...
To conserve the warhorses' strength, Colonel Jeska strictly forbade any soldier from riding, even the Dusacks had to lead their horses and walk on foot—unless they encountered the enemy or were on a reconnaissance mission.
"Even the knock-kneed guys have to walk on the ground now," the other militiamen muttered, "Let's see if they can endure the hardships that we've gone through."
Seeing that the usually arrogant Dusacks also had to stride out on their knock-kneed legs, there was a hint of satisfaction in the hearts of the "farmers' sons" from the mouths of the Dusacks.
At first, Winters' Dusacks would call the sons of farmers "Bumpkins," while the sons of farmers returned the favor by calling the Dusacks "Tartars."
Both terms were extremely derogatory, their psychological damage to each other was no less destructive than forty-eight-pound cannonballs.
If Winters was not present, a light-hearted "Tartar" or "Bumpkin" could provoke a fight.
