Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-30
GLIMPSES or CHaFFEE
Characteristic of the New Head
of the Army.
STRIKING INCIDENTS IN HIS LIFE

How He Made Some Volunteers Fight
mt FL Caney and Influenced the For
His Experiences With the Russian
General, LinievItch.
United States army, Lieutenant Gener
al Adna r. Chaffee, close friend of his
recently said TO a New York Tribune
reporter, "Chaffee is, like Byron's Cor
sair. the miIdest manner'd man that
ever scuttled ship or cut a throat"
Did you ever hear of what he did
when the government sent him west ts
round up Indians?
We'll, the general was only n 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 Eraffee started on his expe,
dition he c...Ied at the telegraph office.
"'Have any orders for me come from
Washington he asked the operator
"'No, sir
"'Well, | 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 one else
is. You should have seen. yes. and
heard him, at FL Caney. 1t was in
Cuba that Chaffee's great ability as a !
commander first became evident. Why. |
at FL Caney he just made those voIum- |
teers fight. 1t was n pretty ticklish
place up there on that firing line Even
some of the old soldiers were willing |
TO admit that much afterward.
We'll. some of the volunteers lost
their nerve. fell back from the firing |
line and slid off toward the road. The |
general spied them. He was upon them |
What for? He wanted TO know all
about their plans and finally sent the.n |
to the extreme front. There he lined |
them up, kept watch of them for a |
time and told them many things sell
diers should know. His language was
not exactly drawing room talk. but II
was right 10 the point anyway"
When General Chaffee and his troops
reached Ticntsin, 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 fer
Finally conference
of the commanders was called. The
was discussed in all of its
phases. with special reference to the
extent of the resistance that probably
would he 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 Chafree said nothing until he was
asked for his views He replied:
81 have orders to relieve the AmeN
can legation at Picking. and l am GO
ing to do ii. | 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. Il will go alone. if necessary"
The Japanese hailed his emphatic
declaration with joy. and General Chat
fees unequivOcal decision TO 2dYanee
swung the British commander into
line The Russians and French then
Joined in the advance.
After the relief force reached Picking
here was another conference Of the