Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-08

tell the first officer you meet thai there
Is body of sharpshooters up on the
hill directly behind that tree he said.
pointing to big cottonwood. Web.
got. and 1 got quick, you may bet.
When got back to him he was farther
along the line, talking to some officers
about the sharpshooters. l heard him
say, 4 counted four, but rather think
that there were more Now, what do
you think of that for nerve? Sit still
on a horse and count the number of
dagos that were trying their level best
to hit you! Well. that's Joe Wheeler
Another time he was up at the front
when / came up with n dispatch. He
had just started to read it when my
horse was shot. AS l climbed to my
feet 1 saw him looking at me. Not
hurt, 1 hope? he said. NO, SIR says
/. 'Goodv says he and then starts TO
read his letter again. / stood there
trying to hide as much of myself as
l could behind his horses legs. When
he had finished he said: You had bet
ter go and skirmish for another horse.
Forsham. Say l sent you And then
he trotted Off He didn't seem to think
any OHe tlSc COuiu Dt tllllcI.
made good record at running when
he had gone. l can tell you that.
Another time up near Santiago l
saw him talking to an officer. He had
his bride held short, with his left hand
holding on to part of his horses name.
He had turned half round, and his
right hand was on the horses back
just behind the saddle. He was laugh
ing at something. Suddenly his horse
gave a little jump and SHE'D to one
side. A bullet had graZed its neck
just under the generals wrist. cutting
away part of the name. The general
turned around and found that Il part
of the name he had been holding was
cut by the bullet. He never stopped
laughing, but took a fresh grip on the
name and went on talking.
Il saw him ride hard once i'll the
firing line. and that was to tell squad
of colored men to get a little to one
side. as some sharpshooters had spotted
them and were firing at them"
illustrates Lack of Fear.
General Nheeler's lack of fear is il
Illustrated by the following story told by
n sea captain named Lowden, says the
New Orleans Times Democrat:
HE made several trips on my vessel
to the wrecks of Admiral Cervera's
fleet" said Captain LOwden, land if Il
bath in the pellucid Caribbean wasn't
his prime object in going, it was al
ways considered in the programme.
General Wheeler was n great swimmer
and exhibited most inspiring absence
of fear as to sharks, something not eX-
actly shared by his fellow officers. On
our first trip to the famous ViZcaya we
were at anchor near her, at Il place
where sharks We're said to abound.
when he expressed the determination
OF having a swim. The idea of pre-
venting him on principles of humanity
was overawed by the shoulder straps
Of major general.
81 prevailed on him, however, to al
low one of our yawls to attend. which
he declared he did not think necessary.
and. after stripping to girt line as
sailors say, he sprang on the rail with
the agility of n boy and took header |
that would have bothered most young
sters to equal. He swan around and |
around. climbing into the yawlboat and |
diving from her q number of times, |
then returned on board. much to our |
relief and without n single finny 'deni- |
zen OF the vastly deep putting in an |