The National tribune., 1900-01-11
WAR DAYS IN WASHINGTON.
One Determined Officer Cows 20 Indian
Chiefs.

CuleIS.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Since
the commencement OF the war with Spain
the press throughout the country has taken
patriotic pleasure in chronicling the brave
deeds OF our soldiers and sailors. Nor
have the heroic acts of individual Federal
and Confederate soldiers been forgotten,
and the strains of martial music, which
have resounded throughout the length and
breadth of the United States during the
past year, would seem to have refreshed
the memory of our people in regard to past
evidences of American yalor. Under these
circumstances the relation of the following
striking example of personal bravery and
presence of mind will, it is believed, be read
with pleasure. True courage has been de-
fined to be presence of mind, giving the
power to act TO the best advantage during
moments of great peril and difficulty" If
this definition is correct it would be hardly
possible to find a better illustration of hero
ism than the incident in question.
In the early '60s the old United States
Hotel in Washington was one of the best
known hostelries in this country. There
congregated congressman and politicians,
lobbyists and officers of the United States
Army and Navy. The Office and corridors
were the favorite stamping ground of the
ubiquitous news gather, and the on dts of
the hour were on every tongue.
The writer was breakfaSting in these
comfortable quarters in the latter part of
April, 1854. The large dining-room was
filled with guests, and the quiet of the morn
ing meal was unbroken except by the low
murmur of conversation and the ruStling
of newspapers, when suddenly the report
of a pistol-Shot rang out, followed by the
blood-freeZing Screech OF an Indian war
whoop. For an instant those in the dining
room appeared paralyzed with fear and then
,tcbcI int bn fc
the cause of the unexpected disturbance.
To their horror they saw some 20 Indians,
mad with firewater, fighting among them
selves. In the crowd of 100 or more of
lookerS-on were a number of military and
naval officers, many of whom had faced
death without tremor, vet this sudden
danger found them powerless to do more
than gaze with horror at the scene before
them.
The fighting Indians were Chiefs of sev-
eral tribes who, headed by the famous
Chief Hole-in-the-Da had come to Wash
ington 10 visit their GreatFather. the PreSi-
dent. They were quartered in the hotel, and
by some means had obtained whisky. 1t
appeared that "a general melee was unaVoid-
able and that whites as well as reds might
meet their death from this drunken fracas
In an instant, however, the man of the hour
appeared. A young Captain of Artillery,
Capt. Treadwell, sprang forward from the
crowd, single handed, against these 20 ex-
cited Indians. Drawing his sword, he
rushed on the rioters and seizing Hole-in-
the-Day with his left hand turned its point
towards the breasts of the others. Things
looked squally for moment, but the In
dians, overawed by the courage of their
assailaut, threw up their hands as token
of submission and were at once disarmed
by him.
Upon investigation it proved that the
pistol shot which had so startled those
present had seriously wounded Hole-in-the-
Day, the ball passing through his mouth
and out at the back of his neck; while the
Chief who fired the shot had been badly
slashed across the face with a bowie-knife
welded by Hole-in-the-Day. All is well
that ends well, but what would have hap
pened had it not been for Capt Treadwell's s
heroism and presence of mind can only be
left to conjecture. Once again it was the
right man in the right place at the right
time, and the brave young officer received
great applause from the eye-witnesses, who
declared it one of the most perilous moments
ever passed in Washington. The affair
created quite a sensation at the time, and
Capt. Treadwell was given full credit by the
local press: -GEORGEMARTYN,S San Fran
cisco, Cal.