Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-25

There's full-blooded Ute Indian from
Doylestown. Bucks County, on the fight
ing front in France, a private with Com
pany q. Of the 111th Regiment, and the
value of that descendant of an original
American as a fighting unit Is vividly
portrayed In information which Private
John Atkinson has sent In as letter to
his brother, Hugh Atkinson.
Before going overseas, ana while In
Doylestown, the Ute Indian was best
known simply as "Chief Ross
This is the story of Chief Ross. told
in Private Atkinson's letter.
THE Ute war cry rang through a
French town a few days ago when Pri-
vate Chief Ross. battalion scout Of the
111th during a moment OF triumph over
his German enemy, forget himself and
uttered the ancient tocsin Of his race.
Chief Ross Is not what could be
called q model soldier. lie has been
that was when he had gone to his cap
tain for the third time to secure pass.
lie says Ugh" for Yes, sir and shakes
his head for NO. sir Up until the
other day he had been known to smile
only one time.
"Chief Ross exhibited splendid ten
denotes as a scout while at the training
camp in America. and when his regi-
ment arrived in France. he was, with
others, chosen as a battalion scout Then
II was that his real work began. The
first day his regiment went into battle
chief Ross was very active. BY night,
ha knew every shell hole in No Mans
Land, the location of every machine-gun
nest, and of every sniper.
1T was during that first day of bat
tie that the Indian scout relapsed into a
silence profound even for him. He spoke
TO no one. except on very rare occasions.
When directed to perform certain err
rand he simply grunted and then seemed
fairly to vanish in the underbrush or
forest. The errand performed--and he
has never fallen down yet, whether it
be machine-gun nest that needed to be
silenced or merely a sniper--he would
| return TO his own lines often without
the formality of even reporting to his
scout commander.
His actions were noticed by the
French officers and poilus. What they
thought of him at first they were too
polite to tell, but soon they began to
understand and admire him. There
came the night at Fismes when the
scout officer and patrol found them
selves lost in a dark wood. They dared
not 90 one way or another without first
obtaining certain Information as to their
location, for fear they might walk di-
rectly into the German lines. They were
discussing their problem in whispers
when a dark form--that of Chief Ross
slipped quietly TO the side of the scout
l, and.
with a grunt, started off, the officer and
the patrol following. Within fifteen min
utes the party returned to the American
| lines.
! Chief Ross developed strong fond
ness for IA German I.uger pistol he had
captured in the German trenches. lie
| carries II with him at all times for fear
one of his white brothers will annex
| It, and he has been known to sleep with
| 1t strapped to his belt. 1t is with TINS
automatic pistol that he accomplishes
much of his details as a battalion scout.
He rarely carries anything else. except
ing possibly a few hand grenades. His
supply of ammunition is always low.
| but he manages TO visit the German
| trenches often enough TO replenish his
supply.
Just a short time ago, the scout
commander expressed wish to acquire
a pair Of German field glasses. He made
the comment t0 another officer. In the
hearing Of Private Chief Ross. That
night a scouting party went out. and
Ross was member. Next morning, the
Indian approached the scout commander
and handed him pair of fine field
glasses. 4 get him in dugout,' was all
he said, pointing toward the German
lines
But, his greatest test came during
the American advance beyond Fismes
across the Vesle. A machine gun was
holding up the advance with most
hara ssing fire. 1t was broad daylight
three o'clock in the afternoon. and the
task of silencing that gun was left to
the scout commander. The men select.
ed were Private Chief Ross and three
others. The patrol disappeared into the