The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-22
TIE "GRAY FOX"
General Charles Kings Remfnf.
cences of Major General Crook.


cences of Major General Crook
Young officers fresh from West point
looked ut him in wondcrmcnt. Instead
or n somewhat unnppronchable digni-
tary, In precise uniform and cpnulrts
anu embroidered sash and belt. they
were welcomed by Il cordial handclnsu
from tall, bushy bearded man, with
twinkling gray blue eyes. in an old
slouch felt hat, flannel shirt. rough
canvas shooting coat nnd trousers and
common soldiers boots.
Generally his beard was tied up with
string or red tape. the only use he had
for that Usual military Indispensable.
He sat ut campfire or In the simply
furnished pnrlcr of his army home lis
teninS to the chat about him. rarely
speaking and aSsiduously playing soil
tairc with pack of cards produced
from an inner pocket. He could play Il
capital hand III whist, but fought SHY
OF Il game with careless or forgctful
players. lie heard everything that was
said and SAW everything going Oh
about him, but seldom gave Il sign.
From the SO called pleasures of So
ciety, dinners. dances and rcceptions
simplest food. He never smoked. lie
hated wine. lie wouldn't touch spir-
Its. He marvclcu that any man should.
1T spoils his shooting" said he. And
our general WAS Il capital shot He
could foot II through an old fashioned
Quadrillc or Virginia reel, but nothing
else, and would always get away OH
social occasions into the first obscure
corner he could find, anu then out
would come the old pack Of cards.
He rarely read anything but natures
books, although he had Il mathematical
gift and not only stood well in sci
entific studies ut the Point, rs did
Grant, but he helped along his un-
mathematical roommate, Sheridan.
Writing was something Crook abllor-
red. He could hardly dcciphcr one of
his own pages. and his letters nnd dis
patches. like those Of old "Rougl and
Ready" General Zachary Taylor. were
generally penncd by some brilliant
staff officer.
Children he loved and treated with
Shy tenderness that was sweet to
see, but he had none OF his own Ills
wife was Il Maryland girl who won his
heart during the war days while her
brother and other entcrprising '.rcbs"
made way with his body. capturing
him by daring night raid into Cum
bcrland.
Like Grant. lie was simplicity itself
in speech. rarely lifting up his voice.
and only once did ever hear him
speak an impatient word OF one that
family reScmblcd an cXplctive, but
that was III the thick Of the Sioux cam
paign Of 1876 AMI when he had much
to try him.
We had to cat our horses that year
to keep alive. We had no tents, and
hardly change of underwear could
be found III the whole column We
were wet. bedragglcd and dirty when
we reached the Yellowstone, but the
general was rs badly Off as the hum
blest trooper and minded it less. There
we met the spruce command OF Gen
eral Terry. and Terry himself. in hand
some uniform, the picture Of the gen
tleman and soldier, came over to our
bivouac to call on Crook was dry
ing my buckskins at fire as he ap-
preached and stepped forward to sa-
lutte him.
where shall find General CrOOk?"
said he.
To- q moment could not answer.
Then an Ole trooper grinned and nod
ded toward the river, and there, squat
ted on a rock, well out in the stream,
stripped to the waist and scrubbing
away at his shirt, was our general,
and Terry was too much Of a gentle
man even to look amused at the sight.
The Indians called him the "Gray
Fox" The soldiers had their pet
names, but we, his officers, who follow
ed him all over the west. from tho
Mexican border to the upper Yellow
stone, spoke Of him always ns 'the
general" our general. That meant, of
course. Crook. the simplest soldier
ever knew. In oil the years 1t was my
fortune to serve under bim In Arizona,
Wyoming, Dakota, Montana or at his
headquarters Il Omaha or Chicago, 7
never sow him In the uniform Of his
rank until he lay dead in his coffin, his
guard Of honor grouped about him.
Youths Companion.