Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-02
Or AL.GER.
Michigan Senator's Exciting Ex
perience on the Battlefield.

Michigan Senator's Exciting Ex-
perience on the Battlefield.
HIS BRAVERY UNDER FIRE.
Marrow Escape While Exposed to the
Shots Of the confederatesH How He
| Assisted an Old Benefactor BY Pay
ing a Big Price For a Cow He Tended
In His Young Days. ss
Some years ago a group OF veterans
Eof the civil war including the late Geu-
eral Russell A. Alger, United States
senator from Michigan, and a few 9TH
ers, sat in the corridor of the Palace
hotel in San Francisco and exchanged
Experiences, says the San Francisco
Call.
1.-THE question of personal bravery Is
always one Of peculiar interest said
| General Alger, 'but many a man who
bore the reputation. Of having a charm
ed life owed it to the admiration Of his
opponents. AS a rule a soldier never.
4 fires at man who displays unusual
courage. know this from experiences.
ut was in the fall Of 1868 that / was
transferred from the army Of the west
to the command of regiment In the
Army of the Potomac. About that
time the Confederates moved across
/ the Rapidan, and I was sent to drive
them back. 1t turned out that it was
a reconnaissance but at the same time
we believed they were seeking to
make Judgment on the north Of the
river We drove them back to the
bank Of the stream, but there they
made a savage stand, and reinforce
ments were thrown over to aid them.
4 Their position, owing to the formation
4 Of the ground. was very strong one
and ours greatly exposed While pre-
pairing for the struggle my command
was attracted by courier approach
4 ing. He was on foot and ayailed him.
self Of the numerous gulleys worn by
the rains to protect himself from the
4 enemy's fire. Volley after volley was
fired at him, but he reached me unin-
i jured. He bore orders for me to re.
4 port at once to General Fitzpatrick.
'sIn order to reach the latter l would
4 be compelled to pass over an almost
open plain for fully three quarters of a
4 mile and exposed to the fire Of the Con-
federates. 1t flashed upon me that the
4 attempt would result in certain death,
4 and was on the point Of refusing to
i obey when it occurred to me that I
dared not display any indication Of
cowardice in the presence Of my COM
mand Leaving my horse and COM
81 mand, which were stationed behind a
small rise in the ground, | started on
foot. The moment appeared I was
d greeted with volley, and the dirt flew
4 around, but was unhurt. At this the
Confederates cheered, and In a moment
the shot few thick about me for a sec
= ond time, but not one touched me.
There was another cheer from the Con
q federates, but I kept going IfWas so
4 badly frightened that dared not even
Il look to the right or left Every mo-
4 ment looked for another volley and
) felt that could not escape again. Not
4 another shot was fired, and during the
4 fifteen minutes that elapsed while /
was in range Of their guns round after
Il round Of cheers greeted me, but not a
4 bullet was sent after me. / reached
4 General Fitzpatrick in safety and from
that day to this have sought unsuc-
4 cessfully the name of the Confederate
officer whose men spared my life. Z @
Senator Alger Is said to have paid
3 the record price for COW, and that a
\, dead one, says Success. Over fifty
& years ago he was an orphan In Rich
field, o., without a cent and with but
+ one suit Of clothes. He wanted to at
Z tend school and went to d doctor who
], lived in a neighboring village to ash
!. for chance to work for his board
The doctor did not need the services d
a boy, but was SO much impressed b.
young Alger's earnestness that he tool
ST him into his family and sent him t
J school. He did no work except to car
!, for the Doctors horse and cow Th,
years sped on, and Russell A. sAlge
Z became a millionaire, while his bene
! factor was reduced to straitened cir
} cumstances. But the old man kept hi
4 pride, and when General Alger assiste,
u him he was forced to do SO Id round
about ways. Some years ago the gen
t eral paid the doctor visit, determine
) to aid him.
why, Alger, you don't owe me any
thing said the old man, "and won
II take anything 'sy# NJ
{ But owe my education to you. ,'a
S .Boshl You owe that to YOURSELF
$ "But ] caused you trouble and e.
e pense, for which want to repay you.
y ssThe trouble need not trouble yo'
e and there wasn't any expense wort
Y talking about. In fact, the only q:
a pense that can recall was the loss (
II q cow DO Won know. "a iger that Whe