The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Heh
Received via e-mail, origin unknown:
Based on my memories of military life, I'd say that was appropriate . . .
While I've never served in the military, I have gone hiking in various parks and encountered ROTC students who've become lost while doing land navigation training. Several times, in multiple states. Hopefully they eventually learn.
It is said that the most dangerous thing in the world is a 2nd Looie with a map. After telling that, Jerry Pournelle said, "And I used to be one of those."
When Camargo was reached, we found a city of tents outside the Mexican hamlet. I was detailed to act as quartermaster and commissary to the regiment. The teams that had proven abundantly sufficient to transport all supplies from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande over the level prairies of Texas, were entirely inadequate to the needs of the reinforced army in a mountainous country. to obviate the deficiency, pack mules were hired, with Mexicans to pack and drive them. I had charge of the few wagons allotted to the 4th infantry and of the pack train to supplement them. There were not men enough in the army to manage that train without the help of Mexicans who had learned how. As it was the difficulty was great enough. The troops would take up their march at an early hour each day. After they had started, the tents and cooking utensils had to be made into packages, so that they could be lashed to the backs of the mules. Sheet-iron kettles, tent-poles, and the mess chests were inconvenient articles to transport in that way. It took several hours to get ready to start each morning, and by the time we were ready some of the mules first loaded would be tired of standing so long with their loads on their backs. Sometimes one would start to run, bowing his back and kicking up until he scattered his load; others would lie down and try to disarrange their loads by attempting to get on the top of them by rolling on them; others with tent-poles for part of their loads would manage to run a tent-pole on one side of a sapling while they would take the other. I am not aware of ever having used a profane explicative in my life; but I would have the charity to excuse those who may have done so, if they were in charge of a train of Mexican pack mules at the time.
2Lt U.S. Grant
Camargo, Mexico August, 1846
Excerpt from Ulysses S. Grant—Memoirs and Selected Letters
I know just who to send this picture to.
ReplyDeleteJust in case you missed this---
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGdmJ39ZW0
I really needed that - thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhile I've never served in the military, I have gone hiking in various parks and encountered ROTC students who've become lost while doing land navigation training. Several times, in multiple states. Hopefully they eventually learn.
ReplyDeleteYep, even with a map and a compass that would be well above their capability...............
ReplyDeleteIt is said that the most dangerous thing in the world is a 2nd Looie with a map. After telling that, Jerry Pournelle said, "And I used to be one of those."
ReplyDeleteBut where to begin? :-)
ReplyDeleteThis will be shared... ;-)
ReplyDeleteFrom the wayback times---
ReplyDeleteWhen Camargo was reached, we found a city of tents outside the Mexican hamlet. I was detailed to act as quartermaster and commissary to the regiment. The teams that had proven abundantly sufficient to transport all supplies from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande over the level prairies of Texas, were entirely inadequate to the needs of the reinforced army in a mountainous country. to obviate the deficiency, pack mules were hired, with Mexicans to pack and drive them. I had charge of the few wagons allotted to the 4th infantry and of the pack train to supplement them. There were not men enough in the army to manage that train without the help of Mexicans who had learned how. As it was the difficulty was great enough. The troops would take up their march at an early hour each day. After they had started, the tents and cooking utensils had to be made into packages, so that they could be lashed to the backs of the mules. Sheet-iron kettles, tent-poles, and the mess chests were inconvenient articles to transport in that way. It took several hours to get ready to start each morning, and by the time we were ready some of the mules first loaded would be tired of standing so long with their loads on their backs. Sometimes one would start to run, bowing his back and kicking up until he scattered his load; others would lie down and try to disarrange their loads by attempting to get on the top of them by rolling on them; others with tent-poles for part of their loads would manage to run a tent-pole on one side of a sapling while they would take the other. I am not aware of ever having used a profane explicative in my life; but I would have the charity to excuse those who may have done so, if they were in charge of a train of Mexican pack mules at the time.
2Lt U.S. Grant
Camargo, Mexico
August, 1846
Excerpt from Ulysses S. Grant—Memoirs and Selected Letters
And that's the advanced course, right? :-)
ReplyDeleteI've seen a version of that marked 'For Blondes'
ReplyDelete