The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-14
A SAVE


How did Buttons get his name?
Well I reckon I gave it to him. You
see. he was so blamed neat. Now. A
Troop never was much for style. but the
very devil TO fight. This little chap
Randall was his name-was always and
forever cleaning up. Now. we men of
good order, and let the uniforms get a
bit rusty until inspection.
''It was one hot summer day that
went TO our barracks when relieved from
orderly duty.
The boys were Iounging about or
sleeping, all but Buttons. He was bur
nishing the buttons on his blouse. 1t
made me hotter than ever TO see him,
and / hailed him as Buttons This
made the boys laugh. and big McLaugh-
lin. our sergeant-he's first sergeant now
-growled out that that was a good
rame as II was all the coward was
good for, anyway.
We'll, sir we all howled, and But
tons got white and left the barracks
without a word. He wouldn't talk back.
and we thought he was a coward But.
Lord, he had more sand than any man
in that troop. or the whole regiment, for
that matter.
i IA never LOIBCL Alldl rue II was
Jess than a year after 1 gave Buttons
his name. One morning in came q bow
boy all blood. PedriIIo and his band
were out. and ranches We're going up in
smoke, with the rancheros and
~aqueros, as they cali them there, 10
feed the flames. We welcomed the
news, for We had been quiet for couple
lcc months. Our garrison turned out
before noon, A and 3 troops in the
lead, where we liked to be. Our major
commanded, and off we went TO the
west 10 Duncans ranch. A pile OF
biackened timbers. smoking stones. and
a few scattered bones were ali that was
left The flutter OF a woman's apron
on a chaparral bush caught our eyes,
and a hoarse roar rose up from the
ranks. The majors eyes flashed fire
as. rising in his stirrUps. he yelled:
Captains Berkeley and Curtis, file your
men slowly past that apron. It's the
flag of this campaign! FoUrs right, trot,
marehi'
swell. sir, we paraded by that ragged
apron. and then at the word dashed or
on the trail. As we swung into the
gallop I saw a trooper rush TO the front
with that apron. It was white when we
got il. but IT was blood red when the
caupaign ended. That trooper was
Buttons. He waited quietly as we swept
bv. and then took his place IN the ranks
and rode on He's broke ranks with
ont leave, but, Lord, sir, nobody said
ANYTHING! 1 reckon We had begun to
dud ont we were mistaken in our man
on into the alkaline plains we dashed,
until the dust covered shoulderstraps,
strfpes. and cheVrons. and the only way
YOU could tell an officer was by where
he rode.
Into canyons and over hills We
stormed. far in advance Of the main
BODY OF troops That night our Pueblo
scouts 49, Indians themselves - reported
that we were in striking distance OF the
red skins. But they could give US no
clear idea of the number of our foes.
We were miles in front; could We at
tack without support? Every man of US
was eager for the fray. for that apron
iuttered IN the lazy wind near where
the major sat his horse.
We slept on our arms. and the next
morning carefully felt our way until we
were certain that Pedrillo had given Is
the slip. Then on once more, in a hot
gaIlop in spite OF the fearful sun. As
night was about TO fall again we fled
down narrow pass to a plain skirted
on each site by little mountain stream
and protected by a huge blun as
straight as a wall AS we formed once
more at the bottom OF the pass. the