Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-21
GENERAL LAWTON.
An Old India Fighter and His Ro-
mantle Record.

It was only twelve years ago that
Captain Lawton of the fourth cavalry,
now brigadier general in front of San
tiego, was selected by General Miles
out Of all the army officers in the
southwest to lead the detachment
which was to run down the Apaches.
Miles went on a tour of inspection
from post to post, without letting the
officers know Of what he was in
search. He had just superseded
Crook, and he was bound that the
numbering PEACHES should be rounded
up and their depredations stopped.
He found in Captain LawtOn just the
man for whom he was seeking. Law
ton had served in the civil war as an
enlisted man and officer Of Indiana
volunteers, and had gained a medal
of honor for distinguished gallantry
III leading a charge of skirmishers
against the rife pits of the confed-
crates in front Of Atlanta, in taking
them with their occupants and stub
bornly and successfully resisting two
attempts of the enemy to retaka them.
He went into the regular infantry at
the close of the war and later was
transferred to the cavalry. A man of
tremendous virility and strength, it
was said of him at the time Of the
Apache war that he could take up an
ordinary man and throw him a rod
There was another feature about Law
tons makeup which appealed strong
ly to Miles. Lawton firmly believed
that the PEACHES could be run down
and corralled, and man who believes
thoroughly in what he is about to do
is worth ten average men.
Miles, the long-headed, saw thar the
PEACHES were, physically, fine speci-
mems Of manhood, but he believed that
a picked body of Americans would
prove equally as good. To make sure
that the strength of the regulars who
were to hunt the PEACHES should be
retained, he sought out an army sur
geon to accompany the column. The
man he selected was Leonard Wood, a
young Massachusetts man who had
just been appointed assistant surgeon
in the army. DR.. Wood is now colonel
of the first volunteer cavalry, other
wise "ROosevelt's rough riders"
Wood wasn't content to go with the
column merely as a medical officer. He
did the work of line officer, and
thereby gained the experience so
valuable to him now in Cuba.
Lawtons men followed the trail of
the savages up and down the noun
tains, across the deserts and over cac-
tus beds. Shoes-the worthless arti-
cles furnished by Uncle Sam-gave
out, and the men cut their blouses in
two to bind around the bleeding,
lacerated feet. After traversing 1000
miles in this fashion, Geronimo was
rounded up, but not until Lawton and
his men had been five days without
food, except what could be gathered
on the march, and two days had no.
thing of any kind TO eat. The hunt
ing knife carved up the furnishing
mules which had packed the ammuni-
ton and the food they started with Up
md down the rocky mountains. At
last, near the junction Of the San
and Bavishe Rivers,
Geronimo was caught. Lieutenant
Lakewood, now dead-more's the pity
went alone into the camp Of the
Pache warrior and arranged the sur
render Of him and his tribe. This
was the result of Lawton's campaign
IF little more than four months.
TWO years IaIer Lawton was made
. major by his transfer to the Inspee-
or generals department And this
ear Captain Wood received his re-
ward in the shape Of the army medal
f honor.