The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-24

Every day, Over There, our Ame-i-
deeds of personal courage apart from
the mere square and angle of their
work which are winning for them not
only the admiration of Europes veter
an warriors but special decorations.
These decorations are the highest
award a soldier can ask. They stamp
their proud winner a hero among he
roes. Now the United States is to have
new decorations, a distinguished
service cross and distinguished serv-
ice medal, to award under similar cir
cumstances.
While it makes every true patriot
thrill with pride TO read how CALAMITY
Uncle Sans khalSi-clad nephews are
COMFORTING themselves, yet these men
are only living up to all that is high
est in American military annals. The
story of Yankee arms is crowded with
tales of heroism. Innumerable Amer
leans, in every one of our wars, have
proved that there are no drawer men
on earth than Old Glory's warriors.
| Here are one or two Instances. taken
at random from many thousands winch
are as worthy to be retold. and which
show that the boys in the trenches TO
/ day are following the best American
| tradition:
| On the first morning at GettysDerg,
| a l9-vear- old boy. Lieutenant Bayara
| Wilkeson, was in command Of iish'
| four-eun battery stationed on q knoi
| in the very path of an advancing con-
feaerate brigade. A 1e-gun confeder-
ate battery on "A hill above opened firs
on the knoll. Southern musketry began
to scourge Wilkeson's position. Ills
run tenders wavered. To give then
fresh courage, wilkeson rode out II
front of his battery, exposing hlrnseh
ia the brunt of the enemy's fire, mean
| while shouting orders and jokes paef
at his men.
! His horse was killed. Wilkeson, OF
foot. continued to stand in froht
tbe guns. encouraging his men. "A ran
Of bullets and shells moved him down
He would not let his gunners cease III
inc oven to carry him to the rear. SIT
|,;n,r where he had fallen. he Sought L
dress his wounds, and went on WIZ
his directions as to aim, etc. "A 'oi'a
rade crept out to him with sah'e.,
IF water. Wilkeson, parcheo WIZ
thirst from his wounds, would no
touch the water, but handed II 10
wounded man at his side Aheh
fell back dead.
The MUCK of the American oihcer
the Spanish war who jumped oVefpoa,
. and and pushed the nose OF torpe',
, away from contact with the huh OF IA
, shin is euualled by that of an Amer
, CON artillery officer in the MeNtca
war. Asked by his colonel why
had ceased firing, the OFFICER oe'ia'e
that the shells sent To his battery wei
ldefectiye. To prove this, he piche
lup one of the loaded shells, hghteu y
Il old fashioned fuse, and held II III IL
c arms until the fuse burned out.
e General Doubleday rouched ior u
# heroism, at Gettysburg, of gums
whose name is unknown but who mel
I" its a niche in the Nalhalla OF heroe
n A union battery was ordered TO retre'
a | from its position. A young artiilers
- man was mounted on one of the hofs.
attached to ID gun carriage, and w
: guiding the galloping team and its 81
toward the rear squadron OF COZ
~ federate cavalry overlook mm. III
- southern lieutenant in eommal
Is TANNED a pistol muzzle between z
ne ACHIEVEMENTS shoulders and yelled
or him to halt. The driver paid no he
In 10 the. command, but dashed his hors
ice the harder. The lieutenant fired.
ban passed through the. victims. Ros