The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-05

:
In case OF active hostilities with Spain,
unquestionably one Of the most prominent
figures In the war would appear from the
state Of Washington In the person Of
Brigadier General Merriam. An old army
ofieer said recently:
Should We 20 to war tomorrow the
responsibility Of the campaign would fall
principally upon nine men. These are:
Major General Nelson A. Miles, command
Ing the army: Major General Wesley Mer-
rits. commanding the department OF the
East. with headquarters at Governors
Island. Major General Joan r. Brooke.
commanding the new department Il the
Lakes, with headquarters IT Chicago:
Br!gadfer General Elweil 8. Otis, COM
handing the department Of the Colorado,
With headquarters At Denver; Brigadier
General John ]. Copptngsr. commanding
the department OF the Platte. with head
quarters at Omaha; Brigadier General
William r. Shafter. commanding the
department Of California, with headauar-
tiers at San Francisco; Brigad General
William II. Graham, commanding the new
department OF the Gulf. with headquar-
tefs at Atlanta: Brtgadier General James
r. Wade. commanding the department. OF
Dakota. with headquarters at ST. Paul.
and Brigadier General Henry c. Merriam,
commanding the department OF the CO.
lumbia. with headquarters at Vancouver
barracks. state OF Washington
Speaking OF the strong probability Of
war. an army ofdcer on Gen. Merritt's
stan said only few days ago: III war
should come the heaviest work would fan
upon the younger general officers. like
Niles and Billy Graham, and Wade and
Merriam and Coppinger."'
Brigader General Henry c. Merriam,
who s thus spoken OF as one Of the men
that would occupy q prominent position
In active service In case OF war, Is now
In command OF the department OF the Co
iumba, with headquarters at Vancouver.
Wash. He was born at Holton Me, Nov
L. 1857 He entered Colby University,
but left college during hts junior year,
N 1859. TO organize company In the Twen-
tieth Maine volunteers. commanded by
Col Adelbert Ames. the lieutenant colonel
being Joshua l.. Chamberlain. He was
made captain in August. and participant
ea In the battle OF Antietam. action at
Shspardstown and the nrst battle OF
FredicksburE. Va. For galiantry In ac-
ton At Antietam, September II, 1862. he
was brevet,ed Northumberland
Rssixning In January. 1863 he joined
Gen. tlmans expedition to Louisiana 70
organize coiored troops, and IN March.
IsS5 became captain in the Third United
States colored infantry. In April. 1864.
ne was made i.eutenant-coioneI OF the
: Eighty-tlfth United States colored troops.
This organization was merged into a reg
iment OF United States coiored troops.
and Capt. Merriam became Its lieutenant
colonel He participated N the siege and
assault upon Pert Hudson. where his reg
.meni won distinction for gallsn,ry in the
hrst bloody assault OF May -. 1855, cele-
nTsied IN q. II. Boxers famous poem.
The Charge OF the Black ReS.ment"
eoi. merriam, with his regiment. led the
maj assault on Fort Bak~.ey Alabama
which was made at his personal request.
Aeru =, 1853 Gel. Merriam was leading
TIE charge when the color hesrer was
s'ct down by his side. Col. Merriam
picked up the Gag. and. waving IL to his
man. re dashed TO the front and was the
hrss TO scale the fort. the resuI, being the
capture or the fort with more than sooe
prisoners and the occupation OF Mobile
ard alt its 1sfenscs. The report OF Gan
William A. Pie comma nsfsng the frs,
nfisaGc. states that 70 the Sevenfy-third
regiment OF United States colorcd infau-
cry. commanded by Col Merriam. then a
lieutenant colonel. belongs the homer OF
first planting their eolors on the ereu,y,s
psraret This was the lsss important
hattie or the war. having been fought on
the very day OF Lees surrender For
Sallan'fy 10 this ASSAULT Gen Merriam.
then holding the rank OF lieutenant co.,
ores. was brevstted coier-. for "d.st.n-
guished gallantry.'
At the end OF tae war Col. Merriam
Was mustered out ard took ur the study
Of law II, October. isS5. In 1853 he recnsy-
81 the appointment q! major IN the Thir-
sy-eiEhth United States infantry. his COM
mission BEARING date Iu.y =. lsA He
commanded the Infantry reserve battalion
OF caster's Indian campaign in Kansas
from April 10 June. iss7. IN the summer
OF lSs9 he pursued and July Il defeated
The Kiowa indians under sansan.a. on
the Upper Arkansas From lss7 10 Yssa he
was in command OF Fors Eayara. New
Mexico. and in 1859 commanded an expe-
difscn against the Apache Indians. on
which expedition he captured an Ana che
village IN the Megcseea mountains N
juno. 1859. Upon the consolidation OF the
infantry regiments Cot Merriam vas
transferred 10 The Tweaty-saurth lnfan-
try. and commanded successfully. frorn
iSs9 10 Iss2 Fort Bliss. -crt Ackavsst
AID Fort DUNCAN. during the Mexican
revolution. Ee was In command of Fort
Rlagxoli IN isss ard led his troops againz.
naax&ndsrs oss the Lower ssio Graade az
Forr Br1wa in TIE same year. he made
\ tour abroad IA is-S-st and On his re-
turn Was Placed N command at Fort Mo
lntosh. Tex.
In the summer % 1915 III. ~evo.ation had