2 ae . NOTES TAKEN. 
yards off. Others were badly bruised and beaten, and in 
fact, the major part of the command were in a state unfitting 
them for discipline, or even punishment. 
Thus ended our dreams of a quiet march for the rest of our 
journey. We had hoped, that the examples made before, would 
have had a salutary effect, but behold, some of the very men 
who had transgressed and been punished, now worse than 
ever, whilst to crown all, the chief non-commissioned officer 
was one of the principals in the bloodiest affray, and now 
lay completely “hors de combat.” 
What a life does a subaltern of infantry lead! It is all 
very pretty to write on paper, and to talk of the chivalry and 
romance of a soldier’s life, of the tented field, the glittering 
review, or the charging squadron, but when we come to the 
realities, (as experienced in our service,) of a young lien- 
tenant, with no protection but his nerves and individual 
dexterity in arms, no guide but his sense of duty, sent out 
upon a lonely prairie, to govern a company of men, formed 
of every nation almost under the sun; men naturally brutal 
and vicious when sober, worse than brutes’ when drunk ; aware 
that but little compromise will be made, or consideration of 
circumstances taken count of, should disaster occur; know- 
ing, too, that his duty is done at the risk of health and life, 
and for a pittance of pay as inadequate as it is ungenerous, it 
seems to me, that he who can find romance in such a life 
must draw largely upon his imagination, 
* 
