The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-10-02

Major Wham, paymaster u. s. A..
Fort Russell, will son change stations
with Major Tower Mt Fort Sanders.
Major Wham, paymaster, will depart
to-day on leave, going TO Decatur,
Ills. At that point the celebrated 2ist
regiment Illinois volunteers will hold n
reunion. This is the regiment which
Gen. Grant took out at the beginning
OF the war. Major Wham was an OIL
Ger in this regiment during the war.
Gen. Crook and Mr.. Webb e. Hayes
came out yesterday from Omaha in or
der TO indulge in n grand hunt In the
vicinity OF Laramie Peak. At this
point they were joined by Major Lord,
quartermaster at Fort ID. A. Russell,
and M. j. S. Collins.
Lieut.. Fred. Schwatka, Sd United
states cavalry, the returned Arctic ex-
plorer, was born in Illinois, entering
West Point military academy as u ca
Diet in 1866, and graduating in aclass Of
over forty members, number twenty. In
1871 he was then assigned to the Sd
cavalry. From that time on he devot-
ed his leisure moments, during the vi
cissitudes Of frontier service, to hard
study, and in 1874, after careful prep
taration, graduating ut Belleone med
ical college. Of New York city, and re-
ceiviDg a diploma as NJ. ID. Again in
1875, we find him receiving new hon
ors, passing an exceedingly creditable
and successful examination for admis-
sion to the legal profession, before the
United States district court ut Omaha,
Nebraska. During all this time he
performed laborious and important mil
itary service In Arizona and this de-
partment, particularly in Gen. Crooks
campaign. He was present at the bat
tie Of the Rosebud, and accompanied
Crooks command In its unparalleled
march from Tongue river TO the Black
Hills, when their only subsistence for a
week was horse flesh. lie was one OF
the three officers selected by Gen.
Crook to perform important service and
command the one hundred and fifty
picked men that made the attack on
the Sioux village at Slim Butte. Sep.
1876. Lieut.. Schwatka is also the au-
thor Of several important inventions.
While camped ut Camp Sheridan, Neb.,
in 1867, he devoted himself to the
study Of Arctic explorations; the result
is now before the public. Nearly u
year after he had sailed for the Arctic
regions. by regular promotion, he sue
ceeded TO the list lieutenancy Of CON-
pany G, Sd cavalry, commanded by
) Capt. Crawford, another explorer OF
note. Lieut.. Schwatka is the youngest
man that ever led an expedition TO the
} Arctic regions. He is only Thirty years
old.
The following interesting sketch Of n
noted officer we borrow from the WASH
ington Republic:
v Gen. VanV Welt is one OF the Oldest Off
GERS in the army. He graduated at West
Point In the class of 1910, and his class
number was nine in n class OF forty
two cadets. Among his classmates
were Gen. Sherman, Gen. George ii.
Thomas, ex.Gov. Hebert, OF Louisiana,
who recently died in New Orleans,
Gen. Getty, and Others who have
achieved distinction. Gov. Hebert was
number one In his class, Gen. Sherman
No. six and Gen. Thomas number
twelve. Gen. Van Vliet is now sixty
one years old, but he is rs hale and
hearty rs most men are ut forty, and is
still as lively and full OF fun as n cadet.
His first commission was in the artil-
lery. He served two years In the Flor
ida wal and was In several fights. He
was also two years in the Mexican war.
He was in several storming parties and
commanded n battery Mt Vera Cruz,
but 1t was not In battle that he was to
distinguish himself. His bravery was
conspicuous, but he was found to pos-
sess qualities that fitted him for quar-.
termaster, and he was ordered to
join troops to protect overland emigra-
ton TO Oregon long before the gold fever
broke out In California. He remained
at Fort Harvey and Fort Laramie for
over four years, and it was not recorded
Of him that he allowed any Indian TO
get away with any government prop
erty. While at Fort Laramie. in 1919,
he was the editor Of the Chuy Water
Journal, u journal unique in its way.
1t was d sheet about % by 90 inches,
and contained poetry, sketches, traves-
ties. &C., and was ~certainlya creditable
production. The work was all done
with n pen, and the heading was a
marvel Of skill and beauty. It also
contained pictures illustrating the jokes
J and .sdrives, Of some Of the officers mt