Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-01-20
'CHAFFEE HEAD
OF THE ARMY
The New Leader Of the American
Land Forces Won His Way to His
Position by Hard Fighting.
THE HERO OF EL cANsv
American Success In Cuba Due Very
Largely to His leadership
Good Work in China.

Largely to Z. HIS leadershlp-
Good Work in China.
Lieutenant General s. NJ. b. Young.
having reached the age limit prescrib-
ed by the regulations. was retired
yesterday from active service and
Maj. Gen. Adna r. Chaffee was sworn
in to succeed him as chief of the gen.
eral stan. The formal ceremony took
place in the presence of Secretary OF
War Root and a number of the high.
est officials of the war department
and prominent officers of the army,
says the Anaconda Standard. Subse-
quently the new chief Of the general
star was taken on a tour of the de-
partment and formally introduced to
the heads of the various bureaus.
Lieut.. Gen. Adna r. Chaffee, the
new chief of the general staff, has the
distinction of having risen from the
ranks to the head of the army. His
rise may be attributed to the constant
display of soldierly qualities blended
with rare good fortune. He came into
special prominence as commander of
a brigade that took leading part In
the battle of El Caney during the
war with Spain and later he distin'
guished himself as commander Of the
American troops in China In the
troublous times following the Boxer
uprising,
General Chaffee was born In Ohio
In April, 1912, and entered the SER
vice as a private In the Sixth caval-
/ ry In July, 1861. Two years later he
was commissioned second lieutenant,
becoming first lieutenant in Febru-
ary, 1866. He won his first lieuten-
ancy on the battlefield of Gettysburg,
and was moved up to the grade OF
captain for gallant service at Dinwid'
die court house. Subsequent promo
tions to the rank of major and lieu.
tenant colonel, successfully, were
earned in engagements with Indians
In Texas and Arizona. He also serv-
ed at one time as inspector general
with General McCook, and later still
as sub.director of the cavalry school
at Fort Riley, Kan.
At Ell Caney, General Chaffee hav-
ing been given command of bril-
gade, the fight was opened by him,
and his men bore the brunt Of II
throughout the day. Chaffee's con.
duct was magnificent and excited the
admiration of the entire army. To
his brilliant leadership, in fact, the
signal victory of the day was chiefly
due, but no one could ever get Cha.
fee to open his mouth about II.
General Chaffee's force moved on
the heights occupied by the Spaniards
at an early hour in the morning, en-.
countering a heavy fire from the enc
my and suffering severely, but 1t did
not finch, and carried the SUNNI!
with q hearty cheer. An eyewitness
OF the struggle said that when the
fight was hottest General Chaffee
dashed about at the head of the col
umn with his hat on the back of his
head urging on his men and crying
to them to get In and help their
country win q victory" The mer
were right behind him and the vic
tory was won.
During the period he led the Amer
icaii forces in the advance on Pek
ing. General Chaffee made a favor
able showing In comparison with the
best soldiers of the great armies rep
resented. Then he was given com
mand OF the army in the Philippines
Here he had trouble with Governor
Taft and in view of the fact that thu
latter Is about TO become secretary o
war the differences between the two
are being discussed with much inter
est In army circles. General Chaffe'
and Governor Taft could not agree al
to the location of the line dividing thu
civil and military authority In the is
lands. The dispute was carried up Il
the president, and he sent q tempo
lrary message directing them to reacl
an agreement without delay. The.
did. but Il Is understood the relations
between the two still remain strain
ed.
While General Chaffee is mode
, soldier In the field. II remains to b
seen what kind of an executive on
Ger he will make. Those who know
him best declare that with a true so
diery way of doing things, he Is liza
, BILE to- halk at the diplomacy and re-
, tape considered necessary at head
, quarters.
, For some reason, which has neve
been satisfactorily explained. hal
of romance has been thrown aroun
General Chaffee almost from the tim
lhe wore shoulder straps. II Is sal
that he has been the hero of NOR
. romantic tales than any other Office
In the regular service since the civ
war. The general. perhaps. know
} better than anyone else whether IN
8 majority of these stories are true. an
Y In speaking OF two or three OF theI
!, recently, he said:
5 Those yarns, like a lot OF otheI
: III have heard told about me. are Jul
!. plain lies. I'm no hero. and II Ii
Q plain, hard truth were always tol
there would be mighty few hale
e stuck about the heads OF us army on
3 GERS. We just go ahead and atten
D ttot our business, like any other bus
e ness men. We are put In certaI
q places to succeed. II we do succes
I there is no particular sense In tellir
4 a lot OF heroic lies about us, and
we fail-well. God help u.s."