Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-04-03
CHAPTER I.

Something unusual was going on at
division headquarters and the men in
the nearest regimental camps, regular
and volunteer, were lined up" along
the sentry posts and silently, eagerly
watching and waiting. For week
rumor had been rife that orders for a
move We're coming, and the brigades
hailed it with delight. For month
shivering at night in dripping, drench-
ing fogs drifting in from the Pacific, or
drilling for hours each day on the bleak
slopes Of the Presidio heights, they had
been praying for something to break
the monotony of the routine. They
were envious of the comrades who had
been shipped to Manila, emulous Of
those who had stormed Santiago, and
would have welcomed with unreason-
ing enthusiasm any mandate that bore
promise of change of scene-or duty.
The afternoon was raw and chilly; the
wet wind blew salt and strong from the
westward sea, and the mist rolled in,
thick and. fieecy, hiding from view the
familiar landmarks of the neighborhood
and forcing Il display of lamplights in
the row Of gaudy saloons across the
street that bounded the camp ground
toward the setting sun, though that in
visible luminary was still an hour high
and afternoon drill only just over.
Company after company in their cam
paign hats and flannel shirts, in worn
blue trousers and brown canvas leg
gngs, the men had come swinging in
from the broad driveways of the beau
tiful park to the south and, as they
passed the tents of the commanding
general, even though they kept their
heads erect and noses to the front, their
wary eyes glanced quickly at the I'M
usual array of saddled horses, of car
riages and Concord wagons halted along
the curbstone, and noted the number
of officers grouped about the gate.
Ponchos and overcoat capes were much
III evidence on every side as the men
broke ranks, scattered to their tents
to stow away their dripping arms and
belts, and then came streaming out to
stare, unrebuked, at headquarters. 1t
was still early in the war days, and,
among the volunteers and, indeed,
among regiments of the regulars whose
ranks We're sprinkled with college men
who had rubbed shoulders but a few
months earlier with certain subalterns,
the military line of demarcation was a
dead letter when 1.-THE boys were, out
If Sight and hearing of their seniors,
and so it happened that when young
officer came hurrying down the path
way that led from the tents of the gen
eral to those of the field officers Of the
Tenth. California, he was hailed by more
than one group of regulars along whose
lines he passed and, as rule, the-query
took the terse, soldierly form of whats
up, Billy?"
The lieutenant nodded affably to sew
eral of his fellows of the football field
but his hand crept out from underneath
the. shrouding cape. palm down, sig
mailing caution. "Orders-some kind,
he answered in tones just loud enough
TO be heard by those nearest him. seen
the old man anywhere? The general
wants him." and, never hating for re
ply, the youngster hurried on.
lie was bright, CHEEKY, brave-eyet
lad of 20 who six months earlier was
stumbling through the sciences at tn,
great university on the heights beyone
the glorious bay, never dreaming o.
deadlier battle than that in which hi.
pet eleven grappled with the striped
team of rival college. All on sud
den, to the amaze of the elders of tn,
great republic, the tenets and tradi
tons of the past were thrown to tn,
winds and the Hermit Nation" leapet
the seas and flew at the strongholds O.
the Spanish colonies. Volunteers spran.
up by the hundred thousand and re
luctant congress accorded meage1
addition to the regular army. Many
college athlete joined the ranks, whil
limited few, gifted with relatives VIII,
had both push and pull" were per
mitted to pass a not very eXacting eX
animation and join the permanent es
Establishment as second lieutenants forth
with. Counting those commissioner
in the regular artillery and infantry
there must have been dozen in tn
thronging camps back of the great city
and of these dozen, Billy Gray" Bellig
erent Billy" as a tutor dubbed hi1
when the war and Billy broke out te
gether, the latter to the extent of
four-days' absence from all coliegiat
duty-was easily the gem of the 10
One of the brightest minds" in hi
class, he was one of the LATEST; one c
the quickest and most agile whe
aroused, he was one of the torpids a
a rule. One of the kind who shouI