Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-01-03
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies WhiIed
Away Life in Compromising Ex-
periences, TfresOme Marches
Thrilling Scenes on Battlefield.

'Roosevelt's men will be at their
BEST" said the Colonel, when they
have their horses trained to all the ma
neuvers and antics they have in mind
There are fellows among the rough rid
ers who can take run and Jump at
a horse and alight standing on his
rump. If the men average as they did
in the old army the really good riders
will have lots Of fun with the men who,
while good fighters on foot, are awk-
ward riders. They will have lots of
fun, anyhow, because I expect to see
them become the greatest raiders in
history. They are built that way, and
will receive good deal Of encourage
ment from Wheeler and Wilson"
"The fellows in the old Union army
who had the most fun with horses"
said an old cavalryman, "were those
in regiments of mounted infantry.
When they were first mounted they
were expected to ride only to place
and do their fighting on foot. The men
were not horsemen and no special eff
fort was made to instruct them in cav
airy tactics. In distributing horses a
little, short-legged German secured the
largest horse in the drove. He selected
a horse for it's size, thinking very little
Of his own convenience in the matter,
and 1t was amusing to see Jake f1utter-
ing about his horse. That horse was
the best fed in the regiment, for Jake
was a good forager and he was con-
stantly thinking of his horse wherever
he was. One morning the boys were
ordered to bring their horses out and
get ready for march. Jake was trou-
bled when all were ordered to dismount
for instructions as to how the fight
was to be carried on on foot He was
more troubled when the order Prepare
to mount was given.
"Now if Jake had stood on a chair
he could not have reached the stirrup
with his foot. He was equal to the
emergency, however, and, running back
a few steps, picked up a board, placed
one end on the ground and the other
on the horse, and crawled up the in
clined plane This performance was
greeted with a roar Of cheers and
laughs. But Jake was in his seat as
soon as many others who had skittish
horses. What do you mean, SIR ques-
toned the officer, by that kind Of q
performance? Vel, you say Prepare
to mount" und l makes mine prepare
lions. can no step upstairs on mine
horse nit one STEP After consulta-
ton Jake was not interfered with, al
though his appearance on the tall horse
caused such merriment as made the
march seem like frolic.
"Jake could tear up as much railroad
and do as much hard work as any other
man, and when it came to fighting on
foot he could fire as many shots. When
there was a skirmish and the time
came for mounting his horse two men
assisted Jake to mount, and he was
generally away with the rest, but on
one occasion he dropped his gun, as the
astonishing gallop of the old horse de-
manded his full attention, and the men,
tumble, thought he had been shot by
the pursuing enemy. A little later they
saw Jake running along, leading his big
horse, and the rebels firing at him. 1t
was no time for delay and Jake was
given up for lost. But little later up
came the big horse at furious gallop,
Jake hanging on to his neck. The men
cheered and laughed, stopped the horse,
and assisted Jake into the saddle.
Once in his seat, Jake said, Ven dere
vas no time to make mine preparations
to mount it was announcement little,
but mine big horse vas a goer, and that
vas mighty convenient for me when l
vas been chased by the Johnnies. So
ochskuse me If l not trade mine big
horse
1--WE had another man in the COM
Dany who was called for short old
Beeze,' who had in his younger days
served one or two terms in the Prus-
sian cavalry. He selected a powerful
horse and began training him accord
ing to the Prussian methods. The
boys thought at the time the old mans
Judgment of horse1esh was defective,
but old Beeze' said, "A leedtle horse is
goodt, but a beeg horse is better as
goodt.' Being of morose and unsocia
BILE nature, he messed and bunked
alone, asking and granting no favors.
but keeping up his Prussian standard
as to neatness and discipline. No mat
ter what the emergency, his household
goods must be carefully and properly
loaded behind him on what the boys
called his camel On one occasion,
when the Confederates were reported
moving upon the camp, the regiment
promptly formed, fully equipped for ac
ton, in obedience to the call, Boots
and saddles!
".Old Beeze' was absent from the
company and the sergeant on going to
his tent, found him sitting before a
small glass, calmly and leisurely shaw
ing himself The sergeant burst out