The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-17
Nj. FITzGERAL0's BANQUET.
(Chlcago Times-HeraId.O

Chicago Times HeraId)
A small contingent of American IN
fantry under a second lieutenant re-
Gently guarded a British woOdpile in
China from the threatened attack of
some fuel-hunting Russian troops. This
little international courtesy, while ii
threatened to precipitate a fight, was
thoroughly appreciated by the English
men. The incident brings to mind an
other case of international courtesy be-
tween American and British troopers,
which, however, so far from having
connected with it ever a suspicion of
fighting resolved itself into some sat
isfactOry and substantial feeding. Some
of the elders will remember that it was
not until shortly after the close of the
controversy between Great Britain and
the United States over territory in the
northwest passed away. When the line
at 49 degrees was settled upon as the
boundary the question of the owner
ship of the islands between Washing
ton territory and Vancouver was still
unsettled. The United States by
terms of the treaty was to have the
islands east of the channel. There were
two channels and the question as to
which was meant was left to the En-
perOr Of Germany to decide. If the
western passage was meant there be-
longed TO the United States several is
| lands which would be lost if the treaty
were construed in it's wording to mean
the passage to the east.
q q .
While this matter was in allowance
the two governments felt it necessary
in order not to lose prestige to main
tain garrisOns on the disputed ground.
/ The United states was represented by
one company of the old Ninth infan-
try, while there were two companies of
/ British regulars and several officers
/ representing the rival power. In COM
! was Second Lieutenant Michael J.
/ Fitzgerald, who had been through the
| civil war as a nOn-cOmmissioned Off
Ger and who had been given his step
/ in the regular service for gallantry-
/ When the young officer was about to
leave san Francisco General McDOw-
/ ell, then in commanded the division Of
! the Pacific sent for him and impressed
upon him the delicate nature of his
/ mission. AS matter of fact. Nc
/ DOwell was afraid from Fitzgerald's
7 name that there might be in him
{ enough hereditary feeling against the
: British soldiers to make it very easy
/ for him to find an excuse to precipitate
/ trouble.
Above all things. Lieutenant Fitz-
! gerald, said the general, observe the
rules of international courtesy"
III do that same, general" answer
/ ed Fitzgerald promptly. "There'H be
! no war growing out Of my treatment of
( the red-coats.'
The next day he set sail for his north
] ern post It'll his little band of fol-
/ lowers.
/ The American and British garrisons
! were only an hours trip apart. When
Lieutenant Fitzgerald was installed
finally in his quarters and was feeling
D the weight of being not only company
commander, but commanding officer Of
p q United States garrison, he was called
upon in turn by each of the half dozen
officers stationed a few miles beyond
( the hill. Fitzgerald returned the calls
/ promptly, and shortly thereafter was
/ invited to dine with six Englishmen as
hosts At that dinner the American
/ lieutenant was entertained royalty.
/ There was nothing in the British gar
rison that was too good for him. As
/ he put It 8fteTWard to his comrades in
{ the states, 1T was wet night" When
Fitzgerald had returned to his quarters
/ and three weeks had passed away he
/ thought it was about time to prepare
/ to return in some way the hospitality
of the Englishmen. The supplies at his
disposal were a jug Of whisky and the
( ordinary army ratiOnS There was
nothing good, barring that which was
in the British possession, nearer than
; San Francisco. Fitzgerald was a. man
of expedient. The next boat carried
some commissions to the California
metropolis. Three weeks afterward siA
British officers and the handful of
civilian officials both American and
English. that were on the island re-
ceived each 4 communication Lieuten-
ant Fitzgerald was no mere dinner
giver. Upon opening the envelope con-
tanning his communication each recipi-
ent found a handsomely engraved inVl-
tation surmounted by the arms of the
United States in colors. 1t reads as
follows:
THE COMMANDING OFFICER
OF
FORT SAN JUAN
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE
PRESENCE OF
/ CAPTAIN MAURICE FITZHERBERl
AT A BANQUET
GIVEN THANKSGIVING EVE, 1855
g @ @
l. A week afterward round hundred
large packages arrived from San Fran
cisco. Fitzgerald told about twenty OF
his soldiers that il would not do for az
American officer to be outdone IN hos
. pitality. He forthwith proceeded t
instruct the twenty in duties as wait
ers. He picked out Of the command
four or five musicians and had then
provided with instruments. When the
! British officers and the civilian con
tingent arrived and preliminary cour
tesies were exchanged they were shown
into banquet hall with a table gilt
tCAlAtS " III cut glass anu SlANSi. ~
/ ate OF dehcacieS and substant1alS ina
l none OF them thought could be founs
nearer than New York, and they DRAM
of wines that none other than the Gel
? lar of a connOisseur could have con
tanned. There was a waiter for ever,
guest, and The music Jagged not unti
the speaking began It was all over
however, about three hours after IN
: host had excused himself temporary
: to attend reveille roll call.
e . ., o
Lieutenant Michael J. FitZgeral