Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-15
UNDERWRITERS.
BRAVE MANS RECORD
CAREER OF COL. VOLKMAR WHO
WILL BE BURIED TOMORROW
In Every Position to Which He Was
Assigned He Won Approval
and RenOwn.

Interment will be made at Arlington to-
morrow of the remains of the late Col.
VIM. j. Nolkmar, assistant adjutant gen.
eral L. s. army, who died March 4 at Pas
adena Cal Full military honors will be
paid to the dead soldier. His body was
brought to Washington Wednesday and
will be escorted at IL o'clock tomorrow
morning from Gawler's undertaking estab-
lishment. No. 1872 Pennsylvania avenue,
to the final resting place.
Col. Volkmar, who was born in Phladel-
phia June %, 1S47, a graduate of the
higf school in Philadelphia, and was ap-
pointed from Pennsylvania a cadet in the
L. s. Military Academy, from which he
graduated in the class of '6S. Col Volk-
mars first service to his country was when,
lad of seventeen years, in response to
the call for troops to repel the confederate
invasion of Pennsylvania, he enlisted in
Company ID of the SD Pennsylvania In
fantry. He was appointed sergeant in
that company the 10Th of June, 1853, and
was recommended by both his captain and
his colonel for gallant conduct in battle
during the Gettysburg campaign. His dis
charge was granted on August 4, 1865, to
accept appointment to the military acad-
envy, and following graduation he was ap-
pointed second lieutenant in the 9Th L. s.
Cavalry, in which regiment he won high
in the Indian campaigns of 1863 and the
early seventies.
Fearless Indian Fighter.
In 1869, while still second lieutenant Of
the 9Th, he received honorable mention and
recommendation for brevet of first lieuten-
ant for conspicuous gallantry upon the oc-
cason of the battle of Spring Creek, in
May, 1864. He was recommended for bre
We; of captain for gallantry at the battle
of Rock Creek, May, 1869, and won special
mention in the official report of the battle
of Prairie Dog creek, las meriting the
highest praise for dash and gallantry," and
also for having. in connection with Lieut..
Price of the same regiment, undoubtedly
saved the lives of Major Frank North
commanding Pawnee scouts) and the
guide, William F. Cody, better known as
Buffalo Bill.
In the winter of 1872 he was assigned by
request Of Brigadier General Howard to the
difficult and dangerous duty of attempting,
under a flag of truce, to open communica-
ton with the hostile Apaches. and was
then selected to command Camp Date
creek, where he rendered important and
valuable services during the outbreak of
the Apache Yuma Indians. His painStak-
ing reconnaissance work and field maps
made as a young officer during these cam
paisns Unexpectedly attracted the atten-
ton of his superior officers and, in 1875, re-
suited In his being appointed engineer Of
f1cer OF the Department of Missouri, and
later as chief signal officer Of that depart
ment. His ability won further recognition
and for several years he served aid on
the staff Of Brigadier General John Pope,
and continued in the discharge of these
duties until at his own request he was
relieved, returned to the 9Th Cavalry and
joined Major Thornburg's command, but
was recalled by the lieutenant general for
services which were required by him in
Chicago. Following this duty he was APP
pointed aid on the staff of Lieut.. Gen.
Sheridan from which he resigned in 1885
to accept the tender of commission as
assistant adjutant general U. S. army.
Record in Signaling.
In 1889, while adjutant general Of the De-
partment Of Arizona, he was charged also
with the duties of signal officer of that de-
partment. in which capacity his work won
wide attention of the military signalists.
At that time he had in simultaneous and
successful operation over two thousand
miles Of communications by heliograph in
a system extending from mountain peak
to mountain peak, and connecting with the
principal military posts scattered about the
several states comprising his department,
many of the messages being transmitted
between photographs ninety miles apart,
and one flash line far surprising all pre-
vious worlds records for long-distance
Telegraph signaling. the distance being
one hundred and twenty-five miles. This
record stands untouched today as the great
est distance over which uninterrupted
military signals have been exchanged,
though to Col. Volkmars friend, Col. Will
liam A. Glassford of the signal corps. be-
longs the distinction of having his flash
recognized between two mountain tops in
Colorado separated by a distance of 1888
miles, the wonder Of the latter's achieve
ment being that the two mountains were
so distant that it is said that atmospheric
refractien only rendered 1t possible to trans
init the fash around the curvature of the
earth intervening.
For one Of his years Col. Volkmar won
phenomenal promotion to the grade of colo
mel and assistant adjutant general in which
office he remained on duty until within a
year Of his death, having long and bravely
mastered the weakness of his physical
health broken in years Of devoted service
to his country, In the hope often expressed
that death might find him at his post of
duty. He leaves surviving him his wife,
Mrs. Volkmar, now an invalid at Pasadena,
Cal, and First Lieut.. Walter 8. Volkmar
OF the artillery corps. and will long be
remembered by host of warm friends here
in Washington and all over the country.
The guns Of the battery to which Lieut.
Volkmar was attached at Santiago In July,
1898, will fire the last salute to the dead at
Arlington at noon tomorrow.