The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-07-16

| studied hard to make himself proficient
In military matters. He spoke and wrote
English like an educated American.
When Company e was in Burnslde's
Starvation Camp" in East Tennessee
THAT was in 1869 the Big Chief was
recommended for q commission in the
regular army. General Burnside and
seventy general officers who knew him
personally united in recommending him
and he was ordered to Annapolis for ex-
animation by board of officers.
At this point the ex paymaster had
another struggle with his cigar, in which
he expended two or three matches,
through forgetting that he had lit them,
in the intensity of his feelings regarding
military examining boards. The Big
Chief was undoubtedly better posted in
all the practial details of army work than
were his examiners, and. in pinch, his
good Judgement might have made up for
their scientific requirements. The ex-
aminers found him perfect in the pre-
Hminary examinations. He was familiar
with all the ordinary duties of line
officer and had general comprehension
OF military science, that is, he was in
telligent and had observed as we'll as
studied. His English was good, he had
made a fair start in mathematics,
and he wrote neat business hand.
But when they began their high school
examination he failed One OF
the first questions was, "What
is the name of the highest mountain in
Europe ?" Gentlemen, I don't know"
was all the Big Chief could say, and he
had to make like answer when he was
asked to name the longest river in Asia.
The Big Chief come back to his COM
pany, disappointed, and the officers who
had recommended him were both disap-
pointed and mad. More than one of
them called the examiners a pack of
to help the Big Chief over his disap
pointment, made him chief wagon
master, and Company E knew him no
more. In the changes following the war
the artillery officer was turned into
paymaster. and after several years SER
vice as such went back to civil life. Two
or three years ago the ex-paymaster was
in Cincinnati, Ohio, and there he again
met the Big Chief. now Lieut.. Andrew
Ackermann of the city police force and
regarded as model officer in that city.
He is married and comfortably situated,
and there is nothing in his appearance or
manners to indicate that he was in his
younger days a savage among savages.
When the ex-paymaster had finished
his story and again reached for match
to light his remnant of cigar, he was
mildly surprised to find the match box
empty, and affected to be more surprised
when informed by one of his most atten-
tive listeners that he had used just
twenty three matches with that one
cigar. .I'd sell you the matches if I
kept the place" said one, .and give you
the cigar" ''But is that really true
story you have told us?" asked one.
eyes, every word of it, was the answer.
''After ALL" said one of the veterans,
as he deliberately poured out his might
cap," ''your Big Chief wasn't chief
among the Indians, and the shoulder
strapped pedagogues wouldn't have him
for chief in the army. But if he had
stayed with the Indians they would have
promoted him. They do make chiefs of
their head soldiers" Perhaps that ac-
counts for its costing dozen of our SOL
diers to kill one of THEIRS" suggested
another. ST don't think the Big Chief
would want to go back either to the
Indians or to the army, on any terms,
said the ex-paymaster. "He has his wife
and home, good position, and the re-
spect of his neighbors, and that's better
than life in the Indian country, either in
an Indian camp or an army post"