The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-05-24
MANY FLAGS
by Major General Henry
Ronald Douglas MClver.
A ROMANTIC CAREER.

Week In NcwYork. He Had Many
Adventures, One Of Which Was
the Killing Of Major TomIin, OF
V%icksburg.
Maj. Gen. Henry Ronald Douglas
MacIver, of the Servian army, major
in the Confederate States army, and
with rank varying from the highest
to the lowest under eighteen flags,
who died in a lodging house in New
York last week; was facing grim pow
crty when he went to his rest. His
battle-scarred body was found by his
landlady, Mrs. Mabel Campbell, who
forced the door open after raping on
it in vain,
The general had been heard NOV
ing about his room in the early morn
ing. The night before he had com
planned Of feeling cold and Mrs.
Campbell had sent him q drink of
whiskcy, and later a cup of tea. A
fellOw-lodger went to his room at
midnight, and asked him if he need
ed anything.
81 thank you, sir" the general re-
piled. 81 need nothing" The police
of the Twentieth street station, TAX
ing an inventory of his belongings,
wrote it down that the soldier of for
tune, the warrior who had fought
under eighteen flags for the mere
love Of fighting, mad 46 cents in cash
and his clothing. If the general has
tened his end, it was done so careful
ly that no one suspected it. "Appar-
emily natural death" was recorded
on the blotter at the station.
Mrs. Campbell said that her lodger
was ready to start for Washington
several days before his death, but re-
ceived a letter which kept him in
New York. Gen. MacIver was sixty
one years old, but showed few signs
of his age.
He was waiting for Richard Hard
ing Davis, who has written so much
about his fighting career" said Mrs.
Campbell. He was expecting Mr..
Davis in a few days, and told me
about it. We all know that the old
gentleman was a great soldier. He
looked it,"
Gen. MacIver's scant belongings
consisted of uniforms, his well-car-
editor street clothes and a trunk full
of papers telling Of his life Of adven-
ture.
The general was born on Christ.
mas day. 1864, in Hampton Roads,
Va, aboard a ship seeking a harbor.
His father was Ronald MacIver, a
Scotchman. The son went to Italy
and fought under Garibaldi. He serv-
ed in the Ten Years war in Cuba, in
Crete, in Greece; twice in the Carlist
revolutions in Spain, in Bosnia. He
returned to Virginia, when war on
gigantic scale was framing. His
sword was offered to Gen. Robert e.
Lee and was accepted. He fought
with Stuart and Stonewall jackson,
and was four times wounded during
the great conflict.
At the close of the war there was
much dueling between the officers OF
the two armies. MacIver was in one
of these affairs outside of Vicksburg,
His combatant was Maj. Tomlin, of
the Vermont United States artillery
volunteers. They fought with
swords, MacIvcr running his oppon-
ent through the body and cleaning
his blade with his handkerchief.
He is dead; we must go" called
one of Maclver's seconds.
a negro brought up the horses of
Maclver and his seconds.
'.My friends are in haste" said
Maclvcr, turning to the seconds of
the man he had slain. "Is there my
thing | can do? | hope that you con
slider this matter settled honorably."
Then he mounted and rode away.
After the civil war MacIver, with
other Southern officers, went to Mex
co. He fought under Macmillan
there. When the fighting was over
he went to Egyptand then to France:
everywhere that cannon were hot
and the caravans of war we're plow-
ing up the roads MacIvcr was to be
found.
MacIvcr was appointed United
States consul at Dania, Spain. The
man he was to succeed declined to
get out, and the soldier of fortune
Immediately suggested that they 90
to the outskirts of the city and set
tie the matter with pistols or swords.
DttIilNii lpOilool, VIC present CORES
pondcnt Of the New York Times in
st. Petersburg, who was then the
charge d'alfairs at Madrid. was sent
to adjust matters. He adjusted the
matter and McIvcr was installed
without bloodshed,
The daring of Maclvcr was best
cXcmplilicd, perhaps, when he took
part in the Crctan struggle against
the Turks. He was received more
than gladly by the Cretans, who gave
him full power ty make war on
land and sea against the enemies of
Crete, and particularly against the
Sultan Of Turkey and the Turkish
forces, and to burn, destroy or cap
turc any vessel bearing the Turkish
lag After getting through this
proposition alive he went to Athens,
and later put in a few months irving
to eNtcrminate the Grecian brigands,
lighting in the mountains and doing
50 well at it that he was given the
highest decoration that the king of
Greece could confer upon him.
1t was in Scrvia that Macfver at
tanned his highest rank as an officer.
re received a commission from the
prince of Scrvia to organize an in
dependent cavalry brigade. He left
Fleet street, London. for Belgrade,
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