Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
A TALE OF THE OLD FRONTIER
By Edgar Beecher Bronson

they would have been perpetually pot
ting our men from ambush, while w
could never hope to bring them to
decisive encounter. So, after a few
days the general marched the cavalr!
back to the Mesilla cantonment an!
left our infantry companies to guart
| Pinos Altos for a time.
Turkeys and deer were plentiful IL
| the hills around the camp, and, not
withstanding the risk. slip out after
them our boys now and then would
One Sunday morning six of my com
pany so contrived to evade the sen
tries; and scarcely had they passed
out of sight of camp before we hearc
heavy firing. ls. 81, q
Immediately Lieutenant Higdon was
ordered to lead out party Of twenty
Of us to their relief. On our double
quick across the hill crest, We passed
one of our men returning. Bill Pater
son, and our lieutenant ordered him
to fall in. But, although he had his
gun with him, later we noted that Bill
had failed to fall in.
When we reached the hunting party
We found Private Huzzy killed, Ser
geant siddon MORALLY wounded, old
Hunt so badly scared he was no long
err able to load and fire his gun, while
Private Reed was making a splendid
flight of what must have seemed to
him a sure enough forlorn hope.
While he had killed five Of the at.
lacking party, his enemies certainly
numbered at least sixty warriors. Di.
rectly we opened on them, however,
they dispersed, and then we carried
our dead and wounded into camp.
When Bill Pearson was brought up
before Captain Smith, under charges
for failing to fall in with us when SO
ordered by Lieutenant Higdon, and
questioned, he replied: We'll, cap
tain, you know it was the Sabbath,
and I had on my Sunday-go-to-meeting
clothes and didn't want to get tn EN-
bloody"
But since our captain did not pose
as particularly religious man, Bills
plea won him nothing better than the
privilege of doing double duty and
plenty of outer picket post service for
a month.
After our return to Mesilla, deser-
tons became very frequent Finally,
when a private named Clifford desert
ed and was caught and ironed and,
while in charge of Sergeant Miller OF
X company, contrived to negotiate re-
lease from his irons and to escape,
General West was furious.
And while, according to regulations,
a delinquent non-commissioned omcer
is placed under arrest in his quarters,
the general had Miller ironed and
thrown into the guard house. At this
the whole company rebelled, and re-
fused to drill until the sergeant had
been released from irons. All save one
man laid down their arms.
At 10 a. M, the long roll was beat
en-, and Lieutenant PATHS was ordered
to march his men without arms out up
on the parade ground. Company A
Of the Fifth Infantry was formed on
the left of Company K, Company E on
their right, and Company D in their
front, while the cavalry was lined up
behind the infantry. Everybody knew
hell was going to pop somehow Tor
pronto.
AS soon as the formation was fin
|shed. General West rode up in front
Of the mutinous company, saber
drawn, and demanded:
"Is there any soldiers Of this COM
pany who refuses to drill or do duty?"
Promptly, in a clear, strong voice,
Corporal Smith, the leader Of the mu-
tiny, answered.
II for one, sir, will neither drill nor
do duty until Sergeant Miller Is re-
leased from irons"
For a moment General West sat
gazing at the corporal as II In brown
study, while the ranks stood silent as
the death all felt sure to be coming.
Then the general ordered:
Corporal, march fifteen PAGES to
the 'front.'"
Smith marched out steadily, like the
good soldier he was.
The general ordered him to remove
his hat He obeyed.
Then the general ordered Captain
Mitchell Of D company to swing his
to the left, opening clear
space beyond the corporal. looking
down the main street Of the camp.
Riding up to the corporal, once more
the general demanded: "Will you 90
TO duty?"
mot until the irons are knocked off
Of Sergeant Miller" he firmly replied.
Wheeling his horse, the general
then ordered:
Captain Mitchell, shoot that man.
Load ready; aim; fire." called the
captain.
A volley crashed but Smith stood
and half smiling, it
seemed. The firing squad had shot
high.
Yet once again the general put the
same question to the corporal, and re-
seived the same answer; once more
ordered Captain Mitchell to fire.
Again the volley flew wild, this time
killing a private of A company, who
was serving General West as cook,
Kidding a government forage wagon
with holes and killing its team, and
shot the leg off woman who was
crossing the camp street, starting a
free-for-all skedaddle for cover of
everybody left in that end of camp,
mules included.
The general was furious. Riding up
behind the firing squad, he command
ed: Load; ready; aim! Down with
YOUR guns. now down; down, say, or
| will split every man of you with my