Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-30
The Medal Of Honor.
SkNtAHI cAAAkS HWGA
CHAPTER VII.

over the scene ana actors IN tnlS Httlo
frontier drama. The personnel at Puma
Blanca, we found it in the fall of 49,,
was widely scattered by the first of April.
Spigots now commanding a post afar
| in the pine forests of Washington. HazleH
most deservedly had been awarded the re-
cruitlng detail, which promised two years
In civilization for him and his, and they
were now visiting old army friends at Pres
colt before starting for the mouth of the
Colorado and the sea voyage round the
Golden Gate. Turner and his people "a
way he had of designating his soldery and
sorrels both-Ead been transferred to regt-
mental headquarters at Sandy, whittier
Lieut.. Fame had managed to make the ride
sometimes by mule litter, fore and aft
sometimes In saddle, to which he could 10
longer Sp"ing of old. Neither could he
comrly with the provisions of the cavalry
tactics of the day, which prescribed that
he should ''se &c a wisp of name with the
left hand the left hand and arm being
still practically useless, the latter still in
Its framework strapped to the side. Mors-
over, Fame had not been mending as was to
be expected of young fellow of sound
constitution and good health and habits.
Fame had had weeks of high fever, followed
by others of low spirits and vitality. Capt.
and Mrs. HaZlett alone, were in position
to tell the real causes. and they would not.
There was one period of four weeks in
of the patient had taken entire charge of his
letters and correspondence, and the missive
fazlett wrote to Gen. Fame after reading
the old soldiers letter to his son, and the
letters Mrs. Hazlett wrote to the mother
and sisters after reading both these and
the newspaper clippings. threw that army
fousehCld into a paroxysm of mingled re-
joicing. triumph and self-reproach But the
two letters, combined, sent the bravo Did
division commander of the war days into
the seclusion of his den" where, on his
knees. he sobbed out his thanks to the Mer-
ciful Father that the rebuke was deserved,
that his 10y had proved himself a man and
soldier. that 1t was now his turn the
foolish the improvident the father of little
faith to sue for forgiveness and to pour
forth from humbled and chastened heart the
sad story of his debts and entangIaments.
81 cannot long bear up under it, my boy
ha wrote. There Is no hope now of my
getting star before retirement. 1t goes
to your Gray Fox, and he deserves it,
though it lifts him over every colonel in
the army. So after all there will only be
for year or two the three-quarters pay
OF colonel, then miserable little ten
thousand dollar life insurance for your
mother and the girls. Pet could marry any
day, and probably will marry before long.
Clare could have married three times over,
but we all thought our beauty should not
be thrown away on the army, and looked,
God help US, for a brilliant match for a girl
without a dollar of dot. AS for Jane-our
plain, practical, spnster Jane, she seems
Der of the family. She has been studying
while the others have been flirting and
dancing. She will be help to you in car
ing for the mother and for Clare when l
an laid away. The old wounds bite sorely,
as will yours in days to, come. my boy, but
may God spare you the mental pangs, the
humiliation and distress that have bowed
my old head. I'd gladly go today-only that
would leave them withholding"
The letter had contributed little to Fane's
recovery, though it killed the last vestige
of rancor he felt that his soldier father
should so readily have accepted the first
published stories of the savage fight at
Tonic Pass. He thought it. as did Hazlett
and his wife. a deed of unnecessary, I'M
justifable harshness that in his chagrin
the stern old father should have gathered
up every newspaper that referred to the
matter, editorially or otherwise, and cut
out paragraphs and bundled them all into
his letters and asked his son how he ex
pected him, brevet major general of the
regular service for gallantry on a dozen
fields, to face his officers and men, well
knowing they were Jeering over the disgrace
of his only son. Heavens, but it was hard!
Yet 1t brought prompt reaction-retribu-
ton even-as we have seen. To begin with,
General Fane's officers and men were far
from jeering over the story. They honored
and loved their brave, blunt, straightfor-
ward old colonel, though they had not be-
gun at that time to estimate press de-
scrptions of military affairs at their proper
value. Even those who gave credence to
tN0 story Iell sympathy anu SOiIOW lOl llc
father. One officer, indeed. was there who
hailed from the same state as Piggott, who
knew him by reputation, who declared that
there would be ayother side to the story,
and who proved to be a true prophet for
1t was not many weeks before the very
papers that had teemed with talk about
1.-The weakened lieutenant who had sur
rendered Solalay and his murderous gang"
began, of course without withdrawing any
thing previously said to his grievous detri-
ment, to publish paragraphs to the effect
that there had been the severest kind of
fight; that Lieutenant Fame, In spite Of
serious wounds, had behaved with bravery
and commanded with skill and judgment.
Still, first stories and first impressions are
hard to eradicate. For long weeks and
months and In many city and community
Fame was known as the officer who led his
men into ambush and weakly surrendered
the prizes of the whole campaign. rather
than as the man hOnored and envfed In the
TIL Cavalry and all the territory as the
first officer to be recommended by the new
brigadier general, their tried old leader. the
Gray Fox. for the coveted medal of honor.
Nor had this result been brought about
spontaneously. 1t was the sight of those
press clippings and a peep at certain lines
in Gen. Fane's first letter that stirred Haz-
lett and Turner to the exercise of their full
powers. Up to that time they had con-
tented themselves with contradicting Pig
gotts report and giving department head
quarters the correct version. Now, with
one accord and the enthusiastic backing of
the whole department. they laid siege first
on Pelham then on the commanding gen.
eral. once again established at Prescott
Fame. as soon as able to write, demanded
court Of inquiry. but even before this was
received by Wickham there had gone for
ward to Frisco" full description of the
combat in Tonic Pass written by Capt.
Turner from the accounts given by mem
bers of the detachment, with especial refer
ence to the heroic rescue of Trooper Hay
den by his wounded and suffering COM
mander. 1t was supported by the affidavits
and personal accounts of every soldier sur
vivor of the ARRAY, and when at last Fame
was Uttered" in to Sandy 1t was to be
feted. welcomed, lionized as never before
had he dared to dream. The general him
self drove down from Prescott, fifty miles
over the toughest kind Of mountain road.
personally to greet and thank and encour-
age the young soldier and to say to him
that, just as soon he was pronounced
able to travel he should be sent by sea TO
San Francisco and granted a sick leave in
which to recuperate fully before retoining
the regiment.
But here, too, at Sandy the surgeons shook
their heads. THAT arm won't heal in
months" said they; the more radical. like
old Scotty Graham. holding that it should
have come off at the start Then the gen
eral went back to headquarters and pres