Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-19
GENERAL LLOYD WHEATON,.
Anecdotes of the Brave Man Whose
Soldiers Idolixe Him.

Anecdotes of the Brave Man Whose
Soldiers Idolize Him.
General Lloyd Wheaton, whose frank
ness in expressing his opinions has
stirred up a number Of sensational
critics, will not lack for defenders
Practically without exception, the men
who have served under him, whom they
fondly call dad" Wheaton, would
fight for him to the last ditch against
any odds.
Even among the general officers OF
the United States army, including Sc
many men of dauntless courage and
splendid character, there are few who
rank with Wheaton in personal popu-
larity among the enlisted men. In ap-
pearance he Is the ideal soldier, tall
and straight as a pine tree. His thick
hair Is jet black and the lower part OF
his face is covered with black beard
set off by pair of long and fiercely
pointed black mustaches. On horse
back especially he looks the part OF a
pirate king, and his voice is deep bass
of tremendous power that can be heard
at great distance.
It Is a favorite joke with the soldiers
in the islands that "Old Dad" needs
no staff, because he can make himself
heard half a mile without straining
himself. Most endearing Of all, from
the standpoint Of the common soldier
General Wheaton never spares him
self, and many a little outpost, hard
pressed by an overpowering force OF
the "niggers," has been inspired by the
roaring command of "Old Dad"-"Go
in boys! Go in!'-while he himself
riding like a centaur, led the charge
far in advance Of the advancing COL
umn.
Even his presence is inspiring. In
many hot skirmish, when the men
have become tired and scattered, his
tremendous voice, believing in the dis
tance, has had the effect of trumpet
call or the arrival of regiment Of re-
Inducements.
Brace up, boys" the call will 60
across the scattered lines, here comes
Old Dad" and then rushes in the fight
the big bay horse, topped by the big,
fierce man, with his black beard, and
all is over but the shouting.
Enlisted men returned from service
in the islands, tell all sorts Of little
stories of General Wheaton. For in
stance there was the night after the
landing at San Fabian. Six gunboats
had gone down the coast to cover the
landing of lot of men under General
Wheaton, who were loaded on couple
of army transports. While the gun
boats shelSed the town Wheaton got
his men into launches and other small
boats and waited for the first chance
to get ashore. Once or twice his eager
ness led him to push ahead within
range Of the gunboats' fire, and each
time he had to face about and retire,
much to the amusement of the men,
bobbing about on the swell in their
little boats. Finally the party landed
under a hot fire from the insurgents
and rushed the town. After pickets
had been thrown out and all arrange
ments made for guarding against q
night attack, General Wheaton started
to turn in, with the idea Of catching a
few hours sleep. He and his orderly
went into a native haase on the square
and opened the door leading into the
corner room. AS they did so a couple
Of privates who had already laid down
to sleep on the floor rose sleepily, came
to attention, saluted, and started tc
leave the room.
Here you!" roared "Old Dad" in his
terrifying voice, "you boys need sleer
just as much as do. Lie down agar
and go to Sleep"
So the commanding general and 6
couple of privates went to sleep side
by side on the floor. But early in the
morning. before any one else was
awake, General Wheaton got up ant
went out all alone on a accommodating
lOuT. I1S 0lOSeu lllc OOOI, duu IL ioSh'
ed behind him with a spring lock.
Several times during the night strag
glers had come pounding on the door
and had been ordered away by the
somewhat sulphuric orderly. 1t hap
pened that the orderly had just got in
to a sound sleep when the general re.
turned and knocked for admission
The orderly, who had no idea that Gen
eral Wheaton had gone out, woke W
hot and angry.
With all the resources of his pic
turesque vocabulary he cursed the mar
who had disturbed him and ordered
him to go away under awful penal.
ties. Now clear out Of here and le
us sleep, or I'll come out and kick youl
head off," he roared.
"All right, sergeant" sounded tht
deep voice of "Old Dad" "all right, II
clear out. But won't you please let mt
have my field glasses first?"-Chicagt
Tribune.