The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-05
TiniL Become Brave.

discussion amoug group Of men in a
hotel lobby turned to war.
u have spent the greater part of my
!tte ii the army aud have watched
the way volunteers act when they FIRST
get on the firing line and become tar
gets for the enemy's rifles. remem-
Der in the Philippines there was q
company recruited from the National
Guard in one of the cities not far
from Kansas City. The men were
all above the average in intelligence,
and they were what is called the
crack military organization of their
Town. Most Of the men had been
clerks and students, and they had no
time to become seasoned when they
were ordered to the front. The cap
tain was as fine looking fellow as |
ever laid my eyes on, and every one
thought he would make an ideal sol.
der, He had his company well drill
ed and was very popular. One day
this company was ordered into march
OF some miles against detachment of
the enemy known to be in hiding along
road. The men were nervous. I
could see that from where I was riding
along.
They were afraid, anyone could see
that, but there was no tagging. All
at once | saw the captain drop to the
ground. There was little to that, as
it was very hot and prostrations from
the heat were numerous. But, when
we picked him up and ordered him to
the rear he wouldn't go. He was as
white as sheet and trembled 80 vio-
lently that most of the men about
thought him deathly sick. But I
knew that this man was scared. He
had dropped from sheer fright. He
Ignored the requests that he retire
and staggered along with his lips
tightly compressed aud the perspira-
tion running down his white face in
streams.
It's pretty far cry from The ribbon
counter to the firing line in foreign
country, where there are no girls TO
look on, to patch of wild jungle un-
der blistering sun. I wouldn't have
been surprised, nor would l have
blamed those young fellows if they
had dropped their guns and fed.
"But they didn't. They were so
scared that their eyes were set in their
heads, and as soldiers they were not
worth continental. AS they stood
at their posts there was the crack of !.
rifle not 90 yards away, and one of the
young heroes fell with little cry.
Then the shots came faster, until
there was single volley that tore
down that scared line of boys until
several were squirming in the dust.
The order came to charge. What do
you think that line of volunteers did?
"They ran. but they ran towards
the enemy. In an instant all their
fear was gone. It had given place to
that wild exultation that comes only
in the delirium Of slaughter. There
was no more fear. Every one Of those
boys was transformed into a maniac
for revenge. They dashed into the
enemy and fought like devils. The
captain, who had tainted from fear
only few minutes before, couldn't
be stopped. A bullet hit him over
one eye and the blood streamed down
his face, but he seemed only annoyed
that it interfered with his seeing the
forms Of the enemy.
1.-The fight was short one, and in
a little while the insurgents we're fly.
Ing through ths woods. The order
came for our boys to halt aud rally
and then withdraw. But the boys of
the crack regiment didn't hear the
order. They wouldn't have paid any
attention to it if they had heard it.
On they'went through the brush with
their brains on fire.
Halt! shouted the colonel.
There was no answer from the
boys.
!" For heavens sake, somebody
stop them, cried the colonel.
II put the spurs into my horse and
went after the runaways. I caught
up with che captain at last.
'Hsltl' shouted.
'HaltT yelled the captain. "What
in hell do you want us TO halt for?
We've got 'em licked. kansas City
journal.