The Washington times., 1909-04-23
GEN. RUCKER NEARS
HIS 9th MILESTONE
Well-Known Veteran in the
Service For Seventy
five Years.

In a few days Washington will forget
temporarily the troublings Of the tariff
TO give the honor of recognition to the
birthday of the Oldest soldier in the
army service, a man who has worn the
uniform longer than any man who has
followed the flag Of the United States.
1t is probable that the records Of the
world Will disclose the names Of few
military men whose span of service
has beer equal to that OF this american
veteran.
On Wednesday Maj. Gen. Daniel H
Rucker, United States Army, will be
ninety-seven years old. It is true that
the aged soldier is on the retired list,
but the retired officer is still under or
ders and may be called upon at any
necessary time to re-enter active serv-
ice. General Rucker lives in this city
which is also the home Of his daughter,
Mrs. Philip H. Sheridan, the widow Of
the hero of winchester and the Valley
campaign.
Appointed by Jackson
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 Presi-
dent Andrew jackson seventy-two years
ago, and in the army he has been unln-
terruptedly ever since. General RuckeT
was born before the first gun was fired
in the second war with Great Britain
He was fifteen years old when Black
Hawk took the warpath, and ne had
joined the United States army before
Osceola, the Seminole, had been driven
to bay in the Everglades of Florida
The whole history OF the service
reported TO the United States Military
1 Academy as a cadet to the last skir-
mish in the Philippines Is IN tht
! keeping of General Rucker;. III:
/ mind is as clear today as II wa;
when with Kit Carson as a compan'
| ion he penetrated the unknown vii
! derness of the West
In his washington home next Wed
nesdav il his health permits Genera
Rucker will receive many major gen
| erals and brigadier generals OF th'
F! active service today who were STRIP
ling second lieutenantS Wnen ne Wa
we ee-ing the star of generalship anC
! following the flag in the neld- NJ
| general talks with his army visitors
/ OF the campaign of present ana past
/ but of his own campaigning ne ma
and always has had little to say.
Too Modest to Write.
He has the soldier quality Of mod
esty developed to the point of n
companionship for the bravery which
he proved on many fields 1t is saiC
/ that he has been too modest to write
; of the years of service that he has
I seen because of the necessity tina
! would arise of putting himself int
/ the narrative. His "reminiscences
J would be a mine of service infoTma
/ ton. n+,
more than a boy he went TO Michi
gan from his birthplace IN New Jer
sew. His father urged f1m 70 8
into business, but the son saw iss s1s nnst
land on the advice of General Brady
for whom the post on the. Stralts
named. he applied for appointment Z;
a second lieutenant in Uncle sam
Sarvice and succeeded in getting II
| His earliest duty was with the Elrs
Dragons, then stationed az OF
Leavenworth on the extreme IFontler o
civilization. The nearest point troI
| which to approach to the Kansas pos
was a village 200 miles distant from IN
reservation Young Rucke- rode IN
200 miles on horseback alone asalns
the advice of every plainsman wh
knew his intention. He had, however
the pIainsman's courage and the tender
foot's luck, and be made the 1ourht.
in safety though he was a sorry looh
tiHation.
Is Brevetted Major.
Lieutenant Rucker was not to enjo
the ease Of post life for any iengt
of time With his troop he was ordere
into the heart Of the Cherokee country
and there he campaigned, fighting mos
OF the time, until the Mexican wa
broke out, and the First Dragon
were ordered to form a part of Genera
Zachary Taylor's expedition. Youn
Rucker took part in the battle Of Buen
Vista, where he distinguished himse
by an act of personal gallantry on tn
field, an act done under the eye of hi
commanding officer, who recommends
him for a brevet commission before tn
| guns Of the fight had cooled. His brevt
gave him the tile Of major without tn
real rank or the pay that goes with i
but the honor was there, and it wa
satisfying.
| The Mexican war over. Major Rucke
| was ordered to California, and fr'oI
there he was sent eastward with a fe'
men along the overland trail to aid in
migrants who had become stalled c