The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-11-27

hausted that he could hardly tell his
story Two young women companions
were freezing to death quarter of
mile below. He had left them to seek
aid. Taking his life in his own hands
| Major Black instituted lone search
and after some time his efforts were
| rewarded. The two young women
/, were unconscious from the cold. Their
clothes were frozen to their bodies.
and their condition pitiful. Major
Black removed them to his office and
was able to resuscitate them.
Aspirations Were Military.
| Major Black had military aspira-
tions, and with a good record in the
weather bureau, and the influence of
George w. McCrary and others from
this vicinity was commissioned a lieu
tenant in the army in 1872
He was first commissioned to join a
regiment at Brownsville, Texas, which
was then starting overland for Texas
to operate against Victoria, a rene
gade Apache, who, with his hand of
outlaws was giving the army a great
deal of trouble This campaign con-
tinued for year and was attended by
many forced marches, dry camps and
other hardships. Following these
/ operations, the regiment was trans
1 ferred to Indian Territory at time
the Indians were sulky and the peo-
/ pie of the adjoining states were en-
croaching upon the reserves. The
troops were kept busily engaged for
some time in preserving order. For
the next several years Major Black
performed the usual camp and garri
son duties of an officer at various sta.
/ tions in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah
Arizona and southern California.
Travelled in Europe.
Major Black completed the full
] course of two years in the
Staff College at Fort Leaven
worth, Kansas, and the follow
ing year travelled in Europe. The
small calibred gun for infantry and
Just then been adopted for the army
Drill regulations made for short range
weapons were obsolete, and it was
necessary to make study of the con
ditions in foreign armies where the
use Of the weapon had preceded its
4 introduction in the American army.
Major Black submitted a concise
report upon methods adopted by the
French and Germans to meet the new
conditions in warfare and for this
received a letter of thanks from the
war department.
| Coming home from Europe Major
Black joined a regime.t in Utah but
for only short time, being again de
tached and placed on recruiting duty
in indianapolis, where he was located
at the outbreak of the Spanish war
He remained in this service during
the war and in this capacity he had
close relations with the state govern
ment and the national guard regl
ments joining the army in starting tc
the seat of war. He became popular
with the governor, adjutant genera
and other state officers, as he was well
liked wherever men got acquainted
with him.
Diplomatic Success.
His success as diplomatic attache
, to state government by the United
States army, gained at Indianapolis
had much to do with his appointment
as army attache to the national guard
/. of the new state of Oklahoma. There
. he was as popular as elsewhere.
In 1898 Major Black Joined his Ole
regiment and went to the Philippines
, reaching Manila in July, before com
/ mencement proper Of the instruction
, In the succeeding three years, all II
the Philippines, he was only absen
seven days from the exercises o
/ troops, besides performing importan
| staff and civil duty.
i Major Blacks command was unde
!, fire nineteen different times, but Il
most cases the actions were desultor.
ON the part OF the insurgents while
getting away. Coming home from thu