The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-25
MARCH in A BLIZZARD
A STORY OF REAL EXPERIENCE BY
A REGULAR ARMY SOLDIER.
A Notable March, in Which Mai.
James Il. MackIin, then a Cap
tain, Took Part.

1t is generally believed that soldiers in
the regular army have an easy time ana
do not encounter hardships. This impress
sion is entirely wrong, for in time of peace
the regular soldiers very often are forced
TO undergo experiences as bitter as any
undertaken in severest campaigns. a man
who saw several years service in the Elev-
enth Infantry, which for years was sta
toned in Arizona, and was in the company
command of Major James Z. Macklin, then
a captain in the Eleventh Infantry. and
who will soon take charge of the local re-
cruiting station, mentioned some of his ex-
periences in regular army life in the West
ern country.
1T was in the year 1895" said he, when
the regular army had just been equipped
with the Kr-ag-Jorgensen rifle and the de-
partment was anxious to ascertain just
what accoutrements they could carry on a
forced march, a battalion of the Eleventh
infantry, stationed at Fort Apache, Ari-
IONA, was ordered to make a forced march
of $50 miles in fifteen days, the route being
to a point in Mexico and return. The bat
TALON was under the command of Captain
Quinby. Major Macklin was then a cap
tain. and several of the officers were In
diana men. Among them was Lieutenant
ellis, just out Of West Point, who came
from near S~helbyville, and who. on ac-
count of his stature and general appear
ance, had been named Kitty Lieutenant
Battle was another Indiana officer. The
march was undertaken to ascertain just
the soldiers could stand.
MADE RAPID PROGRESS.
"The battalion made rapid progress for
four days, when camp was pitched in a
canon in New Mexico. At certain times
of the year that country is subject to Sc
we're storms, sometimes lasting for a week
or ten days, and frequently they assume
all Of the characteristics of a blizzard.
While the soldiers were in camp the sky
became clouded and the Indian scouts
warned Captain Quinby not to venture on
the march, and advised him TO remain in
camp until the storm was over. The COM
mander did not heed and started on the
march. We had not been five hours out
OF camp until we were In the midst Of a
terrible blizzard.
filling our eyes and almost cutting our
cheeks. We could not see ahead, and ropes
had to be stretched from either side of the
ambulanceS for guide lines. With hands
firmly holding TO the ropes the march con-
tinued for two days, when We struck a
small clump of trees. The soldiers cut
these down, built fires and pitched their
tents. While we were in camp it was
learned that the scouts, who were familiar
with the climate and country, had advised
Captain Quinby not to venture out until
after the storm. This caused much indig-
nation and strong threats were made
against the officer. When he approached
the fire he was accOsted in the most unbe-
coming terms by The soldiers, and was
finally driven back into the cold. More
threats were made, and Captain Macklin
was one of the men who took Captain
Quinby away from the angry soldiers to
protect him.
"For eight days the battalion remained
in camp i'm this clump of timber before the
storm broke. Our tents were covered with
snow, and each morning the entrances
were usually closed, so that passagewayS
had to be dug out. The soldiers Jared
fairly well, as they had provisions, but
there was nothing for the mules. The ami
mails became so hungry that they chewed
up their collars to get the straw and
gnawed the bark off of the trees. A relief
train had been detailed to meet the bat
TALON, but it had stopped at a mountain
ranch until after the storm. The mules
became frantic, and when the relief was
yet several miles away they smelled the
hay and began kicking, and were uncon-
trollable until after the wagons arrived
and they were given food.
LOST THE TRAIL.
"To make matters worse Captain Quinby
had lost the trail and had it not been for
the scouts the whole battalion would have
been lost. After the captains experience
at the camp he allowed the Indian scouts
to lead the battalion back to the trail and
to the final destination.
The soldiers were completely exhausted
when they reached the turning point and
appeared with faces smeared with SCOT
from charred timber. This was done tC
counterfeit the reflection from the snow
which lay in chrystal-like form everywhere
/ and UlittPTpG in the sun. The sight was
binding and il was only the heavily black
ened eyelaSheS that prevented many of the
soldiers from losing their eyesight. -Four
men went insane on the march, two OF
whom were lost in the blizzard. They were
driven mad by the bitter blast of snow
and ice and were placed in the ambulance
as soon as their demented condition became
known. The wind blew their hats off and
in trying to get them all four lost the am.
bulance and the ropes. A sudden shift OF
the wind uncovered two of the bodies as the
rear of the line was passing the place
where they fell and they were recovered
but the other two were never found. The
two men rescued, when taken TO the fire al
the camp and exposed TO its warmth, be
came violently insane. climbed the trees
and acted like wild men before they could
be restrained. After long treatment in the
hospital they finally regained their reason
a TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
1.-The officers and soldiers were nearly al
affected by the terrible experience. Capt
| Mdcklln lay Tor weeks IN the nOSplJdl WIFI
his legs paralyzed, due to the long exposure
while riding horseback. Captain Quinby
was also confined in the hospital. DR.. IRE.
land, the surgeon. went TO Denver about
two months after the return of the batal
lion and died as a result Of the experience
His death. however. was not regretted by
the rank and file. On the return trip Il
Fort Apache, the streams in Arizona wer,
swollen and when a command was given tC
halt, all of the soldiers made a rush to fl
their canteens. They were ordered to desis
by DIR. Ireland. Afterward. when they wer,
sick, Ireland refused to attend them, saying
that they were i'll as a result of diSobeying
orders in drinking : the water. Kitty
Wells had a controversy with DR.. ireland
and said to him, You may be a very gOOC
surgeon in the army. but If you We're il
Indiana you would not have a patient.
'Kitty's' sympathy for the soldiers made al
of them like him.
Il could tell you many more things about
that march, but do not think it would b,
advisable. When a nan comes TO me anC
says a regular soldier does not have a hare
time l know he has never been one anC
knows nothing about outdoor army life
Instead of completing the march in ffteeI
days we were gone twenty-five days anC
thought we were lucky 10 get back at all.