A Boy Trooper With Sheridan. Allen Stanton P.

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      “Here’s your overcoat; it’s marked No. 3, but the contractors make mistakes; I’ve no doubt it’s a No. 1.

      “That forage cap’s too large, but you can put paper in the lining.

      “Never mind measuring the trousers; if they’re too long you can have ‘em cut off.

      “The shirts and drawers will fit anybody; they’re made that way.

      “You wear No. 6 boots, but you’ll get so much drill your feet’ll swell so these No. 8’s will be just the fit.

      “This is your bed blanket; don’t get it mixed with your horse blanket.

      “I’ll let you have my canteen and break in the new one; mine’s been used a little and got jammed a bit, but that don’t hurt it.

      “This is your haversack; take my advice and always keep it full.

      “This white piece of canvas is your shelter tent; it is warranted to shelter you from the rain if you pitch it inside a house that has a good roof on it.

      “These stockings are rights and lefts.

      “Here’s your blouse. We’re out of the small numbers, but it is to be worn on fatigue and at stables, so it’s better to have plenty of room in your blouse.

      “You will get white gloves at the sutler’s store if you’ve got the money to settle. He’ll let you have sand paper, blacking, brushes, and other cleaning materials on the same terms.

      “Here’s a rubber poncho.

      “Let’s see! that’s all in the clothing line. Now for your arms and accoutrements!”

      I appealed to the sergeant:

      “Let me carry a load of my things to the barracks before receiving my arms and other fixings?”

      “Can’t do it – take too much time; and if you did go over with part of your outfit, somebody’d steal what you left in the barracks before you returned with the rest.”

      “Go it, then,” I exclaimed in despair, and the sergeant continued:

      “This carbine is just the thing to kill rebels with if you ever get near enough to them. It’s a short-range weapon, but cavalrymen are supposed to ride down the enemy at short range.

      “The carbine sling and swivel attaches the carbine over your shoulder.

      “This cartridge box will be filled before you go on the skirmish line; so will the cap pouch.

      “This funny-looking little thing with a string attached is a wiper with which to keep your carbine clean inside.

      “The screw-driver will be handy to take your carbine apart, but don’t do it when near the enemy. They might scoop you in before you could put your gun together.

      “Your revolver is for short-range work. You can kill six rebels with it without reloading, if the rebels will hold still and you are a crack shot. You can keep the pistol in this holster which attaches to your waist-belt, as does also this box for pistol cartridges.

      “These smaller straps are to hold your saber scabbard to the waist-belt, and this strap goes over the shoulder to keep your belt from slipping down around your heels.

      “This is your saber inside the scabbard. I’ve no doubt it’s inscribed ‘Never draw me without cause or sheathe me with dishonor,’ but we can’t stop to look at it now. If it isn’t inscribed, ask your first sergeant about it. The saber knot completes this part of the outfit. The saber is pretty big for you, but we’re out of children’s sizes. The horse furniture comes next.”

      “Will you please let Taylor and Waterman come in here and help me?” I petitioned to the sergeant.

      “Everybody for himself is the rule in the army,” said the sergeant. “Tie up your clothing and arms in your bed blanket. You can put your horse furniture in your saddle blanket.”

      Section 1,620 of the “Revised United States Army Regulations of 1861, with an Appendix Containing the Changes and Laws Affecting Army Regulations and Articles of War to June 25, 1863,” reads as follows:

      “A complete set of horse equipments for mounted troops consists of 1 bridle, 1 watering bridle, 1 halter, 1 saddle, 1 pair saddle-bags, 1 saddle blanket, 1 surcingle, 1 pair spurs, 1 curry-comb, 1 horse brush, 1 picket pin, and 1 lariat; 1 link and 1 nose bag when specially required.”

      The section reads smoothly enough. There is nothing formidable about it to the civilian. But, ah me! Surviving troopers of the great conflict will bear me out when I say that section 1,620 aforesaid, stands for a great deal more than it would be possible for the uninitiated to comprehend at one sitting. The bridle, for instance, is composed of one headstall, one bit, one pair of reins. And the headstall is composed of “1 crown piece, the ends split, forming 1 cheek strap and 1 throat lash billet on one side, and on the other 1 cheek strap and l throat lash, with 1 buckle,.625-inch, 2 chapes and 2 buckles,.75-inch, sewed to the ends of cheek piece to attach the bit; 1 brow band, the ends doubled and sewed from two loops on each end through which the cheek straps and throat lash and throat lash billet pass.” So much for the headstall. It would take three times the space given to the headstall to describe the bit, and then come the reins. The watering bridle “is composed of 1 bit and 1 pair of reins.” The halter’s description uses up one third of a page. “The saddle is composed of 1 tree, 2 saddle skirts, 2 stirrups, 1 girth and girth strap, 1 surcingle, 1 crupper.” Two pages of the regulations are required to describe the different pieces that go to make up the saddle complete, and which include six coat straps, one carbine socket, saddle skirts, saddle-bags, saddle blanket, etc. The horse brush, curry-comb, picket pin, lariat, link and nose bag all come in for detailed descriptions, each with its separate pieces.

      Let it be borne in mind that all these articles were thrown into a heap on the floor, and that every strap, buckle, ring and other separate piece not riveted or sewed together was handed out by itself, the sergeant rattling on like a parrot all the time, and perhaps a faint idea of the situation may be obtained. But the real significance of the event can only be understood by the troopers who “were there.”

      As I emerged from the quartermaster’s office I was a sight to behold. Before I had fairly left the building my bundles broke loose and my military effects were scattered all around. By using the loose straps and surcingle I managed to pack my outfit in one bundle. But it was a large one, just about all I could lift.

      When I got into the barracks I was very much discouraged. What to do with the things was a puzzle to me. I distributed them in the bunk, and began to speculate on how I could ever put all those little straps and buckles together. The more I studied over it the more complicated it seemed. I would begin with the headstall of the bridle. Having been raised on a farm I had knowledge of double and single harness to some extent, but the bridles and halters that I had seen were not of the cavalry pattern. After I had buckled the straps together I would have several pieces left with no buckles to correspond. It was like the fifteen-puzzle.

      As I was manipulating the straps Taylor arrived with his outfit. He threw the bundle down in the lower bunk, and exclaimed:

      “I wish I’d staid to home.”

      “So do I, Giles.”

      “Where’s Theodore?”

      “I СКАЧАТЬ