The Washington herald., 1906-12-02


what diligence. industry, and courage can
accomplish and it points TO the youth
OF the nation the way up the ladder Of
high ambition. At twenty-one, a private
in the ranks. shouldering q musket the
year 1902, when he was sixty-three years
old, after fOrry-tWO soldering, found
him succeeding General Miles as lieu
tenant general. the commanding general
OF the United States army It was forty
two years of stress; years that saw hard
campaigning and severe wounds; years
that covered the civil war period, cam
paigns against the Indians; gallant sery-
ice in the Spanish war, where. as a
brigade commander he found Col.
Roosevelt and his Rough Riders under
him, and covering. also q campaign in
the Philippines chasing the WHY Aguin-
aldo and finally dispensing the Filipino
iDsuTgent army -Four different cam
psigns, that from each of them, this sol
der, whose motto might have been b0r-
rowed from that of DantOn. DE Taudace;
encore de Faudace, ct toUjours de
Iaudace," won not only well-earned pro-
motion. but each of his brevet commits
siOns bore the words gallant and meri-
teri0us services" At Sulphur Springs,
Va; at Amelia Springs, Va; at Sailors
Creek, Va. and during the campaign ter
mlnatiHg win the surrender of the SIN
surgent army under Gen. R E. Lee"
Most men who have risen TO great
heights from Iowly beginnings can point
te some fortunate circumstances in their
early careers from which they mark the
beginnings of their rise. Nothing of the
sort ever seems 10 have come in Gen.
Youngs way, whose hard-Won promo
ton. step by step, seems to confirm the
axiom Of President Garfield, that "a pound
of plCCk is worth a ton Of luck" He
was born on a farm in Pennsylvania and
was working hard, earning the money
during vacations 10 carry him through
Jefferson College, when the civil war
broke out He enlisted at once in the
Twelfth Pennsylvania Infantry. and serv-
&c as a private from April until August,
1851. When he went back after his first
three months service, this country lad,
who had had no military training before
the call Of war. went back as a captain
OF the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and
thereafter the cavalry was 10 be his
favOTitc branch Cf the service 70 the end.
BY September, 1852 he was major OF
his regiment; in May, 1854. he was made
lieutenant colonel, and in June of the
same year, full colonel He served with
the Fourth Cavalry in the Army Of the
Potomac from October. 1861, 70 the close
of the wax, and commanded Camp Stone
man, D. c, in 1864 IN IS65 he command
ed d cavalry brigade in the Department
Of Virginia. He participated in all the
battles engagements, &c. of which the
cavalry Of this army took part, from
Mechanicsville, Va, 70 App0mattOx
Mustered out when the war was over /
there was nothing but soldering for him.
and he was, on application, at once ap-
pointed second lieutenant of the Twelfth
Infantry il Nay. 1866. In a little over q
month he was promoted 10 captain in the
Eighth Cavalry. and thence he went UP.
step by step, until he reached the top
most rung of the military ladder he had
started 10 climb &
Since his retirement, Gen. Young lives
with his son-in-law az 1856 Calvert street,
IN a home decorated with many quaint
and cruel-looking weapons. the trophies
Of lands he has visited He is q man on
whom the years sit lightly; a man with
keen enjoyment Of life, whose outlook is
sunny and disposition cheerful; man
Of ready speech and genial nature, reader +
by far, however, to narrate "a witty anec-
uote than 10 talk a5OUt the service that
won him fame. There is one example of
his ready Wit that threatens to become
historic While he was chief of the Gen
eral Stan he was assigned by the War
Department 10 go 10 Germany 10 watch
the army maneUvers. At Paris ne found
letter waiting for him from Mrs White, |
wife Of the Ambassador TO Germany, In /
Vlting him u Dresden TO hear the Wag-
merriam operas there. He went on his way
lrrF f,,i
was leaving Dresden Mrs. White kindly /
cautioned him that as ne was. in effect. /
the guest Of Emperor William, it would /
hardly do for him To let i be known that /
he had stopped anywhere In Germany on
the road. Gen. Young remembered this
caution until the day OF the maneuvers, /
when one by one the foreign officers were
brought up for Introduction to the EN-
peroT. When his turn came, Up rode
Gen. Young, and was presented The
Emperor shook hands. said something /
kindly about America, ana then
Is this the first place in Germany you
have visited?' asked the Emperor.
PeTturbed at meeting royalty, and care
iul about his etiquette, the general for a !
moment forgot Mrs. Whites warning and
bluTted out.
'Oh, no, your majesty
Indeed" said the Emperor, surprised. /
visited?'
BY this time the general had realized
his blunder. and seeking to extricate
himself replied quickly:
Why, your Majesty, I have visited
Chicago and Cincinnati"
Emperor William laughed heartily at
the answer, and galloped at once to the
carriage containing the Empress, and
shared the joke with her
1T wasn't much fun for me. though. 3" |
says the general; 4 thought he'd be
angry
The general does not like to tell Of his
military experience, but he was induced
to tell Of how he won his bTevet at
Sailors Creek. Va. He commanded "A !
brigade in that fight II was the rear
most of four brigades. under Phil Sheri- |
dan, and they We're moving on u parallel /
limo TO the enemy-EwaITs corps Of Lees I
army The brigades were executing Il !
tactical movement OF q march on right /
into line; as one brigade would wheel, the
one behind would pass 1t and wheel to the /
right, seeking TO head of the enemy. /
Says Gen. Young: TT happened that I was /
in the Fourth Brigade, and when we got /
around we managed % head the enemy
of and hold him. We had a pretty stin
fight in holding him there but we cap
tuTed his wagon train, and set FIRE to il /
and that helped US q lot until the Sixth I
Corps. which had been following the cav /
airy closely came in behind and smashed 1
him Up. There was nothing extraordinary
about it; any one else could have done it /
If he'd been there. You see we were
moving quickly in those days. It was in 1
April. 1860, and we all knew the JIG was 1
IN and that H danenEad ON The rl.rsnrnl |