The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-01-20

by his fellow cadets brother of Maj. w. W.
Bell of Chicago and an uncle of Lillian Bell, the
writer. When Lillian Bell wrote her story "The
Under Side of Things, with its pathetic ending she
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 fighting with an
other man he had something to grappe with but
that when man was fighting disease the disease
did all the graphing You can't wound disease
adversary. Against him parry and thrust are moth
ing. AdjutantGen. E. d. Townsend said that
In all his army career he had known such
honors to be paid to subatern offered to
the memory of First Lieut.. James e. Bell Two
general orders 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 the Tortugas in August of the
year 1873 garrsoned by Battery M First Unit.
ed States artillery. Outside of the surgeons there
was only one officer Lieut. Bell at the post Cant l. T.
Langdon had been granted leave of absence to go
north to the bedside of his dying father On August %
yellow fever appeared at the Within two DAYS four
of the garrison had died Upon the first announcement
of the Of the scourge 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
garrison retaining only enough to nurse the sick
There could have been criticism of Bells course had
he with the garrison, leaving the sick to the care
of the surgeons and He stayed and devoted him.
self to the of the sick in the hospital assisted by
the men who had volunteered.
The heat was fearful. There pound of ice
the island and of the deaths that followed
after another due to the lack of this necessity.
There 20 of the fever and for whole days
and nights continuously the devoted lieutenant the sur
geons and the nurses knew With their own
hands they dug the for the dead their
lips repeated them the burial service
Capt Langdon in the far north heard of the yellow
fever at Fort Jefferson He instantly relinqushed
leave of absence and fastened to his station
Some months before the outbreak of Lieut. Bell
had put in application be detailed instructor
military science at the University of Vermont The APP
plcaton had been granted and Capt Langdon hurryng
join his command carried In his pocket the
der relieving Lieut. Bell from duty Fort Jefferson
detailing him for work in Vermont Lsagdon reached his
post He called in his first lieutenant said 50" have
here orders transferring you Immediately Vermont
You have done noble work here. There is reason
why you should stay longer You have been through
enough of the awful thing, Co."
Bell said Captain. don't want the order. II read
suppose shall have to obey simply because 1t is
order You keep in pocket until the fever is
and then I'll read it and 60"
Langdon shook hands with him.
Bell went on with his work. In a few days he felt
the hot hand of the scourge his brow He went tc
his tent pulled up his little camp table and wrote Off
letter the assistant Acknowledgement at headquar
tiers Department of the Gulf Holly Springs Miss
1t long letter, covering many pages There IN
Bells heart that day the fear that he might die anC
leave act of duty others He cherished the
thought of the loyalty OF the surgeons and the enlisted
men who nobly performed their duties TO the scl