Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-11-10

~',et when the flames
struck them with a noise like revolver
1 shots.
That was the closest call 1 had
with Big FoOts band OF Indians. The
detachment / was with had orders not
to fire on the Indians except as a last
resort Big Foot found this out. and
as result was very brave in his at
tempts to annoy us. He brought his
painted tribe in one night with their
tom-toms and held a war dance right
In our camp. But under the orders,
the commanding or Ger let them alone.
and he rode away. daring the soldiers
to come out and get him.
He got too gay one day and his
blur was called. One troop OF cavalry
was out scouting by itself, and Big
Foot and his entire tribe met Il. Big
| Foot detailed two braves to seize the
horse OF each cavalryman and turn il
back TO camp. They went back I'm
view of their orders not to fire until
necessary.
When Capt Hennissee saw them
he was red-hot. Co back. he said.
| and stay there The lieutenant I'm
command ordered his men to draw
their pistols Then they rode back.
Big Foot saw they meant business and
quit his blumng."
The Indian campaign in the north
west. in which Sergeant Kelly did
not set better taste OF active service
than he has described. resulted in his
losing his job. the only time in his
l military career The war department
decided TO abolish two companies Of
each .n.autrS regiment and recruit
| two Indian companies instead. Kelly's
company. l. was abolished and a red
skin outfit recruited in its place. A
brave named Hairy Coat became first
sergeant instead of Thomas Kelly.
But Kelly was not long out. The
officers of the Third would not lose
him. and DE soon respIoared on the
roster as first sergeant of y company.
In this company and I'm this capacity
he bad experience enough TO Ell fat
a book.
After humdrum barracks life Of
] ten years or more. Kcily's comDanv
aud regiment were ordered TO Cuba
with Skaters command IL was in
the battle OF ~ Caaey. July I. 1S9S.
and In the campaign against Santiago.
July 1 90 n. 1898. 60 was I'm Gen
Bates flying column" in the battle
OF san Juan ElL Second Lieutenant
Paul GiddinEs was en- command OF the
company there ana First Sergeant
Kelly was next in command. The
company had most of it's experiences
In the trenches.
Sergeant Kelly tells story OF how
a coffee pot served as a flag OF truce
while his company was encampod
within 300 yards OF the Spanish lines.
We had strict orders not 90 stick
our heads above the trenches" he
says. except when fring. I d!d not
know il. but I guess now the Span-
iards had the same orders. We had
had heavy rain, the water in the
trenches up 10 our waists. and we had
been in it FOR % hours. There was no
sleep for us. and. apparently. no eat
ing. We had hard tack. bacon and
green coffee. You see what a meal
that makes without a FIRE. We could
Mt build Gre anywhere. exccn, ON
ton OF the trenches. The orders were
positive not Co even put our heads nm.
But one morning one OF the men
won't tell his name-said he was 20
Ing on top Of the trenches To make a
hre. / warned him not 20 so. but he
said he'd just as soon be shot as starve
TO death So he climbed on ton took
a few sticks and pat coGee rot en-
ton OF them. and what do you suppose
happened?
AS soon rs Tie smoke went up. III
pops Spanish soldiers head. and. I'm
stead OF firing. he picks up few
sticks and sticks coffee pot on them
and touches "a match under H. 10,
Tie didn't see our man and none of
us saw him. Both sides had coffee
II any officer on either side saw il. he
didn't interfere. and didn't think Il
was my place 20 do IT,
1T was no fun ia those trenches %
Sergeant Kelly remarked reminiscent.
ly. although n trench is not dan
gerous place You only expose your
head while you aim and Ere; no mat.
ter how many bullets whistle over
you. you are not Ira danger
Most OF our boys who We're affect.
ed by the trenches and the heat SUI
fered from malaria More OF our com
pany would have G'e1 there ii il hadn't
been for Lieutenant Cidlings. who
sent every night for q i've gallon jug
OF wine out Of his own money. and
gave a sup of IL 10 every weak soldier
in the command"
Returning from Cuba. the Third in
fantry was sent 10 Fort Smelling. Mimi
Lieut. Giddings went home on leave.
and Capt. Wnklosan rejoined the com
pany of which Kelly was first ser
geant. The company was looking for
little rest after It's arduous foreign
service, but it fell into the hottest
work e ever had.
October ., 1898, it was ordered to
Leach Lake. MINI. to protect white
timbermen there from attacks by hos
tile Indians. The company was sent
alone, the uprising not being regard