On the Border With Crook - ERBzine

264 ON THE BORDER WITH CROOK.ance with the two sections, and the above is my deliberate conviction.Despite the hyperborean temperature, the genial good-humorand cheerfulness of the whole command was remarkable anddeserving of honorable mention. Nothing tries the spirit andtemper of the old veteran, not to mention the young recruit,as does campaigning under unusual climatic vicissitudes, at atime when no trace of the enemyis to be seen. To march intobattle with banners flying,drums beating, and the pulse throbbing high with the promptings of honorable ambition and enthusiasm, in unison with the roar of artillery, does not call for halfthe nerve and determination that must be daily exercised to pursue mile after mile in such terrible weather, over rugged mountains and through unknown caflons, a foe whose habits of warfareare repugnant to every principle of humanity, and whose presencecan be determined solely by the flash of the rifle which lays somepoor sentry low, or the whoop and yell which stampede our stockfrom the grazing-grounds. The life of a soldier, in time of war,has scarcely a compensating feature but he; ordinarily expectspalatable food whenever obtainable, and good warm quarters during the winter season. In campaigning against Indians, if anxious to gain success, he must lay aside every idea of good foodand comfortable lodgings, and make up his mind to undergo withcheerfulness privations from which other soldiers would shrinkback dismayed. His sole object should be to strike the enemyand to strike him hard, and this accomplished should be fullcompensation for all privations undergone. With all its disadvantages this system of Indian warfare is a grand school forthe cavalrymen of the future, teaching them fortitude, vigilance,self-reliance, and dexterity, besides that instruction in handling,marching, feeding, and fighting troops which no school can impart in text-books.This manner of theorizing upon the subject answered excellently well, except at breakfast, when it strained the nervous system immensely to admit that soldiers should under any circumstances be sent out on winter campaignsin. this latitude. Ourcook had first to chop with an axe the bacon which over night hadfrozen hard as marble ; frequently the hatchet or axe was brokenin the contest. Then if he had made " 7any soft bread/ that is,bread made of flour and baked in a frying-pan, he had to place