The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-25
A FAMOUS REBEL.
Some Interesting Stories Concerning
Lamar Fontaine.

Some Interesting Stories Concerning
Lamar Fontaine.
One of the most remarkable men on
earth today is Lamar Fontaine. writes
a jackson (lliss.) correspondent of the
Boston Advertiser. OF medium height,
spare, but sinewy high cheek bones,
denoting courage and recklessness,
gray eyes that are dreamy and visit
fui when the temperament is calm
and in repose. but blazing with a flu
rious light under the excitement of
recollection; hands that are delicate
as wOman's in construction, but
twisted and gnarled from the hard
use to which they have been put; a
voice that is musical and soft; lips
thin and straight cut, and a heavy
growth of hair and beard that are just
beginning to be streaked with gray
these are the distinguishing physical
characteristics of Lamar Font aine
Though with a weight of IS years
piled upon his shoulders and the sears
of 81. bullet wounds marking his slight
frame, he is neither bent nor mis-
shapen. Mr.. Fontaine's adventurous
life began at the early age of 10. He
was captured by Comanche Indians in
Texas and borne of by these savages
TO their retreat in the vicinity of what
is now Sioux City, Ia For four years
they kept him captive. Then the band
made its way to New Mexico and he
escaped across $50 miles of sun-baked
desert
An uncle, Mirabeau Lamar, was then
president of the Texas republic. He
remained with mis- uncle at Austin two
years and then was transferred to the
care of another relative still more ia
mous-Commodore Maury, who mapped
the trackless seas. For more than ten
years he was, as the amanuensis of
this great sailor, accompanying him on
all his voyages. From 1857 to 1860 Mr..
f'ontaine was secretary of the Ameri
can legation in Nicaragua. His kins-
man, President Lamar. was United
States minister to that country during
most of this period. He was in Near
aqua when the war broke out in the
United States and he FASTENED home
to throw himself into that conflict.
He bears with him on his travels a
certificate from General r. e. Lee, tes-
tifying that Fontaine shot and killed
so federal soldiers in 60 minutes, and
another note from Stonewall Jackson,
couched in this startling language:
Il believe that during his service
with me as Sharpshooter Lamar
FOntaine killed more of the enemy
than were killed by any company in
my command.
Fontaine began as scout and courier
for Stonewall Jackson. He served in
the same capacity with General Stew
art and Joe Johnston and a short while
with Lee. He took part in q pitched
battles, SO skirmishes and over 100 in
dividual skirmishes," as he calls them.
He is known in all branches of the
Confederate service as the best marks
man with a rifle or revolver in either
army. He was wounded 81 times, and
ID times his lungs were pierced. Twice
his heart was grazed, and these
scratches caused that organ to so en-
large that skilfui physicians sday who
examine him without knowing his his
tory will declare that he is liable to
die within "A hours.
1T was in the battle of Waterloo
Bridge, in August, 1862, Immediately
prior to the second battle of Manassas,
that General Lee witnessed Fontaine's
remarkable feat of killing 60 Yankee
in so minutes" Stonewall Jackson was
thanking Pope. Jackson's sharp shoot
tiers had possession of a long frame
house, and had been pouring death into
Pope's ranks for an hour or more when
Lee rode up. He had heard of Fon-
taine's skill, and sought him out to
witness his work. With his field glass
General Lee vas able to get a good
view of the men as Fontaine picked
them out for slaughter.
A battery was, pouring a continual