Natchitoches populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1898-1899, 1898-10-14

| bN Nf'' III NNl NUS tlOuD1es I1G wa
forced to submit to a courtmartial o
the charge of brutality to an enliste
man. He was convicted and sentences
to a reprimand in orders. July | AM
z OF this year he did much to redeem
himself from the cloud on his reputa
ton, which chafed increasingly from
the morning the Hammond affair
became public property.
One morning the news was spreaC
abroad that Captain Lowering, Will,
acting as officer of the day, had BEEF
guilty OF extreme cruelty to Private
Hammond, prisoner from another
command. Columns were printed con
corning the affair, and General Brooke
caused a rigid investigation. This was
followed by court martial and the
publication of the officer in orders
Nothing could be more CALLING to a
nigh strung man than this same pub.
fishing in orders.
The captain was punished enough
by this, and besides he was not big
enough in rank to cause anybody to
camp on his trail,v so after orders
had been published he was restored to
duty and proceeded to Cuba with his
regiment.
Lowering is a. brave man. Nobody
ever charged him with being anything
else. But he had more than mere
military ambition to satisfy in that
Lacquer before Santiago He had to
redeem himself in the eyes of the
world and the men of his regiment.
Rghtfully or WrOngfully, the verdict
OF the people was against him; among
the men of the Fourth. 1t is said. he
was known as Weyler, because of his
harShness to the men. He must re-
move this blot. 1t must be admitted
he did much to restore himself to the
public favor at FL Caney.
The fighting Fourth got its stomach
full OF lighting when the heights of
I'll Caney were stormed. The regiment
formed portion of the column sent
against that position. Its reputation
for fierce bravery and skill in fighting
was fully sustained. The hero of Ell
Caney, according to the reports which
nave reached this country, was Can.
tain lowering Lowering commands
Company c of the Fourth. His COM
pany and regiment were in the hottest
of the tercest fight of the war SO far.
Mr.. Bernard was killed in the fight and
Mr.. Neary was badly hurt. Both
were men of much less stature than
Lowering, who Is one of the biggest
men, physically, in the army. He was
not touched by bullet OF shell, though |
he seemed to court death.
Lowering spared neither himself nor
his company in that wild charge. In
TACT it has been said that if he had
Jared to be might have sheltered his
men III rayine while advancing to
he firing line, but that he led them
across the open under a
errible fire, instead. He had sixty
men in line when the advance was or.
Iered. When the fight ended he had
hfee dead and eighteen wounded.
mis- loss exceeded that of any pri-
aary organization in the fight. 1t had
zen said that Private Hosfeld of his
ompany had sworn to kill the cap
ain in their first action. If so. the
nan never had the chance, as he was
llled in the first break from cover.
Lowering led his men from their POI
Ition III the regimental line. He went
traight to the front, regardless of
rife shots or cannon
bells. He moved ON the firing line
18th all speed and then performed an
ct of bravery which proved he was
nd Is q brave soldier, whatever else
lay be said of him. He lost nearly
le-third OF his command in the first
lsh, but he looked after the remnant
ze careful officer when the Iine was
ached.
In the charge up the hill Of Siboney
e captain was overcome by the heat
I'd forced to drop out. Orders were 6
operative and his men swept on and !
IT him there. There he lay for
me, but with returning strength he !,
reed himself forward and regained !
$ company, now ON the firing line 7
III lighting hard to hold their posi- I
IN. Here Is where the disgraced of r
er showed his mettle as fighter, at r
lst, and did so much to win the good .
shes of his men. He tried to protect !;
EN- under fire himself. .
Lowering saw that his men were ex- +
sed to the merciess fire of the enc .
y He is Of gigantic stature and q
ysically, at least, an ideal soldier. 7
1t he seized camp cooking outfit Ii
llch can be used as q shovel, and in 4
rain of bullets coolly dug trenches h
tn 1t, ordering his men to take DO 8,
ion therein and thus be sheltered. Il
himself was all this time exposed
the calling fire of the Spanish con- Il
lied behind their intrenchments. He
g not touched. He plunged into
nehes and rescued wounded men.
hough Red Cross men were hit on
sides. He fought all day and
lght as hotlv nd auv mon h,,4 - lC