The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-02-25
AIKEN KNOWS
JOHN. LIND
HAS GREAT Confidence IN THE MAN
FROM MINNESOTA.
Interesting Personal Experience
During the Spanish-Ameri-I
can War, Told by wyatt
Aiken
. Aiken.

Washington, Feb. 13.-The general run
of people in Washington no longer take
much interest in the Mexican situation
The understanding Is that it is the policy
of the Wilson administration to let the
Mexican people settle their troubles for
themselves, 50 long as they do not en-
danger American lives and property, and
with sort of general understanding that
sometime, the Huerta government must
fall. Little news is being given out, and
the public has about lost interest in the
revolution down there. It was thought
that the presidents proclamation Of serv-
eral weeks ago, lifting the embargo
against the shipment Of arms into Mexico,
might hasten the downfall Of Huerta. 1t
may have this effect, but the crisis still
seems to be some distance off, and the
Washington public has other things to
engage its attention.
Representative Wyatt Aiken talked in
terestingly Of one phase Of the Mexican
situation today. am not worrying even
little bit about what is going on in Mex
leo, he said, and I'll tell you why. The
president has sent John Lind to Vera Cruz
as his personal representative, to study
the whole situation and to report to him.
know Mr.. Lind and know that what
ever he does will be all right.
Many OF the survivors Of the First South
Carolina regiment will recall Mr.. Lind, or
Capt. Lind, as we called him, Mr.. Aiken
continued. He was quartermaster Of the
Twelfth Minnesota regiment, which was
in our brigade and encamped next to us
at Chiokamauga. He was a one-armed
man, and one-armed army. officer was,
out of the ordinary But he was good
one, as this story will show.
When ! was appointed quartermaster of
the First South Carolina regiment knew
as little about the work to be done as I
knew about the price Of seed corn in Sene-
gambia, but I was willing to tackle the
job in spite Of all the Spaniards in Cuba. !
went to our brigade quartermaster and
asked for instructions, but he cheerfully
confessed that he knew even less about it
than did. He did suggest, however, that
go to see Capt. Lind, quartermaster of
the Minnesota regiment. did SO, and
found him to be a most efficient officer,
an d accommodating and painstaking as
well. He showed me how everything
should be done, and started me. off right.
Several very efficient enlisted men 7ere
detailed from our regiment as my assis-
tants, and we worked hard ar
kept our books and accounts straight
and right up to the minute. We
worked hard but we enjoyed 1t, and
the result was that when our regiment was
finally mustered out in Columbia was
able to get clear receipt for every dollas
worth Of government property that had
been entrusted to my care, amounting 10
more than hundred thousand dollars,
and was paid off and mustered out on the
same day that the regiment was mustered
out. No other quartermaster In the vol
unteer service made such record. 1t
took some of them several years to get
their accounts Strengthened out with the
government Old officers at the war de
partment have asked me- how I managed
to make such a record, and have told ev-
erybody that the credit was due more to
the start Capt. Lind gave me than to my
onw industry or fitness for the work.
"After the war Capt. Lind served two or
three terms in congress with me, and he
was afterward governor Of Minnesota. I
felt glad when learned that the president
had selected him to handle the Mexican
situation, for knew good selection had
been made, I don't know just what he is
doing in Mexico and nobody else seems to
know except the president, but I know
that whatever he is doing is all right and
SO am not losing any sleep over the Mex
lean situation"
A number of the Anderson men who
were with the First Regiment at Chica-
mauga will doubtless recall Capt. Lind
The Minnesota regiment was encamped
right right'near the South Carolina regi.
ment, and the officers and men fraternized
readily. Those who recall him will readily
bear out Mr.. Aiken's estimate of the man
A. NJ. Carpenter.