The National tribune., 1902-06-26

trict under my charge in the next half
hour inspecting posts, and the variety of
information l acquired on the subject OF
this shooting was astonishing.
The only thing that was unanimous and
apparently certain was that not one Of
the men on duty knew from whence the
shots came or had seen anything unusual.
Finally reached Mosquito HILL post
ON the wall where strong guard pro
tected some magazines and guns, and
there the sentinel on post SAID that the
shots had been fred by somebody outside
the wall and over in the direction of the
Luncta. as he had seen the flashes of the
gun. The next day | learned that a SEN
tilel of the Wyoming battalion had fired
at some skulkers who would not halt
when commanded to do so.
At this time the Filipincs were giving
our sentries great deal of trouble. They
were persistent in :heir efforts to steal
powder and guns from the magazines and
wall. and sentinels were very prompt to
| fire if orders to halt We're not obeycd. In
making his rounds of the detached posts,
especially those at the magazines and bat
| teries. the Officer of the Day took no
chances Of stealing up quietly 10 see if
the men On post were alert. He walked
up boldly and responded quickly to a
challenge, for he very well knew that not
much time elapsed between the challenge
L
If he reached the sentinefs post and did
not see him, the man possibly being at
the opposite end OF his beat, he invariably
called out so that his presence would be
| known.
One Of the stories of the time was to
the effect that an Officer of the Day in
| this way approached sentinel on post
on very dark night and was within a
few yards of the man when the challenge
came to halt. He halted and waited for
| the next challenge of "Who is there! p
but instead of that he heard the command
| Halt again, accompanied by the click
of the hammer as it was cooked. There
were some recruits on post for the first
time that night. and the officer had his
suspicious that this was one of them and
that he had the buck fever, so lodging
behind wall he shouted:
"What are you going to do? Don't you
know your orders!'
yes" came the reply.
"What are they, then?'
| 1.-The Sergeant said i was to halt you
| three times and then shoot you
The officer congratulated himself upon
his foresight in getting behind the wall
before opening the conversation. He
finally persuaded the sentry to forego his
bloody intentions and call for the Corporal
of the Guard, who soon made his appear
ance on the run and averted the tragedy
many another man who did not catch
on" quite as quickly as his comrades to
the intent and purpose of his orders.
! remember such a one during our short
stay in the muster-in camp. He was
somewhat Shaksperian in his tastes and
language. The first night he was on post
the Commanding Officer made the grand
rounds about midnight. As he approached
the post Of his sentinel the man struck
an attitude, not exactly the port arms
, prescribed in the regulations. but more
,, like that assumed by Ajax in his cele
brated controversy with the lightning
and challenged:
. "Who comcthT'
This staggered the General somewhat
being considerable of stckler for exact
ness in everything; but he managed Il
say:
"Thc Commanding Officer"
approach, General, and identify your
SELF" was what next saluted his outraged
! ears.
, He did. and that sentinel was never il
doubt in the future of the identity of tn,
Commanding Officer TI4t very sentine
= made as good soldier as the army pos
; sessed, whether in camp, on lonely out
, post duty in the wilderness in the deat
of night, or charging the enemy's in
trenchments in the face Of a storm of bull
lets. You cannot tell what is in a soldier
, from the way he does his first guart
, duty.
2 THE FILIPINos GETTING READY.
We had been performing this duty bu
few weeks when one night there wa.
succession of shots from the wall. TIL,
] Officer of the Day with a small squad OF
e another relief, and accompanied BY sew
eral other officers, rushed In the direction
: of the shooting and soon came to an OK
cited sentinel, who declared that two mel
had tried to steal the guns on the wal
] overlooking the Luneta. These were tws