The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-04

the second sight on the gun, while the
bayonet lowered far above his head.
BOYS FIGHT WE'LL.
There are men-full grown, well-developed,
hardy isthmian products-to be found In
this army; but in the main it is made up of
boys of that age and size commonly found
I'm the primary grades of the public schools
I'm the States. These little fellows are. how
ever, good fighters. The majority OF them,
among those now over twelve years OF age.
fought in the last revolution. They are es-
teemed by the officers, who claim that they
can glide through the swamps and JunSles
which alternate in making this an almost
impossible country, with greater ease than
can grown men. and there is no discounting
the fact that they can and will fight. They
don't know enough to run away said an
officer when 1 questioned their worth as
soldiers. They often nave to stand against
trees" continued the officer, Ito keep the
recofl of their guns from knocking them
down: but when II comes TO standing on the
firing line. 1 would rather have them than
men" And calling TO a diminutive sentry,
the officer gave a message In Spanish. In
mons. there appeared before US a lad of
not more than eleven years of age. This
boy. who could not have weighed more thar
forty pounds. fought through the closing
days OF the last revolution, and won the
praise of his officers by his performances
at the six-days' light at the railroad bridge
Just outside of Panama, the last encounter
in that revolution. The little fellow went
through that fight with dauntless courage,
loading and firing regularly and effectively,
and never once showing the sign or the
white feather.
So ii is with nearly all the others in this
army. General Huertas Is himself an ex-
emple of the boy sOldlery OF Panama. Al
though but thirty-two years old he is now
the commander-in-chief of the army, in
which he has served since he was nine and
one-half years old. a record OF twenty-five
and one-half years as a soldier for a man
now but thiTty-two years old could not be
matched in any other country except TINS,
where the unusual and unexpected Is TO De
found upon every hand.
General Huertas is one of the characters
of Panama. L have already told how he
came to deliver the army over TO the sep
~aratists. There is back of that, however,
the mans personal story. Upeducated and
Iliterate, he knows absolutely nothing of
the art of war or of military science All
his grades. from that of a Oncommissione
officer to a full-fedged general, were won
during the last revolution. As a brave and
resourceful fighter along the bushWhacklng
methods in vogue here, his reputation is
second to that OF no other man in the army.
yet he knows nothing of military discipline,
and IL his life depended upon IT he could
not drill a full regiment of troops. He lost
his right arm during the last revolution.
and now wears a cork appliance where his
arm could be; but his physical deficiency
does not prevent him from appearing as a
gorgeous spectacle when he dons his full
dress uniform
UNDISCIPLINED.
In his ignorance of military forms and
usages and the art OF war. General Huer-
tas is on a plane with all the other officers
OF this remarkable army. Gen. Domingo
Diaz, division commander, is not better
equipped TO direct military operations than
IS Huertas, and the whole army reflects the
weakness of its commanders. IL is prac-
tically undrilled and undisciplined. Life
I'm the barracks is like a holiday. and the
organization of the establishment is ridi-
culOus in its shortcomings. Under the CO.
lOmbian regime these troops were paid 81
"a d-V in Colombian silver. The TPnublic
has won great favor in their eyes because
* has increased the pay TO s. a day. With
this wages the men are required TO provide
their own %ratioEs, the government being
supposed to furnish them with their uni
forms and arms.
How well the government does it's work
In the matter OF furnishing uniforms was
very fOrcibly demonstrated the other day.
As a rule the soldiers are barefoOted. but
a herCulean effort Is being made TO provide
them with shoes and the other accessories
of a complete outfit. Every little tailor shop
in Panama Is busy making blouses and
trousers. but with shoes Ii Is a different
ready made
/ happened into one of the leading stores
of Panama a day or SO ago and found In the
q corporal. They had come up from the
quartet 10 be fitted with shoes. BarefOoted
they had marched up through the mud. The
store furnished one sock. and soldier No.
began the %trying-On process. He slipped the
sock on his foot and after one or two trials
got a pair OF shoes that gave promise OF
fitting. He then removed the sock. passed
II on 10 soldier No. 2 and slipped his sock.
less feet into the shoes. Soldier No. , used
the sock while trying on shoes. and when he
got a pair that fitted his bare feet went into
them. while the sock was passed on to sol
der No. 3; and SO il went until the six mer
had been shOd. the one sock furnished by
the store doing duty for the six men. Tt
furnish socks is evidently not a part OF the
governments business; nor would IL please
the soldiers should II furnish these article:
OF apparel. for. except when on parade. they
cannot be induced TO wear shoes.
The barracks occupied by these men are
not used TO any extent as sleeping quar-.
tiers. all save the guard for the night being
released at shutdown. They spend Their
nights as they please. II being their usua
custom TO gather In the various gambline
houses and risk their little stores OF money
on the games OF chance which are ruT
openly by the holders of the gambling con.
cessiOn. just now money Is easy amone
the officers OF the Colombian battalion. FOR
they have not succeeded in separating
themselves as yet from the whole OF m,
bonuses paid them when the republic wa,
established. IN consequence the play /:
high, IL being no thing TO SEE
officers risking 500 TO $500 on one turn OF
the roulette wheel.
IL w0nderment Is expressed by the stran.
GER 10 the crcupier over the play OF an,
single Individual. IL is an odds-on wager tina
the croupier VIII nsYer 'Oh, he is a sol
der who was bought IN by the republic. .
That explains the source whence flows tn.