Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-02-02


first love, the regular army, and every
man in the 31st volunteer Infantry IL
glad, for he surely is soldier-al
soldier"
TIE speaker was q captain OF the
31st, one of the volunteer regiments
sent to the Philippines in 1899. ano
the major was Charles p. Stivers,
West Pointer, class OF 1879, who re
signed nine years later, but enlisted
as private in O western regiment
when the trouble with Spain came.
It is not surprising that he is "a
soldier-all soldier" and that he
ayailed himself of the first op
portunity to return to the regular
army, which was in 1901, under the
reorganization enactment OF that year
Since then he has been Captain
Stiyers, OF the subsistence depart
ment He has just been assigned to
the important station OF Kansas City,
Missouri
Why lis It not 5urprislng| Be
cause his veins ale full Of soldier
blood. Ills father was a soldier, a
Kentucky patriot, his mother the
daughter OF n soldier, born III the
army-army grown. Her father was
the late General Gabriel r. Paul, a
native OF Missouri, who graduated
from West Point in 1884, won dis,
tlnction In the Mexican war, re.
cruited several Missouri regiments
for the union army was made "A
brgadier general Of volunteers In
1862 and at Gettysburg lost both eyes
by bullet wound while leading his
brIdage IN battle. He was made a
brlgaGier general Of regulars and re.
tired on full pay. He died In 1885,
twenty.three years after becoming
totally blind in the greatest, the tide
turning battle OF the war
1t is from such stock, Kentucky
and Missouri stock that Captain
Stycrs came.
Interesting stories about General
Paul and his sOnin,law, Captain
Charles Bryant Stivers, retired, class
OF 1856, father Of Captain Stiyers,
should be told.
Not long after Lieutenant Stivers
Joined the 7th infantry, In 1856, he
lost his heart. A daughter Of the then
Captain Gabriel II. Paul, also OF the
18th, was the finder They were mar.
ried When Captain Paul, two years
later, was called in to see his grand
child, the little chap was pounding
the air with clonchcd hands ana
hlllng the room with choppy bugle
notes.
Daughter" said Captain Paul
you have given us soldier. Al
fighting battle. | would suggest
that you name him after famous
general"
"Thank you, father, but ! am doing
better than that by him. | am giving
him the names OF two soldiers who
are to become famous generals"
Then, with q sweet smile ana a
twinkle In her eye, the proud soldier
mother ordered, In n commanding
tone.
Captain Paul return the salute or
the newest recruit for the 7th IN.
fantry, Baby Charles Paul Stlvers!"
The command was more than
obeyed Mother and child was saluted
with kiss, MS well.
Forty.threc years afterwards, | saw
that newest recruit" commanding a
battalion in the Philippines, and then
chief commissary, department. of the
Nisayas."
early in 1896, Captain Paul ana
Lieutenant Stivcrs were on duty ut
San Antonio. Texas. One day the
son-ln-law second in command OF
the company, approached his father
in-law, captain of the company, and
introduced the subject of the coming
war. one OF his remarks was this IN
substance.
Like myself, captain. yen como
from n border state The people OF
our states VIII divide, some viii 40
10 the confederate army and some to
the union army, While | have not
thought of rosgning my commission,
have felt for some time Tint | would
Hike 70 talk over tho coming storm
TO leaan whar you contemplate DONG"
For minute or two the Older man
looked nj tho young Kentuckm as il
he were astonished and hurt Then,
suddenly stepping to a window thM
faced the parade ground, he said. In q
low tone, as II talking to himself.
God bless It."