Daily camera., 1898-08-23
HERO OF M0DOC WAR
Young Lieutenant Proved the Brav-
cry Of Ninth Infantry.
He Wore . Full Uniform in Battle
IL To-day a Commissary Cen
eral of Subsistence in
the Army.

about rs years ago." said a we'll
known army officer, "the Modoc Indian
war, in the lava beds of southern Ore
gon and northern California, was in
progress. In it occurred some as severe
fighting, under adverse circumstances,
as ever came to the lot of the United
States army. Among the troops en-
gagged in that war was the Ninth United
States infantry. 1t is well known that
this regiment was never permitted to
take any part in the civil war, but was
kept during the whole eventful period
on the Pacific slope. 1t was not the
fault of the officers of the regiment,
vet they felt very sensitive on the sub
ject.
"Among the officers of that regiment
was a young lieutenant, whose name
l shall mention later. On the evening
preceding the heaviest fighting that oc-
Cured during the campaign remarks
were made rejecting upon the courage
of what they designated as the Cali
fornia contingent meaning thereby
the Ninth infantry. These remarks
came to the ears of the young lieuten-
ant, who Immediately sought the au-
thor, and in the presence of a large
number of his fellow officers, resented
the aspersions in the most vigorous
terms; branding the man as modern
Ananias, and also announcing that i'm
mediately after the fight which was
slated for the following day he would
personally make good all that he then
said.
Furthermore, as the matter of per-
sonal courage had been put in cues
ton, he announced that in the fight
of the following morning he should
wear his full uniform, and he chal-
lenged the author of the disparaging
remarks to do the same. That night
the commanding general sent for this
lieutenant and informed him that in
the charge that was to be made on the
following morning he was going to give
him the next position to the post of
honor-that is, the left of the line.
"Any soldier will know that when
troops are in line of battle the left is
equally exposed with the right. 1t hap
pened, therefore, that on the morning
of the battle the California lieutenant,
true to his word, appeared in command
of the left of the line in full uni
form, and as it was well known that
such an exposure was to court almost
certain death, not another officer did
SO appear, Notwithstanding the lieuten-
ants emphatic challenge.
"In the gray dawn of the following
hour the troops lined up in front of
those terrible obstacles known as the
lava beds. The command: Forward
was given, and over they went, first one
and then another, in the face of a with
ering fire from the savages behind piles
of rocks, some five and some fully 40
feet in height, the California ieuten-
ant, in full uniform, at the head of his
company on the left of the line. The
right was crushed and fell back, but
the left, encouraged by its commanders
splendid example, held its ground.
"As may be imagined, the officer in
full uniform received the attention of
every Modoc warrior who caught sight
of him, and they finally brought him
down with a rifle ball through his
thigh cutting the tendons to his. leg.
Calling two soldiers, instead of per-
mitting them to carry him off, as they
wished to do, he placed hand on the
shoulder of each, and thus supported
he fought on, until by sheer loss of
blood his whole strength gave way and
the soldiers laid him down till the fight
was all over. His gallant conduct on
this occasion won for him the undying
friendship of the late Maj. Gen. Crook,
to whose department he was soon after
called To his own valor and this
friendship the United States owes it
that he is now Brig. Gen. Charles P.
Eagan, com.missary general of subsist-
ence.
THE Modocs touched the button in
the lava beds of Oregon, and President
Mckinley has done the rest. The same
conduct in the British army would have
won the Victoria Cross; in the French
army it would have brought the Cross
of the Legion of Honor. In the United
States army it won only the friendship
of Gen. Crook, and yet we fancy if Gen.
,Eagan were now to choose between
them he would take the latter. Wash
ington Star.