Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-08

he had muscle and endurance. The
lines of a compact, well-knit physique
are still apparent, in spite of subse-
lquent avoirdupois. Henderson could
once throw ali the boys of the coun-
try-side in a catch-ascatch-ca or
down them in rough and tumble. He
has poise that comes from con-
4 seriousness of physical strength The
broad. round head capped with hair
gray but still abundant demonstrates
a readiness for combat. The hard
ships of farmer life did not round his
/ expansive shoulders. The country air
of the far west built up healthy lungs
which must certainly fill every inch
OF a generous chest girth. Men who
nave been many years about the cap
ltol say the present speaker is warm
hearted, good fellow. He looks it in
the lineaments of his full ruddy face.
But, after all is said about any self
made man his greatest monument is
himself. Speaker Henderson's career
tells more eloquently than his own
eloquent language what is possible
for an American.
Not long ago Speaker Henderson
announced a gift of $25, 900 from An
drew Carnegie for the Upper Iowa uni
versity at Fayette He is a trustee
of this Institution. whittier his parents,
in their earnestness to give him a
good education. sent him at eighteen,
after he had finished with the COM
mon schools.
AN incident that Immediately fol-
lowed his collegiate career was en-
phasized few days ago by the visit
of ex-Gov. Larrabee who took the
speaker to a local photographer to
have his picture taken, which Cover
nor Larrabee will use in the erection
of a monument to General Henderson,
to be erected in Fayette county
His Enlistment in Army Picturesque.
No part of Henderson's career is
more strikingly picturesque than his
enlistment in the federal army. He
had been at Fayette three years and
belonged to what was called the Uni
; versity recruits. None of the COM
pany knew anything of military tao
tics Henderson was the second lieu
tenant of this company. One Sunday
after church he visited a friend in the
senior class, W. w. Warner by name.
/ am tired of drilling with the Uni
versity recruits Henderson said to
him, as they stood under the locust
trees in the moonlight evening L
propose to see some of tie real fight
ing Warner had the same spirit.
These two and young man named
Barr, now living on the Pacific coast,
talked the matter over during Mon
day. That evening, when the college
prayers We're said Henderson stood
up in the chapel and asked permission
to address the assembled students.
. The faculty, astounGcd at the request,
: inquired the purpose. A second con-
: ference Of the faculty followed, and
Henderson was fiven permission to
speak.
ki7dcs War Fever in Students.
What he said was probably the
fiercest speech he ever made in the
course of all his career but it set the
students CT that little western college
wild with the war fever In short, he
proposed that 1t was no time for
books, when the battles of the coun-
try must be fought He and his two
co-conspirators had drawn up resolu
tons, proposing the enlistment of a
. company which were ADOPTED with a
whoop. Henderson first wrote his
name, then Warner. then Barr. In a
few moments tie names of twenty
! two students were added to the roll
and the bswildered faculty saw their
classes going to smash. Henderson
was elected captain by reclamation
but uecnned, OIL account of his youth
in favor of Warner, ten years his sen
ior, and was made first lieutenant.
' Raised Company.
Forthwith Henderson went out re
: cruiting and by Saturday night had a
company of 104 men, VINO were march
ed down to camp Franklin, at Du
buQue. The company was led into
camp by William B. Allison, then al
aide-de-camp on the staff Of Governor
krkwood doing recruiting duty. This
was the first meeting between Allison
| and Henderson, who have now beer
5 fast personal and political friends TO
: many years.
1 Receives Baptism of Fire.
Enough reflections were made tt
reduce the company to ninety-thre'
but it was enrolled as Co. A., Twelfth
Iowa Volunteers, and went down tt
: Fort Henry, where it received it.
q, first baptism, Of fire. Thence the.
: marched twelve miles to FIT. Donald
, son. where Henderson, in the absence
: of the captain, led the company in {
q desperate charge supporting the sec
J ond Iowa regiment. A bullet fractur
:. ed Henderson's jaw, but he recovered
v from the ugly wound. He flashed ;
sword at the battle of Shiloh, was fo
a time adjutant of the fragments o
four regiments that had escaped from
the hornets nest, and then tough
n again at Corinth where he wa
wounded in the foot. the result being
the amputation of one leg.
Late in the afternoon of Februar,
\ rs, 1856 came an incident that devel
= oped Henderson's mettle and brough
!, him extensively to the notice of tn
:. country. Townsend of Illinois called
: up the annual pension appropriation
= bill then carrying a small total Or
, dinarily it would have passed in shor
;, order but Townsend made text TO
y a red hot political speech intended TO
: the advantage of the dominant party
:, Dave, are you ready to answer that!
,, one of the minority leaders asked him