New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-04
FIGHTING JOE WHEELER
Incidents IN HIS TITO MIitaru
Careers.

Many interesting stories are told conceruin-
the late General Joe Wheeler. One is related IN
connection with the Santiago campaign m
which he took conspicuous part II Is said
that in the fight at San Juan Hill while the
United States soldiers were advancing under tba
fire OF the enemy. Wheeler sought to raIv his
men by calling out: Boys. give the Yankees
h" Last summer when General Wheeler
was In Louisville attending the great Confed-
crate reunion an aduirer asked him If there was
any truth in this story. which was widely pub
Hshed shortly after the famous fight General
Wheeler said: Eyes, said it, Don't say any
thing about it, but I said IT, said it not only
once but several times. l could not help it.
Things did not look so different from what they
did in the Civil War. and I forgot where was"
The Louisville reunion was the last that Cen
eral Wheeler attended He rode In the parade
on that occasion for four hours under a broiling
sun. He was one OF the most conspicuous hg-
ures in the reunion. and was seen by almost
every person along the route when he rode at
the head OF the parade Of the veterans in gray
The greatest ovation ever received by General
Wheeler was on that day in Louisville when. IN
front of the reviewing stand at the courthouse
thousands of veterans gathered about him and
shook lis hand. eager to get within touch OF me
man they all loved so we'll AL that time wnen
the crowd about General Wheeler was the sresS-
est, his character was shown most clearly. ms
press vas so great that the horse on which GeA-
eueral Wheeler was mounted was almost plsheu
off its feet, and there was danger Of some one
being injured. The patrolman stanalns a. 40
head Of General Wheeler's horse started TO orusI
the crowd back, when General Wheeler stopper
him and said: Let them come. Wdn' y
meet them and shake their hands. io'e 'As
old soldiers who fought for the south .ha
Colonel r. Polk Johnson, special agent OF -
Treasury Department, served under 1ehs nee
Wheeler from 1862 until the close OF the w. ~
War and has many reconeetions OF the 1T-~
chieftain. -,
There was always something doing when when
General Wheeler was around. sala Soio--. -
Johnson We called him the war CHlu' as S,,s
it seemed an appropriate name, LOT nc W.
never happier than when smelling poNUe.- -
Jobs war horse. he scented the oatIie SlaI 'N
and was eager TO be in the thick OF L. IN
He was continually on the 90, anu vas -
orally happiest when making things uncohlL o..
able for the enemy. General sherman salu nc Ias
when he was making his march to the sea ~. -
Wheeler caused him more trouble than any oci-C
man, Sor he never knew what ne was s0~'
10 do. -
HE was the most intensely active man ever
saw. Activity was his chief chaTASt1, 80
Look at him when the with Spain oIua
out. He wanted % be on the spot. And ne w.
no tin soldier He didn't look on Ike S.
eral on dress parade. He climbed tree % 50
where the enemy were, and ne 1ou,lu I E..,,.l,y-
II served under Wheeler in the LIST hentueAs
Regiment. commanded by Colonel REIN,
brother-in-law OF Abraham Lincoln UVne.'i
Wheeler told me afterward that he was Pl0c ~
10 know that the LIST had served under nim'
I sent you fellows into battle often thah "a
others il was because l knew that you Wou'N
stay" he said -.
Wheeler was idoIized by his men. he ne
told them to do things he wouldn't 10 himself
remember once we had been Cor days Witn aj
anything 10 eat. The general Same ao1s g..
remarked 20 one OF the soldiers: 4 am iilsn'
hungry Same here general. bluFteu % -.
young soldier. It was an jupUdent reniaIN -
common soldier 70 make but the seH0'"
merely smiled
My boy, l hope We viii have something
eat very shortly was the kind reply. -.
He quit the war COME tertte lleu'ei,.- =
general at the age of twenty-uine and Y 'haS-
me proud to know that he died brigadier sSt
eraf II the United Stascs Army.