The daily Alaskan., 1907-02-02
Double Discipline

laNeut ana II' i"l" "HN "iN ~ "slouchPd."
 . Awaltin- Company A was young Lieutenant White. fresh from West Point and bringing with him his high ideas of discipline. Ilc bebeld the rag ged men riding in. and his soul revolt ed. There was less discipline than among gang Of cowboys. The first lieutenant was already away on leave. and almost Nt once thc captain of Con- pany A took Lis departure and this left the cadet officer In full command of the sixty mel When he talked dis cipl.ne to his fellow officers they ad- yIsed him to g.ye his men rest for few days and not push them. He elect ed to take h.S own way. however. The command LaI come riding iu one morn ing at 9 o'clock. Next morning at the same hour Company A was ordered out to drill The na1 had not yet picked the sand burs out of their hair an, .le cactus spikes out of their tin- gers and great was their amazement There was mutt2ring and CurSIng, hit orders were oheyed. The officer went among his men at quarters to crit ;l%e rusty guns and saberS and personal appearance. and in a day he had tie whole garrison wondering and talking.
 Company A was detailed to ride down the trail for fifteen miles 70 meet and escort lot of army wagons on their way up. It was not believed that there was hostile Indian within fifty miles of tue fort. Lieutenant White was to go in command, and # was q proud day for him. His troope's were marshalcd and remarshaled. and he rode away only when they s;ut their saddles as If on exhibition at q riding school
 Five miles down the road the Sat Valley uall came in. The lieutenant was riding ahead ot the COmmani and without order from him the troo)- CTS turned off the main trail. AS soCn as be discovered their action he roCe after them calling a halt. No halt wss made. He rodc nearer and shouted louder. bu moi man halted or looked back. The asteuudcd officer then pushed 10 the front and, with Sab"r waving above his cad commended q halt. I.e and his horse were pUShel aside hy the men. who came rldiug steadily on.
 Sergeant. what in - does th.s msau:" he exclaimed IS he forgot dis cirtiuc for a moment and rode at Se"- Eaaat Harris.
 Too much drill" quietly answered the sergeant.
 .&ut this is mUtiny-rank mutiny. Halt, Halt. I command you to halt! II you don't obey orders I will have every man court uartialed"
 No man halted. The lieutenant s2t his horse and cursed and ragged, AS be came up with the men he drew h's revolver anl fired It's contents over their hc.G. "d shouted for halt. No atteuti. sven him, but half momcl. sergeant repeated tte words. al. command halted.
 Men. want to know what this mcanS?" said the lieutenant in q hoarse voice and trembling down to his toes. You are on the road ani you refuse to obey orders. Are you de3erting in body:"
 Too much drill" answered every man in chorus. and then the sergeant gave the word to move on.
 The cadet officer could say nothing in reply. He could not ride back to the fort alone aud report that the company had mutinicd, and he could not exact obedience from the men where they were He followed after the troop in 3 maze. not knowing what step to take. Tue problem was solved for him. Sud denly there was rife shot ahead, quickly followed b. three or four more, and the bullets came singing over the troopers heads. There were Indians ahead.
 Right and left wheel and take cov- CT" shouted the sergeant, and mo- ment later the men were lined across the road and had the shelter of rocks and timber.
 The young officer had chafed at the thought that the campaign was over and be had lot had hand In it. He had been told that it might be two years before he would have a chance to see hostile redSkin. and yet here they were before him and his company had virtually mutiuied and he had DO authority over them. He cursed and shed tears as he thought of it, and it was like blow upon blow as he heard the sergeant's voice shouting;
 Extend right and left Hanks! Fire slow and don't waste your bullets! Horse holders lead the horses to the redr,'
 The cadet dashed forward at the ser geant. His face was white, and his voice would not come, and the grim old uoncommissioned officer pitied the boy as he looked into his eyes.
 "YouS chance, sir he said.
 And the men won't obey me, and an disgraced," whispered the lieuten- ant
 "Is it fight or drill:"
 For a moment the cadet hesitated. It was hard for him to surrender, but maybe he had been too hard on the men. If the other officers were satis- fed with the discipline he ought to be. Its fight and fight like -" he