52 The Rough Riders 



was necessary, grew past bearing, I took charge of 

 the trains myself, so as to ensure the horse-cars 

 of each section being coupled with the baggage- 

 cars of that section. 



We worked until long past midnight before we 

 got the horses and baggage aboard, and then found 

 that for some reason the passenger-cars were de- 

 layed and would not be out for some hours. In the 

 confusion and darkness men of the different troops 

 had become scattered, and some had drifted off to 

 the vile drinking-booths around the stockyards; so 

 I sent details to search the latter, while the trumpe- 

 ters blew the assembly until the First Sergeants 

 could account for all the men. Then the troops 

 were arranged in order, and the men of each lay 

 down where they were, by the tracks and in the 

 brush, to sleep until morning. 



At dawn the passenger-trains arrived. The senior 

 Captain of each section saw to it that his own 

 horses, troopers, and baggage were together; and 

 one by one they started off, I taking the last in 

 person. Captain Capron had at the very beginning 

 shown himself to be simply invaluable, from his 

 extraordinary energy, executive capacity, and mas- 

 tery over men ; and I kept his section next mine, so 

 that we generally came together at the different 

 yards. 



The next four days were very hot and very dusty. 



