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

In AaxuAx Co. Estrada OF the reyosa
tianary forces. appeared with hts com
mand before the town Of Nuevo Laredo
| opposite Fort Mcintosh. rex., and after
| spirited engagement the town surrender
/ ed to him After the capture OF Nuevs
/ Laredo By the revosusionisss. Gen. Mer.
Ram crossed over TO the Mexican side and
brought back the commander OF the Mex
| lean government forces, CO.. Jesus de
Vale. who had been dangerously wound
| ed during the fight. TIE osficer was
| placed In Gen Merviam's personal quar-.
| sers AZ Fort Mcintosh, ard after a ted.-
Gus Illness he recovered. The saving oil
| this ofttcer's arm by the post surgeon al
Fort Mcintosh WAS considered a.ong the
border AT that time marvel OF surgery
The second IN command Of the Mexican
government troops was Col Pablo GUM
sana. This Official was. OF course. made
prisoner with the Others. The commander
OF the reyelutionists was inclined 10 have
Qu!ntana shot at once. owing To some acts
OF oppression committed by the latter
against the revoiasionssts. but the Amert-
can consul, or commercial agent, a. Nueyo
Laredo at tina: time. Mr.. J. L. HAYNES. in
ferposed and requested that Quiniana be
given into his custody. guaranteeing that
he would be responsible for him: next
morning. however. IL was found that Quin-
tara had. through the assistance Of Mr..
Haynes. sas was claimed by the Mexicans
escaped to the American side. Col Estrada
was SO incenged at thus losing Quintana
that he promptly placed Mr.. Haynes under
guard and threatened to take him to Mon
terey for trial. Gen. Merriam. hearing Of
this AFFAIR. crossed to the Mexican side.
ard by the firm stand he took in the mat
ter. cola Estrada deemed II prudent to re-
lease Mr. Haynes.
After the departure Of Col. Estrada and
his troops the town OF Nuevo Laredo was
-. III -
Threatened with palIage by rowing bands
OF maraudfng Mexicans. At the earnest
request Of the leading citizens Of the place.
including Americans and other foreign res
sf'srts. Gen. Merriam occupied the town
with company Of the Twenty fourth In
fantry ard held possession until SUFFICIENT
protection was afforded by the Mexican
authorities.
For this service at Laredo, Gen. Mer-
Ram was recommended by Maj.-Gen. Ord.
then commanding the department. Tor the
brevet Of brigadier-general. In September
of he same year he again crossed the Rio
Grande and captured the town OF Nuevo
Laredo and held II in military possession
for the protection OF American and other
foreign merchants for seven days. until
assurances were given by responsible Mex
lean authorities for the safety ot American
residents, the revolution being substan-
tally over. In testimony of their appreci-
alton for this service an elegantly chased
sword was presented TO Gen. Merriam by
the grateful residents of the place.
July 10, 1876 he was promoted TO the lieu
tenant colonelcy OF the Second infantry.
and served in the department OF the Column
bia during the Neg Perces war in 1877, after
which he was transferred TO the command
Of the depot OF supplies and eommunica-
ticns a. Lewiston. Idaho, relieving Gen.
Alfred Sully.
Gen. Merriam planned and established
Fort Sherman. Idaho, and Camp Cheian.
Washington territory, and Fort SPOKANE.
Wash. which duties occupied his time nn-
III 1850. after which he was assigned IN 1854
10 the command of Fort Celviile, WASH
resuming command OF Fort spokane IN ise1'
at which point he planned ana putt per-
maaeut post during the years issa-ss-sa.
He received his appointment as co'Snss
~ the seventh United States infantry
Ju,y 10. 1885. from which time until Octo-
Der. 1889. he was In command at TOT.
Laramie, Wyoming. when the reeimeht
was transferred to Fors Logan, coloraao,
where he has since been stationed In tns
W n,er campaign Of 1891 and 1892 he COM
manded not only his own regiment. ous
atso all the troops on the line or the
fhsvenne river OF South Dakota, during
the Sioux campaign. interceptnig ana sue
csssfuily disarming the sitting buii IN
dians. nearly 800 In number. IN tne-r stam-
chief was killed in the action on Grand
river
Gen. Merriam Is himself not only re-
markable rife and pistol shot and an exc
cel.ent drill officer. but nh regiment has
during the ten years II has BEEN under his
command established highly satisfactory
record In the inspector-generai's ONCE for
i.s drill and general efficiency. and during
this period of ten years his SIX times won
the Nevada trophy In the annual compete
lions of the entire army. forty regiments.
Gen. Merriam Is the inventor of the I'M
fantry pack which bears his name
and TO which he has given much study
and experiment This equipment has al.
ready won most lattering success In Eu.
rope. having been adopted for the armies
OF Austria and France. and in the United
States has been approved by the United
States army and adopted by the National
Guards OF several states. The inventor
has been awarded the great gold medal
by the French Academy OF Inventors and
has been made menfher OF honor with
the first-c.ass diploma His recently pre-
pared manual for pitching camp will be
OF great service 10 forces in the field.
Gen. Merriam was promoted to his pres
EFT rank last summer from the coionelcy
Of the Seventh infantry.