Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-09-25
THE NEW
CAPTAIN
By M. QUAD
Copyright. lsl4. by Associated Lit
elary Press.
B, N. QUAD

III lhc AuaAa Stmpdu9 duu TeSlIueuldl
changes which occurred after McClel-
lan's p~eninsular campaign Company II
of the Tenth volunteers got a new cap
tain by transfer. He was a fair hair
ed. blue eyed nan, who lacked rugged
ness and ~sternness. The rough and
rugged men cooked the new captain
over and said 10 each other:
bah. He's no fighter. They've sent
us u a who hasn't the heart to Kill
a Sheep
Later on. when Company II had been
III on the picket lines and had "a sharp
skirmish with the enemy. there was
strange talk hmong the men.
do you Know" whispered the order
ly sergeant 10 the first corporal. that
they gave ds a cussed coward for a
c~aptain?"
"Hush. hush." replied the corporal.
Il won't hush. | was watching him
In that little serimmage. and he was as
white as a sheet and trembling like a
leaf"
Next day the captain sent for the or
derby sergeant, and the latter had a
strong suspicion, but he was greeted
quietly and pleasantly, and the captain
asked a few questions before saying:
$50, sergeant. you think Pm a cow
ard and should be forced to resigng"
Sergeant Clay was a bluff, blunt
a The captain had asked him a d.
rect question, and, throwing military
etiquette to the dogs, he answered:
"You didn't make no record to be
proud of out there the other day!"
81 was very nervous" slowly admit
ted the captain after a long pause.
ut was my first time under fire. l
wasn't afraid of being killed, that | can
remember, but the excitement upset
me. Suppose you and the boys wait a
bit before you send me a request to
resign. / don't know myself yet, and
you can't fairly call me a failure until
we have another turn at 1t. If my
nerves fail me in the next crisis you
won't have to demand my resignation.
Are you willing to waltz
Captain" the sergeant whispered as
a feeling of awe came to him, 1T amt
for you to ask this or that Of US. It's
for me to say that there'l be no more
talk among the boys and that in our
next fight you'll make a record TO be
proud Of"
It had been man to man instead of
captain to sergeant, and it was still so
when their hands were extended and
clasped.
"Well?' queried half a dozen SER
geants and corporals as the orderly re-
turned to his quarters.
well, you hear me nowg' replied
the man as he looked from one to the
other~Sge've done a lot of talking
with olF Mouths. From this time on
till we've seen our captain prance
about In another scrimmage we are
going to shet right up. The chap as
does any blowing won't be no friend of
mine"
A week later began the campaign
which ended in the battle of Antietam.
Fighting joe Hooker was leading
the division to which the Third bri-
gade and the Tenth volunteers belong
ed, and as Company Fl pressed for
ward the second sergeant muttered to
the orderly:
"How's-how's things goin' to be at
the head of the company"
Now, don't you worry the shirt off
your back before it's time, Joe Hope!
I'm going to wait and see, and the rest
of you have got to do the same. Durn
a man who won't give another man a
fair showi'
AS the Tenth regiment got the word
the captain of Company II passed swift
ly before his line. In the ghostly light
he seemed taller by a foot. The men
who peered at him saw that his jaws
were firm and set and his eyes blazing.
HE means 6ght!" whispered the first
corporal.
"Say. hen lead us into hades and
back!'' muttered the second sergeant.
Forward. guide left. moved the
Tenth, and the front line had scarcely
brushed the wet off the cornstalks
when they met with a volley. 1t was
SO close and deadly that there was con
fusion. The center broke back, the
tanks halted. and order and discipline
were lost.
Attention. Company H! By the right
fank-march. On the left into line.
Forward-double quick-charge bayo-
nets!'
II was the voice of the new captain,
and, like clockwork, the men who were
tumbling over each other fell into line
and plowed their way out of the hurry
burly. As they cleared the mob their
muskets ann down to the charge, and.
with shouts and cheers, they drove
through a line of battle and sent a
thousand men scurrying away through
the mists. As they stood painting, with
dead and wounded under their feet.
the other companies came marching up
to join them and to hold the position.
Then the sun blazed up over the hills