The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-13

~ JIucky Inulnn ulpntcrs
Wood and Lawtn together trailed
tho hostile Apaches for 1000 miles
through desert and cactus brake, across
mountain and mesquite thlcket, under
a terrible sun which felled both men
! and horses. Finally the infantry lost
| It's last officer, and the commander had
to select one OF his staff TO fill tho gap.
! 1t was now that the young contract
1 surgeon was to be amply repaid for all
/ OF those hours devoted 10 military sci
ence while studying and practicing
medicine. lie was put In command
lof the infantry, serving now both as
limo officer and urgeon--practicing at
one and the came time both the SCI
encc OF taking and the science of saw
ing life. BY forced marches they ar
rived at tho Mexican frontier, but Law
| ton had to have orders from Washing
ton before he could cross, and the
| nearest telegraph Office lay far across
a hostile country. Wood, although he
had marched Twenty-Five miles on foot
that day, volunteered to nuke tho trip
| In the night. Taking one companion.
VINO dropped out after trying to keep
UP with him for twenty miles, the
young surgeon covered seventy-threc
miles that night and returned to camp
In time for breakfast. After breakfast
he walked thirty-four miles at the head
OF tho infantry, which made q total Of
l52 miles In thirty-siH liours---fifty-ninc
miles on foot and seventy three miles
In the saddle. lie was said to be the
only man in the little band who could
outmarch an Apache.
After Geronimos capture Lawton re-
ferred to him In his report as the
only officer who has been With me
through the whole campaign" Aud to
General Miles Lawton wrote of Wood:
He sought the most difficult and dam
gerous work. and by his determination
and courage rendered q successful is
sue OF the campaign possible" The
young surgeon got his commission as
assistant surgeon Of regulars Just be-
fore Geronsmos surrender. and after
ward he was awarded congressional
modal of honor for Especially coura-
gcous and able services involving ex-
treme peril and display OF most con-
spicuous gallantry.'
Always an Athlete.
Having thus distinguished himself in
this campaign against the Apaches-
which General Miles described as .one
OF the most laborious. persistent and
heroic campaigns in which men were
ever ensaged-Wood commanded an ex-
petition sent out to capture Indian
prisoners who had escaped into Mexico.
And his next duty was against "Apa-
che Kid" in iSS7'SS; then he COM
manded photographic survey for a
couple Of years. had charge OF the
military hospitals at Fort Mcdowell,
Ariz., on the edge OF tho great Amer
lean desert: at the Preside. San Fran
cisco, and at Fort Mcpherson, Ga. All
OF this time he kept up his athletic
training. He was a star on the post
football teams. and at the Preside he
made record for a track run of sew
enteen and half miles in two hours
ana a quarter. in street clothing. In
1890 he married Miss Louise A. Condit
smith. of Washington, whose sister was
one OF the refugees In tho American
legation during the Boxer uprising at
Peking, and in 1881 he was promoted
TO the rank OF captain and assistant
surgeon. Then. in 1895. he w-s ordered
TO Washington to attend the families
of army officers. And soon after Pres.
ident McKinlcy's Inauguration he be-
came attending physician at the White
House.
Meeting With Roosevelt.
1t was now that he met Theodore
roosevelt. who was at the time AS
sistant Secretary of the, Navy. They
NNA.NNtt NiNStItb, TOCe ana
walked together, and then came the
explosion of the Maine. No youngsters
were ever more intoxicated by the
prospect OF war and the hope OF get
ting In 1t. They plotted. planned. con-
splred to get commissions in the ap-
preaching conflict, and are said to
have first sought majors commits.
sions in New York's Seventy first
Regiment. And finally, after a vain
attempt to have Governor Wolcott put
him IN command of Massachusetts,
regiment, Wood filed an application
with the Secretary of War for a COL
onefs command. But Roosevelt was
first to be favored by Algcr He was
offered a cavalry regiment. but told the
War Secretary that If he would make
Wood colonel he (Roosevelt) would
80 as lieutenant colonel. Thus was
conceived the famous regiment Of
Rough Riders, and thus did the twin
stars start upon the ascent Wood had
Alger telegraph each Of the four ter.
ritorial governors for n quarter regi-
ment of sharpshooters and rough
riders. and within eighteen days the
First Volunteer Cavalry was at San
Antonio. fully equipped even to extra
shoes for the horses. They carried
machetes instead OF sabers, and were
vic o-AlS SSiohtGCiS I1lGu WIKI
Jorgensen carbines shooting smokeless
powder.
1t was after the heavy slsirmish at
Las Guasimas-in which Theodore
Roosevelt had his first experience on
the firing line-that General Young
fell sick. and Colonel Wood was or
dered to succeed him. Roosevelt now
succeeded to the full command of tho
regiment which thereafter was to bear
his name. and before which he was to
make a record on San Juan Hill. Wood,
with his brigade. also experienced
some OF the fiercest fighting OF that
hattie, within whose first hour he
lost his horse and all Of his staff OH
GERS.
'.Thc Two Best Men In the Army.
The two comrades Of the Apache
campaign We're now to be brought to-
sether again after twelve years. AZ
ter Santiago's surrender, Lawton was
put in command of the province and
Wood in command Of the city Of san
tiago. "They arc the two best men
In tho army here" shafer wired to
Alger. Wood transformed Santiago
from a prolonged Stun into a spot
less town." and then he succeeded
Lawton as Governor of Santiago prov