The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05

was in the only full five-year class ever graduated from that institution.
 Among my classmates were General Horace Porter, General James II. Will son of Illinois, now of Delaware, ana the Well-known Historian, General John NJ. Wilson, the present chief of engin- eers, and General s. F. Cushing, just retired as commissary general; also General Stephen b. Ramseur of South Carolina. It is a singular fact that having entered the Confederate army, he was killed by my command at Win chester. While he lay seriously wound ed and dying, and very anxious to see me, I was sent for. But, being in hot pursuit of the enemy, it was impossible for the messenger to reach me in time. l hurried back to see my wounded claSSmate, but he was dead before l arrived"
 General Merritt has no family. His favorite nephew, Eaton Merritt, he is educating at a Connecticut school, with a view of sending him to West Point. General Merritt was married in 1871, in Europe to Miss Caroline War ren of Cincinnati. She died in 1893, at St. Paul, and was buried at West Point, where the general was superintendent for five years.
 The Merritts originally sprang from three brothers, who came to America in 1900, their descendants settling in Westchester, and from that family, it is said all the Merritts born in this country have descended.
 Of General Merritt's military his tory much has been written. A mere record of his battles, engagements and campaigns would fill columns of The Call. He had many narrow escapes from death, a notable one at the battle of Beverly Ford, in 1863, when he was attacked by a Confederate officer, and a desperate hand-to- hand contest fol- lowed. He was sabered over the head, and would have been killed but for the big soft felt hat which he wore, con- taining a big army pocket handker- chief. In this engagement he was sur rounded and his troops nearly captured He fought with courage and desper- ation that won a great victory. The newspapers of the day were filled with his exploits in that particular engage ment, and on the earnest recommen- dation of General Buford he was made brigadier- general.
 Perhaps the greatest ride of his life was his famous dash through the Rocky Mountains, when he rode night and day to the rescue of Major Thorn burghs command, hemmed in by the Ute Indians at the time of the White River massacre. The soldiers were surrounded and being slowly shot and starved to death A single man man. aged to crawl out one night and escape, and after incredible suffering reached Rawlings Station on the Union Pacific Railroad, nearly two hundred miles to the north.
 A hurry telegram was sent to Gen. eral Merritt, then colonel of the Fifth Cavalry at Fort D. A. Russell, near Cheyenne. After reaching Rawlings or the nearest railroad point to the White River Indian agency, General Merritt had to ride four days and nights con- tinuously with light supply of food and ammunition. Thornburgh was dead and his men were on the point of starvation, wounded and barely able to cling to their guns behind their in- trenchments.
 Merritt arrived at the break of day, advanced with yells and scattered the Indians. who were waiting like coyotes for the soldiers to die or surrender. General Merritt's wild ride through the mountains will long challenge the re- cord. It is considered remarkable that he did not kill a horse or a man dur ing his mountain march.
 With Custer, McPherson and Sheri- dan. Merritt was called one of the boy generals of the war. Graduating from West Point but a few months before