Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-14
I'm History but Not i'm the EncycIo-
pscdtas.

pndias.
A few days ago, on the death of Cen
eral w. S. Harvey, we were astonished
to find that Appleton's american Ency-
clopadia (par excellence y knew nothing
about this great fighting American Cen
eral, whose name figures in every page
of the military annals of the United
States during the forty years of his active
service. Chambers Encyclopedia is
also silent about the distinguished officer,
and now the question suggests itself as
to the exact amount of distinction it re-
quires to get place in an encyclopedias
An agent of the former work tried to ex-
plain that biographical sketches of dis
tinguished people were only put in after
they had passed away. But that agent
shows his ignorance of the work be
represents. Appleton's has sketches of
Generals Won Moltke, Sherman, Rose
Grams and many others, who were still
alive when last heard from. General
Miles furnishes the Examiner with few
very interesting anecdotes of the life of
the great Indian fighter and distinguished
American General, which we quote:
Il wonder" said General Miles, eff
people realize that Harvey was the oldest
general officer of any army in the world
He was even older than Won Moltke,
who is popularity believed to be the true
veteran at arms in the universe. Won
Moltke was born October 26, 1900, but
old Harvey beat him on infantile parade
by just two months-he was born August
81, 1900. A great old man was Harvey
in his day. have heard my father say
Che served under Harvey in the Seminole
war, and also in Mexico) that be was the
biggest, strongest, most powerful soldier
that has worn a uniform since Frederick
the Great. He was giant in stature-a
Hercules in strength. His powers of en-
durance were phenomenal. In the Sem
mole war he once went without food for
four days and nights, and at the end of
that time took Billy Bowlegs, who had
caught him in the swamps, bv the nape
of the neck and threw him distance of
ten feet. The savage had an old bsyonet
pointed at his heart at the time.
Another time, when surrounded by
Indians, he cleaved his way through
them with sword, and when their ar.
rows had him weakened and almost
helpless by loss of blood he made final
rush, and selling one savage he hurled
him against another with such force that
both were disabled. That same night he
swan three miles, trudRed nine miles
through a swamp and finally reached an
outpost in safety.
"Indians were always afraid of Har-
ney. He could shoot an arrow better
than they. He was a dead-shot with
rifle, and when it came to physical vio-
something that an Indian has no
taste for-he could throw their mightiest
athletes about like 30 many rubber balls.
1t was no trick at all for him to knock a
truculent savage down with one hand,
and with the other take his mate, lift
him clear off the ground, and dance his
legs over his fallen comrade. The In
dams up about Fort Smelling, when Har-
ney was captain at that post, used to
call him Thunder Bull'-he roarej like
thunder and was stronger than buffalo
THE old General was, even in 1861,
when he retired from service, the finest
looking man in the army. He was six
feet four, and built like an athlete.
Even then he was over 81 years old, but
he was as straight as an arrow.
For thirty years nearly, the old man
has lived life of ease" continued the
officer. "His Brigadier's retired pay
supported him handsomely, though he
did not need it, for he was rich. Some
years ago he married his housekeeper in
st. Louis, and this made such social
commotion there that the old man reg
istered string of oaths-hand-painted
ones at that-that he would never again
get foot in st. Louis, and he never did"