henry ossian flipper-第14章

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　camp　they　separate；　and　manage　to　come　upon　a　sentinel　simultaneously　and　from　all　points　of　the　compass。　If　the　sentinel　isn't　cool；　he　will　challenge　and　Advance　one；　and　possibly　let　the　others　come　upon　him　unchallenged　and　unseen　even。　Then　woe　be　to　him！　He'll　be　〃crawled　over〃　for　a　certainty；　and　to　make　his　crimes　appear　as　bad　as　possible；　will　be　reported　for　〃neglect　of　duty　while　a　sentinel；　allowing　the　officers　and　noncommissioned　officers　of　the　guard　to　advance　upon　him；　and　to　cross　his　post　repeatedly　without　being　challenged。〃　He　knows　the　report　to　be　true；　and　if　he　submits　an　explanation　for　the　offence　his　inexperience　will　be　considered；　and　he　will　probably　get　no　demerits　for　his　neglect　of　duty。

But　the　best　joke　of　all　is　in　their　manner　of　calling　　off　the　half…hours　at　night；　and　of　challenging。　Sometimes　we　hear　No。　2　call　off；　〃No。　2；　ten　o'clock；　and　all　is　well；〃　in　a　most　natural　and　unconcerned　tone　of　voice；　while　No。　3　may　sing　out；　〃No。　3；　ten　o'clock　and　all　is　well…l…l；〃　changing　his　tone　only　on　the　last　word。　Then　No。　4；　with　another　variation；　may　call　off；　〃No。　4；　ten　o'clock；　and　all…l…l…l's　well；〃　changing　his　tone　on　〃all…l…l…l's；〃　and　speaking　the　rest；　especially　the　last　word；　in　a　low　and　natural　manner　of　voice；　and　sometimes　abruptly。　And　so　on　along　the　entire　chain　of　sentinels；　each　one　calls　off　in　a　manner　different　from　that　of　the　rest。　Sometimes　the　calling　off　is　scarcely　to　be　heard；　sometimes　it　is　loud　and　full；　and　again　it　is　distinct　but　squeakish。　It　is　indeed　most　delightful　to　be　in　one's　tent　and　here　the　plebes　call　off　in　the　still　quiet　hours　of　the　night。　One　can't　well　help　laughing；　and　yet　all　plebes；　more　or　less；　call　off　in　the　same　manner。

Plebe　sentinels　are　very　troublesome　sometimes　to　the　non…commissioned　officers　of　the　guard。　They　receive　their　orders　time　after　time；　and　when　inspected　for　them　most　frequently　spit　them　out　with　ease　and　readiness；　but　just　as　soon　as　night　comes；　and　there　is　a　chance　to　apply　them；　they　〃fess　utterly　cold；〃　and　in　the　simplest　things　at　that。　Nine　plebes　out　of　ten　almost　invariably　challenge　thus；　〃Who　comes　here？〃　〃Who　stands　here？〃　〃Who　goes　here？〃　as　the　case　may　be；　notwithstanding　they　have　been　repeatedly　instructed　orally；　and　have　seen　the　words；　as　they　should　be；　in　the　regulations。　If　a　person　is　going；　and　is　a　hundred　yards　or　so　off；　it　is　still；　〃Who　goes　here？〃　Everything　is　〃here。〃

One　night　the　officer　of　the　day　concealed　himself　near　a　sentinel's　post；　and　suddenly　appeared　on　it。　The　plebe　threw　his　gun　down　to　the　proper　position　and　yelled　out；　〃Who　comes　here？〃　The　officer　of　the　day　stopped　short；　whereupon　the　plebe　jumped　at　him　and　shouted；　〃Who　stands　here？〃　Immediately　the　officer　started　off；　saying　as　he　did　so；　〃I'm　not　standing；　I'm　going。〃　Then　of　course　the　challenge　was　again　changed　to；　〃Who　goes　here？　〃I'm　not　going；　I'm　coming；〃　said　the　officer；　facing　about　and　approaching　the　sentinel。　This　was　kept　up　for　a　considerable　time；　till　the　officer　of　the　day　got　near　a　sentry…box　and　suddenly　disappeared。　The　plebe　knew　he　was　there；　and　yelled　in　a　louder　tone　than　before；　〃Who　stands　here？　〃Sentry…box；〃　was　the　solemn　and　ghostly　response。

It　is　hardly　reasonable；　I　think；　to　say　the　plebe　was　frightened；　but　he　actually　stood　there　motionless；　repeating　his　challenge　over　and　over　again；　〃Who　stands　here？〃

There　was　a　light　battery　in　park　near　by；　and　through　this；　aided　by　the　gloom；　the　officer　of　the　day　managed　to　pass　unobserved　along；　but　not　on　the　sentinel's　post。　He　then　got　upon　it　and　advanced　on　him；　making　the　while　much　noise　with　his　sword　and　his　heavy　tread。　He　walked　directly　up　to　the　sentinel　unchallenged；　and　startled　him　by　asking；　〃What　are　you　standing　here　yelling　for？〃

The　plebe　told　him　that　the　officer　of　the　day　had　been　upon　his　post；　and　he　had　seen　him　go　behind　the　sentry…box。　And　all　this　to　the　officer　of　the　day；　standing　there　before　him；　〃Well；　sir；　whom　do　you　take　me　to　be？〃

