The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-14


story concerning Tom Rogers
Mandan Indian postman, was
published recently IN the Mime
apolis Tribune and is reprinted
in the Bismarck Tribune through
courtesy Of That paper, which
loaned the cuts. Pictures from
which the cuts were made arc
copyrighted by the Aircraft stu
dio al Mandan.l
Quietly plodding his way along the
streets Of Maudan, y. D., delivering
letters TO the homes Of the white
man. Charges Alone, a full blooded
AfiAara indian who served the great
white chief with distinction during
the World war. has DOTTED has KHAKI
for the more peaceful gray blue OF
the mail carrier. Is cont niue ms
service TO Uncle SAM.
Charges Alone. or Tom Rogers, as
he is called b. TIA" white man, j. Car
ricr No. | on the Man!an postofflcc
staff. He was appointed by srecta!
order Of President Coolidge last sep
tenltct, 'in view of tn" valuf and e%-
traordiaary meritoriou5 service per
folmc! by him" His efficiency on
the job was certified hy George II.
Drake. Minneapolis postal inspector.
who returned recently from an IN
srcction tour.
The Spectre Doughboy
Many are the tales told about
Charges Alone and the part he play
ed in the war. German fathers, who
were soldiers in the opposing
trenches, use the name Of Charges
Alone as means Of making their
Youngsters mind. To thenl-the
fathers-he was known as The Spec
tre," who moved with unerrlng &C
curacy among the sandbags OF the
German trenches, chose his man and
got him.
Blu. Charges Alone says nothing
about his exploits. When you ask
him about them. his clear, black eyes
snap, and the lines about his mouth
witch. but his lips pass no words.
II wish not to speak about that.
he says, with a good command of the
English language The Indian does
not talk about his wars"
Accounted For b Germ"ns
Ii is a matter of record, however.
that Charges Alone accounted for 31
Germans, either bringing them uack
alive or the mute evidence that he
had encountered them. His fore
fathers of the plains felt il neces-
sary to bring back a scalp, but
Charges Alone Is a modern INDIAN
he brought back blouscs.
All that is in the records. How
many others he accounted for only
he knows. and he Is silent.
Charges Alone enlisted in Co. L.
Second regiment, North Dakota IN
fantry, on August |, 1877. His Cap
tain, 4. Il. WEIGH, still bosses" him
He is the postmaster at Mandan
But when Postmaster Welch gives
instructions to Charges Alone. 1t i
IN a tone different from that so gen
orally credited to army captains. He
speaks to Charges Alone with the
reverence due a hero.
Engaged in Every Battle
Charges Alone landed 1T the front
on January /. 1918, and was trans
ferred to the 18th tinted States IN
fantry. Of the First division, and be-
came one of the CHIEF Indian scouts
Of the outfit. In the eight months
following his arrival IT the front. he
+, participated in ali the battles of the
| division. including the long drawn
out battle of scissors, south of the
| Chemin des DANES. 1t WAS during
|
| in the war depended upon the Amer
lean doughboy, that Charges Alone
upheld the traditions of his fore
fathers.
Although he always carried his
gun with him, Charges Alone usually
abandonded il when he was sent out
, to obtain information. The gun was
only in his way, and he took his man
with his bare hands, usually about
the neck and dragged him over the
top.
If the enemy showed fight,
Charges Alone promptly dispatched
! h i'm, and brought the blouse back To
his own lieutenant. Ii the enemy
surrendered, ne WAS taken back with
! out harm. And the records show
that he brought back either a pris
oner or IA dead mans blouse on :i3
consecutive nights.
Never did the other men in the
enemy trenches know that Charges
| Alone had been there. Usually, the
loss of sentinel was not discovered
| until another came to relieve him.
And that was how Charges Alone be-
came known to them as THE Spec
i ire
Was SHIPPER During Day
During the day. the spectre GOT IN
his ticks as a shipper. hidden away in
! the brush or weeds of No Mans land,
! far ahead Of his own line.
I Whenever Boche stuck his head
over the top or peeked through the
i sandbags. il generally was his last
act ii Charges Alone was nearby.
! Carefully training his rifle at GER
tain point. he waited until someone
peeked through-and there was an
! other German casualty.
/ Charges Alone, TO let them know
The Spectre was about, Away 5
placed the rife ball between their
eyes. His brand" he called it. How
many of the former kaiser's soldiers
were thus branded" is not in the
records, and Charges Alone keeps
the secret.
Won Marksman Badge Early
Charges Alone was one of Uncle
Sans best marksmen. He won the
badge early in the war. and after
winning two citations for bravery in
the face of the enemy, he was sent
back to America to train other sol
diers in the art Of sniping. His
first work of this nature was al
Camp Lewis, Wash. and then he was
sent to the intelligence department
Chocs~,~