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7/27/2019 Low Twelve ES Ellis 1907 298pgs SEC SOC
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- The first motion you make to do that, I'll shoot you dead ! -
7/27/2019 Low Twelve ES Ellis 1907 298pgs SEC SOC
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LOW TWELVE"BY THEIR DEEDS YE SHALLKNOW THEM"
A S e r i e s o f S t r i k i n g a n d T r u t h f u l I n c i d e n t s i l l u s t r a t i v e o f
t h e f i d e l i t y o f F r e e M a s o n s t o o n e . a n o t h e r i n
t i m e s o f d i s t r e s s a n d d a n g e r
BYEDWARD S . ELLI S, A .M .
P, M . TRENTON (N . J.) LODGE, No . 5
F. & A. M
NEW YORKF . R. NIGLUTSCH
1907
7/27/2019 Low Twelve ES Ellis 1907 298pgs SEC SOC
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COPYRIGHT, 1907By F. R. NIGLUTSCH
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INTRODUCTIONI
T i s t o b e f e a r e d t h a t s o m e e n t h u s i a s t i c w r i t e r s o n F r e e
M a s o n r y g i v e t h e o r d e r a n a n t i q u i t y t h a t i s m o r e o r l e s s
i m a g i n a t i v e . O n e s p e c i a l l y a r d e n t a u t h o r m a k e s t h e p a t r i -
a r c h s a n d o t h e r n o t e d B i b l i c a l c h a r a c t e r s F r e e M a s o n s , a n d
i n s i s t s t h a t s e v e r a l o f t h e S a v i o u r ' s d i s c i p l e s w e r e m e m b e r s o f
t h e o r d e r . F r e e M a s o n r y , n o n e t h e l e s s , i s t h e o l d e s t e x i s t i n g
o r g a n i z a t i o n o f a c h a r i t a b l e n a t u r e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f m a n k i n d .
During the Middle Ages the Mason brot herhoo ds were
o r g a n i z e d c o r p o r a t i o n s , r e s e m b l i n g i n a g e n e r a l w a y t h e o t h e r
g u i l d s , w i t h r u l e s o f t h e i r o w n , a n d r e c r u i t e d f r o m a b o d y
o f a p p r e n t i c e s w h o h a d s e r v e d a p e r i o d o f p r o b a t i o n . T h e
t i m e r e f e r r e d t o w a s a c h u r c h - b u i l d i n g a g e , a n d m e n s k i l l e d i n
t h e h e w i n g a n d s e t t i n g o f s t o n e s w e r e i n d e m a n d a n d h e l d
i n h i g h e s t e e m . When a great church or cathedral was to
b e b u i l t , s k i l f u l m a s o n s g a t h e r e d . f r o m d i s t a n t q u a r t e r s t o
a s s i s t t h o s e o f t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d i n t h e w o r k . A mas ter wa s
c h o s e n , w h o s u p e r i n t e n d e d t h e w h o l e , a n d e v e r y t e n t h m a n
w a s a w a r d e n w i t h a u t h o r i t y o v e r t h e r e s t .
I t f o l l o w e d , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t a m a s o n , a f t e r s e r v i n g h i s
a p p r e n t i c e s h i p , c o u l d n o t s e t t l e d o w n , l i k e o t h e r c r a f t s m e n ,
a m o n g h i s n e i g h b o r s , b u t w a s o b l i g e d t o t r a v e l i n o r d e r t o
find employment . I t w a s a d v i s a b l e t h a t a l l m e m b e r s o f t h e
f r a t e r n i t y s h o u l d p o s s e s s t h e m e a n s o f m a k i n g t h e m s e l v e s
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i v I n t r o d u c t i o n
k n o w n t o o n e a n o t h e r a n d t h u s a v o i d t h e n e c e s s i t y o f p r o v i n g
t h e i r s k i l l a s c r a f t s m e n . I n o r d e r t o d o s o , a n d t o e n a b l e
a m a s o n t o c l a i m t h e h o s p i t a l i t y o f h i s b r o t h e r m a s o n s , a
system of symbols was devised, in which every mason was
i n i t i a t e d a n d w h i c h h e w a s p l e d g e d t o k e e p s e c r e t .
T h e t e r m " F r e e , " a s a p p l i e d t o t h e c r a f t , a r o s e f r o m t h e
f a c t t h a t i t s m e m b e r s w e r e e x e m p t e d b y s e v e r a l p a p a l b u l l s
f r o m t h e l a w s w h i c h g o v e r n e d o r d i n a r y l a b o r e r s , a s w e l l a s
f r o m t h e v a r i o u s b u r d e n s i m p o s e d u p o n t h e w o r k i n g c l a s s e s
in England and on th e Continent . These laws bound the
F r e e M a s o n s t o c e r t a i n r e l i g i o u s d u t i e s , a n d i t w a s n a t u r a l
t h a t a c r a f t w h o s e p r i n c i p a l b u s i n e s s w a s c h u r c h b u i l d i n g
s h o u l d r e c e i v e t h e s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n a n d c a r e o f t h e c l e r g y .
S o m a r k e d b e c a m e t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e F r e e M a s o n s t h a t t h e
j e a l o u s y o f t h e C h u r c h w a s a r o u s e d l o n g b e f o r e t h e R e f o r m a -
t i o n . H e n r y o f B e a u f o r t , C a r d i n a l o f W i n c h e s t e r , i n s t i g a t e d
the passage of an act, during the minority of Henry VI . ,
w h i c h f o r b a d e t h e M a s o n s t o h o l d t h e i r a c c u s t o m e d c h a p t e r s
a n d a s s e m b l i e s . B u t t h e a c t w a s n e v e r e n f o r c e d , a n d w h e n
H e n r y V I . became of age he joined the orde r, while
H e n r y V I I . was the G rand Master in England .
T h e o r i g i n o f o p e r a t i v e m a s o n r y i s t r a c e d b a c k b y m a n y
to the old Roman Empire, the Pharaohs, the Temple of
Solomon, even to the Tower of Babel and to the Ark of
No a h . S p e c u l a t i v e F r e e M a s o n r y o r i g i n a t e d i n E n g l a n d a n d
d a t e s f r o m t h e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y . I t s f o u n d a t i o n l i e s i n t h e
" p r a c t i c e o f m o r a l a n d s o c i a l v i r t u e , " i t s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f e a t u r e
b e i n g c h a r i t y i n t h e b r o a d e s t s e n s e , b r o t h e r l y l o v e , r e l i e f a n d
t r u t h . I t i s b e c a u s e o f t h i s f o u n d a t i o n , s o c l o s e l y a p p r o a c h -
i n g t h a t w h i c h i s d i v i n e , t h a t t h e g r o w t h , p r o s p e r i t y a n d p e r -
m a n e n c e o f t h e n o b l e i n s t i t u t i o n i s d u e . I t h a s w i t h s t o o d
e v e r y s h o c k a n d w i l l c o n t i n u e i t s b e n e f i c e n t s w a y t o t h e e n d
o f t i m e .
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I n t r o d u c t i o n VC h a r l e s I I . a n d W i l l i a m I I I . w e r e M a s o n s , a n d a s e e m i n g
connecti on with operative masonry was kept up by the
a p p o i n t m e n t o f S i r C h r i s t o p h e r W r e n t o t h e o f f i c e o f G r a n d
Mast er . T h e S c o t t i s h l o d g e s c l a i m o r i g i n a m o n g t h e f o r e i g n
m a s o n s w h o c a m e t o S c o t l a n d i n i i S o t o b u i l d K i l w i n n i n g
Abbey ; t h o s e o f E n g l a n d g o b a c k t o a n a s s e m b l a g e o f m a s o n s
h e l d b y S t . A l b a n a t Y o r k i n 9 2 6 . The mother lodges of
Y o r k a n d K i l w i n n i n g w e r e , w i t h a f e w s l i g h t e x c e p t i o n s , t h e
p a r e n t s o f a l l t h e l o d g e s t h a t w e r e f o r m e d i n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s
o f G r e a t B r i t a i n . The admirable character of the order
w a s a t t e s t e d i n1 7 9 9 ,
w h e n i n t h e a c t p a s s e d i n E n g l a n d f o r
t h e s u p p r e s s i o n o f s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s , F r e e M a s o n r y w a s t h e
o n l y o n e e x c e p t e d f r o m t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e l a w . A Gra nd
Lodge was formed in London in 1717, with p ower to grant
c h a r t e r s t o o t h e r l o d g e s , a n d t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n s o f t h e f r a -
t e r n i t y w e r e f i r s t p u b l i s h e d u n d e r i t s s a n c t i o n . From thi s
f o u n t a i n F r e e M a s o n r y h a s s p r e a d t o e v e r y q u a r t e r o f t h e
g l o b e .
Now and then we Masons ar e amused by statements con-
cerning female members of our order . S o m e y e a r s a g o i t
w a s c l a i m e d b y a n u m b e r o f n e w s p a p e r s t h a t a c e r t a i n f a m o u s
woman sculpto r of Washington was a Free Mason . T h e
w r i t e r o f t h i s a s k e d f o r t h e n a m e o f t h e l o d g e i n w h i c h s h e
w a s i n i t i a t e d a n d a f e w o t h e r p a r t i c u l a r s . The reply was
g i v e n t h a t s h e w a s a m e m b e r o f o n e o f t h e l o d g e s i n s t i t u t e d
b y t h e t h e n E m p r e s s E u g e n i e o f F r a n c e . My next audaciou s
q u e s t i o n w a s a s t o w h e r e t h e E m p r e s s g o t h e r a u t h o r i t y f o r
charter ing Masonic lodges . The intimation was further
m a d e t h a t s h e w a s n o m o r e a F r e e M a s o n t h a n t h e g i l t f i g u r e -
head of a man-of-war . Every re al Mason kno ws that ther e
n e v e r w a s , i s n o t , a n d n e v e r w i l l o r c a n b e a f e m a l e F r e e
Mas on . L e t o u r s i s t e r s r e m a i n c o n t e n t w i t h t h e r e p l y o f a
g a l l a n t b r o t h e r
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v i I n t r o d u c t i o n
"You were born Mas on s ; a n y i n i t i a t i o n o r c e r e m o n y w o u l d
b e s u p e r f l u o u s ; t h e r e f o r e , w e d o n o t i n s u l t y o u b y a n y s u c h
p r o p o s i t i o n . "
N o n e t h e l e s s , t h e r e i s r e s p e c t a b l e a u t h o r i t y f o r b e l i e v i n g
t h a t t h r e e w o m e n h a v e t a k e n t h e f i r s t s t e p i n M a s o n r y . I t
i s s a i d t h a t M r s . B e a t o n , o f N o r f o l k , E n g l a n d , l e a r n e d t h e
s e c r e t s o f t h e E n t e r e d A p p r e n t i c e d e g r e e b y h i d i n g h e r s e l f
i n t h e w a i n s c o t i n g o f a l o d g e r o o m . S h e l i v e d w e l l b e y o n d
f o u r - s c o r e , a n d , i n c r e d i b l e a s i t m a y s o u n d , k e p t h e r s e c r e t
i n v i o l a t e . M a d a m e d e X a i n t r a i l l e s , i t i s c l a i m e d , w a s i n i t i -
a t e d i n t h e f i r s t d e g r e e b y t h e F r e r e s - A r t i s t e s l o d g e , i n P a r i s ,
m o r e t h a n a h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o , a n d t h e H o n . Mrs . A l d w o r t h
w a s s i m i l a r l y h o n o r e d . T h e m o s t t h a t c a n b e s a i d , t h e r e f o r e ,
is that these women kne w simply the first step of Free
Mas o n r y . *
I t w a s i n e v i t a b l e t h a t t h e o r d e r s h o u l d s u f f e r p e r s e c u t i o n
p a t t h e h a n d s o f d e g e n e r a t e s a n d t h o s e w h o w e r e i g n o r a n t o f
i t s r e a l s p i r i t . The most noted example of late years was
G a b r i e l J o g a n d - P a g e s , a F r e n c h m a n b o r n i n 1 8 5 4 . His p ub-
l i c a t i o n s a g a i n s t F r e e M a s o n r y w e r e g r o t e s q u e l y m o n s t r o u s ,
b u t f o r a t i m e g a i n e d m a n y b e l i e v e r s . T h e f a c t t h a t t h e y
w e r e d e n i e d b y s u c h d i s t i n g u i s h e d F r e e M a s o n s a s E m p e r o r
William I . , B i s m a r c k a n d t h e P r i n c e o f W a l e s a d d e d t o t h e
e x c i t e m e n t c a u s e d b y t h e b o o k , o f w h i c h h u n d r e d s o f t h o u -
*A venerable Free Mason once told me tha t many years ago, he met . a
v e r y o l d b r o t h e r w h o s a i d h e w a s p r e s e n t o n o n e o f t h e m e m o r a b l e o c c a s i o n s
when it is cla imed that a woman was made an Entered Apprentice Mason .
T h e o a t h w h i c h s h e w a s c o m p e l l e d t o t a k e , f a r f r o m b e i n g t h e l e g i t i m a t e o n e
o f t h a t d e g r e e , w a s s i m p l y a s o l e m n p l e d g e , u n d e r t h e m o s t f e a r f u l p e n a l t i e s ,
n e v e r t o r e v e a l a n y o f t h e s e c r e t s w h i c h s h e h a d d i s c o v e r e d . I c a n n o t h e l p
s u s p e c t i n g t h a t i n a l l t h e i n s t a n c e s o f t h e s e a l l e g e d i n i t i a t i o n s , a s i m i l a r c o u r s e
was followed, and that no woma n was ever made so much as a real Entered
Apprentice . D o u b t l e s s t h e a w f u l n e s s o f t h e o a t h a n d p e n a l t y h a d m u c h t o
d o i n k e e p i n g h e r l i p s s e a l e d r e g a r d i n g t h e l i t t l e s h e h a d l e a r n e d . No Fre e
M a s o n n e e d s t o b e r e m i n d e d t h a t i t i s s i m p l y i m p o s s i b l e f o r a n y wo m a n t o
become a member of our order .
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I n t r o d u c t i o n v i i
s a n d s o f c o p i e s w e r e s o l d . I n 1897 J o g a n d - P a g e s p u b l i c l y
c o n f e s s e d t h a t e v e r y t h i n g w r i t t e n b y h i m a g a i n s t t h e o r d e r
w a s a d e l i b e r a t e f a l s e h o o d .
T h e g r e a t e s t b l o w e v e r r e c e i v e d b y F r e e M a s o n r y i n t h i s
c o u n t r y w a s i n 1 8 2 6 , a n d i t d i d n o t r e c o v e r t h e r e f r o m f o r
t w e n t y y e a r s . T h e p a r t i c u l a r s o f t h i s a f f a i r a r e g i v e n i n
t h e s u c c e e d i n g p a g e s . F r o m t h a t t i m e , t h e o p p o s i t i o n t o
t h e o r d e r r a p i d l y d e c l i n e d , f i n a l l y t o - d i s a p p e a r a l t o g e t h e r .
To-day, with nearly a million of members in the United
S t a t e s , i t i s s t r o n g e r t h a n e v e r a n d s t e a d i l y g r o w i n g . Bisho p
H e n r y C . P o t t e r s a i d i n I 9 o I
" F r e e M a s o n r y , h o w e v e r , i s i n m y v i e w o f i t a g r e a t d e a l
m o r e t h a n a m u t u a l b e n e f i t a s s o c i a t i o n . I n o n e s e n s e , w i l d
and extravagant as the words may sound, it is the most
r e m a r k a b l e a n d a l t o g e t h e r u n i q u e i n s t i t u t i o n o n e a r t h . Wil l
y o u t e l l m e o f a n y o t h e r t h a t g i r d l e s t h e w o r l d w i t h i t s
f e l l o w s h i p a n d g a t h e r s a l l r a c e s a n d t h e m o s t a n c i e n t r e -
l i g i o n s , a s w e l l a s o u r o w n , i n t o i t s b r o t h e r h o o d ? W i l l y o u
t e l l m e o f a n y o t h e r t h a t i s a s o l d o r o l d e r ; m o r e b r i l l i a n t i n
i t s h i s t o r y ; m o r e h o n o r e d i n i t s c o n s t i t u e n c y ; m o r e p i c t u r -
e s q u e i n i t s t r a d i t i o n s ? T o - d a y i t l i e s i n t h e h a n d o f t h e
m o d e r n m a n l a r g e l y a n u n u s e d t o o l , c a p a b l e o f g r e a t a c h i e v e -
ments for God, for country, for mankind, but doing very
l i t t l e . F o r o n e , I b e l i e v e t h a t c i r c u m s t a n c e s m a y e a s i l y a r i s e
when the highest and most sacred of all freedoms being
threatened in this land, Free Masonry may be its most
p o w e r f u l d e f e n d e r , u n i f y i n g a l l m i n d s a n d c o m m a n d i n g o u r
b e s t c i t i z e n s h i p . "
L e t i t b e u n d e r s t o o d t h a t w e a r e n o t t r y i n g t o a p o l o g i z e
or make a ny plea f or Free Masonry . No member is p er-
m i t t e d t o a s k a n y o u t s i d e r t o j o i n t h e o r d e r a n d n o m a n c a n
b e a d m i t t e d i f i n a s e c r e t b a l l o t a s i n g l e v o t e a p p e a r s a g a i n s t
h i m . I n o r d e r t o s h o w t h e b e n e f i c e n t c h a r a c t e r o f t h e o r d e r ,
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v i i i I n t r o d u c t i o n
the following landmarks or uncha ngeable laws are quoted
f r o m t h e l i s t g i v e n b y D r . Mac ke y
" E v e r y c a n d i d a t e f o r i n i t i a t i o n m u s t b e a m a n , f r e e b o r n
a n d o f l a w f u l a g e ; h e m u s t b e l i e v e i n t h e e x i s t e n c e o f G o d
a s t h e G r e a t A r c h i t e c t o f t h e u n i v e r s e ; h e m u s t b e l i e v e i n a
r e s u r r e c t i o n t o a f u t u r e l i f e ; a b o o k o f t h e l a w o f G o d m u s t
c o n s t i t u t e a n i n d i s p e n s a b l e p a r t o f t h e f u r n i t u r e o f e v e r y
l o d g e ; a l l m e n i n t h e s i g h t o f G o d a r e e q u a l , a n d m e e t i n
t h e l o d g e o n o n e c o m m o n l e v e l . "
T h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f t h e o r d e r w a s s e t f o r t h b y C h a r l e s
W h i t l o c k M o o r e , o f M a s s a c h u s e t t s , i n 1 8 5 6 , a t t h e c e n t e n -
n i a l a n n i v e r s a r y o f S t . Andre w's Lodge, Bost on :
" A t t h e r e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e c r a f t a n d t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t
of the pre sent Grand Lodge of England, in 171 7, we laid
a s i d e o u r o p e r a t i v e c h a r a c t e r , a n d w i t h i t a l l p r e t e n s i o n s t o
e x t r a o r d i n a r y s k i l l i n a r c h i t e c t u r a l s c i e n c e . We then beca me
a p u r e l y m o r a l a n d b e n e v o l e n t a s s o c i a t i o n , w h o s e g r e a t a i m
i s t h e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d c u l t i v a t i o n o f t h e m o r a l s e n t i m e n t , t h e
s o c i a l p r i n c i p l e , a n d t h e b e n e v o l e n t a f f e c t i o n s , a h i g h e r r e v e r -
ence for God, and a warmer love for man . New l a w s a n d
r e g u l a t i o n s , a d a p t e d t o t h e c h a n g e d c o n d i t i o n o f t h e i n s t i t u -
t i o n , w e r e t h e n m a d e , a n e n t i r e r e v o l u t i o n i n i t s g o v e r n m e n t a l
p o l i c y t o o k p l a c e , o r d e r a n d s y s t e m o b t a i n e d w h e r e n e i t h e r
h a d p r e v i o u s l y e x i s t e d , a n d E n g l a n d b e c a m e t h e g r e a t c e n t r a l
point of Masonry for the whole world .
" F r o m t h i s s o u r c e h a v e l o d g e s , g r a n d a n d s u b o r d i n a t e , a t
v a r i o u s t i m e s b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d , a n d s t i l l e x i s t a n d f l o u r i s h i n
F r a n c e a n d S w i t z e r l a n d ; i n a l l t h e G e r m a n s t a t e s s a v e A u s -
t r i a ( a n d t h e r e a t d i f f e r e n t t i m e s a n d f o r s h o r t s e a s o n s ) ; a l l
up and down the classi c shores of the Rhine ; i n P r u s s i a ;
Holland, Belgium, Saxony, Han over, Sweden, Denmark,
R u s s i a a n d e v e n i n f a l l e n P o l a n d ; i n I t a l y a n d S p a i n ( u n d e r
c o v e r o f s e c r e c y ) ; i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f A s i a ; i n T u r k e y ; i n
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I n t r o d u c t i o n i x
S y r i a ( a s a t A l e p p o , w h e r e a n E n g l i s h l o d g e w a s e s t a b l i s h e d
m o r e t h a n a c e n t u r y a g o ) ; i n a l l t h e E a s t I n d i a s e t t l e m e n t s ,
in Bengal, Bombay, Madras (in all of which lo dges are
numerous) ; in China, where there is a Provincial Grand
M a s t e r a n d s e v e r a l l o d g e s ; i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f A f r i c a , a s a t
t h e C a p e o f G o o d H o p e a n d a t S i e r r a L e o n e ; o n t h e G a m b i a
a n d o n t h e N i l e ; i n a l l t h e l a r g e r i s l a n d s o f t h e P a c i f i c a n d
I n d i a n o c e a n s , a s a t C e y l o n , S u m a t r a , S t . H e l e n a , M a u r i t i u s ,
Mada gasca r ; t h e S a n d w i c h g r o u p ; i n a l l t h e p r i n c i p a l s e t t l e -
m e n t s o f A u s t r a l i a , a s a t A d e l a i d e , M e l b o u r n e , P a r r a m a t t a ,
Sidne y, New Zealand ; i n G r e e c e , w h e r e t h e r e i s a g r a n d
l o d g e ; i n A l g e r i a , i n T u n i s , i n t h e e m p i r e o f M o r o c c o , a n d
w h e r e v e r e l s e i n t h e O l d W o r l d t h e g e n i u s o f c i v i l i z a t i o n h a s
o b t a i n e d a s t a n d p o i n t , o r C h r i s t i a n i t y h a s e r e c t e d t h e b a n n e r
o f t h e C r o s s .
" I n a l l t h e W e s t I n d i a I s l a n d s a n d i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f
Sou t h Am e r i c a , a s i n Pe r u , V e n e zu e l a , New G r a n a d a ,
G u i a n a , B r a z i l , C h i l e , e t c . , M a s o n r y i s p r o s p e r i n g a s n e v e r
b e f o r e . . . . I n M e x i c o , e v e n , r e s p e c t a b l e l o d g e s a r e m a i n -
t a i n e d , d e s p i t e t h e o p p o s i t i o n o f a b i g o t e d p r i e s t h o o d ; a n d
in all Britis h America, f rom Newfoundland, t hrough Nova
Scotia and the Can adas to the icy regions of t he North,
Masoni c lodges and Masonic brethren m ay be found, `t o
f e e d t h e h u n g r y , c l o t h e t h e n a k e d a n d b i n d u p t h e w o u n d s
o f t h e a f f l i c t e d . ' "
Ancien t Free Masonr y consis ts of the thre e degrees-
E n t e r e d A p p r e n t i c e , F e l l o w C r a f t a n d M a s t e r M a s o n . Upon
t h e s e a r e b a s e d t h e Y o r k r i t e a n d t h e S c o t t i s h r i t e . T h e
f o r m e r t a k e s i t s n a m e f r o m t h e c i t y o f Y o r k , i n t h e n o r t h
o f E n g l a n d , w h e r e t h e a n n u a l a n d g e n e r a l a s s e m b l i e s o f t h e
c r a f t w e r e r e - e s t a b l i s h e d i n A .D . 926 . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e
s y m b o l i c d e g r e e s , i t i n c l u d e s C a p i t u l a r , C r y pt i c a n d C h i v a l r i c
g r a d e s , c o n f e r r e d i n b o d i e s k n o w n r e s p e c t i v e l y a s t h e C h a p -
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x I n t r o d u c t i o n
ter, Council and Commandery . The Chapter has four de-
gree s-Mark Mast er, Pa st Mast er, Most Excel len t Mast er
and the Royal Arch, together with an honorary order of
h i g h p r i e s t h o o d . T h e C o u n c i l h a s t w o d e g r e e s - Ro y a l
Mast er an d Select Mast er . T h e C o m m a n d e r y h a s t h r e e
o r d e r s -Kn ig h t o f t h e Red C r o s s , Kn ig h t T e m p l a r a n d
Knight o f Malt a .
F r e e M a s o n r y h a s b e e n t a r d y i n a d m i t t i n g t h e A f r i c a n r a c e
t o r e c o g n i t i o n . The first negroes made Free Masons were
P r i n c e H a l l a n d f o u r t e e n c o l o r e d c i t i z e n s o f B o s t o n . T h e
t r a v e l l i n g l o d g e o f a B r i t i s h r e g i m e n t i n 1775 c o n f e r r e d t h e
symbolic degrees upon them . En g l a n d g r a n t e d t h e m a
c h a r t e r i n 1 7 8 7, a n d t h e f i r s t M a s o n i c l o d g e , w i t h P r i n c e H a l l
a s M a s t e r , w a s i n s t i t u t e d . I n 1 7 9 7 a s e c o n d n e g r o l o d g e w a s
e s t a b l i s h e d i n P h i l a d e l p h i a a n d a t h i r d s o o n a f t e r i n P r o v i -
d e n c e . T h e s e t h r e e l o d g e s u n i t e d i n f o r m i n g a g r a n d l o d g e
i n 1 8 o 8 , w h i c h i n 1 8 2 7 d e c l a r e d i t s e l f i n d e p e n d e n t o f E n g -
l a n d . Our colored grand lodges now number over thirty .
T h e l e g a l i t y o f t h e s e M a s o n s i s i n d i s p u t a b l e , b u t a s m u c h
can hard ly be said o f the ne gro Royal Arch Masons, Co m-
m a n d e r y a n d S c o t t i s h r i t e . L i b e r i a , o n t h e w e s t c o a s t o f
A f r i c a , h a s h a d a l e g i t i m a t e g r a n d l o d g e f o r s i x t y y e a r s . I n
s o m e p a r t s o f G e r m a n y J e w s a r e n o t a d m i t t e d a s c a n d i d a t e s ,
n o r a r e t h e y r e c o g n i z e d a s s u c h i n d i v i d u a l l y . T h e s e i s o l a t e d
i n s t a n c e s o f r a c e p r e j u d i c e m u s t d i s a p p e a r w i t h t h e p r o g r e s s
o f e n l i g h t e n m e n t a n d r e a l b r o t h e r h o o d .
I t h a s s e e m e d t o m e a n d m a n y o f t h e b r e t h r e n t h a t a c o l -
l e c t i o n o f i n c i d e n t s i l l u s t r a t i v e o f t h e t r u e n a t u r e o f F r e e
M a s o n r y w i l l b e i n t e r e s t i n g a n d i n s t r u c t i v e . I f i n d t h e s e
i n c i d e n t s s o n u m e r o u s t h a t a s e l e c t i o n i s d i f f i c u l t . I have
been careful to give only tho se that in my judgment are
a u t h e n t i c . Truth compels me to admit, however, that the
p r i n c i p a l s k e t c h w h i c h f o l l o w s , a l t h o u g h f o u n d e d u p o n f a c t
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I n t r o d u c t i o n x i
( I w a s p r e s e n t i n t h e l o d g e w h e n J a r e d J . J e n n i n g s m a d e h i s
e n t r a n c e a s d e s c r i b e d , a n d h e t o l d m e h e w a s m a d e a M a s o n
among the Chippewa Indians), contains some imaginative
t o u c h e s , w h i c h I a m s u r e w i l l n o t b e f o u n d i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h
t h e r e a l s p i r i t o f F r e e M a s o n r y . E. S . E .
UPPER MONTCLAIR, N. J ., 1907 .
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a n d B r i t i s h A m e r i c a . 210
CONTENTSI . Low Twel ve 1 7
( ( ( (I I . 2 9
( ( ( (I I I . 40
( ( ( (I V .
5 0( ( ( (V 6 2 -
f ( ( (
V I .7 3
VII . A f t e r T e n Y e a r s . 8 6
V I I I . C a m p i n g o n H i s T r a i l , 1 04
I X . A T y p i c a l L o d g e1 9X. T r i e d b y F i r e ,1 3 3
XI . A L i v e l y T i m e4 8
XI I . The Man Who Saved President Diaz 1 6 7
XIII . On th e Summ it of t he Rock y Moun tai ns-
F i r s t M a s o n i c L o d g e H e l d i n M o n t a n a 1 7 6XIV True t o His Oath-A Legend of the New
J e r s e y C o a s t8 0XV A S o l d i e r o f F o r t u n e9oXV I . T h e A b d u c t i o n o f W i l l i a m M o r g a n . . 196
XVI I . M a s o n i c G r a n d L o d g e s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS" T h e f i r s t m o t i o n y o u m a k e t o d o t h a t , I ' l l s h o o t y o u
d e a d ! "r o n t i s p i e c e
" D o n ' t t r u s t a n y o f y o u r I n d i a n s c o u t s " .•
27
" I t w a s G e r o n i m o h i m s e l f "1" I t w a s a n i g h t o f t r a g e d y "9" I s h o u l d l i k e t o k n o w w h a t t h a t m e a n s 1 " .
•99
T h e P r e s i d e n t ' s R e b u k e21B e n M c C u l l o c h , t h e T e x a n R a n g e r , a n d B i s h o p J a n e s ,
o f t h e M . E . C h u r c h
" Y a n k , d o y o u s e e t h a t p i e c e o f w o o d s ? " .
I n d i r e e x t r e m i t y
A b a d f i x f o r P r e s i d e n t D i a z . .
" Y o u m u s t n o t t r y t o g o h o m e t o - n i g h t " .
T h e T r a i t o r .
. 139
. . 1 4 5
1 5 5
171
183
2 0 7 ,
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LOW TWELVEI
JS H A L L n e v e r f o r g e t t h e v i s i t o r t h a t w e h a d a t o u r l o d g e
o n e e v e n i n g i n t h e e a r l y w i n t e r o f 1 8 8 5 . I s h o u l d s t a t e
that my name is Alfred B . C h i c h e s t e r , t h a t a t t h a t t i m e I
w a s a l i e u t e n a n t o f c a v a l r y , s t a t i o n e d i n t h e S o u t h w e s t , a n d
a f t e r t w o y e a r s ' a r d u o u s s e r v i c e w a s v i s i t i n g m y h o m e i n t h e
E a s t o n f u r l o u g h . H a v i n g b e e n a M a s o n o n l y a b r i e f w h i l e ,
I n e v e r f a i l e d t o a t t e n d t h e r e g u l a r a n d g e n e r a l l y t h e s p e c i a l
m e e t i n g s o f t h e l o d g e . S o m e t i m e s w e b e c o m e n e g l e c t f u l a s
w e g r o w o l d e r i n t h e o r d e r , b u t t h e f l u s h o f a n e w a n d b e a u t i -
f u l e x p e r i e n c e g a v e a p e c u l i a r z e s t t o t h e v i s i t s o n m y p a r t .
W e w e r e o n t h e t h i r d d e g r e e w h e n a c a r d w a s s e n t i n b y
t h e t y l e r a n n o u n c i n g t h a t J a r e d J . J e n n i n g s , c l a i m i n g t o b e
a M a s t e r M a s o n , a s k e d f o r a s e a t a m o n g h i s b r e t h r e n . Per -
h a p s I w a s m o r e a l e r t t h a n t h e o t h e r s , f o r i n l i s t e n i n g t o t h e
a n n o u n c e m e n t I n o t i c e d t h a t t h e o f f i c e r d i d n o t n a m e t h e
l o d g e f r o m w h i c h t h e s t r a n g e r h a i l e d . The Master fa iled
t o o b s e r v e t h e o m i s s i o n , a n d a p p o i n t e d t h e u s u a l c o m m i t t e e
t o g o o u t s i d e a n d e x a m i n e t h e a p p l i c a n t . I was not a member
o f t h e c o m m i t t e e w h i c h r e t u r n e d s o m e t i m e l a t e r w i t h t h e
i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t t h e y h a d e x a m i n e d t h e b r o t h e r a n d f o u n d
him t o be a bright Mason . A g a i n , w h i l e g i v i n g h i s n a m e ,
t h e y o m i t t e d t h a t o f h i s l o d g e . The Maste r orde red hi s
a d m i s s i o n , a n d a m i n u t e a f t e r w a r d h e e n t e r e d .
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1 8 Lo w T w e l v e
E v e r y o n e i n t h e l o d g e w a s s t r u c k b y h i s a p p e a r a n c e . I
remember the thought at once occurred to me that he was
t h e p i c t u r e o f W i l l i a m P e n n , t h e Q u a k e r f o u n d e r o f P h i l a -
d e l p h i a , a n d P r o p r i e t o r o f t h e S t a t e n a m e d i n h i s h o n o r .
H e w a s d r e s s e d i n t h e a t t i r e o f t h e F r i e n d s , h a d a h a n d s o m e ,
s m o o t h l y s h a v e n f a c e , w i t h l o n g a u b u r n h a i r c u r l i n g a b o u t
h i s s h o u l d e r s , a n d w a s s l i g h t l y i n c l i n e d t o c o r p u l e n c y . H i s
y e l l o w w a i s t c o a t w i t h i t s f l a p p i n g p o c k e t s d e s c e n d e d l o w i n
f r o n t , h i s b r o w n c o a t h a d s i m i l a r h u g e f l a p s , b u t t h e t r o u s e r s
w e r e o f m o d e r n c u t . U n l i k e F a t h e r P e n n , h o w e v e r , h e w o r e
a massive gold chain , to which a handsome Masonic med al
w a s p e n d e n t , a n d a f i n e d i a m o n d s p a r k l e d o n h i s r u f f l e d s h i r t
f r o n t . Evidently he was a man of com fortable means .
H i s b e h a v i o r a f t e r e n t e r i n g t h e l o d g e w a s a s r e m a r k a b l e
a s h i s a p p e a r a n c e . When facing the East he did not once
l o o k u p , b u t s t o o d w i t h h i s e y e s f i x e d o n t h e f l o o r a t h i s f e e t .
T h e n h e b e g a n w a l k i n g s l o w l y f o r w a r d , s t i l l g a z i n g d o w n -
ward . Every one c uriously watched him, wondering what
he meant .
S u d d e n l y , w h e n h e h a d r e a c h e d a c e r t a i n p o i n t , h e s t o p p e d
w i t h a n e x p r e s s i o n a s o f f e a r o n h i s f a c e , t h r e w u p h i s h a n d s ,
a n d l e a p e d b a c k w a r d a c o u p l e o f p a c e s , f o r a l l t h e w o r l d
l i k e a p e r s o n w h o h e a r s t h e w a r n i n g w h i r r o f a r a t t l e s n a k e
i n t h e p a t h i n f r o n t o f h i m . B u t i t w a s o b s e r v a b l e t h a t i n
making this singular movement, he did precisely what he
s h o u l d h a v e d o n e w i t h h i s h a n d s . H e w a s " a l l r i g h t . "
The Master invit ed him to a seat among the brethr en,
a n d c o u r t e o u s l y t h a n k i n g h i m w i t h a n i n c l i n a t i o n o f t h e h e a d ,
B r o t h e r J e n n i n g s l o o k e d a r o u n d , a n d s e e i n g a v a c a n t p l a c e
at my side bowed to me with a pleasing smile and sat
d o w n .
T h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g a t t r a c t i v e t o m e i n a l l t h i s , a s w e l l
as in the singular appearance of the man, and I reached
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Lo w T w e l v e 1 9
o u t m y h a n d . He shook it warmly, crossed his shapely
l e g s , f o l d e d h i s a r m s a n d f i x e d h i s a t t e n t i o n u p o n t h e M a s t e r .
S o m e t i m e l a t e r , t h e l o d g e w a s c a l l e d t o r e f r e s h m e n t a n d
o f f i c e r s a n d b r e t h r e n m i n g l e d o n t h e f l o o r . I may add at
this point fo r the benefit of those who are not Masons,
t h a t " r e f r e s h m e n t " i n a l o d g e m e a n s a t i m e w h e n a l l b u s i -
ness is suspended, generally while candidates are being
p r e p a r e d i n t h e a n t e r o o m f o r s o m e d e g r e e . I t c o r r e s p o n d s
t o r e c e s s i n s c h o o l , a n d d o e s n o t i m p l y t h a t a n y t h i n g i n t h e
n a t u r e o f f e a s t i n g o r e a t i n g i s g o i n g o n .
T h e o c c a s i o n g a v e a c h a n c e f o r t h e M a s t e r , w a r d e n s a n d
s u c h b r o t h e r s a s c h o s e t o g a t h e r a r o u n d t h e s t r a n g e r a n d
c h a t w i t h h i m . I w a s i n t h e l i t t l e k n o t . The Mast er was
t h e f i r s t t o s p e a k .
" B r o t h e r J e n n i n g s , w h a t l o d g e d o y o u h a i l f r o m ? "
H e s m i l e d s i g n i f i c a n t l y .
" D o n ' t f e e l a p p r e h e n s i v e w h e n I t e l l y o u t h a t m y l o d g e
h a s n e i t h e r n a m e n o r n u m b e r , n o r i s i t u n d e r t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n
o f a n y g r a n d l o d g e . "
W e a l l l o o k e d a s t o n i s h e d a n d s c a r e d . M o r e t h a n o n e s u s -
p e c t e d t h a t a f a l s e M a s o n h a d m a n a g e d t o o b t a i n a d m i s s i o n .
T h e M a s t e r s a i d r a t h e r s t e r n l y :
" B e g o o d e n o u g h t o e x p l a i n . "
"I was made a Mason among th e Chippewa Indians ; y o u r
c o m m i t t e e k n o w s w h e t h e r i t w a s r e a l o r n o t . "
"There can be no question about t h a t , " promptly spoke
o n e o f t h e c o m m i t t e e .
" I h a v e v i s i t e d f u l l y a s c o r e o f l o d g e s i n t h e W e s t a n d
E a s t a n d h a v e n e v e r f a i l e d o f a d m i s s i o n w h e r e v e r I a p p l i e d . "
"It is news to me that th ere are Masons amon g the In-
d i a n s , " r e m a r k e d t h e M a s t e r , v o i c i n g t h e s e n t i m e n t s o f t h e
r e s t o f u s .
"Why, my dear brother, there are hundreds of them . I
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20 Lo w T w e l v e
c o u l d r e l a t e i n c i d e n t s t h a t w o u l d a m a z e y o u , i n w h i c h t h e
l i v e s o f w h i t e m e n h a v e b e e n s p a r e d t h r o u g h t h e f a c t t h a t
t h e I n d i a n s l e a r n e d t h e y w e r e F r e e M a s o n s . "
"Are Masons to be found am ong all the tribes?"
"By no means ; o n l y a m o n g t h e m o s t a d v a n c e d , s u c h a s i n
I n d i a n T e r r i t o r y . I h a v e m a d e t h e s i g n s w i t h o u t b e i n g r e c o g -
n i z e d i n s c o r e s o f i n s t a n c e s , a n d t h e n a g a i n , w h e n I h a d l i t t l e
hope of anything of the kind, help was given me . T h e r e
w e r e m a n y s u c h i n s t a n c e s d u r i n g t h e S i o u x o u t b r e a k i n M i n n e -
s o t a , i n 1 8 6 2 . I know of an American o f f i c e r who passed
e n t i r e l y t h r o u g h t h e l i n e o f h o s t i l e s a r m e d w i t h a M a s o n i c
p a s s g i v e n h i m b y o n e o f t h e c h i e f s , w h o k n e w o f h i s b e i n g
a m e m b e r o f t h e s a m e o r d e r w i t h h i m s e l f . "
"Do you have lodge buildings among the Chippe was?"
a s k e d t h e M a s t e r ."No ; w e a l w a y s m e e t o n t h e s u m m i t o f a h i g h h i l l , w i t h
r o w s o f s e n t i n e l s , c o r r e s p o n d i n g t o o u r t h r e e d e g r e e s . I t
h a p p e n s n o w a n d t h e n t h a t a c u r i o u s w a r r i o r t r i e s t o r e a c h t h e
l o d g e . He may succ eed in pass ing the Entered Apprentice
l i n e , b u t i s s u r e t o b e d i s c o v e r e d b y t h e F e l l o w C r a f t s e n -
t i n e l s . A n d , " a d d e d B r o t h e r J e n n i n g s , w i t h a s i g n i f i c a n t
s m i l e , " h e n e v e r m a k e s a s e c o n d a t t e m p t t o t r e a d o n f o r -
bidden ground . "
"W h y n o t ?"
