The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-06-25
Veterans
Continued from Page One)

kOOntinued from rage Oncj
His grandfather was an infan-
tryman, long before the advent
of the jeep,
In those days when the infan-
try-and ne doesn't refer to 1t as
"doughboys", either - I hey
travelled on a train or a boat
when they were lucky and walk
ed when they weren't. They were
more often unlucky.
FOLLOWED MASSACRE
Private Covert once offered
corporalcy that he turned down
enlisted when he heard that
men were needed in the west to
uuell the Utes who had taken the
warpath. After terrorizing the
settlers they had massacred an
Army detachment headed by
Colonel MeaCker in September
of 1879.
AS a member Of the 10 United
States Infantry Covert was one
of group of soldiers detailed to
escort the great Ute chief, Ouray,
and 13 sub-chiefs of the tribe to
Washington following their sur
render to the United States Army
sent into Colorado mountains to
punish them for the massacre
that they had staged. One of the
chiefs, known as Chief Jack
had kidnapped the wife of the
Army leader who headed the ill
fated column.
In Colorado the settlers, chief
ly ranchers, railroadmen, and
cowboys, aside from the resi-
dents of the scattered towns
themselves, we're all for lynching
the tribal chicftains out Of hand
so that it took the Army to pro-
tcct them. In Washington they
were literally Wined and dined
by the legislators and came home
logged out in senatorial and Con-
greSsional garments.
SETTLERS FURIOUS
The treatment accorded them
in the east just enhanced the
fury of the settlers. When the de-
tschment guarding them, of
which Private Covert was a
member, arrived with their
charges at Pueblo enroute back
to the mountains the so men of
the company under Captain
Charles T. Witherell, were sur
rounded by a mob of mounted
men armed with revolvers and
carbines who proposed to take
the Indians away from them.
The captain ordered his men
10 form hollow square, with
the Indians and himself in the
center, and to load and fix bay
onetS.
The demonstration was enough
to keep things under control and
the rest of the trip to the noun
tains was made safely.
However, the warriors, scOrn-
ing the clothing of the palefaceo
politicoS cut the seats out Of their
trousers, burned their shoes anC
went back to the blanket anc
their moccasins in the dead Of
winter.
FORT HAYES
Later the Nineteenth was
transferred to Fort Hayes, Kan
sas. It was stationed there Wher
President James A. Garfield was
assassinated July 2, 1880.
On that fateful morning Pri.
Vate Covert was orderly for hi.
commanding officer who sem
him to the telegraph office at the
town Of Hayes, Kansas, with g
telegram.
The operator was receiving &
message when the soldier ar
rived and glanced up with {
startled exclamation:
They've killed the president!
The soldier took that message
and gave the operator another.
A special parade was held a.
the post that afternoon in de.
ference to the presidents passing
and there was quite lot of ex'
element, with even the cook!
having to turn out and parade,
Private Covert relates.
The balance Of his stay with
the Army, that ended in 1885
was spent at two Texas posts
Fort Brown, at Brownsville, anc
at Fort Clark.
At the former post 90 mile:
up from the mouth of the Rio
Grande, the regiment was sweep
by yellow fever which took a toll
of Is men one day, q another
and IS another on the WorS
three days.
IF you lived through the frs