The Washington bee., 1902-03-29
COLONEL KEPT VOW.
r- Gen. Wilson Cured a Bibulous
Fellow officer.
ming story Told About the Gall
-, soldier Who VIII Repre-
..nf the Army at King Ed
Yards Coronation.

,r..r the late Charles A. Dana was
..rr secretary Of war he was com
...-.. Co 90 TO the front and, in
.....I letters, 10 give his impress
If tie officers Of Grants army
-.. rrrn.se of assisting President
-....r add Secretary Stanton in
5rr.-r their Judgment of military
.. .-r. James II. Wilson, one of the
.....-tauers appointed by President
T..-....r To- represent the United
l...-- .r the coronation of King Ed
,--. Mr.. Dana wrote, under date of
Cairo. I... July l3, 1868:
r.. r- Wilson. Inspector general, is
....r..t arg.urers iU the regular army.
.. r.r..rrE valuable services in that
He has remarkable tall
[.. nd uncommon executive power, and
hear. from hereafter.
-..r Wilson abundantly fulfilled
-r.- prediction" said Brig. Gen. John
r Weston. commissary general Of the
,rrr "I had the honor" continued
l.- Weston. "to serve on Gen. VIII
s-.- staff during his famous cavalry
s...ga. Do tile opinion of his men
frr En- the estimate of Grant himself,
G-r Wilson was a remarkably bril-
liant soldier. Gen. Wilson was very
v..r when made q cavalry command
r IN fact. De was but p years of
pr- when De assisted in the final tri-
umnLy If the war;
An officer in the war department at
Washington. in the Philadelphia Sat
rraar Evening Post, tells Of an incl
dent IN which the youth and the still
urryoutEful appearance Of Gen. Viii
son during the civil war almost led a
distinguished colonel to send in his
resignation. "It is an interesting bit
f u1writtgn history" said the officer
who relates the story.
shortly after Grant had put Gen.
Wilson tu charge of a large force of
cavalry and while his brilliant exploits
were being heralded throughout the
country. COL - was transferred
mthe army of the Potomac and as
I.l5l to duty under Gen. Wilson. The
t-s personally and was popular
auE-rhem. He was a stern and brave
1.En the battlefield, but III social
Ia1 was something of a Bohemian.
t--s night of his arrival at Gen. Viii
.i-s camp the general was tempo
urr absent and the colonel and his
t.tr.ends celebrated their reunion.
"larueNt morning the colonel went
harg generals headquarters TO report
~. duty. It was in August, and the
GENERAL in white duck, entirely divest-
- ". military emblems, was keeping
t.n. hammock where he was dill
gently studying Typographical map.
Somehow the colonel, who had never
Irt Wilson, got it into his head that
'-, youth was a newspaper CORE
sH"l-ent and, so believing, he did not
-r'.tate toaddress him Familiarity. say
ing that he had arrived only the night
.r.'re and had, he feared, tarried too
'-g at the WasSail bowl.
y understand added the colonel,
'-al Gen. Wilson is very strict about
-ats"r Of thing
I4r general replied Gen. Wilson.
expressing his amusement over the
VI. ar.s inviting confession, seeks
. impress his officers with the neces-
..E NJ Keeping their faculties clear for
t.>-'.e emergencies at any hour
do You think persisted the hap
colonel that my appearance
would detray me?'
Only To- the practiced eve re-
.el the general. but ! should ad-
~, you To- walk around little while
Is.r- reporting
The colonel took his advice and
... awhile returned. When he dis
we're. thar the youth he had seen in
-.4m"ch was in reality the dash
...a.ry leader, the colonel was in
r.. ...,r condition than he had been the
,.r. 'gl"Ie, hut the general put him
..' ease after eXocting a pledge that
r......a not drink again. except on q
..'As order while the war