The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-12-30

from the bureaus to command took place
Lawton was one of the first officers given
a high commission and put IN charge Of
modified regulars. Had he been OF like
rank, Lawton, and not Shafter, would
have had the command Of the Santiago
ton apd his regulars kofvafff Tor the most
tfsiaeT Solder SstateR csney and 10
close In on the city from the north. Law
ton came home with his division to Mon
tauk. He hadshis season ofbei4X npniEsd.
to which. he did Ao& sake with en1hp-
siasm. The military SriticSefound no faW
newspapers never dreW him info contro-
versy with his superiors or with his SUBJ
ordinate commanders. No sspSeoh VI his
was ever reported which ,esn.
winter a great dinner was given at
ington to wal heroes. GenEf8ls Hht-
mIrals and other officers ofs high-c rank
Some wise; things were aid, saad also
some things not particularly wise. Law
tons turn came. He arose amid a hearty
to the right and to the LETT !Fhenshe sat
down without a word, The act RAJ done
handsomely. 1t was, just like LAYTON,
whO is frequently desGribed Hys nsothst 81.
army" ~ -
A Story Credited to Eavton.s
The story of the retdaaed soldier from
Santiago. who met profuse admiration
with the response, II amt no hero; I'm,
only a reg'lar," is said toshaye .~orfginatea
with n Gen len awtSn. IfShs ge.srar:did not
tell il. and the s~atisfacti3S&sahe took lnsths
repetition was very plaii.ss: -
a Medal of HoiaSf:Manl. =
That Gen. Lawton was a,&edai Of honor
MAJ is not generally kna4en This most
priced decoration Of the American Army
was conferred upon hin for distin-
gu!shed %gallantry in leading a charge Of
skirmishers against, the enemy's, rifle PITS,
aking them with their occupants and
- ssaeeSdnty ant saaa sgses eS th.y, . Tsslasin e two reo
take the works" 1t was in front OF At
lanta lin August, 1854. .w,hile:. captain oe
Company A, Thirtieth Indiana. that Law
ton thus distinguished. himself.
The Pursuit Of Apaches.
1t was Lawton's reputation for daring
and tireless p~ertinacity that led to his be-
coming. internationally famous. His char
acterisics. were known. of course, to his
superior officers as thoroughly as they
been lighting for a dozen years. For the
tenth time the band of Chricahua
Apaches. headed by Chief Naches and .oi-
rected. by Geronimo, had jumped the San
Carlos reservation, leaving behind them
the usual trail of blood and ruin. Ranch
men were butchered on lonely range
children's brains were dashed out, and the
smoke of burning dwellings rose day and
night to the brilliant blue sky. Gen. Miles,
a trained soldier and an Indian fighter
himself. was in command. n he selected
before them. He started with two troops
OF veterans, taking a trail that at its be-
ginning was broad and plainly marked.
Then followed the most remarkable pur-
suit in the history of Indian warfare. Day
after day the ceaseless toll continued. The
men speedily found themselves in a coun-
try where horses without claws were Of
worse than no account. Their officer dis
mounted them. w will walk them
down." he said grimly. The walk began.
1t was white pluck and endurance against
Indian craftiness and endurance.
Terrible Experiences.
Over rocks that blistered the hands
when touched, in ravines SO deep and dark
head the stars were visible at noontide.
up the sides of huge hills down which
trickled rivulets of dust, threading paths
green valleys 5000 feet below, drinking %
cold. clear springs that gushed above the
clouds, sometimes In the sun-baked .les-
Der line, Lawton n his followers strug-
gled N.
Week succeeded week. Men dropped,
fainting, in the giant hills and their COM
rades passed on. There was no time to
stay. They were left to find their way
back to the reservation as best they could.
In~ian and white were foemen worthy of
each others steel, and the issue of the
contes. was in doubt to the last day.
A supreme Test Of Courage.
Finally, one night just as the sentries
were set, there was a faint hail n dn
ndian stood before them. He was worn to
the bone, but dauntless still. He said that
his chief would talk to the white man, but
would talk to him alone. His camp was
some miles further on, but the messenger
would guide L.awton to it if he cared 10
The noncoms, ~endeavored to per-
suade the captain against the venture. but
he smiled sourly at them and told the III
that he was ready. They left the
of the soldiers the next morning. By
horde. Cavernous eyes cleaned at him..
Lips drawn back from diScOlored teeth
grinned at him. Wasted hands were
waved at him t~hreateningly. Stern, DOM
Of the great White Spirit that had beaten
them back from the far eastern verge
of the land they had owned, he walked
straight to the medicine man and demand !
ed his surrender. There was a brief par
ley. Lawton contemptuously refused TO
promise anything or to guarantee any
thing, except that he and his followers
would be fed. D
Maybe you will be hanged afterward,''
he said.
to be. But I'll feed you. I'd feed
a dog in your fix"
Apache Resistance Broken.
A month afterward Geronimo, Naches
and their band Of cutthroats were pris-
1ners in Florida. Not only was the power
for evil of this particular tribe nulifiel,
the spirit of Apache resistance was
broken. 1t had been demonstrated that
they could be beaten at their W game.
Once again the white man had shown
hem that he was their master, mentally.
morally and physically. 1t was this serv-
zee which called Lawton from the west
md landed him in Washington, with much
official prestige.
ruAT MOpTcACE MTIcT pE DAN