Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-01-13

by his fellow cadets, was a brother of Maj. W. W. 4
Bell of Chicago and az uncle Of Lillian Bell, the
writer. When Lillian Bell wrote her story, "The
Under Side of Things" with its pathetic ending, she 1
wove the tale about the career of her uncle, Lieut..
Bell, and gave to the story the depth of pathos
that truth compelled.
One of James E. Bells classmates at West Point
once said that when a man was fighting with an
other man he had something to grapple with, but
that when a man was fighting disease the disease
did all the graphing. You can't wound a disease
adversary. Against him parry and thrust are moth
ing. AdjutantGen. E.. D. Townsend once said that
in all his army career he had never known such
honors to be paid to a subaltern as were offered to
the memory of First Lieut.. James E. Bell. Two
general orders were. issued from headquarters of
the army, each paying tribute to the devotion of the
young officer of artillery who had died on the. Dry
Tortugas of yellow fever.
Fort Jefferson on the Tortugas in August of the
year 1873 was garrisoned by Battery M, First Unit
ed States artillery. Outside of the surgeons there
was only one officer, Lieut.. Bell, at the post. Capt. L. I.
Langdon had been granted a leave of absence to go
north to the bedside of his dying father. On August 2s
yellow fever appeared at the post. Within two DAYS four
Of the garrison had died. Upon the first announcement
Of the appearance of the scourge Lieut.. Bell sent all the
women and children and some Of the married men to
an island three miles away. Within a day or two he
sent to the same place nearly all the well men of the
garrison, retaining only enough to nurse the sick.
There could have been no criticism Of Bells course had
he gone with the garrison, leaving the sick to the care
of the surgeons and nurses. He stayed and devoted him
self to the care of the sick in the hospital, assisted by
the men who had volunteered.
The heat was fearful. There was not a pound Of ice
on the island and many of the deaths that followed one
after another were due to the lack of this necessity.
There were 20 cases Of the fever and for whole days
and nights continuously the devoted lieutenant, the sur.
geons and the nurses knew no rest. With their own
hands they dug the graves for the dead and with their
own lips repeated over them the burial service.
Capt. Langdon in the far north heard Of the yellow
fever at Fort Jefferson. He instantly relinquished his
leave Of absence and fastened to return to his station.
Some months before the outbreak of the fever Lieut.. Bell
had put in an application to be detailed as Instructor of
military science at the University of Vermont. The ap-
plication had been granted and Capt. Langdon, hurrying
south to join his command, carried in his pocket the or
der relieving Lieut.. Bell from duty at Fort Jefferson and
detailing him for work in Vermont. Langdon reached his
post. He called in his first lieutenant and said: 81 have
here orders transferring you Immediately to Vermont
why you should stay longer. You have been through
enough of the awful thing. Co."
Bell said: Captain, | don't want the order. If l read
an order. You keep it in your pocket until the fever Il
over and then I'll read it and CO."
Langdon shook hands with him.
Bell went on with his work. In a few days he fel
the hot hand Of the scourge on his brow. He went t.
clal letter to the assistant acknowledgement at headquar
ters Of the Department of the Gulf, Holly Springs, Miss
1t was a long letter, covering many pages. There was ii
Bells heart that day the fear that he might die an
leave undone an act of duty to others. He cherished tn
men who had SO nobly performed their duties to the sic