Evening star., 1914-11-11
FOR A SOLDIER PASSETH BYr
CALIFORNIA; Tribute to Memory of
Gen. Adna R. Chaffee.

Gen. Harrison Gray O;is, in Los Angeles Times
The house OF clay that was the earti,
home of Adaa +. Chaffee is speeding
away to its final resting place on the
heights of Arlington, but Chaffee him
self, if his spirit voice could be heard
is saying to US who knew and loved
and honored him
Dear friends what tho women lave
Fur its last .hed iii grave
Is hut which I quitting.
Is zarTrnt oc IhoJc fitting.
l>-a cage from which 81 las
! Like hawk MY soul hath passed.
.' l'ry Tour tears and let it lie.
II minc-it is not ].
Columns might be filed with recitals
of the brave deeds of this noble un-
selfish soldier of the republic. In the
prime OF his young manhood he en-
listed as q private soldier, not to fielt
for power, for plunder or extended
rule; not to overthrow or uphold q
dynasty; not to determine whether God
should be worshiped in q coat or 4
cassock; but he went out to face
wounds and death in order that this,
''the worlds last hope of free gov
ernment on earth,' should not perish.
From private soldier to the lieuten-
ant generalship that he achieved his
simple creed was to do honestly what
it was given him to do. His nature re-
sponded to all that was noble and true
The friends he had--and there were
mdnJ--Were fastened to his heart with
hooks of steel.
AS soldier Gen. Chaffee unconscious
ly adopted the homeIy motto of Davy
Crockett-"Be sure you're right and
then go ahead He did not ask or
lead his men to face ar unknown peril
1t was his habit, regardless of personal
peril, to make 4 reconnaissance of the
field before ordering an advance, and
he always led the advance when and
where duty called. He participated first
n M ri
tenant in the early battles of the
Army of the Potomac. After Appomat-
toX he was ordered to duty in Ala bama
and Texas. and was most successful in
inducing the Ku klux klan to discon-
tinue operations.
Arizona remembers Capt, afterward
Maj, Chaffee for his successful COM
bats against the Indians who harassed
ish war remember Col, Brig. Gen, Maj.
Gen. Chaffee-the hero of Ell Caney
During the Boxer rebellion the Brit
ish officers recognized the gallantry
and skill of the American-ien. Chat
fee-who opened to the British troops
the gates of the forbidden city, at
Peking.
Los Angeles has special remem-
brance of Gen. Chaffee. who after his
retirement from the army became, as
president of the board of public works,
largely Instrumental in the construc-
ton of the Owens river aaueduct.
W no snail SO GOuDt the wisdom ana
beneficence of an omniscient God as to
believe that this great and useful life
went out into the void when the body
passed away? We know not on what
sphere of nightless glory our friend
and companion now builds his altar.
But this we know, that somewhere,
somehow. he still lives. We need no
priest to tell US this, nor soph1st to
deny it, for there is before each of us
the testimony of his own soul and
thought as Il witness never suborned.
Goodnight. comrade! Farewell for
time, brave and gentle spirit! Yet a
little while and we who. like you. have
marched under the starry splendor of
Old Glory, battling for a nations life
and the freedom of man, will bid you
good on a brighter shore!
Lay him gently his mother Earthi
While tears like rain
Bedew his grave from nation and from hearth
There rests no stain
Upon his sword, no tarnish on his worth
So dust to dust again.