The National tribune., 1901-10-10
WITH THE OLD 4th CAV.
Service in the Southwest After the Civil
War.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In read
ing up some of Comrade Peck's Rough
Riding chapters that | had missed, came
across his notice of bill Rankin" chat
is what we always called him). Peck
tells about him in the issue of Aug. %.
knew Rankin well, as well, probably, as
any man who ever served with him.
When first joined the 4th Cav. in 1865
Rankin was First Sergeant of Troop +
and when | finally left it, in 1885, he was
still in the Troop.
When l first knew him he was still q
young man, and one of the finest-looking
soldiers l had ever seen.
/ afterwards served 10 years in the
Troop with him, and was present at that
| fight in the North Fork that Peck tells
about. 1t was | who ordered Rankin back
this Troop would not go to the rear when
wounded, unless he was told to go; any
non-com. could tell him to go, though.
Rankin was n man who did not know
what fear was; he was ready to go any
where at any time.
While still a First Sergeant he was
commanding officer of the post for several
days at one time, the only non-com. |
ever knew who acted as such. In 1867
Troop + was at Fort Mason, Tex, the
only garrison troop the post had.
Maj. John A. Thompson, its Captain,
was killed by an outlaw when trying to
arrest him; both of the Troops Lieuten-
ants were absent, and the doctor here was
n contract surgeon, and not a commits
stoned officer, so that left Rankin in COM
mand of the post until one of the Lieuten-
ants reported.
If Rankin had been better educated he
no doubt would have gotten a commits
sion, but that is what kept a number of
us from getting one; we did not know
enough about astronomy, geometry,
mathematics, and the rest of it, and not
knowing this we could not command q
troop of cavalry. At least, that is what
we were told, but what all this stuff had
to do with fighting Indians l never could
find out.
Another man whom Peck mentions in
the same chapter is Napoleon B. Nc
Laughlin. l knew him well. He was in
command of brigade of infantry in the
Army of the Potomac, and after the close
of the war came back to his troop. He
was Captain of Troop |, but it did not do
to address him as Captain; you must call
him General. l knew that, and always
did so, and never had 4 request / made to
him refused.
In 1871 we were out on the Staked
Plains, and on the Sd of July went into
camp to remain over the 18th, and here our
commanding officer, Gen. Mackenzie, left
us for a few days; that put Gen. Nc
Laughlin in command. Next morning
some of US concluded to try and put in
the 4th of July hunting, so one of the
men went up to ask for permission for
himself, and came back with n long face.
well, are you goihg?" l asked.
"NO, of course not; lie won't let any one
go; you might know that" was the an
swer "t
How did you address him."
Captain, of course; that is what he
is, amt he? and crank one at that, too"
Now, I'll bet a horse he will let me
CO." 1 said. O."
'He may let a non-com. go" Il was a
COrporaD, but he is more likely to snap
your head off, as he did mine and say
No; stay in camp" ~
Going up to the General, asked to be
let go hunting that day, taking care to adj
dress him as General.
Certainly" he answered, ego ahead,
but keep good lookout for Indians while
you are OUT
got three antelope while out, but had
to crawl a mile on my hands and knees
across the prairie to get close enough to
them to shoot them; then, leaving them
there, I came in after my horse and a
pack mule. When | brought them in
left one of them with the General, and he
was kind enough to remark that it was
Oh SOME use LOT me 10 go hunting, uld
not travel around all day, then come in
with what | had started out with.
When in the field the old General lived
on just what we did, coffee, bread and
bacon. He would not carry any canned
goods with him; the stuff that we ate
was good enough for a soldier, L have
heard him say more than once.
These old officers that rise from the
ranks, as he did, made splendid officers;
they knew how to treat i man, and were
up to all tricks; you could not fool them,
and if man did his duty he got fair
show with them.--JoMN A. Brooks,
Troops FL and f, 4th U. S. Cav, Sol
diers' Home, Erie, Pa.