The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-12
CLIMPSES OF CHAFFEE|
characteristics Of the New Head
of the Army.
STRIKING INCIDENTS m HIS LIFE

At Ell Caney and the For.
eign Forces At the Siege of Peking.
His Experiences with the Russian
General, Linievitch.
Speaking of the new head Of the
Omitted States army, Lieutenant Gener-
al Adna r. Chaffee, a close friend Of his
recently said to u New York Tribune
reporter, "Chaffee is, like Byron's Cor
sair, the mildest manner'd man that
ever scuttled ship or cut a throat"
ibid you ever hear of what lie did
when the government sent linn west to
round up Indians?
swell, the general was only a captain
then-Captain Chaffee of the Sixth cav
airy. A band Of Indians had left their
reservation in Arizona. He had orders
to get them back again.
Before Chaffee started on his expe
dition he called at the telegraph Office.
Have any orders for me come from
Washington he asked the operator.
NO, SIR
"'Well, l wouldn't be surprised If you
didn't get any. l think the wires are
cut was the captains reply.
ITO prevent the government giving
him orders such as were usually given
to commanders on such missions as his,
not to shoot until first fired upon, he
had taken care that no such orders
should reach him.
'"The general is a born fighter. and
he takes it for granted every n else
ia. You should have seen, yes. and
heard him, at Ell Caney. 1t was in
| Cuba that Chaffee's great ability as a
commander first became evident. Why,
at Ell Caney he just made those volun-
teers fight. 1t was a pretty ticklish
place up there on that firing line. Even
some of the old soldiers were willing
to admit that much afterward.
swell some of the volunteers lost
line and slid off 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
to the extreme front. There he lined
them up, kept watch of them for q
time and told them many things SOL
diers 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
re-enforcements. 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 Chaffee said nothing until he was
asked for his views. He replied:
II have orders to relieve the Ameri
can legation at Picking. 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
Chaffee. 81 will go alone, If necessary
The japanese hailed his emphatic
declaration with joy. and General Chaf
fees unequivocal decision to advance
swung the British commander int
line. The Russians and French ther
reluctantly joined in the advance.
After the relief force reached Picking
there was another conference OF TIM
commanders to decide which should
lead in the invasion of the Forbidden
CITY. The Japanese claimed the ono
because their force was the largest
and General Linievitch, the Russian
commander, insisted that it belonged
to him because the Russian troops wert
first on the wall in the assault on Pc
king. That claim angered Chaffee
.You were first on the wall because
you violated a binding agreement" h
told General Linievitch. 1T was de
cided that there would be a general ad
vance at 8 o'clock in the morning, ant
you advanced secretly at 10 o'clock tn
night before. That is how you go
there first"
General Linievitch did not like tn
way General Chaffee talked to him, &C
cusing him of bad faith before all o
the other commanders. He wante'
the Russian government to file a com
plant with the state department an
endeavor to secure General Chafee'
recall. but nothing came of it.
General Chaffee had another l1ttl
rupture with the Russian commando