" F o r t h e r e a s o n t h a t h e i s i n v a r i a b l y p u t t o d e a t h . I hav e
s e e n i t d o n e . "
T h e s a m e t h o u g h t w a s i n t h e m i n d s o f u s a l l ; t h i s b r o t h e r
h a d p r o b a b l y a s s i s t e d i n t h e e x e q u i e s o f s u c h a n i n t r u d e r .
" H o w i s i t w i t h t h e A p a c h e s ? " I i n q u i r e d .
O u r v i s i t o r s h o o k h i s h e a d .
" I d o n ' t t h i n k y o u w i l l f i n d a n y M a s o n s t h e r e . Are yo u
s p e c i a l l y i n t e r e s t e d i n t h a t t r i b e , t h e m o s t t e r r i b l e i n o u r
c o u n t r y ? "
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Lo w T w e l v e 21
" I e x p e c t s o o n t o r e t u r n t o m y p o s t i n t h e S o u t h w e s t a n d
t o h e l p i n f o r c i n g G e r o n i m o a n d s o m e o f t h e o t h e r s i n t o s u b -
j e c t i o n , a n d t o m a k e t h e m g o o d I n d i a n s . "
" I ' m a f r a i d y o u w i l l h a v e t o u s e G e n e r a l S h e r i d a n ' s p l a n ,
w h e n h e d e c l a r e d t h a t t h e o n l y g o o d I n d i a n i s a d e a d o n e .
N o , m y b r o t h e r , i f y o u e v e r g e t i n t o h o t q u a r t e r s i n t h e
S o u t h w e s t , d o n ' t c o u n t o n a n y h e l p f r o m t h e o r d e r . "
A f t e r f u r t h e r c h a t t h e l o d g e w a s c a l l e d t o l a b o r . T h e
v i s i t o r r e m a i n e d t h r o u g h t h e r a i s i n g o f a f e l l o w c r a f t t o
t h e m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e . H e a n d I t a l k e d a s w e g a i n e d c h a n c e ,
and when the lodge broke up he invited me t o call upon
h i m a t t h e T r e m o n t H o t e l . I p r e s e n t e d m y s e l f o n t h e f o l l o w -
i n g e v e n i n g . He received me in his handsome apartments,
a n d c o n f i r m e d m y b e l i e f t h a t h e w a s i n g o o d c i r c u m s t a n c e s .
H e h a d e v e r y c o n v e n i e n c e a n d l u x u r y a t t h e c o m m a n d o f t h e
h o t e l , s m o k e d t h e f i n e s t c i g a r s a n d i n v i t e d m e t o d r i n k w i n e ,
t h o u g h h e d i d n o t i n d u l g e h i m s e l f . When I declined, he
a d d e d :
" I a m g l a d t o s e e i t ; i n t o x i c a n t s a r e a n u n m i x e d e v i l . I
w a s o n c e a h a r d d r i n k e r , b u t f o r t e n y e a r s h a v e n o t t a s t e d a
d r o p , a n d s h a l l n e v e r d o s o , u n l e s s i t b e i n d i r e n e c e s s i t y a n d
t o s a v e m y l i f e . "
N a t u r a l l y I w a s f u l l o f c u r i o s i t y c o n c e r n i n g t h i s r e m a r k -
a b l e m a n , b u t d i d n o t f e e l f r e e t o q u e s t i o n h i m . H e m u s t
h a v e k n o w n o f m y f e e l i n g , f o r i n t h e c o u r s e o f c o n v e r s a t i o n
h e t o l d m e c o n s i d e r a b l e a b o u t h i m s e l f .
" I h a v e a n I n d i a n n a m e , " s a i d h e , " w h i c h w a s g i v e n m e
b y t h e C h i p p e w a s . I t i s ` E l - t i n - w a , ' a n d m e a n s ` p a l e b r o t h e r . '
Of course, I never use it among my own people, though I
w a s s t r o n g l y t e m p t e d t o s e n d i t i n l a s t n i g h t t o t h e l o d g e ,
i n s t e a d o f t h a t w h i c h I r e c e i v e d f r o m m y p a r e n t s . "
" Y o u h a v e s p e n t a g o o d d e a l o f t i m e a m o n g t h e I n d i a n s ? "
"Yes ; I r a n a w a y f r o m h o m e w h e n I w a s a l a d . I had no
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22 Lo w T w e l v e
i n t e n t i o n o f s t a y i n g a m o n g t h e r e d m e n , b u t w h e n o u r p a r t y
o f e m i g r a n t s w e r e c r o s s i n g t h e p l a i n s , w e w e r e a t t a c k e d o n e
d a r k n i g h t b y a l a r g e b a n d a n d e v e r y o n e m a s s a c r e d e x c e p t
myself . "
"How was it you escaped?"
"I don't know . I was wounded, and I suppose they
t h o u g h t m e d e a d w h e n I w a s f o u n d s t r e t c h e d s e n s e l e s s u n d e r
o n e o f t h e w a g o n s . A c h i e f t o o k a f a n c y t o m e a n d c a r r i e d
me away on his horse with him to his h ome, where I was
n u r s e d b a c k t o h e a l t h a n d s t r e n g t h . He was not a Chippewa,
f o r t h a t t r i b e l i v e s f a r t h e r t o t h e n o r t h , b u t h i s p e o p l e h a d
friendly relations with the Chippewas, and he turned me
o v e r t o t h e m . M y r e s o l v e w a s t o e s c a p e o n t h e f i r s t o p p o r -
t u n i t y , b u t t h a t w a s s o l o n g c o m i n g t h a t I g r e w t o l i k e m y
n e w p e o p l e a n d f i n a l l y s e t t l e d a m o n g t h e m . I became a good
h u n t e r , a n d p l e a s e d t h e m s o w e l l i n s e v e r a l w a r l i k e e x c u r s i o n s
a g a i n s t t h e S i o u x a n d o t h e r t r i b e s , t h a t t h e y m a d e m e a c h i e f
and christened me, as I have told you, with the name of
' E l - t i n - w a .' Soon after reaching my majority, I marrie d
t h e d a u g h t e r o f a n o t h e r c h i e f , a n d t w o c h i l d r e n , a b o y a n d a
g i r l , w e r e b o r n t o u s . "
" T h e n y o u w i l l r e t u r n t o t h e C h i p p e w a s ? "
H e m o u r n f u l l y s h o o k h i s h e a d .
"Nev e r ; w i f e a n d b o t h c h i l d r e n a r e d e a d ; t h e t i e s t h a t
bound me to them are broken forever . I f e e l n o y e a r n i n g
to live with them again, though the whole tribe are my
f r i e n d s . Being free to do as I chose, I came e astward,
e x p e c t i n g t o s p e n d t h e r e s t o f m y d a y s a m o n g m y o w n p e o p l e .
The years with the Chippewas, however, had wrought a
c h a n g e i n m y n a t u r e ; I s o o n t i r e d o f t h e r e s t r a i n t s o f c i v i l i z e d
l i f e . T h e o n l y r e l a t i v e s I h a d l e f t w e r e m y a g e d f a t h e r a n d a
s i s t e r . W i t h o u t t e l l i n g t h e m m y p u r p o s e , f o r I k n e w h o w i t
w o u l d s a d d e n t h e m , I q u i e t l y l e f t h o m e a n d a g a i n w e n t w e s t -
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Lo w T w e l v e 23
w a r d . I spent some tim e among the Chippewas, but could
n o t s t a n d i t , a n d b e g a n a w a n d e r i n g l i f e w h i c h t o o k m e a m o n g
t h e S i o u x , t h e B l a c k f e e t a n d m a n y o f t h e t r i b e s f a r t h e r s o u t h .
I t w a s a n o t h e r i m p u l s e o f m y r e s t l e s s s t a t e o f m i n d t h a t
b r o u g h t m e e a s t w a r d a g a i n t o t h i s c i t y , w h e r e I h a d l e f t m y
f a t h e r a n d s i s t e r . A woeful disappo intment a waited me . "
I s y m p a t h e t i c a l l y i n q u i r e d a s t o w h a t h e r e f e r r e d .
" I w a s p r e p a r e d t o h e a r o f t h e d e a t h o f m y f a t h e r , f o r h e
w a s a n o l d m a n w h e n I l e f t h i m y e a r s b e f o r e , b u t i t n e v e r
entered my mind that my siste r could be dead . She was
b u r i e d t h r e e y e a r s a g o . "
" S u r e l y y o u h a v e d r u n k d e e p f r o m s o r r o w ' s c u p , " I s a i d ,
a s I n o t e d t h e m o i s t u r e i n h i s e y e a n d t h e s i g h t h a t f o l l o w e d
h i s w o r d s .
"Yes ; s o r r o w i s t h e l o t o f m a n . I h a v e n ' t a l i v i n g r e l a t i v e
i n t h e w i d e w o r l d ; my father and my sister died in good
c i r c u m s t a n c e s , s o t h a t I h a v e e n o u g h t o k e e p m e i n c o m f o r t
t h e r e s t o f m y d a y s , b u t I a m l i k e a s h i p a t s e a w i t h o u t a
rudder . "
I c o u l d t h i n k o f l i t t l e t o c o m f o r t h i m . The most that
I could do was to suggest that the best remedy in th is
world for grief is work . T h e m a n w h o k e e p s h i s b r a i n
and hands actively employed has no time for brooding
sorrow .
" T h e r e c a n b e n o q u e s t i o n o f t h e t r u t h o f t h a t , a n d I h a v e
t h o u g h t h a r d o v e r i t , b u t a m u n a b l e t o f i x u p o n a n y b u s i n e s s
t o w a r d w h i c h I d o n o t f e e l a d i s t a s t e . It would have been
f a r b e t t e r f o r m e i f m y r e l a t i v e s h a d n o t l e f t m e a p e n n y ,
t h o u g h t h e d i s c o v e r y o f a g o l d m i n e i n t h e S o u t h w e s t h a d
m a d e m e r i c h b e f o r e I c a m e E a s t t h e l a s t t i m e . "
I m a d e a w i l d v e n t u r e .
" W h y n o t g o w e s t w a r d w i t h m e a n d e n l i s t a s a s c o u t i n o u r
army? Your knowledge of the country and of Indian ways
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24 Lo w T w e l v e
w o u l d b e o f v a s t h e l p , f o r w e h a v e a b i g j o b o n o u r h a n d s
i n t h e s u b j u g a t i o n o f t h e A p a c h e s . "
I w o u l d h a v e g i v e n m u c h t o k n o w h o w t h i s s t r a n g e p r o -
posal impressed him . H e w a s s i t t i n g b e s i d e t h e t a b l e i n
t h e m i d d l e o f t h e r o o m , h i s l e g s c r o s s e d , a s w a s h i s c u s t o m ,
a n d w i t h o n e e l b o w r e s t i n g o n t h e s u p p o r t . He flung away
t h e r e m n a n t o f a c i g a r , t o o k a n o t h e r f r o m t h e g o b l e t w h i c h
h e l d s e v e r a l , a n d l i t i t w i t h a m a t c h f r o m a s i l v e r c a s e w h i c h
h e c a r r i e d , i n s t e a d o f u s i n g t h o s e i n t h e s m a l l b o x b e s i d e t h e
c i g a r s . H e p u f f e d f o r a m i n u t e o r t w o , w i t h h i s e y e s f i x e d
n o t u p o n m e , b u t u p o n t h e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e c e i l i n g o n t h e
o p p o s i t e s i d e o f t h e r o o m . He continued smoking, while
I silently waited for him to speak . Instead of doing
so he slowly shook his head . He declin ed my p r o p o s a l
f o r r e a s o n s w h i c h h e d i d n o t c h o o s e t o g i v e . He abruptly
asked
"When do you return to your post?"
" I m u s t l e a v e n e x t w e e k , a l l o w i n g m y s e l f s i x o r e i g h t d a y s
t o r e a c h A r i z o n a . "
" I u n d e r s t o o d y o u t o s a y y o u h a v e t a k e n p a r t i n t h e c a m -
p a i g n i n t h e S o u t h w e s t . "
"I have spent two years in that section and found it
t h e h a r d e s t k i n d o f w o r k . "
"Then you know somethi ng of the Apaches?"
" I h a v e a s u s p i c i o n t h a t I d o . "
" T h e y a r e t h e m o s t t e r r i b l e t r i b e i n t h e c o u n t r y . I h a v e
t r a v e l l e d a m o n g t h e m f o r w e e k s a t a t i m e . They hav e been
u n j u s t l y u s e d b y o u r p e o p l e , b u t t h a t i s t h e f a c t w i t h a l l
I n d i a n s w i t h w h o m w e h a v e h a d t r o u b l e . B a c k o f e v e r y o u t -
b r e a k a n d m a s s a c r e a r e b r o k e n t r e a t i e s , s c o u n d r e l l y a g e n t s
and the lack of honor by our Government . There was no
t r o u b l e w i t h t h e W a r m S p r i n g I n d i a n s u n t i l 1 8 7 2 , w h e n t h e
Interior Department was persuaded into ordering them to
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Lo w T w e l v e 2 5
l e a v e t h e i r f e r t i l e g r o u n d s i n W a r m S p r i n g V a l l e y , w h e r e
t h e y w e r e c o n t e n t a n d h a p p y . T h e y w e r e f o r c i b l y s h i f t e d t o
t h e s t e r i l e r e g i o n a r o u n d F o r t T u l a r o s a . G e n e r a l H o w a r d
p r o t e s t e d , a n d h a d t h e m s e n t b a c k t o t h e i r o l d h o m e s . But
t h e c o v e t o u s w h i t e v i l l a i n s w o u l d n o t l e t t h e m a l o n e , a n d a
s t i l l g r e a t e r m i s t a k e w a s m a d e w h e n t h e y w e r e s e n t t o t h e
S a n C a r l o s R e s e r v a t i o n , f o r n o t o n l y w a s t h e w a t e r b r a c k i s h
a n d t h e s o i l w o r t h l e s s , b u t i t w a s t h e h o m e o f a t h o u s a n d
C h i r i c a h u a A p a c h e s , w h o w e r e t h e i m p l a c a b l e e n e m i e s o f t h e
W a r m S p r i n g b a n d , w h i c h h a r d l y n u m b e r e d t h r e e - f o u r t h s a s
m a n y . "
" G e r o n i m o i s t h e l e a d e r o f t h e W a r m S p r i n g I n d i a n s ? "
"Yes ; y o u w i l l h a v e a f r i g h t f u l t i m e b e f o r e y o u s u b d u e
h i m a n d p u t h i m w h e r e h e c a n d o n o f u r t h e r h a r m . I knew
h i s f a t h e r , M a n g u s , o n e o f t h e m o s t f i e n d i s h w r e t c h e s t h a t e v e r
l i v e d . He had no grievance against the white man, but
m a s s a c r e d t h r o u g h s h e e r l o v e o f d e v i l t r y . H e d i e d w i t h h i s
b o o t s o r m o c c a s i n s o n , a n d l e f t h i s s o n w e l l t r a i n e d i n t h e
w a y s o f t h e m e r c i l e s s p a r e n t . "
Noting how well my friend was info rmed regarding the
A p a c h e s , I a s k e d h i m s e v e r a l q u e s t i o n s w h i c h h a d p u z z l e d
u s o f f i c e r s i n t h e S o u t h w e s t .
" O n e o f t h e n a t i v e s t h a t w e h a v e e n l i s t e d a g a i n s t G e r o -
nimo is another chief named Chato . D o y o u k n o w h i m ? "
" V e r y w e l l ; h e i s a c o u s i n o f G e r o n i m o , a n d t h e t w o p r o -
f e s s t o b e i n v e t e r a t e e n e m i e s . C h a t o w a s t h e m i s c r e a n t w h o
murdere d the famil y of judge McComas at on e of the Gila
c r o s s i n g s ; then he turned good Indian and has given you
much help . "
" G e n e r a l M i l e s o n c e s a i d t o m e t h a t h e n e v e r d a r e d f u l l y
t o t r u s t C h a t o , t h o u g h h e h a s n o t b e e n a b l e t o b r i n g h o m e
a n y t r e a c h e r o u s a c t t o h i m . What do you think?"
Again my friend smoke d his cigar for a minute without
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26 Lo w T w e l v e
s p e a k i n g , w h i l e h e g a z e d t h o u g h t f u l l y a t t h e o p p o s i t e s i d e o f
the room .
" I h a r d l y k n o w h o w t o a n s w e r y o u r q u e s t i o n . There are
m i g h t y f e w I n d i a n s t h a t c a n b e t r u s t e d . I have met a few
n o b l e c h a r a c t e r s , b u t I c a n ' t n a m e a n A p a c h e w h o i s f i r e -
proof . I m a y b e d o i n g C h a t o i n j u s t i c e , b u t i t s e e m s t o m e
i m p o s s i b l e f o r a n I n d i a n w h o h a s b e e n a s d e v i l i s h a s h e t o
become thoroughly changed . Nothing excep t a conv ersion
t o C h r i s t i a n i t y w i l l d o t h a t . Y o u m u s t n ' t b e s u r p r i s e d i f
s o m e d a y y o u d i s c o v e r t h a t t h e r e i s a p e r f e c t u n d e r s t a n d i n g
between Geronimo and Chato, and th e Warm Spring leader
r e c e i v e s t h r o u g h s o m e m e a n s t i m e l y w a r n i n g o f a l l y o u r c a m -
p a i g n s a g a i n s t h i m . "
This statement made me uneasy . I t w a s n o t t h e f i r s t
t i m e I h a d h e a r d i t ; i t w a s s h a r e d b y m o r e t h a n o n e o f o u r
o f f i c e r s , a n d , a s I h a v e s a i d , t h a t s a g a c i o u s l e a d e r , G e n e r a l
M i l e s , w a s n o t f r e e f r o m d i s t r u s t . I r e c a l l e d t h a t I h a d b e e n
on several scouting expeditions with Chato when, had he
c h o s e n t o p l a y m e a n d m y f r i e n d s f a l s e , n o t o n e o f u s w o u l d
h a v e e s c a p e d a l i v e . I w e a k l y d i s s e n t e d f r o m t h e p e s s i m i s t i c
v i e w o f m y f r i e n d .
" I m a y b e i n e r r o r ; h e m a y b e h o n e s t , b u t s u p p o s e h e i s
w a i t i n g f o r a s t i l l b e t t e r c h a n c e t o s t r i k e y o u a b l o w ? I t
i s n o t u n l i k e l y t h a t h e i n t e n d s t o p l a y t h e r o l e o f a f r i e n d t o
t h e e n d , f o r h e i s a s h r e w d I n d i a n , a n d m a y c o n t e n t h i m s e l f
w i t h g e t t i n g w o r d t o G e r o n i m o w h e n t h e l a t t e r i s i n d a n g e r .
T h e o n l y c o u n s e l I h a v e t o g i v e y o u i s t o b e o n y o u r g u a r d
a n d d o n ' t t r u s t any o f y o u r I n d i a n s c o u t s o r r e c r u i t s f a r t h e r
t h a n y o u a r e f o r c e d t o t r u s t t h e m . "
W e c h a t t e d i n t h i s f a s h i o n u n t i l q u i t e l a t e . When I rose
t o b i d m y n e w f r i e n d g o o d - n i g h t , I a c c e p t e d h i s i n v i t a t i o n
t o s p e n d t h e f o l l o w i n g e v e n i n g w i t h h i m . E v i d e n t l y h e w a s
w e l l d i s p o s e d t o w a r d m e . B u t a s u r p r i s e g r e e t e d m e w h e n
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"D o n ' t t r u s t a n y o f y o u r I n d i a n s c o u t s "
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Lo w T w e l v e 2 9
I c a l l e d a t t h e d e s k a n d s e n t m y n a m e t o h i s r o o m . H e h a d
l e f t t h a t a f t e r n o o n .
" W h e r e h a s h e g o n e ? " I a s k e d i n a s t o n i s h m e n t .
" H e l e f t n o w o r d ; h e s i m p l y p a i d h i s b i l l a n d w e n t t o t h e
r a i l w a y s t a t i o n . "
" I s t h e r e n o w o r d f o r m e ? "
T h e c l e r k s h o o k h i s h e a d .
L i t t l e d i d I d r e a m o f t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n w h i c h E l - t i n - w a
a n d I w e r e n e x t t o m e e t .
I IG ERON IMO w a s o n t h e w a r p a t h a g a i n . H e h a d b e e n
h u n t e d s o p e r s i s t e n t l y t h a t h e s e e m e d t o b e l i e v e i t w o u l d
s o o n b e a l l u p w i t h h i m . H e c a m e b a c k t o h i s r e s e r v a t i o n ,
d e c l a r i n g h e w a s t i r e d o f b e i n g a n o u t l a w , a n d w o u l d g o o n
the warpath no more . There were few who did not receive
t h e s e p l e d g e s w i t h d i s t r u s t , f o r t h a t t e r r i b l e A p a c h e ' s b l o o d
t h i r s t w a s u n q u e n c h a b l e . N o m a t t e r i f h e r e m a i n e d p e a c e -
f u l f o r y e a r s , m a n y w o u l d d r a w t h e i r b r e a t h i n d r e a d . So
long as he lived and made h is home in the Southwest, no
- m a n , w o m a n o r c h i l d w a s s a f e f r o m h i s f u r y .
W h e n w e e k s a n d m o n t h s p a s s e d w i t h o u t t h e s l i g h t e s t h o s -
t i l e a c t o n h i s p a r t , t h e t i m i d b e g a n t o h o p e . During the
period named he was a mode l husband, father and agri-
c u l t u r i s t . D e s p i t e t h e s t e r i l i t y o f t h e s o i l , h e t o i l e d i n d u s t r i -
o u s l y , h e s m o k e d h i s p i p e , h e s m i l e d u p o n h i s c h i l d r e n a n d
t h e o n e t h a t h a p p e n e d t o b e h i s w i f e a t t h e t i m e - t h e o l d
f e l l o w h a s h a d s e v e n t e e n w i v e s a t l e a s t - a n d t a l k e d p l e a s -
a n t l y w i t h t h e a g e n t a n d o f f i c e r s w h o p a s s e d t h e t i m e o f
d a y w i t h h i m . H e e v e n s e e m e d t o f e e l a g e n u i n e f r i e n d s h i p
for the men in uniform that had harrassed him into sub-
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3 0Lo w T w e l v e
m i s s i o n . A l l t h e s a m e , t h e m a j o r i t y o f u s w e r e c o n v i n c e d
t h a t , s o o n e r o r l a t e r , h e w o u l d r a i s e t h e m i s c h i e f a g a i n .
Sure eno ugh, one morning in May, 1885, Geronimo broke
f r o m t h e r e s e r v a t i o n , t a k i n g w i t h h i m t h i r t y - f o u r w a r r i o r s ,
e i g h t y o u t h s a n d n i n e t y - o n e w o m e n . W i t h t h e l e a s t p o s s i b l e
d e l a y w e w e r e i n t h e s a d d l e , a n d a f t e r t h e f i e r c e h o r d e , t h o u g h
t h e b e s t m o u n t e d o f u s k n e w i t w a s i m p o s s i b l e t o o v e r t a k e
t h e m . T h e o l d c h i e f w a s a w a r e t h a t p u r s u i t w o u l d b e i n s t a n t ,
a n d h i s p a r t y d i d n o t g o i n t o c a m p t i l l t h e y h a d r i d d e n o n e
h u n d r e d a n d t w e n t y m i l e s . I t w a s c l e a r t h a t h e w a s a i m i n g
f o r t h e m o u n t a i n s , w h e r e e v e r y c a n o n , c a v e , s t r e a m , r a v i n e a n d
e v e n r o c k w e r e f a m i l i a r t o t h e b a n d . W e p r e s s e d o u r h o r s e s
t o t h e l i m i t , b u t d i d n o t o v e r t a k e t h e r e n e g a d e s , n o r g e t n e a r
e n o u g h e v e n t o e x c h a n g e s h o t s w i t h t h e m .
We had a dozen of the best Apache sco uts with us, and
p l u n g e d i n t o t h e m o u n t a i n s u n d e r t h e i r g u i d a n c e . D i r e c t e d
b y t h e m a t c h l e s s V i k k a , w h o , d e s p i t e h i s f i f t y - o d d y e a r s , w a s
a s a c t i v e , w i r y , p o w e r f u l a n d a l e r t a s e v e r , w e r a n G e r o n i m o
down and made him prisoner, though most of his party
got away . I t w a s t h e c h i e f w e w e r e a f t e r , a n d w e s h o u l d
r a t h e r h a v e c a u g h t h i m t h a n a l l t h e r e s t . He was sullen
a n d d e f i a n t , a n d w e f e l t p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p a t i e n t w i t h h i m .
" C o n f o u n d i t 1 " s a i d C a p t a i n S w a r t m o r e t o m e ; " i t w a s n ' t
managed right . "
" I a m n o t s u r e I u n d e r s t a n d y o u , c a p t a i n . "
" Y e s , y o u d o ; w h a t ' s t h e u s e o f p l a y i n g o f f l i k e t h a t ? W e
h a d i t a l l f i x e d . C a p t a i n C o o k o r I w a s t o f i r e o f f h i s r e -
v o l v e r a c c i d e n t a l l y w h e n t h e d u s k y d e v i l w a s i n t h e w a y .
W e w e r e r e a d y t o a p o l o g i z e a f t e r h e h a d s k i p p e d t o h i s h a p p y
h u n t i n g g r o u n d s , b u t t h e w h o l e t h i n g w a s o v e r , a n d h e h a d
s u r r e n d e r e d b e f o r e w e c a m e u p . "
" Y o u o u g h t t o h a v e l e t s o m e o f t h e r e s t o f u s i n t o y o u r
s e c r e t . "
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LOW 1 weave3 1
" T h e r e s h o u l d n ' t h a v e b e e n a n y n e e d o f a n y t h i n g l i k e t h a t ;
A m e r i c a e x p e c t s e v e r y m a n t o d o h i s d u t y . "
"The opportunity was mine . I'm sorry I didn't know
o f y o u r l i t t l e a r r a n g e m e n t , b u t n e x t t i m e I ' l l b e a r i t i n m i n d . "
I m a y r e m a r k p a r e n t h e t i c a l l y t h a t s u c h " a r r a n g e m e n t s "
a r e c a r r i e d o u t o f t e n e r t h a n m o s t f o l k s s u p p o s e . F o r i n -
s t a n c e , I h a p p e n t o k n o w o f a c e r t a i n t y t h a t i t w a s u n d e r s t o o d
when the party went out from Fort Yates, in December,
18 g o , t o a r r e s t S i t t i n g B u l l , e x c u s e w a s t o b e f o u n d f o r s h o o t -
i n g h i m w h i l e " r e s i s t i n g a r r e s t , " a n d i t w a s a c c o r d i n g l y s o
done .
B u t G e r o n i m o h a v i n g b e e n a c c e p t e d a s a p r i s o n e r , t h a t w a s
t h e e n d o f i t . W e h e l d h i m t h a t d a y a n d n i g h t , a n d t h e n ,
b y g r a c i o u s ! i f h e d i d n ' t b r e a k a w a y a g a i n . M o r e t h a n t h a t ,
h e c a m e b a c k s e v e r a l n i g h t s l a t e r w i t h s e v e r a l o f h i s b e s t ,
o r r a t h e r w o r s t , w a r r i o r s , e n t e r e d o u r c a m p , w e n t t o t h e t e n t
o f o n e o f t h e o f f i c e r s , s e i z e d h i s w i f e a n d w h i s p e r e d t o t h e
t e r r i f i e d c a p t i v e t h a t t h e o n l y w a y t o s a v e h e r l i f e w a s t o s h o w
h i m t h e t e n t i n w h i c h h i s w i f e w a s h e l d p r i s o n e r . T h e w o m a n
was glad enough to show him, whereupon he set her down,
r u s h e d t o t h e r i g h t t e n t , c a u g h t u p h i s w i f e a n d w a s o f f a g a i n
b e f o r e a n y o n e e x c e p t i n g t h e l a d y k n e w h e h a d b e e n i n c a m p .
M a t t e r s w e r e i n t h i s e x a s p e r a t i n g s t a t e w h e n t h a t m a g -
n i f i c e n t s o l d i e r ( a f t e r w a r d k i l l e d i n t h e P h i l i p p i n e s ) , C a p -
tain Henry W . L a w t o n , t o o k c h a r g e o f t h e i m m e d i a t e c a m -
p a i g n a g a i n s t G e r o n i m o . H e b e l i e v e d t h e c h i e f w o u l d r e t r e a t
t o h i s s t r o n g h o l d i n t h e S i e r r a M a d r e s , s o u t h o f t h e R i o
G r a n d e . W e h a d a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g w i t h t h e Me x i c a n
a u t h o r i t i e s b y w h i c h p e r m i s s i o n w a s g i v e n t o t h e s o l d i e r s o f
e a c h c o u n t r y t o r u n d o w n t h e h o s t i l e s o n e i t h e r s i d e o f t h e
l i n e . No matter where Ge ronimo went, we shou ld be after
h i m , a n d , m o r e o v e r , t h e f o r c e s o f o u r s i s t e r r e p u b l i c w o u l d
d o a l l t h e y c o u l d t o h e l p u s .
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3 2Lo w T w e l v e
W e h a d n o m o r e t h a n f a i r l y s t a r t e d o n o u r p u r s u i t w h e n
news came that Geronim o and his band had not gone to
Mexico, but had broken up into sma ll parties, and were
r a i d i n g , l i k e s o m a n y j u n g l e t i g e r s , t h r o u g h S o u t h w e s t e r n
Arizo n a a n d No r t h w e s t e r n S o n o r a . Lawton t hereu pon
c h a n g e d h i s o r i g i n a l p l a n a n d t o o k u p t h e d i r e c t p u r s u i t .
Law t o n ' s c o m m a n d c o n s i s t e d o f t h i r t y - f i v e m e n o f
Troop B, my own Fourth Cavalry, twenty India n scouts,
twenty men of Company D, Eighth Infant ry, and two pack-
t r a i n s . We left Fort Huachuca ea rly in May, and pr essed
t h e p u r s u i t w i t h t h e u t m o s t v i g o r i n o u r p o w e r .
I t w a s a s h o t a s t h e h i n g e s o f H a d e s . Never h ave I e x-
p e r i e n c e d s u c h w e a t h e r a s w e s u f f e r e d d u r i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g
weeks . I n J u n e , f r e s h d e t a c h m e n t s o f i n f a n t r y a n d s c o u t s
t o o k t h e p l a c e s o f t h o s e t h a t w e r e w o r n o u t , a n d b e f o r e t h e
c l o s e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g m o n t h w e h a d t r a v e l l e d f o u r t e e n h u n -
d r e d m i l e s a n d t h e h o s t i l e s w e r e d r i v e n s o u t h e a s t o f O p o s u r a.
I f w e h a d n o r e s t o u r s e l v e s , n e i t h e r h a d t h e A p a c h e s . Thr ee
d i f f e r e n t t i m e s w e b u r s t i n t o t h e i r c a m p , a n d , a b a n d o n i n g
t h e i r a n i m a l s a n d m a t e r i a l , t h e y s c a t t e r e d l i k e q u a i l t o c o v e r
i n t h e m o u n t a i n s . A s L a w t o r r s a i d i n h i s a c c o u n t o f t h e
c a m p a i g n , " E v e r y d e v i c e k n o w n t o t h e I n d i a n w a s p r a c t i s e d
t o t h r o w m e o f f t h e t r a i l , b u t w i t h o u t a v a i l . M y t r a i l e r s w e r e
good, and it was soon proved that there was no spot the
e n e m y c o u l d r e a c h w h e r e s e c u r i t y w a s a s s u r e d . "
W h e n t h e c a v a l r y s u c c u m b e d , i n f a n t r y a n d I n d i a n s c o u t s
t o o k t h e i r p l a c e s . S o t e r r i f i c w e r e t h e h e a t a n d h a r d s h i p s
t h a t m a n y o f t h e s t r o n g e s t s o l d i e r s g a v e o u t , u n t i l o n l y f o u r -
t e e n o f t h e i n f a n t r y w e r e l e f t . When there was not a shoe
to the feet of any one, Lieutenant A . L . S m i t h w i t h h i s
c a v a l r y t o o k t h e i r w o r k u p o n t h e m s e l v e s . T h i s i n c r e d i b l e
p u r s u i t w a s d u e t o G e n e r a l M i l e s , w h o h a d t a k e n t h e p l a c e
o f G e n e r a l C r o o k , r e l i e v e d a t h i s o w n r e q u e s t .
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Lo w T w e l v e 33
I t w a s t h e p r i v i l e g e o f s e v e r a l o f u s w h o h a d b e e n i n a t
t h e s t a r t t o s t i c k i t o u t t o t h e e n d . Among the iron-limbed
s c q u t s w e r e a n u m b e r a l s o w h o w i t h s t o o d t h e f r i g h t f u l h e a t
a n d p r i v a t i o n s . C h i e f o f t h o s e w a s V i k k a , t h a t w o n d e r f u l
A p a c h e , w i t h a n e y e l i k e t h e e a g l e ' s , m u s c l e s o f s t e e l a n d a n
e n d u r a n c e t h a t s e e m e d n o t t o k n o w t h e m e a n i n g o f f a t i g u e .
O f t e n I l o o k e d a t h i m a s h e r o d e h i s g a u n t p o n y , w i t h o u t
saddle, at my side and envied the salamander who seemed
t o r e v e l i n t h e f u r n a c e - l i k e t e m p e r a t u r e . F r e q u e n t l y t h e
f i n g e r s o f t h e m e n w e r e b l i s t e r e d b y c o n t a c t w i t h t h e i r o n
o f t h e i r w e a p o n s . M a n y t i m e s , w h e n w e h a d s t r u g g l e d o n t o
s o m e w e l l - k n o w n s p r i n g o r w a t e r h o l e , w e f o u n d i t e i t h e r d r y
o r s o b e f o u l e d b y t h e h o s t i l e s t h a t h a d b e e n a h e a d o f u s t h a t
o n e w o u l d h a v e d i e d o f t h i r s t b e f o r e t o u c h i n g t h e w a t e r .
O u r p o o r h o r s e s s u f f e r e d w i t h u s , a n d m o r e t h a n o n e s u c -
c u m b e d , n o t s o m u c h f r o m e x h a u s t i o n a s f r o m t h i r s t . T h e r e
w e r e t i m e s w h e n t h e m u d d i e s t p o o l t h a t c o u l d h o l d t h e f l u i d
i n s o l u t i o n w o u l d h a v e b e e n w e l c o m e d l i k e i c e d n e c t a r b y u s .
W e s e e m e d t o b e c o m e m e r e a u t o m a t a , m o v i n g w i t h o u t w i l l o f
o u r o w n , b u t h e l d t o t h e f e a r f u l w o r k b y a b l i n d , a i m l e s s ,
d o g g e d p e r s i s t e n c y t h a t n o t h i n g b u t d e a t h c o u l d s t o p .
The throbbing afternoon was well advanced when Vikka
a n d I r e i n e d u p o u r p o n i e s o n t h e e d g e o f a s t r e t c h o f s a n d
t h a t w a s h o t e n o u g h t o r o a s t e g g s . A m i l e o r m o r e t o t h e
w e s t w a r d l o o m e d a m o u n t a i n s p u r , w h o s e b l u e t i n t t h r o b b e d
i n t h e f l a m i n g s u n s h i n e , a s i f i t w e r e t h e p h a n t a s m a g o r a o f a
d i s o r d e r e d b r a i n . T h e A p a c h e t r a i l l e d i n t h a t d i r e c t i o n , a n d
we were morally sure that Geroni mo and his band were
g a t h e r e d t h e r e , u n l e s s , w i t h t h a t p e r s i s t e n c y w h i c h w a s a
f e a t u r e o f t h e i r r e t r e a t , t h e y h a d p r e s s e d t h r o u g h a n d w e r e
f l e e i n g i n t o t h e b r o k e n r e g i o n b e y o n d . We had pushed our
h o r s e s t o t h e l i m i t , a n d L i e u t e n a n t S m - i t h h a l t e d t h e c o m -
m a n d a m o n g t h e h i l l s n o t f a r t o t h e r e a r o f w h e r e m y d u s k y
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34 Low T w e l v e
c o m p a n i o n a n d m y s e l f p a u s e d t o s c a n t h e w h i t e , b l i s t e r i n g
sand that stretched away to the mountain spur . By per-
m i s s i o n o f t h e o f f i c e r , V i k k a a n d I h a d r i d d e n t h i s c o m -
p a r a t i v e l y s h o r t d i s t a n c e , a n d i t r e s t e d w i t h u s w h e t h e r w e
should advance any farther toward the enemy .
T h i s e x p a n s e o f p l a i n w a s a b e d o f s a n d t h a t p u l s a t e d i n
t h e i n t o l e r a b l e s u n l i g h t . It was ridged and hummocky in
m a n y p l a c e s , h a v i n g b e e n t h u s t w i s t e d a n d f l i r t e d a b o u t b y t h e
g u s t s o f w i n d t h a t s o m e t i m e s p l a y e d p r a n k s w i t h t h e m o b i l e
s t u f f . N o t s o m u c h a s a s h r i v e l l e d c a c t u s o r y e l l o w s p e a r o f
grass showed ; i t w a s a s c e n e o f h o r r i b l e w a s t e a n d d e s o l a -
t i o n f r o m w h i c h o n e w o u l d s h r i n k a s f r o m t h e c o r e o f D e a t h
V a l l e y i t s e l f .
V i k k a c h e c k e d h i s p o n y d i r e c t l y a t m y s i d e , a n d w e p e e r e d
a c r o s s t h e f i e r y w a s t e a t t h e c o o l - l o o k i n g s p u r i n t h e d i s -
t a n c e . The sweat on our a nimals was baked dry . How wes t o o d i t i s b e y o n d m y c o m p r e h e n s i o n , b u t a m a n c a n b e c o m e
a c c u s t o m e d a l m o s t t o a n y t h i n g . A few month s previ ous, a
half hour's exposure to such merciless heat would have
t u m b l e d m e h e a d l o n g f r o m m y s a d d l e w i t h s u n s t r o k e ; b u t I
h a d r i d d e n f o r h o u r s t h r o u g h t h i s h e l l i s h t e m p e r a t u r e a n d
f e l t n o s p e c i a l i l l e f f e c t s . The point seemed to have been
r e a c h e d w h e r e t h e d u l l b o d y b e c o m e s i n u r e d a n d i n s e n s i b l e
t o t h a t w h i c h i n o r d i n a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s w o u l d b e f a t a l .
I looked across at Vikka . H i s d i r t y , l u x u r i a n t h a i r
d a n g l e d a b o u t h i s s h o u l d e r s , b u t h e w a s w i t h o u t t h e s l i g h t e s t
h e a d c o v e r i n g . N o t s o m u c h a s a f e a t h e r s h o w e d a m o n g h i s
h o r s e - h a i r l i k e l o c k s . T h a t s k u l l m u s t h a v e w i t h s t o o d a h u n -
d r e d d e g r e e s , b u t i t m a t t e r e d n o t h i n g t o h i m . Not a drop
o f m o i s t u r e s h o w e d o n t h e r o u g h , b r o n z e d f e a t u r e s , t h o u g h
i f i t h a d a p p e a r e d i t p r o b a b l y w o u l d h a v e e v a p o r a t e d i n a
f l a s h . H e w a s s c a n t i l y c l o t h e d , b u t I p r e s u m e i t w o u l d h a v e
b e e n a l l t h e s a m e t o h i m i f o n e o f t h e d i r t y b l a n k e t s o f h i s
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Lo w T w e l v e 35
t r i b e s w a t h e d h i s s h o u l d e r s . He wore leggins and strong
m o c c a s i n s , a n d , a s I h a v e s a i d , r o d e h i s p o n y w i t h o u t s a d d l e
a n d w i t h o n l y a h a l t e r . He needed nothing more . Manyt i m e s I h a d a d m i r e d t h e p h y s i q u e o f t h i s r e m a r k a b l e m a n .
He was over six feet tall and as symmetrical as a Greek
s t a t u e . H e w a s i m m e n s e l y p o w e r f u l , b u t , l i k e a l l h i s r a c e ,
showed only a moderate muscular development . H i s e n -
d u r a n c e w a s i n c r e d i b l e . I have known him to scout for
t h i r t y - s i x h o u r s i n s u c c e s s i o n , d u r i n g w h i c h h i s m e n t a l f a c -
u l t i e s w e r e k e y e d t o t h e h i g h e s t p o i n t , a n d y e t h e a p p e a r e d
a s b r i g h t a n d a l e r t a s i f j u s t r o u s e d f r o m s l e e p . G e n e r a l
C r o o k h a s s a i d t h a t a n y o n e o f t h e A p a c h e s w o u l d l o p e f o r
f i f t e e n h u n d r e d f e e t u p t h e s i d e o f a m o u n t a i n , a n d a t t h e
e n d y o u c o u l d n o t o b s e r v e t h e s l i g h t e s t i n c r e a s e o f r e s p i r a t i o n .
