The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
in THE COLOMBIAN ARMY
FORMER MASSACHUSETTS, BOY NOW
A SOUTH AMERICAN GENERAL.
Broke Away from College to Take Up
Mining In the Andes-Hfs varied
Career I'm Colombia.
Nav york EvenIne Telegram.

New York Evening Telegram.
Love of dare-deviltry and a fondness
for adventure were the characteristics
responsible for the pranks which about
fifteen years ago cut short the college
career OF a Marblehead boy and kindled
In his Imagination pictures of a quick way
to fame and fortune down In the mines Of
South America
The boy, James II. Gregory, was well
known in the old seaport town Of Massa-
chusetts. where his father, ]. ]. Gregory.
has held Office and where he still conducts
a seed and grain business. and 1t was no
surprise to the townspeople when a report
came from Colombia that the young man
held a commission in the federal army OF
that restless little republic.
He Is a general now. having within the
last twelve months been promoted for con-
spicuous bravery In desperate fight
against the rebel forces. and. notwith-
standing that the instruction is practically
crushed, he writes his father that he is
still In the field with 5000 men. trying to
wipe OFT what remains Of the wandering
bands OF guerrillas.
When a schoolboy In Marblehead young
Gregory was noted for his love OF fun and
his bubbling good nature. Men Of to-day
who were schooiboys with him say there
was no kind OF stunt that he would not
accept He was the most daring of all the
boys in skating on thin ice when. the FIRST
freeze OF the early winter enticed them to
20 neighboring bodies OF fresh water. and
there was no colt for miles around. no mat
ter how frisky or vicious. that he would
! not attempt to ride bareback.
There is a report that IL was his love Of
adventure that caused him to pack his kit
and shake the dust OF Amherst off his feet
before the regular time for graduation.
Having an uncle among the Andes, In
Colombia. who was doing well as manager
OF a mine controlled by English capital.
Gregory shaped his course from college to
South. America. There was adventure
enough to be had I'm that wild life. He was
stationed about 500 miles I'm the interior,
and until the legislative body Of the re-
public passed certain mining laws which
imposed hardship sufficient to cause O
closing down OF the mines he was gather
Ing In considerable amount of coin and
mining experience.
Curtailment OF production made II i'm
perative that he seek other employment
He was married. having won the heart and
hand OF beautiful Spanish girl, when the
the mining industry. but he was not dis
couraged What he had saved he put into
mules. gathered In q whole corral of pack
animals, and engaged In the freight carry
Ing business. He had line established
from the interior TO Bogota, the capital
and was heaping success upon success
when one OF the periodic revolutions pc.
culiar TO the South American and Central
American republics broke out
Some few months before the rebellion
Gregory had met the President of Colon.
bia and made such a favorable impress
sion that overtures were made to have
him relinquish his pack mules and estab
lish himself at Bogota as head of q mill
tary school. The offer was a fattering one
but certain conditions were obnoxious The
chief one was that he should yield I'D his
American citizenship and become a Co.
Il like the country" he wrote his father
"but like the United States and old New
England better, and would not reject the
old flag for all the land from the isthmus
TO Patagonia" nfs
The President. however, would not take
the first refusal as final. He visited the
Gregorys at their home In the interior anC
renewed his Establishments. But Gregory
was firm, and doubtless he would still be
freight carrier were IL not that soon afte
the outbreak of hostilities. some two years
ago, the rebels swooped down on his cora
and ran of every animal he owned. Thi
outrage aroused his fighting blood, ant
while yet the echoes of the first shots wer
being thrown back by the crags and steps
of the Andes. an offer Of commission II
the federal army came from the President
II was accepted.
1ACSOIg the service OF the re
public as quartermaster, with rank o
captain. but, not being content to remain
under cover looking after troop supplies
and sustenance, he engaged in the frs
fight he had an opportunity to get into
His bravery was splendid. All the dare
deviltry In his nature was quickly brough
into play, and very soon both men and OH
GERS were exploiting the deeds of tn
brave American
His six feet two inches of bone and Draw,
soon made him conspicuous figure an,
as he is dead shot with the rifle. tn
rebels quickly learned to know and fea
him. The insurrection was less rnan 81,
months old when he won the rank O
colonel. and before the backbone of tn
revolt was broken, last fall. he was mad
a brigadier general and given Command o
an army OF I'VE thousand men, with which
he is now securing the country near Honda
on the MagdaIena river, about six fundre,
miles from Bogota.
Thus far General Gregory has been 4,
twelve battles and scores OF skirnnishes
He was hit once, a bullet Just grazing tn
shinbone OF his left leg Other bullet
have cut holes I'm his clothing one of then
going close enough to his shoulder to stinl
like the touch Of hot iron, but not once ha
he been put out OF action.
He has five children, and when all troubl
Is at an end his father expects him and hi
family TO shape a course for old Marble
head, there to remain for few weeks L
show his children over the scenes of hi
WOMEN AS PoTTERs.
The New Fascination of the Hori