Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-06
BRAVE MAJOR IN
A R0BBER BATTLE
HOW $4,000 WAS TAKEN FROM
AN ARMY PAYMAsTER NEARLY
TWENTY YEARS AGO.
STRIKING CALAMITY OF NEGRO
SOLDIERS RECALLED BY
THE EVENT.

Washington, JAM 1.-The death OF
Major Joseph w. Wham, retired, re-
calls to many of the older officers
the desperate encounter that the
major had with a band of robbers IN
Arizona in 1889, and the gallantry OF
several of the negro soldiers OF the
tenth cavalry and twenty-fourth in
fantry, VINO served as Major Wham's
escort. In May of that year Major
Wham and the escort were on the
way from Wilcox. Ariz., to pay of
the troops at Fort Thomas.
When near Cedar Springs Major
Wham and his guard of eleven men
were attacked by the robbers. The
place where the attack was made had
been at one time an Apache strong
hold The robbers succeeded in car
rying away $4,000.
While the party was riding along
road which wound down long hill
large rock was found in their path.
They stopped to remove the obstruc-
ton. Suddenly volley of shots was
fired from the brow of the hill None
of the robbers could be seen from
where the paymaster's party was
stationed The shots of the robbers
were returned by the soldiers. The
attacking party had placed men fur
Their up the HILL and also sent men
along the hill to get in a cross-fire
from the left The soldiers made a
break for a ravine, and five were
wounded in crossing It. Paymasier
Wham, from behind the ledge, think
ing the cross-fire had been silenced,
made a brave effort 10 rally his men,
but they were compelled to seek CHER
shelter being exposed 10 terrible
fire. The paymaster, his CLERK, and a
corporal were the only men who
reached the last shelter unwounded.
While some of the robbers kept up
the fire from the hill it was an easy
matter for the others to go down and
secure the booty, which was in a
strong, iron-bound box on the boot Of
the ambulance. The box was opened
with an axe, and the $4,000 carried
away The robbers then escaped to
the mountains. Six of the wounded
soldiers were conveyed in an ambu-
lance to the hospital at Tucson, and a
surgeon and wagons were sent for the
others. Several of the soldiers after
wards died from their wounds.
For his gallantry on that occasion
Sergeant Benjamin Brown company
G, twenty-fourth infantry, was given
a medal of honor Although attacked
by the robbers he held his ground
He was shot through the abdomen,
but he did not quit the field until he
was again wounded through the arms.
Several soldiers received certificates
of merit for their bravery.
Private Benjamin Burge, company
E, twentyfourth infantry; private
Thornton Hams, troop G tenth cav
airy; private Joseph Harrison, gen
eral service recruit and Private
Squire Williams, company B, twenty
fourth infantry, each received one
I1lNdlc Dull sc was WOuuu6Q III Tile
hand, but he held his ground using
his forearm in place of his disabled
hand until he was shot through the
thigh. Privates Hams and Harrison.
though badly wounded, bravely held
their ground Private Williams was
shot through the leg, but the wound
did not prevent him from continuing
firing. This is a signal instance of
the bravery of American colored
troops
Major Wham was born in Illinois
January Is, 1910, and was private in
the twenty-first Illinois volunteer in
fantry from June. 1851, until June.
1865, when he was appointed a first
lieutenant in that regiment. He be-
come second lieutenant in the
thirty-fifth infantry in 1867, and was
honorably discharged four years later
He was appointed paymaster, with
the rank of major, in 1877, and was
retired, at his own request, in 1901.
The latter years of his active service
We're somewhat unhappy. owing to
conflicts with his superiors.