Beadle's Dime Novels No. 119: Blackeyes — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

10 BLACKEYES. in their ranks, and who scarcely acknowledge any leadership ? Shall [, who am nearly sixty years old, who have been a sol- dier all.my life, and who have served under our best command- ers, submit to be taught the art of war by some naked rascal of a Comanche chief? Perhaps, young gentleman, you would advise me to turn over the command of this battalion to you ?” “T am not so presumptuous, and I am sure that I meant no disparagement of either the rank or file of our gallant army. But we should remember that we are fighting savages, to whom our discipline and tactics and mode of warfare only afford opportunities for destroying us. These Indians are mostly mounted, and they ‘are the — best horsemen in the world.”s* = | “TL have fifty dragoons, who could ride down ten times _ their number of the red rascals, in a fair charge and in an open field.” oP tial “But the Indians will give them no opportunity for a fair charge, and will never fight in an open field. Besides, our horsemen are dragoons, who are not accustomed to the de- sultory and irregwar warfare that needs must be carried on in this country. Their close movements, their heavy horses, their carbines, and their sabers and revolvers, however effec- tive they may be in a combat with civilized troops, are really of but little avail against a savage and concealed foe who fights from behind trees and rocks, and: who picks ‘them off with deadly aim, while he keeps his own person-secured from danger. Our cavalry, as they are now constituted, must always act at a disadvantage in encountering an adversary who was born on horseback, as I may say; who carries no weight, and who. is off like the wind as soon as he perceives that he may receive more damage than he can inflict,” » “ What do you call that, if not. cowardice ?” “T call it their manner of making war. War is not car — ried on, as I conceive, for the purpose of showing the bravery — of the soldiers, but for the! purpose ft defeating the enemy. The system which will. prevail against antagonists like our- selves, and ina country of roads and cleared fields; will not be effective When it is adopted in a mountainous wilderness, against artful, insidious and skulking foes. The savages know ne | . somnicboske, co ™~ v?