I have known Vikka to do it time and again, without the
f i r s t e v i d e n c e o f w h a t h e h a d p a s s e d t h r o u g h .
This remar kable Apache spok e English quite well, an d
s o m e t i m e s h e t o l d m e o f h i s p a s t l i f e . He had been one of
t h e m o s t i m p l a c a b l e m i s c r e a n t s t h a t s e r v e d u n d e r M a n g u s ,
a n d t h e r e i s n o q u e s t i o n t h a t h e h a d c o m m i t t e d s h u d d e r i n g
d e e d s o f a t r o c i t y , b u t h e h a d a b i t t e r q u a r r e l w i t h G e r o n i m o ,
and hated him and all the hostiles with an unquenchable
h a t r e d .
Now and then when on th at last cam paign in the South-
w e s t , i n w h i c h w e r a n t h e A p a c h e l e a d e r t o e a r t h , I w o u l d
s u d d e n l y r e c a l l t h e w a r n i n g t h a t J a r e d J e n n i n g s s p o k e t o m e
w h e n s p e n d i n g t h e e v e n i n g w i t h h i m a t h i s h o t e l . "Nev e r
t r u s t a n y I n d i a n , " w a s i t s s u b s t a n c e , a n d h e a d d e d t h a t t h e
r a c e w e r e c a p a b l e o f p r e t e n d i n g f r i e n d s h i p f o r y e a r s , w i t h t h e
u n f a l t e r i n g p u r p o s e o f s e i z i n g t h e b e s t o p po r t u n i t y f o r b i t i n g
the hand that fed them .
S o i t w a s t h a t m o r e t h a n o n c e w h e n i n s p e c i a l p e r i l , I
a s k e d m y s e l f w h e t h e r i t w a s s a f e f u l l y t o t r u s t V i k k a . I t
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36 Lo w T w e l v e
w o u l d s e e m t h a t h e h a d a l r e a d y s e r v e d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s s o
w e l l , a n d h a d s t r u c k s o m a n y b l o w s a g a i n s t h i s p e o p l e , t h a t ,
i f h e m e d i t a t e d t r e a c h e r y , h e c o u l d n e v e r a t o n e f o r t h e s e a c t s .
I r e c a l l e d t h a t o n m o r e t h a n o n e o c c a s i o n I h a d t r u s t e d h i m
s o f u l l y t h a t h e c o u l d h a v e b r o u g h t a b o u t m y d e a t h w i t h o u t
c a u s i n g a s h a d o w o f s u s p i c i o n . W h e n I t h o u g h t o f a l l t h i s ,
I c o m p r e s s e d m y l i p s a n d m u t t e r e d , " I w i l l n e v e r d o u b t h i m ;
h e h a s b e e n t e s t e d b y f i r e . "
A n d y e t t h e o l d , v a g u e , t o r m e n t i n g s u s p i c i o n w o u l d c o m e
t o m e , a n d i t c a m e a g a i n w h e n I g l a n c e d s i d e w a y s a t h i m ,
and saw his black eyes gazing off across the s himmerin g
plain toward the mountain spur . The misgiving was un-
r e a s o n a b l e , b u t i t w o u l d n o t d o w n . I s h u d d e r e d a s I r e f l e c t e d
that when he should bound back to barbarism and his own
n a t u r a l s e l f , h i s f i r s t v i c t i m m u s t b e m y s e l f . W h y d i d h e
wait so long before striking? Was he plann ing some huge
t r e a s o n t h a t w o u l d o v e r w h e l m u s a l l ?
H a r d l y h a d I a s k e d m y s e l f t h e q u e s t i o n w h e n I f l u n g i t
a s i d e , i m p a t i e n t t h a t I h a d a l l o w e d i t a m o m e n t a r y l o d g m e n t
in my thoughts . " H e i s t h e t y p e o f f a i t h f u l n e s s . I have
t r u s t e d h i m w i t h m y l i f e a n d w i l l d o s o a g a i n w h e n e v e r i t
i s n e c e s s a r y . "
I r a i s e d t h e g l a s s , w h i c h I c a r r i e d s l u n g a b o u t m y n e c k , a n d
l e v e l l e d i t a t t h e e l e v a t i o n s i n t h e d i s t a n c e . B r o u g h t o u t m o r e
c l e a r l y , I n o t e d t h e h i g h h i l l i n t h e f o r e g r o u n d , a n d t h e g r a y
r o c k s a n d s t u n t e d p i n e s . Another lower peak ro se to the
r i g h t a l i t t l e f a r t h e r b a c k , w h i l e t h e c r o w n o f a t h i r d s h o w e d
f a i n t l y b e y o n d . T h e i n t e n s e h e a t c a u s e d a t h r o b b i n g o f t h e
a i r , w h i c h m a d e t h e o b j e c t s f l i c k e r a n d d a n c e i n o n e ' s v i s i o n .
N a u g h t t h a t r e s e m b l e d a n i m a l l i f e w a s d i s c e r n e d . I t w a s
a s i n e r t a n d d e a d a s a t t h e m o r n o f c r e a t i o n .
Then I carefully studied the white, lumpy sand that
s t r e t c h e d b e t w e e n . N o t e v e n a r a t t l e s n a k e o r i n s e c t c o u l d b e
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Lo w T w e l v e 37
s e e n w r i g g l i n g a t o u r f e e t . I l o w e r e d t h e g l a s s a n d o f f e r e d
i t t o V i k k a . He shook h is head . I n e v e r k n e w h i m t o u s e
s u c h h e l p , f o r h i s k e e n n e s s o f v i s i o n w a s m a r v e l l o u s .
" S e e ' P a c h e ? " h e a s k e d , i n h i s s e n t e n t i o u s f a s h i o n ."No ; I c a n ' t c a t c h - s i g h t o f h i d e o r h a i r o f t h e m , b u t n o
d o u b t t h e y a r e a m o n g t h e h i l l s a n d w a t c h i n g u s . "
" I s e e ' P a c h e ! " w a s h i s s t a r t l i n g r e m a r k .
"Where?" I demanded, whipping up the glass again . " I
k n o w y o u h a v e m i g h t y g o o d e y e s , V i k k a , b u t I o u g h t t o d o
a s w e l l a s y o u w i t h t h e t e l e s c o p e . "
" D o n ' t l o o k r i g h t p l a c e ; a i n ' t i n h i l l s - c l o s e r b y . "
I t w a s a n a s t o n i s h i n g d e c l a r a t i o n . I f t h e h o s t i l e s w e r e
n o t a m o n g t h e m o u n t a i n s , w h e r e c o u l d t h e y b e ? S u r e l y t h i s
p l a i n o f p u l s i n g s a n d c o u l d n o t h i d e t h e m w i t h o u t s o m u c h
a s a s h r u b a n d h a r d l y a b l a d e o f w i t h e r e d g r a s s . Low e r i n g
t h e g l a s s , I l o o k e d i n q u i r i n g l y a t m y c o m p a n i o n . The iron
counten ance was wrinkled with a smile, which showed his
e v e n w h i t e t e e t h . I s a w t h a t h e w a s n o t l o o k i n g a t t h e h i l l s ,
b u t a t t h e p l a i n a s h o r t w a y o u t . What did he see there?
W a s n o t t h i s a d i s p l a y o f t h e w a g g e r y w h i c h h e s h o w e d a t
r a r e i n t e r v a l s ? Was he not having a little amusement at
my expense?
B u t i t w a s n o t i m e f o r j e s t ; t h e s c o u t w a s i n e a r n e s t . Hec e r t a i n l y h a d d i s c o v e r e d s o m e t h i n g . W i t h o u t r a i s i n g a h a n d
t o p o i n t , a n d s p e a k i n g i n a l o w v o i c e , h e s a i d
" T h e ' P a c h e s a r e c l o s e ; t h e y h a v e l a i d a m b u s h . "
T h u s d i r e c t e d , I s t u d i e d t h e p l a i n w i t h o u t t h e a i d o f t h e
g l a s s . No more than a hundred yards away, I now note d a
s e r i e s o f h i l l o c k s . They numbered nearly a score . W h i l e
t h e y b o r e a g e n e r a l r e s e m b l a n c e t o o t h e r l u m p s v i s i b l e i n
e v e r y p a r t o f t h e p l a i n , t h e s e w e r e g r o u p e d t o g e t h e r m o r e
c o m p a c t l y . L e a d i n g o u t f r o m w h e r e w e h a d h a l t e d , t h e t r a i l
o f G e r o n i m o ' s b a n d p a s s e d w i t h i n a f e w r o d s , s o t h a t h a d
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38 Lo w T w e l v e
o u r c o m m a n d k e p t t o t h e t r a c k s , w e m u s t h a v e r i d d e n i n f r o n t
o f t h e m .
E v e r y h i l l o c k o f f l a m i n g s a n d h i d t h e b o d y o f a n A p a c h e .
T h o s e t e r r i b l e m i s c r e a n t s w o u l d g r o v e l i n t h e f i e r y d i r t w i t h
e v e r y p a r t o f t h e b o d y c o v e r e d a n d o n l y t h e s e r p e n t l i k e e y e s
p e e r i n g o u t a n d f i x e d u p o n t h e w h i t e m e n . U n s u s p i c i o u s o f
a n y t h i n g o f t h e k i n d , n o t h i n g w o u l d h a v e b e e n m o r e n a t u r a l
t h a n f o r u s t o r i d e q u i e t l y p a s t . Then when our fac es were
t u r n e d a w a y , a j e t o f f i r e w o u l d s p o u t f r o m e a c h h u m m o c k ,
and half our saddles would be emptied . That very thing
h a s b e e n d o n e m o r e t h a n o n c e i n t h e I n d i a n c a m p a i g n i n g i n
t h e S o u t h w e s t .
B u t V i k k a p e n e t r a t e d t h e s u b t l e t r i c k . H a d h e f a i l e d t o
d o s o , h i s c a r e e r a n d m i n e w o u l d h a v e t e r m i n a t e d w i t h i n t h e
f o l l o w i n g f e w m i n u t e s . D i d I n e e d a n y f u r t h e r p r o o f o f h i s
f i d e l i t y ?
" Y o u a r e r i g h t , V i k k a , " I s a i d i n a l o w v o i c e . "I s ee
w h e r e t h e y a r e h i d i n g ; i t w o n ' t d o f o r u s t o g o a s t e p n e a r e r
t h e m . I think it best we should dash back, for we are
n i g h e n o u g h f o r t h e m t o p i c k u s o f f a s i t i s . "
It was then the dusky scout did a daring thing . Heb r o u g h t h i s r i f l e t o h i s s h o u l d e r , a n d t a k i n g q u i c k a i m , l e t f l y
a t t h e n e a r e s t h u m m o c k . A r a s p i n g s c r e e c h f o l l o w e d , s h o w -
i n g t h a t t h e d u s k y d e s p e r a d o c r o u c h i n g b e n e a t h w a s h i t h a r d .
A t t h e s a m e i n s t a n t , f r o m e v e r y o t h e r s a n d h e a p a f r o w s y
b u c k l e a p e d u p r i g h t , t h e g r a i n s s t r e a m i n g f r o m h i s d i r t y
c l o t h e s l i k e r a i n , w h i l e t h e i r w a r s h r i e k s c u t t h e a i r . Fr o m
e a c h h i d e o u s e x u d a t i o n i s s u e d a t o n g u e o f f l a m e a n d e v e r y
b u l l e t w a s a i m e d a t u s .
But there had been no pause on our part . H a r d l y h a d
Vikka pressed the trigger than he wheeled his pony and
d a s h e d o f f o n a d e a d r u n . I w a s n o t a s e c o n d b e h i n d i n d o i n g
t h e s a m e , a n d e a c h t h r e w h i m s e l f f o r w a r d o n h i s a n i m a l ,
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Lo w T w e l v e 39
e l s e w e c o u l d h a r d l y h a v e e s c a p e d t h e s t o r m o f b u l l e t s t h a t
w h i s t l e d o v e r a n d a b o u t u s . H a d t h e y a i m e d a t o u r h o r s e s ,
w e m u s t h a v e b e e n d i s m o u n t e d , b u t b e f o r e t h e y c o u l d r e p a i r
their mistake we were beyond range . Glancing over my
s h o u l d e r , I s a w t h e f r o w s y f i g u r e s r u n n i n g f u l l s p e e d a f t e r u s ,
l o a d i n g a n d f i r i n g a s b e s t t h e y c o u l d , b u t o u r p o n i e s w e r e
a c c u s t o m e d t o s u d d e n d e m a n d s u p o n t h e i r e n e r g i e s , a n d t h e y
q u i c k l y c a r r i e d u s o u t o f d a n g e r . My secon d glance sh owed
t h e y w e r e l o p i n g t o w a r d t h e m o u n t a i n s p u r , w h e r e d o u b t l e s s
G e r o n i m o a n d h i s h o s t i l e s w e r e a w a i t i n g t h e r e s u l t o f t h e
a t t e m p t t o a m b u s c a d e u s . B u t t h e y h a d f a i l e d , a n d f e a r i n g
p u r s u i t , w e r e s p e e d i n g a c r o s s t h e p l a i n b e y o n d r e a c h o f t h e
a v e n g i n g c a v a l r y .
"I wish," said I, when we drew our animals down to a
walk, as we approached the co ver where Lieutena nt Smith
and the command had halte d for rest, "that all our men
c o u l d h a v e s t o p p e d w h e r e w e d i d . "
V i k k a l o o k e d a c r o s s a t m e i n a w a y t h a t s h o w e d h e d i d n o t
understand my meaning .
" I n s t e a d o f r i d i n g p a s t t h e h u m m o c k s o f s a n d , w e c o u l d
h a v e c h a r g e d a n d r o u t e d o u t t h e d e v i l s , p i c k i n g t h e m o f f a s
t h e y s h o w e d t h e m s e l v e s . "
T h e s c o u t s h o o k h i s h e a d .
"I knew where to aim ; r e s t o f s o l d i e r s w o u l d n o t ; s a n d
k e e p o f f t h e i r b u l l e t s ; ' P a c h e s s h o o t f i r s t . "
"That might be, but they would have been at disad van-
t a g e , a n d w e s h o u l d h a v e m a d e t h e t r i c k c o s t t h e m d e a r . "
T h e f e l l o w w a s n o t i m p r e s s e d b y m y i d e a . W h e n I c a m e
t o r e f l e c t u p o n i t , I s a w h e w a s r i g h t . I f , i n s t e a d o f r i d i n g
c a l m l y p a s t t h e p r o s t a t e f i g u r e s i n t h e s a n d , w e s h o u l d h a v e
g a l l o p e d s t r a i g h t a t t h e m , t h e y w o u l d h a v e b e e n t a k e n b y
s u r p r i s e , b u t s u c h f e l l o w s a r e n e v e r a t a l o s s w h a t t o d o .
B r i e f a s w a s t h e i n t e r v e n i n g d i s t a n c e , e v e r y m o t h e r ' s s o n
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40 Lo w T w e l v e
o f t h e m w o u l d h a v e f i r e d b e f o r e w e c o u l d r e a c h t h e m , a n d
w i t h a p p a l l i n g r e s u l t s t o u s . E v e n i f w e h a d f i r s t e m p t i e d o u r
c a r b i n e s , i t w a s m o r e l i k e l y , a s V i k k a h a d s a i d , t h a t m o s t o f
o u r s h o t s w o u l d h a v e p r o v e d i n e f f e c t i v e , f o r t h e r e w a s e n o u g h
s a n d e n c l o s i n g e a c h o f t h e A p a c h e s t o s c r e e n t h e i r b o d i e s .
" V i k k a , " s a i d I a b r u p t l y , " s u p p o s e y o u b e c a m e a p r i s o n e r
of Geronimo, what would he do with you?"
A b r o a d g r i n l i t u p t h e b r o n z e d v i s a g e .
" V i k k a w i l l n o t b e p r i s o n e r . "
" Y o u c a n ' t b e s u r e o f t h a t ; t h a t c h i e f i s a f e a r f u l f i g h t e r
a n d y o u t a k e m a n y c h a n c e s ; s o m e d a y y o u m a y f a l l i n t o h i s
hands . "
"Vikka n e v e r b e p r i s o n e r , " r e p e a t e d m y c o m p a n i o n . The n
I u n d e r s t o o d h i s m e a n i n g . K n o w i n g t h e f e e l i n g o f t h e l e a d e r
o f t h e W a r m Sp r i n g I n d i a n s t o w a r d h i m , V i k k a w o u l d
s i m p l y t a k e h i s o w n l i f e w h e n h e s a w a l l h o p e w a s g o n e .
That thing has been done many a ti me in the Southwest
by white men, women and even by Indians themselv es .
I I I
TH E h a l t i n g p l a c e a m o n g t h e h i l l s o f f e r e d s u c h a d v a n t a g e s
t h a t L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h t u r n e d t h e m t o a c c o u n t . Men an d
a n i m a l s h a d b e e n p r e s s e d t o t h e l i m i t o f e n d u r a n c e , a n d n o n e
e v e r n e e d e d r e s t m o r e t h a n t h e y . The fleeing Apaches had
b e e n p u s h e d s o r e l e n t l e s s l y t h a t t h e y d i d n o t p a u s e t o c o n -
t a m i n a t e t h e s p r i n g , w h e r e w e s t o p p e d , d i s m o u n t e d , d r a n k
a n d f i l l e d o u r c a n t e e n s . T h e w a t e r n o t o n l y g a v e t h e p o n i e s
a l l t h e y c o u l d d r i n k , b u t n o u r i s h e d a s p e c i e s o f l u s h g r a s s ,
u p o n w h i c h t h e a n i m a l s f e d e a g e r l y . W e a t e , l o l l e d o n t h e
ground, smoked our pipes and the majority slept . Eve n
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Lo w T w e l v e 41
V i k k a a n d I h a d s n a t c h e d b r i e f s l u m b e r b e f o r e r i d i n g o u t o n
o u r l i t t l e s c o u t .
When Lieutenant Smith had heard my repor t, he called
V i k k a , P e d r o , J i m a n d o t h e r s o f t h e b e s t s c o u t s a r o u n d h i m
f o r c o n s u l t a t i o n . C h a t o a t t h a t t i m e w a s n o t w i t h u s . Wecavalrymen were so few in number, and all so personally
i n t e r e s t e d i n e v e r y t h i n g , t h a t t h o s e w h o d i d n o t p r e f e r t o
s l e e p j o i n e d t h e g r o u p , o f w h i c h I w a s a m e m b e r .
W e w e r e o n t h e d i r e c t t r a i l o f G e r o n i m o a n d h i s b a n d ,
a n d w i t h s u c h s k i l f u l t r a c k e r s a s w e h a d w i t h u s , i t w a s
i m p o s s i b l e f o r t h e h o s t i l e s t o t h r o w u s o f f t h e s c e n t . Weh a d b u t t o p r e s s o n a c r o s s t h e p l a i n i n t o t h e m o u n t a i n s p u r ,
w h e n w e s h o u l d b e u p o n t h e i r h e e l s .
A n d r i g h t t h e r e r o s e t h e p r o b l e m , a n d a m i g h t y s e r i o u s
o n e i t w a s , t o o . If we pushed over the sandy waste, the
f u g i t i v e s c o u l d n o t f a i l t o d i s c o v e r o u r p u r s u i t . They could
s c a t t e r a m o n g t h e r o c k s a n d f a s t n e s s e s , o r , w h a t s e e m e d m o r e
l i k e l y , s e t a s e r i e s o f t r a p s , w h i c h , w i t h a l l t h e s k i l l o f o u r
s c o u t s , i t w o u l d b e h a r d l y p o s s i b l e f o r u s t o a v o i d .
W h a t L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h s o u g h t t o l e a r n w a s t h e " l a y o f t h e
c o u n t r y " b e y o n d t h e m o u n t a i n s p u r . T h a t w a s r e a d i l y a s c e r -
tained from Vikka and others . T h e d e l i c a t e q u e s t i o n w a s
whether our scouts could reason out the destination of
G e r o n i m o - n o t h i s u l t i m a t e d e s t i n a t i o n , w h i c h p r o b a b l y t h e
wily devil did not kno w himself, but the point where he
w o u l d h a l t t h a t n i g h t , o r a t t h e f u r t h e s t , t h e f o l l o w i n g n i g h t .
T h e n , i n s t e a d o f k e e p i n g t o t h e t r a i l , w e s h o u l d t a k e a c i r c u i t -
o u s c o u r s e a n d r e a c h t h e s p o t a h e a d o f t h e h o s t i l e s , a n d w a i t
f o r t h e m ; o r , i f t h a t w a s n o t f e a s i b l e , w e c o u l d b e t h e r e i n
t i m e t o s u r p r i s e t h e m .
T h e a d v a n t a g e o f s u c h s t r a t e g y w a s a p p a r e n t . I t m u s t b e
o v e r w h e l m i n g l y i n o u r f a v o r , a n d w o u l d e n a b l e u s t o s t r i k e
t h e m o s t e f f e c t i v e b l o w y e t d e l i v e r e d i n o u r p u r s u i t , c o v e r -
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42 Low T w e l v e
i n g m a n y h u n d r e d m i l e s . T h e w h o l e t h i n g h i n g e d u p o n t h e
r i g h t s e l e c t i o n o f t h e d e s t i n a t i o n o f t h e h o s t i l e s . I f w e s h o u l d
m i s t a k e , o r t h e y s h o u l d d e t e c t o u r s c h e m e , w e s h o u l d b e m i l e s
o f f t h e r i g h t c o u r s e a n d m u s t l o s e s e v e r a l p r e c i o u s d a y s , w h e n
e v e r y h o u r w a s o f t h e l a s t i m p o r t a n c e .
B u t r i g h t t h e r e a n u n e x p e c t e d d i f f i c u l t y c o n f r o n t e d u s .
Vikka, Pedro and Jim agreed that Geronimo was heading
f o r t h e W o l f M o u n t a i n s , a r a n g e t w e n t y m i l e s t o t h e s o u t h .
I f h e s u c c e e d e d i n r e a c h i n g t h e m w i t h h i s w o m e n a n d c h i l -
d r e n , i t w o u l d p r o v e a n a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e t a s k t o r u n t h e m
t o e a r t h , t h o u g h e v e r y o n e o f u s w a s a s d e t e r m i n e d a s e v e r
t o d o s o . I t w o u l d b e a b i g t h i n g i f w e c o u l d h e a d t h e m o f f ,
o r , w h a t w o u l d b e e q u a l l y d e c i s i v e , s u r p r i s e t h e m a m o n g t h o s e
f a s t n e s s e s . T o d o s o i t w a s n e c e s s a r y f o r u s t o l e a v e t h e
t r a i l a n d r e a c h t h e W o l f M o u n t a i n s b y a r o u n d a b o u t c o u r s e ,
a n d t h i s c o u l d n o t b e u n d e r t a k e n u n t i l l a t e r i n t h e d a y , s i n c e
t h e s h e l t e r f u r n i s h e d b y o u r o w n r a n g e w o u l d s e r v e f o r o n l y
a s h o r t d i s t a n c e .
T h e d i f f i c u l t y t o w h i c h I a l l u d e w a s t h i s : A l l t h e s c o u t s ,
w i t h o n e e x c e p t i o n , b e l i e v e d t h a t G e r o n i m o w a s a l r e a d y o n
h i s w a y t o t h e p o i n t n a m e d . T h a t e x c e p t i o n w a s V i k k a , w h o
i n s i s t e d t h a t h e w o u l d s t a y w h e r e h e w a s , i n t h e h o p e o f
a m b u s c a d i n g t h e c a v a l r y , a n d h e w o u l d r e s u m e h i s f l i g h t o n
t h e m o r r o w , p r o b a b l y e a r l y i n t h e m o r n i n g . T h e r e f o r e , i f
w e i n t e n d e d t o s t r i k e a b l o w a t n i g h t , i t m u s t b e d o n e w i t h i n
a m i l e o r t w o o f o u r p r e s e n t c a m p . No argument could s hake
t h e c o n v i c t i o n o f V i k k a o n t h i s p o i n t .
L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h w a s p u z z l e d . H e r e w a s o n e m a n a g a i n s t
a d o z e n . T r u e , V i k k a h a d n o s u p e r i o r , b u t a m o n g t h e o t h e r s
w e r e s e v e r a l w h o w e r e h i s e q u a l , a n d i t w o u l d s e e m t h a t w h e n
t h e y u n i t e d , t h e i r l o g i c o u g h t t o o u t w e i g h t h a t o f a s i n g l e
man, be he never so cunnin g and wise . M o r e o v e r , a s i t
a p p e a r e d t o t h e r e s t o f u s , c o m m o n s e n s e w a s a g a i n s t V i k k a .
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Lo w T w e l v e 43
T h e A p a c h e l e a d e r h a d b e e n t a u g h t l o n g b e f o r e t h a t t h e r e
w a s n o r e s t f o r h i s f e e t , a n d t h a t h i s o n l y s a f e t y l a y i n r a p i d
a n d c o n t i n u e d f l i g h t . W h a t r e a s o n , t h e n , w a s t h e r e f o r t h e
h o s t i l e s r e m a i n i n g n e a r o u r c a m p , w h e n t h e y r a n g r e a t r i s k
i n d o i n g s o ?
S m i t h t o o k m e a s i d e .
" L i e u t e n a n t , " s a i d h e , " I ' l l b e h a n g e d i f I k n o w w h a t ' s
b e s t t o d o . What do yo u think of things?"
"I am as much pu zzled as you . You know my faith in
V i k k a . He and I have been on more than one dangerous
s c o u t , a n d I h a v e n e v e r m e t h i s s u p e r i o r . H e s a v e d m y
l i f e t h i s a f t e r n o o n , a n d h a s n o t o n c e f a i l e d m e ; I f e e l l i k e
t y i n g t o h i m . "
" E v e n i n t h i s i n s t a n c e ? "
" I ' m n o t s u r e . I noticed that when you asked him his
r e a s o n s f o r b e l i e v i n g G e r o n i m o w o u l d s t a y w h e r e h e i s u n t i l
t o - m o r r o w h e r e f u s e d t o t e l l t h e m . "
" M o r e t h a n t h a t , h e a c t e d a s i f h e w e r e o f f e n d e d . I d o n ' t
s e e w h y h e s h o u l d b e u n r e a s o n a b l e , a s h e c e r t a i n l y i s i n t h i s
i n s t a n c e . "
I m a d e n o r e p l y t o t h i s , f o r , a s I h a v e s a i d , I w a s a s m u c h
m y s t i f i e d a s S m i t h h i m s e l f . We were standing apart from
t h e r e s t , a n d t h e l i e u t e n a n t l e a n e d h i s e l b o w o n t h e r o c k b e s i d e
h i m . H e t h o u g h t f u l l y s m o k e d h i s p i p e f o r a m i n u t e o r t w o ,
g a z i n g a t t h e g r o u n d i n a w a y I h a d o f t e n s e e n h i m d o w h e n
p o n d e r i n g s o m e q u e s t i o n . Suddenly h e looked up and asked
i n a w h i s p e r , j u s t l o u d e n o u g h f o r m e t o h e a r :
" L i e u t e n a n t , h a v e y o u e v e r f e l t a n y d i s t r u s t o f V i k k a ? "
The question fairly took me off my fe at . I t r i e d t o
p a r r y .
" H o w c a n I s u s p e c t h i m a f t e r t o - d a y a n d t h e o t h e r t i m e s
i n w h i c h h e h a s g i v e n p r o o f o f h i s l o y a l t y ? "
"You haven't answered my quest ion . "
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44 Lo w T w e l v e
"Some time ago a man who had spent most of his life
a m o n g t h e I n d i a n s w a r n e d m e n e v e r t o t r u s t a n y o n e o f t h e m .
I a m a s h a m e d t o s a y I h a v e f e l t a t o u c h o f m i s g i v i n g c o n c e r n -
i n g V i k k a , a n d I f e l t i t t o - d a y , b u t i t w a s be f o r e h e s a v e d m y
l i f e . "
W i t h h i s k e e n e y e s s t i l l f i x e d o n m y f a c e , S m i t h a d d e d :
" D o y o u b e l i e v e h e i s h o n e s t i n s a y i n g G e r o n i m o w i l l s t a y
w h e r e h e i s u n t i l t o - m o r r o w ? "
" I d o . "
" S o d o I , a n d I s h a l l a c t u p o n t h a t v i e w . W e ' l l f o l l o w t h e
r i d g e t o t h e n o r t h , k e e p i n g i t b e t w e e n u s a n d t h e h o s t i l e s ,
a n d t h e n e n t e r t h e m o u n t a i n s a b o v e w h e r e t h e o l d d e v i l w i l l
b e l o o k i n g f o r u s . W e s h a l l h a v e a m o o n t o - n i g h t , b u t t h e r e
w i l l b e p l e n t y o f c l o u d s . "
"What of rain?"
T h e l i e u t e n a n t l o o k e d a b o u t a n d u p i n t o t h e s k y . T h e r e
h a d b e e n d e l u g e s o f d i s h w a t e r f i v e n i g h t s o u t o f s e v e n f o r
the last month . This was well enough in its way, for
we were able to keep our cant eens filled, but it was
anything but comfortable for us . We kindled no fires,
f o r i t w a s t o o d a n g e r o u s , a n d d e s p i t e t h e t e r r i f i c h e a t o f t h e
d a y , t h e n i g h t s w e r e o f t e n c h i l l y . I t h a d n o t r a i n e d f o r
forty-eight hours , and probably a season of drought was
o n u s .
" I d o n ' t t h i n k w e s h a l l h a v e r a i n . T h i s p a r t o f t h e w o r l d
l o o k s a s i f t h e r e h a d n ' t b e e n a n y d o w n f a l l f o r a m o n t h . Wes h a l l b e a b l e t o s e t o u t w i t h o u r c a n t e e n s f u l l , w h i l e e v e r y
m a n a n d h o r s e a t t h e s t a r t w i l l b e a b a r r e l h i m s e l f . I s a y ,
lieutenant, you and Vikka have been chums ever since we
l e f t t h e f o r t . "
" I a d m i t t h a t I h a v e a f o n d n e s s f o r h i m a n d h e s e e m s t o
l i k e m e . "
"Well, one word ; k e e p a s p e c i a l e y e o n h i m . You will
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Lo w T w e l v e4 5
h a v e a b e t t e r c h a n c e t h a n a n y o n e e l s e ; he may have been
p l a y i n g f o r t h e o p e n i n g t h a t i s c o m i n g t o - n i g h t . At th e
f i r s t p r o o f o f t r e a c h e r y o n h i s p a r t" I u n d e r s t a n d , " I i n t e r r u p t e d . " I ' l l d o i t . "
T h e r e s t w h i c h w e g a i n e d a m o n g t h e s e h i l l s d i d a w o r l d o f
g o o d . W e h a d h a l t e d a b o u t n o o n , a n d i t w a s f i v e o r s i x
h o u r s l a t e r w h e n w e r o d e s l o w l y t o t h e n o r t h , w i t h t h e r i d g e
b e t w e e n u s a n d t h e s p u r a m o n g w h i c h w e b e l i e v e d t h e h o s -
t i l e s w e r e w a t c h i n g f o r o u r c o m i n g . O u r I n d i a n s c o u t s k e p t
w e l l i n a d v a n c e a n d c o u l d b e c o u n t e d u p o n t o g i v e t i m e l y
warning . I t w a s c e r t a i n t h a t t h e A p a c h e s h a d s o m e o f t h e i r
o w n s c o u t s o u t , a n d t h e u t m o s t c a u t i o n w a s n e c e s s a r y o n o u r
p a r t t o e l u d e d e t e c t i o n . I n t h e l a t t e r c a s e w e w e r e s u r e t o
have our trouble for naught, with the prospect that the
cunning enemy would turn the tables upon us .
N i g h t h a d a l r e a d y c l o s e d i n w h e n w e r e a c h e d a p o i n t s o m e
t h r e e m i l e s a w a y , w h e r e i t w a s o u r p l a n t o t u r n t o t h e w e s t -
w a r d , w i t h a v i e w o f g e t t i n g a m o n g t h e h i l l s , i n w h i c h w e
f i g u r e d t h a t G e r o n i m o a n d h i s b a n d w e r e o n t h e a l e r t a g a i n s t
s u r p r i s e . B y t h i s t i m e i t w a s c e r t a i n w e s h o u l d h a v e n o r a i n .
The night proved what Lieutenant Smith had antici pated .
The sky containe d many tumbling clouds slowly moving
a c r o s s , a n d s h o w i n g t h e t w i n k l i n g s t a r s i n t h e c l e a r s p a c e s .
The moon was nearly full, but would not rise until well
t o w a r d m i d n i g h t , o r " l o w t w e l v e . " T h i s w a s i n o u r f a v o r ,
f o r w e c o u n t e d u p o n t h e a b s e n c e o f c l e a r l i g h t t o s c r e e n o u r
advance .
A s b e f o r e , t h e s c o u t s h e l d w e l l i n f r o n t , w h i l e w e w i t h
o u r h o r s e s o n a w a l k m o v e d a s s i l e n t l y a s p o s s i b l e . Debouc h-
i n g f r o m t h e r u g g e d r e g i o n , w e e n t e r e d u p o n t h e p l a i n , w h e r e
t h e p o n i e s ' h o o f s s a n k i n t o t h e s p o n g y s a n d w i t h t h e f a i n t e s t
p o s s i b l e n o i s e . Among the twenty-odd cavalrymen hardly a
word was spoken . A l l w e r e l i s t e n i n g a n d p e e r i n g i n t o t h e
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46 Low T w e l v e
g l o o m a s i t p a r t e d t o m a k e r o o m f o r u s . We hardly expe cted
t o s e e a n y t h i n g w r o n g , b u t t h e f a i n t b i r d - l i k e c a l l o f o n e o r
m o r e o f t h e s c o u t s w a s l i k e l y t o p i e r c e t h e s t i l l n e s s a t a n y
m o m e n t . I k e p t p r e t t y c l o s e t o t h e s i d e o f m y s u p e r i o r o f f i c e r ,
w h o s e s e n s e s w e r e o n t h e a l e r t . H e h a d p r o v e d h i s i n t r e p i d -
i t y a s w e l l a s h i s c o o l n e s s i n c r i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n s , a n d t h o u g h
I h a d g o n e o u t o n m o r e p e r s o n a l s c o u t s t h a n h e , I r e l i e d u p o n
h i s j u d g m e n t a t a l l t i m e s . N a t u r e a n d e d u c a t i o n h a d g i v e n
h i m a w e a l t h o f m e n t a l r e s o u r c e s t h a t a l w a y s s t o o d h i m i n
g o o d s t e a d .
Suddenly through the soft hush came the soft tre molo
w h i c h w e w e r e e x p e c t i n g . I t w a s t h e s i g n a l f r o m t h e s c o u t s
f o r u s t o h a l t . O u r h o r s e s s e e m e d t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e w a r n i n g ,
f o r m o s t o f t h e m p a u s e d w i t h o u t t h e g e n t l e p r e s s u r e o f t h e
r e i n . S t i l l n o o n e s p o k e . We were waiting for the second
s i g n a l , w h i c h n e v e r f a i l e d t o b e s e n t a f t e r a p r o p e r i n t e r v a l .
T h e f i r s t m i g h t m i s c a r r y , a n d i t w o u l d n o t d o t o r u n t h e r i s k
o f a t h i n g l i k e t h a t .
T h e i n t e r v a l w a s n o m o r e t h a n t w o o r t h r e e m i n u t e s , w h e n
t h e c a l l r e a c h e d u s a g a i n . W e k n e w i t w o u l d n o t b e r e p e a t e d ,
f o r i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s i t w a s i m p o s s i b l e t h a t b o t h s i g n a l s
s h o u l d f a i l . T h e o r d e r s t h u s f a r w e r e f o r u s t o h a l t a n d
w a i t . I f t h e c r i s i s w a s s u c h t h a t w e s h o u l d f a l l b a c k , t h e
s i g n a l f o r t h a t w o u l d f o l l o w . I t d i d n o t , a n d w e s a t s i l e n t
i n o u r s a d d l e s , p e e r i n g f i x e d l y i n t o t h e g l o o m , w h e r e w e
e x p e c t e d o u r d u s k y f r i e n d s t o s h o w t h e m s e l v e s .
I n s t e a d o f c o m i n g f r o m t h a t d i r e c t i o n , t h e s h a d o w y f o r m s
t o o k s h a p e t o o u r l e f t . F i r s t t h e r e w a s o n e , t h e n t w o l o o m e d
i n t o s i g h t , a n d t h e n t h e o t h e r s a p p e a r e d . The whole parry
h a d b e e n s e n t o u t , a n d w e r e n o w a m o n g u s a g a i n , V i k k a b e i n g
t h e f i r s t t h a t w a s r e c o g n i z e d .
The report showed that the sagacious fellow had been
r i g h t i n h i s s u r m i s e . G e r o n i m o a n d h i s b a n d h a d b e e n
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Lo w T w e l v e 47
l o c a t e d a b o u t a f o u r t h o f a m i l e a w a y a m o n g t h e h i l l s , a n d
h a d g o n e i n t o c a m p i n a s m a l l b a s i n - l i k e v a l l e y , w h e r e t h e r e
were water and grass . The disposition of the men and
women showed that the hostile s were ready and probably
e x p e c t i n g a n a t t a c k . I f t h e c a v a l r y f o l l o w e d t h e m o s t o b v i -
ous course among the mountains, they must pass near the
d e p r e s s i o n , i n w h i c h t h e A p a c h e s w e r e a w a i t i n g t h e m . Could
t h e l a t t e r e f f e c t u a l l y c o n c e a l t h e m s e l v e s , t h e a m b u s h m u s t
p r o v e a s d i s a s t r o u s a s t h a t i n t h e o p e n p l a i n w o u l d h a v e b e e n
t o m e b u t f o r t h e t i m e l y w a r n i n g o f m y c o m p a n i o n .
Never was more subtle cunning and patience matched
a g a i n s t e a c h o t h e r t h a n i n t h e p u r s u i t a n d f l i g h t o f G e r o n i m o
and his band that had broken away from the reservation .
S o m e o f t h e e x p l o i t s o n b o t h s i d e s w e r e s o i n c r e d i b l e t h a t
t h e y w o u l d n o t b e b e l i e v e d i f t o l d . T r u t h f o r c e s o n e t o s a y
t h a t t h e r e n e v e r w o u l d h a v e b e e n t h e s l i g h t e s t c h a n c e o f s u c -
c e s s o n t h e p a r t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s c a v a l r y b u t f o r t h e h e l p
g i v e n b y t h e n a t i v e s c o u t s . M a t c h e d a g a i n s t t h e i r o w n r a c e ,
it was simply "Greek meeting Greek . " O n e w a s a s m u c h
a n a d e p t i n w o o d c r a f t a s t h e o t h e r . Sometimes our men
f a i l e d b e c a u s e t h e o t h e r s w e r e t h e w i s e r i n c e r t a i n c o n t i n -
g e n c i e s . A g a i n , i t w a s t h e o t h e r w a y . A l l t h i s b a c k e d u p
b y a n i n d o m i t a b l e , r e m o r s e l e s s p u r s u i t , s u c h a s h a d n e v e r be e n
s e e n b e f o r e , f i x e d t h e e n d f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g .
I t i s h a r d t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e m a r v e l l o u s s k i l l w i t h w h i c h
s e v e r a l o f o u r s c o u t s h a d d i s c o v e r e d t h e A p a c h e c a m p w i t h -
o u t b e i n g o b s e r v e d i n t u r n b y t h e s e n t i n e l s w h o w e r e o n t h e
watch . Lieutenan t Smith frank ly told Vikka an d the two
c o m p a n i o n s , P e d r o a n d J i m , w h o h a d m a d e t h i s d a r i n g v e n -
t u r e , t h a t s u c c e s s o n t h e i r p a r t - t h a t i s , w i t h o u t b e i n g d e -
t e c t e d i n t u r n - w a s o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e
t r i o s p o k e w i t h s u c h q u i e t a s s u r a n c e t h a t t h e l i e u t e n a n t w a s
c o m p e l l e d t o b e l i e v e t h e m .
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48 Lo w T w e l v e
T h u s f a r e v e r y t h i n g h a d g o n e a s w e l l a s w e c o u l d h o p e .