The　plebe　looks；　and　for　the　first　time　brought　to　full　consciousness；　recognizes　the　officer　of　the　day。　Of　course　he　is　surprised；　and　the　more　so　when　the　officer　of　the　day　inspects　for　histhe　plebe'ssatisfaction　the　sentry…box；　and　finds　no　one　there。　He　〃eats〃　that　plebe　up　entirely；　and　then　sends　a　corporal　around　to　instruct　him　in　his　orders。　When　the　corporal　comes　it　may　be　just　as　difficult　to　advance　him。　He　may；　when　challenged；　advance　without　replying；　or；　if　he　replies；　he　may　say；　〃Steamboat；〃　〃Captain　Jack；　Queen　of　the　Modocs；〃　as　one　did　say　to　me；　or　something　or　somebody　else　not　entitled　to　the　countersign。　Possibly　the　plebe　remembers　this；　and　he　may　command　〃Halt！〃　and　call　another　corporal。　This　latter　may　come　on　a　run　at　〃charge　bayonets；〃　and　may　not　stop　till　within　a　foot　or　so　of　the　sentinel。　He　then　gets　another　〃cursing　out。〃　By　this　time　the　corporal　who　first　came　and　was　halted　has　advanced　unchallenged　and　unnoticed　since　the　arrival　of　the　second。　And　then　another　cursing　out。　Thus　it　is　that　plebe　camp　is　made　so　hard。

Surely　the　officers　and　non…commissioned　officers　are　right　in　testing　by　all　manner　of　ruses　the　ability　of　the　sentinels。　It　is　their　duty　to　instruct　them；　to　see　that　they　know　their　orders；　and　are　not　afraid　to　apply　them。

Sometimes　plebes　enjoy　it；　and　like　to　be　cursed　out。　Sometimes　they　purposely　advance　toward　a　party　improperly；　to　see　what　will　be　said　to　them。　It　is　fun　to　some；　and　to　others　most　serious。　At　best　it　gives　a　plebe　a　poor　opinion　of　West　Point；　and　while　he　may　bear　it　meekly　he　nevertheless　sighs　for　the　〃　touch　of　a　vanished　hand；〃　the　caressing　hand　of　a　loving　mother　or　sister。　I　know　I　used　to　hate　the　very　name　of　camp；　and　I　had　an　easier　time；　too；　than　the　other　plebes。

Of　course　the　plebes；　being　inexperienced　for　the　most　part；　are　〃high　privates　in　the　rear　rank。〃　For　another　reason；　also；　this　is　the　case。　The　first　and　second　classes　have　the　right　established　by　immemorial　custom　of　marching　in　the　front　rank；　which　right　necessarily　keeps　the　plebes　in　the　rear　rank；　and　the　yearlings　too；　except　so　many　as　are　required　in　the　front　rank　for　the　proper　formation　of　the　company。　Another　reason；　perhaps；　may　be　given　to　the　same　end。　We　have　what　we　call　class　rank；　or；　in　other　words；　class　standing。　Every　class　has　certain　privileges　and　immunities；　which　the　junior　classes　do　not　enjoy；　for　example；　first…　classmen；　and　second…classmen　tooby　General　Orders　of　September；　1876are　excused　from　guard　duty　in　the　capacity　of　privates；　and　are　detailed　first…　classmen　for　officers　of　the　day　and　officers　of　the　guard；　and　second…classmen　for　non…commissioned　officers　of　the　guard。　All　members　of　the　third　and　fourth　classes　are　privates；　and　from　them　the　privates　of　the　guard　are　detailed。　All　officers；　commissioned　and　non…commissioned；　are　exempt　from　〃Saturday　punishment。〃　I　mean　they　do　not　walk　extra　tours　of　guard　for　punishment。　The　non…　commissioned　officers　are　sometimes　required　to　serve　such　punishments　by　discharging　the　duties　of　corporal　or　sergeant　in　connection　with　the　punishment　squad。　Third…and　fourth…classmen　enjoy　no　such　immunities。　Plebes；　then；　having　no　rank　whatever；　being　in　fact　conditional　cadets　until　they　shall　have　received　their　warrants　in　the　following　January；　must　give　way　to　those　who　have。　One　half　or　more　of　the　privates　of　the　company　must　be　in　the　front　rank。　This　half　is　made　up　of　those　who　rank　highest；　first…classmen　and　second…classmen；　and　also；　if　necessary；　a　number　of　third…classmen。　Plebes　must　then；　except　in　rare　cases；　march　in　the　rear　rank；　and　from　the　time　they　are　put　in　the　battalion　till　the　close　of　the　summer　encampment；　they　are　required　to　carry　their　hands　with　palms　to　the　front　as　prescribed　in　the　tactics。

All　this　is　kept　up　till　the　close　of　camp；　and　makes；　I　think；　plebe　camp　the　most　trying　part　of　one's　cadet　life。

On　the　28th　of　August　the　furloughmen　return；　and　report　to　the　commandant　at　two　o'clock　for　duty。

In　the　afternoon　the　battalion　is　sized　and　quarters　are　assigned　under　the　supervision　of　the　assistant…　instructors　of　tactics。