New Britain herald., 1916-04-26

ly valuable and courageous serVlce Tn carrying dispatches through the 2n- emy's lines from me to Gen. Meade
 As the official records vii! show, the command, after destroying the railroads between Petersburg and the Roanoke River and inflicting great in jury upon the Confederate cause,- had got back to the immediate vicinity of Reams Station where it found it. self confronted by a strong force of rebel cavalry and infantry. On ar irving on the field in the early morn ing a reconnaissance of the enemys lines convinced me that we should have to cut and run for it unless Gen. Meade should speedily send a relieving force to open the road for us, but in asmuch as Gen. Meade could have no ] means of knowing the perils which surrounded us it was necessary for me to open comm unicatiOn with him. Headquarters were not over miles away, but a strong force Of veteran , Confederate Infantry lay straight across the way, and was supported by Fitzhugh Lees cavalry. Their posi- ton was a strong one, and the oldest cavalrymen regarded it as impregna-
  eating my desire to get information through Gen. Meade. Capt. Whitaker volunteered to take it and his offer of services was accepted. A single troop of Cavalry Was selected to escort him, and aS soon as the necessary dispatch could be written he set out upon his perilOus mission and within an hour he had cut his way through the Con- federIte lines and delivered his dis patch at Army headquarters. The de- tails of his exploit will be found in the official records, but no one except himself and those who saw hiru ride so gallantly into and through the rebel lines can promptly appreciate the dangers ne ran or the value of the services rendered by him. l. is true that Gen. Meade did not succeed in getting any part Of his force to ReamS Station till after noon and after we had retired but that was no fault or Capt. Whitaker. He did his whole duty with rare skill dash and courage. and trust may be rewa rded by the medal of honor and the proper acknowleds- ment of his distip guished services up- on that occasion.
 Yours, very respectfully
 JAMES H. WILSON
 Late Major General Volunteers
 
 "Mr President this soldier was re- peatedly mentioned in reports for con- spicuous gallantry on the field of ac- ton; he was wounded: and if ever a soldier is entitled to this small con- gressonal recognition this man is.
 A. Tardy Recognition.
 Senator Myers of Montana, who in vestigated the case as a member If 4l.z t,.iI f., to Gen. Whitaker, saying the bill was tardy recognition of a gallant soldier. The bill as laid before the senate con- tained a recital of Gen. Whitakcr's service set forth briefly. but Senator Clark of Wyoming said that that savored of a vote of thanks by con eress, and the historical part of the | bill was stricken out.
 In that form it passed the senate 1 by unanimous consent. After that i action had been taken Senator Bran | degee obtained permission to insert in the Congressional Record the com plete official record Of Gen. Whitaker, containing many testimonials to the hrilliancy of his service. The gen. erals record covers some dozen pages | of the Congressional Record, in very fine print.
 Navy Wants UndershirtS.
 New England cotton mills will | have an opportunity to furnish 300,- 1 900 cotton undershirts for the navy l under bids to be opened at the de- i partment May 6. The bids arc called i for delivery of the shirts in lots of 5O.000 each, at the Brooklyn navy yard.
 Representative Oakley of Hartford was a guest of the Washington Boarl of Trade last night at dinner.
 All the Connecticut members of the house voted in that body against the segregation of races in enforcing a law in the District of Columbia per hitting the juvenile court 70 Senl youthful prisoners to Catholic inSti- tutions. The segregation question came up when Representative Clark of Florida moved that young people col ored and white races should not be mingled in carrying out the provisions of the law.
 CHURCH GROWTH RAPID.