xas. Here I was assigned, upon my arrival,
to Company A, Twenty-third United States Infantry. I had only been there
a few days when Company A was ordered out on a practice march of one
hundred and twenty miles. Of course I wanted to go, thinking it would be
a picnic. I only had a few days' drilling at the fort, and that was all
I ever had, but I was anxious to go on this march with my company, and
Goodale, called "Grabby" by the men, had my uniform and necessary
equipage issued to me and let me go with the company. I learned during
the first days' march its object was not to have a picnic, but just to
try us and prepare us for the service we might at any time be called
upon to perform. We were to get hardened a little by this practice
march.

The second day out we were halted every hour and rested ten minutes.
During one of those rests I pulled off my shoes to see what was hurting
my feet. I found on each of my heels a large blister and several small
ones. A non-commissioned officer saw the condition of my feet and
ordered me into the ambulance. I was afraid the soldiers would laugh at
me for falling out. First I hesitated, but very soon I had plenty of
company in the ambulance.

The march was through a rough country, the roads were very bad, and
travel was difficult. Twenty miles a day through chaparral bushes and
cactus is a good day's march for soldiers, with all their equipage. The
infantryman carried a rifle, belt, haversack and canteen. Tents were
pitched every night and guards stationed around the camp to keep away
prowling Mexicans and others who would steal the provisions of the camp.
Tents were struck at morning and everything put in readiness for the
day's march. The company was out fifteen days on that practice march
across the plains. Four days, however, were really holidays. We spent
them hunting and fishing. Fish and game were plentiful. A few deer were
to be found, but ducks and blue quail were the principal game. The
company returned to Fort McIntosh on the third of December.

I had to be drilled as a recruit; never having had any military
training, everything was new to me. I was drilled hard for a month
before I was assigned to the company for duty. That month's drill was
very hard.

After I was assigned for duty I learned something new about military
affairs every day for a year. The manner of all the drill masters was
very objectionable to me at first; I did not like the way they spoke to
a sol