Evening star., 1924-01-27
Mopping Up Of Wicked Philadelphia
Is a Characteristic Butler Feat


if memory is correct, was adminis-
| tered at headquarters in Brest. 1t
was after his return from France
that he received the permanent pro-
! motion to general officer, June 4,
1920. He was assigned to the COM
mand of the marine base at Quantico
and made things hum there, all the
while being the idol of the leather
necks" He headed the marines
AIRY force hike to Gettysburg and
| return last year
opposite Gen. Buffers name in
the Register of the Navy and
Marine Corps" appear the figures
2-l2-l4-15-22. They are reference to
footnotes as follows: "2. Advance
1or eminent and conspicuous conduct
IN battle with Peking relief column. +"
L. Awarded medal Of honor" IA.
Awarded tn Navy distinguished serv-
ice medal" rs. Awarded the ARMY
dii inguisSled service medal" 90.
duct in battle with the Picking relief
Awarded brevet medal"
The eminent and conspicuous CON
column included the bringing in of
wounded while under fire during tho
Boxer uprising. in July, 1900. The
Army distinguished service modal ne
stated was tor the service in com
mand of Camp Pontanezep. He ea,-p-
cu the congressional medal of boDor
Tor distinguished conduct in battle in
the engagement OF Vera Cruz. Nexico
April %, 1914.
zen. Butler holds a record eouaIed
pF only four other men in the his
tory OF the United States. He was
awarded a second medal of honor for
conspicuous bravery during an attack
on Fort Riviere, Haiti, November II.
1915. This was an old French bastion
fort. with thick walls of brick and
stone. the walls being Ioopholed, The
original entrance was blocked. a
small breach in the southern wall
being used in its stead, and was at
the time the only entrance. II was
naturally covered by the defenders.
making the passageway most haz-
.ardouS place to attempt to pass. Not
withstanding that the bullets of the
'CacoS Were constantly passing
through this paSsageway Gen Butler
with two of his men, unhesitatingiy
entered and plunged into desperate
lighting. during which rifles, clubs
and stones were used by the enemy
The record says of the two men who
entered with Gen. Butler. Theirs was
hi
while his action was devotion to
duty"
During a conversation in France,
Gen. Butler was asked regarding that
second medal of honor. What / did
didn't deserve any decoration" he re-
piled. Il refuse to accept it, but the
Secretary of the Navy ordered me TO
take it. so. of course, had TO do So"
Another characteristic Of the man.
* x = y
d EMINISCENSES OF the career Of
~ Smedley Butler from the time
when he Joined the corps as youth
full volunteer in 1898 until today,
Ger OF marines whom he served in
many parts OF the WOrld.
'I remember the first time 7 ever
saw him. said this officer. 1T was
at Guantanamo. Cuba, not long before
the peace protocol. Butler, a fresh
faced boy, had just come out, and his
company was going on night outpost
duty. 1 and my company We're off
duty that night. and as he passed me,
outward bound. | made with my hand
a gesture suggestive of a nice. clean
machete cut across the jugular vein.
I'll never forget how his eye rolled
back at me; he said nothing, however,
and want straight ahead.
THE next time 1 ran into him was
at Cavite, p j. in the following year.
BY that time he had been appointed
a regular officer. He was in hospital
with a long and painful illness. but
was just as cheerful as ever. Later.
when he got out, there was consider
able competition at the marine base
as to which company could be best
turned out for inspection and parade.
Inasmuch as all We're dressed alike,
and all the laundry was done at the
So me place, iteTt WASH l UluCIl Zee
way for those who wanted to make a
showing, but one morning, on coming
onto the parade ground. my eyes and
those OF every one else, We're fairly
dazzled at the brilliant appearance of
Buffers company. He had had his
men shine each and overy cartridge
in their belts until it glittered like
gold, and the inch or more that pro-
jected gave a wonderful effect in the
tropical sunlight. He had to grease
them up later, but he enjoyed 1T while
it lasted. He started in then on the
record he has held continuously
since, of always having the best
dressed and most immaculate COM
pany in any command to which he
was attached.
'In his first fight, at Novalette, F.
l.. he performed creditabiy, as usual.
He was always a brave officer, but it