The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-04
A HERO OF MANY WARS.
General Harvey, the Great Indian Fighter
How He Saved the Life of Mr.. Lincoln.

General Harvey, the Great Indian Fighter
How He Saved the Life of Mr.. Lincoln.
Washington Post.
Every schoolboy has heard of General w. S.
Harvey, the great Indian fighter, and will be
glad to know that the old hero still lives at the
age OF eighty-four, and, with the exception of a.
somewhat impaired vision and slightly defect
I've memory, enjoys excellent health. Heis now
on little pleasure tour from his home in st.
Louis, and, with his adopted daughter. Mrs. st.
Gyr, IS comfortably quartered at the Ebbitt
House. During his journey he has been the re-
cipent Of many fattering attentions from hosts
OF friends and admirers
"A reporter of the Post had long and pleasant
chat with the General, who when he rose, tow
cred considerably above his visitor, his height
being six feet three inches, and his figure still
erect and soldierly. He injured his leg a few
weeks ago, and is a little lame, but treats the
matter lightly. He spoke with modesty about
! his exploits and several times allowed Mrs. st.
| Cyr to relate incidents Of his long and adyen-
! turous career
| " was in command in Missouri when the Re
/ bell1on broke out, said the General during the
| conversation, s'and had not been relieved by
| President Lincoln, in bay, 1861, am sure there
| would have been no bloodshed in that State; but
never blamed Mr. Lincoln for he and were
friends So much political pressure was brought
| 70 bear upon him by, Frank p. Blair and others
| that suppose he had to relieve me And yet
/ continued the General, smiling "Mr Lincoln
/ saved his lifen
! How was that, GGaneral?r
4 r;s ven saiu the General laughing Mr..
Llsc:s.u was captain of company of volunteers
/ ana was captain of a company of regulars dur
! ing the Black Hawk war. remember well how
captain Lincoln used to come to our rendezvous
General Taylors headquarters tell
stories that amused us immensely He used to
Ie on the grass, and very frequently would say:
In nat reminds me, and begin funny story"
/ One day Lincoln said to me: 4 say, Harvey
| let's pick out four or five good shoots from our
i commands and go cunning for Indiana on our,
own hook. All right, Lincoln said /; but do
| you know anything about Indian fightngT
We'll, not much. but Pm pretty good shot
That will do to start on said L but let me tell
/ you one thing; never look for redskin in front
of you; look out for your TANKS WE'LL we
started out, and soon came on signs of redskins.
/ All of sudden, while was watching the TANKS,
/ saw an Indian drawing bead on Lincoln. AS
| quick as could possibly do so leveled my rife
| and fred didn't hit him-at least he didn't
| falkland he ran away Ever after that Captain
Lincoln insisted that had saved his life"
You are not graduate Of West Point, Gen
eralln
No, was born at Haysborough near Nash
vile, Tenn Down there the boys indulge in
athletic sports, and as a rule grow up to be
pretty strapping fellows When was young
man went to Baton Rouge to visit my brother,
| and met General Jesup, then colonel of the First
lnfontry, and afterwards quartermaster-g general.
| One day he said to me- Young man, how would
| you like to have commission in the armyp 1
said, First rate, General and thought no more
about it. short time afterwards on came
commission for me as a lieutenant in the regular
army and that's how happened to be soldier
How many wars have you served in. Gen.
erallr
"oh, don't know, laughed the General, II
don't care to talk about my own services"
LET me see.a said Mrs. st. Cyr. The Gen.
eral was in the Seminole war in Florida, in the
Black Hawk war, in war with the Sioux in
which he fought a bloody battle at Ash Hollow,
on the Blue Water, in the Mexican war, and in
the late civil war. The General, you know was
/ the hero of Seminole war, and hung thirteen of
| the hostile chiefs, which ended it. Billy Bow
| leg used to say: If Harvey catch me- me hang;
if me catch him, he die It was the General who
captured the hill at Cerro Gordo, but he
never boasts of his own achievements
Subsequently General Harvey spoke kindly of
the Indians and told how he came near hanging
an Indian agent for swindling them. They all
know me, said he, adding with laudable pride,
''and if to-day there was an outbreak among the
Sioux, could go to them alone and stop it, for
they would listen to me. There's no trouble
getting along with the Indians if they are treated
| kindly. It's q shame that they should be swim
died as they frequently are. / wish had the
punishment of the thieves" and tears Of indig-
nation came into the old hero's eyes as he said it.
1t is impossible, within the limits Of this arti-
Gle, to give more than mere outline of General
stoned a second lieutenant by President Monroe
in 1878 and subsequently captured TWO of La
fittes piratieal vessels. He served on the staff
of General jackson, who, when President in
1889, made him paymaster of the army. In Au-
gust, 1886, he was made heutenant-colonel of the
Second Dragons He fought CALAMITY through
the Mexican war, but early incurred the en-
nifty Of General Scott, who endeavored to
deprive him Of his command but was frus-
trated by William L. Marcy, Secretary Of State
| and aeh n viz
tory, in view Of which his impetuosity was over
looked.
Prior to and long after the Mexican war he
was actively engaged fighting hostile Indians, in
which he won extraordinary distinction He had
command of the expedition against Brigham
Young, in 1853 but learning that Harvey intend
ed to hang Young and his twelve apostles he
was relieved by the Secretary of War
and General Johnston succeeded him. He
was captured by the confederates at Harper's
Ferry, April %, 1861, and taken to Richmond,
where he was implored by old friends to espouse
the Alost cause, which he stoutly refused to do.
His skill and gallantry secured him steady pro
motion from the time he entered the army, and
he was retired in May 1861, with the full rank
of major general
The General, who has two daughters and a
son, will remain in the city only few days
when he will return to St Louis. Both of
his daughters are married and living
in France One of them married
other Niscount de Thury, a French gentleman.
The son of the General lives in St Louis. Mrs.
ST Cyr the Generals adopted daughter and
companion, is native of Frederick, Md, her
maiden name being Miss Lizzie Cromwell Her
husband, Frenchman, died about fifteen years
ago, since which time she has been attached to
the Generals family.
Scientific Dissertation on Butler.
Pittsbufg Dispatch.