The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-12-21
THE MURDERED VAN MOLL.
Incidents in the Life OF n Brave Soldier
His Campaigns with Mcclellan.
Pope and Grant.

0SA60aAAt tl &4Ohr 4lilu SaNaAiN NuO
was killed by Private Kennedy at Hat
Creek, the other day:
The slaughtered sergeant was, per-
haps, the tallest man in the American
cavalry, being at least six feet four
inches in stature. He was slight and
graceful in figure, despite his great al
titude, and was, withal, as brave a
trooper as ever drew a sword or slung
n carbine. His death will be much Ia
mented by every good man in the
famous old Third, from the colonel
downward. The sergeant stopped in
Chicago for some weeks last summer
while en- route to visit his relatives in
the east. His appearance on our streets
at that time excited universal attention,
rs he was particularly neat in his dress,
always appearing in uniform. lie
looked more like n member of the En-
glish Life Guards than a soldier of the
American army.
Van Moll was born In Massachusetts
in 1914. His father was u Belgian and
his mother was Irish. He received n
fair education, and, when little more
than fifteen years old, he joined one of
the New England regiments as a drum
mer boy, and saw all the fighting that
Mcdowell, Mcclellan, Pope, Burnside
and Hooker were engaged in during the
years 1852 and 3.
In the latter year he dropped the
drum and took up the rifle, distinguish
ing himself particularly at the furious
fight of Gettysburg, where he WAS pro-
noted to a ~sergeantcy. He followed
the bloody fortunes of General Grant
through the dreadful campaign of the
Wilderness, and, although several
times slightly wounded, always APP
peared in the ranks on the day of hattie.
When Petersburg was taken he was
recommended for a commission, but the
sudden collapse of the wal spoiled his
chances in that respect. After remain.
ing a short time with his Massachusetts,
friends he enlisted in the Third Caval-
ry, and, because of his skill in tnctics
and his fine military bearing and gem
tlemanly department, WAS soon adj
vanced to the responsible position of
first sergeant of a. company, which
he held at the time of his tragic death.
In Crooks Indian campaign of 1876
Van Moll was distinguished for his
daring bravery. When the soldier line
was halted on Rosebud heights, on June
18th, and the friendly and hostile In
dams fought hand to hand four hun
dred yards in advance, the tall sergeant
obtained the consent of his command
ing officer, Lieut.. Lawson, to accompa-
ny the Shoshone tribe in their attack on
the Sioux. The Shoshones made n brave
stand, but were soon overwhelmed and
compelled to retreat. They were all
mounted, but Van Moll fought on foot,
his horse being held back with those of
the rest of the regiment, in rear of the
heights. When the Crows and Shosho
mes drew off, the gallant sergeant found
himself alone with the Sioux, who came
IN With so,o Iii. -
ret;r.d arina Sup nm ne
,o,,;o-a '"' "nu several
u,oT,d - hos. ~ ineS
tho hosti,a no"n' oi
a. 80 were oi.se upon him'
dion n,arr;ou 90 .ba sos In
m,;ahos 49, 'es' "iS'ih-
turned hao,, So .n ,'
re,reatina oomraaa. AZ
s,roor NV ioue hAe d
tho imner;,ad .asana 'c"h '""'u
bnIlets eew lilo la; 80 80
tbron;ra = ~ sn '
brt ,ha - i.' ,iouu',
them Rana;n. go n nee'eu
neck he rode r;ah. ~ va. pony