Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-25
PEGLEG WARRIOR OF TEXAS
Admitted to Uncle Sans Service
Despite Drawback of Artt-
hcIal Member

The only one-footeo man who ever
served in the United States army is c. E.
Whitmore, an employee Of the fremont
hotel, Galveston, Tex, and ne also enjoys
the distinction of being the champion milf
tary bugler of the United States and OF
being the only one-footed man who ever
served in the United States revenue cutter
service.
Whitmore. during the Spanish-American
war, had his foot shot off by the Spanish
but he was not injured and was only tenn
porarily disabled. 1t was cork.
His service in the army lasted two years
and he was in both the cavalry and artil-
lery branches of the governments fighting
force. He served in the revenue cutter
service eleven years apd two months and
retired only when more stringent regula-
lions made It impossible for the authori-
ties TO further overlook the absence OF MS
natural foot.
During the thlrty-two years which he
spent with the United States forces, Whit
more saw service In almost every pranch
OF the military and naval forces. HIS serV-
ice began when he was 10 years OF age
At that age he enlisted as an apprentice
on the Philadelphia, and was first assigned
to the gunboat Saratoga, under Fighting
Bob Evans. He served under Evans -FOUR
wears, and rose to be chief bos'n mate
Whitmore's title as champion ougler OF
the United States was won In lSp' wheh
he was trumpeter at the west POINT MIL
tary academy. He blew l5 Calls oruereu
at random, in one hour and thirty-tiVe MN
,,tas winning the prize. a silver bugle-
This he presented to the military academy
and Il il there now among the institution
relics.
Durina the Spanish American war Whit
,,ore served under Generals shsfter and
Wood. and it was at siboney. June 70 that
hts oork foot was shot off and he was or
dered by General Wood to report 10 the
wheelwrieht for surgical attention
wb,tmore blew the last bugle call that
President William Mckinley ever heard
Al that time he was a civilian attached
~ the military force at the Pan-Americar
exnositIon. and as President Mckinley en-
tered the Temple OF Music he sounded
three furnishes. announcing the approach
of a distinguished parsonage to the people
gathered within. Hardly had the notes
diad away when Czolgosz's shot rang out
wb,tmore was near enough to be an eye
w,tness to the assassination, and his testi
monv regarding the occurrence is on tl'
in washington.
whitmore's foot was torn off In calves
ton barbor when he was serving on the
revenue cutter Galveston, in 1892 While &
wire rope was being unreeled' 1t caught MI
foot and tore the member off. After sew
eral months in st. Mary's infirmary here
he was able to get about and devised a Zoo
which enabled him to walk almost as wei
as he formerly walke with his natura
foot.
In 1895. despite the absent foot whit
more applied for admission into the army
and was examined personally by Surgeon
General sternberg. This examination wat
supplemented by another in which eXpert'
OF the Johns Hopkins hospital partici
pated. They pronounced him capable o
doing military duty and he was permitted
on the authority of a special board to con
tinue his military career.-Houston Post