The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-03-20
HISTORY'S
MYST ERl ES
The Fate of Fighting Mac"

THE son of Scotch laborer, Hec-
L tor Macdonald commenced his
eventful life in the most prosaic of
manners-first as barefoot plow-
boy and then as q clerk In a country
store. As far back as he could re-
member, however, he had wanted to
be a soldier and, as soon as he was
old enough, he enlisted as a private
in the Gordon Highlanders, carrying
the musket of private soldier. Then,
during the Afghan campaign of 1879,
came the opportunity which was to
mean so much to him.
In company with small body Of
men, Macdonald found himself sur
rounded by some two thousand or more
natives, bent upon the total destruc-
tion of the British soldiers. The off,
GERS having been shot, Macdonald
took command Of the detachment and
led them in a dashing bayonet charge
which ripped the ranks Of the enemy
wide open and cut lane through
which the English marched to safety.
AS a reward for his exceptional brav-
cry, Lord Roberts offered Macdonald
his choice Of the Victoria Cross or an
officers commission and, without a
moments hesitation, the Scotchman
chose the latter, despite the fact Of
the prejudice existing against the ex-
ceptional officer who had battled his
way up from the ranks.
During the years that followed,
MacDonald's career was one Of al
most continual success. During the
Sudan campaign he was raised to the
| rank Of colonel In appreciation Of his
| defeat of a Dervish attack upon the
| British flank and, during the Boer war,
his military accomplishments were so
marked that he was knighted and
made brigadier general.
During the intervening years, how
ever, he had been constantly waging
another war-one against the prejudice
and enmity of certain officers of the
army who were jealous of the former
private's advancement and who, In
consequence, tried to do everything
In their power to belittle and humil-
late him. The honors which General
Macdonald received at the hands OF
the queen wiped out some Of these
scores but only intensified others ard,
after his appointment to the command
Of the military post at Ceylon, certain
grave charges were preferred against
him which were undoubtedly without
the SLIGHTEST foundation.
His nerves frayed by the constant
strain under which he had labored
and feeling that he had been aban-
doned by the friends he had made, Sir
Hector applied for leave Of absence
In order to return to London, where
he had a personal interview with Lord
Roberts, who Is reported to have ad-
vised him to return to Ceylon and
fight the accusations to the limit.
Other officials of the war Office were
outspoken In their demands for an in
stant court-martial, but whether this
radical step was taken has never been
made public
"Fighting Mac" as he was affection
ately known to the rank and file of
the British army, accordingly left
London supposedly for the Orient, but
only proceeded as far as Paris where
he registered at rather secluded
hotel and kept strictly to himself. Not
long afterward all England was
amazed by the news Of the suicide OF
the general, who was reported to have
sent q bullet through his head after
reading an account of the charges
against him.
But his reported death by no means
ended the strange sequence of events
connected with his career. Although
the Scotch soldier was supposed to be
bachelor, his family was Informed
that the generals widow had taken
the body back to Scotland and that
the interment had taken place quietly
with no military honorS whatever
Little by little rumor gained ere
dence to the effect that Fighting Mac
was not dead, but that he had re-
turned to the Orient under an assumed
name and had offered his services tc
the Mikado-one story stating that the
famous General Kuroki, who attained
such prominence during the Russo
Japanese war, was none other than tht
Scotch general. But the British wal
office took no cognizance of these re
ports and adhered to its original state
ment about General MacDonald's
death In Paris.
Incidentally, the commission of In
quiry into the charges against him II
Ceylon returned a report completed!
absolving him from all blame-but NJ
inquiry, official or otherwise, has evel
swept away the veil Of mystery which
surrounds the fate of one of the mos
I gallant officers who ever fought undel
the British flag.
"a by the Wheeler syndicate.)
Trachoma on Decrease