按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
At the close of the final examination I made no formal application
for assignment to any particular arm of the service； for I knew that
my standing would not entitle me to one of the existing vacancies；
and that I should be obliged to take a place among the brevet second
lieutenants。 When the appointments were made I therefore found
myself attached to the First Infantry； well pleased that I had
surmounted all the difficulties that confront the student at our
national school； and looking forward with pleasant anticipation to
the life before me。
CHAPTER II。
ORDERED TO FORT DUNCAN； TEXAS〃NORTHERS〃SCOUTING DUTYHUNTING
NEARLY CAUGHT BY THE INDIANSA PRIMITIVE HABITATIONA BRAVE
DRUMMERBOYS DEATHA MEXICAN BALL。
On the 1st day of July； 1853； I was commissioned a brevet second
lieutenant in the First Regiment of United States Infantry； then
stationed in Texas。 The company to which I was attached was
quartered at Fort Duncan； a military post on the Rio Grande opposite
the little town of Piedras Negras； on the boundary line between the
United States and the Republic of Mexico。
After the usual leave of three months following graduation from the
Military Academy I was assigned to temporary duty at Newport
Barracks； a recruiting station and rendezvous for the assignment of
young officers preparatory to joining their regiments。 Here I
remained from September； 1853； to March； 1854； when I was ordered to
join my company at Fort Duncan。 To comply with this order I
proceeded by steamboat down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New
Orleans； thence by steamer across the Gulf of Mexico to Indianola；
Tex。； and after landing at that place； continued in a small schooner
through what is called the inside channel on the Gulf coast to Corpus
Christi； the headquarters of Brigadier…General Persifer F。 Smith； who
was commanding the Department of Texas。 Here I met some of my old
friends from the Military Academy； among them Lieutenant Alfred
Gibbs； who in the last year of the rebellion commanded under me a
brigade of cavalry； and Lieutenant Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte； of the
Mounted Rifles； who resigned in 1854 to accept service in the French
Imperial army； but to most of those about headquarters I was an
entire stranger。 Among the latter was Captain Stewart Van Vliet； of
the Quartermaster's Department； now on the retired list。 With him I
soon came in frequent contact； and； by reason of his connection with
the Quartermaster's Department； the kindly interest he took in
forwarding my business inaugurated between usa lasting friendship。
A day or two after my arrival at Corpus Christi a train of Government
wagons； loaded with subsistence stores and quartermaster's supplies；
started for Laredo； a small town on the Rio Grande below Fort Duncan。
There being no other means of reaching my station I put my small
personal possessions； consisting of a trunk； mattress； two blankets；
and a pillow into one of the heavily loaded wagons and proceeded to
join it； sitting on the boxes or bags of coffee and sugar； as I might
choose。 The movement of the train was very slow； as the soil was
soft on the newly made and sandy roads。 We progressed but a few
miles on our first day's journey； and in the evening parked our train
at a point where there was no wood； a scant supply of waterand that
of bad qualitybut an abundance of grass。 There being no
comfortable place to sleep in any of the wagons； filled as they were
to the bows with army supplies； I spread my blankets on the ground
between the wheels of one of them； and awoke in the morning feeling
as fresh and bright as would have been possible if all the comforts
of civilization had been at my command。
It took our lumbering train many days to reach Laredo； a distance of
about one hundred and sixty miles from Corpus Christi。 Each march
was but a repetition of the first day's journey； its monotony
occasionally relieved； though； by the passage of immense flocks of
ducks and geese； and the appearance at intervals of herds of deer；
and sometimes droves of wild cattle； wild horses and mules。 The
bands of wild horses I noticed were sometimes led by mules； but
generally by stallions with long wavy manes； and flowing tails which
almost touched the ground。
We arrived at Laredo during one of those severe storms incident to
that section； which are termed 〃Northers〃 from the fact that the
north winds culminate occasionally in cold windstorms； frequently
preceded by heavy rains。 Generally the blow lasts for three days；
and the cold becomes intense and piercing。 While the sudden
depression of the temperature is most disagreeable； and often causes
great suffering； it is claimed that these 〃Northers〃 make the climate
more healthy and endurable。 They occur from October to May； and in
addition to the destruction which； through the sudden depression of
the temperature； they bring on the herds in the interior； they are
often of sufficient violence to greatly injure the harbors on the
coast。
The post near Laredo was called Fort McIntosh； and at this period the
troops stationed there consisted of eight companies of the Fifth
Infantry and two of the First； one of the First Artillery； and three
of the Mounted Rifles。 Just before the 〃Norther〃 began these troops
had completed a redoubt for the defense of the post； with the
exception of the ditches； but as the parapet was built of sandthe
only material about Laredo which could be obtained for its
constructionthe severity of the winds was too much for such a
shifting substance； and the work was entirely blown away early in the
storm。
I was pleasantly and hospitably welcomed by the officers at the post；
all of whom were living in tents； with no furniture except a cot and
trunk； and an improvised bed for a stranger； when one happened to
come along。 After I had been kindly taken in by one of the younger
officers； I reported to the commanding officer； and was informed by
him that he would direct the quartermaster to furnish me； as soon as
convenient； with transportation to Fort Duncan； the station of my
company。
In the course of a day or two； the quartermaster notified me that a
Government six…mule wagon would be placed at my disposal to proceed
to my destination。 No better means offering； I concluded to set out
in this conveyance； and； since it was also to carry a quantity of
quartermaster's property for Fort Duncan； I managed to obtain room
enough for my bed in the limited space between the bows and load；
where I could rest tolerably well； and under cover at night； instead
of sleeping on the ground under the wagon； as I had done on the road
from Corpus Christi to Laredo。
I reached Fort Duncan in March； 1854。； and was kindly received by the
commanding officer of the； regiment； Lieutenant…Colonel Thompson
Morris；and by the captain of my company （〃D〃）； Eugene E。 McLean； and
his charming wife the only daughter of General E。 V。 Sumner； who was
already distinguished in our service； but much better known in after
years in the operations ofthe Army of the Potomac； during its early
campaigns in Virginia。 Shortly after joining company 〃D〃 I was sent
out on scouting duty with another company of the regiment to Camp La
Pena； about sixty or seventy miles east of Fort Duncan； in a section
of country that had for some time past been subjected to raids by the
Lipan and Comanche Indians。 Ournoutpost at La Pena was intended as a
protection against the predatory incursions of these savages； so
almost constant scouting became a daily occupation。 This enabled me
soon to become familiar with and make maps of the surrounding
country； and； through constant association with our Mexican guide； to
pick up in a short time quite a smattering of the Spanish language；
which was very useful to one serving on that frontier。
At that early day western Texas was literally filled with game； and
the region in the immediate vicinity of La Pena contained its full
proportion of deer； antelope； and wild turkeys。 The temptation to
hunt was therefore constantly before me； and a desire to indulge in
this pastime； whenever free from the legitimate duty of the camp；
soon took complete possession of me； so expeditions in pursuit of
game were of frequent occurrence。 In these expeditions I was always
accompanied by a soldier named Frankman； belonging to 〃 D 〃 company；
who was a fine sportsman； and a butcher by trade。 In a short period
I learned from Frankman how to approach and secure the different
species of game； and also how to dress and care for it when killed。
Almost every expedition we made was rewarded with a good supply of
deer； antelope； and wild turkeys； and we furnished the command in
camp with such abundance that it was relieved from the necessity of
drawing its beef ration； much to the discomfiture of the disgruntled
beef contractor。
The camp at La Pena was on