The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-29
IN FULL DRESS UNIFORM.
Al the Post Of Honor lie Demonstrated
His Bravery.


cording to the Washington Star,
"the Modoc Indian war in the lava
beds of southern Oregon and north \
ern California was in progress. In
it occurred some as severe fighting, 4
under adverse circumstances, as
ever came TO the lot of the United
States army. Among the troops
engaged in that war was the 9Th
y. :. infantry. 1t is well known
that this regiment was never pei
mitted to take any part in the civil
war, but was kept during that whole
eventful period on the Pacific slope.
1t was not the fault Of the officers
,f the regiment, yet they felt very
sensitive on the subject.
"Among the officers OF that regi-
ment was young lieutenant, whose
name shall mention later. Or
the evening preceding the heaviest
fight that occurred during the cam
paign remarks were made rejecting
upon the courage of what they des-
igna;ed a. the California contin-
gent" meaning thereby the 9th
infantry. These remarks came TO
the ears of the young lieutenant,
who Immediately sought their au-
thor and in the presence OF a large
number of his fellow-oflicers resent
ed the aspersions in the most vigor-
Gus terms, branding the man as a
modern Ananias, and also announc-
that Immediately after the fight
which was slated for the following
day he would personally make good
all that he then said.
i Furthermore, as the matter ol
personal courage had been put in
question, he announced that in the
| fight of the following morning he
should wear his full uniform and he
: challenged the author of the dis
; paraging remarks to do the same
: That night the commanding gener
: al sent for his lieutenant and in
: formed him that in the charge tha
was to be made the following morn
Ling he was going to give him th'
l next position to the post of honor
: that is the left of the line. An,
troops will know that when troop
e are in line of battle the left i
equally exposed with the right
$ 1t happened, therefore, that on thu
n morning of the battle the Califor
: MIA Lieutenant, true to his word, ap
s peared in command of the left o
h the line in full uniform, and, as
n was well known that such an ex
!. posure was to court almost certail
+ death, not another officer did $
e appear, Notwithstanding the lieu
e tenants emphatic challenge. Il
s the gray dawn of the following hou
e the troops lined up in front of thos
a terrible obstacles known as the Law
e beds. The command FORWARD
r was given, and over they went, firs
S one and then another, in the fac
d of withering fire from the savage
e behind piles of rocks, some five an
# some fully forty feet in height, tn
J, California lieutenant, in full uni
d form, at the head of his compan
! on the left of the line. The righ
o was crushed and fell back, but tn
d left, encouraged by its command
h er's splendid example, held il
e ground.
e GAS may be imagined, the office
!, in full uniform received the after
1t ton Of every Modoc warrior VIII
g caught sight of him, and they fina
is ly brought him down with a riff
y ball through his thigh, cutting tn
n tendons to his leg. Calling tw
t. soldiers, instead Of permitting ther
+. to carry him off. as they wished
do, he placed hand on the shoulc
IS er Of each, and thus supported b
on until by sheer loss ,
= blood bis whole strength gave wa
Is and he soldiers laid him down ii
re the fight was all over. His gallar
conduct on this occasion won f
him the undying friendship OF tf
ie late Mai. Gen. Crook, to whose d.
partment he was soon after callet
~ To his own valor and thisfriendshi
n. the United States owes it that he
or now Brig. Gen. Charles p. Eager
ne commissary- general Of subsistence
a "The Modocs touched the butte
in the lava beds of Oregon ar
ic President Mckinley has done Il
is rest. The sane conduct in Il
ht British army would have won Il
Victoria cross; in the Frerch arm
rit would have brought the cross
er the Legion Of Honor. In Il
ng United States army it won only 4
friendship Of Gen. Crook, and y
we fancy if Gen Eagen were nc
ltc ,hooca hefweon them nil