The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-01-15

by his fellow cadets. was 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
woye the tale about the career of her uncle Lieut.
Bell and gave to the story the depth N pathos
that truth compelled
One of James E. Bells classmates at West Point
once said that when was fighting with an
other man he had something to grapple with but
that when man was fighting disease the disease
did all the graphing. You can't wound n disease
adversary. Against him parry and thrust are moth.
Ing. Adutant Gen e. D. Townsend once said that
In all his army career he had known such
honors to be paid to subaern as were offered IN
the memory Of First Lieut.. James f. 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 Drv
TOrtugas of yellow fever.
Fort Jefferson on the Tortugas in August of the
year 1873 was garrisoned by Battery NJ First Unit.
ed States artillery. Outside of the surgeons tboro
only officer, Lieut. Bell at the most Cant =
Langdon had been granted n leave of absence - On
north to the bedside of his dying father On August %
yellow fever appeared at the post Within two DAYS sour
Of the garrison had died Upon the first annonnceont
of the appearance of the scourge Lieut. Bell sent ALI the
women and children and some of the married men to
an Island three miles away Within day or two be
sent to the same place nearly all the well men of the
garrison. retaining only enough to nurse the sick
There could have been 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 OF the sick In the hospital assisted by
the men who had volunteered
n OF Ice
on the island and many OF the deaths that followed
after another were due to the lack this necessity
There were 20 of the fever and for whole days
and nights continuously the devoted lieutenant the
geons and the nurses knew no rest With their own
hands they dug the for the dead and with their
own lips repeated over them the burial service
Capt Langdon In tho far north heard OF the yellow
fever at Fort Jefferson He instantly relinqushed
leave Of absence and FASTENED to return to his station.
Some months before the outbreak the fever Lieut. Bell
had put In application be detailed as instructor OF
military science AZ the University OF Vermont ap-
pcation had been granted and Capt Langdon hurryng
south To Join his command carried In his pocket
der relieving Lieut. Bell from duty Fort Jefferson and
detailing him for work in Vermont LanEdon reached his
post He called In his first lieutenant and said have
here orders transferring you Immediately to Vermont
You have done noble work here. There no reason
why you should stay longer. You have been through
enough OF the awful thing Go"
Bell said: Captain, don't the order. II | read
II ] suppose shall have 20 obey simply because Il Is
an order You keep II In your pocket uutil the fever
over and then III read II and go"
lauEdOn shook hands with him
Rell on with his work In feW DAYS he felt
the hot hand OF the scourge brow tie went 70
his tent pulled up his little camp table and wrote an OH
ca letter 70 assistant adutant general al headouar
ters OF the Department Of the Cult Holly Strings Miss
Il long letter covering many pages There vas In
BELLS heart that day the fear that he might die and
leave uudoue an act duty Others He cherished n,
thought OF the loyalty Of the and he enlisted
vk0 nobly performed their duties 10 the sicl