"Soon after that the drum sounded for parade, and
I was compelled to leave my friends for the purpose
of falling in ranks, but promising to return as soon
as the parade was over, little thinking that I should
not be able to redeem that promise; but such was the
case, as I shall now proceed to show.
"Just as the companies were marching off the parade
ground, and before the guard was dismissed, the
'officer in charge,' Lieutenant Charles King, Fifth
Cavalry, came to the guard tent and ordered me to
step out of ranks three paces to the front, which I
did.
"He then ordered me to take off my accoutrements and
place them with my musket on the gun rack. That being
done, he ordered me to take my place in the centre of
the guard as a prisoner, and there I stood until the
ranks were broken, when I was put in the guard tent.
Of course my friends felt very bad about it, as they
thought that they were the cause of it, while I could
Not speak a word to them, as they went away; and even
if I could have spoken to them, I could not have
explained the matter, for I did not know myself why I
had been put there--at least I did not know what charge
had been trumped up against me, though I knew well
enough that I had been put there for the purpose of
keeping me from the 'hop,' as they expected I would go.
The next morning I was put 'in arrest' for 'disobedience
of orders in not fastening down tent wall when ordered,'
and 'replying in a disrespectful manner to a cadet
corporal,' etc.
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