The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-24

WHY HE WAS MADE CORPORAL.
An Episode In the Life of GEN.
,.. Chaffee.

Chaffee.
Washington, d. c., Sept. 19.-Maj.
Gen. Adna r. Chaffee was the sub
| ject of some interesting "reminiscences
| by veteran sergeant of the Signal
| Corps a few nights ago.
II first knew Gen. Chaffee," said the
sergeant, back in the eighties, when
was in charge of the military tele-
graph at a ten-company post down In
| the Apache country. He was then a
| captain in the Sixth Cavalry, and had
the reputation of being one of the best
Indian fighters in the army. He. was
a strict disciplinarian, but all of his
men liked him because of his daring
and their knowledge that he would not
order them to go anywhere that he
would not go himself. The post had
a good laugh at an order he gave one
day when he was out after some In
dams who had gone on the war path.
When he got within striking distance
of the red men he ordered the bugler
to sound the charge, at the same time
shouting: Follow me, boys, and
every man that's killed I'll make a
corporal"
I'm those days the officers in the
field were much hampered by the fact
that the administration at Washington
was trying what was called an 'hu-
manitarian' policy of dealing with the
Indians. When the Apaches went on
the war path and killed a half doz-
en- settlers and their families
they were to be gently rounded up
and driven back to the reservation
none of them was to be killed If it was
possible to avoid 1t. The consequence
was that the Indians became steadily
worse, and made frequent raids after
cattle and scalps.
zone day a band of them got off the
reservation and Capt. Chaffee, in COM
maud of three companies of the Sixth,
was. sent after them, !. Before going
he came into my Office to file some dis
patches. Sergeant" said he, I'm 60
ing to get away off from your blank
ETY.. blank telegraph line where l can't
get any orders, and when you hear of
me again you'll hear about dead In
dams
Sure enough, about three weeks aft
er that. received dispatch from the
next office up the line from Capt. Chat
fee to the commandant of the post He
had come upon the Indians one morn
ing just as they were breaking camp
and had given they such a lesson that
1t was a long time after that before
one of them was off the reservation
without a pass.
81 was transferred East soon after
that and did not see the general again
for years. / was serving In the Phil
ippines when the Boxer trouble broke
out in China and was one of the Sig
nal corps men sent to China and was
there when Gen. Chaffee arrived to
take command. An incident that
occurred there illustrates his
way of standing by his
men. When the city of Pekin was occu-
pied by the allied forces a certain Gee
can troops. An Irish-American private
PANIED Murphy was stationed at the
head of street with ord sFs to let 10
ore pass down 1t without written per-
nit signed by the American officer of
the eusIo. After a short time a Ge,-
mall officer approached and WAS walk
ing past the sentry when he was COM
lEarded to halt
But am German officer" said he.
drawing himself up.
J don't care who you are: you can
rot pass here said Murphy. lowering
his rifle so as to bring the bayonet in
lin with the officers chest.
The officer advanced, beginning Ia
draw his sword, as he lid 80. Murphy
lunEed forward ana the Germnn Of
ficer went down with an ugly wound
in his ribs. He complainel to the Ger
man commander VINO brought the case
TO the attention of Gen. Chaffee. Gen.
Ehaffce ordered an ngcstigation, and
when tire report reached him, he iu-
dorscd or it's back: Make Private
Murphy n corporal. \. Il. Chaffee.' ="