Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-20
sketch of New Commander.

General Henry was made brigadier gen.
eral last year and served during the Spanish
war; first in southern camps and later in
Porto Rico, where he was accorded the dis
tinction of being chosen as governor gen.
eral OF the island. Recently he has been
on sick leave
General Henry comes from good military
stock. He was born at Fort Smith, Indian
Territory, March Q, 1899, and Is the son of
Major William Seaton Henry, Third United
States infantry, and grandson Of Daniel ID.
Tomkins, twice governor of New York and
vice president OF the United States also
grandson Of Smith Thompson, who was sec
retary Of the navy and judge OF the supreme
court. He was appointed as a cadet -at-laree
at the United States military academy, from
which he graduated in the class of 1861, at
the breaking out OF the war of the rebellion,
and assigned as a lieutenant to the First
United States artillery. He served
with great distinction during the civil war
and was brevetted again and again for gal
liant and meritorious service. First he was
brevetted captain October 20, 1862, for gal
liant service while in action near Pocotalgo
river, South Carolina. November 9, 1868, he
was made colonel of the Fortieth Massachu-
setts volunteers. He was brevetted major
February 20, 1854, for gallant service in the
he was brevetted lieutenant colonel for gal
liant service in front Of Petersburg, Va, and
in less than a month afterward was brevetted
brigadier general of volunteers for service
during the Petersburg campaign. Before be-
ing mustered out Of the service at the end
Of the civil war he was brevetted colonel in
the regular army on March 49, 1865, for gall
liant and meritorious service during the war.
The news OF General Henry's assignment
to the Department Of the Missouri was re-
ceived with expressions Of much qualification
by the officers connected with the department
In this city. General Merriam, commander
Of the Department Of the Colorado at Dem
yer, has been temporarily in charge of the
Department of the Missouri, having sue
| ceeded General Sumner April 1, 1899. He
has visited Omaha at intervals, although
the work OF the department has been almost
| entirely under the direction Of the staff
officers.
General Henry's induction into Omaha
military and social life again will be hailed
| with delight by vast number Of warm
personal friends, outside Of army circles.
| He Is primarily western man and was To-
| Gated in Omaha for several years in the
| SOS as inspector of small arms and practice
To him is accredited a great deal of praise
| for the perfection Of this system.
| Since the close Of the civil war General
Henry has been prominent figure in mill
tary circles and most of his service has beer
| in the west. June 26, 1881, he was made
major Of the Ninth cavalry, and subsequent
to January 30, 1892, served in the Seventh
| Fifth and Third cavalry regiments as lieu
tenant colonel. June I, 1897, he was as
signed to the Tenth cavalry as colonel ant
was made brigadier general October II
1898.
| General Henry is Familiarity known IL
the army and all along the western frontie
as Fighting Guy" He is slender man
hardly above medium height, and probabl.
does not weigh over lao pounds His com
plexion Is fair, his small mustache is
| very light brown and his eyes are the light
est of light blues. They look equally good
but only one is serviceable, the sight of tn
other having been destroyed by twenty
four r-caliber ball in the battle OF Rosebu
creek on June II, 1876. At the same tim
and by the same bullet was made the dee
scar which marks his left cheek, near tn
sightless eye.
In 1S9O-9l. when the Wounded Knee cam
paign occurred, General Henry and his com
lmand were stationed at Fort Robinson. Gen
eral Miles sent to him by No-neck, sergean
of the Indian scouts, dispatch advising hin
OF the perilous situation at Pine Rlds
agency Immediately upon receipt OF tina
dispatch Fighting Guy" mounted thre
companies OF the Ninth United States cav
airy (colored) and rode without unsaddline
in twenty four hours, the distance OF 10
miles to General Miles relief
AS soon as he arrived he held hurrie
consultation with General Miles and his stat
The dangerous position Of the Seventh cav
airy at Wounded Knee being made known
him. he ordered his men to mount at ono
and ride to the succor of their comrades
General Miles ordered him to saddle VI
but he replied that he had no time for that
, he was looking for Indians. not saddle
Miles threatened to court martial him fc
disobedience but he replied indifferently
"All right--when we get back" and gallope
off, His command, riding bareback, hard
drew rein until they had ridden the fourtee
miles. which brought them to Wounded Kn'
In time for battle. But for their opportur
arrival the Seventh cavalry might have bee
E annihilated, as were Custer and his me
For that achievement Fighting Guy" WI
, again complimented In special orders ISSUE
: by the War department. Nothing more WI
a heard of the threatened court martial
= 4