Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-05

der General Miles In Indian Cam
paign-WilI Locate in ottunwa--
Local Recruiting Station Closed.
The local recruiting station for the
United States army has been closed
for the present. 1t is expected
that it will be reopened in the spring.
Sergeant P j. Kearney, who has been
in full charge of the station since Ser
geant James Foley was ordered to
the hospital at Des Moines some time
ago, left for Des Moines Wednesday.
Mr.. Kearney, who has been in the
service almost continuously for the
last twenty.one years, expects to leave
the army at the expiration Of his pres
ent enlistment and then he expects to
locate in Ottumwa AS an evidence Of
this last intention he has subscribed
for block of stock in the new stove
factory.
In these last twenty-one years Mr..
Kearney has had many interesting ex-
periences. In talking with repre-
sentative of the Courier recently he
gave the following outline of his ex-
periences in the army.
He said: "Twenty.one years ago
this Thanksgiving, my brother and
enlisted In the army. After period
of four months In the school of in
struction at Jefferson barracks In
South st. Louis we were assigned to
the Eighth United States cavalry and
served five years in that regiment.
Under General Miles.
In the spring of 1885 a band Of
Apache Indians went on the war path
with that dare devil, Chief Geronimo.
at the head. Their hands were stained
with the murder of many settlers and
rancho after rancho in southwest Ari-
iona and northern Mexico was de-
coured in the flames that were of
their kindling.
after being in the saddle for six
teen months we finally ran them down
in the fall of 1885. General Miles was
in command of this campaign.
In compliance with orders from the
war department, our regiment was as
sembled at an Antonio. Texas, and
leaving that city on May 10, 1885,
marched overland to TT. Meade near
the Black Hills in South Dakota. We
arrived at Ft. Meade September 4, Of
the same year after ride Of 1870
miles.
This | believe is the longest march
made by any body of United States
troops since the civil war.
"Soon after this; received my
honorable discharge, but shortly after
wards re-enlisted again at st. Paul,
MINI. This time was assigned to
the Second United States cavalry then
stationed In Washington and Oregon.
That is a lovely country, fine place
to live out there served eight
years and three months with my new
regiment. In 1892 Twas sent back to
Arizona, our regiment exchanging
stations with the Fourth United States
cavalry. This trip however was made
by rail for which | was truly thank
full
Six Months FurIoush.
After arriving at our station, Fort
Huachuca, Arizona, was granted a
furlough Of six months with permits
sion to leave the United States and
visit my parents and hone In
Killarney, Ireland. These long fur
loughs are only granted to men Of
long and faithful service. At that
time | had been in 1or eight years
and had not a single vacation. A
soldier on furlough gets his full pay
and his clothing allowance and COM
putation of rations upon his return to
dYty.
''In 1895 the Second regiment was
ordered from Colorado to the then
new post Of Fort Logan near Denver,
Colorado. have camped many time
in the Rockies. also in the Garden of
the Gods. Once we camped near the
top of Pixies Peak. But it was no
good camping up there. We could not
cook, our beans. The altitude was too
high for it makes the water boil too
soon.- Colorado is all right for seen
cry though.
In Spanlsh-American War.
my, term of service again expiring
7 re-enlisted at Philadelphia, Pa. This
time l changed branches of the SER
vice, and was assigned to the Twenty
Second United States infantry which
was stationed at Fort Omaha, Neb.
1t was with this regiment that I
fought through the Spanish-American
war. I was at Ell Caney, San Juan
and the siege of Santiago l wit
messed the surrender of Santiago but
shortly afterwards succumbed to a
severe attack of malaria and was sent
home.
after the Twenty-second regi-
ment returned from Cuba we were or
dered to Manila, but my health being
shattered from the effects of the fever
/ had contracted, applied for and re.
ceived my discharge from the service
in February, 1899. | settled at Des
Moines and, went into busine-s but I
soon tired of civil life. / missed the
clock work and punctuality Of mill.
tary discipline. Do yau know, 1 used
to- dream about being back with the
boys again. I could hear the bugle
calls in my dreams. After two years
of this kind of torture concluded to
re-enlist and did so October 10, 1901.
was assigned to the recruiting sta
ton at Des Moines in which duty /
am still engaged.
To Locate In ottumwa.
II have been in Ottumwa many