Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-12-20
THE REGULARS CHRISTMAS.

christmas Day in the regular service"
said an army officer to the writer recent
ly, is observed very much as it is any
where else that good fellows are gathered
together. There is just as much feasting
and fun as circumstances allow. Some
times they do not allow much, it is true
but where the Men have not had good
things to eat and drink on Christmas
Day the history of the army is that this
tact alone has not been enough to de-
press them In my memory one Christ
mas Day in the regular service stands
out above all others. 1t was in the early
SOS, and |, an officer of the TIL United
State infantry, was stationed at a post
in Dakota Territory. The weather was
bitter cold that year and the ground was
covered with heavy crust of snow We
will call the post Fort Lincoln. That
was not the name, but it will do. On
three sides of a square We're buildings;
the fourth faced steep embankment,
from the edge of which beyond a thick
growth of underbrush and far below
could be seen the Old Muddy Tor Mis-.
souri, river tearing along.
On the north side of the square was
one-story building fifty feet wide and
200 long. This was the barracks where
the men were quartered. On the west
was n row of five small one story cot
tages, unpretentious, but neat and nicely
kept. The officers lived in them. On the
south side of the square was the hospital
building and a house for the quarter.
masters stores. In the hospital building
were the offices of the post Outside the
buildings and extending entirely around
| the post was n trench four feet deep.
which the commandant had compelled the
men to dig in the early summer. The
men swore as they worked at it. but
Capt. Hay told his brother officers that it
might be useful some time. Thank God
for the old fellows foresight! 1t must
be remembered that there was no earth
work or stockade around this post. Fort
| Lincoln was in an Indian reservation,
| Every two weeks 5000 Indians came for
their government rations and clothing to
the agency, which was established in a
! large building only few hundred yards
| from the post. The indian agent had
given up a $4,000 job to take the agency
at $500 year, and was getting rich.
| We army people saw what was going on,
but We're helpless The day before Christ
mas Corp. Thompson, with two or three
OF the best shots in the post, had gone
to the big bend where the Old Muddy
forms almost a circle, and killed several
dozen prairie chickens.
In this bend the Ballard berries were
thickest, and consequently the chickens
most plentiful. Teamster Moore, when
he went several days before TO the rail
road, twenty two miles away, had pur.
chased several demiiohns of the 'old
stuff and smuggled them into camp.
The officers might have guessed what he
was doing, but Christmas was coming.
so they did not see. There were only
two companies, about l2O men. in the
post. On the chickens and some other
things that had been sent for weeks be-
fore they were anticipating a royal feast.
One of the 'non-eoms' in the post was
Sergeant Franklin, young fellow who
had joined the army because of his reck.
less disposition and desire for adventure,
He came from good family and was
really much above his companions. Ae.
| Cording TO the story he told me after.