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Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants, a novel by H. Irving Hancock |
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Chapter 10. Sergeant Overton And Discipline |
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_ CHAPTER X. SERGEANT OVERTON AND DISCIPLINE JUST how it all happened Private Hinkey was never afterwards able to figure out to his own satisfaction. Instead of his blow landing, the soldier found himself on his own back on the grass--and he fell with a bump that jarred him. "You chevroned cur! I'll make you eat that blow!" yelled Hinkey, beside himself with rage. Then he leaped to his feet, fairly quivering with the great passion that had seized him. "Slosson! Kelly! Take hold of Hinkey! He's under arrest," announced the boyish sergeant. Hinkey made a dive at Hal, but the two soldiers, hearing themselves summoned, and knowing the penalties of disobedience, threw themselves between the sulky brute and the sergeant. "Let me at him!" screamed Hinkey, struggling with the two comrades who now held him. "Be silent, you fool!" warned Slosson. "You'll get yourself in stiff before you know what you're about." "What do I care?" panted Hinkey. "The cur coward! He doesn't dare face me." "If the sergeant came at ye once wid his fists, ye'd know better--as soon as ye knew anything," jeered Private Kelly. "The sarge is a scrapper--few like him in 'ours' when he turns himself loose," supplemented Slosson. "Then let go of me, and let the cur turn himself loose," pleaded Hinkey, fighting furiously with his captors. "Let him show me if he dares." Into such a passion was he working himself that Hinkey seemed likely to tear himself away from the two soldiers who sought to restrain him. But Hal had sense enough to keep his own hands out of the affair. "Meade, get in there and help," he directed. Then, with Hinkey growing rapidly angrier and putting forth more strength, there was battle royal. When it was over Hinkey had a bleeding nose, a cut lip, one eye closed and his uniform all but torn from him. But he panted and surrendered, at last--a prisoner. "What's this all about, Sergeant Overton?" demanded First Sergeant Gray, hastening to the spot. "I've placed Hinkey under arrest, Sergeant, for disrespectful speech against an officer, for disrespectful answers to myself and for insubordination." "You wouldn't act without strong cause, I know, Sergeant Overton," replied First Sergeant Gray. "Hustle Private Hinkey down to the guard house, then." "Forward with him, men," ordered Hal. Hinkey would have started the fight all over again, but he realized the weight of discipline and numbers, and felt that it would give his enemy too much satisfaction. So, with much growling and many oaths, Hinkey submitted to being marched down to the guard house. To the sergeant of the guard Hal explained the charge. The sergeant of the guard promptly sent for Lieutenant Hayes, of C Company, who was officer of the day. Mr. Hayes listened attentively to the charge preferred by Sergeant Overton. Hinkey, too, who was behind a barred door in one of the cells, listened with darkening brow. "It's all rot!" raged the arrested soldier. "It's all a personal matter, and Overton has vented his spite on me." "Silence, my man!" ordered Lieutenant Hayes sternly. "And when you refer to Sergeant Overton, call him by his title." "I won't shut up until I've had my say!" raged Private Hinkey, gripping with both hands the bars of the cell door. "Lieutenant----" "Silence, or you'll have disrespectful language to the officer of the day added to the other charges against you," warned Lieutenant Hayes, stepping over to the cell door. "Not another word out of you, Hinkey." In the old days the prisoner would have been locked up until the next general court-martial convened. But in these newer days the plan is to have as many offenses as possible tried before summary court. A summary court consists of one officer, who must, when practicable, be of field officer's rank. So, at nine the next morning, Private Hinkey was arraigned before Major Silsbee. All the necessary witnesses were there, too. Hinkey, of course, claimed that it had all been an affair of personal spite on the part of Sergeant Overton. This claim Hinkey was given a fair opportunity to prove, but he failed to do so. "I commend Sergeant Overton for his soldierly attitude in the matter," declared Major Silsbee when summing up. "Sergeant Overton behaved with an amount of decision and of moderation that is remarkable in so young a non-commissioned officer. Sergeant Overton thereby demonstrated his fitness to command men. Private Hinkey's conduct, from start to finish, as testified to by the witnesses, was gross and indefensible. Such conduct in a soldier of the regular Army is nothing short of disgraceful." Then followed the sentence. For disrespectful allusions to Lieutenant Ferrers, uttered in the presence of other enlisted men, Private Hinkey was sentenced to forfeit fifteen dollars of his pay. For disrespect and insubordination, as evinced toward Sergeant Overton, and for resisting arrest, he was fined twenty-five dollars more of his pay. Thus Private Hinkey would be obliged to work for the United States for nothing during nearly the next three months of his service. Further, he was sentenced to one week's confinement at the guard house, and to perform fatigue labor on the post. Then, still under guard, Hinkey was marched back to the guard house. His sentence, which, of course, the fellow regarded as tyranny pure and simple, filled his heart with black hatred against the boyish sergeant. At first sight it may seem strange, but the outcome of the whole affair was to raise Hal Overton considerably in the esteem of his comrades at Fort Clowdry. As his service in the Army lengthens the soldier acquires a trained sense of justice. A non-commissioned officer is never allowed to lay hands in anger on any man beneath him in rank, save to restrain a drunken or crazy man, or in defense of himself or of another non-com. or officer. But Hinkey had struck at Hal, and the latter, had he been so inclined, would have been justified in leaping upon the private and beating him into submission. Instead, he had ordered disinterested soldiers to bring about the submission and the arrest. More, Major Silsbee's comments on the case had been repeated by the witnesses to other comrades in barracks. A soldier soon comes to realize, if he is a reasonable man, that his officers always endeavor to work out impartial justice. Therefore, Major Silsbee's comments had greatly strengthened Hal's reputation among his soldier comrades. This does not mean that all suspicion against Sergeant Overton was forgotten, but the men now remembered that Hinkey had been the most active and bitter poisoner of minds against Hal. So, now, reaction had its natural effect--somewhat in Hal Overton's favor. The fourth day of Hinkey's imprisonment Sergeant Hal had charge of the guard that controlled the seven prisoners, in all, who were now working out guard house terms. Hinkey now managed to come close to the young sergeant in command of the fatigue party. "You may think you've won out," growled Private Hinkey. "My man," spoke Hal almost kindly, "I've no desire to see you get into more trouble. Attend to your fatigue duty!" "You may think you've won out," repeated Hinkey. "But wait!" _ |
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