The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-25

the soldier meant to expose himself and
the man whom he had asked 20 accom-
pany him to the concentrated fire of all
the redskins on the opposite side of the
canon. That didn't seem 10 concern
Chaffee particle. Thowing himself fiat
on the ground, he crawied toward the
wounded soldier. The scout followed.
Slowly and somewhat painfully the two
men crawled along until they reached the
wounded man. With great difficulty they
half-carred half-dragged him back with
in the lines. So thrilled were his men
with the deed that had been performed
that they quite forgot all about fighting
Indians, stopped firing and began to
cheer. This made Chaffee furious. AL
most dropping his end of the burden. he
yelled out in tones that no man could fail
TO hear:
Shut up that noise and go to shoot
ing"
There wasn't any particular fun in
fighting Indians in those days, because
officers and men were likely to get shot
from ambush at any time by the partic-
ular tribe that was on the warpath, and
there is little glory or romance for
soldier to lose his life from an Indians
rifle aimed between bush branches. But
there were Indians to be fought, and
somehow or other, the Sixth Cavalry was
usually selected TO jump in where the
Cavalry was, there was Chaffee's troop,
and there was Chaffee. He was
a close student of Indian habits
and characteristics, and he had not
been fighting on the frontier long
before he was as clever at some OF
the Indian tricks as were-+ae> redskins
themselves. 1t is we'll known, of course,
that an Indian can follow the trail Of a
man on foot or on horseback when most
foil nd hing n indicate that
any living person had passed that way.
This was one of the tricks which Chat
fee acquired. He could go through woods
or dense underbrush and follow a trail
by noticing broken twigs or branches
brushed one side. or in hundred other
ways known chiefly to the American In
dian. Furthermore. he became an adept
in the use of the Indian sign language,
and few years later, when he was chas-
ing Geronimo. under Gen. Crook all this
Indian lore stood him in good stead and
made him one of the most valuable Off
GERS Crook had
While he was fighting these intermit-
tent campaigns on the frontier, Chafee
had occasion to go to junction City, Kan,
now and again on business. On one OF
these visits he met Miss Annie Rockwell,
the second daughter of Maj. George
Rockwell, a merchant and banker. In
1874 Miss Rockwell and Capt. Chaffee
were married The usual life of the young
army officer on the frontier was the lie
when Chaffee led including the Indian
fighting until 1885, when Brig. Gen.
Crook was ordered to fit out an eXpedl-
ton. The work continued for an en-
sire wear the willy Geronimo leading his
pursuers "A merry chase through Texas
and into Mexico, back into Texas again
and again into Mexico. Gen. Crook didn
succeed in capturing the Apache, but he
kept him mighty busy.
Chaffee served with the Sixth Cavalry
until July, 1885, more than quarter OF
a century, when he was made a major
and assigned to the Ninth (colored) Cav
airy. He was with the Ninth for the
next nine years, when he was again pro-
NOTED and became the lieutenant colonel
of the Third Cavalry on June /, 1897. He
was serving with the Third when the
war with Spain began. General oft1cers
were needed and Lieut.. Col Chaffee was
one of the first 20 be appointed a brlga-
der general of volunteers. He was com
missioned on May T. 1898. and commanded
a brigade from Las Guasimas TO III
| Caney. II was at FL Caney that the Gen
| eral fought his latest fight and won
new | urels Many stories have been
| told about Chaffee's marvellous nerve and
| bravery during that battle. He himself
| is the authority for the statement mat
| not more than one-third of the stories
| chat have been told and written about
| him are true. One of the tales was OF
| how he noticed a man in the trenches as
| he was walking up and down the firing
line whose shooting was so erratic that
| he poked holes in nothing but the atmos-
| phere According to the story. Chaffee
| got down into the trench, laid his hand
! kindly on the soldiers shoulder-he was
a young private of the Twelfth infantry
he
Nothing, ] guess, sir was the allegen
I rerfy, Except I'm scared
'Wel. let's see If we can't steady our
| selves" Chaffee is reported to have sald
| and then he lay down beside the SOLDIER
and told him how and where to shoot
until the young fellow became as steady
as a church and forgot TO stop shooting
when the order to cease firing was ven
This story was printed in magazine
| and one of Chaffee s brother officers show
| ed f. to him. Cbaffee read 1t through
| scowling more viciously the further ne
| read When he had finished he exclaim-
| ed:
"Tbats all damned rot. What the devil
| do thf go follows want to make such fools
| of us for? Do you sunp Sc l had time
| in that scrimmage to get Gown IN
| trench and carry on private target prac-
flee with some OF the hoys? I had enough
| troubles OF lily ONh "ANASNN De
| ticular attention 10 those Of particular
| individuals Some folks may like all this
! nickel -pla ling, but / dent"
/ No mat er how much G n. Chaffee may
| trv he will not be able altogether TO be-
| little his performances during the war IN
! Cuba. For instance, no matter what ne
NAV say of it, his brother officers VIII
| not forget a certain performance OF his
| one night at Santiago. 1t was b'fore the
/ attack on the city had been made, and
! SIMPSONS ships were living OUTSIDE the
| barbor entrance, ready TO smash Cerve-
res fleet as soon as it should ever make
| the attempt to come out. Much had been
| said about the strength OF the fortihca-
| lions about Moro Castle. As matter or
| fact. however, nobody knew exactly how
strong they were. and what was much
more TO the point, there were no maps
| 70 show the best way by which a land
| attack eau d be made. while Samp on was
| attacking. If he did attack. from the sea.
| Chaffee knew this. and one evening no
| iust disapI cared for a while NOBODY
! knowing what had become OF him. After
| q little while he came tack and one OF
the officers asked whsre he had b. en-.
"Oh. l lust went out to walk off my
A MOUNTAIN CLIMBER,
Gnins IL lbs. on Change of Food.
xry,.sn ohongo in fool can rchuiid "a