The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-22
so he took good care to keep out of the
way of his old regiment.
RELIEF FOR THE OPPRESSED.

RELIEF FOR THE OPPRESSED.
The change to Lieut.. Col. Leaven-
worth and Maj. Nathan Clarke was a
gratifying relief to the bullied inhab-
itantS of the settlement They were
succeeded by Brevet-Maj. Fowle who
remained in command until the bad
sanitary condition of the fort led to
the post being abandoned in 1926. The
breaking out of the Winnebago war
in 1927 caused the government to re-
turn the troops. 1t was here that
was confined after his capture. He
died there while in confinement. His
death was probably due, in a great
measure to the condition of the post.
Built as it was where the lower part
was swept by the overflow of the Mis-
sissippi each year, it was never free
from fever.
The new Fort Crawford, and the one
the last relics of which have just dis
appeared, was due to Gen. Gaines and
Col Zachary Taylor. Gen. Gaines in
spected the fort and in his report made
it so clear to the war department that
the troops could not be kept there
without constant menace to their
health, that it was decided to erect a
new fort on higher ground.
Col. Taylor came to the post just
when the construction of the new fort
was begun. With his usual energy he
took hold of the work with vigor and
pushed the construction so rapidly
that a part of the command was moved
into the new fort in 1881, and a year
later the old unhealthful site was
abandoned forever. The new fort was
built, as was the old one, about a
square which made the parade ground
for the garrison. The commentaries
| house and the hospital were outside
/ the fort 1t is the walls of the latter
| that have fallen down.
Many stories cluster about the oc-
! cupancy of Fort Crawford by Gen.
Taylor. 1t was from here that his
| daughter was said to have eloped with
| jefferson Davis, then a young lieu
| tenant, and for years the very window
| from which she escaped was pointed
out to the credulous. The story was
| exploded long ago, but there are per-
sons yet who insist on believing it.
Though kindly hearted, Gen. Taylor
was a strict disciplinarian and would
tolerate nothing that looked like care
| lessness or inattention to duty. In
| those days officers were not so par
ticular about their actions toward the
| members Of their commands as now,
| and Gen. Taylor particularly did not
| hesitate if he saw what he considered
| ar infringement of duty to then and
| there mete out punishment to the Of
| fender.
! One Of the common practices of
| those days in army circles was what
was known as 'wooling," taking the
! offender by the ears with both hands
| and worrying him much as a terrier
would worry a rat. This was a favor
! ite method with Taylor of expressing
his severe disapproval. Twice, how
| ever, he was come uD with" in a
manner that surprised him immensely
| The first time was when he tackled a
| German recruit in the line one day
| when the comand was drawn up on pa
rade. The new recruit could not speak
a word Of English. He possessed a
portly figure and as he happened on
! the day in question to be a front rank
man. the line In his vicinity meandered
! out in a manner that promptly caught
| the eye Of the commanding officer.
AS soon as Taylor's eye lighted on
| the unusual protuberance he roared
ont a command to correct the forma-
| ton. The poor recruit, standing stiff
| and erect as he had been taught over
| the water to do. was not aware that
Taylor was addressing his remarks to
| him. and was, therefore, so taken by
surprise when a moment later two
brawny fists grasped his ears and be-
| gar pulling them here and there that
| he at once shot out his fist, caught the
| commander in the breast and landed
him on the turf in handsome style.
| For an instant no one stirred; then
several Of the officers, with swords
drawn, ran in and cut the man down.