Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-04-16
Allan G. RIDGE TELLS OF THE
SEVENTH CAVALRY CAMP

| igines, the Sioux, and the latter never
| lost an opportunity to draw the Rees
/ from the post and endeavOr to annlhi'
| late them.
The raiding of the half way house.
by Captain Davis of the Fourteenth
infantry recently and the -confiscat'
ing of government property recalls
similar incident Of General Custer and
a company of the Seventh in earlier
days. For some time those in charge
| of the corral had reported the loss OF
grain in large quantities and General
! Custer had issued orders that strict
watch be kept and the pilferers appre'
hended. OF course every one laid II
to the senaking Indians.
One evening, after retreat, a com
pany was tolled off for special duty
for the next day and as the outfit was
to leave the fort at daylight all were
agog as to the destination, as it was
| a we'll known fact that Indian raids
| were seldom carried on during the
| winter. Early the next morning. be-
fore the garrison was fairly awake,
General Custer, accompanied by those
| selected and several army wagons,
quietly left the post and headed to-
ward the river Crossing on the ice the
outfit wendell it's way up the bank
and toward the city, and one trooper
would whisper to the other, What
the ell? Coming to the heart OF the
city, not a stones throw from the old
Tribune building, the orders were CIV
en- to dismount. the wagons drawn up
before a certain store and the renter
of the same being On hand the gen.
eral demanded the keys and the men
proceeded to load the stolen gram
therein. All this was done so quietly
that the citizens, as rule, did not
learn what had taken place until the
outfit was we'll on its return to the
fort During my stay at Lincoln
never heard of the loss of any more
feed belonging to the command.
Many of the troopers and dough-
boys who done duty for Uncle Sam
at Lincoln and other isolated posts
on the frontier were men who hao
tired of their environment in the home
town and city and from one cause or
another had cast their lot with their
adventurous fellows, and in doing so
in many instances, had left behind
their individuality, even to their
names. All walks and conditions OF
life were represented, but as whole.
they were a good lot, and In many
instances. generous to a fault. TO
those who kept in touch with the old
folks at home letters were received
with pleasure, and when word came
of sickness or death l have seen
those who received no word from
home, owing to the fact that their
whereabouts were unknown, reach
down, dig up roll and hand it to one
who had received the sad news with
the remark: "Send it along. pard,
have no use for it." While in the serv-
ice saw many such instances, of the
friendship and brotherhood of man.
"A few years ago, in company with
one of my relatives, I was attending
a social function here in the east and
you can imagine my surprise on being
introduced to a we'll known manufac-
turer and in turn on being introduced
to his son to recognize in the latter
an old trooper friend. But the name
was not the same as had known him
by. When an opportunity presented
itself We retired to a quiet corner and
had a long talk over old times. HE
explained, which was unnecessary,
his reasons for assuming the name ne
did on enlistment, and added that
though his army experience had been
dearly paid for, the lessons OF au'
thority and obedience he had learned
would, in his case, as in that OF many
another, be beneficial and lasting,
and he voiced my own sentiments
when ne said: IF my own son. like
myself, becomes dissatisfied with his
home surroundings shall use every
honorable means to induce him to take
up the life Of the trooper, for there,
as nowhere, know if there is any
manhood in him it will be brought out.
What the service has done for you
and me, old pard. it can do for 9TH
ers." It is needless to add that today
l hold and cherish the friendship of
this old trooper of the Seventh.
True, there are those who enter the
service who will not, for reasons un-
known even to themselves ever
amount to anything either as soldier
or civilian, and, as a sequence, never
lose an opportunity to belittle those
who don the uniform. l have none
but the kindliest of feelings for these
human make.shifts and trust that some
day they may learn the lesson and
benefit by the error of the past.
ALLAN G.. RIDGE.