The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-11-09
HOW LEMHI COUNTY BOY
PACKED FOR UNCLE SAM
TRIED TO TEACH WEST POINT
ERs WHO RESENTED LEARN
ING FROM HUMBLE SOURCE.

structor of officers at West Point IN
one month, is somewhat Of a Jump
vet this same jump was taken quite
gracefully by Oregon Anderson, aged
20. whose home was at Gibbonsville
at the outbreak of the Spanish war
The story of Mr. Anderson's rapid
rise and his subsequent career in Cuba
reads like page from Success" and
proves that an expert in any line Of
work is bound to be recognized, says
the Boise Statesman.
Mr.. Anderson spent fair week in
Boise visiting his mother, Mrs. Mary
Anderson. and while. in the city was
induced to tell some OF his TALES Of
the Lemhi" to the pioneer editor.
First Rough Rider.
With about 12O other boys from the
Salmon country. Anderson. fired with
enthusiasm for his country enlisted
with Col d. L. Torreys trough
riders" second volunteer cavalry
When the company was made up at
Camp Carlln. later Fort ID. A. Russell,
there were too many men and Ander-
son was one of the men left out. One
of the officers asked for volunteers
for a pack train to be made up for
Cuba and Anderson volunteered in
this He came under the attention of
w H. Daily, then chief packer Of the
United States army. who soon per-
ceived he had to deal with an expert
in the packing line He set him to the
task of teaching the other volunteers
to pack a train" giving him three
days for the job. The train then
moved on to jefferson barracks. where
Anderson was made pack master" of
a train of so pack mules Here the
superiority of young Anderson's pack
ing was so noticeable that he was sent
at once to West Point. where he had
as his pupils all officers of the rank of
first lieutenant and over II was just
a month from the time the raw western
rancher and miner of the Salmon stood
before the country's military officers
at West Point.
Mules and How to Pack
MY. but those officers did resent
having a kid of 20 give them instruc-
ton" he said. "They thought they
could learn the whole thing in one
lesson. They seemed to think all there
was to learning to pack was the 'dia-
mond hitch 1 didn't stay long, for l
saw it was useless to try to teach those
officers to pack a train. You know
much of the war work in Cuba was
to send pack trains with supplies across
the island, and mules and a knowledge
OF how to pack them was an absolute
After he had finished his course
of instruction" at West Point young
Anderson enlisted in the classified
service and landed in Cuba, July u,
1898, where he was appointed pack
master with a salary of S102 net. Here
he remained for four years when he /
was sent back to the United States to /
purchase mules, bringing back 1900 /
with him.
Wins Out in courtmartial
Mr. Anderson had one Cuban ex-
perience which he will never forget /
and that was when he faced a court /
martial. The charges were preferred /
by a young officer the son of man
high up in the political world at the
time of McI<inley's presidency An
derson was ordered to escort him
across the island. En- route five
mules were killed as the result of the
manner In which this young officer
handled them He then demanded
own saddle mule to so on
TO port and Anderson refused. In
stead he hired Cuban carriage for \
So and sent him in that manner As
soon as this officer reached headQuar-
iers he preferred his charge of insub-
ordination. The young westerner, not
, bit afraid of the son of rich and +
powerful politician. made counter
and asked to have a post
norton OF the dead mules made
claiming that the officers unnecessary
'ough usage of them had killed them
The veterinarians sustained Ander-
sons contention and he was honor
IDLY acquitted at the courtmartial
War Experience.
Speaking of the campaign, Ander-
ion said in the entire period Of war
are the only man he happened to see
Jilled was one of the guerillas. who /
vas killed by a Niger leader. They
'ound him in a cabin. with his head
N his hands he said and the leader,
,eing too much of sport to shoot a ,
nan in the back. po1ed him with :
,ayonet. saying: Look up heah yo'
liggah TO Gwad youse youse gwine T.
lie"
"And he did" said Anderson Ia {
After more than five years expert
nee during the war and the recon
truction days in Cuba, in the gov {
rnment employ Anderson returned to
lis isolated mountain home in Idaho
where he appears perfectly contented
o continue his work of taking gold I
rom the hills and enjoying the Gem c
tate's admirable climate. He returned I
o Salmon last week.