The herald., 1898-08-24
now TnfY WON AlEbAls

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Richmond p. Hobson sunk the Merrtmeo
and won plaudits and promotion. He -.
served both. 1t is curious fact that IT,
world, save in rare Instances. forgets AZ
about the specific acts OF its heroes before
the heroes themselves have grown gray.
headed. The exceptions to this rule are
to be found in those cases where the deeds
of daring have been made the subjects
Of poems by men or women whose written
words on whatever subject would 1--we e
themseves-witness Balakfava. Casab1p
anca and others ssw
There are men Of high rank now at the
front who years ago won Announcements
and medals Of honor by deeds hailed -
their day with as much acclaim a. was the
act of Hobson and his mates Yet who to-
day outside OF few grizzled veterans ~
members anything about what the specific
act was which won silver leaves and gold
stars for these old warriors who are still
at the front?
At Santiago General Joe Wheeler climbed
tree to look at the enemy. General Shat.
ter, who weighs 300 pounds, said to him: Il
wish could do that Yet by climbing
tree General shafter. May 81, 1867. won :
medal Of honor. He was badly wounded,
and to avoid being seen by passing sur-.
geon who he feared would order him to the
rear, he climbed tree. Then he came
down, and with hardly leg to stand on he
fought all day, and congress gave him he
medal.
General Nelson A. Miles. May 3, 1868. was
in command Of skirmishers as colonel Of
the Sixty-first New York volunteers. They
were holding a line Of abattiss against .
horde Of the enemy. Miles - big man.
and makes a fair mark. Yet to encourage
his men he kept jumping on an eminencs
and exposing himself, inspiring his fol-
lowers by his voice. He fell, finally. badly
wounded. He wears q medal of honor.
Brigadier General Guy ". Henry. whom
the soldiers love. fed his brigade In a.
awful charge at Cold Harbor One horse
went down under him. He mounted an.
other and led on. The enemy's breast
works were reached, and General Henry
spurrsd his horse at the obstruction. The
steed was killed in midair and with it,
rider Eel! n the enenys lines. The place
was carried. Henry was promoted and
voted a medal
General Lloyd wheaton's act at Fort
Blakely. Ala. April Q. 1885, was officially
called distinguished gallantry." He was
leading the right wing Of his regiment
across the open toward the fort In the faco
Of a terrific fire Of musketry and artillery.
Reaching the place, he sprahS through an
embrasure from which bullets were rain
ing. He was the fret man to enter the
fort. He wears his medal Of honor mod
estiy.
General Arthur Macarthur received his
medal Of honor when he was subaltern in
a Wisconsin regiment. The troops were
charging up the bullet.swept slope Of Mis-
sionary Ridge. The eolor-beafers were
being picked off one after another. Ata
critical moment the flag fell from the hanls
Of a wounded sergeant. Macarthur
grasped the staff and in few moments
planted 1t with his own hand on the crest
Of the ridge in the face of the retreatinx
enemy.
General Henry c. Merriam al Fort Blake
ly, Ala. was colonel of colored troops.
With his men he was impatiently waiting
for the order to charge. Finally he asked
permission to charge ahead of orders, and
was told to 60 'if he wanted to bad
enough" He. led his negroes on one Of
the most heroic rffArges ever made He
was promoted andfwas given one of the
medals which every army officer covets
chance to WIN.
General o. o. Towards fighting days
are over, but he Is at the front neverthe-
less, leading religious services for the
soldiers. He wears a medal and carries
an empty sleeve. He led a charge Jupa.Ae1
1862. across the whole face of the eHemy's
line. A bullet struck his arm above the
elbow He led on.,. Another struck the
same arm below the elbow. He led on.
The charge was successful. At Its end
Howard walked to the hospital and had
his arm cut off.
General John r. Brooke. who, under
Miles. is commanding at Porto Rico never
received a medal Of honor. There are
comparatively few officers who have. Gen.
erai Brooke, however, was threetimes al.
vanced In rank for gallant conduct and
specific acts of personal courage. He
won an eagle at Gettysburg. a star at
Spotsylvania and twin stars at Cold Har.
Dor.
Colonel Wesley Merritt, now at the Phil
ippines, has no medal. but he received moro
brevets for gallantry than any other off,
Ger in the American army. They run
from captain to major general, and were
received for special acts of gallantry at
Gettysburg and at the different battles
which tolS place up to the time of the fall
Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT B. Clark in Chi
cago Times Herald.