The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-29

the Twelfth infantry, although ne mas
been an officer in the Third infantry Tor
thirty years.
The late Mai. Wilkinson lad no more
1oval friend and ADM ~er than Maj. Ger
ZACH The two officers served side py
side for many years on the Western fron-
tier. and brotherly feeling sprang up and
continued UP to the time Of the major S
tragic death, which came home with spe-
cial sadness to Maj. Gerlach. \ G b e
representative was the first to convey the
news of Maj. Wilkinson 5 death TO the
fort. Mai Gerlach was the frst olilcei
encountered In the headquarters oWlulhs'
The major, upon catching a glimpse VI
The Globe man, hastily inquired IL
+bera was any news from I4eech Lake
Upon being told of the sad Geath Oh MAJ
Wilkinson. his head dropped and tear
was seen to find it's way down his cheeh'
and he passed on. ,ooo
In the Official Army Register Tor 1882
rage 11S, Third infantry, is tound TINS
entry: "Gerlach, William, captain; p:i-
vota Comnanv Fl. Fourth artillery, and
hospital steward, Feb. 26, Sc, to June To-
~. second lieutenant Thirty-seVenth IN
fantrv. Aug. 20, 1867; transferred to Third
infantry. Aug. II, SO; first lieutenant, OCT
6 '79: captain, April q, 1880. since tle
publication of the last register TINS OH
Ger has been promoted april a, W TO De
a major of infantry and assigned 10 the
Twelfth regiment. Nov. IS n NJ ms rec
ord on active list will close with the quo
tation retired by operation OF law tslAeS
four wears of age), as major of infantry.
These few lines giving the official rec
ord of Mai. Gerlachs career on acive
Guty cover a period Of over. forty-three
Years continuous service, from private
to the grade of field officer. AS the
major has been on duty at Fort smelling
since 1888, he has become we'll acquainted
in the Twin Cities, and the q b e,
therefore, has taken some pains to obtain
a more detailed account of his honorable
military life, believing 1t would interest
lis many civilian friends. 1t was quite
hard to get a rather too modest man to
talk about himself and furnish picture
for publication, but perseverance was
duly rewarded in the end
Enlisted at New York, Feb. Is, 1885, the
major Ghen a prfvatel passed the sum-
mer at Governors island. at that time
headquarters of the general recruiting
service as = member of Company b,
permanent party, then quartered in the
old South Battery. Yellow fever break
ing out there he and two other room
he alone recovered. In the fall of IS he
was sent to join the Fourth artillery,
and assigned to Company H; went to
Florida, where, under Gen. Harney's COM
mand, several regiments were engaged In
a most arduous campaign against the
remnant Of the Seminole Indians still in
End about the Everglades.
The names Of the officers then serving
with Company II, Fourth artillery, are
the major learned his first lessons Of war.
John T. McCown, captain afterwards
major general, C. S. Al; John R. Gibbon
and Louis H. Telwig, first lieuten-
ants, both prominent in Rebellion records.
This service in Florida, fighting an al
most invisible enemy in swamps and
densely wooded country. with short sup
ply, both of water and fresh, wholesome
food, was of the hardest kind. Out of
eighty-seven men In the company, forty
four died or were disabled by wounds
and disease in ten months.
In the fall of 81 the Fourth artillery
was relieved in Florida, and, via New
Orleans, changed station to Fort Leaven-
worth for police duty In connection with
Kansas border troubles. Company H, In
February, So, was ordered to Fort
Kearney, Neb., and made the 300-mile
march in bad, stormy winter months. Re-
naming at kearney, then most impor-
tant outpost on the overland route in the
Pawnee country, which was frequently
invaded by Southern Cheyennes and Ar
rapahoes, who, although not exactly hos
tile to the United States then. would fight
the Pawnees on sight, and so caused
much trouble. In 1859 the company march
ed north across country 200 miles, over an
almost unknown trail to take post at
Fort Randall, Dakota, on the Missouri
river, where an inland artillery school
was established 1t remained here until
the breaking out Of the War Of the Re-
bellion caused scattering of the garrison
to various Eastern armies, the batteries
being equipped and organized for field
service. Selected for appointment as hos
pital steward, the major was ordered to
Fort Kearney, Neb., in the fall of 1861.
When the regulars were withdrawn from
there, and the hard work of handling the
hostile Southern Indians put in charge