Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-21
NO HoNORs FOR INDIAN FIGHTERS
A Merited Reward Refused an Ofhcer Be
cause He Was Not polished"

A Merited Reward Refused Oficer Be
cause He Was Not Polished"
From the Chicago Tribune
In the United States army there is nothing
in sticking TO your regiment, roughing it on
the frontier and fighting Indians. The ad-
visers Of Gen. Schofield have succeeded in
working piece of rank injustice. Here is a
little story that proves the truth Of these two
statements:
Eighteen years ago Henry H. Wright was
commissioned q second lieutenant in Uncle
Sans service. He was assigned to the ninth
cavalry (colored) and has been with his regi-
ment in every campaign since then, see
ing o. much, if not more, field service
than any other officer of equal rank in
il For eleven years he has been identified
with troop OF that regiment. and COM
manded it while only lieutenant through the
desperate campaigns against the Apaches in
New Mexico and Mexico in 1880 and 1881, as
well as in the campaign against the Sioux last
winter in Dakota h troop has FOR years been
known az one of the best il not the best troop
in the ninth cavalry: Capt. Wright and
X troop rode at the head Of the
column which marched from Pine Ridge
agency to the relief Of the seventh cavalry at
the Mission fight. They were in every hard
march and every bit Of rough duty that the
ninth cavalry did during the winter on the
Sioux reservation. When all the other troops
were sent to comfortable forts to recuperate
after the danger was over, Capt. Wright and
troop remained in the field at Pine Ridge to do
disagreesble guard duty and keep the peace:
Secretary Proctor a few weeks ago decided
to honor the ninth cavalry and the colored
troops Of the army generally by detailing one
troop for duty at Fort Myer, across tine 70
tomac from Warrington Without the least
difficulty troop X was selected as the one to
which the reward justly belonged. Eleven
years Of Capt wrights work bad made 1t
representative organization. Then the red
tape the political pull, and the dude influence
at Washington began to operate Although
troop KS commander was known In dozen
western military posts as Light Horse Harry"
and the prsttiest man on field service, 1t was
found that he was not West Point graduate
and could not boast of political friend on
earth
They said he was not polished" enough.
Just before the time came to move the troop
to Washington an order was issued transfer
ring Capt. Wright to one Of the skeleton troops
in the regiment and assigning him to recruit
ing duty. Another captains good soldier to
be sure-is to command the honored troop at
the capital He il q West Pointer. He has
friends. He has never been connected with
troop X, and was beside . pleasant tire In an
eastern city all last winter while Capt. Wright
and his brave colored boys were winning their
distinction on bleak sand hills of Dakota Even
the poor boon of taking his troop to Washing |
ton and turning it over to the new commander |
there was denied the fighting captain Here Is
Capt Wrights official record:
Honorably mentioned-Letter from head
quarters district of New Mexico, October IA, |
1876: general order No. 5, headquarters Fort |
Bayard, N. NJ, February Is, 1877; general order |
No. q headquarters district Of New Mexico, |
August Is, 1877; telegram from department |
commander headquarters department OF the |
Missouri, June 9, 1873; ditto department OF
New Mexico June IA, 1879; general order No.
"a, headquarters department OF the Missouri, |
October 1, 1881.
Skirmishes-with Apache Indians under Vic
torio at Cuchillo Negro, September z. 1876;
with Chirichua Apaches under Juh at Florida |
mountains, N. NJ, January a. 1877: with Warm
Spring Apsches near Ojo Caliente, n. NJ, May /
g. 1871; with the same near Luera mountains,
n. NJ, October 3. 1871; with Mescalero
Apaches at Alamo canon, Sacramento noun
tains, N. NJ, July %, 1878; with the same at
Dog canon. July 30. 1877; with Apaches
under Victoria in Sacramento mountains,
August s. 1873; with same at Rio Las Animas,
n. NJ, September Is, 1873; with same al. MINI
bres mountains n. NJ, September 1880, 1879;
with Mascalero Apaches near Hillsboro. n. NJ,
March q. 1880; with Sioux Indians near Pine
Ridge. December 80, 1890.
Two gold and two silver medals for marks
manship.
An army officer who can give any good rea-
SON why Capt Wright should not have gone to
Washington to share the honors he and his
troop have won cannot be found. In the |
United States army there is nothing in sticking |
to your regiment. roughing it on the frontier
and fighting Indians. The advisers Of Gen.
Schofeld have succeeded in working piece Of |
rank injustice.