W e h a d l o c a t e d t h e c a m p o f t h e h o s t i l e s w i t h o u t r e v e a l i n g
o u r s e l v e s . All now depend ed upon the manne r in which we
c a r r i e d o u t t h e r e m a i n i n g p a r t o f t h e m o m e n t o u s p r o g r a m m e .
W i t h t h e c a v a l r y a n d s c o u t s - t h e l a t t e r o f c o u r s e b e i n g o n
f o o t , w e h a v i n g t a k e n t h e i r p o n i e s i n c h a r g e - g r o u p e d i r r e g -
u l a r l y a r o u n d , w e h e l d a c o u n c i l o f w a r , i n w h i c h a l l f e l t a
f r e e d o m i n e x p r e s s i n g h i s o p i n i o n n o t o f t e n s e e n i n a m i l i t a r y
c o m p a n y .
T h e s i t u a t i o n m a y b e s u m m e d u p t h u s : T h e A p a c h e s
whom we had been chasing for weeks were known to be
c a m p e d h a r d l y a f o u r t h o f a m i l e a w a y , i n a b a s i n a m o n g t h e
r u g g e d f a s t n e s s e s o f t h e m o u n t a i n s p u r . They would rem ain
t h e r e u n t i l d a w n , i n t h e h o p e o f t a k i n g u s a t a v a s t d i s a d -
v a n t a g e . I f n o t h i n g o f t h e k i n d o c c u r r e d , t h e y w o u l d r e s u m e
t h e i r f l i g h t a t t h e e a r l i e s t s t r e a k i n g o f d a y l i g h t . T h e i r s c o u t s
were not only watching the path which we were likely to
f o l l o w , b u t , a s a m a t t e r o f c o u r s e , w e r e g u a r d i n g t h e i r c a m p
f r o m e v e r y s i d e .
Matters being thus, cou ld we steal upon them from a n
u n e x p e c t e d d i r e c t i o n , b u r s t i n g l i k e a c y c l o n e i n t o t h e i r c a m p
a n d t a k i n g p r i s o n e r s o r w i p i n g o u t t h e w h o l e b a n d ? Howe a g e r l y e v e r y o n e o f u s h o p e d t h a t s u c h m i g h t b e t h e i s s u e 1
It would mark the end of thi s awful campaigning and our
r e t u r n t o c i v i l i z a t i o n .
A l l t h e s c o u t s a g r e e d w i t h V i k k a t h a t t h e c h a n c e o f s u c -
c e s s w a s g o o d e n o u g h t o j u s t i f y t h e a t t e m p t . W e s h o u l d
c e r t a i n l y a c c o m p l i s h s o m e t h i n g , e v e n i f t h e b u c k s t o o k t h e
a l a r m b e f o r e w e c o u l d r u s h t h e i r c a m p . Lieute nant Smith
d e c i d e d t o a t t a c k .
T h a t b e i n g s o , t h e p r e c i s e c o u r s e t o b e f o l l o w e d h a d y e t t o
b e s e t t l e d . I t w a s n e c e s s a r y t o l e a v e o u r a n i m a l s a t t h e f o o t
o f t h e h i l l s , w h e r e s o m e t h i n g l i k e s h e l t e r c o u l d b e s e c u r e d .
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Lo w T w e l v e 49
Three men were to remain to look after them, while the
o t h e r s s t o l e t o w a r d t h e c a m p o f t h e r e d s k i n s .
I t s h o u l d b e s a i d , f u r t h e r , t h a t t h e e x p e c t a t i o n w a s t o
m a k e t h e a t t a c k j u s t b e f o r e d a y b r e a k . T h a t i s t h e f a v o r i t e
h o u r w i t h I n d i a n s t h e m s e l v e s , f o r i t m a r k s t h e l o w e s t e b b o f
o n e ' s v i t a l i t y a n d a l e r t n e s s . D e s p i t e t h e v i g i l a n c e o f t h e
s e n t i n e l s , t h r o w n o u t o n e v e r y s i d e b y t h e h o s t i l e s , s o m e o f
t h e l a t t e r w o u l d b e a s l e e p . I n c r e d i b l e a s w a s t h e i r e n d u r a n c e ,
i t h a d n o n e t h e l e s s i t s l i m i t s s e t . True, they would wake
w i t h t h e s u d d e n n e s s o f s h e - w o l v e s , b u t b y t h a t t i m e w e h o p e d
t o b e a m o n g t h e m , a t t e n d i n g t o " b u s i n e s s . "
The plan of approach havi ng been agreed upon, Vikka,
P e d r o a n d J i m m o v e d f o r w a r d a g a i n , w i t h u s t r o o p e r s f o l -
l o w i n g a t a d i s t a n c e o f a h u n d r e d y a r d s o r s o . The purp ose
o f t h e t h r e e w a s t o f i n d t h e a v e n u e f o r a t t a c k . I t w a s n a t u r a l
t h a t o n e s i d e o r t h e o t h e r o f t h e c a m p w a s m o r e v u l n e r a b l e
t h a n t h e o t h e r s . I t m i g h t b e t h a t t h e s e n t i n e l a t t h a t p o i n t
could be stolen upon and despatched so suddenly that he
w o u l d h a v e n o c h a n c e t o w a r n t h e o t h e r s . W e c o u l d d a s h
through the opening thus gained and be in the camp in a
t w i n k l i n g .
W e u s e d t w o h o u r s i n o u r s t e a l t h y a d v a n c e , a n d t h e n , a s
a g r e e d u p o n b e f o r e h a n d , h a l t e d u n t i l n o t i c e w a s r e c e i v e d f r o m
t h e s c o u t s , w h o w e r e n e a r t h e e n e m y . No shad ows coul d have
m o v e d m o r e n o i s l e s s l y t h a n w e . Every man o f us had been
t r a i n e d i n t h i s s p e c i e s o f w o o d c r a f t , a n d k n e w t h a t a c a r e l e s s
s t e p , t h e k n o c k i n g l o o s e o f a s m a l l s t o n e e v e n , a w o r d s p o k e n
i n a n u n d e r t o n e , o r t h e r a t t l e o f a w e a p o n m i g h t g i v e t h e
alarm and bring our whole scheme to naught .
L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h a n d I w e r e c r o u c h i n g b e s i d e a h u g e r o c k ,
s l i g h t l y f a r t h e r a l o n g t h a n t h e r e s t o f t h e m e n . Bendi ng his
h e a d c l o s e t o m i n e , h e w h i s p e r e d
" L i e u t e n a n t , t h i s i s t h e c r i s i s t h a t w i l l t e s t V i k k a . "
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50 Lo w T w e l v e
"I am thinking the same . S h a l l I s t e a l a h e a d a n d s e e
w h a t I c a n s e e ? "
" I h a t e t o h a v e y o u r u n t h e r i s k . "
" I ' l l d o i t . "
I s l i p p e d o f f m y s w o r d f o r f e a r i t w o u l d b e t r a y m e a n d
g r a s p e d m y r e v o l v e r . I w a s l i k e l y t o n e e d i t w i t h t h e s u d d e n -
n e s s o f l i g h t n i n g , a n d d i d n o t m e a n t o b e t a k e n u n a w a r e s .
S m i t h w o u l d h a v e b e e n g l a d t o w h i s p e r a w o r d o f c o u n s e l
o r a t l e a s t t o s a y g o o d - b y , b u t i t w a s n o t n e c e s s a r y o r w o r t h
t h e r i s k .
A s I e m e r g e d f r o m b e h i n d t h e r o c k , I p e r c e i v e d t h a t t h e
m o o n h a d r i s e n a n d w a s r a p i d l y c l i m b i n g t h e s k y . J u s t t h e n
i t w a s o b s c u r e d b y a h e a v y c l o u d , b u t o b s e r v i n g t h a t i t w o u l d
s o o n p a s s , I i m p r o v e d t h e c h a n c e t o c r e e p f o r w a r d f o r s e v e r a l
r o d s . T h e n t h e f l o o d o f l i g h t w a s s u c h t h a t I l a y f l a t a w a i t -
i n g a n o t h e r o p p o r t u n i t y , w h i c h I p e r c e i v e d w o u l d s o o n c o m e .
Ahead of me and slightly to t he left towered anothe r
b o u l d e r , n o t s o l a r g e a s t h e o n e t h a t s c r e e n e d L i e u t e n a n t
Smith . I c r a w l e d b e h i n d t h i s a n d t h e n a w a i t e d t h e o b s c u r a -
t i o n o f t h e m o o n , t o a d v a n c e f a r t h e r i n t o t h e o p e n .
I w a s i n t h e a c t o f c r e e p i n g f o r w a r d , w h e n , w i t h o u t t h e
s l i g h t e s t s o u n d o r w a r n i n g , t h e f i g u r e o f a n I n d i a n w a r r i o r
r o s e t o v i e w b e s i d e t h e b o u l d e r . O n e g l a n c e a t i t w a s e n o u g h .
I w a s t o o f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e f e l l o w t o b e m i s t a k e n . I t w a s
Geronimo himself .
I V
THE first lo ok was enough . G e r o n i m o , t h e f e r o c i o u s
l e a d e r o f t h e W a r m S p r i n g b a n d , w a s s t a n d i n g w i t h i n
t h i r t y f e e t o f w h e r e I l a y o n m y f a c e b e h i n d t h e b o u l d e r , w i t h
m y r e v o l v e r t i g h t l y g r a s p e d i n m y r i g h t h a n d .
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11 I t w a s G e r o n i m o h i m s e l f ' '
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Lo w T w e l v e 53
M y m u s c l e s w e r e i r o n , m y n e r v e c o o l a n d t h e s h o t a f a i r
one . I h a d t h e d r o p o n h i m a n d s w o r e h e s h o u l d n o t e s c a p e
m e .
M y s e c o n d i m p u l s e w a s n o t t o w a i t , b u t t o b r i n g h i m d o w n
b e f o r e h e t u r n e d h i s h e a d t o s c a n h i s s u r r o u n d i n g s . But
there was something in such an act at which I revolted .
U n s p e a k a b l e w r e t c h t h o u g h h e w a s , a n d d e s e r v i n g o f d e a t h
t e n t i m e s o v e r , I s h r a n k f r o m a c o l d - b l o o d e d s n u f f i n g o u t o f
the Apache lead er . No ; I should wait and give him the
shadow of a chance .
I h a v e s a i d t h a t t h e s m o t h e r i n g h e a t o f t h e d a y s w a s f o l -
l o w e d b y a c h i l l i n e s s a t n i g h t w h i c h w a s o n e o f o u r g r e a t e s t
t r i a l s o n t h a t m e m o r a b l e c a m p a i g n . T h e g r i m c h i e f t a i n h a d
a b l a n k e t a b o u t h i s s h o u l d e r s , a s i f h e n e e d e d i t f o r c o m f o r t .
A s h e s t o o d h i s s i d e w a s t o w a r d m e a n d h i s r o u g h , i r r e g u l a r
p r o f i l e w a s t h u s b r o u g h t o u t p l a i n l y .
T h e s t r a i n e d s i t u a t i o n h a d l a s t e d n o m o r e t h a n a m i n u t e
when it became plain to me that Geronimo had come here
t o m e e t s o m e o n e . H i s a t t i t u d e w a s t h a t o f e x p e c t a n c y , a n d
w i t h a l l h i s w o n d e r f u l f a c u l t i e s a l e r t , h e w a s p e e r i n g f i x e d l y
a l i t t l e t o t h e l e f t , f r o m w h i c h d i r e c t i o n h i s v i s i t o r p r o b a b l y
w a s t o a d v a n c e .
A l l d o u b t o n t h i s p o i n t w a s r e m o v e d w h e n f r o m t h a t p o i n t
a second form came out of the gloom, with no more noise
than that made by the shadow of the cloud which glided
o v e r t h e h i l l s . M y h e a r t b e a t f a s t e r t h a n b e f o r e , f o r t h e
i n s t a n t t h o u g h t w a s t h a t t h e c h i e f h a d m o v e d o u t f r o m h i s
c a m p t o m e e t o n e o f o u r s c o u t s , w h o w a s b e a r i n g h i m n e w s
of our movements . S u c h t r e a c h e r y h a d a i d e d h i m m o r e t h a n
o n c e t o e s c a p e f r o m c r i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n s , a n d n o w i t w a s a b o u t
t o o c c u r a g a i n .
M y a n x i e t y w a s t o i d e n t i f y t h e t r a i t o r . I p r e f e r r e d t o
s h o o t h i m r a t h e r t h a n t h e d u s k y l e a d e r , b u t I c o m p r e s s e d m y
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54 Lo w T w e l v e
l i p s w i t h t h e r e s o l v e t o m a k e b o t h b i t e t h e d u s t . It would
b e s o m e t h i n g t o t e l l i n a f t e r y e a r s t h a t I h a d b r o u g h t d o w n
Geronimo and the miscreant who was serving him in our
o w n c a m p .
T o m y c h a g r i n , t h e s e c o n d a r r i v a l w a s n o t o n l y e n c l o s e d i n
a b l a n k e t , b u t i t w a s d r a w n s o f a r u p a r o u n d h i s s h o u l d e r s
t h a t h i s f a c e w a s h i d d e n . O n l y t h e c r o w n o f b l a c k , c o a r s e
h a i r s h o w e d . N o t a f e a t u r e w a s v i s i b l e . H a l t i n g w i t h i n a
c o u p l e o f p a c e s o f t h e c h i e f , t h e t w o b e g a n c o n v e r s i n g i n l o w
t o n e s . T h e i r v o i c e s w e r e s o f a i n t t h a t I c o u l d n o t d i s t i n g u i s h
a w o r d , a n d , h a d I b e e n a b l e t o d o s o , i t w o u l d h a v e d o n e
n o g o o d , f o r n a t u r a l l y t h e y t a l k e d i n t h e i r o w n l a n g u a g e .
T h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e t w o w a s s u c h t h a t t h e s i d e o f e a c h
s h o w e d c l e a r l y . They would have to turn their heads at
r i g h t a n g l e s t o s e e m y f o r e h e a d a n d e y e s b e f o r e t h e y f l i t t e d
b a c k o u t o f s i g h t . T h e i r t r a i n i n g , t h e s t r a i n e d s i t u a t i o n a n d
t h e p e c u l i a r p e r i l i n w h i c h b o t h s t o o d c o n v i n c e d m e t h a t t h e y
would neglect no precaution, however slight . G e r o n i m o
c o u l d h a v e b e e n n o m o r e a n x i o u s t o a v o i d b e i n g s e e n b y o u r
s c o u t s t h a n w a s t h e t r a i t o r t o h i d e h i s i d e n t i t y f r o m a l l e x c e p t
t h e a r c h l e a d e r o f t h e h o s t i l e s .
I n c r e d i b l e a s i t m a y s e e m , n e i t h e r o f t h e s e v e t e r a n s t u r n e d
h i s e y e s i n m y d i r e c t i o n d u r i n g t h e f e w m i n u t e s t h e y t a l k e d .
My plan was s impl e . I s h i f t e d s l i g h t l y s o a s t o r e s t t h e
w e i g h t o f m y b o d y o n m y l e f t e l b o w . This gave freed om of
t h e o t h e r a r m , a n d I h a d b u t t o l i f t m y w e a p o n a f e w i n c h e s
t o b r i n g t h e w r e t c h e s w i t h i n r a n g e . F i r s t t h e t r a i t o r , t h e n
the Apache chieft ain, and before either could kno w his,
danger .
I e x p e c t e d e v e r y m o m e n t t h a t t h e s c o u t w o u l d l o w e r h i s
b l a n k e t a n d s h o w h i s f a c e . I c o u l d t h i n k o f n o r e a s o n w h y
h e s h o u l d w i s h t o s h r o u d h i s f e a t u r e s w h e n t h e c o u n t e n a n c e
o f G e r o n i m o w a s a s c l e a r l y r e v e a l e d a s i f t h e s u n w e r e s h i n -
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Lo w T w e l v e 55
i n g . B u t h e r e m a i n e d m u f f l e d , a n d I d i d n o t s e e s o m u c h a s
t h e t i p o f h i s n o s e .
S u d d e n l y a d e n s e r c l o u d t h a n u s u a l s w e p t o v e r t h e f a c e
of the moon . T h a t w h i c h h a d b e e n i l l u m i n a t e d w a s q u i c k l y
h i d d e n i n g l o o m . The two forms dissolved and faded from
s i g h t . G l a n c i n g a t t h e o r b i n t h e s k y , I s a w t h a t i t w o u l d s o o n
e m e r g e f r o m b e h i n d t h e m i s t s . I d e c i d e d t h a t t h e s e c o n d i t
d i d s o , a n d m y a i m w a s c l e a r , I s h o u l d l e t f l y a t t h e c o u p l e i n
i n s t a n t s u c c e s s i o n .
B u t t h a t o b s c u r i n g c l o u d p l a y e d t h e m i s c h i e f w i t h t h i s p l a n .
When the light began increasing and my straining vision
m a d e o u t t h e b o u l d e r b e s i d e w h i c h t h e A p a c h e s w e r e s t a n d i n g
l e s s t h a n a m i n u t e b e f o r e , o n l y o n e w a s i n s i g h t . G e r o n i m o
had vanished as silently as he had entered the field of
v i s i o n .
T h e o t h e r w a s s t a n d i n g a s b e f o r e , a n d s e e m e d t o b e l o o k -
i n g a f t e r t h e c h i e f , w h o h a d n o t y e t p a s s e d f r o m h i s v i e w .
O n l y f o r a n i n s t a n t d i d h e d o t h i s , w h e n h e t u r n e d t o m o v e
away . With his back toward the chief, he l owered the
b l a n k e t a f e w i n c h e s - j u s t e n o u g h t o s h o w h i s c o u n t e n a n c e ,
w h o s e p r o f i l e w a s t o w a r d m e . T h e t r a i t o r w a s V i k k a I
I was dumfounded, for, curiously enough, during the
b r i e f i n t e r v a l , a n d d e s p i t e m y r e c e n t t a l k w i t h L i e u t e n a n t
S m i t h , i t h a d n o t o c c u r r e d t o m e t h a t t h e w r e t c h c o u l d b e h e
whom each of us had distrusted more thann once . By the
t i m e I r a l l i e d f r o m m y s p e e c h l e s s n e s s h e w a s g o n e .
T h e s i t u a t i o n w a s c r i t i c a l t o t h e l a s t d e g r e e . I was in
a d v a n c e o f o u r o w n m e n , a n d w i t h o u t f u r t h e r h e s i t a t i o n I
r o s e t o m y f e e t , a n d i n a c r o u c h i n g p o s i t i o n r a n b a c k t o w h e r e
I h a d l e f t L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h .
H e , t o o , w a s o n h i s f e e t , a n d t h e f o r m s o f t h e t r o o p e r s
c a m e r a p i d l y t o v i e w , a s , i n r e s p o n s e t o a s i g n a l , t h e y g a t h -
e r e d r o u n d h i m . A m o n g t h e m c o u l d b e s e e n i n t h e o b s c u r i t y
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5 6 Lo w T w e l v e
s e v e r a l o f o u r s c o u t s . I g l a n c e d f r o m f a c e t o f a c e , b u t m i s s e d
t w o - V i k k a a n d P e d r o . I l o n g e d t o t e l l o u r c o m m a n d a n t
w h a t I h a d l e a r n e d , b u t c o u l d n o t d o s o i n t h e h e a r i n g o f
the company . S m i t h w a s i s s u i n g h i s c o m m a n d s i n l o w , h u r -
r i e d t o n e s .
"An openi ng has been made ; w e ' r e t o r u s h t h e c a m p ; i s
every man ready?"
T h e w h i s p e r e d r e s p o n s e s s h o w e d t h a t t h e y w e r e r e a d y a n d
e a g e r .
"We will f ollow Jim ; h e w i l l l e a d ; a l l r e a d y l "
The next minute we were threading our way among the
b o u l d e r s , r o c k s a n d g u l l i e s . I caught up my sword, and
h u r r i e d l y f a s t e n e d i t o n w h i l e j o i n i n g t h e p r o c e s s i o n , w h i c h
w a s l e d b y t h e f a i t h f u l J i m . A s y e t I h a d n o t s p o k e n t o t h e
c o m m a n d e r , b u t n o w I t w i t c h e d h i s e l b o w .
" I f e a r w e h a v e b e e n b e t r a y e d , l i e u t e n a n t . "
" I t c a n ' t b e ; c o m e o n ; i t ' s t o o l a t e t o s t o p n o w . "
L e s s t h a n a h u n d r e d y a r d s f a r t h e r t h e s c o u t J i m u t t e r e d
a suppressed exclamation and came to a halt . W e w e r e
a r o u n d h i m t h e n e x t s e c o n d . S t r e t c h e d a t h i s f e e t l a y P e d r o
d e a d , t h e w o u n d i n t h e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e b r e a s t s h o w i n g t h a t
h e h a d b e e n k i l l e d b y a s i n g l e b l o w w i t h a k n i f e .
T h e p a u s e w a s o n l y f o r a m o m e n t , w h e n , w i t h n o f u r t h e r
a t t e n t i o n t o t h e s t a r k f o r m , J i m l e d t h e a d v a n c e a t a r a p i d
p a c e . The moonli ght was uncertain . W e w e r e c l o s e t o t h e
d e e p b a s i n i n w h i c h c l u s t e r e d t h e c a m p o f t h e h o s t i l e s . Af e w s t e p s m o r e , a n d w e c a m e u p o n a s e c o n d f i g u r e s t r e t c h e d
o u t o n t h e e a r t h . I t w a s t h a t o f t h e A p a c h e s e n t i n e l , w h o
h a d b e e n s t r i c k e n d o w n s o s u d d e n l y t h a t h e h a d n o c h a n c e
t o g i v e t h e a l a r m . This was the opening thro ugh which we
w e r e t o r u s h , a n d w e d i d s o w i t h s c a r c e l y a s e c o n d ' s h a l t .
A s t h e t r o o p e r s s c r a m b l e d , l e a p e d a n d r a n t h e y s h o u t e d
t h e i r b a t t l e c r y . D o w n t h e s l o p e t h e y s t r e a m e d , s o m e o f t h e m
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Lo w T w e l v e 5 7
s t u m b l i n g a n d f a l l i n g , b u t t h e y w e r e q u i c k l y o n t h e i r f e e t
a g a i n , a r d e n t a s e v e r . Within the s ame minute t hat we
s t a r t e d t h e r u s h , w e w e r e i n t h e b a s i n h u n t i n g l i k e b l o o d -
h o u n d s f o r o u r p r e y .
And then a discove ry was made as startling as it was
e x a s p e r a t i n g . B r i e f a s w a s t h e t i m e u s e d , t h e A p a c h e s h a d
t a k e n t h e a l a r m a n d f l e d . The camp was deserted . T h e y
h a d h a d t h e i r w a r n i n g , a n d a f e w m i n u t e s , e v e n s e c o n d s , w e r e
s u f f i c i e n t .
Vikka, coming from somewhere, was among our scouts,
t w o o f w h o m d a s h e d a c r o s s t h e b a s i n l i k e a c y c l o n e . Wes a w t h e f l a s h e s o f g u n s a n d h e a r d f i e r c e c r i e s . They had come
u p o n t h e r e a r g u a r d , s o t o s p e a k , a n d w e r e h a v i n g i t o u t w i t h
t h e m . Among the troopers who were skurryin g here and
t h e r e , b a f f l e d a n d e n r a g e d a t t h e i r f a i l u r e t o f i n d a n y f o e s , a
h a l f d o z e n r u s h e d t o t h e h e l p o f t h e s c o u t s . I j o i n e d t h e m .
W e h a d b u t a f e w r o d s t o r u n , w h e n w e s t r u c k t h e f a r t h e r
s i d e o f t h e b a s i n . B u t w e w e r e t o o l a t e t o h a v e a n y p a r t i n
t h e f r a y . A f t e r t h e e x c h a n g e o f a f e w s h o t s , i n w h i c h o n e o f
o u r s c o u t s w a s w o u n d e d a n d o n e o f t h e e n e m y b r o u g h t d o w n ,
t h e o t h e r s m a d e o f f s w i f t l y i n t h e d a r k n e s s a n d w e r e b e y o n d
r e a c h .
A s w e c a m e t o g e t h e r i n t h e g l o o m , w e w e r e a d i s a p p o i n t e d
a n d f u r i o u s l o t . Angry mutter ings were going on, when
S m i t h n o t i c e d t h a t o n e o f t h e A p a c h e s w h o h a d f a l l e n w a s
s t r u g g l i n g t o g e t t o h i s f e e t . T h e s c o u t J i m o b s e r v e d i t , a n d
r a n f o r w a r d t o f i n i s h h i m w i t h h i s k n i f e , b u t t h e l i e u t e n a n t
w a s t h e n e a r e r a n d s t a y e d h i s h a n d .
" H e i s a p r i s o n e r . W e d o n ' t k i l l c a p t i v e s , e v e n i f t h e y ' r e
Apaches . "
S e i z i n g t h e f e l l o w b y t h e a r m , h e h e l p e d h i m t o r i s e . H e
w a s b a d l y h u r t , b u t w i t h t h e s l i g h t a i d t h u s g i v e n , w a s a b l e
t o s t a n d e r e c t . H e l o o k e d d e f i a n t l y a r o u n d i n t h e f a c e s o f
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5 8 Lo w T w e l v e
h i s c a p t o r s a s r e v e a l e d i n t h e m o o n l i g h t , w h i c h w a s n o w
b r i g h t , b u t d i d n o t s p e a k .
" D o a n y o f y o u k n o w h i m ? " a s k e d t h e o f f i c e r , t u r n i n g t o
t h e s c o u t s .
"H e i s Mar t a n a ," r e p l i e d V i k k a ; " h e i s a s ba d a s
G e r o n i m o . "
A l l o f u s h a d h e a r d t h a t n a m e . H e w a s a s u b - c h i e f o f t h e
Warm Spring Indians, and one of the most feroc ious mis-
c r e a n t s t h a t e v e r h e l p e d t o r a v a g e t h e f r o n t i e r .
" I t m a k e s n o d i f f e r e n c e , " s a i d t h e o f f i c e r s t e r n l y ; " h e s e e m s
t o h a v e s t o p p e d o n e o r t w o o f y o u r b u l l e t s a n d w o n ' t m a k e
a n y m o r e t r o u b l e f o r s o m e t i m e t o c o m e . No mat ter how bad
h e i s , I ' l l s h o o t t h e f i r s t o n e w h o h a r m s h i m f u r t h e r . "
I t w a s u s e l e s s t o a t t e m p t t o o v e r t a k e t h e h o s t i l e s d u r i n g
t h e d a r k n e s s , a n d w i t h o u r s c o u t s t h r o w n o u t t o p r e v e n t s u r -
prise, we made our way back to camp, where we had left
o u r h o r s e s i n c h a r g e o f t h r e e o f t h e t r o o p e r s . O u r p l a n
h a d f a i l e d b e c a u s e a t t h e c r i t i c a l j u n c t u r e G e r o n i m o r e c e i v e d
w a r n i n g o f t h e d a n g e r t o h i m s e l f a n d b a n d .
W e d i s p o s e d o f o u r s e l v e s f o r t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e n i g h t .
A s s o o n a s w e c o u l d s e e , t h e p u r s u i t w o u l d b e r e s u m e d a n d
p r e s s e d a s v i g o r o u s l y a s b e f o r e . T h e I n d i a n s c o u t s w e r e k e p t
a t w o r k a m o n g t h e h i l l s , t o p r e v e n t a n y t h i n g i n t h e n a t u r e
o f a s u r p r i s e b y t h e A p a c h e s , s o m e o f w h o m w e r e l i k e l y t o
s t e a l b a c k i n t h e h o p e o f s t r i k i n g u s a n u n e x p e c t e d b l o w .
O u r c a p t i v e M a r t a n a w a s t r e a t e d w i t h m o r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n
t h a n h e d e s e r v e d . A b l a n k e t w a s s p r e a d o n t h e g r o u n d , u p o n
w h i c h h e p a r t l y r e c l i n e d . We had no regular surgeon with
u s a t t h a t t i m e , b u t L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h a n d s e v e r a l o t h e r s
p o s s e s s e d a p r a c t i c a l k n o w l e d g e o f w o u n d s , a n d g a v e i t a s
t h e i r o p i n i o n , t h a t , t h o u g h t h e f e l l o w w a s d e s p e r a t e l y h u r t ,
h e h a d a c h a n c e o f p u l l i n g t h r o u g h . He was offered food
a n d d r i n k , b u t r e f u s e d t o t o u c h t h e m . H e e v e n k n o c k e d
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a s i d e a w h i s k e y f l a s k t h a t w a s h e l d t o h i s l i p s . H e c o u l d
n o t b e p e r s u a d e d t o s p e a k a w o r d , a n d p a i d n o t t h e l e a s t
attention to the Apaches who addressed him in his own
language . H e w a s a s t o i c , w h o s h r a n k f r o m n o t h i n g b e f o r e
h i m . H e h a t e d u s w i t h a n u n s p e a k a b l e h a t r e d . D e s p i t e t h e
k i n d n e s s w e h a d s h o w n h i m , h e w o u l d h a v e s c a l p e d e v e r y o n e
h a d t h e c h a n c e b e e n h i s .
L e a v i n g h i m t o h i m s e l f , L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h d r e w m e a s i d e
a s b e f o r e , a n d l i g h t i n g h i s i n e v i t a b l e p i pe , a s h e s a t w i t h h i s
knees drawn up, asked me to explain the hurried words I
h a d s p o k e n j u s t b e f o r e t h e c h a r g e u p o n t h e d e s e r t e d c a m p .
I d i d s o , h e l i s t e n i n g a n d p u f f i n g i n s i l e n c e . After a ti me
h e s a i d i n h i s l o w , e v e n v o i c e
" Y o u t o l d m e t h a t i n t h e s a m e i n s t a n t t h a t y o u r e c e i v e d
proof of Vikka's guilt you would shoot him . "
" I d i d s a y s o , b u t I w a s l i t e r a l l y p a r a l y z e d f o r t h e m o m e n t ,
n o t " d r e a m i n g o f a n y t h i n g o f t h e k i n d ; I ' m s o r r y I l e t h i m
e s c a p e . "
"So a m I , f o r t h e e v i d e n c e y o u s a w w a s e n o u g h t o
hang him . A n d y e t a f t e r a l l i s s a i d , l i e u t e n a n t , I d o n ' t u n d e r -
s t a n d t h a t f e l l o w . "
" I n w h a t r e s p e c t ? "
" H e h a s h a d n o e n d o f c h a n c e s t o s t r i k e u s t h e h a r d e s t k i n d
o f b l o w s , b u t n e v e r d i d s o u n t i l t o - n i g h t . W h y s h o u l d h e
s a c r i f i c e s o m a n y g r e a t e r f o r t h e s i n g l e l e s s ? "
" M e a n i n g t h a t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y t o - n i g h t w a s l e s s t h a n m a n y
o t h e r s w h i c h h e l e t s l i p ? "
" P r e c i s e l y . W h a t h e h a s j u s t d o n e w a s n e g a t i v e ; h e p r e -
v e n t e d u s f r o m s u r p r i s i n g G e r o n i m o , b u t t h e m o s t t h a t h e
d i d f o r t h e h o s t i l e s w a s t o g i v e t h e m a c h a n c e t o g e t a w a y .
W h y d i d h e n o t p l a n a s u r p r i s e o f u s b y them? He could
h a v e d o n e t h a t v e r y t h i n g t h r e e n i g h t s a g o , i n A n t e l o p e P a s s . "
" H e m a y h a v e f e a r e d h e r a n t o o m u c h r i s k . He ha s been
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6o Low T w e l v e
playing a hard part, as you can understand, for he must
b e u n d e r t h e o b s e r v a t i o n o f h i s o w n s c o u t s m o s t o f t h e t i m e ,
a n d s o m e o f t h e m a r e b e y o n d s u s p i c i o n . "
" I w o n d e r w h e t h e r h e h a s a n y p a r t n e r s i n t h i s , " m u t t e r e d
t h e o f f i c e r , a s i f s p e a k i n g t o h i m s e l f . " I t ' s b l a m e d u n c o m -
f o r t a b l e t o t h i n k s o . "
" W h e r e i s h e n o w , l i e u t e n a n t ? "
" H e a n d J i m a n d s e v e r a l o t h e r s a r e s c o u t i n g a m o n g t h e
h i l l s . "
" B e g g i n g p a r d o n , V i k k a o u g h t n o t t o b e w i t h t h e m . "
"He would not have been had you told me this before .
I t i s b e s t , h o w e v e r , t o s h o w n o d i s t r u s t o f t h e f e l l o w t i l l w e
c a t c h h i m w i t h t h e g o o d s . "
" L i e u t e n a n t , I d o n ' t f e e l t h e n e e d o f s l e e p . I had e nough
t h i s a f t e r n o o n t o l a s t m e f o r a g o o d w h i l e . With your per-
m i s s i o n , I ' l l t a k e a l o o k a m o n g t h e h i l l s m y s e l f , h o p i n g t o
p i c k u p a p o i n t o r t w o . "
" I d o n ' t k n o w a s I h a v e a n y o b j e c t i o n . I u n d e r s t a n d t h a t
y o u w i l l g i v e m o s t o f y o u r a t t e n t i o n t o V i k k a ? "
" S u c h i s m y p u r p o s e . "
" Y o u h a v e n ' t o n e c h a n c e i n a t h o u s a n d . H e i s t o o c u n -
n i n g t o b e e n t r a p p e d b y a m a n w h o i s b u t a c h i l d c o m p a r e d
to him . "
" I g o t t h e b e s t o f h i m t h i s e v e n i n g . "
" H a r d l y ; b u t i f s o , i t w a s a n a c c i d e n t . "
"Another acci dent may occu r . "
" I f h e h a s a n y i d e a t h a t y o u a r e o n t o h i s g a m e , y o u w i l l
b e i n t e n f o l d g r e a t e r d a n g e r t h a n e v e r b e f o r e . Well, good
l u c k g o w i t h y o u . "
When I had reached a point fairly beyond our camp I
w a s i m p r e s s e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e w i t h t h e a b s u r d i t y o f t h e
t a s k t a k e n u p o n m y s e l f . I h a d s e t o u t t o c i r c u m v e n t o n e o f
t h e m o s t s k i l f u l t r a i l e r s a n d s c o u t s i n t h e s e r v i c e . My w oo d-
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Lo w T w e l v e 61
c r a f t a s c o m p a r e d t o h i s w a s f o o l i s h n e s s . He could give
m e c a r d s a n d s p a d e s a n d b e a t m e e v e r y t i m e . True, he was
s o m e w h e r e i n t h e s e h i l l s , b u t I m i g h t p r o w l a m o n g t h e m f o r
a w e e k w i t h o u t g e t t i n g s i g h t o f h i m . A n u n p r e c e d e n t e d p i e c e
o f l u c k h a d b r o u g h t m e k n o w l e d g e s o m e t i m e b e f o r e , b u t s u c h
a c c i d e n t s a r e n e v e r r e p e a t e d , o r , a t l e a s t , n o t o f t e n e n o u g h
t o j u s t i f y h o p e o n m y p a r t .
N o n e t h e l e s s , I h a d n o t h o u g h t o f t u r n i n g b a c k . I f I
c o u l d n o t o u t w i t V i k k a , I m i g h t h a v e a c h a n c e t o d o s o m e -
t h i n g e l s e . I t w a s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h A p a c h e c u s t o m s t h a t
s o m e o f t h e i r s c o u t s w o u l d l i n g e r i n t h e r e a r o f t h e m a i n
b a n d t o l e a r n o u r i n t e n t i o n s , a n d , i f o p p o r t u n i t y o f f e r e d , s t r i k e
u s a b l o w . T h e y k n e w t h e p u r s u i t w o u l d b e t a k e n u p i n t h e
m o r n i n g . We were better mounted t han they . I n f a c t , w e
h a d s c a t t e r e d t h e h o s t i l e s s o o f t e n t h a t m o s t o f t h e m w e r e
o n f o o t . Encumbered with women and chi ldren, they were
p u t t o i t a s n e v e r b e f o r e t o k e e p o u t o f o u r r e a c h . I t w a s ,
t h e r e f o r e , o f t h e h i g h e s t i m p o r t a n c e t h a t t h e y s h o u l d d e l a y
o u r p u r s u i t w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e . By leaving a dozen, more
o r l e s s , o f t h e i r b e s t s c o u t s b e h i n d , w i t h i n c o m m u n i c a t i n g d i s -
t a n c e , w e m i g h t b e c h e c k e d s u f f i c i e n t l y t o g i v e t h e m a i n b o d y
a c h a n c e t o i n c r e a s e t h e d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n t h e m a n d u s .
I t w a s t h e p r o v i n c e o f o u r g u i d e s t o f r u s t r a t e t h e s e p l a n s ,
a n d I w a s i n t h e m o o d t o t a k e a h a n d i n t h e d e s p e r a t e b u s i n e s s ,
t h o u g h c o m m o n s e n s e d i c t a t e d t h a t L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h s h o u l d
h a v e p r e v e n t e d s u c h r a s h n e s s o n m y p a r t .
I f o l l o w e d a c o u r s e t h a t l e d m e t o t h e e d g e o f t h e b a s i n
d o w n w h i c h w e h a d c h a r g e d i n t o t h e d e s e r t e d c a m p , a n d i t
w a s w i t h a c u r i o u s s h o c k t h a t I r e c o g n i z e d t h e v e r y s p o t
w h e r e I h a d s e e n G e r o n i m o e m e r g e f r o m t h e g l o o m a n d h o l d
his confab with Vikka, when he joined him a few moments
l a t e r .
" S t r a n g e 1 " I m u t t e r e d ; " i f t h e r e i s a n y t h i n g i n s i g n s , I
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62 Lo w T w e l v e
s h o u l d a c c e p t t h i s a s i n d i c a t i n g t h a t s o m e t h i n g o f t h e k i n d
i s g o i n g t o h a p p e n a g a i n . "
T h e r e a r e f e w o f u s w h o s e e x p e r i e n c e h a s n o t p r o v e d t h e
e x i s t e n c e w i t h i n t h i s m a r v e l l o u s m a k e - u p o f o u r s o f s o m e -
t h i n g a k i n t o t h a t v a g u e f a c u l t y w h i c h h a s b e e n c a l l e d t h e
s i x t h s e n s e . On no other theory ca n many things be ex-
p l a i n e d .
I h a d h e l d m y c r o u c h i n g p o s t u r e o n l y a m i n u t e o r s o w h e n
t h e a b s o l u t e c e r t a i n t y c a m e o v e r m e t h a t s o m e o n e w a s n e a r .
I g l a n c e d i n e v e r y d i r e c t i o n a n d l i s t e n e d i n t e n t l y , b u t d i d
n o t s e e n o r h e a r t h e s l i g h t e s t t h i n g t h a t c o u l d e x p l a i n m y
f e e l i n g . N o n e t h e l e s s , t h e c o n v i c t i o n w a s u n a l t e r a b l e , a n d
r a t h e r i n c r e a s e d t h a n d i m i n i s h e d .
" I t c a n ' t b e t h a t V i k k a i s p r o w l i n g h e r e ; p r o b a b l y o n e o f
G e r o n i m o ' s s c o u t s i s o n t h e l o o k o u t , o r p e r h a p s o n e o f o u r
o w n . "
What to do was the questi on that puzzled me . I might
s t e a l f o r w a r d , b a c k w a r d o r t o o n e s i d e , a n d t h e r e b y d o t h e
v e r y t h i n g I s h o u l d n o t d o . Surely some clue must come
w i t h i n a f e w s e c o n d s t h a t w o u l d g u i d e m e .
A s b e f o r e , I h e l d m y r e v o l v e r r e a d y f o r i n s t a n t u s e . Mys w o r d w a s w i t h m e , a n d I m a y c l a i m t o b e a n e x p e r t i n i t s
u s e , b u t w h e r e w a s m y e n e m y ?
A s s u d d e n l y a s i f a n a v a l a n c h e h a d d e s c e n d e d u p o n m e ,
I w a s c r u s h e d t o e a r t h b y a m o u n t a i n o u s w e i g h t , m y s e n s e s
v a n i s h e d a n d a l l b e c a m e d a r k n e s s a n d o b l i v i o n .
VI
D O N ' T s u p p o s e I w a s u n c o n s c i o u s f o r m o r e t h a n f i v e m i n -
u t e s , a n d p r o b a b l y n o t t h a t l o n g . T h e f i r s t v a g u e i m p r e s s i o n
t h a t c a m e t o m e w a s t h a t I w a s b e i n g a s s i s t e d t o m y f e e t , a
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Lo w T w e l v e6 3
man grasping my arm on my right and anoth er on my left .
