1

I. FROM THE GRAY TO THE BLUE 11

II. THE FIRST CALL 30

III. AWAY TO THE WEST 39

IV. "I'M READY NOW" 49

V. FIRST NIGHT ON THE RANGE 61

VI. FIRST AID TO THE WOUNDED 76

VII. A BALKED ARREST 89

VIII. A RACE TO THE FORT 102

IX. BAD NEWS FROM THE MINES 114

X. FIRST SHOTS OF THE SUMMER 128

XI. A NIGHT ON GUARD 142

XII. THE MAN OF THE SIEGE 156

XIII. AWAY ON THE WARPATH 168

XIV. A SCOUT FOR THE SIOUX 180

XV. FIRST SIGHT OF THE FOE 198

XVI. PROOF POSITIVE OF GUILT 213

XVII. THE WAR-DANCE AND THE CHARGE 224

XVIII. BATTLE AND VICTORY 239

ILLUSTRATIONS

THE OPENING OF THE BATTLE AT WOUNDED KNEE _Frontispiece_

CADETS AT DRILL, WEST POINT _Facing p._ 14

"BIG BEN WAS BUSY WITH HIS OIL-CAN" " 84

"NOT A WHIFF OF THE DRAUGHT COULD BE WASTED" " 102

SILVER SHIELD " 128

"'STRAIGHT THROUGH THE HERD, MEN. CH-A-A-A-RGE!'" " 236

UNITED STATES CAVALRY IN WINTER RIG " 242

"UP WENT TWO LITTLE PUFFS OF EARTH" " 248

TO THE FRONT

TO THE FRONT

PRELUDE

It was graduation day at West Point, and there had been a remarkable
scene at the morning ceremonies. In the presence of the Board of
Visitors, the full-uniformed officers of the academic and military
staff, the august professors and their many assistants, scores of
daintily dressed women and dozens of sober-garbed civilians, the
assembled Corps of Cadets, in their gray and white, had risen as one
man and cheered to the echo a soldierly young fellow, their "first
captain," as he received his diploma and then turned to rejoin them. It
was an unusual incident. Every man preceding had been applauded, some
of them vehemently. Every man after him, and they were many, received
his meed