Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-05-12
An Eulogy on Tracey.

4
L. L., March Is, 1S99.-This regi-
ment received a profound shock
last evening when the news reach
eel us that VIM. j. Tracy was
drowned - accidentally drowned!
after he had gone through hun
dreds of places where death stared
him in the face; counting death
and danger rather than stunning
it. At Pace church, when we
were ambushed and shot by unseen
enemies, he stood in the middle of
the street when the rest of the reg
iment was more or less under cover.
and when ordered by the major to
cover he said he wanted them to
shoot him, in hopes that they might
expose themselves to our fire.
At Santa Ana where death was
free for all; when Gen. King said
''There go the American soldiers
and all hell can't stop them" de-
ceased was right up in front. At
Caloocan he marched with the reg
iment and all through that three
and a half hours fight he laughed
and joked with the other boys as
the Mauser and Remington bullets
whistled around them. At Qua
daloupe, when the company was
under fire for ~ hours, he never
left his post, doing some splendid
work as sharpshooter; and since
then for over a month in the trench
es, with sharpshooters pecking at us
almost any time day or night, with
now and then scouting expedition
and the resulting brush with the
enemy he was not found wanting,
but always honored the uniform he
wore.
This country is divided up in
small holdings, with large well
or cistern on each place that is used
for irrigating the native gardens.
Right around here the wells are 25
feet deep, with 10 or II feet of
water, or from bed rock to bottom.
The deceased was returning from
the little village of Pasay, about
Il miles from our place in the
trenches. He was accompanied by
Geo. Guyett ,anold-time friend of his
they worked together for George
Pliter, of Lewiston, ON Craig $
mountain several years ago., and
was walking about 20 PAGES ahead
of Guyett. They missed the trail
to the trenches, and got onto one
leading to we'll. 1t was very
dark, about O'Clock; taps had
just sounded, when deceased STUN
bled and fell head first into the
well. The side of the well was
very steep but not perpendicular;
he fell or slid down the bank, his
head striking the bed rock that
jutted out at the top of the water,
which stunned him. He had his
gun on his shoulder and his belt
full of cartridges round his waist.
Guyett rushed to his assistance and
called to him, but got no answer.
He then called for help and jumped
| in himself. Some members of the
9TH Iowa regiment, camped neal
the place, came to their assistance
they pulled Guyett out with much
difficulty, but only got Tracy's
lifeless body out after diving il
four feet of water. A scratch ano
a bruise on the forehead were thu
only marks on the body. The re
mains were taken to the division
hospital, and buried from there il
the military burial ground this at
ternoon. The enemy being IL
force in front, none Of US could ge
away to attend the funeral.
Ten thousand miles away from
home, sharing each others sorrows
and sharing each others joys, t.
fall in the fight is what we expect
but to die Of disease or by acciden
lis hard to bear. Yet what goes
goes! M. l.. M.