The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-04-22
noYHooD OF GEN. oHAFFEE.

BOHHOOD OE 0ENs a
Orwell, Ohio, correspondence of st.
Louis INSTRUMENTATION a
humble country home at Orwell, Gen.
Adna R. Chaffee climbed out into the
world and up the ladder to his present
high position, that of commander of
the United States army in the Philip
pine Islands, and he is the first private
in the regular army to be elevated
to such an exalted office. Through
his tact and bravery during the charge
of hi Caney, and then the campaign in
China, where he was also commander
Of the United States forces, his name
became a pleasant topic of American
conversation, and his friends Deleve
that still greater things are yet to be
accomplished for our republic at his
hands. Little did his young compan-
ions think, as they played with him
about snow forts in the fields OF Or
well. that Adna was some day to COM
mand great armies on real battle
grounds. Memories of playmate days,
however, go to show that Chaffees
love for things military was very pro-
nounced at the time he was attending
the little district school and the old
fashioned Methodist Sunday school of
his native locality. In a retrospect OF
his career his early command OF the
SNOWFALL forces loom up forc1bly. He
is a born leader of men. Chaffee's
father was a farmer. He also engaged
at odd moments in the avocation OF
cabinet-making. The mother possess
ed all the qualifications of the typical
good woman Of the early days OF the
western reserve. She spent much OF
her time at the spinning wheel and in
weaving the homespun garments
which in childhood were worn by AM
,rica's great general of today, and
Ter greatest ambition was to rear her
sons and daughters to be useful men
and women. 1t was not a small fam
ily that required the attention of this
fond mother. Adna's brothers num-
bered ten, and there were two sisters;
Adna was born in the year 1912.
When Adna was IA years of age his
mother died. Later his father married
again. The second wife had also been
married before and was the mother Of
twelve children. 1t was a large school
attendance furnished by the house,
hold, and it was only by the greatest
economy and industry that the child
rem were reared and given an educa-
tional start. Adna, at the age of 10,
went to work on a farm in an adjoin-
ing county. Here his proficiency was
demonstrated in the cornfield and at
the pillow. What he did he did well,
and he accomplished a great deal for
a young man of his age.
Then came the days when Chaffee's
first opportunity opened to him to join
the army, and this he improved, as die
likewise two Of his brothers. Early in
1851 he enlisted In the Sixth United
States cavalry. In bidding good-by
TO his brothers and sisters in going
to the front hi impressed Upon then
the determination that under no cir
cumstances would he allow any soldier
to excel him in point OF perfect per
Torrance of duty, and he never has
Howard Chaffee, a brother, who nov
resides in Trumbull county, enlisted
In the Sixth Ohio cavalry. Georg'
Chaffee, another brother now living
in Nashville, Tenn, enlisted in tn
Tw~enty-flfth Illinois as a drumme
boy, in May. 1862. at the age Of 1
years. Three. months later he wa
. transferred to the Fourteenth Obi
battery of flying artillery, and her
served until the close of the war H
was wounded in the battle of Blu,
Run. Gen. Chaffee, it will be remem
. bersd, was appointed to take comman
, of the army in the Philippines as SUE
/, cessor to Gen. Macarthur. The al
pointment, of course, was made by tn