The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-10-03

iced Enemy $ lCsssfI not KNOWN.
We have all seellitbe long wagon trains
that cucumber our army on the march,
and we know how large a part is taken
up with bulky tents, that usually fail to
reach us-when we need them worst-in
rainy weather. Our movements are fire.
quently delayed by the necessity of keep
ing them under our protecting wing.
Morgan and Wheeler, the rough riders of
the Confederacy, are wont TO swoop
down upon them at unexpected times and
places. They are seldom able to carry
away the wagons, so the torch usually re-
duces them to blackened piles of scrap
iron, while the mules -gallop away with
their captors without a murmur.
The grapevine has for some time been
telling us that every man shall be his own
baggage wagon. and the report was con-
firmed Dec. u, when Lieut.. Dexter ex-
hibited in camp the newly contrived shell
ter tent which is to take the place of
our "Sidleys." 1t is nothing but a strip Of
canvas 6X10 feet, which will cover about
as much space as a dog house. We there
fore call them "pup-tents." We are ex-
peCted to stretch them over a ridge pole
and stake them to the ground on each
side in the shape of the letter "a" and
then crawl under them on all-fours. We
measured Lieut.. Void of Co. + with one
of the pup-tents and found him too long
at both ends, and now we are waiting
for instructions from the Government how
to make him fit. We don't know whether
to saw off the ends or to drive them in.
Gen. Stanley, with his cavalry, return
ed Dec. Is from Franklin, after driving
out a force of the enemy, who occupied
the town.
Our former Colonel. E. ~ Kirk. has
at last received his commission as Briga-
der General, and remains in command of
our brigade, position he has already
held for six months. He is noted as a
tireless worker and strict disciplinarian,
which qualities have made models of his
old regiment and his brigade. He has
kept us in complete and constant state
of preparation for sudden attack or de-
Tense. He has established rigid rules for
picket duty. which prevents the possibili-
ty Of surprise, and apparently the enemy
avoids us, for we have not fired shot
oil the picket line, while others are fire.
quently attacked within hearing, and al
most in sight, of our posts.
Three of my mesSmates, George Giles,
Robert Wilson and VIM. Scott, have gone
to Nashville to enlist in the Regular ser
vice in the 4th L. S. Cav. A recent or
der from the War Department gives vol
unteers the privilege of joining the Regu-
lar Army, limited to three from each COM
pany. 1t is likely that our regiment will
furnish its full quota. Sergeants and
privates, to serve three years from date
of transfer
A Board of Examiners, consisting of
the Major, two Captains and two Lieuten-
ants, has been appointed to examine the
nOn-cOmmissoned officers of our regiment
as to their knowledge Of tactics, and the
latter are now busily engaged in the
study of Upton, much against their will;
but they are afraid to neglect the neces-
sary preparation, as the Board has
authority to recommend or report against
promotion. We had about concluded that
precision in drill was something that be-
lOnged 10 the Home Guards-an ornamen-
tai affair to please the ladies but of no
use to scare the enemy.
SABBATH IN CAMP.
Rarely in our army experience has the
Sabbath day been observed and re-
spected as thought it was considered any
better than any otherHday in the week.
An occasional sermon and the usual in
spectiOn of arms, awere the only distin-
gushing features of the day. But bet
ter spirit possessed our camp Sunday,
Dec q, and carried our thoughts back to
the peaceful Sabbaths Of our homes. The
weather was perfect. The sun rose with
as much splendor as il, did perhaps upon
the day when God snid Let there be
light" The sky was as1 blue and the pure
winds of heaven as efressing as when
they first kissed the landscape of a new
world. Time has not dimmed nor has
man been able to, dishgure Gods
creation beyond the, reach of his puny
arm. Snehba blessed and kindly mood Of
Nature should have directed our thoughts
TO the Creator and moved us to a serious
contemplation of our duty to him. But
another cause had subdued our bOisterOus
and needless spirits-the defeat Of our
army in Virginia
The first news that we received of the
battle Of Fredericksburg promised a
grand victory, but day after day our
hopes were gradually dissipated by later
scraps and fragments of news until at
length we were brought to the knowledge
of great disaster. Now for the first
time we realized what difficulties and
dangers were before us. At the outset
we thought our presence in the field would
overawe the South. Later we expected to
finish the war in one great battle; but
now, after n number of great battles have
been won or lost, and especially after this
last defeat of Burnside, we are forced to
the conclusion that we must accomplish
cur work by the wearing out process.
Imagination with sad and serious as
pect pointed our mental vision to future
battlefeds strewn with mutilated forms
and CHASTITY faces. Whose faces? For
answer we could only look into each
others eyes and say Yours or mine"
(Memory recalls to me the faces of many
comrades who might have answered on
that beautiful, solemn Sabbath, Mine
'Mine"D
Go be continued)
Rifle Practice for Defense.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The i'm
portance of rifle shooting for rifle defense
cannot be over estimated. 1t is an art
which should be cultivated in every coun-
try that does not keep a large standing
army. In Germany every able-bodied man
mt the age of II is obliged to become n
soldier, where he is Of course taught mill
tary tactics. Other European countries