The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-01-10

rather Convinced, Col. Richardson
again appointed him. He left the store
and went seriously to work on his
studies. His oid-tlme friend. Prof r.
Means Davis. now principal of Mount
Zion. assisted him in every way, even
letting him teach some of the classes
laughingly saying there was no better
way OF studying geography and his
tory than by teaching them. One Of
his classes was "B" third. made up
OF all the incorrigibles and ineligibles
of "a" third.
Later he left Winnsboro and with
money saved from his slender salary
Us clerk he entered preparatory
school near West Point. at Highland
Falls. There his instructor was Lieut.
Charles Bradsn. who has only recent
ly written Mr.. H. A. 0ailiard that Col.
Gaillard was In the f,rst class he
taught.
Lieut.. Braden was Of the 7th cav
airy. having been stationed In Cuba in
is7e. A few months after leaving
he. In the Rosebud Custer. N assacre
campaign asainst the Sioux Indians.
was almost literally shot to pieces. and
was carried for hundreds OF miles on
pony trailer before his wounds
could DO properly dressed. He was
retired and began teaching.
Enters West Point.
Gaillard, successfully passing the
entrance examination at West Point,
entered as cadet in September, 1880,
He was much handicapped by lack OF
preparation and used often to say how
easy II seemed for those Of his class
mates. college graduates or carefully
prepared In high schools. But in spite
Of all Of this. ne graduated No. 8 in
a class OF 81, conceded by every one to
have been tho most brilliant class ev-
or graduated from the Point. He was
cadet auartermaster. was known by
all a. david" for being tall and
slender and rooming with w. L. sibert
OF Alabama. who was a giant and ap-
propriately called Goliath. No better
nickname than what happened to be
his own. could be found.
David and Goliath" later met a,
Panama on, the commission. -,
After graduation. Gaillard was as
signed to the corps Of engineers, the
training corps Of the army, and was
sent to Willetts Point, l.. l.. to at
tend the Engineer School OF Applica-
t,on. This school wa under Gem
Henry L Abbott. ~no has sinc~ been
caisd tXs "rsthsv os the !. rama
Canal" He was q member of the
New Company (French) and OF the
First American commission, has
written q classic, yearly revised by
him. though ss years old. on the
Problems Of the Panama Canal" He
always speaks anoctionately Of Ibis
boys" as he terms the engineers in
charge there. 0oethals. Hodges. Gail
lard and Sibcrt. After two years at
Willetts Point Gaillard was assigned
TO duty as assistant to Capt w. Nj.
Black, in charge Of rivers and har-
bcrs of Florida.
In October or that year (Oct. 81 he
married Katherine Ross Davis, sister
OF X. Means Davis. who had been &C
instrumental In starting him on h,s
army career.
While In Florida, stationed at At.
Augustine, he repaired old Fort Ma
rion, had charge of the survey of ST.
Augustine harbor, where he began his
Interesting series OF experiments with
zen waves, completing them Is years
later. but at tho first opportunity for
again observing them. These expert
ments are embodied In o book called
Wave Action and its Relation to En-
cheering Structures" which is the
authority on the subject and receiv-
ad recognition from engineers all ever
the world.
In November. 1890. no only a frst
lieutenant. was appointed q member
OF tho international boundary COM
mission to re-run tho line between the
United States and Mexico.
In the burning heat OF Death Valley
and over desert sands. still showing
traces OF Emory's survey In 1854. 90
rainless Is the country. he worked
carly and late. enduring hardships
and trials with cheerfuness; he al
ways made the best OF everything.
could always see that bit of human in
all things. that bit which If seen L.
like the Celtic salt and will save any
situation.