T h e n , a l m o s t a u t o m a t i c a l l y , I b e g a n s t u m b l i n g a n d w a l k i n g ,
m y w i t s c l e a r i n g e v e r y m o m e n t u n t i l t h e w h o l e t r u t h d a w n e d
upon me .
Despite my care, an Apache warrior had stolen upon me
f r o m t h e r e a r , w i t h o u t d e t e c t i o n . H e h a d s t r u c k m e a s t u n -
ning blow as he leaped upon my shoulde rs and bore me to
e a r t h , w h e r e h i s c o m r a d e d e p r i v e d m e o f m y p i s t o l . T h e
s t i n g i n g , r i n g i n g p a i n i n m y h e a d t o l d m e t h a t t h e b l o w w h i c h
brought me down was a fierce one .
W h a t i m p r e s s e d m e a s b e y o n d e x p l a n a t i o n w a s t h a t t h e s e
t w o d u s k y d e m o n s h a d f a i l e d t o k i l l i n s t e a d o f t a k i n g m e
p r i s o n e r . I n t h a t c a m p a i g n a g a i n s t G e r o n i m o a n d h i s b a n d ,
i t w a s n o t t h e c u s t o m o n e i t h e r s i d e t o t a k e p r i s o n e r s . Thi s
w a s s p e c i a l l y t r u e o f t h e A p a c h e s . They deli ghted too much
i n t o r t u r e , o u t r a g e a n d s u f f e r i n g t o l e t a n y o p p o r t u n i t y f o r
s u c h d r e a d f u l w o r k p a s s .
When I became certain that only two captors were with
m e , I r e s o l v e d t o s e i z e t h e f i r s t o p p o r t u n i t y a n d m a k e a f i g h t
f o r i t . . I w o u l d p r e t e n d a w e a k n e s s g r e a t e r t h a n w a s t h e f a c t ,
t h e n s n a t c h o u t m y s w o r d a n d a t t h e m . I k n e w , o f c o u r s e ,
t h e y h a d t a k e n m y p i s t o l , b u t I c o u l d g e t o n w i t h o u t t h a t -
t h e b l a d e w a s s u f f i c i e n t .
The ground was rough, sometimes up, sometimes down,
: a n d a g a i n w e c i r c l e d b o u l d e r s a n d r o c k s , a n d t h e s t o n e s a n d
d i r t c r u m p l e d u n d e r o u r f e e t . I h a d n o t w a l k e d f a r , u n d e r
t h e u n c e r t a i n l i g h t o f t h e m o o n , w h e n I d i s c o v e r e d
t h a t m y s w o r d w a s g o n e . The scabbard would have f lapped
a g a i n s t m y t h i g h o r m a d e i t s e l f f e l t i n s o m e w a y . T h u s I
had no weapon of any kind with which to defend myself,
w h i l e o f c o u r s e m y c a p t o r s w e r e m o r e f u l l y a r m e d t h a n u s u a l .
T h e t w o h e l d a v i s e l i k e g r i p o n m y a r m s , a n d e v i d e n t l y
were prepared for any outbreak on my part . More ove r,
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64 Lo w T w e l v e
t h o u g h I a m o f t h e a v e r a g e h e i g h t , e a c h w a s f u l l y a s t a l l a s
I . T h e A p a c h e i s g e n e r a l l y o f s q u a t f i g u r e , a n d t h e s e , t h e r e -
f o r e , w e r e o f m o r e t h a n t h e u s u a l s t a t u r e . H a v i n g b e e n
s m a r t e n o u g h t o m a k e p r i s o n e r a n a r m e d o f f i c e r , t h e y w e r e
n o t t h e o n e s t o g i v e h i m a h o p e o f e s c a p e .
W i t h m y r a c k i n g b r a i n c l e a r , I w a s c e r t a i n t h a t o n e o f
t w o t h i n g s w a s i n t e n d e d . These bucks were taking me far
e n o u g h a w a y t o i n d u l g e t h e i r f i e n d i s h w i l l w i t h o u t f e a r o f
m o l e s t a t i o n , o r t h e y w e r e c o n d u c t i n g m e t o t h e i r c a m p t h a t
o t h e r s m i g h t h a v e p a r t i n t h e e x q u i s i t e e n j o y m e n t . And yet
I w a s w r o n g i n b o t h s u r m i s e s .
O n c e o r t w i c e t h e i m p u l s e w a s s t r o n g u p o n m e t o c a l l f o r
h e l p . S o m e o f o u r s c o u t s m u s t b e i n t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d a n d
w o u l d b e q u i c k t o r e s p o n d , b u t I w a s h e l d s i l e n t b y t h e m a n i -
f e s t f a c t t h a t , q u i c k a s t h e y w e r e , t h e y c o u l d n o t b e q u i c k
enough to save me . My captors would never a llow me to
be retaken . Accordingly, I held my peace, a nd partly
s t u m b l i n g , p a r t l y w a l k i n g , a n d i n a n y t h i n g b u t a c a l m f r a m e
o f m i n d , I p l u n g e d f a r t h e r a m o n g t h e h i l l s t h a t w e r e t h e
s c e n e o f s o m a n y s t i r r i n g e v e n t s t h a t e v e n i n g .
T h e b u c k s d i d n o t s p e a k a w o r d , f o r t h e r e w a s n o o c c a s i o n
t o d o s o . N o r d i d I i n d u l g e i n a n y o b s e r v a t i o n s , f o r n e i t h e r
w a s t h e r e c a l l i n m y c a s e . I t w a s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y p r o m -
e n a d e t h r o u g h t h a t w i l d r e g i o n o n t h a t s t i l l s u m m e r n i g h t .
T h e s i n g u l a r j o u r n e y c a m e t o a n e n d s o o n e r t h a n I e x -
p e c t e d . A f t e r c l a m b e r i n g a r o u n d a s c o r e o f b o u l d e r s , a s c e n d =
i n g a n d d e s c e n d i n g s e v e r a l s t e e p s l o p e s , I n o t i c e d t h a t w e
w e r e g o i n g t h r o u g h a n a r r o w c a n o n - l i k e p a s s a g e i n t h e m o u n -
t a i n s . T h i s w a s f o l l o w e d f o r l e s s t h a n t w o h u n d r e d y a r d s ,
w h e n a n a b r u p t c h a n g e w a s m a d e , a n d a n i n s t a n t l a t e r I w a s
among a group of more than twenty Apache warriors . Noc a m p f i r e w a s b u r n i n g , b u t e n o u g h m o o n l i g h t p e n e t r a t e d t h e
g o r g e t o g i v e m e g l i m p s e s o f s e v e r a l f a c e s . The first I
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r e c o g n i z e d wa s G e r o n i m o h i m s e l f . T h e o t h e r s were
s t r a n g e r s . T h e r e w a s a g o o d d e a l o f t a l k i n g i n l o w t o n e s ,
d u r i n g w h i c h l i t t l e a t t e n t i o n w a s p a i d t o m e . I t w a s u s e l e s s
t o p r e t e n d w e a k n e s s , a n d I w a s a l l o w e d t o s t a n d s o m e w h a t
apart from the red men . I folded my arms, and contem-
p l a t i n g t h e s t r a n g e s c e n e , a s k e d m y s e l f w h a t t h e e n d w a s
t o b e .
To me only one end was possible . They were merely
consulting as to the most pleasing method, to them, of
t o r t u r i n g m e t o d e a t h . I t w o u l d n o t t a k e t h e m l o n g t o a g r e e ,
b u t a g a i n I w a s m i s t a k e n . N o t h i n g o f t h e k i n d w a s i n t h e i r
minds .
It was beyond my comprehension that this company of
warriors, under the leadership of Geronimo, should halt
f o r a n y t h i n g o f t h a t n a t u r e . I c o u l d c o n j u r e u p n o r e a s o n
f o r s u c h a n u n p r e c e d e n t e d c o u r s e , a n d i n t r u t h t h e r e w a s
none .
T h e c o u n c i l h a d l a s t e d b u t a b r i e f w h i l e , w h e n o n e o f t h e
n u m b e r c a m e t o w a r d m e , a n d p a u s i n g a s t e p o r t w o d i s t a n t ,
a d d r e s s e d m e i n e x c e l l e n t E n g l i s h
" M y f r i e n d , y o u a r e d o u b t l e s s a s t o n i s h e d t h a t i n t h e c i r -
c u m s t a n c e s y o u s h o u l d b e t a k e n p r i s o n e r b y t h e s e A p a c h e s .
I c a n m a k e a l l c l e a r i n a f e w w o r d s . Your people have made
c a p t i v e o f o n e o f o u r m o s t b e l o v e d c h i e f s , M a r t a n a . Weh a v e m a d e y o u p r i s o n e r i n o r d e r t h a t w e c a n b r i n g a b o u t a r t
e x c h a n g e . S e v e r a l o f o u r s c o u t s h a v e b e e n o u t l o o k i n g f o r
a c h a n c e t o s e c u r e o n e o f y o u r m e n , a n d i t i s y o u r f a t e t o
f a l l i n t o o u r h a n d s . But you need not be alarmed . Nod o u b t y o u r c o m m a n d i n g o f f i c e r w i l l b e m o s t h a p p y t o d o h i s
p a r t , a n d I a s s u r e y o u t h a t t h e r e s h a l l b e n o l a c k o f f a i t h o n
o u r s i d e . "
What was my reply to these astounding words? I n s t e a d
o f s p e a k i n g , I m a d e t h e M a s o n i c s i g n a l o f d i s t r e s s , f o r I h a d .
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66 Low T w e l v e
r e c o g n i z e d t h e m a n b e f o r e m e a s J a r e d J . J e n n i n g s , w h o s e
I n d i a n n a m e w a s E l - t i n - w a , a n d w h o m I h a d f i r s t m e t s o m e
m o n t h s b e f o r e i n m y o w n l o d g e i n t h e E a s t . .
H e w a s a t t i r e d i n t h e s a m e f r o w s y c o s t u m e a s t h e u n t i d y
A p a c h e s a r o u n d h i m , e v e n t o t h e b a r e h e a d . His face was
n o t p a i n t e d , b u t h i s l o n g , c u r l i n g l o c k s d a n g l e d a b o u t h i s
s h o u l d e r s . I s h o u l d h a v e r e c o g n i z e d h i s v o i c e , w h i c h w a s
u n u s u a l l y m u s i c a l , w i t h o u t t h e s i g h t o f h i s c o u n t e n a n c e .
When he observed my appeal he smiled .
" T h a t i s u n n e c e s s a r y , B r o t h e r C h i c h e s t e r , " h e s a i d , " f o r I
i d e n t i f i e d y o u b e f o r e y o u d i d m e , t h o u g h I w a s u n a w a r e t h a t
y o u w e r e w i t h L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h u n t i l a b r i e f w h i l e a g o . Be
a s s u r e d t h a t I c a n n e v e r f o r g e t m y d u t y t o a b r o t h e r M a s o n .
I n e e d n o t a d d t h a t w e r e t h e r e n o m e m b e r o f o u r t r i b e w i t h
y o u , I s h o u l d h a v e d o n e a l l I c o u l d f o r y o u , a t t h e r i s k o f
m y l i f e . "
" I d o n ' t d o u b t t h a t , " w a s m y g r a t e f u l r e p l y . "I am at
y o u r d i s p o s a l. "
I would have given much for an explanation from this
remarkable man, but it was not mine to question him . I
supposed he had return ed to the Chippewas, among whom,
a s h e t o l d m e , h e h a d l i v e d f o r a n u m b e r o f y e a r s . T h e l a s t
p l a c e w h e r e I e x p e c t e d t o m e e t h i m w a s i n t h e b a n d o f W a r m
S p r i n g I n d i a n s , l e d b y G e r o n i m o , b u t h e r e h e w a s a n d e v i -
d e n t l y i n h i g h f a v o r .
" Y o u h a v e n o d o u b t o f t h e w i l l i n g n e s s o f L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h
t o a g r e e t o t h e e x c h a n g e ? "
"There can be none . How will it be managed? Youknow that no dependence can be placed on the word of an
Ap a c h e . "
"No more than upon the word of s o m e white men ; b u t , "
h e a d d e d , s i n k i n g h i s v o i c e , " s o m e o f t h e s e p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g
G e r o n i m o , u n d e r s t a n d E n g l i s h . "
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Lo w T w e l v e 6 7
I a c c e p t e d t h e v a l u a b l e h i n t , a n d g u a r d e d m y w o r d s u t t e r e d
i n t h e h e a r i n g o f t h e p a r t y w h o w e r e g r o u p e d a r o u n d .
"How will the exc hange be managed?U n d e r a f l a g o f
t r u c e ? "
" O n l y m e t a p h o r i c a l l y s o . I will go with you to your
c a m p a n d l e a v e y o u t o s t a t e t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e e x c h a n g e ;
y o u w i l l s t a y a n d M a r t a n a w i l l a c c o m p a n y m e b a c k . Coul d
anything be more simple?"
" Y o u r p l a n i s s i m p l i c i t y i t s e l f . W h e n s h a l l t h e s t a r t b e
m a d e ?"
" N o w , f o r i t i s p a s t l o w t w e l v e , o r a s s o o n a s I h a v e h a d
a l i t t l e e x p l a n a t i o n w i t h G e r o n i m o . " He turned and began
t a l k i n g w i t h t h e c h i e f i n h i s n a t i v e t o n g u e . I t w a s p l a i n t o
m e t h a t t h e g r i m o l d f e l l o w w a s d i s s a t i s f i e d . He preferred
t h a t M a r t a n a s h o u l d j o i n h i m f i r s t . I n t h a t c a s e , i t i s n o t
l i k e l y I s h o u l d h a v e l i v e d t e n m i n u t e s a f t e r t h e r e t u r n o f t h e
s u b - c h i e f , f o r G e r o n i m o ' s i d e a s o f h o n o r w e r e m u c h t h e s a m e
a s t h a t o f t h e m a j o r i t y o f h i s r a c e . E v e n E l - t i n - w a , w i t h h i s
u n d o u b t e d " p u l l , " w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o s a v e m e .
H e t a l k e d l o n g a n d e a r n e s t l y w i t h t h e l e a d e r , a n d f i n a l l y
p r e v a i l e d . I d o n o t k n o w , a n d h e n e v e r t o l d m e , w h a t w a s
s a i d , b u t I a m m o r a l l y s u r e t h a t J e n n i n g s s t a k e d h i s o w n l i f e
o n t h e s u c c e s s o f t h e p l a n h e h a d f o r m u l a t e d.
" H e a g r e e s t o i t , " h e s a i d i n h i s p l e a s a n t v o i c e , " a n d s i n c e
h e i s l i a b l e t o c h a n g e h i s m i n d , w e wi l l n o t d e l a y ; c o m e w i t h
m e . "
And, turning my back upon that group of bloody mis-
c r e a n t s , I w a l k e d a s c a l m l y u p t h e r a v i n e a s i f l e a v i n g a p a r t y
o f f r i e n d s . I n o t i c e d t h a t J e n n i n g s k e p t j u s t b e h i n d m e , a s
i f t o i n t e r p o s e h i s b o d y a s a s h i e l d . We had hardly tu rned
t h e c o r n e r o f t h e p a s s a g e w h e n h e s a i d i n a l o w v o i c e
" L e t u s c l i m b o u t h e r e ; t u r n t o t h e r i g h t ; I g u e s s i t i s s a f e
f o r m e t o l e a d . "
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6 8 Lo w T w e l v e
H e p l a c e d h i m s e l f i n t h e a d v a n c e , a n d c l i m b e d g r a c e f u l l y
u p t h e s l o p i n g s i d e o f t h e d r y c a n o n . I h a d l e f t m y r e v o l v e r
and sword behind . I should have been glad to get them
a g a i n , b u t i t w a s n ' t w o r t h w h i l e f o r m e t o a s k f o r t h e i r r e t u r n .
J e n n i n g s h i m s e l f , s o f a r a s I c o u l d s e e , h a d n o w e a p o n s w i t h
h i m .
T h e p e c u l i a r s i t u a t i o n g a v e s a f e t y t o u s b o t h . No n e o f
t h e A p a c h e s c o u t s w e r e l i k e l y . t o m a k e t r o u b l e , f o r t h e y w o u l d
i d e n t i f y J e n n i n g s a s q u i c k l y a s m e , w h i l e t h e r e v e r s e w o u l d
b e t h e c a s e i f a n y o f o u r o w n p e o p l e o b s e r v e d u s . Impre ssed
w i t h t h i s f a c t , my f r i e n d v e n t u r e d t o t a l k a s w e p i c k e d o u r
w a y t h r o u g h t h e h i l l s t o w a r d t h e c a m p o f L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h .
" J e n n i n g s , " s a i d I i n a g u a r d e d v o i c e , " I o u g h t t o t e l l
y o u t h a t M a r t a n a i s b a d l y , ' a n d p e r h a p s m o r t a l l y , w o u n d e d . "
"I am glad you did not say so where others could have
overheard you . Geronimo knows that he is in your hands
a n d t h a t h e m u s t h a v e b e e n h u r t , e l s e h e w o u l d n ' t h a v e b e e n
c a p t u r e d , b u t h e h a s n o i d e a t h a t i t i s a s b a d a s y o u s a y . "
" S u p p o s e t h e c h i e f d i e s b e f o r e w e r e a c h c a m p ? "
" T h a t s h a l l m a k e n o d i f f e r e n c e s o f a r a s I a m c o n c e r n e d .
I c a n t h i n k o f n o p o s s i b l e c a u s e t h a t w i l l p r e v e n t y o u r s p e e d y
j o i n i n g o f y o u r a f r i e n d s . We have not far to walk, and we
s h a l l g e t t h e r e b e f o r e t h e n e w s c a n r e a c h o u r c a m p . "
T h e s i t u a t i o n , b e i n g s u c h t h a t n e i t h e r o f u s w a s i n p e r s o n a l
p e r i l , m y c o m p a n i o n t a l k e d f r e e l y . We had not gone far
w h e n , b e i n g s l i g h t l y i n a d v a n c e , h e a b r u p t l y s t o p p e d .
" D i d y o u h e a r a n y t h i n g ? " h e a s k e d i n a l o w v o i c e ."No . "
" S o m e o n e i s h o v e r i n g n e a r u s . It may be one of your
s c o u t s o r o n e o f o u r s ; w h o e v e r i t i s m a k e s n o d i f f e r e n c e.
B r o t h e r C h i c h e s t e r , h o w w a s i t y o u f e l l i n t o o u r h a n d s ? "
I b r i e f l y r e l a t e d t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s .
" N o b r a v e r y o r c a u t i o n c o u l d p r e v e n t s u c h a m i s f o r t u n e ,
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Lo w T w e l v e 6 9
e s p e c i a l l y a s t h e o n e s w h o c a p t u r e d y o u w e r e o u t f o r t h e
p u r p o s e o f d o i n g t h a t s o r t o f t h i n g . "
" I a m s u r e , t o o , B r o t h e r J e n n i n g s , t h a t w e h a v e a t r a i t o r
i n o u r c a m p . "
" W h a t c a m p i s n o t t h u s a f f l i c t e d ? " w a s h i s n o n - c o m m i t t a l
r e s p o n s e .
W e w e r e s t i l l f a c i n g e a c h o t h e r , a n d I d e t e r m i n e d t o p r e s s
the questi on that had caus ed me and Lieutenan t Smith so
m u c h m e n t a l d i s t u r b a n c e . He opened the way .
"Do you know who your traitor is?"
" I r e c e i v e d p r o o f t o - n i g h t t h a t c a n n o t b e q u e s t i o n e d . "
"May I as k who he i s?"
I s a w n o r e a s o n w h y I s h o u l d w i t h h o l d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n .
" V i k k a , t h e m o s t s k i l f u l s c o u t w i t h u s . "
A t t h i s m o m e n t t h e m o o n l i g h t f e l l f u l l u p o n t h e f a c e o f
m y f r i e n d , a n d I n o t e d h i s d o u b t i n g s m i l e . He slowly sh ook
h i s h e a d .
"You are mis taken . "
I f l u s h e d i n d i g n a n t l y a t t h i s a t t e m p t t o s c r e e n a m i s c r e a n t .
" Y o u f o r g e t t h a t I h a v e h a d t h e p r o o f . "
"What was that proof?"
" I s a w h i m a n d G e r o n i m o i n c o n f i d e n t i a l c o n v e r s e h a r d l y
two hours ago . "
" W i l l y o u b e g o o d e n o u g h t o g i v e m e t h e p a r t i c u l a r s ? "
I d i d s o . C l e a r l y h e w a s a s t o n i s h e d t h a t I s h o u l d h a v e
remained crouc hing so near without being discovered by
e i t h e r .
"Did you hear what was said by them?""No ; a n d h a d I b e e n a b l e t o d o s o , I s h o u l d n o t h a v e
understood a word. "
" Y o u s a y t h a t V i k k a h e l d h i s b l a n k e t s o f a r u p a b o u t h i s
s h o u l d e r s t h a t y o u c o u l d n o t s e e h i s f a c e u n t i l h e t u r n e d a w a y
a f t e r t h e c h i e f h a d l e f t ? "
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70 Lo w T w e l v e
" S u c h w a s h i s a c t i o n . "
"Can you explain w h y V i k k a s h o u l d t a k e s u c h p a i n s t o
c o n c e a l h i s c o u n t e n a n c e ? "
" O n l y o n t h e s u p p o s i t i o n t h a t h e f e a r e d s o m e o f h i s c o m -
p a n i o n s m i g h t b e n e a r , t o w h o m h i s i d e n t i t y o t h e r w i s e w o u l d
have become known . "
" I f t h a t w e r e t h e f a c t , h e w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n s o q u i c k t o
r e v e a l i t t o y o u w h e n h e t u r n e d t o g o a w a y . That was not
t h e c a s e . T h e r e a s o n f o r h i s p e c u l i a r a c t i o n w a s t h a t h e
d i d n o t w i s h G e r o n i m o t o r e c o g n i z e h i m . H e k e p t h i s f a c e
c o v e r e d a n d s p o k e i n l o w t o n e s a n d , s o f a r a s h e w a s a b l e , i n
a d i s g u i s e d v o i c e . H i s a i m w a s t o m a k e t h e c h i e f t h i n k h e
wa s s o m e other person-the o n e w h o h a d s e r v e d h i m b e f o r e . "
" Y o u m e a n t h a t h e t o o k t h e p l a c e o f t h e r e a l t r a i t o r a n d
fooled Geronimo?"
" N o t q u i t e . R a t h e r , h e t r i e d t o d o t h a t , b u t f a i l e d , t h o u g h
h e d i d n o t s u s p e c t i t . G e r o n i m o p e n e t r a t e d t h e d e c e p t i o n ,
b u t k e p t t h e f a c t f r o m V i k k a , w h o n e v e r s u s p e c t e d t h a t h i s
t r i c k h a d b e e n r e a d . "
" H o w , t h e n , d o y o u e x p l a i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h r o u g h V i k k a
y o u r l e a d e r l e a r n e d t h e t r u t h , f o r w h e n w e r u s h e d y o u r c a m p
s o o n a f t e r a l l y o u r p e o p l e h a d f l e d ? "
The man was still smil ing as he made answer
" V i k k a a s s u r e d h i m t h a t y o u r t r o o p e r s w e r e s e v e r a l m i l e s
d i s t a n t . Knowing who said these words, Geron imo saw he
w a s l y i n g , a n d t h a t t h e o p p o s i t e w a s t h e f a c t ; h e a c t e d u p o n
t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n . I h a v e g i v e n y o u t h e t r u t h . "
" W e h a v e a t r a i t o r a m o n g u s f o r a l l t h a t , a n d y o u r l e a d e r
m a y h a v e l e a r n e d t h e r e a l s i t u a t i o n t h r o u g h h i m . "
"No ; h e h a s b e e n u n a b l e t o h o l d a n y c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h
t h e m a n f o r t w o d a y s . H e w a s o n t h e l o o k o u t f o r h i m w h e n
V i k k a a p p e a r e d w i t h h i s a t t e m p t a t p e r s o n a t i n g t h e o t h e r
f e l l o w . "
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Lo w T w e l v e 7 1
" W h o i s t h i s f e l l o w ? "
" S u r e l y y o u c a n n o t e x p e c t m e t o n a m e h i m . I a m a f r i e n d
of the Apaches, an d it would be base dishon or for me to
b e t r a y o u r a l l y . I c a n n o t p e r m i t y o u , h o w e v e r , t o b e u n j u s t
t o a f a i t h f u l s c o u t . V i k k a i s u n a p p r o a c h a b l e f r o m o u r s i d e .
I know that of my own personal kno wledge . "
I t g a v e m e i m m e a s u r a b l e r e l i e f t o r e c e i v e t h i s a s s u r a n c e .
I c o u l d n o t r e f u s e t o a c c e p t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n . A g r o s s i n -
j u s t i c e h a d b e e n d o n e V i k k a , a n d I l o n g e d f o r t h e c h a n c e t o
r e a s s u r e L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h .
B u t w h o w a s t h e t r a i t o r ? D e s p i t e t h e v a l u e o f t h e m i n -
u t e s a n d t h e p r u d e n c e o f o u r g e t t i n g b a c k t o c a m p w i t h o u t
d e l a y , I r a c k e d m y b r a i n i n t h e e f f o r t t o s o l v e t h e t o r t u r i n g
problem . I h a s t i l y r a n o v e r t h e n a m e s o f t h e d i f f e r e n t s c o u t s .
T h e o n l y o n e u p o n w h o m I c o u l d h a n g a s u s p i c i o n w a s C h a t o ,
t h e c o u s i n o f G e r o n i m o , b u t h e w a s n o t w i t h u s j u s t t h e n , a n d
I r e f l e c t e d , t o o , t h a t n o n e o f u s k n e w a n y t h i n g p o s i t i v e a g a i n s t
h i m . I t w a s h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e W a r m S p r i n g l e a d e r t h a t
c a u s e d d i s t r u s t .
" W e l l , " s a i d I w i t h a s i g h , " t h i s b u s i n e s s i s c o s t i n g b o t h
s i d e s d e a r . You have lost some of your best men an d so
have we . O n e o f o u r f i n e s t s c o u t s w a s k i l l e d t o - n i g h t , b e -
s i d e s s e v e r a l w h o w e r e h u r t . "
" W h o o f y o u r s c o u t s h a s f a l l e n ? "
" P e d r o , t h e e q u a l a l m o s t o f V i k k a . I n e v e r s a w a b r a v e r
f e l l o w . He faltered before no danger . "
I n o t e d t h e s t a r t o f J e n n i n g s . H e w a s r e s t i n g e a s i l y o n
o n e f o o t , b u t s t r a i g h t e n e d u p a n d a s k e d i n a n e x c i t e d u n d e r -
t o n e :
"Are you sur e Pedro is dead?"
" T h e r e i s n o q u e s t i o n a b o u t i t ; I s a w h i s b o d y . "
" Y o u h a v e l o o s e d m y l i p s ; n o w t h a t t h e s c o u t i s n o m o r e ,
I w i l l t e l l y o u t h a t he was the friend of ours who served
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7 2 Lo w T w e l v e
u s b e s t b y s t a y i n g i n y o u r c a m p ; i t w a s h i s p l a c e t h a t V i k k a
a t t e m p t e d t o t a k e ; h e b e l i e v e s h e s u c c e e d e d i n d e c e i v i n g
Geronimo, when it was Geronimo who deceived him . "
" I t l o o k s , t h e n , a s i f V i k k a k n e w o f t h e t r e a c h e r y o f
Pedro . "
" T h e r e c a n b e n o q u e s t i o n o f t h a t . If any proof were
a s k e d , i t w a s g i v e n b y t h e v i o l e n t d e a t h o f P e d r o . "
" Y o u d o n ' t m e a n t o s a y t h a t V i k k a" C e r t a i n l y ; i t w a s V i k k a w h o d r o v e h i s k n i f e i n t o h i s
b r e a s t , a s s o o n a s h e g o t t h e c h a n c e , a f t e r h e l e a r n e d t h e
t r u t h . "
" B u t h o w d i d h e l e a r n t h e t r u t h ? "
" O f t h a t I c a n n o t b e c e r t a i n , b u t m y b e l i e f i s t h a t w h e n
G e r o n i m o f i r s t m e t V i k k a b e t w e e n t h e l i n e s h e d i d n o t s u s -
p e c t t h e d e c e p t i o n . Probably he pronounced the name of
Pedro and thus gave him away . Vikka must have known
t h a t s o m e t h i n g o f t h a t n a t u r e w a s a f o o t , a n d h e i s s h r e w d
e n o u g h t o d i s t r u s t t h e r i g h t p e r s o n . "
I t w a s o n m y t o n g u e t o a s k a p o i n t e d q u e s t i o n o r t w o o f
a p e r s o n a l n a t u r e , t h e a n s w e r t o w h i c h w o u l d h a v e e x p l a i n e d
how it was that the man who had spent most of h is life
w i t h t h e C h i p p e w a I n d i a n s w a s n o w l i v i n g h u n d r e d s o f m i l e s
away from their hunting grounds among the unspeakable
Apach es ; b u t I w a s h a r d l y j u s t i f i e d i n p r o b i n g t h e m a t t e r .
" I t h i n k w e h a v e b e e n s c r u t i n i z e d s u f f i c i e n t l y , " q u i e t l y
a d d e d m y g u i d e , " a n d n o w w e w i l l r e t u r n t o y o u r c a m p , w h i c h
i s c l o s e a t h a n d . "
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V ILIEUTENANT SMITH had become much disturbed
o v e r m y a b s e n c e , a n d i t w a s a v a s t r e l i e f t o h i m w h e n I
walked into camp with my companion, whom I introdu ced
w i t h a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e b u s i n e s s u p o n w h i c h h e h a d c o m e .
I t w a s t h e f i r s t i n t i m a t i o n t h a t o u r c o m m a n d e r h a d o f t h e
p r e s e n c e o f a w h i t e m a n w i t h G e r o n i m o ' s b a n d . H i s a s t o n -
i s h m e n t w a s g r e a t , b u t h e w a s t o o m u c h o f a g e n t l e m a n t o
e x p r e s s h i s f e e l i n g s i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e v i s i t o r . Being
d r e s s e d l i k e a n A p a c h e , i t w a s e a s y t o t a k e J e n n i n g s f o r
o n e , s o l o n g a s h e k e p t a t a d i s t a n c e .
M o s t o f t h e t r o o p e r s a n d s e v e r a l o f t h e s c o u t s g a t h e r e d
r o u n d u s t h r e e a n d l i s t e n e d w i t h i n t e n s e i n t e r e s t t o o u r w o r d s .
The racking headache which had tormented me was almost
e n t i r e l y g o n e , a n d n a t u r a l l y I w a s i n h i g h s p i r i t s o v e r t h e
s i t u a t i o n .
" I t i s t h e f i r s t t i m e t h a t w e h a v e e x c h a n g e d p r i s o n e r s w i t h
Geronimo, " said the lieutenant , "but I shall be glad to
keep up the custom, including other usages of honorable
warfare . "
" T h a n k y o u ; n o t h i n g w o u l d p l e a s e m e m o r e . Y o u m u s t
make some allowance for uncivilized men who are pressed
d e s p e r a t e l y h a r d . We have been a lon g time on our way
h e r e , a n d I s h a l l b e g l a d t o a c c o m p a n y y o u r p r i s o n e r b a c k
to our camp . "
" A n d h e w i l l b e e q u a l l y g l a d , n o d o u b t , t o g o w i t h y o u ;
y o n d e r h e l i e s , a p p a r e n t l y a s l e e p , o n t h a t b l a n k e t , w h i c h I
p l a c e d a t h i s d i s p o s a l . "
I t w i l l b e r e m e m b e r e d t h a t n o f i r e w a s i n t h e c a m p , a p a r t
o f w h i c h w a s i n s h a d o w , t h o u g h b y t h i s t i m e t h e m o o n w a s
h i g h i n t h e s k y , a n d w h e n n o t h i d d e n b y c l o u d s , a f l o o d o f
l i g h t b a t h e d t h e e a r t h . A few paces beyond where we stood
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74 Lo w T w e l v e
a d a r k , s i l e n t f o r m w a s l y i n g , a s i f t h e m a n f e l t n o i n t e r e s t
in what was going on around him .
Jennings walked over to him, stoo ped and touched his
s h o u l d e r , s a y i n g s o m e t h i n g i n A p a c h e . T h e r e w a s n o r e p l y ,
a n d h e b e n t l o w e r . A m o m e n t f o l l o w e d a n d t h e n h e s t r a i g h t -
e n e d u p .
" C h i e f M a r t a n a i s d e a d I " h e s a i d w i t h m o r e e x c i t e m e n t i n
h i s v o i c e t h a n I h a d e v e r h e a r d .
" I t c a n ' t b e ! " e x c l a i m e d S m i t h , a s h e a n d I h u r r i e d t o h i s
s i d e .
N o n e t h e l e s s , i t w a s t r u e . T h e p o o r f e l l o w , s t r e t c h e d o n
t h e b l a n k e t , h a d q u i e t l y b r e a t h e d o u t h i s l i f e u n n o t i c e d b y
t h o s e a r o u n d h i m . H i s b o d y w a s s t i l l w a r m , a n d h e h a d b e e n
d e a d b u t a s h o r t t i m e .
"I cannot tel l you ho w sorry I am , Mr . J e n n i n g s , " s a i d
t h e l i e u t e n a n t , w h o s i n c e r e l y r e g r e t t e d t h e u n f o r t u n a t e o c c u r -
r e n c e .
" S b a m I , " r e s p o n d e d J e n n i n g s , " a n d y e t n o o n e i s b l a m -
a b l e f o r i t . T h e m o s t t h a t c a n b e s a i d i s t h a t f a t e h a s g i v e n
y o u t h e a d v a n t a g e . "
T h e p e c u l i a r d e l i c a c y o f t h e s i t u a t i o n m u s t h a v e s t r u c k
all three of us at the same moment . I had been sent
into camp i n exchange for Martana, who was no lon ger
among the living . Geronimo had performed his part of
t h e b a r g a i n , o r i g i n a l l y p r o p o s e d b y h i m . It was out of
o u r p o w e r t o f u l f i l l o u r p a r t . What did honor require of
m e ?
A t f i r s t b l u s h i t w o u l d s e e m t h a t I s h o u l d g o b a c k t o t h e
A p a c h e c a m p w i t h m y c o n d u c t o r , t h u s r e s t o r i n g t h e s i t u a t i o n
t o w h a t i t w a s a t f i r s t .
B u t d i d e q u i t y d e m a n d t h e s a c r i f i c e ? Were we dealing
w i t h a c i v i l i z e d e n e m y , t h e r e c o u l d b e o n l y o n e a n s w e r ; b u t
i f I v o l u n t a r i l y p l a c e d m y s e l f i n t h e p o w e r o f t h e m e r c i l e s s
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Lo w T w e l v e 7 5
A p a c h e s , i t w o u l d b e s u i c i d e o n m y p a r t . N o t a n i n s t a n t ' s
mercy would be shown me .
L i e u t e n a n t S m i t h w a s t h e f i r s t t o s p e a k .
"I rep eat, Mr . J e n n i n g s , t h a t I a m e x t r e m e l y s o r r y f o r
t h i s . You will report my words to Geronimo, and assure
h i m t h a t i f a t a n y t i m e i n t h e f u t u r e o n e o f h i s c h i e f s o r
w a r r i o r s f a l l s i n t o o u r h a n d s , h e s h a l l b e i m m e d i a t e l y r e -
t u r n e d t o h i m . T h a t i s t h e m o s t I c a n s a y , f o r i n n o c i r c u m -
s t a n c e s w i l l I p e r m i t L i e u t e n a n t C h i c h e s t e r t o g o b a c k t o
your camp . "
" A n d I m a y a d d t h a t i f y o u g a v e s u c h p e r m i s s i o n , I s h o u l d
r e f u s e t o t a k e h i m w i t h m e t o c e r t a i n d e a t h . "
" A n d i f y o u w i l l a l l o w a w o r d f r o m m e , n o p e r m i s s i o n o f
t h e l i e u t e n a n t n o r w i s h o f M r . Jenni ngs would indu ce me
t o w a l k i n t o t h e l i o n ' s d e n a g a i n . So that p h a s e o f t h e q u e s -
t i o n i s c l o s e d . That whic h now con cerns m e, Mr . J e n n i n g s ,
i s h o w t h i s i s g o i n g t o a f f e c t y o u . "
"What do you mean?" asked my friend .
"Will Geronimo accept your explanation ? Will he not
b e l i e v e t h a t w e a r e r e t a i n i n g M a r t a n a a l i v e , o r , i f h e i s d e a d ,
t h a t h e w a s s l a i n b y u s a f t e r c a p t u r e ? "
" I w i l l a t t e n d t o t h a t , " r e p l i e d J e n n i n g s w i t h a s h r u g o f h i s
m a s s i v e s h o u l d e r s . " G e n t l e m e n , I b i d y o u g o o d - e v e n i n g . "
And without another word he walked from the camp,
w h i l e w e g a z e d s i l e n t l y a f t e r h i m , h a r d l y a b l e f o r t h e m o m e n t
t o t a k e i n t h e w h o l e s i t u a t i o n . H e m u s t i n c u r s o m e r i s k f r o m
o u r s c o u t s , s o m e o f w h o m w e r e s t i l l o u t , a n d c o u l d n o t k n o w
o f w h a t h a d o c c u r r e d , b u t h e f e l t e q u a l t o t h e t a s k , a n d I m a y
as well say that he rejoined Geronimo without harm from
o u r s i d e .
A s s o o n a s I c o u l d g e t t h e o p p o r t u n i t y I t o l d L i e u t e n a n t
Smith what I had l earned fr om Jennings concer ning Vikka
and Pedro . H e w a s a m aze d .
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76 Lo w T w e l v e
" T o t h i n k t h a t n e i t h e r o f u s s u s p e c t e d P e d r o , b u t d i s -
t r u s t e d t h e f a i t h f u l V i k k a . O u r o n l y c o n s o l a t i o n i s t h a t h e
n e e d n e v e r k n o w o f t h e s h a m e f u l i n j u s t i c e w e d i d h i m . Well ,
Pedro has met a deserved fate at the hands of our most
l o y a l s c o u t . "
" I d i d n o t s e e V i k k a a m o n g t h o s e i n c a m p . "
"H e i s o u t s o m e w h e r e o n d u t y . L i e u t e n a n t , w h i l e
y o u h a v e b e e n f o r t u n a t e i n t h u s c o m i n g b a c k , t h e A p a c h e s
h a v e g a i n e d a n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t a d v a n t a g e o v e r u s . "
"I do not understand. "
" T h e s i n g u l a r s i t u a t i o n t h a t d e v e l o p e d h a s c h e c k e d o u r
p u r s u i t f o r a c o n s i d e r a b l e i n t e r v a l . T h e h o s t i l e s h a v e i m -
p r o v e d t h e c h a n c e a n d a r e m a k i n g o f f i n a l l h a s t e . "
"But they expected t he wounded Martana to join them . "
" T w o o r t h r e e w a r r i o r s h a v e s t a y e d b e h i n d t o r e c e i v e h i m ,
i n t e n d i n g w h e n h e c a m e u p t o p l a c e h i m o n a h o r s e a n d h u r r y
a f t e r t h e m a i n b a n d . I t i s n e a r m o r n i n g , a n d w e m u s t l o s e
no more time . "
E v e n w h i l e h e s p o k e a f a i n t l i g h t i n g u p o f t h e e a s t e r n s k y
s h o w e d . S o o n t h e s u n w o u l d t o u c h t h e h o r i z o n a n d a n o t h e r
hard day's work was before us .
" I s h o u l d b e g l a d t o g i v e M a r t a n a a s o l d i e r ' s b u r i a l , " s a i d
t h e o f f i c e r , " b u t t h e b e s t w e c a n d o i s t o t r e a t h i m a s w e t r e a t
t h o s e s c o u t s o f o u r s w h o f a l l a t t h e p o s t o f d u t y . "
S o t h e b l a n k e t w a s c a r e f u l l y g a t h e r e d a r o u n d t h e b r o n z e d
f o r m a s i t l a y f l a t o n t h e e a r t h , a n d t h u s i t w a s l e f t .
" S o m e o f t h e i r s c o u t s w i l l p r o b a b l y v i s i t o u r c a m p a f t e r
w e l e a v e ; i f t h e y h a v e a n y d o u b t o f t h e t r u t h , t h e y w i l l b e
c o n v i n c e d b y a n e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e b o d y , u n l e s s , " g r i m l y
a d d e d t h e o f f i c e r , " t h e y d o n ' t w a n t t o b e c o n v i n c e d . "
B e f o r e w e s t a r t e d V i k k a a n d J i m c a m e i n , b r i n g i n g t h e
m e s s a g e t h a t w e a n t i c i p a t e d . The main body of hostiles
w e r e w e l l t h r o u g h t h e m o u n t a i n s p u r a n d i n t h e r o u g h r e g i o n
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Lo w T w e l v e 7 7
b e y o n d , p u s h i n g w i t h a l l h a s t e s o u t h w a r d . I t w o u l d t a k e
t h e h a r d e s t k i n d o f r i d i n g t o o v e r t a k e t h e m b e f o r e n i g h t f a l l .
