Was Mackenzie a "Martinet"
Mackenzie was not a West Point "martinet", as that term is generally understood in our Army—but, from four wounds he had received, three in the Civil War, and one that year in the campaign against Quan-ah Parker, the Una-ha-da Comanche Chief—and almost criminal neglect of his own health, in his intensity of nature and purpose in prosecuting these arduous Indian campaigns—he had become more or less irritable, irascible, exacting—sometimes erratic, and frequently explosive—
This much may be said, however, it is certain that notwithstanding his physical condition, and his mental temperament resulting therefrom, he never sought to inflict an injury or punishment upon anybody unnecessarily—never became a petty or malicious persecutor, hounding a man into his grave—and when it became evident to him as well as to others that he had done any of his officers or men an act of injustice, nobody could have been more open, free and frank in his disavowal of that act, or quicker to apologize and render all the reparation possible in his power— This applied to any and all down to the last Second Lieutenant and private soldier in the regiment—
One man never knows another so well, even intimately—as when he is thrown closely in contact with or lives and sleeps and eats with him— The writer had done all with Mackenzie during a greater part of this period of 1871—having been his Post Adjutant twice—during Gen. Sherman's inspection in May, at the time of the massacre of Salt Creek Prairie, and prior to our Expedition of that year, and his Field Adjutant on his entire campaign in his abortive attempt to strike Kicking Bird's band of Ki-o-was before he could be stampeded into the Fort Sill Reservation—from May 1st until Oct. 3—I had got to know him very well—
Causes for Desertion
Both officers and men had been under a terrific high-keyed pressure—a very great mental and physical strain, almost to the breaking point; were tired and dispirited because the results and the hard work performed, had not justified their expectations and because they could not then see any immediate relief from the performance of such exacting duty— The pace had been a little too fast even for the Fourth Cavalry— Much of the spirit and enthusiasm for such unremunerative work was at a very low ebb— While it had not yet approached a complete discouragement, it was a condition of supreme disgust and contempt at the methods employed— They felt that with the Government at Washington nullifying and rendering most of their hard labor abortive, that success in those long, weary and extremely exhausting Indian campaigns was not so much dependent upon their absolute loyalty to duty and perfect willingness to sacrifice themselves when necessary in achieving results, as upon the paralyzing acts and influence of the "Indian Ring" in Washington and the ever changing political cesspools of a politically ridden country— They wanted to see the tangible results or fruits of such terribly hard service and to feel that such hardships, privations and sacrifices as they had experienced, had not been in vain or wasted by a gang of cold blooded, unscrupulous plunderers and grafters remote from the scene of these border activities. We have but recently passed through a similar experience with the same class—in fact are doing it now. Like "death and Taxes," we have them with us always, especially in time of wars— It is then the vultures abound— It is then we have the jelly-fish, spineless slackers, the pussy-foot pacifists—conscientious objectors, chicken hearted shirkers—and—"let George do it" fighters—coming down to the secret renegades—traitors, and Bolshevist anarchists and bomb throwers— They have always been the curse of this Nation—the natural result,—as a rule—of the "Melting Pot" that does not melt—breeding a lot of mongrel curs and hybrids that should no longer be a part of our American life. It is feared they will always be with us—
Thus they reasoned—and the propaganda poison spread. These were some of the contributing, but not all of the real causes that led to what soon became almost an epidemic of desertions in the regiment— The last snow storm in which they had floundered and wallowed into Fort Richardson, seemed to have destroyed the last atom of patriotic ardor and martial enthusiasm among even some of the best of our Indian scrappers— The loss of Quan-ah Parker's village in the snow, sleet and hail of that black, awful night on the solitary plateau of the "Staked Plains", when the entire command came so near perishing, and the swiftly moving mass of fleeing panic-stricken Indians was "so near, and yet so far"—had taken nearly all of the gimp, snap, and live-wire spirit out of our hitherto bold Fourth Cavalry warriors— Following this—the terrible monotony of the life—without amusements or recreations of any kind—no athletics or competitions; no libraries—infrequent mails; no hunting except a few men selected on account of their being expert shots (no ammunition then being issued by the Government for that purpose); no theaters or concerts; nothing but the dreary monotonous grind of guard and police duty—detached service, and the rather questionable pleasure they got out of some saloons and gambling hells which generally landed them "broke" and subjects for the guard house and disciplinary measures and more forfeiture of pay, hard labor or other punishment— These were the causes for the desertion epidemic. During this period of unrest and discontent, however, on account of the conditions described, there were few courts martial, nearly all corrective or disciplinary measures being applied by the Troop Commanders through the First Sergeants, under proper restrictions or limitations by the Colonel— "Knock downs" and "drag outs" were not infrequent, and at no extra expense to the Government— Sometimes the victim of an unfortunate "jag" was got under control by a 24 hours sojourn in the "orderly room", a "dip" in a water hole near by, the "boozer" being thrown in a few times "by order", or, if he became too obstreperous, abusive or insubordinate—a "sweat box"—a "30 pound log on a ring", or a "spread eagle on the spare wheel of a caisson" was resorted to to fully control the habitual drunk, shirker or malingerer, all with the knowledge of and under the direct or indirect supervision of the Commanding Officer—
On the 29th of November it was reported that ten (10) men had deserted from one troop ("B"), and Mackenzie, thoroughly aroused now by the frequency of these wholesale desertions—took immediate and decisive action.
Rock-Ribbed Orders vs. Elastic Verbal Instructions
About dark on this day Mackenzie sent in great haste for Lawton and the writer and told us the situation; that he was going to send us out on this special trip in pursuit of deserters and to get ready as soon as possible. He would have a written order for us in a few minutes— We were generously informed that while it was not our turn on the detached duty roster for this service, yet—so and so was too sick—another had a cold—still a third was inefficient, and would never get results—and a fourth could not stand the gaff of a "Norther"—etc., etc.—all so comforting and soothing (?)— We were, therefore, "It"— We were to report to him in 30 minutes. We were each to select any Corporal in the regiment to accompany us— A black, and ominous "Norther" was brewing and it was then beginning to be bitter cold— We reported within the time given with our Corporals—and the following official order was placed in the writer's hands.