The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-19
GENERAL LORD woLsELEY.
The Coming Commander fE Chief of
the Army of Great Britain.

the Army of Great Britain.
LONDON, Aug. 1S-The announcement
that General Lord Wolseley has been
chosen to succeed the Duke of Cambridge
as commander-in-chief of the British army
causes the greatest possible qualification
among the governments friends and sup
porters. While the announcement has not
been officially made it is generally recog-
nized that the appointment will be forth
coming in a day or two, and already the
Conservatives are rejoicing at the prospect.
For many years Wolseley has been TO
tory minds the ideal soldier-the greatest
living master of the art of war. General
Lord Roberts, for many years commander
in-chief of the forces of India. and who
for the past two years has been in Great
Britain receiving the admiration to which
his prowess in Asia entitled him, is his
only rival, but he has never filled the
public mind has the man who boldly
sat in Judgment on the deeds Of Wellington
and Bonaparte and on the campaigns of
General Ulysses s. Grant His popularity
is due almost entirely to his military
prowess. There is nothing imposing or
magnetic about his appearance He has
not the fine physique Of Lord "Bobs" :"
Slim, small statured, with a ruddy face,
firmly lined, searching blue eyes and a
dropping mustache. his general bearing is
by no means that of the typical soldier Of
romance.
Although sxty-two years of age. he looks
at least a decade younger. and his Irish
birth shows itself in marked brogue,
which he would be glad to remove from
his voice. as he has no sympathy what
ever with the cause OF Parnell, Redmond
and Mccarthy. The Irishman in his con-
stitution also shows itself In suave man
her and a not altogether suppressed tend
ency to blarney his friends, although dur
ing the last score OF years OF his life ne
has succeeded in getting rid Of , that Irish ays
exactly what he thinks Of friend or foe
and to their faces. Often he excoriates
his IN 9Tase nd naynr
no more respect to living generals sucn as
Lord Roberts than he does to Napoleon,
WELLINGTON, Grant, caesar or hannroa,i ~.
Lord wolseley is one of those soldiers who
do most OF their fighting with pen and ink.
He has had many more tnan ,d MS tSs snare yox oil
as an ensign in March, 1852. From that
time he has been in the most notable hat
ties in which the British army has been en-
gaged He was an ensign during the second
Burmese war. At the siege of Sebastapol
he was a lieutenant and rose on that Held
to the rank of captain in the first month
Of 1885, On his way to China In 1851 he en-
dured the hardships of the sea, being
wrecked near Singapore. He took part in
the suppression of the Indian mutiny in
that year. receiving commission as major
in March, 1855, and the next year gaining
a lieutenant -colonelcy at the age of twen-
ty-six years In 1850 ne served on f,f6vof rne sta
the Chinese campaign, for which he re-
ceived the honor Of a medal with two
master-general in Canada, in October. 1861,
and commanded the expedition to the Red
river. His gallantry on the field and his
services as an executive officer won him
order of SIS. Michael and George in 1870,
and upon his return to England he was
made assistant adjutant-general at the War
When the Ashantee war began in August,
1873 he was chosen to command the British
troops, with the local rank OF major gen.
eral. The African campaign was brilliant
one, the natives being defeated at every
turn, General Wolseley entering Coonas-
sic on Feb. 5, 1874, and receiving the sub
mission Of the King. His return to England
was a great popular triumph Like a second
Scipio Africanus, he was the hero OF the
day. Parliament passed resolution thank
crown and granting him $125,000 as a partial
reward for his courage, energy and per-
Commander of the Bath, while the city of
London, not to be outdone in favoring the
popular hero, presented him with the free
dom Of the city and a splendid sword valued
made a commander of the auxiliary forces,
but it being felt that his services were
needed in Africa, where success had preyi-
ously met him at every turn, he was dis
patched to Natal TO act as Governor Of that
colony, to advise the Colonial Office Of the
best form of government for the natives,
and to arrange for suitable military or
ganization and defense IN the event OF an
other outbreak
IJpon his return to London he was again
made commander Of the auxiliary forces
and then a member OF the council for
India. His next appointment was as Gov
OF the army. in that newly-acquired inn
portant military point African warfare
again demanded his services in June. 1879.
and he was made governor and high COM
missioner OF Natal, the whole Of the Zulu
war being left in his hands In this ven-
ture he was successful, as always, Sue
ceeding in destroying the strongholds OF
Sikukuni At the close Of the campaign
he held successfully the offices of quar-
teymaster-general ard adjutant-gene.ai OF
the army, but when the expeditionary
force was Gent TO Egypt, in 1882. he was
chosen as its leader. His services there
gained him again the thanks OF Pariis-
ment. as well the title OF Baron Wolsely
of Cairo, ard o. Wolseley in the county OF
Stafford. He also obtained the rank OF full
general. while both the great English uni
versities conferred upon him their high
est degrees
Almost before ne had thoroughly rested
himself from the Egyptian campaign he
was sent back TO. that country 70 the re