The Red-Headed Recruit and the Cuban Dog.--The Charge of the Hospital
Corps.--Private Timmons and the Carabao.
In the face of his reputation for undaunted courage and dashing deeds
of valor, the American soldier has at times allowed himself to become
frightfully alarmed and on the eve of being panic-stricken, when taken
unawares. He soon collects himself, however, and is ready to meet
all emergencies, let them come from whatever source they will. Even
the old "vet" may lose his head for a moment or two, and find some
difficulty in establishing his equilibrium. The Yankee soldier is ever
ready to obey his officer, and if the latter will but keep his wits,
order may be restored out of hopeless demoralization.
The Civil War was replete with camp alarms, some of them of the
most ridiculous type; and our war with Spain and the Filipinos has
added greatly to the stock. The tropical countries, with their dense
growths of vegetation, myriads of crawling creatures, and hair-raising
sounds, form a replete field for alarms, which are usually started
by frightened sentries on lonely outposts.