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as D D E N DA..
                     CHAPTER .I.
              DESERTERS AND DOG ROBBERS.
   The subject of army desertion is occupying, at the pres-
ent time, the attention of the War Department and of the
country. It may not come amiss to say something about it
in this volume. A dozen different reasons are given for its
prevalence. Some suggest that it is ill treatment; others that
the cause is laborious or menial employment. There may be
something in these theov ies, as far as they apply to individ-
ual cases, but it is impossible that there can be enough
tyranny in the army to cause over 3,000 men to forsake their
colors in a single year. During the active periods of which
I write) desertion was comparatively rare. The man wyho
deserted at the beginning of an Indian campaign was indel-
ibly branded as a coward. I have seen whole companies,
difficult to manage in garrison and when near alcoholic
supplies, throw up their hats with enthusiasm when the
order to march against the hostiles was given.
    There is hardlv any monotony equal to that of AmeiF-
can garrison life on the once "frontier" during these rva~e-
ful days. Officers and men assigned to small posts, feel veriy
much as if confined on board a ship. All the acerbities ar d
smallnesses of human nature naturally come to the surface,
and a man, whether officer or private, must be much supe-
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