The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-01-04
THE WOMAN'S
BRIGADE
A Story of A. D. 1916
By SUSAN YOUNG PORTER


of the twentieth century the women
of England and America determined to
wrest the vote for themselves from self
ish man. The principal argument used
against them was. IF you are citizens
in one respect you must be citizens in
all respects If you are voters you
must be soldiers
The women triumphed. But their
securing the vote brought about that
which in the beginning they had not
intended Having proved their cour-
age and endurance, they were forced
to do military service. The more deli
cate women could not be induced to go
to the polls. This gave the men a ma
jority. and an act was passed by con
gress requiring military service from
women as well as men.
To the surprise of every one, they
sprang forward with alaerity. That
aggressive spirit which had led many
OF them to smash windows led them to
enlist. and the woman's brigade of the
United States army was organized and
placed under the command of women
officers The corps had hardly been
completed when the anarchic condition
of Mexico rendered Intervention neces-
sary. and the Mexican war of 1916
was repeated The woman's brigade
was sent with other troops by sea to
Vera Cruz and began a rapid march
toward the capital
Almost on the exact ground on which
was fought a century before the battle
fierh
between the Mexicans and Americans,
in which the women took a conspicu-
Gus part But. unfortunately for Cen
eral Pollywotte the American com
mander. it was his first fight with such
an auxiliary. and he was utterly igno-
rant OF certain provisions he should
have made to guard against coningen
I cies to which they We're liable
In this respect the Mexican COM
mander. Antonio Rodriguez Busta-
mento. proved greatly the Americans
superior The Mexicans were drawn
up in line of battle TO resist the ad
vance of the Americans. who hurled
themselves against their enemy with
great vigor The woman's brigade. be-
ing part OF the reserve, stood under
arms, impatiently waiting to be led
forward Colonel Amanda Patterson
OF the First regiment sat her horse su-
perbly. Respondent in a uniform cut
and decorated In fashion that excited
the admiration and envy of the whole
corps. Major Mildred Fortescue rode
over to Colonel Patterson to ask her
who was her tailor. Colonel Patterson
refused TO give the inforMation. This
led to hot words between the two. In
which many of their subordinates join
ed. and before long their shrill words
could be heard above the singing bull
let's and shrieking shells.
For heavens sake" roared the
American commander to an aid 'send
those women into the fight Our men
can't hear the orders for the din they
make. and there'll be a panic. Order
their general to lead them against the
enemy's left flank and turn it If pos
sible. Should they succeed the battle
is won
General Angelina De Lancy, a young
commander of whom much was ex-
pected. as soon as she received the or
der. drawing her sword, swung it over
two ostrich feathers worth a hundred
dollars each. and so unnerved was she
that valuable time was lost. When
81 she recovered from the loss of her
treasures she directed her bugler to
sound the advance.
Now, General Bustamento, as have
said had great experience with wo-
men. having been married seven times,
b which is once more than King Henry
Will. and had prepared an expedient
for them which. on seeing their line
move forward, he put into operation
What is that the enemy are firing
81 from those mortars?" asked the Ameri-
y can commander, raising o. glass.
They look like paper shells" re
Il marked his chief of staff
Il Great wads of paper rose in the air
& and. breaking apart, were scattered on
n the ground over which the woman's
brigade was passing. Here and there
a soldier in the ranks picked up one
and became absorbed in reading some
thing printed and looking at pictures
s on It
Great heavens" cried General Pol
lywottle, they are stopping to pick up
the papers The advance is delayed
PreciousNme is being lost"
Presently an officer from the wo-
mans brigade was seen riding full gal
lop toward the commander in chief
When she came up she saluted and
a said:
n General De Lancy directs me to re
y port that the enemy have fred volley
q of fashion plates with descriptive arti
q Giles among the troops. This has check
3 ed the advance and she is unable to
u induce them to advance farther They
are porting over the papers and are
q insensibe even to danger. Genera
q De Lancy respectfully suggests that
y you send another force to turn the
enemy's flank"
g Words that sounded like a volley
n from catliucr cruD loft tina e,oror,, D, s..