El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-09
The old Family Album

THE accompanying picture Is OF
1 Maj. r F. Burgess. taken some time
before he entered the army" as he
replied when asked the date It was
made. It shows him in his first and
last party gown and he says the sash
was a concession TO his military in
stincts even al the early age Of three.
which he was when this picture was
taken. for he had aspirations 10 be
a soldier until he was 20 years Of age.
Born at Sesuin. Texas. In 1873. II
must know. he wasn't educated he
says, except b. Aunt Tiny Until
along IN the late eighties. when ne
went 20 a. e. n College OF Texas, for
a year Deciding that soldering
might not be as profitable as the law.
which his illustrious father. william
Burgess. sr.. had followed. the young
man left the school and went 70
New Braunfels, where he read law
under John D. Quinn In 1892 at the
age OF 10 the young man headed for
the west and stopped IN FL Paso-
where Brother VIII" had preceded
him He had more law in his head
than a lot OF them practiclnE at the
bar at the time-rhis IS not asserted
by himself. but IS admitted by many
who knew him az that periOd-but he
was two years TOO young 10 be ad-
mitted 20 practice. so he worked for
his brother and studied a little more
In 1884, on reaching his majority.
young R. f. Burgess was admitted TO
The Fl Paso bar. before judge C.. N.
Buckler.
He has always exhibited happy
disposition and his friends remark
that even today his expression some
times resem bles that IN the little
picture. j have no doubt OF IT," says
the major i was promised 2 bird
by the photographer; he said u would
come out OF the machine and I was
looking for Sc. 7 an still looking"
The young attorneys first political
office was that OF judge OF the FL
Paso police court. in 1900 TO 1903.
During the administra ton OF the
late Capt. Chas- Davis as mayor. he
was city attorney. 8 position his bro
ther had held several years prior;
and he drew the present city charter.
Later ne served two terms IN the
Texas legislature from FL Paso and
is the author OF the Texas irrigation
law among other things
Maj. Burgess was chairman OF the
resolutions committee OF the National
Irrigation congress Tor 10 years. serv-
Lake City The following year. at
Sacramento, Cal he was elected
president OF the congress and pre-
sided over the sessions In 1913 1T
FL Paso-
When the United states entered the
war with Germany, Maj. Burgess en-
listsd as q private. on July 9. 1917.
and was commissioned captain OF
company A. First Texas infantry. the
same day. Training his command at
Camp Bowie, Texas. for a year. he
sailed for France July Is. 1sls. land
ing in France on Aug g. He sue
ceeded 20 the rank OF major on the
battlefield, October 3, 1913. when Ma.
Ed. Hutchins was killed This WAS
in -he battle OF Nedeah farm on the
Champagne front in the Argonne-
Meuse offensive He received a croiL
de guerre from the French govern
ment for hero-sm in action In the
same battle
Modest as his friends know him
10 be. few have ever attempted 20 get
from him the story OF how he won
have not succeeded However, those
who served with him state that after
HIS company had been en- action the
better part % a DAY and had lost one
ont Of every three men, they sud
denly found themselves ahead o.
their own men on one side and the
French on the other Several other
companies Of the regiment almost
decimated. had reported TO Capt Bur-
ges. many Of them wholly without
officers They we're IN a. small
wooded c0nse- Maj. Burgess craWled
out IN front OF his men 20 the edge
o. the wood and discovered a German
machine gun nest across a clearing
directly il front OF them In alother
small wood The machine guns were
sweeping 20 the right and LEFT.
against the French and the Amerl-