The Washington herald., 1908-06-07
Who Know from Per-
sonal Experience Whether
the Pen Is Mightier Than the
Sword--Some Famous Ed
itors Who Were Messenger
Boys, Printers Apprentices,
Errand Boys, &c.
ny IoHN 5. HARDWOOD.

by JOHN $. HARDWOOD.
Prominent among the interesting and
picturesque present-day "Old Guard" of
newspaperdom. which viii soon be much
in evidence on the firing line" in the
fast-approaehing Presidential compaign.
are a half dozen men who, from actual
personal experience. know whether the
pen is mightier than the sword
Henry Watterson, OF the Louisville
Courier-Journal truly national charac-
ter. who was sixteen when he wrote his
first widely copied editorial, and became
so excited over his success that he
couldn't sleep O. nights, was a stan oficer
for the Confederacy. and toward the end
of the contest it's chief of scouts.
Capt Henry King. editor OF the ST.
Louis Globe Democrat. was in the service
OF his country all through the civil war.
During that time he was on the STATS OF
Gems. Greenville NJ Dodge and James b.
Mcpherson. and so was in the thick Of
the fighting. He started his newspaper
career as an apprentice in a country"
Office. and. barring the years OF the civil
war. his whole life has been passed In
newspaper Offices.
Gen. Charles H. Taylor, of the Boston
Globe, whose first newspaper position was
that Of errand boy in Boston, enlisted
as a private In a Massachusetts, regiment
when he was only sixteen. and during
charge on the Confederate stronghold OF
Port Hudson was severely wounded
Gen. H. G. Otis. Of the Los Angeles
Times. who is proud OF the fact that he
gets out the bulllest Of all bulky Sunday
newspapers, received promotion for gal
lantry displayed in battle both In the
civil war and in the Philippines.
A Power in baltimore.
Gen. Felix Agnus, a power on the Balti-
more American for the last forty-odd
years, was a dashing zouave under the
third Napoleon and Garibaldi. in their
battles for a united Italy. and little
later he was performing daredevil deeds
on numerous civil war battlehelds
And Harvey w Scott, OF the Portland
Oregonian, at fourteen an emigrant farm
er boy in Oregon. and to-day looked upon
in that State as its leading citizen, as
private fought Indians in the widespread
outbreak Of lS55-57.
The war record OF Gen. Agnus, one OF
the comparatively few members Of the
'Old Guard" who is not a native of Amer
lea, shows a thrill at almost every turn.
As a member Of Garibaldi's famous Fly
ing Corps adventure was constantly his
portion until the French and their italian
allies had won a united Italy. He
dramatically began his defense Of the
North by saving the life OF Gen. Kilpat-
rick at one Of the first contests Of the
war. Big Bethel. June 10. 1851. For this
bit OF gallantry he was promoted to sec
ond lieutenant in Duryea's Fifth New
York Zouaves, in which he had enlisted
as private at the outbreak OF hostilites.
wounded Three Times.
He was wounded three times-once when
he led his regiment in a charge on Port
Hudson and again by a Saber during
hand-to-hand fight with the Texas horse
men in Western Louisiana. He volun-
teered to lead the charge at Ashland
Bridge, and for his intrepldity in that
thrilling work he received complimentary
mention in the report OF the general com
manding. When the expedition to Sabine
Pass ended in disaster. Agnhs. by this
time having won a captaincy by his gal
lantry. was put in charge Of the steamer
Pocahontas and ordered to proceed to the
DlOckaQinB meet OH GdAEeSloH anu Houly
them OF the Federal failure. During the
first night out the old hulk ran aground
on an unlghted coast. AMI when dawn
came the artiIlerymen on board discov-
cred themselves well within range Of the
Confederate shore batteries. Agnus.
quickly taking IN the situation. ordered
the horses overheard and though his
own mount was a particular pet, over
board he went. and when all the animals
had been cast into the sea TO drown. the
boats bottom left its bed Of mud and
Agnus took his command 10 safety with
out the loss OF single man.
All through Sheridan's campaign in the
Shenandoah Agnus displayed his accus-
toned gallantry. He was In the heat OF
battle In all the important contests as
lieutenant colonel and colonel OF the Sec
ond Duryea Zouaves. which he had help