Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-09-13


from the pen Of Albert Watkins, Jr OIL
Lincoln, Neb., who served under COIL
w. ]. Bryan. 1t has considerable
local significance because the writer,
is son OF Albert Watkins, formerly
of Iowa county, who is a leading gold
democrat. Mr.. Watkins ST., is a.
graduate of our university and his son
spent some time visiting in Madison
year past. He is a graduate OF the
University Of Nebraska His letter fol-
lows:
LAS a colonel Mr.. Bryan was a fiat
failure, and again a grand success. As
o commanding officer at drill or on
dress parade as a leader in the field, or
at the head of his regiment during 4
corps review, his awkward 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 dill
gent champion of their few privileges
there was no more efficient colonel In
the 18th army corps. His own men
knew this and were quick to make the
distinction, loving the colonel of the
camp and worrying but little concern
ing the incapacity of the colonel in the
field And Col. Bryan himself seemed
Indifferent on this point. He exhibited
no ambition to learn the difference be
tween a preliminary command and one
of execution. and during the six months
of his sojourn in the south he advanced
but little in an understanding of the
formal field duties of his position.
His main care seemed to be for the
sanitary condition of his camp ana fo:
the welfare of his men in the hospitals,
so to this responsibility he sacrificed
any desire he may have felt to become
a sound tactician and a commanding
officer of standing.
"Probably no colonel of a volunteer
regiment was so absolutely IMMERSED In
his duties as officer in command as was
Col. Bryan. Most men in such a posi-
ton would have worked day and night
to master the etiquette involved, learn
ing the manual by rote if necessary;
but it is a fact that Col Bryan, when
ever he took charge of the regiment
during the long camp at Jacksonville,
read his commands from a slip of
paper as he sat in his saddle before the
men, That the regiment received
any instruction whatever in reg
mental maneuyers is due to
Lieut.. Col Vifquain, afterward
colonel, an old ciyil-war veteran, who
was in charge of the regiment at nearly
all drills. Col. Bryan never assumed
command save on occasions of formal
Importance, such as review or parade,
when his presence was imperative.
"Col. Bryan was in no particular a
sOldierly man, and would never have
become one. He possessed too great
an individuality to have made even L
good private, and he was not imbued
in the slightest degree with thu martial
instinct for stern commands which
makes an officer. In appearance, as
well as in mental tendencies he was
essentially unsoldiery. Sloping shout
dered, of characteristic easy attitudes
and rather shambling walk, it was i'm
possible to identify him with the
stffy erect, northumberland, square
shouldered of fact and fancy He de-
fed even the military tailor. No
amount of padding, stiffening or
whaleboning could make uniform
look like one on Col Bryan. Mounted
as well as on foot, he was the same.
His seat in the saddle was easy, but
loose, and his posture not erect. This
unmilitaTy appearance was always
heightened by the presence near him.
in contrast Of Col Vifquain. statuelike
on his great sorrel charger.
But once seated at his desk at regi-
mental headquarters Mr.. Bryan was no
longer the hesitating, bewildered nov
ice His natural executive ability APP
piled itself easily and confidently to the
consideration and solution of the prac-
tical matters which there awaited him
As regards subsistence, location ana
sanitation no regiment received better
treatment than the Sd Nebraska, ana
its colonel made a special study Of the
latter subject. The high rate Of NOR
talitv in the neighboring regiments ap-I
palled him, and he was constantly
adopting new measures looking toward
a more healthful condition in his own
camp First board floors for all tents
We're furnished: then these floors wer-
raised nine inches from the ground asI
2 safeguard against malaria; next theI
camp was moved back fifty yards
farther from the cook tents and theI
SINKS. and constant efforts were made
to render the latter cleaner and purpr. /