Tostartwithfivepercenthandicapwasaverygreatadvantage；andifthemanwasreallyagoodman，hecouldnotbeovertaken。ButifthemanthoughtthathehadlearnedallabouttheprofessionofasoldierbecausehehadbeenintheNationalGuardorintheRegularArmyundertheconditionsIhavedescribed，thenhewasactuallyoflessusethanifhehadneverhadanymilitaryexperienceatall。Suchamanwasapttothinkthatnicetyofalignment，precisioninwheeling，andcorrectnessinthemanualofarmsweretheendsoftrainingandtheguaranteesofgoodsoldiership，andthatfromguardmountingtosentrydutyeverythinginwarwastobedoneinaccordancewithwhathehadlearnedinpeace。Asamatteroffact，mostofwhathehadlearnedwasneverusedatall，andsomeofithadtobeunlearned。Theonething，forinstance，thatasentryoughtnevertodoinanactualcampaignistowalkupanddownalinewherehewillbeconspicuous。Hisbusinessistoliedownsomewhereoffaridgecrestwherehecanseeanyoneapproaching，butwhereamanapproachingcannotseehim。Asfortheceremonies，duringthereallyhardpartofacampaignonlythebarestessentialsarekept。
Almostallofthejuniorregularofficers，andmanyoftheseniorregularofficers，werefinemen。But，throughnofaultoftheirown，hadbeenforcedtoleadlivesthatfairlyparalyzedtheirefficiencywhenthestrainofmodernwarcameonthem。Theroutineelderlyregularofficerwhoknewnothingwhateverofmodernwarwasinmostrespectsnearlyasworthlessasarawrecruit。Thepositionsandcommandsprescribedinthetext-booksweremadeintofetishesbysomeofthesemen，andtreatedasiftheyweretheends，insteadofthenotalwaysimportantmeansbywhichtheendsweretobeachieved。IntheCubanfighting，forinstance，itwouldhavebeenfollyformetohavetakenmyplaceintherearoftheregiment，thecanonicaltext-bookposition。MybusinesswastobewhereIcouldkeepmostcommandovertheregiment，and，inarough-and-tumble，scramblingfightinthickjungle，thishadtodependuponthecourseofevents，andusuallymeantthatIhadtobeatthefront。Isawinthatfightingmorethanoneelderlyregimentalcommanderwhounwittinglyrenderedtheonlyservicehecouldrendertohisregimentbytakinguphisproperpositionseveralhundredyardsintherearwhenthefightingbegan；
forthentheregimentdisappearedinthejungle，andforitsgoodfortunethecommandingofficerneversawitagainuntillongafterthefightwasover。
AfteroneCubanfightalieutenant-coloneloftheregulars，incommandofaregiment，whohadmetwithjustsuchanexperienceandhadrejoinedusatthefrontseveralhoursafterthecloseofthefighting，askedmewhatmymenweredoingwhenthefightbegan。I
answeredthattheywerefollowingintraceincolumnoftwos，andthattheinstanttheshootingbeganIdeployedthemasskirmishersonbothsidesofthetrail。Heansweredtriumphantly，“Youcan’tdeploymenasskirmishersfromcolumnformation“；towhichIresponded，“Well，I