The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-19
JOE WHEELER STORIES
TRAITS OF THE OLD REBEL GEN.
ERAL IN THE SPANISH WAR.
About the Only Old school Southerner
plains why Wheeler still Lives.

RODeTl fS CFdmerr IN Atlanta constitution.
A whole lot of good stories are being told
about General Joe Wheeler, and some of
them are true. He did climb up tree to
see if he could locate the Spanish during
the early days of the campaign before
Santiago, and he did say, when his division
was moving forward after the fight at La
GUasimas: THE Yanks are retreating, boys
Come on" He is so small and so active
that a newspaper man finds in him a mine
of material for publication, and his quick
wit contributes as much to this as his in
domitable courage. / heard specially
characteristic story concerning him the
other day, and it bears all the earmarks of
veracity Speaker Tom Reed AMI a group
of politicians in Washington were talking
about the passing of the Confederate vet
Grams, the conversation touching the sub
ject when some one spoke of the death Of
Senator Isham Harris. of Tennessee.
They're all going,p remarked member
of the party. In few years the rebel
yell will be but an echo in history
But we have old Joe Wheeler with us
still" said second man, land he shows no
signs of weakening"
Tom Reed yawned.
mot him." he said. "old Joe Wheeler
don't stay in one place long enough for
And he's so small that the Great Reaper
will have to come after him with a micro
scope when ne does start to harvest the
good old veteran. One day in camp in front
of Santiago Col. Leonard Wood, of the
Rough Riders. was seeking Wheeler and
chased him from tent 10 tent into the cam
vas of General Hawkins.
rs General Wheeler here?" he asked
poking his head in.
lie was' replied Hawkins, rising slowly
In his cot, land didn't see him go out
just look back OF that cracker box will
you? He may be there"
Alfred Henry Lewis is putting out in jour-
nalistic circles in New York story about
Wheeler which he says Col. William Green
Sterrett, of the Dallas News, gave him in
Washington some months ago. Lewis and
Sterrett and Judge Culberson. of Texas,
Were drinking sarsaparilla. in Shoemaker's,
on Pennsylvania avenue, and were discuss
ing the transmigration of souls theory. ap-
plying it to themselves and friends
All agreed that before Joe Wheeler had
become human he had been a sparrow, and
this reminded Sterrett-and most things in
this world do-of something good.
Wheeler saved my life once" said Col
Bill solemnly 1T, was this away: Dur
ing the war our family in Kentucky was
neutral, following the example of our State.
j know this because my father used to tell
mel was only twelve years old then-if
Yankee but to remember l was 'secesh.
In this town where i lived was stockade
some Yankees had built and there were
about twenty of 'em in there, sort o. domi-
neering round and debating terms to the
town One day passed. of reb cavalry
jumped in and run the Yankees out l went
down town to celebrate the victory. One
OF the reb troopers asked ME to hold his
horse while he set fire to the stockade. As
a mile out back that the hills were blue
with Yankees coming. l was a mighty
careful boy them days and didn't care to
hurt the feelings of a Yankee army by let
ting it find me holding a reb horse so /
called to the trooper to come and get it.
AS he swung into the saddle wild impulse
seized me to go and fight and die for the
Southern. Confederacy. l hung on to the
bride rein.
:, Say. mister ]. said. why can't you
Son. you're too young. replied the
cEvalryman.
s" I amt so young as look 1 urged.
i m Just small Tor my age.
" Well. l kaow, said the cavalryman,
fidgeting about for an excuse, but I'll tell
you. bud, you amt got no boss
4" Never you mind that, l retorted. If
first mile
SON. said the cavalryman. and could
see he was getting desperate. son, do you
krow who our general Isl?
. No. l replied. I don't
(" Well, said the cavalryman, as he dug
his feet through the stirrups and organized
for a run. she's a ragin' and onfettered
wild man named Wheeler, and from the
way he's printing out he's goin' 10 get us
all killed cr captured before ever we get
back. and by he'll! don't want no children
on my hans
ut was Wheeler's reputation with his
own men that saved me,% concluded Ster-
rett IF I'd gone I'd got killed, so l al
ways figured | sort o. owed Wheeler my
life" $50
OF the hard work Wheeler does in Wash
ington a whole library has already been
written. and from every Congressman who
has served with him comes some contribu-
ton to it. AS a sender Out OF seeds and
government documents he has never had
an equal, and whenever any other member
had any TO spare they always found a ready
market in his committee ROOM Once
Wheeler was travelling through a mountain
out part of his district He overlook a
mail carrier on foot. toiling along with 100
pounds OF mail on his back.
why don't you get horse and wagon
asked Wheeler Of the mail carrier, who was
a stranger TO him.
II did have a boss and a blackboard" re-
torted the mail man. hut that d-binged
eool OF Congressman Wheeler sent 50
many o. MS speeches. down hers from Con-