THE ONLY THING I COULD FIGURE OUT AFTER THIS HAPPENED WAS THAT THE OFFICER WE HAD DIDN'T GO TO CLASS THE DAY THEY HAD MAP READING. I'LL EXPLAIN, ON A CONTOUR MAP THE LITTLE CONTOUR LINES TELL WHETHER THERE IS A DEPRESSION OR A HILL AND DEPENDING HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TOGETHER DETERMINES THE STEEPNESS. WELL AS NEAR AS I CAN FIGURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.
WE WERE AT THIS CLEARING AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODED AREA AND I GUESS AT THIS POINT THE OFFICER DECIDED THAT THE BLUE ARMY WHICH WAS OUR ENEMY AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 500 YARDS IN FRONT OF US. THIS IS WHERE HIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF MAP READING CAME IN PLACE. HE ORDERED THE BUGLER TO BLOW CHARGE AND OFF WE WENT, AND I MEAN OFF WE WENT. ABOUT 50 YARDS UP THE GROUND DROPPED OFF AND OVER WE WENT,ALL OF US, IT WAS JUST A MASS OF MEN, EQUIPMENT AND HORSE FLESH ROLLING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. WE LOST SOME EQUIPMENT, A COUPLE OF BROKEN LEGS ON THE MEN AND WE LOST ONE HORSE TO A BROKEN LEG. WE SPENT THE NEXT DAY HUNTING FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT FELL OFF THE HORSES.
THIS VERY HILL A FEW YEARS LATER WAS SOLD TO A DEVELOPER AND NOW IT'S A VERY POPULAR SKI RESORT. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT EXPERIENCE. I NEVER SAW THAT OFFICER AFTER THAT, HE'S PROBABLY IN THE NAVY NOW.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE THERE FOR TO LEARN. YOU LEARN IN PEACE TIME SO YOU WILL BE READY IN CASE OF A CONFLICT. BUT THAT'S LEARNING THE HARD WAY.