be found.
The view by day is peaceful and pleas
ant, and it is hard to imagine that war is
upon the land. When there is no sharp
shooting, the day pickets are rather bored.
They smoke, cut their names on the
smooth beeches and write letters to wives
and sweethearts in pencil. They feel al
,nAA& 49, 4Ho -a 20 OF L0y,o 80 s1yn ~~
street or farm. But when night comes
all is changed. There are b~ushwhackers
prowling about by night; there are scouts
seeking information; there are spies try
ing to penetrate the camps. Under cover
Of darkness the enemy may advance in
force to new positions. Gaunt and saw
age dogs, driven from home by battle,
skulk In the thickets and are desperate
with hunger, and at the lonely cry Of the
midnight owl the buzzards roosting in the
dead trees wake up and utter such
strange sounds that the picket's heart
leaps int his throat.
There was something like pity in the
corporal's heart as he relieved post No. 7
at 10 o'clock at night and whispered in
structions to the smooth faced boy who
was to enter into battle with the night.
A boy he was, and vet he had come out
Of his first battle with a good word from
all and had stood fire on the skirmish
line and with the wagon train. 1t was
his first picket post at night in face Of
the enemy. He had given the matter no
thought. He was cool and collected as
he took the post, and he laughed as the
corporal warned him against getting over
excited and raising a false alarm. In
three minutes the footsteps of the relief
could no longer be heard, and the picket
sat down at the foot of his tree to wait
and watch and commune. There was
home to think of-father, mother, broth
er and sisters. While his thoughts were
busy he could also watch and listen. 1t
was not against orders to smoke his pipe.
For ten minutes the boys thoughts
were 30 pleasant that he almost forgot
where he was. Then he was suddenly
aroused BY a gust Of wind which moaned
through the branches above his head
and rubbed. two limbs together to make
an uncanny ~creaking. 1t was moth.
ing to alarm, and vet It set, his heart to
beating at a furious rate and brought him
to his feet to look about him as II expect
ing q blow. Loneliness, darkness, a gust
Of wind-that was the beginning Of 1t
Before 80 minutes had passed the boy
was trembling In every limb. He knew
he was scared. He feared for his cour
age, and yet he could not help it. He
sank down and had a fight with himself.
He argued that there was no danger;
that It was only the darkness; that it was
foolish to get ratified over nothing. He
might have fought his fears back, but
the night had only begun to toy with him.
Some animal-dog, fox or rabbit-was
moving about In the forest to his right.
There was a pat. pat, pat, on the dry
leaves, with now and then the breaking
NJ \ afick. Tha how falt 4 chill from head