Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-01-10

conspicuous in the field tnan his great
size would have made him by always
being actually in the lead of his men.
He was frequently warned that he
needlessly exposed himself, but he
laughed at an suggestions of danger.
His fellow officers admired him; TO his
men he was an idol and an Inspiration.
From School to Battlefield.
Lawtoc's birthplace was Manhattan,
Ohio, ard he first saw the light on st.
Patrick's day, 1S43. As boy he was
in the West with his father, and when
he was 10 years old the family located
at Fort Wayne, Ind, which he ever
since regarded as his home. He was a
student in college when the civil war
broke out. He left school and enlisted
as a private in the Ninth Indiana. Four
months later he was first lieutenant in
the Thirteenth Indiana, and with that
regiment he served to the end of the
war, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel.
with the brevet of Colonel. When peace
established he left the service and be-
Ssdh tuC ctuOy vi law. Lie W Ao tAttthh'
ing Harvard University in 1866 when
he received a commission as Second
Lieutenant of regulars upon the rec
ommenddtion of Gems. Sheridan and
Sherman After a brief service in the
infantry he was made a Lieutenant in
the Fourth Cavalry, and with that reg
iment he was identified in nearly all
the important events of his subsequent
career. In 1879 he was made cap
tain, and it was while in this position
that he rid the Southwest Of the MUIR
derous Geronimo.
His regiment did nothing but fight
Apaches for years, ard Lawton studied
taem as naturalist studies venomouS
snakes, and took much the same view
of them In 1856. when Geronimo and
his Apache band of thieves had been
off the San Carlos reservation long
time. raiding in the vicinity, Lawton
was sent after them by Gen. Miles. The
cavalrymen chased the Indians over
the deserts and into the mountains
Their horses gave out and they follow
ed on foot Their rations gave ort and
they lived on what they could gather
as they moved. They ran Geronimo
down, after covering 1856 miles. One
day one of the old chiefs braves came
ipto camp with a message. Geronimo
wanted to talk, and Lawton went alone
to see him. An Apache Is no more
trustworthy than mad dog, but Law
ton sat down with the treacherous
chief in the midst of his warriors and
powwowed with him to such effect
that he presently led him and his war
party prisoners to Gen. Miles.
FROM 1888 until the Spanish war
broke out Lawton was attached to the
Inspector Generals department, with
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In
May, 1898, he was made Brigadier
General of Volunteers and at Santiago
directed the operations against I'll
Caney. The marvel is fhat he was not
killed. He never awaited himself Of
cover. His commanding figure was the
most conspicuous thing wherever there
was hot lighting, and every Spanish
sharpshooter within mile had always
a chance at Lawton. When he recon-
noitered he re5e preferably in front of
the trenches on he firing line. When
he had to move aNout the zone OF ar
ton he went right across, regardless of
any storm of bullets, even though de-
tour to the rear would avoid all dan
ger. He simply never thought of the
possibility of being hurt by bullets. he
had defied them so often.
In the Philippine Jnngies.
In January. 1899. be was sent to the
Philippines and did the seyerest fight
ing. He relieved Gen. Anderson in
command of the regular troops, and on
April 10 he captured Santa Cruz, Q
Filipino stronghold at the extreme end
OF the lake near Manila. There was
sharp fighting, and Lawton led his
troops. using the Indian tactics which
he bad learned 50 well on the Western
plains. Then be captured San Rafael
after jungle fight. and then San ISL
dro, The insurgent capital. President