The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-14


falling fast, General Chaffee dashed
about with his hat on the back of his
head like a magnificent cowboy, urging
the men and crying to them to get IN
and help their country to win vic
tory" ~ was at El CaHey that Gen
eraI Chaffee, leading the charges from
block house to BLOCK house, was dubbed
by the Spaniards THE Man in Shirt
Sleeves This name was given be-
cause he wore no coat during the fight.
He was wounded at Santiago. A bull
let pierced his foot. He was also
wounded at Gettysburg and Chicka-
manga. For his daring work in the
Indian wars he was four times bre-
veted by congress.
Chaffee won his first lieutenancy on
the battlefield of Gettysburg, and was
moved up to the grade Of captain for
gallant service at Dinwiddie Court
house. Subsequent promotions to the
rank of major and of lieutenant colonel
successfully, were earned in engage
mentS with Indians in Texas and Ari-
IONA He also served at one time as
inspector general with General McCook,
and later still as subdirector of the
cavalry school at Fort Riley, Kan.
4. q .
General Chaffee is the idol of his
men. one of his favorite commands
when in hot chase after Indians used
Z y
man that's killed I'll make a corporal"
In the dgnt at Ell Caney several COM
panies were detailed to dig trenches
and the Spanish sharpshOOters were
potting at them from tree tops and
clumps of bushes on the hillsides. Pres
/ emily the firing became so severe that
the men We're ordered to drop their
tools and return it. ABOUT this time
/ General Chaffee came along on foot
: looking over the situation. In the bot
tom of one of the trenches he saw a
soldier lying fiat on his face. while the
man next TO him kicked him in the in
tervals of firing. As the general walked
over he heard the kicker address the
PROSTATE soldier in q savage whisper.
Get up, you fool. Here comes old
/ Chaffee. II he sees you you're done
for
What's the matter with that man?"
asked General Chaffee OF the speaker.
/ rs he Wounded2"
No, sir. said the soldier, saluting.
The PROSTATE man made no motion
sun, them" asked the general, for
there were many cases. of collapse from
heat under the bitter glare of the Gu
ban afternoons.
Il don't know. sir" replied the sol
der in embarrassment.
All this time the bullets were whist
ling around the soldier, who had risen
Z
standing at salute.
Don't stand there and expose your
self. my man" said General Chaffee
kindly, although he himself had been
standing in full range all the time.
Now he walked over to the grOveIing
soldier, took him by rthe collar and
hauled him to a sitting posture
What do you mean by lying there"
he said sternly. Get up and fight with
your company
No. 7 can't" whfned the fellow.
Can't said the general. We'll,
you're = fine soldier. What's the mat
ter with you, any way?"
I'm afraid; that's what's the matter
with me-" said the soldier dOggedly,
trying to wrest his collar from the
! grasp of the other and trying in vain.
for General Chaffee has muscles of
steel.
Beg pardon, sir said the mans
neighbOr, saluting again. 4 think the
J kids been sick, sir"
That's charitable thought" said
/ the general gTimly.
He twisted his captive about to get
good look at him, and his face, which
had grown set and angry, sOftened at
/ what he saw.
How old are your he asked.
Seventeen" said the frightened SOL
der.
Why, you're nothing but a child, -
cried General Chanee- I'D like to get
/ hold of the fellow that enlisted YOU"
He stood thinking for a moment while
| the boy shifted. A Spanish bullet sent
a little spirit of dirt up from the in
( trenchment not two feet from where
I he stood
Beg pardon, sir; they're getting your
range" said the other soldier. Hadn't
, you better lie down, sir?"
The general paid no attention to the
warning, but shifted his hand from the
collar to the shoulder Of his captive.
/ Now, see here" said he kindly. You
can't help being frightened, 1 suppose.
/ But there isn't nearly SO much danger
/ as you thing there is. You must pick
/ up your gun and take your position and
I fight, and I'll stand here by you till
I you get used to it
/ Shaking like a leaf, the boy seized his
/ gun and fired a shot almost straight up
/ in the air.
! That's a little high, said his in
struCtor. Try it lower and take a lit
! tie more time to aim. There's a Span
/ lard in that green thieket straight in
/ front of you, l think"
After three or four shots the young
! soldier got his nerve. stopped trembling
/ and began 10 shoot with some accuracy
/ and judgment.
That's better said General Chaffee
/ as he moved away. Stay here and do
/ your best"
The boy fought like veteran
4 through the afternoon, and when the
order came to withdraw he had to be
dragged away by his companions,
/ though he had been fighting for more
/ than an hour with a bullet wound in
( his shoulder He said that General
I Chaffee had told him to stay there and
! he was going to stay. The wound was
trihing one and before the campaign
/ was over the boy had The reputation
of being one of the best soldiers in his
company He is now serving in the
Philippines.
General Chanee was at one period of
the civil war in command of the federal
troops in Mississippi. One day he was
stricken down with an attack Of-yellow
fever. that he and his friends were con-
WINGED would prove fatal. An Episcopal
minister, the Rev. Mr.. Carnahan, was
sent for to make the dying soldier
peace with the world. The minister
read several Scriptural passages and
then lxnelt beside the sick officers cot
in prayer. At that juncture several
soldiers outside the tent engaged in a
quarrel and became so iboisterOus that
! the minister's Invocation was interrupt
ed. The supposedly dying soldier
raised himself on one elbow, and, rip
ping out an emphatic oath, demanded
OF the sutalterns in waiting that he
maintain quiet while the parsOn was
. ~