The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-07-08
MAJOR GENERAL LAWTON
Leads Uncle Sans Fighting Men In
the Philippines.

Henry w. Lawton, lieutenant colonel
of the regulars, major general OF volun-
teers, the conqueror OF Geronimo, the
hero Of Ell Caney, and the victor oil
Bacoor, has fought nearly forty years
for the United States government, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean. As country
boy in Ohio, he got his size and Drawn
from sturdy farmer folk. The country
schoolmaster gave him start; since
then the world has been his school. He
entered the volunteer service of the
United States in 1861. He went in a ser
geant; he was mustered out in 1866 a
brevet colonel. He had had four years
OF the fiercest fighting, but he had not
had enough. He enlisted again, this
time in the regular army. Up he
climbed again, and he is still climbing.
Uncle Sam needed a real soldier in
the southwest. Lawton was transferred
to the cavalry, and sent to hold the Indi-
ans in check. For twenty years he lived
life OF which the history is yet to be
written-a life of foray, reprisal, long
rides, midnight surprises, ambushes, dis
heartening chases, desperate skirmishes,
and constant danger. In fifteen years re-
moval, age, privation, and the bullet
changed almost the entire personnel Of
the forces. But Lawtcn never changed.
The Chiricahuas, the Jacariallas, and the
Apaches hated him as only Indians can
hate, but they feared him more.
Then came Geronimo. For the
tenth time the Chiricahua Apaches
jumped the San Carlos reservation. Be-
hind them was the usual trail of fire and
blood. General Miles was in command
fle picked out Lawton for the desperate
task in hand, and then began the most
remarkable pursuit in the history of In
dian warfare.
Lawton started on horseback with
two companies Of regulars. The horses
gave out; Lawton pursued on foot. The
soldiers dwindled away-fatigue, star
walton, and the bullet did the work. At
last the Indians asked a parley. Law
ton, alone, walked into the hostile camp,
faced the chief, and demanded instant
and unconditional surrender A month
later Geronimo and his men were pris-
oners in Florida. The white man had
outfought, outtraveled, outtrcked the
Indian. And the man who can beat the
American Indian at his own game in his
own land has nothing to learn from any
fighter that lives in the Orient.
This service made Lawton's lame,
and the government called him to the
inspector generals Office in Washington,
with official prestige, good salary, and
little to do When the Maine went down
in Havana bay Lawton was the first man
to ask to go to the front. Then came
Ell Caney. Now it is Bacoor.
Today, Sc years OF age, Lawton is as
good physically as he ever was. And
he is physical marvel. He stands 6
feet 3 inches, and weighs 2Io pounds
He is straight, long-armed, deep chest
ed, and thin fanked He does not carry
an ounce of fat; he is bone and sinew
and muscle His teeth are sound and
his stomach is perfect; his only sign OF
age is a few gray hairs. Neither starva-
ton in the southwest nor ease in Wash
ington nor the SUN or fever of Cuba
and the Philippines has left mark
His intinlates will back him to drink
any man under the table. When he feels
like it he works forty eight hours at
stretch. When the mood takes him he
sleeps as long without turning over. He
may fast two days and then eat two
dozen reed birds at a sitting. He is a
bachelor; if he ever had an affair of the
heart his friends have never heard OF it,
He is not pretty man. His hair stands
up like the bristles on brush. His
forehead is high and narrow, his cheek
bones prominent, his jaw square, and
his lips thin. His mustache droops. His
eye is the fighters eye-gray-and there
is not enough money coined to induce
him to write magazine article.
This is the man who leads the firing
line in the Philippines. 1t is easy to see
in him the race type that marks the
centuries from Viking to American