B u t w e w e r e d e t e r m i n e d t o d o i t . Horses and men were re-
f r e s h e d f r o m t h e i r r e s t a n d f o o d , a n d w e o u g h t t o c o v e r a
g o o d m a n y m i l e s b e f o r e t h e i n t o l e r a b l e s p l e n d o r o f t h e s u m -
mer day burst upon us .
At the mome nt of start ing Smith said
" L i e u t e n a n t , I d o n ' t f e e l e a s y a b o u t t h a t f r i e n d o f y o u r s .
He is going to have a hard time to squ are matters with
G e r o n i m o . D o y o u t h i n k y o u c a n m a k e y o u r w a y b a c k t o t h e
p l a c e w h e r e y o u l e f t t h e A p a c h e s ? "
" I t h i n k s o , b u t i t w i l l b e b e t t e r i f I t a k e o n e o f o u r s c o u t s
with me . "
"Choose your man . "
"He is Vikka . I w i l l t e l l h i m e v e r y t h i n g , e x c e p t i n g t h a t
e i t h e r y o u o r I e v e r d i s t r u s t e d h i m . "
W e l e f t o u r p o n i e s w i t h t h e m a i n b o d y , w h o w e r e t o b e
guided over a trail well known to our scouts, while the
v e t e r a n a n d m y s e l f m a d e o u r w a y b y f o o t t o t h e r a v i n e d o w n
w h i c h I h a d b e e n c o n d u c t e d s o m e t i m e b e f o r e a s a c a p t i v e ,
to whom all prospect of escape was closed . Before we
r e a c h e d t h e m o s t d a n g e r o u s p a r t o f o u r v e n t u r e I c o m p e l l e d
m y c o m p a n i o n t o a n s w e r s e v e r a l q u e s t i o n s . He had to ld me
w e w e r e l i k e l y t o c o m e u p o n t h e A p a c h e s w h o w e r e w a i t i n g
t o r e c e i v e M a r t a n a , t h o u g h t h e y w o u l d n o t s t a y l o n g a f t e r
l e a r n i n g t h e t r u t h .
I b e g a n b y t e l l i n g V i k k a t h a t I w i t n e s s e d t h e m e e t i n g
between him and Geronimo, being less than a do zen yards
a w a y f r o m t h e m d u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w . T h e f e l l o w w a s a s t o n -
i s h e d a n d c o u l d h a r d l y b e l i e v e i t . I d e s c r i b e d t h e m o v e m e n t
o f e a c h a n d t o l d h o w h e d r o p p e d h i s b l a n k e t f r o m h i s f a c e
after the departure of the chief and when the scout had
t u r n e d h i s b a c k u p o n h i m . " T h a t s o - t h a t s o , " h e r e p l i e d
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78 Lo w T w e l v e
w i t h a g r i n . We had stopped for the exchange of a few
w o r d s , f o r t h e s i t u a t i o n g a v e u s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y . W i t h a
s m i l e t h a t d i s c l o s e d h i s g l e a m i n g w h i t e t e e t h , h e a s k e d :
"Why me put blanket over face ?"
" Y o u d i d t h a t t o p r e v e n t G e r o n i m o s e e i n g w h o y o u w e r e "
"Me fool him-me what you say, 'shet up his eye .'"
" N o , y o u d i d n ' t ; he may not hav e known you by name,
b u t h e s o o n f o u n d o u t t h a t y o u w e r e n o t t h e f e l l o w h e w a s
e x p e c t i n g . "
"He call me 'Pedro'-he think me Pedro . "
" H e d i d s o a t f i r s t , b u t i t t o o k h i m o n l y a m i n u t e t o l e a r n
t h e t r u t h . "
"H ow y o u k n o w d a t ? "
" T h a t m a n w h o b r o u g h t m e i n t o c a m p t o l d m e . G e r o n i m o
l e t y o u t h i n k y o u h a d f o o l e d h i m , b u t y o u d i d n ' t . You to ld
him our men were miles away . "
"Yes, me tole him dat . "
" B u t d i d n ' t y o u s e e f r o m w h a t f o l l o w e d t h a t h e d i d n ' t
b e l i e v e y o u ? H e k n e w y o u w e r e n o t t e l l i n g t h e t r u t h a n d h e
broke camp in a hurry . "
" D a t s o , " s a i d m y f r i e n d , a s i f c o m m u n i n g w i t h h i m s e l f ;
" m e t h i n k P e d r o t o l e h i m , b u t d a t c o u l d n o t b e . "
"W h y n o t ?"
" H e d i d n o t g e t c h a n c e , " w a s t h e s i g n i f i c a n t r e s p o n s e .
W i t h n o d o u b t a s t o h o w P e d r o h a d b e e n r e m o v e d h e n c e ,
I d i d n o t p r e s s t h e q u e s t i o n t h a t n a t u r a l l y r o s e i n m y m i n d .
When I had no thought of anything of the kind, the
s t i l e t t o t h r u s t c a m e . . Vikka gave an od d chuckle , and with
a q u e e r t u r n o f h i s h e a d s a i d :
" Y o u t h i n k m e a c t l i k e P e d r o ; L e f t e n ' S m i t h , h e t h i n k s o -
t h i n k s o s o m e t i m e . "
I w a s f r i g h t f u l l y e m b a r r a s s e d , b u t g o t o u t o f i t b e t t e r t h a n
I d e s e r v e d .
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II
I t w a s a n i g h t o f t r a g e d y "
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Lo w T w e l v e 8 1
"Can't you imagine how I felt when I saw you talking
t o G e r o n i m o , w h e r e y o u d i d n ' t b e l i e v e a n y o n e e l s e c o u l d
k n o w i t ? I d i d f e e l b a d , V i k k a . "
"Leften ' Smith-h e not see me . "
" B u t I t o l d h i m a b o u t i t . "
" H e t h i n k s o a f o r e - y o u t h i n k s o a f o r e , e h ? "
" W e l l , w e s h a l l n e v e r d o u b t y o u a g a i n ; e v e n i f I s e e y o u
with your arm about the neck of Geronimo and your lips
a g a i n s t h i s c h e e k , I s h a l l k n o w i t i s n o t y o u , b u t s o m e b o d y
e l s e . "
T h i s b r i l l i a n t w i t t i c i s m w a s s a t i s f a c t o r y . Vikka might
well claim he had the lau gh on us, and I did not grudge
h i m h i s t r i u m p h . We resumed our adv ance up the ravine ,
a n d , a t h i s s u g g e s t i o n , I d r o p p e d b e h i n d u n t i l h e c o u l d g o
forward and reconnoitre . It might be that some of our
e n e m i e s w e r e n e a r , a n d i t w a s i m p o s s i b l e t o b e t o o c a r e f u l .
T h e s c o u t h a d n o t b e e n a b s e n t f r o m m y s i g h t t e n m i n u t e s
w h e n I h e a r d h i s g u a r d e d s i g n a l . I t w a s a c a l l f o r m e t o
j o i n h i m , a n d I d i d s o . A s I t u r n e d t h e b e n d i n t h e g o r g e
h e w a s s t a n d i n g u p r i g h t o n t h e s p o t w h e r e I h a d l e f t t h e
d o z e n h o s t i l e s w h e n B r o t h e r J e n n i n g s s t a r t e d f o r o u r c a m p
w i t h m e i n c h a r g e .
Even before I reached hi m I saw the form at his feet .
I t w a s a n i g h t o f t r a g e d y , a n d i n t h e d i m m o r n i n g l i g h t w e
h a d c o m e u p o n a n o t h e r v i c t i m o f a t r o c i t y . I i d e n t i f i e d t h e
body as that of Jared J. J e n n i n g s .
H e w a s l y i n g o n h i s s i d e , a s i f i n a c a l m s l u m b e r , b u t i t
w a s t h e s l u m b e r w h i c h s h a l l k n o w n o w a k i n g u n t i l t h e s o u n d -
i n g o f t h e l a s t t r u m p .
V i k k a h a d r e a d t h e w h o l e s a d s t o r y . S o h a d I , a n d n e e d e d
no enlightenment from him . T h e m a n h a d r e t u r n e d t o
G e r o n i m o w i t h o u t t h e s u b - c h i e f w h o m h e w a s t o b r i n g b a c k
i n e x c h a n g e f o r m e , a n d w i t h o u t m e a l s o . When an exp lana-
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8 2 Low T w e l v e
t i o n w a s d e m a n d e d , h e t o l d t h e t r u t h . Marta na was dead, a
fact which was not discovered u ntil I was among my own
p e o p l e . M a r t a n a h a d d i e d o n t h e i r h a n d s w i t h o u t a n y b l a m e
o n t h e i r p a r t . I h a d r e f u s e d t o r e t u r n w i t h h i m , a n d t h e
v i s i t o r c o u l d n o t c o m p e l m e t o d o s o . Lieut enan t Smith h ad
s e n t t h e p l e d g e t h a t i f a t a n y t i m e o n e o f G e r o n i m o ' s w a r r i o r s
f e l l i n t o t h e h a n d s o f t h e w h i t e m e n , h e s h o u l d b e r e t u r n e d
s a f e l y t o t h e b a n d . Thus the exchange would be effected
s o o n e r o r l a t e r , a n d t h e b a r g a i n c a r r i e d o u t i n s p i r i t a n d
l e t t e r .
W i t h i n t h e s a m e m i n u t e t h a t J e n n i n g s , o r E l - t i n - w a , d e -
l i v e r e d t h i s m e s s a g e , h e d i e d , s t r i c k e n d o w n b y t h e h a n d o f
G e r o n i m o h i m s e l f . In his flaming rage, the remorse-
less chieftain believed that the white man had betrayed
him for the purpose of befriending a stranger of his
o w n r a c e .
H o w d i d I l e a r n t h e s e p a r t i c u l a r s ? The main fact was
s e l f - e v i d e n t w h e n I l o o k e d d o w n o n w h a t w a s l e f t o f t h e p o o r
f e l l o w w h o h a d r e a l l y g i v e n h i s l i f e f o r m e . Nearly twenty
y e a r s l a t e r , w h e n G e r o n i m o w a s a n o l d m a n a n d a p r i s o n e r ,
I q u e s t i o n e d h i m . H e s u r l i l y r e f u s e d t o t e l l m e a n y t h i n g ,
b u t I s e c u r e d t h e h e l p o f V i k k a , w h o w a s a b l e t o d r a w o u t
t h e v e n e r a b l e s c a m p , a n d p i e c e m e a l h e t o l d t h e t r u t h o f o n e
o f t h e m a n y a t r o c i o u s c r i m e s o f w h i c h h e h a d b e e n g u i l t y ,
t h o u g h y o u w i l l f i n d n o m e n t i o n o f i t ( n o r o f m a n y o t h e r s )
i n h i s b i o g r a p h y l a t e l y p u b l i s h e d .
T h e r e w a s n o t h i n g t h a t I c o u l d d o f o r B r o t h e r J e n n i n g s .
H e l a y a s h e h a d f a l l e n , a n d , t h o u g h h i s b l o o d h a d d y e d t h e
g r o u n d , o n e a r m w a s b e n t u n d e r t h e s i d e o f h i s h e a d , a s i f
h e h a d l a i n d o w n t o p e a c e f u l s l u m b e r . N e i t h e r V i k k a n o r I
had our blanket with us, or we should have wrappe d him
u p i n i t ; b u t w e d r e w h i m t o o n e s i d e o f t h e c a n o n , c a r e f u l l y
c o m p o s e d h i s s t i f f e n i n g l i m b s , a n d l e f t h i m t h e r e .
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Lo w T w e l v e 83
A s I l o o k e d d o w n i n t h a t p a l e c o u n t e n a n c e , w h i c h I h a d
f i r s t s e e n i n s u c h d i f f e r e n t c i r c u m s t a n c e s , I m u r m u r e d :
" I t i s l i t t l e t h a t I k n o w o f y o u e x c e p t t h a t y o u g a v e y o u r
l i f e f o r m e , a n d g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t n o m a n c a n g i v e . W o u l d
t h a t i t h a d b e e n m i n e t o t h a n k y o u . Whatever fault you
may have had, or whatever ill you may have done-and who
o f u s h a s n o t g o n e a s t r a y ? - s u r e l y i t h a s b e e n a t o n e d f o r b y
t h i s . Re q u i e s c a t i n p a c e . "
Regarding this re marka ble man, who gave his name as
J a r e d J . Jennings, and who was known amo ng the In dians
a s E l - t i n - w a , I h a v e c o n s u l t e d w i t h m a n y a n d s e t w h a t i n v e s t i -
g a t i o n s I c o u l d o n f o o t . T h e t h e o r y w h i c h i s t h e m o s t r e a s o n -
a b l e , i n m y j u d g m e n t , i s t h a t h e w e n t a m o n g t h e C h i p p e w a
I n d i a n s , a s h e c l a i m e d t o h a v e d o n e , w h e n q u i t e y o u n g , t h a t
h e m a r r i e d o n e o f t h e t r i b e , a n d t w o c h i l d r e n w e r e b o r n t o
t h e c o u p l e . T h e d e a t h s o f t h e s e a n d t h e i r m o t h e r w e r e d u e
t o w h i t e m e n . I t w a s i m p o s s i b l e t o k n o w t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s ,
b u t t h e a w f u l b l o w s h a d o w e d J e n n i n g s ' s l i f e . W h o c o u l d
h a v e h a d a m o r e a p p a l l i n g g r i e v a n c e ? I n t h e h o p e o f o v e r -
c o m i n g h i s i n t o l e r a b l e r e s e n t m e n t , h e c a m e E a s t , m i n g l e d
w i t h h i s o w n r a c e , a n d v i s i t e d M a s o n i c l o d g e s , a s h e w a s
e n t i t l e d t o d o . F i n a l l y h i s r e s t l e s s n e s s m a s t e r e d h i m . Hes t a r t e d s u d d e n l y f o r t h e I n d i a n c o u n t r y , r e s o l v e d t o d o a l l i n
h i s p o w e r t o p u n i s h t h o s e w h o h a d w r e c k e d h i s l i f e .
I t m a y h a v e b e e n t h a t h e h a d s e t t l e d l o n g b e f o r e w i t h t h e
d i r e c t l y g u i l t y , bu t i f s o , i t d i d n o t s u f f i c e h i m . He forswore
h i s r a c e .
T h e C h i p p e w a s a t t h a t t i m e , a n d i n d e e d f o r a l o n g t i m e
b e f o r e , w e r e o n t h e b e s t o f t e r m s w i t h t h e w h i t e s , a n d h e
c o u l d n o t w o r k o u t h i s t e r r i b l e p r o g r a m m e a m o n g t h e m . So
h e m a d e h i s w a y t o t h e S o u t h w e s t , w h e r e t h e A p a c h e s w e r e
c o n t i n u a l l y o n t h e w a r p a t h , a n d c a s t i n h i s l o t w i t h t h e m .
M o r e o v e r , t h e s p r i n g o f 1 8 8 5 w a s n o t t h e f i r s t t i m e h e
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84 Lo w T w e l v e
w e n t t h i t h e r . He could not have become so familiar with
t h e i r l a n g u a g e a n d w a y s i n t h a t b r i e f i n t e r v a l . C h a t o t o l d m e
h e h a d s e e n h i m w i t h h i s p e o p l e t w o y e a r s b e f o r e h i s d e a t h ,
though Geronimo, when questioned, would never give any
s a t i s f a c t o r y r e p l y .
I m u s t n o t f o r g e t o n e p e c u l i a r f a c t w h i c h i n v o l v e d t h e c a r e e r
o f J e n n i n g s i n s t i l l d e e p e r m y s t e r y . I t w i l l b e r e c a l l e d t h a t
h e s a i d h e w a s b o r n i n t h e c i t y w h e r e I f i r s t s a t i n a l o d g e
w i t h h i m , t h a t a s i s t e r h a d o n l y r e c e n t l y d i e d , a n d t h a t h i s
f a t h e r h a d l i v e d t h e r e f o r a g o o d m a n y y e a r s . A n i n v e s t i g a -
t i o n , c o v e r i n g m a n y m o n t h s , f a i l e d t o d i s c o v e r a n y t r a c e s o f
h i s r e l a t i v e s . T h a t i n o n e r e s p e c t h e t o l d t h e t r u t h I a m
c o n v i n c e d , b u t h e d e e m e d i t b e s t t o h i d e h i s i d e n t i t y u n d e r
a n i m p e n e t r a b l e v e i l b y u s i n g a f i c t i t i o u s n a m e f o r h i m s e l f .
A t a n y r a t e , h e i s e n t i t l e d t o m y g r a t e f u l r e m e m b r a n c e , a n d
s u c h h e s h a l l a l w a y s h a v e .
I n e e d n o t p u r s u e t h e s u b s e q u e n t h i s t o r y o f t h a t l a s t
campaign against Geronimo . No man who has not p assed
t h r o u g h a s i m i l a r e x p e r i e n c e c a n c o m p r e h e n d t h e s u f f e r i n g s
o f t h o s e t e r r i f y i n g f o u r m o n t h s . T h e t r a i l o f t h e A p a c h e s
c r o s s e d a n d r e c r o s s e d a g a i n a n d a g a i n , a n d l e d t h r o u g h m o u n -
t a i n s s o w i l d t h a t u n t i l t h e n t h e y h a d b e e n d e e m e d i n a c c e s s i b l e
t o w h i t e m e n a t l e a s t . W i t h o u r f o r c e s s t r e n g t h e n e d , w e
k e p t a t i t . S c o u t E d u a r d y i n o n e w e e k r o d e a s i n g l e h o r s e
f i v e h u n d r e d m i l e s , a n d t h e d i s t a n c e w h i c h w e t r a v e r s e d w a s
equal t o that between New York and San Francisco . T h e
r a i d i n g a n d m a s s a c r i n g c o v e r e d a r e g i o n f o u r t i m e s a s l a r g e
as the State of Massachuset ts, and dur ing the campaign
t h r e e t h o u s a n d s o l d i e r s w e r e e n g a g e d o n o u r s i d e o f t h e l i n e
a n d a l m o s t a s m a n y M e x i c a n s s o u t h o f t h e R i o G r a n d e , w h o
w e r e a s r e s o l u t e a s w e t o r u n t h e h u m a n w o l v e s t o e a r t h .
T h r o u g h a t e m p e r a t u r e l i k e t h a t o f t h e i n f e r n a l r e g i o n s ,
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Lo w T w e l v e 8 5
G e n e r a l M i l e s p r e s s e d h i s t a s k . The heliograph flashed
o r d e r s f r o m o n e m o u n t a i n p e a k t o a n o t h e r , a n d G e n e r a l L a w -
t o n g a v e t h e h o s t i l e s n o r e s t . F i n a l l y , w o r n o u t a n d e x -
h a u s t e d , t h e y h a l t e d n e a r t h e t o w n o f F r o n t e r a s , i n t h e S i e r r a
Mad re . T h e r e , w h i l e G e r o n i m o w a s t r y i n g t o m a k e a t r e a t y
w i t h t h e M e x i c a n s w h i c h w o u l d a l l o w h i m t o r a i d A m e r i c a n
t e r r i t o r y , h e w a s v i s i t e d b y L i e u t e n a n t C h a r l e s B . G a t e w o o d ,
o f t h e S i x t h C a v a l r y , w h o s p o k e A p a c h e a n d k n e w t h e d e s -
p e r a t e l e a d e r . I n m a k i n g t h i s v i s i t , t h a t o f f i c e r t o o k h i s l i f e
i n h i s h a n d s , b u t b y h i s t a c t h e c o n v i n c e d G e r o n i m o t h a t o n l y
one course was open to him . He took that course and
s u r r e n d e r e d .
So long as he was anywhere in the Southwest, however,
n o n e o f t h e r a n c h m e n f e l t s a f e . C o n s e q u e n t l y h e w a s r e -
m o v e d e a s t w a r d , f a r b e y o n d t h e s c e n e o f h i s f e a r f u l c r i m e s ,
a n d h a s b e e n h e l d t h e r e e v e r s i n c e . The last time I saw
G e r o n i m o w a s a t t h e i n a u g u r a t i o n o f P r e s i d e n t R o o s e v e l t ,
on Marc h 4, 19o5 . T h e o l d m a n , p a s t f o u r - s c o r e , w i t h t h e
t e a r s s t r e a m i n g d o w n h i s w r i n k l e d c h e e k s , b e g g e d t h e P r e s i -
d e n t t o a l l o w h i m t o r e t u r n t o h i s f o r m e r h o m e , f o r h e m u s t
s o o n d i e . T h e P r e s i d e n t t o l d h i m h e h a d b e e n s o b a d t h a t
h e m u s t w a i t a w h i l e l o n g e r , h i n t i n g a t t h e s a m e t i m e t h a t h e
w a s a f r a i d t h a t i f G e r o n i m o s h o w e d h i m s e l f i n s o m e p o r t i o n s
o f t h e S o u t h w e s t h e w o u l d b e k i l l e d b y t h e i n c e n s e d s e t t l e r s ,
who could never forget his wicked deed s, and who would
distrust him, eve n though he had passed far beyond the
a l l o t t e d a g e o f m a n .
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V I I
AFTER TEN YEARSON E s u l t r y a f t e r n o o n i n A u g u s t , 1 8 6 9 , I w a s s i t t i n g i n
m y p a r l o r d r o w s i l y r e a d i n g t h e d a i l y p a p e r , w h e n I h e a r d
a q u i c k s t e p u p o n t h e p o r c h , f o l l o w e d b y t h e t i n k l i n g o f t h e
b e l l . W i t h o u t w a i t i n g f o r t h e s e r v a n t t o a n s w e r , I s t e p p e d
i n t o t h e h a l l a n d d r e w t h e d o o r o p e n .
I s a w s t a n d i n g b e f o r e m e a m a n i n m i d d l e l i f e , p l a i n l y b u t
n e a t l y d r e s s e d , o f s a n d y c o m p l e x i o n , s m o o t h , p o c k - f r e t t e n
f a c e , p l e a s i n g e x p r e s s i o n a n d a s t r i k i n g b r i g h t n e s s o f m a n n e r .
" G o o d - a f t e r n o o n , s i r , " h e s a i d , w i t h a h a l f m i l i t a r y s a l u t e ;
"are you Mr . E l l i s , M a s t e r o f T r e n t o n L o d g e , N o . 5 ? "
I r e p l i e d i n t h e a f f i r m a t i v e .
" T h e n I h a v e t o s a y t h a t I a m a M a s o n i n d i s t r e s s a n d
h a v e c o m e t o y o u f o r h e l p . "
A t t h a t I i n v i t e d h i m t o e n t e r . S e a t i n g m y s e l f i n f r o n t
o f h i m , I s u b j e c t e d h i m t o a r i g i d e x a m i n a t i o n , w i t h t h e
r e s u l t t h a t I f o u n d h i m o n e o f t h e b r i g h t e s t M a s o n s I e v e r
m e t . H e c o u l d h a v e p r e s i d e d o v e r a n y l o d g e a n d c o n f e r r e d
a n y a n d a l l o f t h e d e g r e e s w i t h o u t t h e s l i g h t e s t h i t c h . S a t i s -
f i e d o n t h i s p o i n t , I a s k e d h i m t o t e l l h i s s t o r y .
" I t i s a l o n g o n e , " h e r e p l i e d w i t h a s m i l e , " b u t I t h i n k
I c a n p r o m i s e y o u i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g . "
" I a m s u r e o f t h a t , " I s a i d , s e t t l i n g b a c k o n a s o f a , a n d p l a c -
i n g a l a r g e c h a i r a t h i s d i s p o s a l ; " d o n ' t o m i t a n y p a r t i c u l a r s . "
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After Ten Years 87
N e a r l y t w o - s c o r e y e a r s h a v e p a s s e d s i n c e I l i s t e n e d t o o n e
o f t h e m o s t r e m a r k a b l e s t o r i e s I e v e r h e a r d . I t o o k n o n o t e s
o f w h a t m y v i s i t o r s a i d , a n d i t i s q u i t e p o s s i b l e t h a t I m a y
s l i p o n a f e w m i n o r p o i n t s , s u c h a s n a m e s , b u t t h e n a r r a t i v e
i t s e l f w i l l r e m a i n w i t h m e a s l o n g a s I l i v e . I w a s i m p r e s s e d
b y t h e m a n ' s c a n d o r , h i s i n t e l l i g e n c e a n d h i s a p p a r e n t t r u t h -
f u l n e s s . I h a v e n e v e r d o u b t e d a s i n g l e t h i n g h e t o l d m e .
"My name i s John Wilk ins," he said , "and my home is,
o r r a t h e r w a s , i n K n o x v i l l e , T e n n . Having told you that
m u c h , I m u s t g o b a c k t e n y e a r s b e f o r e t h e b r e a k i n g o u t o f
t h e C i v i l W a r . I t w a s i n 1 8 5 1 t h a t I w a s a p a s s e n g e r o n a
s t e a m e r g o i n g u p t h e M i s s i s s i p p i t o m y h o m e . I w a s i n g o o d
c i r c u m s t a n c e s , b e i n g t h e o w n e r o f a p r o s p e r o u s g r o c e r y , a n d
w a s t h e f a t h e r o f t w o b o y s a n d a d a u g h t e r . S e v e r a l y e a r s
p r e v i o u s I h a d s u f f e r e d f r o m s m a l l - p o x , e s c a p i n g d e a t h b y a
h a i r ' s b r e a d t h , b u t a t t h e t i m e I h a v e i n m i n d I w a s i n s u p e r b
h e a l t h , w i t h a n a t u r a l f l o w o f s p i r i t s , a n d , i f I m u s t c o n f e s s
i t , n o t q u i t e f u l l y o v e r a c e r t a i n w i l d n e s s o f c o n d u c t a t w h i c h
l : n o w w o n d e r , t h o u g h I c a n n o t s a y t h a t i t e v e r i n v o l v e d m e
i n s e r i o u s t r o u b l e .
" O n e c o l d , d r i z z l y a f t e r n o o n t h e p a s s e n g e r s o n t h e s t e a m e r
w e r e t h r o w n i n t o a p a n i c b y t h e d i s c o v e r y t h a t a m a n i n o n e
o f t h e c a b i n s h a d b r o k e n o u t w i t h s m a l l - p o x . A d o z e n o f t h e
m o s t e x c i t e d d e m a n d e d o f t h e c a p t a i n t h a t h e s h o u l d p u t t h e
u n f o r t u n a t e f e l l o w a s h o r e a n d l e a v e h i m t o d i e i n t h e w o o d s .
" B e i n g i m m u n e , I m a d e a s t e a l t h y v i s i t t o t h e c a b i n o f
t h e s i c k m a n a n d d i s c o v e r e d t w o i m p o r t a n t f a c t s . H e u n -
q u e s t i o n a b l y h a d t h e d i s e a s e , b u t h e h a d h a d i t f o r s e v e r a l
d a y s , a n d w a s c o n v a l e s c i n g . H e m i g h t b e c o n s i d e r e d o u t o f
d a n g e r , s o f a r a s h e h i m s e l f w a s c o n c e r n e d , b u t , a s y o u k n o w ,
t h e r i s k f r o m c o n t a g i o n w a s a s g r e a t , i f n o t g r e a t e r , t h a n
b e f o r e .
" T h e s e c o n d t r u t h t h a t c a m e t o m e w a s t h e d i s c o v e r y t h a t
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8 8 After Te n Years
the m an was a Free Mason . I a s s u r e d h i m h e s h o u l d b e
t a k e n c a r e o f , a n d t o l d h i m t o g i v e h i m s e l f n o a n x i e t y o n
t h a t s c o r e . P r o m i s i n g t o c o m e t o h i m a g a i n i n a s h o r t t i m e ,
I s l i p p e d o u t o f h i s c a b i n , w i t h o u t a t t r a c t i n g n o t i c e , a n d m a d e
m y w a y t o t h e d e c k , w h e r e t h e c a p t a i n w a s s t a n d i n g n e a r t h e
p i l o t h o u s e w i t h a s c o r e o f m e n , p a l e , s w e a r i n g a n d m o r e
e x c i t e d t h a n e v e r . H e w a s a w e d b y t h e d i s p l a y o f a n g e r a n d
d e a d l y r e s o l u t i o n o n t h e p a r t o f t h e m o b . I l i s t e n e d f o r
s e v e r a l m i n u t e s b e f o r e I c o u l d g e t t h e r u n o f t h e t a l k . T h e
m e n w e r e d e m a n d i n g m o r e f i e r c e l y t h a n b e f o r e t h a t t h e b o a t
s h o u l d b e t u r n e d t o l a n d . H e w a s a r g u i n g a n d p r o t e s t i n g ,
f o r h i s s o u l r e v o l t e d a t t h e u n s p e a k a b l e b r u t a l i t y o f t h e t h i n g ,
b u t h e c o u l d n o t w i t h s t a n d t h e m .
"'Oh, w e l l , ' h e e x c l a i m e d w i t h a n i m p a t i e n t o a t h , ` y o u
a r e a s e t o f i n f e r n a l f o o l s ; b u t s i n c e y o u i n s i s t o n i t , I ' l l
d o i t . '
"I knew what he meant and my blood boiled .
" ` Y o u ' l l d o what?' I s h o u t e d a b o v e t h e d i n a n d c o n f u s i o n .
" ` W h y , s e t t h i s p o o r d e v i l a s h o r e a n d l e t h i m d i e a l o n e
i n t h e w o o d s , ' r e p l i e d t h e c a p t a i n , p u r po s e l y g i v i n g t h i s e x t r a
t w i s t , a s m a y b e s a i d , t o h i s r a g e .
" ` B y t h e E t e r n a l 1 ' I s h o u t e d , ` t h e f i r s t m o t i o n y o u m a k e
t o d o t h a t I ' l l s h o o t y o u d e a d i n y o u r t r a c k s I '
" I h a d m y p i s t o l i n m y h a n d a n d b r a n d i s h e d i t o v e r m y
head . My words, looks a nd manner were fo r the momen t
l i k e a b o m b s h e l l . I b a c k e d o f f , w e a p o n i n h a n d , a n d b e f o r e
t h e m o b c o u l d r e c o v e r a n d a t t a c k m e , I s h o u t e d :
" ` T h e s i c k m a n i s a F r e e M a s o n 1 B r o t h e r s , r a l l y t o m y
s u p p o r t , f o r n e v e r w a s o n e o f y o u r b r o t h e r s i n s o r e r n e e d
o f i t . '
" W e l l , s i r , y o u o u g h t t o h a v e s e e n w h a t f o l l o w e d . Other
p a s s e n g e r s w e r e s w a r m i n g o n t h e u p p e r d e c k , d r a w n b y t h e
m a g n e t o f a d a n g e r t h a t t h r e a t e n e d t h e m a l l . There must
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After Te n Years 8 9
h a v e b e e n n e a r l y a h u n d r e d o f t h e m . O n h e a r i n g m y a p p e a l ,
t h e y b e g a n b r e a k i n g a p a r t , p u s h i n g a w a y f r o m o n e a n o t h e r
and many of them grouping around me, until two parties,
a b o u t e q u a l i n n u m b e r s , f a c e d e a c h o t h e r o n t h e d e c k . I h a d
s t e p p e d n e a r e r t h e c a p t a i n , a n d m y n e w f r i e n d s f o l l o w e d m e .
He was somewhat bewildered by the suddenness of every -
t h i n g , b u t h e k e p t h i s h e a d p r e t t y w e l l .
" I d o n ' t b e l i e v e t h e r e w a s a m a n i n e i t h e r p a r t y w h o d i d
n o t o w n a p i s t o l o r b o w i e k n i f e , a n d n o t a f e w d i s p l a y e d
both . There were pale, resolute faces among those mer-
c h a n t s , p l a n t e r s , a n d g a m b l e r s , a n d t h e y g l a r e d l i k e t i g e r s
a t m e , m y f r i e n d s a n d t h e c a p t a i n .
" ' G o d ! t h i s i s a w f u l , ' s a i d t h e c a p t a i n t o m e i n a s c a r e d
u n d e r t o n e .
" ` D o n ' t y o u f e a r , ' I a s s u r e d h i m ; ` t h i s i s o u r f i g h t ; y o u
h a v e n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h i t ; l e a v e e v e r y t h i n g t o u s . '
" N o w , I t h i n k I m a y t a k e c r e d i t t o m y s e l f f o r s e i z i n g
t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l m o m e n t f o r e x e c u t i n g a c o u p . A s s u r e a s
t h e s u n s h i n e s , t h e r e w o u l d h a v e b e e n o n e o f t h e b l o o d i e s t
and most desp erate fights ever kn own on the Mississip pi
w i t h i n t h e n e x t f e w m i n u t e s h a d I n o t f a c e d t h e s c o w l i n g m o b
and raised my hand .
" ` F r i e n d s , ' I c a l l e d , ` t h e r e i s a m a n i n o n e o f t h e c a b i n s
w h o h a s t h e s m a l l - p o x , a n d t h e f a c t t h a t h e i s g e t t i n g w e l l
w o n ' t l e s s e n y o u r d a n g e r f o r s e v e r a l d a y s . You have the
r i g h t t o p r o t e c t y o u r s e l v e s a g a i n s t t h a t h i d e o u s d i s e a s e , a n d
y o u c a n d o i t b e t t e r t h a n b y d u m p i n g t h e p o o r f e l l o w o n t h e
b a n k s t o d i e l i k e a r a b i d d o g . I h a v e h a d t h e s m a l l - p o x ; I
, a m n o t a f r a i d o f i t ; I w i l l g o i n t o h i s r o o m a n d n u r s e h i m ;
n o o n e e l s e n e e d c o m e n e a r h i m ; t h e s e r v a n t s c a n b r i n g t h e
f o o d t o a c e r t a i n p o i n t s a f e l y r e m o v e d f r o m t h e c a b i n , a n d
when they are gone I will come out and get the food ; n o
m e d i c i n e i s n e e d e d , f o r t h e t i m e f o r t h a t h a s p a s s e d ; t h e
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9o After Te n Years
m a n w i l l b e c o m p l e t e l y i s o l a t e d , a n d n o n e o f y o u w i l l b e i n
t h e s l i g h t e s t d a n g e r . What do you say?'
" W e l l , I h a d c a p t u r e d t h e m . The cro wd broke up, mov-
i n g s l o w l y h e r e a n d t h e r e , a l l f r a t e r n i z i n g , w h i l e s o m e o f
t h o s e w h o h a d b e e n t h e m o s t i n s i s t e n t f o r t h e c o m m i s s i o n
of the dreadful crime shook me by the hand and declared
t h e y n e v e r m e a n t w h a t t h e y s a i d . N o n e t h e l e s s , t h e y s t i l l
would have insisted upon marooning the sick man had I
c h a n g e d m y m i n d a n d r e f u s e d t o g o i n t o h i s c a b i n .
"The promise I made was faithfully carried out . T h e
p a t i e n t n e v e r k n e w f r o m m e o f t h e s c e n e o n t h e u p p e r d e c k ,
t h o u g h I t h i n k i t l i k e l y i t r e a c h e d h i s e a r s a f t e r w a r d f r o m
a n o t h e r s o u r c e . I s a t i n h i s r o o m f o r h o u r s , r e a d i n g a n d
t a l k i n g a n d d o i n g a l l I c o u l d t o c h e e r h i m . H e r e a l l y d i d n ' t
n e e d a n y t h i n g o f t h a t n a t u r e , f o r t h e m o s t e x h i l a r a t i n g p h y s i -
c a l c o n d i t i o n i n w h i c h a n y p e r s o n c a n b e p l a c e d i s t h a t o f
c o n v a l e s c e n c e . You get used to high health, but con-
v a l e s c e n c e i s n e w , t h r i l l i n g l y c o m f o r t i n g a n d d e l i g h t f u l , a n d
by the time you become somewhat accustomed to it, its
e x q u i s i t e p l e a s u r e d e e p e n s a n d i n t e n s i f i e s .
" I n e v e r s a w a m a n i m p r o v e m o r e r a p i d l y t h a n m y
f r i e n d . O f c o u r s e w e e x c h a n g e d n a m e s , a n d b e f o r e I f i n i s h
y o u s h a l l l e a r n h i s . N e i t h e r o f u s h a d e v e r h e a r d o f t h e
other, but that we became the warmest of comrades was
i n e v i t a b l e . I t i s s a i d t h a t t h e o n e w h o d o e s a k i n d n e s s t o
a n o t h e r f e e l s t e n d e r e r t o w a r d h i m t h a n d o e s t h e r e c i p i e n t
t o w a r d t h e o t h e r . This man was an e ducated gentlema n of
t h e h i g h e s t h o n o r a n d w a s f i l l e d w i t h p r o f o u n d g r a t i t u d e . H e
d i d n o t g u s h , b u t m e r e l y t h a n k e d m e , a d d i n g
" ` I h o p e y o u w i l l n e v e r b e i n t r o u b l e , b u t s h o u l d s u c h b e
your lot, you may command me to the death . Re m e m b e r
t h a t , ' h e a d d e d w i t h s o l e m n s i g n i f i c a n c e .
" W h e n w e r e a c h e d L o u i s v i l l e m y f r i e n d w a s s u b s t a n t i a l l y
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After Ten Years 9 1
w e l l , t h o u g h t h e m a r k s o f h i s d i s e a s e w o u l d s h o w f o r a l o n g
t i m e , a n d i t w a s h a r d l y p r u d e n t f o r h i m t o v e n t u r e o u t , e x c e p t
w h e n a b s o l u t e l y n e c e s s a r y . M y i n t e n t i o n w a s t o l e a v e t h e
s t e a m e r a t t h a t p o i n t , a t t e n d t o s o m e b u s i n e s s m a t t e r s i n t h e
i n t e r i o r , a n d t o r e a c h m y h o m e i n K n o x v i l l e i n t h e c o u r s e
o f a c o u p l e o f w e e k s ; b u t I t h o u g h t i t b e s t n o t t o p a r t c o m -
p a n y w i t h t h e g e n t l e m a n , w h o w a s t o o c o n s i d e r a t e t o e x p r e s s
t h e w i s h t h a t I s h o u l d s t a y b y h i m a n y l o n g e r . H i s f a c e l i t
u p w i t h p l e a s u r e w h e n I q u i e t l y t o l d h i m o f my i n t e n t i o n
t o s e e h i m t h r o u g h t o h i s h o m e .
" A t L o u i s v i l l e w e h a d t o c h a n g e s t e a m e r s . T h e c a p t a i n o f
t h e n e w b o a t w a s a F r e e M a s o n , a n d w h e n I t o l d m y s t o r y t o
h i m , h e p r o m p t l y g a v e a l l t h e h e l p n e e d e d . Arm in arm
we two walked upon hi s boat at midnight and went to our
c a b i n . N o o t h e r p e r s o n b e s i d e s t h e c a p t a i n h a d a s u s p i c i o n
o f t h e t r u t h .
"By the time we reached the landing where my friend
w a s t o l e a v e t h e b o a t h e w a s w e l l , t h o u g h t h e d i s c o l o r a t i o n s
o n h i s f a c e , o f c o u r s e , we r e p l a i n . I h a d a c c e p t e d h i s i n v i t a -
t i o n t o g o t o h i s h o m e w i t h h i m . He wished me to make him
a n o l d - f a s h i o n e d v i s i t , b u t I a s s u r e d h i m I c o u l d s t a y o n l y
o n e n i g h t . H e w o u l d n o t c o n s e n t t o t h i s u n t i l I p r o m i s e d t o
u s e t h e f i r s t c h a n c e t o s p e n d s e v e r a l w e e k s w i t h h i m . I t
w a s m y i n t e n t i o n t o d o s o , b u t s o m e h o w o r o t h e r t h e o p p o r -
t u n i t y n e v e r c a m e .
"He was expected, and his negro coachman was waiting
for him . W e w e r e d r i v e n t o o n e o f t h e f i n e s t r e s i d e n c e s
I h a v e e v e r s e e n . H e w a s a m a n o f w e a l t h , o f c u l t u r e , a n d
o f r e f i n e m e n t , a n d w a s w e l l k n o w n t h r o u g h o u t t h e S t a t e . I
n e v e r r e c e i v e d k i n d e r o r m o r e h o s p i t a b l e t r e a t m e n t t h a n f r o m
him and his wife and daughter, o f whom any husband and
f a t h e r m i g h t b e p r o u d . L a t e a t n i g h t , w h e n w e s a t a l o n e i n
h i s d r a w i n g - r o o m , s m o k i n g a n d c h a t t i n g , h e s u d d e n l y a s k e d :
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92 After T en Years
"'And now ho w much do I owe yo u, Mr . W i l k i n s ? '
" I t o o k o u t a b i t o f p a p e r a n d p e n c i l a n d f i g u r e d f o r a
minute or two .
