The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1906-10-18

shots.
That was the closest call / had
with Big Foots band Of Indians. The
detachment I was with had orders net
20 Gre on the Indians except as a last
resort Big Foot found this out. and
az a result was very brave In his at
tempts to annoy ms. He brought his
painted tribe IN one night with their
tOm-toms and held q war dance right
In our camp. But. under the orders.
the commanding officer let them alone,
and he rode away, daring the soldiers
TO come out and get him.
He got too gay one day and his
BLUFF 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 it
back to camp. They went back In
view OF their orders not to Ere until
necessary.
when Capt. Hennissee saw them
he was red-hot Go back, he said,
and stay there. The lieutenant in
command ordered HIS men 10 draw
their pistols. Then they rode back
Big Foot saw they meant business and
quit his blufing."
The Indian campaign In the north
west. in which Sergeant Kelly did
not get a better taste Of active service
than he has described, resulted in his
losing his job. the only time in his
military career. The war department
decided 90 abolish two companies Of
each infantry regiment and recruit
two Indian companies instead. Kelly's
company, J. 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
omttrs OF the Third would not lose
him, and be 500 reappeared on the
roster as first sergeant OF = company.
In this company and 60 this capacity
BE had experience enough 10 dll fat
a book.
After a humdrum barracks life Of
ten years or more. Kelly's company
and regiment were ordered TO Cuba
with Skaters command. II was In
the battle Of Fl Cauey. July i. 1895.
and in the campaign against Santiago.
, July ! to II. 1888; st was in Gen.
Bates nying column" In the battle
OF san Juan Hin. Second Lieutenant
Paul Giddings was In command Of the
company there and First Sergeant
Kelly was next IN command The
company had most Of It's experiences
in the trenches.
Sergeant Kelly tells q story OF how
a coffee pot served as a flag OF truce
while his company was encamped
withia 500 yards Of the Spanish lines.
We had strict orders not to stick
our heads above the trenches he
says. except when firing I did not
know it. but 2 guess now the s pan.
iards had the same orders We had
had a heavy rain, the water 60 the
trenches up 20 waists. and we had
been 90 81 for % hours. There was nc
sleep for us. and. apparently. no tat
| iug We had hard tack. bacon and
green coffee You see what "a meal
that makes without a FIRE. We could
nj build IA FIRE anywhere. except on
I top OF thc trenches. The orders were
| positive NOT go wen put ogr heads up
But one morning one OF the mcn-l
won't ten his nRme-said oe was 90
| Ing on top of the trenches 20 make
Gre Z warmed him not 20 go. but Z
said he'd just as soon be shot as s,aryt
90 death. So he climbed on top. toCb
q few sticks and put a coffee pot "a
, top of them. and what do you suppos,
|, happened
"As sooA as the smoke went up, ~
pops a Spanish soldiers head. and. Do
p stead of firing ne picks mp a Re
sticks and sticks a coffee pot on then
p and touches a match under &c. too
D He didn't see our man and none %
{ as saw him. Both sides had conc'
q n any officer on either side saw 81. Do,
g didn't Interfere. and / didn't think q
was my place 20 do g.
% "It was no fun Ia those trenches
, Sergeant Kelly remarked reminiscent
10 iy, although a trench as not a dan
! gerons place. Yo1 only expose yea.
! head while you aim and fire, no mat
ter how many bullets whistle owe.
= son, you are not in danger
y Most % our boys who were aHoci
% by the trenches and the heat sui
1 feuad from malaria More Of our com
u pany would have died there ~ q hadu'
4, been for Lieutenant Glddings. wh.
sent every night Tor a ave gallon iuI
az wine out OF his own money. an.
:. gave a sup of q 20 every weak s5idle
IN tho command
Returning from Cuba. The Third 20
\, fantry ives sent Co Fort Smelling. Ninn
Lieut. Giddlngs went home ON leave
a and Capt Wilkinson rojoined the com
pany % which Kelly vas FIRST scr
10 gcant Tho company was looking 10
a little rest after Us arduous foreigl
= service. but Il zen into the hotties
!. work. n ever had