Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-18
MODEST HERO OF Ell CANEY
Captain Harry Haskell, Who Led the As saul
on the Blockhouse.
TALK WITH VETERAN OF TWELFTH FOO
Gallant Conduct OF the Regulars a
the Time Of Danger AnOrds Him
. Theme-His Own Work
Told of Elsewhere.

Captain Harry Haskell, Company H,
Twelfth infantry, U. s. A., accompanied by
Mrs. Haskell, was in the city during the
week for a few hours. The captain is just
returning from his sick leave, and hurry.
ing to st. Louis to rejoin his regiment in
time to go with 1t to the Philippines. Cap
tan and Mrs. Haskell were at Fort Mo-
brara for three years, and unite In saying
that their residence there Is one of the
most pleasant periods Of their lives. In
fact, they have a kindly feeling for the
whole Of Nebraska, and look upon the state
as almost their home.
The captain is a mild-mannered man, we'll
preserved Notwithstanding his thirty-nve
years. service in the army. with a clear
complexion, and gray hair and long flowing
beard Of the same color. From his speech.
the s~oftness Of his voice. and general &C
tion, he might more readily be accepted for
, a tutor of large classes Of small children
rather than a veteran Of two wars, and a
leader Of a battalion Of three regiments Of
regular troops In the charge on the block
house at FL Caney. But such he is, and 1t
will not be necessary for his valor to be
recounted by his friends that the world
may know Of 1t, for 1t is incorporated in
the official reports of the War department,
where rewards are to come II they ever
come.
Moreover, the captain is q modest man
and refuses to tell Of any experience in Cuba
which directly concerns himself, and would
only talk of the battle Of Ell Caney that his
regiment might have all the credit to which
1t Is Justly entitled, and the officers who
were with him honored as they deserve.
Mrs. Haskell, however, is exceedingly proud
of her husband and his career. and takes
pleasure in telling OF 1t even to the extent
Of forcing the old warrior to retreat to an
other room with protestations that the kindly
words are cruel exaggerations. Yet the cap
tain is a soldier, and he Is going back to
his command. which is slated for the Philip
pines, with as much enthusiasm and eager
ness as q fresh graduate from West Point
going to his first station.
Breckinridge's Words of Praise.
General John c. Breckenridge, inspector
general, U. s. A., In his official report Of the
| battles before Santiago, in one place, speaks
highly OF the bravery Of Captain Haskell at
, Ell Caney, and In another part of the report
says: Among the telling features fire.
quently remarked upon by those present
were the conspicuous gallantry Of the gray
haired officers, General Hawkins at San
Juan and Captain Haskell at Ell Caney,
when they LED their ommands 10 the mai
assaults" In detailing the story of the bat
ties to a correspondent Of a New York paper
General Breckinridge again found occasion
to commend the captain, specially referring
to his white beard. (which seemed to en-
velop his face like a fog" and which made
a target for the enemy. After the battle it
was learned that the Spaniards took the cap
tain, from his appearance, to be at least a
/, colonel, and they turned yolley after yolley
in his direction, as the result of the battles
down there showed that the officers were the
chief targets for the Spanish marksmen.
But the captain escaped without a scratch.
Captain Haskell commanded a battalion
Of the Twelfth infantry In the Ell Caney
fight. which was composed of Company F.
Captain Clark; Company A, Captain Wood.
and Company d. Lieutenant Wilde. This
battalion led the assault upon the block
house and captured 1t. The commanders
Of the three companies. a. well as the men