Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-28

honor men for that proud and conspicuous
duty, but these men were at rcgimentaI
Headquarters, Camp Sandy. Already, too
there We're three on-CommisSi0ned officers
whose heroism in Indian warfare (Which
demands, indeed, higher order of courage
because of its desperate natUre) had led to
War Department recognition and the medal
But 1t was 4 singular fact that of the three
regiments at that time serving in Arizona
only one commissioned officer could count
the bronze cross of that most distinguished
order among his possessions. and of all
others that man Major Pggott
In those days the annual army register
never published. as now, the list of officers
ana men entitled to the medal and why.
Every soldier in the til however knew
just how, when and where his regimentaI
comrades had won the prize. But Piggott
came TO them a comparative stranger; his
medal as a complete surprise. He arrived
at department headquarters one hot sum-
mer S day. a dance was given at Whipple
barracks the following night the cool
mountain air rendering full uniform a pos
slbility and, civilian evening dress being an
official impOSsibility on such occasions III.
off1cers appeared in the new frock coat and
plncushion shoulderknot OF the then brand
new regulations, and 10, on Piggotts broad
ana manly breast was pinned the tiny flag
and the modest copper-coIored medal that
In the eyes of all men and women there as
semDIed, was the symbol of most disttu-
gulshed valor. and one thing they had
hitherto heard of the new arrival recently
consolidated into the cavalry and as
signed to the -th Arizona. was that he had
never been in action. Then how the mis-
chlef happened II that he should have that
medal? Men looked at the decoration and
then at each other, and said nothing
Women looked first at the medal and then
at the men for explanation. Mrs Wilkins
the unterrfffed helpmate of a veteran lieu
tenant. a woman of whom many "A man be-
side her husband stood utterly in awe took
the bull by the horns. as she would eynresS
It, and shortly after supper. when the sets
ha 2
lancers, faced her complacent partner with
out a tremor and amazed him with the out
and out demand, We'll, Meejor Piggott it's
the medal of honor ye're wearing, Now
how did We get it,
Piggott perhaps. had been asked that
question before. and at all events knew lust
how to take it. Rowing with much defer
cree and with something like a blush upon
his already rudy face. he automatically
replied:
'Ah, Mrs. wilkins in a regiment like
yours it would be absurd to speak of nay
service. Modesty forbids."
But sure, meejor,' she persisted now
that ye're to be wan of us it's proud we
are 10 see, and we want TO know all about
And even then he parried. as First
couple forward and back" was shouted by
the then indispensable caller" She nailed
him, however, when il came TO Swing your
partners all" and with jovial laugh he an
sWered in bluff, off hand, soldier fashion:
oh for just little thing that happened
IN 'front.' or washington, way back in '63.
There was really nothing to il worth men,
tfoning, but the President and Secretary
seemed to think there was. Don't ask me
10 go into particulars-here.'
And, on his promise to tell her later his
cross-questioner released him, but after
that lancers never once could Mrs Wilkins
lure or waylay him. In thirty-six hours he
was away by blackboard for the post as
signed him far over at the foothills of the
Black Mesa, and up to this moment in mid
November, neither Mrs. Wilkins nor any
body else, from the colonel down had been
able to ascertain by what act of valor Pig
gott had won the coveted medal. Black
Bill, his Junior by file two on the list
never an honor, save some brevets show
cred proniscuously at the close of the war,
swore he'd have it out of Spigots if ever
he met him. Bluff old Caraway, who had
led New England brigade through the
Wilderness with Grant in "a, and was now
dong duty with the title of general and the
pay of q ma jor, burst into shouts of laugh
ter when asked II he knew. Why" said
he, you could buy those things for a shil-
ling where Piggott halls from" and WICK
he m, the black-bearded adjutant general,
with a fighting record and four wounds to
his credit, so far departed from his general
rule of never knowing anything as to say
that one of the traditions of the Army OF
the Potomac was that whole regiment of
emergency men" went home with the
medal without ever once pulling trigger
behind a ball cartridge.
(To be continued tomorrowl