The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-20
MAJOR NoaroN's TRIBUTE
To General Henry W. 1awtOn
Whose Death is Announced.

To General Henry W. Lawton,
Whose Death is Announced.
To the Editor of the Intelligencer.
sfR:-HaJor General Henry W. Law
ton who, 1t Is reported. was shot and
killed by Filipino sharpshoOter while
preparing to attack small force of In
surgents near San Mateo. LuzOn, on the
18th inst. was one of the most active
ana efilcien, commanders in our army,
and had a splendid record in the civil
Spanish and Philippine wars. He en-
tered the service as non-commissionr
ed officer OF Indiana Volunteers. April
IS, 1861, was appointed a second lieu
tenant OF the Forty-frst United States
infantry in 1866. and was transferred to
the cavalry arm as captain in 1871. He
served over seventeen years lE the
Fourth regular cavalry and was APP
pointed major and inspector general.
United states army. September Il. 1855.
At the breaking OUT Of the Spanish war
he was appointed brlgadie- general
OF volunteers and participated In the
operations OF the army. resulting In the
surrender of the city OF Santiago. Gu
la. to the forces under General Shafter.
Since taking service in the Philippines
he has been promoted q major general
OF volunteers and held that rank up
TO the time OF his death yesterday In
the mountains OF LuZon. He was
awarded n medal Of honor by special
act Of Congress for distinguished gal
lantTy In the battles in front OF Attain
al hraVaffnI rnl-
onel for gallant and meritoriOus SER
vices during the civil war. While seTv-
ing in Arizona as captain OF the
Fourth cavalry. Lawton captured the
famous Apache chief. Geronimo, and
after "A long md perllous campaign
subdued the hostIles Of that warlike
tribe OF Indians who for many years
deiled the government and retarded
settlement In that territory. The loss
of this vIGilant officer will be almost
lrrcp1rable to the army In the Philip
pines, as It will be difficult to md a
commander OF his censeless energy ana
practical experience In lighting savage
or semI-ClvIlizcd enemies. Now that
military operations in the Island OF
Lu2on have apparently degenerRted In
to a guerilla warfare. and the organic
ed forceR Of the insurgents are over"
come and scattered In small bodies to
remote and inaccessible points, 1t
would Scent the part Of wisdom to or
ganIZc n few troops or regiments OF ma
tive cavalry to scour the country and
kin or capture the vicious TagnlOs, who
resort TO bushwhnckinE tactics after all
hope of further resistance is destroyed.
and thus avoid exposing American sol
dlers to this Infamous sort Of warfare.
The Matabcle scouts that have proved
| 80 efficient under the command OF Lieu.
tenant Batson, Of the Ninth Cavalry,
could be organized into mounted
| force, and employed In hunting down
the Eucrlllas, who should be declared
outlaws and treated accordingly. 1t Ia
not improbable the authorities may
| adopt such policy which has already
| commended itself TO the judgment Of
our most experienced officers in the
Philippines. The army VIII long have
occasion to regret that such n gallant
and efficient officer as General Lnwton
should be called upon to sncrlhrc his
| HE at time when the Per!lS and
hnrdahIps Of n protracted campaign
are 70 nearly ut an end. and peace
about to be restored to the dark and
bloody island Of Lu2on.
T. H. n.