The Washington bee., 1898-11-12

BY HIS ENMIES. He is
LOVED BY OVER. 5000, 900
OF AFRO-AMERICANS WHO
WOULD BIZ GLAD TO SEE
HIM BRIGADIER-GENERAL
IN THE REGULAR ARMY.
A DEVOTED AND BEAUTIFUL
WIFE AND LOVING CHILDREN
LEFT ALONE WHILE A BRAVE
SOLDIER DEFENDS HIS COUN-
TRY. TWENT-FOUR YEARS IN
THE ARMY.-A BRILLIANT
MILITARY HISTORY. LET
MERIT BE REWARDED.
Brave, honest and fearless soldiers
are born not made. The recent Span
ish-American war demonstrates that
fact. The Ninth and Tenth Calvaries
Of colored men were officered with
men of distinguished bravery and by
| virtue of their heroism the American
government will recognize their merit
and worth. We wish to enlist the
united efforts of the Afro-Americ1ns
| throughout this country to combine
with the wishes and petition signed
by every man of the 10th u. S., cavaI-
nv, who was in Cuba to make their
''war chief" a Brigadier General in
the Regular Army, thereby recog-
| nizing a friend to the colored regulars.
The BEE this week presents 10 the
American Republic and its several
thousands readers, the portrait of
CAPT. CHARLES GREENLIEF AYREs,
( of the 10th cavalry. A man who is
loved for his humanity, honored and
admired for his bravery and dis tin
guished for his many daring and he
| roic deeds on the field of battle. The
| history of the Spanish-American war
could not be complete if the heroic
deeds of Capt. Ayres were left out.
! The 10th cavalry as we'll as 5000, 900
this young and dashing officer Promot-
ed to brigadier generalship in the reg
ular army. Capt. Ayres IS entitled to
this honor, his services for twenty-four
years in the army, defending the hon.
or of his country are sufficient in them
selves to promote him to the brigadier
generalship. While standing alone on
SAN JUAN HILL,
| looking down in the deep ravine
on the night of July 2nd when the
Cevera' marines, about nine hundred
tried to cut through our lines. This
picture shows his figure silhouetted
against the sky as he stood alone on
the crest of San Juan hill. Our troops
went into this position after dark. The
Rough Riders were up the hill in front
of Ayres troops resting, the Spanlards
came so close to the 18th u. S.
Infantry, they could hear their voices.
The 18th opened fire on them and a
| perfect sheet of fire it was
On this hill, far away from his low,
ing and sweet wife and two dear
children, this brave soldier stood
alone. The shot and shells were fly
| thick and fast. The brilliancy OF
the moon was light for the enemies
| guns But undaunted he stood, while
| wife and those children were wrapped
ing IN dreams of San Juan and the
absence of their chief, husband and
a father. 1t takes a brave man to
leave dear wife and sweet children;
to give up friends and relatives and
cast his lot among a semi
race.
When the command was given to
"hre fire. Give them HI, Capt.
| Ayres, was asleep on the ground with
little piece of blanket over his head,
as if inspired, he jumped on his feet,
ordered the men mot to fire" and thus
saved the Rough Riders from being
cut to pieces by our own men. In
| Gen. Wheeler's report he spoke OF
| hearing the voice of Capt. Avres
above the din and roar of the guns,
as he went about touching his men
and calming them down, showing to
them the frightful ruin to their com
rades had they obeyed the order. He
went alone on the crest of that hill
under storm of bullets to see the
| ground and when all was quiet and
he coming down the hill voice called
and asked, "who is that officer giving
those commands :" 1t is Capt. Ayres,
10th cavalry" "Come this way Capt.
Ayres | want to speak TO you," he
went in the direction of that voice, and
it was Roosevelt, who threw his arms
around him and said, Capt. Avres YOU
are the hero of the old guard tonight,
| am safe with you on my ri rht." Col.
Roosevelt recommended Capt Ayres
for the medal of honor for that night,
| Saving the command) he there COM
manded some nine hundred men. Col.
| Roosevelt wrote these words:
Full though the cavalry be, l know
of none | would rather have by me in
a fight than Capt. Ayres." Again he
wrote. Capt. Ayres is as fine man on
the battlefield as | ever saw. If ever
fight again, hope it may be along
side OF him. Capt. Beck, 10th cavalry
said, Roosevelt depended on Capt.
AvreS for all counsel. Col. Roosevelt
in an article in the Criterion was given
he credit for being on the top of that
hill on July 2nd, but Col. Roosevelt is
the last man who would care to steal
! another mans thunder. Fifth and
sixth generation in the army.
SALUTING PRESIDENT MCKINLEY
This snap shot of Capt. Ayres and
his little boy was taken while he was
salutii4g President Mckinley. His little
son Is Henry Fairfax Ayres. Capt.
Ayers is the great-great-grand son of
Gen. Henry Dearborn, who was COM
mander in-chIef of the army of 1872
and Secretary of War under Jefferson
ION Washington's staff son of
Mo;o- Caparol y