Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-08-07


UNITED STATES ARMY.
For the Dispatch.l
Lieutenant. Colonel ALT. Baird, Sixth
North Carolina cavalry, Confederate army,
now Asheville's chief Of police, on the con-
clusion of hostilities, located in Texas with
an uncle, John M. Hunter, who resided at
Scamp Colorado" long time the general
headquarters of the old Second dragons,
United States army, of which r. e. Lee
was the colonel. Mr.. Hunter was appoint
ed sutler by Colonel Lee, and in that capac-
ity was closely connected with the regl-
ment, officers and men, until the breaking
out of the war between the States.
Mr.. Hunter, Colonel Baird says, was up
to the time of his death answering in his
devotion to the sold Second,'' of which
Lopgstreet, HOOD, Fitz Lee, and others, al
forwards distinguished generals on one slde
| or the other in the unpieasantness that fol-
| lowed. were officers; especially was he 1ond
| of "Fitz," then lieutenant, and could tell
MANY an interesting incident, humorous or
thrilling, of his life and habits when young
subaltern.
| He described him then as very different
in appearance to what he looks now. With
not an ounce of superfluous flesh, extreme
" well.proportioned, he was the beau-ideal
of an athletic young trooper. And such he
proved himself-not eXcelled as horse
man, a superior swordsman, q fine shot
was oftenest on top in friendly wrestling
contests with his brother officers, fleet OF
foot, and could lead the column in long
and fatiguing march on foot.
| Owing to his youth and an exuberance OF
high animal spirits, which his perfect health
provoked, checked only by army discipline,
II foA Will
mand of a separate detachment, much to
the chagrin of the young lieutenant, for he
knew his powers and was ambitious fire.
ouent calls On the troops covering large
| frontier, by constant iucurslons OF the In
dams, offering ample opportunity.
After frettiDg over the disappointment
quite awhile at last his chance came. The
| Comanches, then in large numbers, made a
general and almost simultaneous raid along
the entire frontier, which necessitated a
troop or squadron sent here or there, until
nearly the whole command had been dis
patched to repel them, leaving Fitz and a
few other officers in camp with only score
or so of men.
One band of Indians, holder Or more
cunning than the others, eluding the cor
don of troops sent out to intercept them,
suddenly made their appearance within
short distance Of the post, creating great
CONSERVATION among the settlers, both for
their own safety and that of their herds
and f1ocks.
Lieutenant Fitz Lee was ordered by the
officer in command to take ten or twelve
soldiers and the few settlers he could in
duce to GO with him and attack them. He
did SO, accompanied by Mr.. Hunter, the
post suffer. So vigorously was it done that
the Indians were compelled to retreat. leav-
ing most of their captured booty. Night
coming on the little body of men ceased the
pursuit and went into camp, prudence die
| tatiDg that it was folly to expect to cope at
| night with an enemy so willy and treacher-
Gus. and whose knowledge of the ground
gave them every advantage.
Early the next morning Fitz was up and
after them, determined to overtake and in
flict punishment. After following the trail
till late in the evening they were COMPEL
ed, as much fer the relief of their horses as
from the nature of the ground, to dismount
and follow on foots The trail led them in.
to broken and rocky range of the Color
ado Hills, which was difficult and trying on
the troopers unused as they were to travel
on foot-and rendered the danger Of an am
buscade very great unless unusual precau-
tions were taken.
Lieutenant Filz continued his advance
rapidly but cautiously until he discovered
that the band was breaking into small par
ties and separating. His eagerness to over
take them overbalanced his caution to a
certain extent as he urged his men to
greater exe1tions. They responded as best
they could, but were unable to keep pace
with their athletic yong commander, who
was finally some distance ahead. pursuing
small party Of Indians in sight and on
whom he was steadily gaining One of their
number seeing the officer far in advance OF
his men laid trap for him, and the future
great cavalry general and Governor of Vir-
gnia came near losing his scalp. Selecting
a rock which stood abruptly up in his path
way, some six or seven feet high ard SC
shaped on the top as to afford blm conceal,
ment, the Indian dropped his blankeJ di
rectly underneath and waited with all his
native cunning and ferocity.
=, Fitz, rising the hill and seeing nothing
bounded on in pursuit. Reaching the spot
he spied the gaudy blanket on the ground
and stopped uDsuspectingly to pick it up
, This was the moment the savage was wait
! ing for. With bound he was upon the
STOPPING officer knife in hand. The force
of the leap threw the lieutenant fat on biz
face and rolled the Indian over beside ant
. partly on top of him. Turning over anC
throwing the Indian of with the quicknes
, of lightning they grapp.ed and terrific
l struggle ensued.
The Ipdian was larger, but not So agilr
as Fitz, whose hands slipped from tho max
! ed arms and shoulders of the savage rs !
creased. Over and over they umbled, th,
Indian trying to use his knife, Fitz striving
to prevent it, when with an effort which
called every sinew and muscle into play b.
threw the savage from him and rapidlr
drew his own weapon, closing again i'm
!, mediately.
It At this stage of the game some of tn
Q soldiers came up and would have shot th
1 Comanche. Lieut. Lee, seeing This, cllst
2 out: Don't shootl It's man to man il
C this fght!" and after bloody and terriG,
, fight succeeded in killing his enemy. Tn
D vigorous and timely attack and pursuit o
1 the Indians by Lieut.. Lee did much to breal
up the raid aud gained for him the conf
I dence and commentator of his supporters
4 which continued when later events require,
9 the same energy, activity, and judgman
. that this little episode of the plains caliet
Il forth.
When Fiz left Texas he presented hi
, friend the sutler his favorite dog, magti;
fcent white setter named Sub y
This cog was Mr.. Hunters Constant com
s paniOn for many years, ard was tender,
4 buried when he died some Yeas after thu
= war. His master never tired talking OF hi
/ many good qualities, associatiDg him al
/ ways with ''Fitz," whether in camp o
3 field. J. a. W.
: AsheVille. n c., July IS, 1889.
CHICAGO's FINEST DAUGHTER-AIis
Erma Clara Roth is two weeks old, and sht
weighs bat two pounds. She is the precious
property of Mr.. and Mrs. Adolph Roth, anc
is as healthy as the average baby of bel
age.
: Erma Clara is the second child, and she
startled her mother somewhat by being
born SO small. The other child weighed six
and one half pounds at birth. while the late
arrival swathed in heavy hannels, tipped