" ` A s n e a r l y a s I c a n m a k e i t , i t i s s i x d o l l a r s a n d f i f t y
c e n t s , ' I r e p l i e d ; ` t h a t i s t h e e x t r a f a r e f o r g o i n g s o m e w h a t
out of my way . '
" H e t o o k h i s p i p e f r o m h i s m o u t h , s m i l e d a n d s h o o k h i s
head .
"'That won't do . '
" ` W h y n o t ? C a n y o u m a k e i t a n y d i f f e r e n t ? ' I a s k e d .
" ` I t i s a h u n d r e d d o l l a r s a t l e a s t . T h a t w i l l n e v e r r e p a y
y o u . Who would have done as much for me as you have
done ? '
41
'You for me ; a r e w e n o t b r o t h e r M a s o n s ? '
"He looked calmly in my face and smoked for a minute
o r t w o i n s i l e n c e . He saw I was in ear nest, and without
speaking paid me my extra fare to and from Louisville .
With the rare tact which was natural to him, he made no
f u r t h e r r e f e r e n c e t o m y s e r v i c e s .
"The next morning I bade him and his family good-by .
J u s t a s t h e c o a c h w a s s t a r t i n g f o r t h e l a n d i n g , h i s d a u g h t e r
h u r r i e d o u t o f t h e d o o r a n d p l a c e d a s e a l e d l e t t e r i n m y
h a n d .
" ` F a t h e r s a y s y o u a r e n o t t o o p e n t h a t t i l l y o u g e t h o m e , '
s h e s a i d .
" I n o d d e d a n d p r o m i s e d a s I s h o v e d i t i n t o m y c o a t p o c k e t .
W h e n I b r o k e t h e s e a l a f o r t n i g h t l a t e r , t h e f i r s t t h i n g t h a t
c a u g h t m y e y e w a s a h u n d r e d d o l l a r b i l l . Pencilled on a
s h e e t o f p a p e r w e r e t h e w o r d s
" ` I f i t s h o u l d e v e r b e i n m y p o w e r t o d o y o u a n y f a v o r ,
no matter of what char acter, I beg that you give me the
o p p o r t u n i t y . '
" B e a r i n m i n d t h a t a l l t h i s t o o k p l a c e i n i 8 5 i . Ten years
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After Te n Years 9 3
l a t e r c a m e o u r g r e a t C i v i l W a r . You people in the North
k n o w n o t h i n g o f w h a t w e s u f f e r e d i n t h e b o r d e r S t a t e s , n o r ,
i n d e e d , d o t h e p e o p l e o f t h e S o u t h i t s e l f , t h o u g h t h e y h a v e h a d
t o d r i n k t h e c u p t o i t s d r e g s . B u t i n K n o x v i l l e , a s i n c e r t a i n
p a r t s o f K e n t u c k y a n d M i s s o u r i , i t w a s u n a d u l t e r a t e d h e l l ,
f o r t h e S e c e s s i o n i s t s a n d U n i o n i s t s w e r e a b o u t e q u a l l y d i v i d e d .
I t g r e w h o t t e r a n d m o r e f r i g h t f u l e v e r y d a y . In the same
c i t y , t h e s a m e s t r e e t , t h e s a m e s q u a r e , t h e s a m e h o u s e , m e n
m e t w h o w e r e e a g e r t o s p r i n g a t o n e a n o t h e r ' s t h r o a t s a n d
w e r e o n l y w a i t i n g f o r t h e c h a n c e t o d o s o . I was a pro=
nounced Union man from the sta rt, and my two boys, one
o f w h o m w a s j u s t o l d e n o u g h , e n l i s t e d i n t h e F e d e r a l a r m y .
I s t a y e d a t h o m e t o l o o k a f t e r m y b u s i n e s s , o r u n t i l t h e
n e c e s s i t y f o r m y l e a v i n g s h o u l d b e c o m e m o r e u r g e n t . Aft er
a t i m e t h e S e c e s s i o n i s t s g a i n e d t o a l a r g e e x t e n t t h e u p p e r
h a n d . Pa r s o n B r o w n l o w a n d a f e w o f u s u s e d t o m e e t
s e c r e t l y t o d i s c u s s a n d d e c i d e u p o n t h e b e s t c o u r s e t o f o l l o w ,
i f , i n d e e d , a n y c o u r s e w a s o p e n t o u s o t h e r t h a n t o b i d e o u r
t i m e .
"Some of the hotte r-headed Uni onists began burning
b r i d g e s i n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f t h e S t a t e w i t h t h e p u r p o s e o f
h a r a s s i n g C o n f e d e r a t e m i l i t a r y m o v e m e n t s . T h i s c o n t i n u e d
a f t e r a n u m b e r o f t h e m h a d b e e n s h o t , a n d i t w a s p r o c l a i m e d
t h a t a n y o n e f o u n d g u i l t y o f t h e c r i m e w o u l d b e p u n i s h e d
w i t h d e a t h .
" H a r d l y a d a y p a s s e d t h a t m e n w e r e n o t a r r e s t e d o n t h e
s t r e e t c h a r g e d w i t h b r i d g e b u r n i n g a n d t h r u s t i n t o j a i l . On e
d a y , j u s t a s I c a m e o u t o f m y h o u s e , I w a s t a k e n i n c h a r g e
b y t w o s o l d i e r s i n c o m m a n d o f a c o r p o r a l a n d h u s t l e d o f f t o
j a i l . W h e n I w a s t h r u s t i n t o t h e s u f f o c a t i n g p l a c e , I f o u n d
m o r e t h a n s i x t y o f m y f r i e n d s a n d n e i g h b o r s a l l c h a r g e d w i t h
t h e s a m e o f f e n c e . "
A t t h i s p o i n t i n W i l k i n s ' s s t o r y I i n t e r r u p t e d h i m .
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94 After Te n Years
" S e e h e r e , m y f r i e n d , t h e w a r i s o v e r a n d y o u n e e d n ' t b e
a f r a i d t o t e l l m e t h e t r u t h . D i d y o u h e l p b u r n a n y o f t h o s e
b r i d g e s ? "
He chuckled ."No ; I w a s i n n o c e n t , t h o u g h i f t h e y h a d w a i t e d t w o n i g h t s
l o n g e r I s h o u l d h a v e h a d t o p l e a d g u i l t y i n o r d e r t o b e h o n e s t .
W e h a d a b i g s c h e m e o n f o o t , b u t o n e o f o u r n u m b e r b e t r a y e d
u s . I k n o w w h o h e w a s , b u t w i l l s a y n o t h i n g m o r e , f o r h e h a s
b e e n d e a d s e v e r a l y e a r s , a n d i t i s a s w e l l , a l s o , t h a t I m a k e n o
r e f e r e n c e t o t h e m a n n e r o f h i s t a k i n g o f f .
" I f i t b e c o n c e i v a b l e , m a t t e r s g r e w w o r s e . T h e y k e p t
b r i n g i n g m o r e p r i s o n e r s a n d s h o v i n g t h e m i n u p o n u s , u n t i l
we hardly had room to move about . Finally Parson Brown-
l o w h i m s e l f w a s f a i r l y t h r o w n i n t o t h e b i g r o o m w i t h u s .
W e l l , h e w a s a c h a r a c t e r . H e c o u l d p r a y h a r d e r , s i n g l o u d e r
a n d u s e m o r e s u l p h u r o u s l a n g u a g e t o w a r d t h e S e c e s s i o n i s t s
t h a n a n y t e n m e n n o r t h o r s o u t h o f M a s o n a n d D i x o n ' s l i n e .
T h e s t y l e i n w h i c h h e d e n o u n c e d t h e S o u t h e r n C o n f e d e r a c y
a n d a l l t h e l e a d e r s i n i t , f r o m t h e P r e s i d e n t d o w n , m a d e o n e ' s
h a i r f a i r l y r i s e o n e n d . I c a n s e e h i m n o w , a s t h e g a u n t , s p a r e
p r e a c h e r s t o o d u p a m o n g u s , h i s e y e s b l a z i n g , w h i l e h e r o l l e d
o u t h i s d e n u n c i a t i o n s a n d c a l l e d d o w n t h e v e n g e a n c e o f G o d
u p o n t h e e n e m i e s o f t h e U n i o n . T h e n h e w o u l d t e l l u s o f
o u r d u t i e s t o o n e a n o t h e r a s w e l l a s t o o u r c o u n t r y . I h a v e
s e e n t h e t e a r s c o u r s e d o w n h i s c a d a v e r o u s c h e e k s w h i l e t h u s
p l e a d i n g w i t h u s t o l e a d p u r e a n d g o d l y l i v e s . T h e n a l l a t
o n c e h e w o u l d b r e a k o u t w i t h h i s s t r o n g a n d n o t o v e r m u s i c a l
v o i c e i n t o o n e o f t h e s w e e t , g r a n d o l d M e t h o d i s t h y m n s ,
f o l l o w e d b y a p r a y e r , l i k e t h a t o f s o m e i n s p i r e d p r o p h e t o f
o l d .
" O n e f a v o r i t e e x p r e s s i o n o f h i s w a s t h a t w e w h o s u f f e r e d
imprisonment or death for our principles were doing our
country as much good and were as much martyrs for the
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After Ten Years 95
U n i o n a s i f w e f e l l i n b a t t l e . H e d r o v e t h a t t r u t h i n u p o n
u s , s e a s o n e d w i t h t h e a s s u r a n c e t h a t t h o s e a t w h o s e h a n d s w e
s u f f e r e d s h o u l d r e c e i v e f u l l p u n i s h m e n t , n o t o n l y i n t h i s w o r l d ,
b u t i n t h e l i f e t o c o m e .
" W e h a d b e e n i n p r i s o n o n l y a f e w d a y s w h e n a n o r d e r l y
c a m e t o t h e d o o r w i t h a s l i p o f p a p e r i n h a n d , a n d c a l l e d
o u t i n a l o u d v o i c e t h e n a m e s o f t w o o f t h e p r i s o n e r s . The y
r o s e t o t h e i r f e e t .
" ` C o m e w i t h m e , ' s a i d t h e o r d e r l y ; ` t h e p r o v o s t - m a r s h a l
wants you . '
" T h e y f o l l o w e d h i m o u t o f t h e d o o r . A f e w m i n u t e s l a t e r
w e h e a r d t h e d i s c h a r g e o f s e v e r a l g u n s , a s i f f i r e d b y a
p l a t o o n . W e l o o k e d a t o n e a n o t h e r w i t h s c a r e d f a c e s . All
k n e w w h a t i t m e a n t ; our two neighbors had been shot .
Whether they h ad taken any par t in bridge burning I do
not know . E v i d e n t l y t h e r e h a d b e e n a s e c r e t i n v e s t i g a t i o n ,
; a n d t h e y h a d b e e n p r o n o u n c e d g u i l t y .
" P r e c i s e l y t h e s a m e t h i n g t o o k p l a c e t h e n e x t d a y a n d t h e
d a y f o l l o w i n g t h a t . S i n c e n o o n e c o u l d s h u t h i s e y e s t o t h e
f e a r f u l t r u t h , i t w a s t h e c u s t o m i n e a c h i n s t a n c e f o r P a r s o n
Brownlow to offer up a prayer, denounce the Confederate
a u t h o r i t i e s i n h i s r e d - h o t f a s h i o n , w h i l e t h e v i c t i m s s h o o k t h e
h a n d s o f a l l i n t u r n . T h e n t h e y w e n t o u t a n d m e t t h e i r f a t e
l i k e h e r o e s .
" W e p r i s o n e r s r e c e i v e d v i s i t o r s n o w a n d t h e n , o u r j a i l e r s
making no objection, for no harm coul d follow from such
c a l l s . I remember a mild old Quaker who came every day .
H e s p o k e k i n d l y t o a l l o f u s , s o m e t i m e s b r i n g i n g u s d e l i c a c i e s
o r m e s s a g e s f r o m o u r f a m i l i e s a n d f r i e n d s , a n d b e a r i n g a w a y
s u c h m e s s a g e s a s w e h a d t o s e n d . H i s v i s i t s w e r e t h e o n l y
rays of sunshine that pie rced the woeful gloom, and he
w a s f e e l i n g l y t h a n k e d o v e r a n d o v e r a g a i n f o r t h i s t h o u g h t -
f u l n e s s .
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96 After Te n Years
" O n e d a y I p e n c i l l e d t h e f o l l o w i n g w o r d s o n a s m a l l p i e c e
of paper and handed it to him
" `The man who befriended you ten years ago when you
were taken down with small-pox on a Mississip pi steamer
is now in Knoxville jail unjustly ch arged with bridge
b u r n i n g . '
" ` W i l l y o u b e k i n d e n o u g h t o m a i l t h a t f o r m e ? ' I a s k e d ,
handing the paper to him . ` R e a d i t f i r s t . '
" H e d e l i b e r a t e l y a d j u s t e d h i s s p e c t a c l e s , h e l d t h e s l i p a t
a r m ' s l e n g t h a n d c a r e f u l l y r e a d t h e l i n e o r t w o .
" ` I d o n ' t k n o w , ' h e r e p l i e d ; ` t h e s e a r e t r o u b l o u s t i m e s ,
m y f r i e n d ; t h o s e f e w w o r d s m a y m e a n m o r e t h a n t h e y s e e m t o
m e a n . T h e a u t h o r i t i e s a l l o w m e t o v i s i t t h e e a n d t h y f r i e n d s
o n t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t I a m t o t a k e n o u n f a i r a d v a n t a g e
o f t h e o p p o r t u n i t y . '
" ` I g i v e y o u m y w o r d o f h o n o r , ' I s a i d , ` t h a t t h e w o r d s
h a v e n o o t h e r m e a n i n g t h a n w h a t t h e y s h o w o n t h e i r s u r f a c e . '
"He hesitated for a moment or two and then crumpled
u p t h e p a p e r a n d s h o v e d i t i n t o h i s w a i s t c o a t p o c k e t , w i t h
t h e r e m a r k :
" ` I c a n n o t m a k e t h e e a n y p r o m i s e , b u t I w i l l s e e w h a t I
can do . '
" T h e s u m m a r y e x e c u t i o n s w e n t o n a s b e f o r e , w i t h t h e s a m e
h o r r i b l e d e t a i l - t h e c a l l i n g o u t i n a l o u d v o i c e o f t w o n a m e s ,
the farewell and shaking of hands, Parson Brownlow's
p r a y e r , w i t h a f e w w o r d s o f e x h o r t a t i o n a n d t h e p r o m i s e t o
l o o k a f t e r t h e f a m i l i e s o f t h e v i c t i m s , s o f a r a s i t s h o u l d b e
p o s s i b l e t o d o s o , a n d t h e n a f e w m i n u t e s a f t e r t h e d o o m e d
o n e s h a d p a s s e d o u t t h e w h o l e c o m p a n y b u r s t i n t o s i n g i n g
` T h e S t a r S p a n g l e d B a n n e r . ' O n e o b j e c t o f t h i s w a s t o d r o w n
t h e s o u n d o f t h e v o l l e y w h i c h w e k n e w w o u l d s o o n b e f i r e d .
We became so accustomed to the report that we knew just
w h e n t o e x p e c t i t ; b u t s i n g a s l o u d a s w e m i g h t , w e n e v e r
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t a r t e r 1 e n i e a r s 97
f a i l e d t o h e a r t h e a w f u l c r a s h , w h i c h p i e r c e d t h e w a l l s o f
t h e j a i l .
" Y o u c a n n o t i m a g i n e t h e b r e a t h l e s s h u s h w h i c h c a m e o v e r
u s w h e n t h e d o o r o p e n e d a n d w e c a u g h t s i g h t o f t h e o r d e r l y
w i t h t h e l i t t l e s l i p o f p a p e r i n h i s h a n d . W h e n t h e n a m e s
- w e r e p r o n o u n c e d , t h e s c e n e w h i c h I h a v e d e s c r i b e d i n v a r i a b l y
f o l l o w e d . I t i s s a i d t h a t m e n c a n b e c o m e a c c u s t o m e d t o a n y -
t h i n g , b u t t h a t t o m b - l i k e p a u s e a s w e c o n c e n t r a t e d a l l o u r
f a c u l t i e s u p o n t h e d r e a d f o r m a s h e w a s a b o u t t o p r o n o u n c e
t h e d o o m o f t w o o f o u r n u m b e r n e v e r l o s t i t s d e a d l y i n t e n s i t y .
T h e r e w a s a l w a y s a m o m e n t o r t w o w h e n I d o n o t b e l i e v e a
: m a n i n t h e r o o m b r e a t h e d .
" O n e d i s m a l , d r i z z l y m o r n i n g , w h e n w e w e r e a l l s h i v e r i n g
w i t h c o l d , t h e m e s s e n g e r o f f a t e s e e m e d t o s h o u t w i t h m o r e
f i e n d i s h l o u d n e s s t h a n e v e r b e f o r e .
" ' W i l l i a m R . Jones and John Wilk ins ! '
" W h e n t h e s o l e m n h u s h e n d e d w e b e g a n s h a k i n g t h e h a n d s
o f t h o s e w h o c r o w d e d a r o u n d u s .
" ` W e l l , b o y s , ' s a i d I w i t h a m i r t h l e s s s m i l e , ` m y t u r n h a s
c o m e . G o o d - b y 1 '
" ` R e m e m b e r , ' f a i r l y s h o u t e d t h e p a r s o n , ` y o u a r e d y i n g
a s m u c h f o r y o u r c o u n t r y a s d i d y o u r c o m r a d e s a t M a n a s s a s
and before Richm ond . T h i s c a n ' t g o o n m u c h l o n g e r ; t h e s e
h e l l - h o u n d s w i l l s o o n r u n t h e i r r a c e a n d G o d w i l l s m i t e t h e m
in His wrath . '
" I t s e e m e d t o m e t h a t t h e p a r s o n p u t m o r e u n c t i o n i n t o h i s
p r a y e r t h a n u s u a l , w h i l e t h e s c o w l i n g o r d e r l y s t o o d a t t h e
d o o r a n d i m p a t i e n t l y a w a i t e d t h e c l o s e o f t h e e x e r c i s e s . As
I f i n a l l y p a s s e d o u t , I h e a r d t h e s t r a i n s o f o u r n a t i o n a l s o n g ,
s u n g w i t h a h e a r t i n e s s a n d v i g o r t h a t t h r i l l e d m e t h r o u g h .
"The orderly walked in the direction of the provost
m a r s h a l ' s o f f i c e , w i t h m e j u s t b e h i n d h i m a n d m y n e i g h b o r a t
m y h e e l s . The provos t was a large man, whom I had known
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9 8 After Te n Years
f o r y e a r s a s p o s s e s s i n g a f u r i o u s t e m p e r . He was very pro-
f a n e a n d o n e o f t h e f i e r c e s t S e c e s s i o n i s t s i n t h e S t a t e . WhenI e n t e r e d h i s o f f i c e h e w a s s a v a g e l y s m o k i n g a h u g e c i g a r ,
t h e s m o k e o f w h i c h p a r t l y o b s c u r e d h i s f l a m i n g f e a t u r e s .
G l a r i n g a t m e a s I h a l t e d n e a r t h e d o o r a n d l o o k e d a t h i m
s e a t e d i n f r o n t o f h i s d e s k , h e f a i r l y s h o u t e d w i t h a s u l p h u r -
o u s o a t h
" ` I s h o u l d l i k e t o k n o w w h a t t h a t m e a n s 1 '
" H e h e l d i n h i s h a n d , w h i c h s h o o k w i t h a n g e r , a y e l l o w
p i e c e o f p a p e r , t h a t I s a w w a s a t e l e g r a m . The writing on
it was so large that I read the words from where I was
s t a n d i n g
"'WAR DEPARTMENT, Richm ond, V a .
" `r o v o s t - M a r s h a l , K n o x v i l l e , T e n n .
" ` R e l e a s e J o h n W i l k i n s f r o m c u s t o d y a t o n c e a n d d o n o t
a l l o w h i m t o b e m o l e s t e d o r d i s t u r b e d i n p e r s o n o r p r o p e r t y .
A l l o w h i m t o p a s s b a c k a n d f o r t h b e t w e e n t h e C o n f e d e r a t e
a n d F e d e r a l l i n e s w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n .
" ' B y o r d e r o f
"' JAMES A. SEDD ON,
" ` S e c r e t a r y o f W a r , C. S . A . '
"Jam es A . Seddon was th e gentleman whom I had be-
f r i e n d e d i n t i m e o f s o r e n e e d , a n d i t w a s t o h i m m y f e w
p e n c i l l e d l i n e s w e r e a d d r e s s e d w h i c h I h a n d e d t o t h e Q u a k e r
v i s i t o r a t o u r j a i l . He had mailed them to Richmond, and
i t h a d n o s o o n e r b e e n r e a d b y S e c r e t a r y S e d d o n t h a n h e t e l e -
g r a p h e d t h e o r d e r f o r m y r e l e a s e .
"A g l a n c e a t t h e w r i t i n g a n d t h e w h o l e t r u t h f l a s h e d u p o nme . I c o u l d n o t c o n c e a l m y e x a l t a t i o n o f s p i r i t s , a n d a s t h e
p r o v o s t - m a r s h a l s t i l l h e l d t h e t e l e g r a m a t a r m ' s l e n g t h , a s i f
i t w e r e a v e n o m o u s s e r p e n t , h e t o o k h i s c i g a r f r o m h i s m o u t h
a n d a g a i n r o a r e d w i t h a n u m b e r o f o a t h s
" ` I s a y , w h a t d o e s t h a t mean?'
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I I I s h o u l d l i k e t o k n o w w h a t t h a t m e a n s! I I
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After Ten Years i o i
" ` S i n c e i t i s w r i t t e n p l a i n l y e n o u g h f o r m e t o r e a d i t f r o m
w h e r e I s t a n d , I s h o u l d t h i n k y o u o u g h t t o b e a b l e t o d o s o . '
" H e g l a r e d a t m e a s i f a b o u t t o b u r s t w i t h r a g e , s w u n g
a r o u n d i n h i s c h a i r w i t h a s n o r t o f d i s g u s t , a n d w a v e d t h e
orderly away with me . He had probably given his orders
t o t h e m a n a n d w a s u n a b l e t o d o j u s t i c e t o t h e s i t u a t i o n . O n
t h e o u t s i d e I w a s t o l d I w a s a t l i b e r t y t o g o w h i t h e r I c h o s e .
" G e n e r a l B u r n s i d e a t t h a t t i m e w a s b e s i e g i n g K n o x v i l l e
a n d d r e w t h e c o r d o n c l o s e . Taking advant age of my strange
p e r m i s s i o n I p a s s e d i n t o h i s l i n e s , w h e r e , b e i n g w e l l k n o w n
t o a n u m b e r , I w a s w e l l r e c e i v e d . I m a d e t h e t r i p t o a n d
f r o s e v e r a l t i m e s , d o i n g c o n s i d e r a b l e i n t h e w a y o f t r a d e .
I t w a s r a r e t h a t a n y o n e w a s g i v e n s u c h p r i v i l e g e s a s I , a n d
t h e s i t u a t i o n w a s n o t o n l y p e c u l i a r , b u t s o d a n g e r o u s t h a t
i t c o u l d n o t l a s t . F o r a c i v i l i a n t o p a s s f r e e l y f r o m t h e l i n e s
o f o n e a r m y t o t h o s e o f t h e i r e n e m y , w h e n h e w a s k n o w n t o
b e t h e f o e o f o n e , w a s a n a n o m a l y i n w a r f a r e t h a t m u s t s o o n
t e r m i n a t e .
" W h e n t h e c u r i o u s c o n d i t i o n h a d l a s t e d s o m e t h i n g o v e r a
w e e k I w a s f i r e d u p o n o n e n i g h t w h e n t u r n i n g a c o r n e r o f
t h e s t r e e t i n K n o x v i l l e . T h e m a n w h o d i s c h a r g e d t h e p i s t o l
w a s n o t m o r e t h a n a d o z e n f e e t d i s t a n t . I s a w t h e f l a s h a n d I
h e a r d t h e w h i s t l e o f t h e b u l l e t i n f r o n t o f m y e y e s . I n s t e a d o f
b r e a k i n g i n t o a r u n , h e c o o l l y w a l k e d o f f a s i f h e d i d n o t c a r e a
r a p w h e t h e r I i d e n t i f i e d h i m o r n o t . I t w o u l d h a v e b e e n u s e -
l e s s f o r m e t o d e m a n d h i s p u n i s h m e n t o r t o a p p e a l f o r p r o -
t e c t i o n . I k n e w I w a s c e r t a i n t o b e s h o t i f I r e m a i n e d , a n d t h e
m a n w h o d i d m e u p w o u l d n e v e r s u f f e r t h e r e f r o m . S o t h e n e x t
t i m e I w e n t i n t o B u r n s i d e ' s l i n e s I s t a y e d t h e r e . My t w o
s o n s w e r e s e r v i n g u n d e r h i m , a n d I w a s g i v e n e m p l o y m e n t i n
t h e c o m m i s s a r y d e p a r t m e n t , i n w h i c h I r e m a i n e d t o t h e c l o s e
o f t h e w a r .
" W h e n i t w a s s a f e f o r m e t o v i s i t K n o x v i l l e a g a i n , I f o u n d
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I o z After Te n Years
t h a t m y p r o p e r t y h a d u t t e r l y v a n i s h e d , a n d I w a s n o t w o r t h
a d o l l a r b e y o n d t h e p a y I h a d s a v e d . My wife ha d die d
a t t h e o u t b r e a k o f t h e w a r a n d b o t h m y s o n s h a d b e e n k i l l e d
i n b a t t l e . My only daughter married about that tim e and
moved with her h usband to the North . L i k e t h o u s a n d s o f
o t h e r s i n t h e S o u t h , i t w a s n e c e s s a r y f o r m e w h e n f i f t y y e a r s
o l d t o b e g i n l i f e o v e r a g a i n .
" I h a d e n o u g h f r o m m y p a y t o t a k e m e t o C a n a d a , w h e r e
I made my way to a lumber camp and hired out as a day
l a b o r e r . My c o m p a n i o n s w e r e g o o d - h e a r t e d a n d k i n d , -
though rough, rugged and stro ng as bears . They forgot
sometimes that I was not as tough as they, and the work
which I undertook was ofte n beyond my power . I s t r o v e t o
t h e u t m o s t t o ` h o l d u p m y e n d , ' a n x i o u s n o t t o b e t r a y m y
p h y s i c a l w e a k n e s s .
" O n e d a y w h i l e s t r a i n i n g t o l i f t a l a r g e p i e c e o f t i m b e r I
f e l t s o m e t h i n g g i v e w a y w i t h i n m e , a n d s e i z e d w i t h a s u d d e n
d e a t h l y n a u s e a u , I s a n k t o t h e g r o u n d i n a f a i n t . W h e n I
r a l l i e d I w a s s o w e a k t h a t o n e o f t h e m e n h a d t o h e l p m e
t o t h e c a b i n i n w h i c h w e s l e p t a n d a t e o u r m e a l s . There I
was put in my bunk and a messenger brought a country
d o c t o r f r o m t h e n e a r e s t v i l l a g e , w h i c h w a s a d o z e n m i l e s
away . T h e p h y s i c i a n d i d a l l h e c o u l d f o r m e , b u t h e h a d n o t
t h e r e m o t e s t i d e a o f w h a t w a s t h e t r o u b l e . He left me some
s i m p l e m e d i c i n e s a n d p r o m i s e d t o c o m e a g a i n i n t h e c o u r s e o f
t w o o r t h r e e d a y s .
" W e l l , I l a y i n m y r o u g h b e d f o r s i x w e e k s , d u r i n g w h i c h
t i m e t h e r e w a s n o t a s i n g l e m o v e m e n t o f m y b o w e l s . T h e
l o w e r p a r t o f m y b o d y s e e m e d a s i n e r t a s s o m u c h w o o d . Th e
d o c t o r w a s n o t a b l e t o g i v e m e t h e s l i g h t e s t h e l p , b u t a l w a y s
l e f t m e s o m e o f h i s m e d i c i n e , w h i c h I r e l i g i o u s l y t o o k a c c o r d -
i n g t o i n s t r u c t i o n . I w a s t o o w e a k t o l e a v e m y b e d f o r m o r e
t h a n a m i n u t e o r t w o , a n d s e e m e d t o g e t n e i t h e r b e t t e r n o r
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After Ten Years 103
worse . Injections and every means possible were tried and
produced not the slightest effect .
"As I said, six weeks passed away without any change in
my condition As I lay awake one afternoon, it occurred
to me that it was time to take some of the medicine, which
was on a rough stand beside my bed . I rolled over on one
side and reached out my hand for the phial . At that instant
I thought a cannon had been discharged in the cabin . I
lunged head foremost and tumbled upon the floor, where
l: lay like a dead man until some of my friends came in to
prepare supper, and lifted me upon the couch again .
"Then the truth was discovered . A rupture of the bowels
had taken place on my left side, and through the opening thus
formed passed all the food that I ate, with the exception of a
small proportion, which sometimes found its way into the
bladder . The relief that had thus come gave me strength
enough to walk, and by and by I felt so well that no one would
suspect that anything was the matter with me . It was utterly
impossible, however, for me to do any kind of manual labor . I
made my way to the hospital in Montreal, where after a time
l . was discharged as incurable . I journeyed to Philadelphia,
where I went through the same experience . I am now on my
way to my married daughter in Troy, where I expect to end
my days . Being without a dollar to my name, I am com-
pelled to apply to my Masonic brethren for assistance ."
Mr. Wilkins told me that the only food he dare eat was
mush and milk . I gave him a meal of that,' and saw the
opening in his side, over which he carried a bandage, some-
thing like a truss . I handed him, in the name of my lodge,
more money than he asked for, shook his hand, and stillsmiling and with his farewell accompanied by a bright jest,
he passed out of my home and I never saw or heard of him
again .
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VIII
CAMPING ON HIS TRAIL
(It is proper to state that in the following sketch the names of the places
and persons for good reasons are fictitious . -Jerry Chattin," who related
the incidents to me, is a prominent Free Mason, no doubt well known to
many of my readers .
ONCE firmly believed that Jim McGibbon and I were
ordained to be the bitterest of enemies, and it did seem to
me that everything joined to increase the intensity of hatred
which began in boyhood . Jim was about my age and lived
at the small town of Champlain, in southwestern Missouri,
while my home was at Verneau, some twenty miles away .
We first clashed as the captains of rival baseball clubs .
Nowhere in the world is the struggle in our national game so
determined and often so unfair as between near-by towns and
villages . Nothing in the professional world can compare
with it. The championship struggle between Champlain and
Verneau was as bitter as bitter could be . One season we
secured the coveted honor and the next year it went to our
rivals . More than once the strife became a veritable battle,
in which the inoffensive umpire, who strove to be just, was
mobbed and would have suffered grave injury but for therally of the club whom he was accused of favoring to his
defence . Several times the games broke up in rows, in which
the spectators were involved . It was shameful, but I am
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Camping on His Trail 105 -
grieved to say that the same disgraceful scenes are still seen
in other parts of the country .
It was natural in the circumstances that Jim and I should
collide. Strict truth compels me to admit that in these bouts
I generally got the worst of it, for Jim was taller, more active
and a better boxer than I . Without giving any of the par-
ticulars, suffice it to say that the last season which saw the
struggle for the championship ended in a tie . I cannot help
believing that this was the result of an unfair decision on
the part of the umpire against us, but since such is the invari-
able explanation, I shall let it go at that .
In the autumn of 186o, Jim and I were sent East to college .
As proof of our mutual dislike, I may say that after I had
matriculated at Princeton, Jim, who appeared at the same
,place two days later with a similar purpose, deliberately
insulted me by the remark
"I have lived too long in the same State with you ; NewJersey isn't big enough for both of us . I'd rather go to
Tophet than abide in any college with the like of you ."
With which he deliberately packed his trunk and went
off to New Haven, without waiting for me to get back a
suitable reply, which I didn't think of until he was aboard
of the cars on the way to the junction, there to board the
New York train and to go farther eastward .
We had each been in college a year when the great Civil
War came. It was not long before I saw that Missouri was
sure to become one of the most harried States in the Union .
Nowhere was the strife so merciless and vicious as in the
border States, where hundreds of families were broken up
by the fratricidal struggle .
I was not sorry when my father sent for me to leave col-
lege, but I was pained to learn upon arriving home that
the general disarrangement of business had brought a reverse
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io6 Camping on His Trail
to him which made it impossible to keep me longer at Prince-
ton. He, like myself, was strongly Union in his sentiments,
and neither he nor my mother nor my sister made any objec-
tion when I announced my purpose of enlisting under the old
flag, whose supporters in that part of the country at first
were at great disadvantage . It seemed to me that the Seces-
sionists were more numerous and more resolute, and for a
time they had the upper hand . You know they came within
an ace of burning the city of St . Louis, and we could make
little headway against Sterling Price, and the governor and
authorities who were back of him .
I was with Colonel Mulligan in his desperate but hopeless
battle against Price at Lexington, and was taken prisoner, but
soon afterward exchanged . It was at that time that I learned
Jim McGibbon was a lieutenant under Price . I suspect that
if he had discovered I was serving on his side, he would have
joined the Union forces . I saw him but once during my
captivity, and each sneered at the other without speaking .
The situation was one of those to which words could not do
justice.
Well, six months later I was at the head of a troop of
irregular cavalry raiding through southwestern Missouri . I
had two-score men under me, and they were as brave fellows
as ever rode in saddle . There was hardly a roan among them
who was not inspired by one or more personal grievances. One
had had a brother shot after surrender, another's home had
been laid in ashes, others had suffered in some way, and they
were not the men to let any chances at reprisals pass unim-
proved. Truth compels me to say that the outrages perpe-
trated by us were as much outside the pale of civilized war-
fare as were those of our enemies . It is a sad, sad story
upon which I do not wish to dwell . How many memories
linger with our gray-headed men of that bitter strife which
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Camping on His Trail 107
they would fain forget l If, according to General Sherman,
war is hell, civil war is hell-fire and damnation .
From reports that reached me, McGibbon was also in
command of a squad of irregular cavalry that was about the
equal in numbers to my company . There was no questioning
his personal courage, and he was as anxious to meet me as I
was to meet him . A number in both commands were old
acquaintances, and half of my fellows would have given
their right hands for the chance of a set-to with his raiders .
They were as fierce and at times as merciless as-well, as
ourselves .
Now a situation came about, or, rather, several situations,
which I have never been able to explain . For weeks and
months McGibbon and I raided through southwestern
Missouri, over an area several hundred miles in extent, with
the yearning prayer on the part of each for a fair stand-up
fight between our companies . I was searching for him and
lie was hunting just as assiduously for me, and yet it looked
as if fate had ordained we should never meet . More than
once we missed each other by less than an hour . I was hot
an his trail one autumn day, and had actually caught sight of
his horsemen as they raised a hill less than a mile away, when
another body of cavalry, larger than both of us together,
and all red-hot Secessionists, debouched on the scene and we
had to gallop for our lives .
On another occasion I broke camp just north of the town
of Jasonville, and rode off at a leisurely pace to the eastward .
Unsuspected on my part, McGibbon and his men dashed into
the camp I had left, and came after us like so many thunder-
bolts . I did not learn the fact till a week later, and then heard
that he, too, was turned off almost in the same manner that I
had been diverted from my game . We managed to send
exasperating messages to each other, in which there were
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io8 Camping on His Trail
mutual charges of cowardice accompanied by red-hot
challenges. As I said, how we failed to meet in the circum-
stances is and has always been beyond my comprehension .
One dismal, drizzly day in October, finding myself within
a short distance of Verneau, I decided to ride into the town
and call on my folks . The place contained about a thousand
inhabitants, almost equally divided in sentiment . We cared
nothing for that, since nearly all the able-bodied men were
absent fighting on one side or the other .
While still some distance from the town, I was disturbed
to observe smoke rising in heavy volumes . We spurred our
horses into a gallop, and had not yet reached the outskirts
when what I dreaded proved true. Three dwelling houses
were in flames, and among them was the home in which I
was born and which was all that was left of my father's
former wealth . The other dwellings were those of prominent
Unionists, and in each case a young man of my command
was a member of the suffering household . Although most
of those who had been spared were disunion in principles,
they were good neighbors and gave shelter to all who had
been so cruelly robbed of their homes .
I found father, mother and my sister with one of these
families, without whose kindness it would have gone hard
with them, for the raiders who had done this savage thing
would not allow their victims to save the most insignificant
part of their furniture or effects .
It proved as I suspected . Jim McGibbon and his band
had made a flying visit to Verneau, looted a number of houses,
and burned the three that we found in ruins. He wasespecially exultant over my parents and sister .
"Tell that coward son of yours," he said to my father,
"that I've been looking a long time for him, but he
always skulks out of my way . Don't forget to let him know
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Camping on His Trail 109
that it was I, Jim McGibbon, who put the torch to this shack,
and that if he wants to settle with me, he knows where to
look. He's the chump I'm after . "
"Did he say where he could be found?" I asked, pale
faced and doing my utmost to restrain my rage .
"He said something," replied my father, "but in the con-
fusion and excitement of the moment I did not catch the
words, and if I did, have forgotten them ."
I appealed to mother and sister, but they professed equal
ignorance . Good souls, each one knew where the miscreant
was waiting, but purposely kept the knowledge from me .
They understood too well what would follow, and they shud-
dered at the thought of a meeting between us .
The houses which had been burned stood so apart from
the others that there was no danger of the flames communi-
cating with those toward whose owners the guerrillas were
friendly. McGibbon was careful in that respect .
When I found that nothing was to be gained from my
people, I formed a resolution which I took care to keep from
them . I did not wish to have them beg and plead with me,
and therefore gave no hint of what was in my mind . I
whispered it to several of my comrades, and they eagerly
agreed with me .
I stayed in the town for an hour or so, and the communion
with my people would have been sweet but for what I had
seen and learned. It was my custom, when my duties allowed,
to make these hurried, stolen visits, though they were always
accompanied by great danger . There was more than one
person in Verneau who would have been glad to betray me
to my enemies, and I know that in several cases the attempt
was made. Consequently, upon leaving my men encamped
at some distance, I had to use extreme care to avoid the traps
that were set for me. Of course, it was different when I took
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110 Camping on His Trail
my men along. We were able to look out for ourselves, and
would have welcomed a brush .
Up to this time there had been something in the nature
of neutrality between McGibbon and me concerning our own
homes . I had kept away from Champlain and he had not
molested Verneau. Each could find plenty to do elsewhere .
But my enemy had broken this truce, and I determined to
strike back . Consequently, after riding a short way from
town, the troop turned their horses toward Champlain, and
we arrived there late in the afternoon .
I knew where the home of McGibbon stood . Striking the
heavy knocker on the door, I told his crippled father, who
answered the summons, what his son had done and that I
had come to retaliate . Jim had no brothers or sisters, but
only his aged parents . What pity I might have felt for them
in other circumstances was destroyed by the bitter memories
of what he had done to my people . The couple were so mild
and gentle, and refrained so carefully from protests and
appeals, that I could not help feeling a pang or two, after
a l l , when, after they had found refuge elsewhere, I applied
the torch to their dwelling with my own hand . Two other
buildings were fired by my men, and then we considered the
accounts balanced .
We had all cherished the hope that when McGibbon found
himself so near his own home he would pay it a visit, and the
fight for which we both longed would come ofl, but he had
not been there, and I had no more idea of where to look
for him than if we had been dropped into the middle of the
Atlantic .
"You will doubtless see your son before long," I said to
his father, as I sat in the saddle with my horse reined up
in front of his new quarters . "Don't forget to let him know
that I, Jerry Chatten, did this because he burned my own
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Camping on His Trail III
home. He began the game and he will find I can play at it
as well as he . I'm only sorry that he isn't here himself, but
we shall meet before long ."
The good man stood at the gate, gazing up in my face,
which was illumined by the glare from his own burning home .
I can never forget the picture, for he held his battered hat
in his hand, looking for all the world like a patriarch of old .
He had no words of reproach to utter, nor did he seem to
feel the slightest ill-will toward me . I even fancied I saw
a mournful smile upon his beneficent countenance as he said
in a voice as gentle as that of a woman
"I am sorry, Jeremiah, that you and James are not friends .
I hope you will become so before either of you passes away .
I shall pray that it may be thus ."
What a strange farewell from one whose home I had just
destroyed 1 It made me feel queer all over, and I muttered
as I rode off in the gathering gloom
"How can such a father have such a son?"
