Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-12-30
The Dignity Of O'ROurke


idsI, AeueehahIS anu captains who de-
sired to take up arms as a profession
were willing to take positions as ser.
.geants In the standing army. That was
how Captain O'Rourke, late of the Sev-
enty-first volunteers, came to be order
ly sergeant of Company +, Eleventh
United States infantry.
AS a captain of volunteers O'Rourke
was noted for two things in particular
he was fighter, and he was a man
of dignity. Within a week of his ioin-
ing his regiment he was nicknamed
Dignity" and the appelatlon stuck to
him to the day of l., death The nine
other orderly sergeants In the Eleventh
were a bit familiar with their lieuten-
ants and captain, and now and then
they condescended to take drink or
sit in a game of poker with the pri-
Yates, but Sergeant O'Rourke never let
himself down. He was always the
same to every one, and 1t came to be
whispered about that If he should ever
smile or crack a joke the United States
would at once proceed to dlss Dive in
thin air.
One day at Fort Reno word was re-
.ceived that the Indians had again TAX
en- to the warpath and that there was
likelihood OF wandering band trying
to cut Off train Of wagons coming nm
with quartermaster supplies. There
was one point Of danger. Once safely
passed that and the hong string Of wag-
'ons would be safe. Sergeant O'Rourke
was sitting Ia his quarters studying the
book of tactics when the coloners or
derly gave hun a message. TAree min
utes later he stood before his command
ing of1cex, and he had twice the dignity
of the man who looked up at him and
said:
Sergeant. l have got word that
Crazy Horse has broken hose again"
Yes. sir. replied the subordinate as
he gave the military salute with the
greatest precision.
"Soms OF his men may attack the
wagon train coming up. II they do It
will be at Stony brook. Do you think
you could take ten men and hold the
crossing against perhaps forty or fifty
Indians until the wagons have passed -
Not a doubt Of It, SIR"
There was a doubt OF 1t In the colo
nefs mind, very big doubt, but Just
then he had larger sick list than
usual and a number Of his officers
were away on leave. The outbreak
was so sudden that he was in q box
He ought to send thirty mon under
command OF Lieutenant TO the point
specified. but he had figured 1t over
and over, and the best he could do was
to send ten under command OF the
orderly sergeant
Yes, SIR; very well, SIR" replied
ORourke az he received his orders
and half an hour later his squad was
marching down the rocky road.
1t was eight miles to the crossing
of Stony brook The men had left the
fort at 1 o'clock in the afternoon Of a
summers day. They saw no signs"
en- route. II the Indians had broken
loose again they were not skulking In
the vicinity OF the fort. The men
stepped out on the rough military road
with marching stride, and in a little
over two hours they had reached the
crossing. All was as peaceful as If
a hostile Indian had never lived Ser
geant O'Rourke saw smiles Of derision
on the faces of some Of the men and
suddenly called out:
Attention, squad! Right face! Left
face! Front! Listen! Some Of you
men think the colonel was mistaken,
but you'll know better within ten min
utes. How many Indians there are in
hiding among the powders over there
can't say but this is no time for smil-
ing. When l give the word make a
rush for the rocks at your right. We
are too late to save the train"
The ten men whirled to the right and
covered forty feet of ground and got
the shelter of the rocks. Sergeant
ORourke followed them at lelsurely
step, although the seventy Indians In
ambush within pistol shot gave him a
yolley. He ought to have been riddled
like sieve but he was untouched.
There were no orders to give. The ten
had no show. They were safe in front,
but the Indians would work past their
Hanks and take them in the rear with
In quarter of an hour. To attempt
retreat was to lose their cover and
court instant death
What are we going to do, sargeT'
asked one of the squad after sending a
bullet into the head of an Indian who
exposed himself in his anxiety to So
cure good aim.
Private Johnson" said O'Rourke as
ne drew himself up stiffly, Il would
thank you to give my title in full
sergeant. What we are going to do,
sir, Is to die, sir. We have already
lost three men,"
Two minutes later one of the eight
survivors came rushing up to say:
The devils are working along on our
right flank, and this place will soon he
too hot to hold usr'
Private Delaney, salute your supe
rior officer when you speak to him,
Your report is received, sir. About
face! March,
There could be only one ending. The
Indians worked forward on the tanks