River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-01-13

by his fellow cadets a brother Of Maj. W. W.
Bell of Chicago and uncle of Lillian Bell, the
writer. When Lillian Bell wrote her story "The
Under Side of Things, with it's pathetic ending she
wove the tale about the 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 fighting with an
other he had something to grappe with but
that when man 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 once said that
in all his army career he had never known such
honors to be paid to a subatern were offered to
the memory of First Lieut.. James E. Bell Two
general orders were issued from Headquarters of
the army, each paying tribute 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 +ho
year 1873 garrisoned by Battery NJ First Unit
ed States artillery. Outside the surgeons there
only officer, Lieut. Bell at the post Cant I r
Langdon had been granted a leave of absence to go
north to the bedside of his dying father On August %
yellow fever appeared at the post Within two DAYS our
of the garrison had died. Upon the first announcement
of the appearance of the Lieut. sent all the
women and children and some of the married men to
an island three miles away. Within day or two he
sent to the place nearly all well men of the
garrison, retaining only enough to nurse the sick
There could have been criticism Bells course had
he with the garrison leaving sick to the care
OF the surgeons and He stayed devoted him
self to the of the sick hospital assisted nv
the who had volunteered
The heat was fearful There pound of ice
on the island and of the deaths that followed
after another due to the lack of this necessity
There were 20 cases of the fever for whole days
and nights continuously the devoted lieutenant
geons and the nurses knew rest. With their own
hands they dug the graves for the dead with
own lips repeated over them the burial service.
Capt. Langdon in the far north heard the yellow
fever at Fort Jefferson. He instantly renquished his
leave Of absence and fastened return station
Some months before the outbreak of Lieut.
had put In application be detailed instructor
military science at the University of ap
pcation had been granted and Capt Langdon hurrying
south to join his command carried in his pocket the
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 said: 81 have
here orders transferring you Immediately to
You have done noble work here. There is
why you should stay longer. You have been through
enough of the awful thing. Co."
Bell said: Captain, don't the order If read
it suppose shall have to obey simply because it Is
order You keep 1t in pocket until the fever Is
and then I'll read it and 60"
Langdon shook hands with him.
Bell went with his work. In a few days he felt
the hot hand Of the scourge his brow. He went to
his tent pulled his little camp table and wrote off,
ca letter to the assistant acknowledgement at headquar
tiers of the Department of the Gulf Holly Springs Miss
1t was long letter. covering many pages There in
Bells heart that day the that he might die and
leave undone act of duty others He cherished the
thought of the loyalty of the surgeons and the enlisted
men who had SO noby performed their duties to the sick