The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-02

United States army, retired. was 97
years old on Wednesday, April 90, says
inc Washington correspondent of the
Evening Post He is the oldest soldier
in the service. a man who has worn
thc uniform longer than any other of
6cer who has followed tho flag of the
limited States II is hardly probable
. hat the records Of the world will dis
close the name of another military of
fcer whose span of service has been
canal 10 that Of this American veteran.
General Rucker lives in this city, which
is also the home of his daughter. Mrs.
Philip II. Sheridan, the widow of the
hero of Winchester and the Valley cam
pai9n.
This veteran of the United States
army. still strong in mind and in spirit,
was appointed lieutenant in the army
from the state Of Michigan by President
Andrew Jackson, Seventytwo years ago,
and i'm the army he has been uninter-
rIptcdlv ever since. General Rucker
was born before the first gun was fired
IN the war of 1912 with Great Britain.
lie was - years old when Black Hawk
took the warpath, and he had Joined the
United States army before Osceola, the
Seminole, had been driven to bay III
the everglades of Florida.
The whole history of the service, from
thc davs when Robert f.. Lee reported
TO the United States military academy
as Il cadet, to the last sllrmish in the
Philippines, is in the keeping of General
RuckcI His mind is rs clear today as
a was when. with Kit Carson as com
panion. he penetrated the unknown wild
rrness of the West. In his Washington
home next Wednesday. if his health
permits, General Rucker will receive
many major generals and brigadLer
generals of the active service today who
were STRIPPING second heutenants when
ne was wearing the star OF generaisTnlp
and following the flag in the field. Jhe
general talks with his army visitors OF
lie campaigns of present and past, but
of his own campaigning he has, and al
wavs has had, little TO say. He has tnc
soldier quality Of modesty developed 10
the point OF iit companlonShlp Tor lhe
bravery which he proved on many heids,
1t is said that he has been too modest
10 write Of the years of service that ne
has seen. because of the necessity that
would arise of putting himself INTO the
narrative. His "reminiscences would be
a mine of service information
His Early Life.
When Gen. Rucker was little more
than a boy he went to Michigan IRON
his birthplace in New Jersey. hls Ia
Their urged him TO go into business puC
the son saw something of army hte at
MICHIGAN post and, on the advice OF
Gen BRADY. for whom the fort on the
Straits is named, he applied for ap-
pointmept as n second lieutenant IN
Uncle Sam s service. and succeeded IN
GETTING il, His earliest duty was with
The First Dragons, then stationee ao
Fort Leavenworth, on the extreme iron"
tier of civilization. The nearest point
from which to approach to the Kansas
post by stage was village TWO nun
lrnd miles distant from the reservation:
miles on horseback alone, against the
advice Of every plainsman who knew
of his intention He had, however, the
plainsman's s courage and the tender
foot s luck, and he made the journey
in safety. though he was a sorry look
ing object when he arrived at ms des-
SinatIou.
Lieut.. Rucker was not to enjoy the
case of post life for any length OF
rime With his troop, he was ordered
into the heart Of the Cherokee coun-
Try. and there he campalgned; light
.ng most of the time, until the Mexican
war broke out. and the First Dragons
were ordered TO form a part of Gen.
Zachary TayIor's expedition, Young
Rucker took part in the battle OF
Buena Vista, where he distinguished
himself by an act OF personal galIantry
m fhe field. an act done under the eye
mpuded him for breyet commission be-
fore the guns of the fight had cooled.
His breyct gave him the title of ma
ior. without the real rfnk, or the pay
that goes with it, but the honor was
there. and il was satisfying.
OF the fighting at Buena Vista, Gen.
Fucker will not talk. 1T was all IN
the DAYS work. he says.
What do you regard as the most un-
II e
.areer?' the general was once asked,
The Days Of 40.
~ reckon it was the work [ had 10
do lust after the Mexican war. When
the peace was made we were sent
across the continent, and for time
were stationed at Los Angeles, and then
,amc the davs of 40, with the gold
rush and the consequent excitement, 1t
was "A mad time, and sad time, but
the gold fever started that tide of I'M
migration across the continent. and did
not cease until it had dotted the plains
with villages which were in the course
,f time 10 grow into wonderful cities.
Then, too the trail over the mountains
and through the plains was white with
the bleaching bones of those who fell
ont on the march. In the early days
of This rush there was much disaster
on the trail and all sorts Of horrors. inn
migrants getting lost, starving, and in
some cases eating each other in fran
tic effort to live until the gold fields
werc reached.
f'From San Francisco [ was assigned
to thc duty of rounding up the strag-
Cling immigrants, and Tor mat purpose
was instructed TO get together a supply
train and force of men and stay out
nntiI | came TO the last of The strag-
glcrs ON the trail. hclp those | met and
herd them all in safety to the coast.
For this trip ! took no soldiers, only
one corporal from my regiment. My
force Was made up of Oregon traPpers,
Stern. hardy fellows. who knew the
plains like an open book, and who would
.ather fight than eat
"As the best means of getting food
10 the starving, / took with me a small
'hord Of cattle on tho, hoof' and these
furnished fresh meat for many StarN1
inc family. Most Of the straggiers !
mel were afflicted with the scuryy. ana
many of thcm--for scuryy, makes man
nd