Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-30


would not. rs 1t not best to have it so?'
he asked What right have / to seek a
wife when any day may become sole sup
port of grown-up family?"
They succeeded did the surgeons. as they
said. They patched him up in the course
OF several weeks. and the generals letters
and dispatches in his behalf had been an
swered in full. They were to send him by
stage to the Colorado, with careful at
tendant thence down that shallow. sand
barred. desolate stream TO the sea-going
craft at anchor in the gulf Indefinite leave
| on surgeons certificate would be granted
after he had been overhauled professionally
at division headquarters, but meanw lille and
beforehand a certain ceremony was to be
enacted at the main station of his famous
regiment. No less than six of its troops
were assembled at Camp Sandy. Four COM
panies of infantry. too. were to be present
to take part The general and his staff
would be down from Prescott. The court
of inquiry had been set aside as unneces-
sary, its possible action, said the final au-
thorities. being anticipated and rendered
wholly unnecessary by the formal preSen-
tation of the medal of honor.
1t was the greatest event and finest sight
ever known at Sandy. About the tail.
white Flagstaff. just as the setting sun was
gliding the eastward mountains, lighting
with dazzling splendor the bold cliffs be-
yOnd the stream and throwing long Shad-
ows across the barren level of the parade.
on three sides Of a square, facing inward,
the ten companies were paraded, officers
at their posts. the cavalry afoot The band
OF the til was stationed in circle at the
base of the flagstaff The great garrison
colors, then a feature of the large forts or
cantonments on national holidays, had been
hoisted to the peak and hung almost with
out ripple in the breathless air. Standing
at ease, the command awaited the APP
proach of a group of officers still lowering
about the porch of the commanding Off
GERS quarters. Women were few in num-
Der SO early in the days of our dominion.
but pretty show they made-the dozen
that were there-gathered even from Whip
pie barracks and the old agency. to reinforce
the sisterhood Sundy. The daintiest toilets
had they donned in honor of the occasion,
Mrs. Wilkins especially being resplend-
emit as she was conspicuous (''Both for bulk
and brogue," said Blake, who was up with
his troop from McDowelD, and Mrs. HaZ-
lett. obviously excited and clustered as she
had never before been known to be. Pres
emily the group Of officers moved slowly
toward them. the Gray Fox in their midst.
Never before had one member OF the garri-
son seen him-seldom had they seen each
other-tn even that modification of the bill
of dress that In Arizona passed for full uni
form. In the party We're Wickham, the
black bearded chief of staff close at the
generals elbow, and Blithe and Rossiter.
the aids-de-camp. and Major Little, chief
commissary, and his burly associate, the
CHIEF QuartermaSter. There We're two or
three regimental officers from neighboring
camps, and finally. on the other flank of
the general, escorting these, came old
Catnip,'' the much loved colonel of the -th,
followed by his adjutant and quartefmas-
ter, the post surgeons and the cha plain.
Back Of the ranks, that sprang to attention
at the approach of the distinguished party,
We're grouped by scores the wives and chill
dren OF the soldiers, mingiing with the civil
ian employees, the scouts and packers; back
of them all even the Apache prisoners,
some still burdened with ball and chain,
drawn up in Sullen. wondering rank close
watched by their silent, vigilant guards
As they neared the open side of the mar
ttal square it was characteristic of the gem
eral commanding that he should seem to
draw back and let Pelham take the lead
He lacked the nerve of Mrs Wilkins whose
burly, red faced lord, but by no means
master, stood meekly in the line of file
closers of his troop, the oldest lieutenant
on the active list, surveying the scene be-
tween the heads of the center men of the
first platoon. Mrs. Wilkins, with superb dis
dain Of the conventionalities. stepped boldly
forth from the bevy of women folk and led
the way Sure we'll never hear the furrst
wurred he says at this distance" said She
CNor the last that she says" muttered
Blake to his chin strap. and the quivering
delight of big Sergeant Moriarity his near
est neighbour Come on, leedies'' and led
the way to the square nor paused until
she reached a point within whispering dis
lance of the official group, the sisterhood
ttmidly following. Wickham mad lust hand
ed a paper to the adjutant, Truscott. who.
tall. slender and erect, by long odds the
most observation-disclosures man of the par
ty, strobe a few PAGES forward. and then
In deep, powerful baritone began to read
every word carrying to the re,motest corner
of the wide parade.
The document was brief and strictly Of
nciai. 1t recited that under the authority
of the Secretary of War and after due in
vestgation by the inspector general. the
records of the Department Of Arizona based
upon the report of the commanding officer
at Fort Puma Blanca, Of December 2
1877. and referring to the action in Tonic
Pass November -- between a detachment
of twenty men of the -th Cavalry under
commAod of First Lieut.. Ronald Fame of
that regiment, and band of Apaches es-
timated at no less than three hundred and
fifty, would be amended to read as follows:
THE position at the tanks was stubbornly
held until three men and all but four
horses had been killed and several men
had been wounded To remain there in
vited the slow humiliation of the little com
mand. To transfer the survivors With their
wounded to point of shelter up the north
ward slope demanded both skill and daring
To longer hold and care for the Apache
prisoners was impossible. The movement
was admirably conducted by Lieut.. Fame
and with the loss of but a single trooper
whose leg was shattered In a daring but
unfortunately unsuccessful effort to bear
this wounded man to shelter, Sergeant Do
Ian was painfully wounded and Trooper
Sinclair shot dead. Later, all unaided and in
the face of deadly fire. Lieut.. Fame, who had
already been nearly blinded by an arrow,
succeeded in reaching the exhausted SOL
uioTy anu, at the imminent fisk OF his
life. bore him eighty yards to point Of
refuge. The conduct of the officer COM
handing and of his little party, seven of
whom in all were shot dead or succumbed
to their wounds. and most of whom were
more or less severely wounded, reflects the
greatest credit upon themselves, upon the
regiment and the entire army. The release
of the prisoners was a military necessity
And now it is the privilege of the de-
partment commander to announce that
based upon the reco-lrn enda ton of the COM
handing officer Fort Puma Blanca, con-
CURED in by the generals commanding the
department, the division and the army, the
President has been pleased to direct" (here
Truscott's voice rang out so that every
word told like ShoD that the medal of
honor be awarded as follows: First for dar-
ing and devotion in having, at the immi-
nent risk of his life and in face of heavy
fire from surrounding Indians, left his shell
ter. and though painfully wounded and
nearly blind. succeeded in reaching and
bearing unaided to place of safety pri-
vate soldier, helpless from a shattered leg
First Lieut.. Ronald Fame. til Z. S. Cav
airy.
Second For daring and devotion In hay
ing, at the imminent risk of his life and in
face of heavy fire from surrounding In
dams, left his shelter succeeded in reach
i'm and rtiailV sllccOrinp cOora do baj,,