Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-08-06

| ization. He was assigned to the First
dragons, then on duty at Fort Leav-
enworth. Lieutenant Rucker made his
way overland by stage coach until he
got to the nearest point which the
stage coach service of those days could
bring him to the Kansas outpost. He
was then still 200 miles from his desti.
nation.
He had hardly settled down to the
comparative ease of his frontier post
| before he was ordered into the heart
OF the Cherokee country, and for half
dozen years he was kept busy with
mis- soldiers driving off marauding In
dlans, protecting settlers and emf
grants caravans and holding the hos
Tile reds In check. He was still busy
IN this hazardous campaigning when
the First dragons were ordered off
TO Mexico as part of General Zachary
Iaylor's expedition. He took part in
the battle of Buena Vista, and dis
tinguished himself by an act of per-
sonal gallantry in the field. 1t was
an act OF bravery under the eye Of a
commanding officer, who recommended
him for brevet commission as major.
when peace was declared Major Ruck-
| ers command was sent across the
continent to Los Angeles.
The discovery of gold brought the
rush of '49, and then there was more
tnan plenty to do. 1t was a feverish
| Time, and the soldiers of Uncle Sam
had to hold in check the madness of
the men that swarmed into the new
El Dorado Few of those who started
across the mountains and the deserts
that fenced off California knew of the
hardships they must face. Each new
arrival brought tales of horror from
the trail. Lost and starving, the i'm
migrants struggled off their paths, un-
til sacrifice of life made terrible the
days.
Finally Rucker was ordered east.
He left San Francisco in steamer
for Panama, with Lieutenant Sherman
-afterward General Sherman-as one
OF his companions. They made the
| trip across the isthmus of Panama
by ponies and small boats and then
sailed for Jamaica, where Sherman
and Rucker paid friendly call on
General Santa Ana, whom they had
worsted at Buena Vista. Major Rucker
| saw several years of comparatively
peaceful service in the East and then
he was again sent out to the frontier.
This time his battlefields covered New
| Mexico, In constant warfare with the
Apaches. While he was in this work
| the civil war broke out and he was
ordered back to Washington.
In September, 1861, he was pro-
NOTED to Colonel of volunteers and in
May, 1868, President Lincoln made
him Brigadier General of volunteers.
In 1866 he was made Brevet Major
General Of volunteers and in 1865 he
was mustered out of the volunteer
ranks.
But he was made a Colonel and as
sistant quartermaster general of the
| IeBuldi otlFlCc anu served dS SuCn un-
til February 1S, 1882, when he was
made Brigadier General and quarter
master general At that time he had
seen forty-five years of service and
seventy-one years of life. He was
then placed on the retired list as a
Major General.
He is still hale and hearty and de-
lights In walks In the beautiful por-
tion Of residential Washington, near
his home; but he is leading a quiet
life, and even the excitement Of recall
ing the hard days of fighting is too
much for his strength. With him lives
his daughter, Miss Sarah Rucker.
Another daughter, Mrs. Philip H.
Sheridan. widow Of the hero of Win.
chester, lives but few blocks away,
where she can see the statue of her
husband that grateful nation erected.
In all his years of service General
Rucker was never wounded. What is
more remarkable. in all the years Of