The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-10-02
THE WARS GIFT TO THREE MEN
How McCalla, Lowering and Russell
Regained Their Regulations

There were three men who went out to
this war to do or die. One. wad in the
army, one was In the navy, one was In
the volunteers Two of them did and one
Of them died. The army man is Captain
Leonard A. Lowering; the navy man Is
Commander Bowman H. McCalla; the vol
unteer was Sergeant Marcus d. Russell
| 1t was only las, autumn that ne entire
country rang with the scandal in the
| Fourth infantry, then stationed at Fort
Sheridan, near Chicago. Captain Leonard
A. Coverings name was on the tip Of
the tongue of every man and officer in the
army. He had been accused of extreme
cruelty toward Private Hammond, pris-
oner in the guard house. Hammond swore
at the courtmartial that while officer of
the day Lowering had forced the sentries
| to kick and PROD him with bayonets be-
cause he refused to go to work. The man
swore that the captain knocked him down
had a rope tied around him and dragged
him away to a CELL The sentence was
that Captain Lowering should be repri-
manded. He was still chafing under 1t
when the order came to march to Cuba.
The Fourth infantry was one of the regi.
ments selected.
And next came that wild charge at FL
Caney. Coverings company, Company c,
was first in the charge and Lowering was
at its head. Bullet and shell rained around
them. But on went Lowering, counting
death at every step. He had sixty men in
line when the bugle sounded ITO the
charged! Straight to the front they
moved, regardless of the bullets, regard
less of the rough way. They reached the
top of the hill-the remnant of the COM
pany. But twenty-one men lay on the hill
side below, dead or wounded. Lowering,
though at the head Of the charge, was un-
hurt. Like the careful officer. his first
thought was foA his men. He had them
drop into the trenches. Then he dropped
himself. Heat and exhaustion had made
him faint. Coverings men swear by him
now.
He has done.
Eight years ago the name of Bowman H.
| McCalla was hated by the men In the navy
as never another officer was hated before.
He was charged with cruelty to the men
under him on the warship Enterprise. And
the case was talked of in the navy as never
was a case before. McCalla was convicted.
He was sentenced to three years suspen-
sion. During that time he was not to wear
the uniform he had disgraced. He re-
manned under suspension for half that
time. but on December %, 1891, he was re-
stored to duty. During that time nine Of
ficers passed him in rank. So great was
the feeling against McCalla' that he never
was allowed command again. And then
| came the war. A good man was wanted
| for the crack cruiser Marblehead. There
was no one available save McCalla. He
| was wild to redeem himself and he got
the command. After that there was never
an action that the Marblehead didn't get
into If she was within signaling distance.
McCalla and his ship seemed everywhere.
She was fought with consummate skill.
| The men were a unit under their command
| er Under him was done the brilliant work
at Guantanamo which turned hostile
harbor into q coaling station for the Yam
| kee fleet.
| Every man in the outfit there worshiped
| him. And yet this man was found guilty
| of brutality to the men under him but
eight years ago. Nothing more could be
said of him than this, taken from a letter
written by one of his men, Norman L. Mon
hat of Syracuse: after the battle our
captain called us all before the mast and
| started in to compliment us on our brav-
cry. But he could not. He broke down and
wept like a child. He is like father to
| US, He thinks the world of his crew and
they of him.
And so McCalla has done.
Marcus D. Russell had failed in business
and his father a man of great wealth and
| O member of the best set in Troy refused
to advance him further money. That was
but a few weeks ago. His wife left him.
| It seemed as If the fine old name was in
disgrace.
"I'll gd to the war" he declared that very
day, and the next found him on the train
bound for San Antonio, Tex, where Roose-
velt's Rough Riders were organizing with
prospects of going right to the front. And
when they did go young Russell wes with
them, sergeant and a fine soldier. The
| Rough Riders were at La Quasima, and
| from out the ambush came the murderous
| fire that killed Hamilton Fish and so many
more in that their first fight A man was
needed to go up on the ridge and see of the
firing was from friend or foe. "I'll 60,
sir" cried Russell, and in minute he was
in the brush. He found 1t was the foe that
was pouring in that terrible hail, but never
got back to toll his story. A bullet laid
him low-N. Y. World.
Frederic Harrison has figured It out that
the Silent, ONE of the fierceet enemies Spain
ever had,