The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-03-22

reafed with gun in hand, with which
they had brought down the wild game
Of the country, they had no knowledge
OF drill or the duties Of a soldier.
Gen. Nelson, realizing that he had
Independent and undiscipiined nen 10
mould into what he consider I the
true soldier, instituted a code OF dis
cipline that brought out the strongest
tnvec;ives from those untamed West
ern boys.
One of his orders was that reveille
should be sounded at 4 a. m, and that
1c minutes later every man must be
In the ranks to answer roll call.
Your readers can imagine what this
meant TO the boys who had left COM
fcrtatle homes to be called out at this
unseemly hour Of cold Winter morn
Ing, and then to shiver around a log
fire until daylight.
breakfast call at Z, squad drill at 8
and company drill from 10 to IL.
Dinner at IL, battalion or regimental
drill from 1 to 4 in the afternoon.
Nelson's headquarters, and woe betide
the officer who failed to have his COM
pany or regiment obey these calls.
The ground for regimental drill was
at least mile from camp, and / re-
member an incident of his rigid de-
mand for compliance with orders.
Ny regiment was out on the drill
grounds, and the indications were that
We would have heavy rain. 1t lacked
some 10 minutes until the time for re-
call to be sounded. Our Colonel, In
order TO save his men a wetting start
ed for camp. Just as the head of the
column had reached camp an Aid
Camp from headquarters rode up to
the Colonel and. with the compliments
OF Gen. Nelson, he was ordered to re-
turn with his command to the drill
grounds. We returned, had just form
ed in regimental line when the bugle
sounded the recall. The result was
that We were wet to the bum when
we reached camp.
He instituted what he termed an
Officers School of instruction, the tao.
ties and the Army Regulations being
the text books, and the way he lam
basted the shoulder-strapped gentle
men who failed 10 come up to his ideal
standard was caution. His ideas
seemed TO be to first discipline the
officers and then to require them 10
carry out his instructions.
We might look for the General and
his black horse any morning at 4
o'clock, and the Captain who failed to
nave his men In line was liable to be
told that he had better hand in his
resignation, as he was not fitted to be
an officer in the army.
The Generals service In the Navy
had caused him to forget his Sunday.
school training, as he did not Away:
use language that a Sunday-sehool Su.
peiintendent would use.
During the Fall and Winter OF 81
many Of the boys I'm writing home had
in many instances described the life Of
the soldier as being something dread
fui.
Mother, sisters and sweethearts were
led to believe that our clothing wa
insufficient. and that we were actually
starving. The good ladies I'm my Coun
~ In northern Indiana had formed ,
society for the purpose Of trying t.
alleviate our suffering. They kni
cocks and mittens and made up un
0erwear until they had enough to al
the largest size packing box. They thel
delegated DR.. J. ]. Nets to take
down to US. The doctor reached New
Haven, KY. without serious obstacle
from the military authorities. Their
ne had to hire team to transport hi
box to our camp, some 16 miles dis
quarters late In the afternoon, wher.
ne had to go to get q permit to TAX
MS box to our regiment. When tn
Doctor stepped into the Generals ten
the General was engaged In beratin,
citizen teamster who had hauled on
load OF salt for the army. The maj
wanted the General to approve nj
voucher. so that he could get his pay
The General was telling him I'm tina
choice language that he sometime
used that the Government had team
OF Its own and did not employ measl
citizens to do its hauling. He finali,
approved the voucher, and, turning
saT. the Doctor standing with hat il
hand. and. I presume. his exprcssiO,
Sshowing that he was I'm the presenc,
OF a military despot. II he did not, h