Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-03
loUIsIANIAh TO LEAD ADVANCE.
,s.ohew of Mr.. J. A. Turpin to Lead
N Advance Guard U. S. Troops in
Event of Intervention
With Mexico.

Waterproof, La, March "a, 1914.
Editor Tensas Gazette,
st. Joseph, La.
Dear SRI am enclosing little sketcl
inv nephew, Col. John Archer Lejeune
..ken from the Times-Democrat; also an
filling little l know about him.
His father was Capt. Divide Lejeune, {
large sugar planter, who before the civi
Ear resided at Raccourci, Point Coupe'
irish. Louisiana. John Archer Lejeunt
s,st attended school to my uncle and hi.
,reat uncle, Mr.. James Archer, who al
that time resided near Church Hill, Miss.
md was the son-in-law of Mr.. David
HINT, of Jefferson county, Miss Mr..
Archer was a graduate of Yale College,
and being fine scholar himself prepared
Jobn Archer Lejeune for the Louisiana
stste University at Baton Rouge, where
~ graduated with honor. After gradu-
ting there, he was anxious to enter the
Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland,
and succeeded in securing the appoint
mept through the influence of Hon.
Chss. Parlange, Judge Of the Supreme
Court OF Louisiana.
After his graduation from that cele-
brAied seat Of learning, our U. S. Sena-
Tor. Gen. Randall Gibson, wrote him a
pessonal letter, congratulating him on
Ii having passed such creditable ex-
animation and invited him to be his
euest whenever in Washington. Follow
5 ing his graduation Lejeune was appoint
/. "a ensign of an Engineering Corps, but
did not accept same, as that station would
,ake him out III line of promotion. So
Ne availed himself of Senator Gibson's in
vitation and went to Washington, and
making himself known to that distin =.
ruished gentleman, requested that he
sbould 20 in person with him to the Sec
stary Of the Navy to request change Of
appointment, which the Senator did. The
Secretary Of the Navy told young Lejeune
10 come the next day, promising to let
him know his decision. So the following
day he called and the Secretary commits
ioned him End Lieutenant OF Marines.
BE has since risen to the responsible Of
/. Re Of Colonel of Marines, and has only
one more promotion in view-General.
Col. Lejeune now commands the marines
Stationed at New Orleans and Pensacola
md which number over 1000, and in ad-
dition has charge OF all the recruiting
stations OF the South. He is now on the
q. 8. Ship Hancock" under sealed or
den.
Col. Lejeune was aboard the Gunboat
"vsndalia" at the Island of Samoa, when
ixof the seven ships anchored in the har-
Dor were wrecked, the English Man-of-
War being the only vessel to escape. The
''Caliope," the "Nipsic," the Trenton"
lhe "vandalia" and three other ships, in
Guiding the German Man-of-War, were
driven ashore and wrecked at IL O'Clock
4 night on the 10Th March, 1899. Capt.
Dhoonmdker of the "Vandalia' wa
Mid and his body washed overheard
With 45 Of bis men. Col. Lejeune climbed
bthe top Of the mast in his night clothes
ed held to the rigging "a hours during
~ violent raging OF the storm, his vessel
having been wrecked and driven ashore.
rope was cast from the Trenton" to
~ "vGnd0lid" and by means of which
y finally got ashore. Said he was 60 sore
HON clinging to the rigging that he could
not stand up for some time, until the Sa-
.noniGns revived him with gin and crack
-. which renewed his fi0gging strength.
Being an only son of my sister, she was
natur0lly very anxious to hear il he had
beea spared. About 30 days after the
tlorm he reached San Francisco and tel
uF0phed his mother in Point Coupee
parish the gratifying news that he was
ne and sound and on Americas soil
zee more! He was afterwards promoted
- eallqntry displayed during this terri
ehordedl and Congress passed an act re-
nbunins those who had lost their per-
ueaal effects.
His sister, Miss Augustine Lejeune, my
90, visited me the past week. She re-
)nin Hartford county, Maryland, my
alhers native county.
Yours very truly, ,..sSs
boil J. ARCHER TURPENg-Ss