The times., 1898-09-08
THE ROLL OF HONOR.
some History Regarding Men With
Records In the War.


A Chicago correspondent has been look
ing up the previous records Of some of
the officers who have been prominent in
this war They make an interesting bunch
OF "reminiscences when collected in cne
place.
Richmond p. Hobson sunk the Merri-
mac and won piaudits and promotion. He
deserved both. II is curious fact that
the world. save in rare instances. foreets
all about the specific acts of it's 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 sub
ject of poems by men or women whose
written words on whatever subject would
live of themselves-witness Balaklava,
Casabianca and others.
There are men of high rank now at the
front who. years ago. won advancement
and medals of honor by deeds hailed in
their day with as much acclaim as was
the act of Hobson and his mates. Yet,
who today outside OF a few grizZled vet
Grams remembers anything about what
the specific act was which won silver
leaves and gold stars for these old war
rioTs who are still at the front?
Gen. Nelson A Miles, May 3. 1863 was
! in command of skirmishers as colonel of
the Sixty first New York Volunteers. They
were holding a line of abattis against d
! horde of the enemy. Miles is a big man
and makes A fair mark Yet, to encourage
his men, he kept jumping on an eminence
and exposing himself. inspiring his follow
ers by his voice. He fell. finally. badly
wounded. He wears medal of honor.
Brig Gen Guy ". Henry. whom
the soldiers love. led his brigade in an
awful charge at Cold Harbor One horse
went down under him He mounted an
other and led on. The enemys breast
works were reached. and Gen Henry
spurred his horse AT the obstruction. The
steed was killed in mid air. and with its
rider. fell In the enemy's lines. The place
WAS carried Henry was promoted and
voted a medal.
Gen Lloyd Wheaton's act at Fort
Blakely. Ala. April 8. 1850. was official
ly called distinguished gaIlantry' He
was leading the right wing of his regi-
ment across the open toward the fort
in the face of terrific fire of musketry
and artillery. Reaching the place he
sprang through an embrasure from which
bullets were raining. He was the first
man to enter the fort. He wears his
Gen. Arthur Macarthur received his
medal OF honor when he was a subal-
| tern in a Wisconsin regiment. The
| troops were charging up the bullet-Swepi
slope of Missionary Ridge. The color
bearers were being picked off one after
another. AT a critical moment the flag
fell from the hands of wounded SER
geant. Macarthur grabbed the staff and
in a few moments planted II with his
own hand on the crest of the ridge in
the face OF the retreating enemy.
Gen. Henry c. Merriam. at Fort
Blakely Ala. was colonel of coIored
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 go IF he wanted
to bad enough He led his negroes on
one of the most heroic charges ever
made. He was promoted and was given
one of the medals which every army Off
Ger covets a chance TO win
Gen. John R Brooke, who under
Miles is commanding at Porto Rico
never received medal of honor. There
are comparatively few officers who have.
Gen. Brooke. however. was three times
advanced in rank for gallant conduct and
specific acts of personal courage. He
won an eagle al Gettysburg. a star at
Spottsylvania and twin stars at Cold
Harbor.
Gen Wesley Merritt, now at the Phil
ippines, has no medal, but he received
more brevets for gallantry than any
other officer in the American army. They
run from captain to major general, and
ere received for special acts of gallan-
try at Gettysburg and at the different
battles which took place up to the time
of the fall of Richmond"