The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1900-09-08
ANOTHER GALLANT LAYTON.
Lieutenant of the Name Who Di.tin.
guished Himself In the Fight
ing at Tien Tsin.

Ing at Iien Tsin.
Auburn, n. Y, Sept. AIRS. Louis
b. Lawton, of this city, wife of Lieut.
Lawton, OF the Ninth United States
infantry, now doing service in China,
received yesterday letter from Mai.
j. NJ. Lee, who took temporary com,
mand of the Ninth upon the death
of COL Liscum, in which he gives a
graphic account of the battle of lien
Ism and comments upon the gallan.
try OF Lieut.. Lawton, who was wound,
ed four times during the battle while
executing orders.
Recommended for Medal.
Maj. Lee says that Lieut.. Lawton
has been recommended for medal
of honor and brevet, and describes
the lieutenant as "the most heroic,
gallant spirit that then went into bat
to-"
After referring to the loss sus-
tanned by the Ninth regiment, which
the major places at rs per cent, in
killed and wounded, he says
Amid Death and Carnage.
Capt. Noyes had been twice wound
ed. Capt. Bookmiller had fallen, Maj.
Regain had fallen, severely wounded
within few feet of me, and soon af-
ter Gen. Liscum fell mortally wound
ed. This all occurred before or about
a. IN. on the 18th.
Fighting Waist Deep in Water.
1--WE had pushed forward to the
limit and were separated from the
enemy by a canal or maot so yards
wide, and from six to eight feet deep
in water. The ground in our rear,
where so many had fallen was liter
ally swept by bullets and shrapnel
To advance was impossible, and with
the dead and wounded around us and
all of us in mud and water from our
waists to arm pits, we determined TO
hold the place and await reinforce
ments, ammunition and relief for our
wounded.
THE situation became more and
more desperate.
A PeriIous Undertaking.
"About 10 a, m. ! decided to send
Lieut.. Lawton, with an orderly, back
for help. 1t was perious undertake
ing, but | believed he would get
through and he did so, under heavy
fire, and coolly represented our needs
to Gen. Dorward. Some reinforce
ments were sent, about hundred,
but they never reached our front line.
Lieut.. Lnwton wounded.
Lieut.. Lawton stood up under fire
and urged them to move on. Just
then he received scalp wound. He
then started alone to Join me and re-
port. We saw him coming, and the
word went along the line: There
comes Lieut.. Lawton,' and every man
opened on the enemy to protect him..
| saw him stop to pick up something
and thought he was hit, but he had
dropped his note book, and had cool
~ stopped to pick it up, On he came,
and when nearly through he was hit
in the arm and breast severely, but,
thank God, not fatally.
Remained UntiI Nightfnll.
Capt. Brewster and went to him,
and he calmly and clearly reported
the result of his perilous mission.
There he and |, with the dead and
wounded about us, remained under
fire until nightfall. lie was again hit
in the sole of the shoe.
Nelson c. Price.
"The gallant, heroic little soldie
named Nelson c, Price, private in
Company +, Ninth infantry, attended
him, and protected him with n little
bank of earth, which was hit many
times, The superb herolsm of this
young soldier, no doubt, saved your
husbands life and mine MS well.
"rwo or three times orders had
been sent to MS to retire at night, but
we never got them,
Withdrew Under Nlphtfnli.
Lieut.. Lawson, Lieut. Franzcr and
matured plan to withdraw under
cover Of darkness and carry off all
our wounded and the body of our
colonel This was accomplished, be.
ginning the move at $40 p, m, though
under some of the enemys fire,
zone poor fellow lost his life, shot
seven times, For nearly IN hour we
0oundcrcd along over bikes and into
bitches filed with mud and water, and
assembled under mud wall, where
we found part of the regiment un'
der Col. Coolidge"
The majors letter relating to the
bnttlc stops here and the remainder
is devoted 10 words Of comfort TO Mira.
Lawton.