The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-02-03
OF CHAFFEE
o,,-oc+eristics of the New Head
of the Army.

srade some Volunteers Fight
" infancy and Influenced the For
Ao,aes at the Siege of Picking.
rxneuiences with the Russian
cousral, LLnbSvA%~aA-
,4no If the new head Of the
"a stotes army, lieutenant Gener-
,dna r. Chaffee, chose friend OF ms
aoantIv said to New York Tribune
oo,.tar "Chafree is, like Byron's Cor
| .+he midest mannerd man that
sr ,.a, .cuttIed ship or cut throat.
..n,G Won ever hear OF what he did
hon tho government sent him west to
round up Indians!
well the general was only a captain
4non-Captain Chaffee Of the Sixth cav
oIv hand OF Fndfans had left their
,,,orratiOn in Arizona. He had orders
10 oct them back again.
aRofore Chaffee started on his expe-
d;4ion he called at the telegraph office.
uIroye any orders for me come from
washington? he asked the operator.
mo sir
".WeU. | wouldn't be surprised if you
didn't get any. l think the wires are
ont was the captains reply.
"To prevent the government giving
him orders such as were usually given
4 To commanders on such missions as his,
MT to shoot until first fired upon, he
had taken care that no such orders
4 should reach him.
"Tbe general is a born fighter, and
no takes it for granted every one else
is You should have seen, yes, and
heard him, at Ell Caney. 1t was in
4 Cuba that Chanfee's great ability as a
4 commander first became evident. Why,
at III Caney he just made those volun-
rpprs fight. 1t was pretty tcklish
place I'D there on that firing line. Even
some of the old soldiers were willing
n to admit that much afterward.
well, some Of the volunteers lost
their nerve, fell back from the firing
line and slid of toward the road. The
general spied them. He was upon them
in an instant. Where were they going !
What for? He wanted to know all
about their plans and finally sent them
10 the extreme front. There he lined
them up, kept watch OF them for a
time and told them many things sol
ders should know. His language was
not exactly drawing room talk, but IT
was right to the point anyway"
When General Chaffee and his troops
reached Tientsin, the Japanese, British,
French and Russian forces were al
ready there. The Japanese commander
favored an immediate advance. The
British were undecided, and the Rus
slams and French were holding back for
pcnforcements. Finally a conference
Of the commanders was called. The
situation was discussed in all of its
phases with special reference to the
extent Of the resistance that probably
would be encountered. The japanese
wanted to march on Picking at once,
but feared to go alone. The Russians
and French declared it would be fool
hardy to attempt to reach the capital
with the forces at their disposal. Gen
eral Chafee said nothing until he was
asked for his views. He replied:
q have orders to relieve the Ameri-
can legation at Peking, and l am go
Ing to do it, l will march tomorrow"
The Russian and French command
ers eXpostulated with him, but in vain.
They reminded him that he had the
smallest force and declared they would
not accompany him to humiliation.
That makes no difference" replied
Chatfee. Twill go alone, il necessary
The Japanese hailed his emphatic
declaration with joy, and General Chat
fees uneQuivocal decision to advance
swung the British commander into
line. The Russians and French then
reluctantly joined in the advance.
After the relief force reached Picking
Ie.e was another conference Of the