and therein lies the solace of the other fellow. Putting aside all odious
comparisons and limiting myself to a view of the regular army man as I know
him, I can simply say that in the eight months during which I underwent
in his company hard knocks and privations without number I could not have
found a more truly satisfactory comrade and friend. He doesn't, on the
average, know much about books; nor did he ever hear of the Etruscan
Inscriptions or the Pyramidal Policy of the Ancient Egyptians. He takes a
grim delight in smashing the English language into microscopic atoms at a
single blow. He is more fond of women, horses, and prize-fighting than is
good for him. He will steal when he is hungry, lie to save his skin, curse
most terribly on trifling provocation, and spend, to his last sou markee,
his hard-won wage on adulterated drink.

"He's a devil an' a ostrich
an' a orphan-child in one."

But he will stand his ground in action while there is ground to stand on;
he will throw his life away at a moment's notice for the flag, or a chosen
comrade, or a worthless girl; he will march and starve and thirst world
without end if he has a leader who holds his confidence; and he is, on the
whole, a rather fine specimen of the true American--being usually Irish or
German.

[Illustration: American Cavalry entering Mayaguez on the 11th of
August.]

Our brigade commander, General Theodore Schwan--silent, upright,
tall, and spare--was regarded with affection and respect by every one who
came into personal contact with him, officer and man alike. He was shrewd,
clever, and distinguished, but never too busy or elevated to listen to the