Lieutenant Marsden, riding at my side, had a habit of
speaking his mind . Discipline in that respect was never very
strict in our company .
"I wonder now, cap, whether McGibbon isn't thinking
the same about you. "
"It may be," I growled ; "none the less, I'd give anything
in the world to meet him . "
"So would I ; don't forget that he burned my folks
out of house and home ."
Since McGibbon had left definite word with my parents
where I could find him and his band and I did not go there,
he had good reason to proclaim that I was afraid of him . . ,
He had given the information only to my people, so it was
useless for me to apply elsewhere . I could not blame my
friends for their silence, but all the same, it roiled me .
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112 Camping on His Trail
A week went by, during which I was unable to get any
trace of my enemy . He seemed to be raiding in the neigh-
borhood, and I did my share, but the same unaccountable
perverse fate kept us apart, when, as I have said, each was
straining every nerve to get at the other .
The peculiar conditions of this local civil war compelled
the combatants to rely to a great degree upon surreptitious
information . It may be said that there wasn't a village, how-
ever small, in a large part of Missouri which did not hold a
number of Secessionists and Unionists . It was risky for them
to give out information, but they gave it, and some of them
paid the penalty with their lives .
One day word upon which I relied came to me that McGib-
bon and his company were to spend that night with friends
in jasonville, only eight or ten miles away . Most of the people
there were disunionists, and it was not to be expected that
he intended any kind of raid . He would probably go thither
for a night or two for rest, for his men had been so con-
tinuously in the saddle that they needed it, as our own fellows
often did .
I quickly formed my plan . As soon as it was dark we
would ride to within a mile or so of the town and take our
position in a dense wood, with which we were all familiar .
Then late at night we would make a dash into the town and
set things humming . Perhaps the long hoped-for meeting
between McGibbon and me would follow . At any rate, we
should be able to strike a blow that would tell .
In a situation like the one I have described the utmost care
was necessary. It might be that my informant was mi§taken .
It might happen, also, that with all the circumspection I could
use, McGibbon would get wind of what was afoot and would
turn the tables on us . Matters could not have been more
critically delicate . The wood to which I have alluded ex-
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Camping on His Trail 11 3
tended for several miles, almost to the edge of the town . If
McGibbon should learn of my coming, it would be the easiest
thing in the world for him to form an ambuscade and empty
half of my saddles at the first fire .
Because of this fact, I halted my men a mile out, and rode
forward alone until close to the town, when I dismounted and
tied my horse in the shadow of the trees, for the night was a
bright, moonlight one . I was doing a risky thing, for I was
taking the chances which I would not permit my men to run,
but I relied upon the partial disguise of my slouch hat and the
fact that forty or fifty men would not be likely to fire upon
a single horseman whose identity they did not know, when
they were waiting to receive a whole company of raiders .
I didn't see or hear a thing to cause misgiving, and strode
down the main street of Jasonville, which was well lighted,
and went up the porch of the single tavern and entered the
bar-room. The bartender was off to the war, doing what he
could for President Davis, and the heavy, waddling land-
lord was presiding, with two countrymen too decrepit to serve
in the ranks sitting in front of the old-fashioned fireplace,
smoking their corncob pipes . They looked up, but did not
recognize me . The landlord, Uncle Jed, as he was known,
scrutinized me sharply for a minute, and then grinned on one
side of his face, as he had a queer habit of doing, came round
from behind the bar and shook hands .
Uncle Jed was a genuine, old-fashioned publican, who felt
that he had no right to hold radical views on politics or
religion . He was equally friendly with everybody, but I
always fancied that he had a special liking for me . So when
we had talked together apart for some minutes, I asked him
whether there were any strangers in town .
"No," he replied with another side grin ; "about everybody
except two or three of us have gone to war ."
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1 14 Camping on His Trail
"Have you seen anything of Jim McGibbon?"
"He had a drink here one day last week, but I haven't
seen or heard of him since ."
"I understood he was in town to-night . "
"If that's so I haven't seen him . It may be he's here . You
know he's like you-he has lots of friends all over . I say,
Jerry, if you haven't anything special on hand to-night, why
don't you visit our lodge?"
"Is this regular meeting night? I hadn't thought of it ."
"Yes ; I'd like to go down, but can't leave the house these
times ."
"Are they working any degree?"
"I believe not ; jes' the reg'lar communication."
Now, I felt quite certain that if Jim McGibbon was in
Jasonville Uncle Jed would know of it, and if he knew of it,
he would tell me . He was friendly to both, and if my enemy
should drop in at the tumble-down tavern with an inquiry
regarding me, he would learn the truth .
In my tempestuous life I did not often get a chance to
attend lodge, though I had been a member of the order ever
since attaining my majority, two years before. A sudden
impulse came over me to make amends so far as I could for
my neglect .
"I think I'll drop in for a while . I can't stay long . Where
does the lodge meet?"
"Just round the corner, down Lodge Alley . You'll see
the lights on the second floor . Can't miss it."
When I presented myself and asked through the tyler for
admission, word was sent out that one of the brethren, having
sat with me in my own lodge, vouched for me . Conse-
quently I was admitted without the examination through
which I should have been compelled to pass had the case
been different .
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The moment the tyler ushered me through the door, after
I had been suitably clothed and told that the lodge was on the
third degree, I glanced around, and saw that between twenty
and thirty members were present . When the proper saluta-
tions had been made, the Master welcomed me in the usual
form and invited me to a seat among the brethren .
Directly on my left I perceived a vacant space, with a large,
burly fellow at the farther side of the vacancy. With a cur-
sory glance I dropped into this opening and then looked
toward the East to hear what the Master had to say . It was
at that moment I heard a queer, chuckling sound from the
man who sat nearest me . I looked at him, wondering what
it could mean . His face was so heavily bearded that I did
not recognize him, but saw from the movement of the beard
that he was grinning . Again I heard the chortling, and he
thrust his hand toward me .
"How are you, Jerry?"
You might have knocked me over with a feather . It was
Jim McGibbon
After our months of raiding and hunting for each other's
life, we had met at last, but it was in a Masonic lodge . I had
not dreamed that he belonged to the order, and, as he after-
ward told me, the thought never entered his head that I was
a Free Mason .
"I guess the laugh is on you, Brother Chattin," added
McGibbon, shaking with silent laughter, which, however, was
so hearty that the Master gave a slight warning tap with his
gavel .
"I'll admit it," I replied . "I'll be hanged if I hardly know
whether I am awake or dreaming . "
Despite our care, we attracted so much notice that McGib-
'bon proposed we should withdraw from the lodge and talk
things over . The Master gave permission, and we passed
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116 Camping on His Trail
outside, down the stairs and halted on a corner of the street,
where we were safe from cowans . Before speaking, McGib-
bon offered his hand again and we shook heartily .
"Now, Jerry," said he in his genial way, "I reckon things
are on a little different footing from what they have been
ever since-say, we played ball against each other. Are you
with me, old boy?"
"I am, heart and soul," I replied with an enthusiasm that
surprised myself . "I never thought you and I could be any-
thing but sworn enemies, but now-"
"We are sworn brothers," he said, taking the words from
my mouth. "I'm going to give you a proof of it . You have
stationed your men a little way outside of town, with the
intention of making a dash into the place and having a whack
at me and my boys. You have come in alone to spy around,
and when you found out how the land lies, you meant to go
back and bring your chaps in ."
"That is true, Jim ; but how in thunder did you find it out?"
"One of my spies got on the track of your spy. How far
out are your men?"
"A mile or so."
"Mine are only a half mile-hardly that, on the Turner
road ; they are lying in the wood waiting for your fellows
to come within range."
"Then I must have ridden in front of them I"
"Beyond a doubt you did. More than likely some of my
boys recognized you . If they did they kept it to themselves .
You see," added McGibbon with another chuckle, "they're
after more than you, captain . To make everything right,
Jerry, I guess I had better ride a part of the way back with
you."
McGibbon had left his horse not far from where mine was
tethered. We mounted and rode out of town together, chat-
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Camping on His Trail 11 7
ting over old baseball times and war matters as if never a
cloud had come between us . It seemed to me that after we
had ridden some way Jim became more boisterous than ever .
His laughter rang out in the still night air, and as he evidently
intended, was identified by several of his sentinels, one of
whom came forward from the darkness of the wood to learn
the meaning of it all . "It's all right, Ben," he remarked
offhand to the man, who saluted and withdrew into the gloom
again .
We rode on until we were close to where my men were
impatiently awaiting my return . I invited McGibbon to
call on my company, but he replied
"I wouldn't hesitate a minute, Jerry, with you, but it will
be better not to do so yet awhile . Well, good-by, Brother
Chattin . "
"Good-by, Brother McGibbon . God bless you 1"
So we parted. Neither of us uttered the slightest hint as
to the future ; it wasn't necessary. We kept up our raiding,
but henceforward tried to avoid each other . We couldn't
expect many of our men to understand the changed situation,
and I know that Jim McGibbon purposely dodged a fight
with me when nothing would have been easier than to bring
the meeting about . As for myself, I steered out of his path
several times when it had a queer look to my men . Finally
McGibbon made a shift of quarters, passing over into
Arkansas, and thus relieved the situation of its peculiar
tensity. We never met again during the war."
"Have you met s i n c e the war?" I asked .
To this natural question Jerry Chattin made answer
"If you ever visit the flourishing town of Jasonville, make
a call at 234 Main Street, at the large grocery store of
Chattin & McGibbon . More than likely you will find a big
whiskered fellow smoking his corncob pipe at the rear and
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118 Camping on His Trail
giving orders now and then, as if he is boss . Fact is, he is
half-boss, for Jim McGibbon and I have been equal partners
for twenty years. He married my sister-the very one whose
home he burned during those lurid days in Missouri-and
their oldest boy bears my name . The parents of both Jim
and me have been dead for several years, but it is pleasant
to remember that Jim's father made his home with his son
long after he had become a merchant . I can see that hand-
some, saintly face now as he looked from one to the other,
and with his sweet smile and gentle voice said
" `I was sure you two would some day become friends . I
told you I meant to pray for it, and my prayer has been
answered. ' "
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IX
ATYPICAL LODGET would require many volumes to give even a condensed
history of the hundreds of Masonic lodges in the United
States and British America. The Grand Lodges represent a
total membership of more than a million . They are in full
affiliation with the English Grand Lodge, of which the Duke
of Connaught is Grand Master, and the Grand Lodges of Ire-
land, Scotland, Cuba, Peru, South Australia, New South
`Hales, Victoria, and also with the Masons of Germany and
Austria . They recognize and affiliate with the Masons under
the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of France, but are not
in affiliation with the Masons under the jurisdiction of the
Grand Orient of that country . In Spain, Italy and other
Roman Catholic countries, Freemasonry is under the ban of
the Church, and the membership is meagre and scattered .
Inasmuch as we are dealing only with the Blue Lodges,
an account of one will serve as an illustration of the history of
all. A general similarity of the main features will be found,
varied, of course, by local circumstances and surroundings .
Those in the North felt little or no effects of the great Civil
War, or, as our brethren in the South prefer to call it, the
war between the States . But in their section, the times, to
say the least, proved strenuous .
I select for my illustration Hiram Lodge, No, 40, of
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120 A Typical Lodge
Raleigh, N. C ., and am indebted to Brother John Nichols
for the facts which follow
This lodge was chartered in January, i8oi, and its con-
nection with the prosperity and progress of the State for more
than a century past has been marked. Many of the men who
became famous not only in the history of the State itself,
but in the councils of the nation, were made Masons in Hiram
Lodge, No . 40 A history of the anti-Masonic excitement
caused by the Morgan incident is given elsewhere. At the con-
vention held in Washington, in 1842, Hon. Kenneth Raynerwas the delegate who represented the Grand Lodge of North
Carolina . He was a man of brilliant ability, an eloquent
orator and a leading member of Congress for many years.
He possessed considerable wealth, but all of it was swept
away during the crimson years between 1861 and 1865 .
In the political campaign of 1848 Kenneth Rayner was
the competing candidate against Millard Fillmore for the
Vice-Presidential nomination . They were warm personal
friends and submitted their claims to a conference . Fillmore
beat Rayner by a single vote . It will be seen that, had one of
Fillmore's supporters changed to Rayner, the latter would
have become President of the United States .
Thirty-three years later, Kenneth Rayner, old, poor and
feeble, was Solicitor of the Treasury, having been appointed
to the office by President Grant . When Garfield became
Chief Executive, a persistent effort was made to have Rayner
ousted . The hungry politicians were clamoring for his
modest pay and would not cease their efforts . Garfield reso-
lutely refused every appeal . Finally a leading politician im-
patiently demanded :
"Why do you insist, Mr. President, in keeping in office a
nondescript without any party, when there are so many good
party men fully competent to take his place?"
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A Typical Lodge 123
To this direct appeal Garfield made the noble reply
"Though he is an old man and out of favor with fortune,
he was a host in his day. He is still an able and accomplished
lawyer; he fills the office admirably and he sorely needs the
salary. He may not have many friends, but he has at least
one, and a mighty important friend, for it is I, and I am not
going to turn him out . I will not remove from a little place
in. the Treasury, whose duties he fully meets, an old man who
came within a single vote of filling the place I fill, and of
being President of the United States . You are wasting your
time in coming to me ; I shall refuse to listen any further . "
President Garfield was a Mason of high standing in Ohio .
Perhaps that fact did not influence him in retaining Rayner .
Perhaps it did .
The public school system of North Carolina was estab-
lished about 1840 The success of the beneficent movement
was largely due to the Masons of the State . The Grand
Lodge in 1842 appointed a committee to inquire into the
expediency of establishing a seminary of learning for the
benefit of the poor children of the members of the fraternity
and for such others as the means would permit. Some time
later, Hiram Lodge, No . 40, pledged itself to contribute
fifty dollars annually, in addition to the individual subscrip-
tions for such purpose, the latter amounting to a considerable
sum .
An interesting fact or two should be noted at this point .
Down to 1844, nearly all the business of the lodge was trans-
acted on the Entered Apprentice's degree . Members who
were neglectful in their attendance were frequently fined, and
it required a pretty good excuse on their part to escape the
i n f l i c t i o n .
Among the Grand officers who signed the charter of Hiram
Lodge was Colonel William Polk, one of the bravest soldiers
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124 A Typical Lodge
of the Revolutionary War. He was an intimate friend of
General Lafayette, who, when he made a tour of this country
in 1825, paid a visit to Raleigh . At the conclusion of Gov-
ernor Hutchins's speech of welcome to the distinguished
French patriot, Lafayette and Colonel Polk rushed into each
other's arms and wept their gratitude that they, who had so
often borne the brunt of battle together in their youthful
prime, had been spared to meet again amid such peaceful,
happy scenes . There was scarcely a dry eye among those who
witnessed the touching scene .
Some of the oldest citizens of Raleigh hold pleasant mem-
ories of "Uncle Dick Ashton," who rarely missed a meeting
for the thirty years preceding the middle of last century . He
was Grand Tyler for twenty years, and one of the brightest
of Masons, who was never restrained by modesty from assum-
ing any station to which he was invited. He was popular
with everybody, for his peculiarities were never repellent,
and he had the kindest of hearts. He was quite advanced in
life when the Royal Arch Chapter, which had been dormant
for some time, was revived and the Chapter officers provided
themselves with the gorgeous paraphernalia appropriate to
their respective offices . Uncle Dick was the guard, or tyler,
for the Chapter, as well as for Hiram Lodge . When the
officers appeared, "arrayed in all their glory," he was ob-
served sitting at his station, with bowed head, disconsolate
visage, and with no apparent interest in the brilliant assem-
blage around him . A Past Grand Master walked up to him
and inquired the cause of his dejection . With a breaking
voice and moist eyes the old man replied in tremulous tones
"I have served you all these many years ; I have tried at all
times to do my duty, and here you fellows are in your fine
Sunday clothes : and I have not been furnished with so much
as a jacket . "
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A Typical Lodge 125
It was amusing and yet sad . The next day an order was
given to a dressmaker of the town for a jacket and other
garments for Uncle Dick . A member bought a broad-
brimmed straw hat, then quite fashionable, and another picked
up for him a rusty, old-fashioned, crooked sabre that had
done service in the Revolution . At the next meeting of the
Chapter, Uncle Dick appeared in full robes, and none was
prouder or happier than he . The jacket, sword and hat are
still the property of Raleigh Chapter, No . io . They are
carefully preserved among the relics, and have often been
used in conferring the Past Master's degree .
The years between i85o and i86o were prosperous ones
for North Carolina . Many public enterprises were begun
and the resources of the State were rapidly developed . The
fine building for the education of the Deaf and Dumb and
Blind was completed and occupied ; the Insane Asylum was
established ; the Methodists built a fine Female School ;
St. Mary's School was greatly improved ; Goldsboro and
Charlotte were joined by railway, making connection with
other roads on the south and east ; still other lines joined the
Atlantic with the mountains on the west, and the public school
system was thoroughly reorganized .
Masonry kept pace with these advancements . The mem-
bership of Hiram Lodge had doubled and its members were
identified with the material and moral progress of their State .
All was hopeful and promising when the dark clouds burst
and the country was plunged into the greatest war of modern
times . To quote Brother Nichols
"States had taken up arms against sister States, citizens
against citizens, Masons against Masons . The Southern
soldier was captured and carried to Northern prisons . The
Northern soldier in like manner was brought to Southern
prisons . Many were sick or wounded or both . The signs
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126 A Typical Lodge
of distress were seen in all these places of confinement, North
and South. Masons all over the country, whether in the
cold, desolate prisons of the North or the poorly supplied
ones of the South, or in hospitals, or on bloody fields of battle,
never failed to recognize the unerring signs of distress or
the magic words of a brother's appeal .
"In the city of Raleigh there were several hospitals where
the sick and wounded were brought for treatment . Amongthese there were, of course, a number of Masons . Some
made themselves known as brethren, others were found to
be such, while there may have been many who passed over
the river who never gave the sign of distress nor received
the fraternal grasp of a brother's hand . Of course, there
were many deaths among them, and the Masons of Raleigh
were called at frequent intervals to pay the last tribute of
respect to a departed brother."
Raleigh was a recruiting station, besides containing a num-
ber of hospitals. In the latter part of 1863 a Mason's Relief
Association was organized by Hiram Lodge . Its object was
to look after the sick and wounded Masons and to provide,
as far as possible, clothing, food and medicine for the needy .
It was agreed that the Federal soldier who was a Mason
should receive the same care and attention as the Confederate
soldier, whenever it was possible to reach him . The existence
of this association was known to Masons only . The good
which it did will never be fully known in this world .
As bearing upon this interesting subject, the following is
an extract from the Key Stone, a Masonic paper published in
Raleigh during the war :
"Masonic Dinner to Prisoners.-Onor about February 22,
1865, several hundred prisoners of war were stopped atRaleigh for a few days . A large number were quartered at
Camp Holmes, and on the day designated the Masons who
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A Typical Lodge 127
were prisoners, we are informed, were given a bountifuldinner by Masons of the guard who stood sentinel overthem."
Brother Nichols relates the following personal experience :
"Among the sick and wounded Confederate soldiers in the
hospital tents on the grounds of Peace Institute was a young
lieutenant, who had been wounded in one of the battles of
Virginia. At one time he had been a member of my family .
He was also a member of Hiram Lodge . Of course I felt a
special interest in him and frequently visited him .
"One day he said to me that among the Federal prisoners
in a room in the building was a young soldier who was aMason. I at once called to see him, and found that my infor-
mation was correct. He had evidently been a handsome
young man before sickness, although now much emaciated .
From that time on he did not suffer for any comforts that
were at our command . In due course there was an exchange
of prisoners, and this young man and his fellow-soldiers were
returned to their Northern homes . This was in 1864 . In
1867, three years after, I was in the city of New York making
some purchases in the line of my business . A tall, handsome
young man was waiting on me in the establishment where I
was trading . In the midst of our business he stopped, looked
at me and said
" `Which State are you from?'
"I told him from North Carolina .
" `I have seen you before,' said he, `but cannot remember
where . I was in a hospital in Raleigh at one time during
the war, and it may have been there . '
"I asked him if he remembered what hospital it was .
" `It was a large, unfinished brick building,' said he .
" `Perhaps it was there, as I sometimes visited that hos-
pital,' I replied .
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128 A Typical Lodge
"Looking at me with his keen black eyes, he said, in a
tone and manner that could not be misunderstood :
" `Are you a Mason ? '
"I responded in the affirmative, and then he replied
" `I thought it was you when I first saw you . '
"We then talked over some of the incidents of hospital
experience, each becoming thoroughly satisfied of the other's
identity . That night I went with him to his lodge, where,
after introduction, I received a most enthusiastic welcome .
"I will not pursue the story further, but will simply remark
that `incidental expenses' during the balance of my stay in
New York were not heavy ."
Trying days were at hand for Hiram Lodge . General
Sherman entered Raleigh on the morning of April 13, 1865,
the advance under General Kilpatrick being the first to
appear. The citizens hoped that the town would be spared,
but were in dread lest an overt act by some rash person should
draw down the wrath of the Federals, who were flushed with
the decisive successes that had come to their arms . There
was thankfulness, too, that the long, terrible war had come
to an end .
Brother Nichols relates that after he had obtained pro-
tection for his family, as did many others, he set out with
another Mason to secure, if possible, a guard of protection
to Masonic Hall . The provost-marshal to whom they
applied was not a Mason and was not disposed to show the
fraternity any consideration . While he was making curt
inquiries as to the loyalty of the order, a young major came
forward and asked the provost-marshal to assign to him the
duty of protecting the interests of-Masons of Raleigh . This
was done, and not the slightest molestation of Masonic prop -
erty occurred .
On Friday night, April 14, 1865, the saddest calamity
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A Typical Lodge 129
that ever befell the American people occurred in the city
of Washington . It was the assassination of Abraham
Lincoln, the President of the United States . The following
Monday evening, April 17, was the regular meeting of
Hiram Lodge, No . 40. There were present at this meet-
ing quite a number of Fedral Officers-Masons, of course
-and among them was the young major who interested
himself in giving us a guard for the protection of our
property .
The news of the assassination had reached Raleigh late
in the afternoon of that day, and it caused a profound sensa-
tion among the Federal troops . About dark there was a rest-
lessness and spirit of insubordination manifested among the
soldiers, and a riot was feared by the officers in command .
In order to prevent such a calamity the guards at every street
crossing were doubled, and messengers were sent up and down
the streets to every place where the people might have
assembled to warn them to disperse at once and repair to
their homes . Hiram Lodge had just opened for business .
Suddenly we heard the hasty footsteps of some one ascending
the stairs to the hall, and the low clanking of the sword of
an officer. There was a rapid knock at the door, and I was
requested to go to the anteroom . There I met a Federalcaptain (a Mason, as I afterward learned, Captain W. C .
Whitten, Ninth Maine Regiment), who hurriedly told me
of the excitement among the soldiers in camp and suggested
that the lodge be closed and that the members go to their
homes at once . Orders were promptly obeyed .
There are a few Masons still living, perhaps, who remem=
ber that terrible night . I say terrible night because the
impending danger of riot, murder and burning of the city
was feared by every one who understood the condition of
affairs . The wise and prudent management and strict dis-
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130 A Typical Lodge
cipline of the Federal officers prevented what might have been
a calamity of most serious consequences .
A few years ago in Washington City I was in conversation
with a member of Congress from the State of Iowa. Learn-
ing that I was from Raleigh, he told me that he came here
with the Federal troops in 1865, and asked me many ques-
tions about the city and some of our citizens with whom he
became acquainted, and related several incidents that occurred
while here. Among them (which he told in a jocular
manner) was that of two young brother Masons who came
rather excitedly to the provost-marshal's office seeking a
guard for the Masonic Hall, and how quickly the lodge was
closed on that eventful Monday night to which I have just
referred . When I learned that he was the young officer
that had befriended us I was as much surprised as he was to
learn that I was one of the excited young Masons looking
for a guard . It had been nearly thirty years before, and we
had both grown older and much changed in personal
appearance .
The gentleman thus referred to by Brother Nichols was
Hon. Edwin H. Conger, then a member of Congress andafterward Minister to China . His confinement within the
walls of Peking during the Boxer outrages, and the admirable
tact and wisdom which he displayed in that crisis that drew
the attention of the civilized world, will be gratefully remem-
bered by his countrymen .
In a private letter from Brother Nichols, he gives me
several interesting facts which deserve record in this place .
His brother, P . Nichols, was a captain in the Sixty-seventh
North Carolina troops . In the winter of 1863-64, the Fed-
erals occupied Newbern, from which point they frequently
made cavalry raids into the interior .
Captain Nichols, serving in Virginia, obtained a furlough
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A Typical Lodge 131
to visit his family, who lived near Rocky Mount Station, in
North Carolina . After spending a brief time at home, he
set out on his return with a number of companions . Making
their way to the station, they were waiting for their train,
when a troop of Federal cavalry swooped down on them and
made the little party prisoners . Before they could escape,
they were hustled off and landed in prison at Newbern .
When Captain Nichols, who was of fine, soldierly appear-
ance, made himself known as a Mason to several brother
officers, he was paroled until the opportunity came for send-
ing the prisoners to Johnson's Island . Before the time for
the departure of the boat with the prisoners, the Masonic
Federal officers told Captain Nichols that he was going to
a cold country, where he would need comfortable clothing,
and that it would never do for him to take the voyage without
considerably more than the poor fellow possessed . So they
provided him with new shoes, a warm overcoat, two blankets
and some money-all of which proved valuable indeed to
him .
"I tell you," said the captain to his brother with a laugh,
when he came home after the close of hostilities, "they
treated me so well up North that I was half tempted to take
the oath of allegiance and stay there ; but when I thought of
my wife and two little boys, who were likely to suffer because
of such action, I determined to brave it out and remain true
to my country ."
Referring to Captain Nichols, his brother adds
"He returned home a better Mason and a more patriotic
American citizen . He spoke enthusiastically of his treat-
ment at Newbern and was loud in his praises of the conduct
of his Federal brethren ."
It is a singular coincidence that on the same night that
the Masonic lodges in Raleigh voted a subscription for the
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132 A Typical Lodge
general fund for the help of the Masonic brethren who were
prisoners at Camp Mangum, the Masonic lodge at Elmira,
New York, voted a subscription to look after the Confederate
prisoners who were Masons and were detained in the Federal
prison at that place .
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X
TRIED BY FIRE
T may be doubted whether one person out of ten, if asked
to name the time when the War for the Union was nearest
to failure, would give the correct answer . Some would say
it was directly after the disastrous Federal defeat at Bull Run,
at the beginning of the struggle . But such persons forget
that at that time both sides were in the flush of patriotic
enthusiasm, and the result of the Union defeat was to
intensify the resolution of the North to press the war to a
decisive triumph .
It may seem to others that the staggering blows admin-
istered by General Robert E . Lee to the Army of the Potomac
during the repeated campaigns against Richmond marked
the lowest ebb of the Union tide . Strange as it may sound,
however, the darkest days for the National Government fol-
lowed the most marked Union successes . Those days belong
to 1864, a year following the fall of Vicksburg, and the
repulse at Gettysburg of the finest army the Confederacy
was ever able to put into the field .
And what was the explanation of this profound depression
in the North and at Washington, when it looked for a time
as if the war must stop with the Confederacy unconquered?
Why had hope faded?
It was because of the awful price already paid, and the
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134 . Tried by Fire
certainty that still more would have to be paid before the end
was reached. Tens of thousands of lives had been sacrificed
!and hundreds of millions of dollars spent, and the call was
still for more men and vaster sums of money . Volunteering
had given place to drafting, the government greenbacks had
enormously depreciated, and the prices of the necessities of
life were mounting skyward, with the certainty that each
day and week and month would make the situation more
desperate .
"The Union is not worth what it is costing us ."
This was the sentiment uttered by multitudes who until
then were among the most ardent supporters of the War for
the Union. They were losing heart ; they felt the strain
becoming too great to be borne . It is an impressive truth,
which all thoughtful persons must concede, that if the stupen-
dous struggle had not closed in 1865, with the Union
restored, it would have stopped within a year with the Con-
federacy triumphant . I am sure that the most ardent
ex-Confederate will join with us in thanking God that He
averted such a calamity . No one can question the devotion
to principle on the part of the South, any more than he can
question the bravery of her soldiers, the ability of her leaders
and the genius of Lee, her mighty commander .
None understood more clearly the real situation and the
real danger than the immortal Lincoln . The furnace blast
of trial had brought the real Union leaders to the front, and
they, too, comprehended the prodigious task that confronted
them . Despite the fact that the opening of the Mississippi
had cut the Confederacy in twain, General Jo Johnston had
seventy-five thousand men at Dalton, Ga ., while Lee with a
slightly smaller army, all of whom were fire-tried veterans,
held the Rapidan River, as defiant and ready as ever to
measure strength with the far more numerous Federal hosts,
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Tried by Fire 135
whom he had beaten back so many times from its advance
upon the capital of the Confederacy .
At the opening of 1864, the National Government decided
to make its campaigns against Lee and Johnston alone,
all other military operations contributing to these two
that were to decide the fate of the Union .
Hitherto the Confederates, operating upon inner lines,
were able to reinforce any imperilled point . General Grant
was given supreme command of the Union armies, and he
determined to make an advance "all along the line," so that
every Confederate force would be kept actively engaged and
none could go to the help of the other . By such incessant
hammering the Confederacy sooner or later must crumble
to pieces .
On May 1, 1864, the available military strength of the
Union was more than three-quarters of a million men.
It
was intended to launch this colossal host against the atten-
uated armies of the Confederacy and to press them to the
wall .
This is not the place for a history of the last advance
against Richmond. Our aim is to clear the way for a
Masonic incident or two connected with that memorable
campaign. At the same time it is interesting to recall those
eventful days, in which the stake was so stupendous and the
issue at times seemingly suspended by a single thread .
General Grant arranged with General Sherman that the.
general advance should begin on May 5 . While the latfer
was boring his way through the core of the Confederacy,,
swinging loose from Atlanta and heading for the sea, Grant
himself was to undertake the task of beating Lee and captur-
ingng the proud Confederate capital . It was Titanic work
indeed, even with his overwhelming army and boundless&
resources .
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136 Tried by Fire
In accordance with his far-reaching plans, Grant crossed
the Rapidan on May 4. The fighting which followed was
of the most terrific nature . For two days the armies grappled
in the gloomy depths of the Wilderness, and then the struggle
was transferred to Spottsylvania Court House . Less furious
fighting followed, and on the 28th of the same month what
was left of the Army of the Potomac gathered in the vicinity
of the Chickahominy, where McClellan had made his futile
attempt two years before . There, on June i and 3, at
Cold Harbor, the Confederate lines were assailed, and the
Union army suffered the most bloody repulse of the war . For
twenty minutes the losses in killed and wounded were at the
rate of five hundred a minute ! The Union casualties from
the opening of the campaign were fully 40,000, that of the
Confederates much less . The Union army was fought to a
standstill, and when another order was given for an advance,
it remained motionless .
One of the most gallant of the Confederate leaders, who
was barely twenty-seven years of age, was General Robert F .
Hoke. He commanded a division at Cold Harbor, and had
received his commission as major-general less than six weeks
previous . Directly in front of his lines lay scores of Union
dead and wounded . Loss of blood always causes a horrible
thirst, and the cries of the sufferers were more than the Con-
federates could bear. Scores ran from the ranks, and, kneel-
ing among the poor fellows, shared the water in their canteens
with them .
They had been thus engaged only a few minutes when the
Federals opened fire on them, not understanding the meaning
of the charity. The bullets whistled so hotly about the good
Samaritans that they had to hurry back . General Hoke was
so indignant that he issued an order forbidding his men going
out of his lines . In the lull that followed he lay down at the
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Tried by Fire1 37
foot of a tree to rest, for the day was insufferably hot, and
he, like his troops, was exhausted. While lying thus, two of
his men approached, and saluting, said :
"General, a wounded Yankee is lying out in front and he
wanted to know whether there are any Masons among us .
We told him there were, whereupon he gave the sign of
distress and begged us to go out and bring him into our lines .
We replied that we had been fired upon while helping his
companions, and because of that you had issued strict orders
against our passing outside ."
General Hoke roused up and looked keenly at the two
men .
"Are you Masons?" he asked .
They told him they were .
"Do you know that it is almost certain death for you to
try to give any help to that poor fellow?"
"We do ; but he has made the Masonic appeal to us, and
we only await your permission to try to bring him in ."
"Then go, in God's name . I do not stand in the way of
such courage as that . "
As eagerly as if rushing to meet a returning brother, the
brave men ran toward the Federal who lay helpless on the
earth. They had hardly started when the enemy, still failing
to understand the meaning of the act, opened fire on them .
They did not falter or show hesitation. Every one expected
to see one or both fall dead at every step, but they reached
the sufferer, coolly held a can to his lips, and then raised his
limp body between them . They walked deliberately back
with their burden, and neither of them received so much as
a scratch .
It is within bounds to say that instances similar in spirit
to that which has just been related are to be numbered by the
hundred . Scores who read these lines will recall them in
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138 Tried by Fire
their own experiences during the Civil War . I will add
only a few, most of which came under my own personal
knowledge .
Bishop E S Janes, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, was presiding at a conference in Texas just before
the breaking out of the war . Feeling ran high, and open
threats were made of breaking up the body, some of whose
members were from the North . The bishop, one of the
gentlest and most amiable of men, quietly went on with his
duties, but warnings reached him that trouble was at hand .
Sure enough, in the midst of one of their sessions Ben McCul-
loch, at the head of some of his famous rangers, appeared
at the door . Standing just within the aisle, he called to the
bishop
"This can't go any farther . You must break up at once
and leave . If you don't, the life of no man will be safe . "
Bishop Janes from his place on the platform looked down
the church at the stalwart figure and made a Masonic sign .
It was done so quietly that no one not a Mason would have
recognized it . McCulloch was astonished, for he was a
Mason . Wondering how the venerable man of God had
learned itthough it is not certain he was aware of the fact-
he nodded his head .
"Have you any objections to our remaining in session until
our regular hour of adjournment?" gently asked the bishop,
amid the profound hush of the place .
"When is that?" asked the ranger in turn .
The bishop coolly drew out his watch and looked at it .
"A little more than an hour," he replied, as if holding a
conversation with one of the brethren on the floor .
"All right ; go ahead . I'll see you later . "
I never heard how Ben straightened out matters with .the
clamorous crowd that had gathered outside, all eager to
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Ben McCulloch, the Texan ranger, and Bishop Janes of the M . E. ChurchBEN.-" If any one so much as says a mean word to you, I'll
knock hisead off ! "
BISHOP.-ut, tut, Brother Ben "
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Tried by Fire 1 4 1
mob the clergymen within the building . Probably he didn't
have to straighten out or explain anything, for all knew the
resolute character of that daring Texan, who met his death
some time later in battle .
Bishop Janes despatched business with such vigor that a
sine die adjournment took place somewhat earlier than prom-
ised. When the conference was breaking up, and the mem-
bers were holding whispered and hurried consultations, the
bishop observed the striking figure of McCulloch, who had
again entered the building and seemed to be waiting to speak
with him . The clergyman made his way down the aisle, and
grasped the outstretched hand of the Texan, who said in a
low tone
"I saw your sign, bishop ; it's all right ; I'll guarantee a
safe trip for you and every one outside the city . Don't you
think it wise to adjourn without date?"
Looking benignantly through his golden spectacles, smiling
and still holding the hand of the ranger, Bishop Janes said in
his mild voice
"Brother Ben, it does look a little that way . I have
adjourned the conference sine die, and we shall wait till times
are more favorable before we come together again . Mygood fellow, I want to thank you for your kindness . "
"Oh, that's nothing . I'm sorry things are as they are, but
it wouldn't do for these Northerners to stay any longer in
town. I'll look after you personally, and if any one so much
as says a mean word to you, I'll knock his head off 1"
"Tut, tut, Brother Ben . I have had a good many mean
things said to me in the course of my life, but I forgive
them all . "
Ben McCulloch kept his word, and not a member of the
conference was molested in the slightest degree when making
his way out of "Dixie Land,"
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142 Tried by Fire
A friend of mine was taken prisoner with over a hundred
others at one of the great battles in Virginia . After being
conducted so far to the rear that there was no possibility
of escape or rescue, the prisoners were drawn up in line, while
their names were taken down and the necessary data gathered
concerning them .
"While this was going on," said my friend, "a Confed-
erate colonel stood a few paces back of the officer who was
writing rapidly with a pencil on paper . The colonel was a
fierce-looking fellow, and it seemed to me he showed a grim
delight in contemplating our sorry plight . When each one
responded to the questions that were sharply asked him, the
colonel, with folded arms, looked fixedly into his face, but
did not speak .
"At the moment my turn came a sudden whim prompted
me to make a Masonic sign . I did it very furtively, and
could not observe the slightest result . I concluded that
neither the colonel nor any of his officers were Masons, and
my little essay was thrown away . In fact, so far as I could
see, it had attracted the attention only of Jim Baldwin, who
stood next to me and recognized what I had done .
" `You are a fool to try that on here,' he said in an under-
tone ; `even if there are any Masons among these Rebs, they
wouldn't pay any attention to you at a time like this . '
"I believed he was right, and thought no more bf it .
When our captors had pumped from us all the information
they required, we were sent to our quarters and placed in
charge of a guard . I don't think anybody ever felt bluer
than I did . The prospect of a long, dismal imprisonment
was before me, with the chances against my ever seeing home
again . Some of my companions broke into defiant song and
reckless jest, but I could make no such hollow pretence ; I
was utterly miserable and despairing .
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Tried by Fire 143
"When the afternoon was drawing to a close, an orderly
came past the guards and called out my name . Wondering
what was up, I sprang to my feet and confronted him .
" `The colonel wishes to see you,' was all he said . Heindicated that I was to follow him, and, still perplexed, I
walked silently at his heels through the outskirts of the camp
till he paused in front of a tent, drew the fly aside, saluted
and announced his arrival with the prisoner in charge . The
next moment I was ushered into the presence of the glum
colonel, who was seated on a camp stool, smoking a corncob
pipe, and his expression seemed more terrible, if possible,
than before .
" `What's your name?' he demanded, taking his pipe from
his mouth .
I gave it .
" `Are you a Mason?' he asked in the same crisp
manner.
"I answered in the affirmative, and he then inquired :
" `Where do you hail from?'
"This was followed by the other questions with which all
Masons are familiar, until I convinced him that I was what I
claimed to be .
"The colonel abruptly ceased speaking . His sword lay on
a stool beside his own . He crossed his legs and smoked furi-
ously, with his eyes fixed on the opening in the tent through
which I had entered . He seemed to be thinking intently,
his face half obscured by the volume of smoke that continually
rolled from his mouth . Suddenly he sprang up, and with
the same brisk curtness he had shown from the first, he said :
`Come with me . '
"I followed, still wondering what it all could mean . Hewalked swiftly, and it was no easy task for me to keep pace
with him. His course was such that we soon passed outside
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144 Tried by Fire
the camp, across an open field, whose fences, if there
had ever been any, had served to feed the camp fires long
before .
"By this time night was at hand-a night cloudy and with-
out stars . My guide did not speak a word until we had gone
fully a quarter of a mile. I remember thinking of a steam
tug towing a vessel, as the puffs of tobacco smoke rolled over
his shoulder into my face. Suddenly he stopped and faced
about .
"'Yank,' said he, `do you see that piece of woods?'
"He pointed ahead and a little to the right . In the slowly
settling gloom I could just distinguish the outlines of a forest,
the farther limits of which were lost in the obscurity . I
nodded my head and replied :
" `Yes ; I can readily make it out . '
" `Well, run like the devil l'
"At the same moment he started at a rapid pace for his
own camp . Not another word was said by him, nor did
'he look around to see whether I was acting upon his hint .
In fact, it was unnecessary, for I should have been an idiot
had I not `caught on' and improved the opportunity that I
may say was not wholly unexpected . Safely within the
stretch of timber and some distance beyond, I had little
trouble in making my way to our own lines ."
At the battle of Bull Run, July 2 i, 18 6 i, Edwin Cole, a
private of the Seventy-first Regiment of New York Volun-
teers, was severely wounded and taken prisoner . After a
short stay in Richmond he was removed to the city of New
Orleans, when Brother Fellows, then Grand Master of
Masons in Louisiana, provided him and eight of his fellow-
prisoners, who were craftsmen, with clothing, with medical
attendance and with every needful comfort possible . In the
excited state of public feeling at that time, the action of the
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Yank, do you see that piece of woods? " ~ Yes, I can readily make i t out ."
~ Well, then run like the devil !"
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Tried by Fire 147
Grand Master was severely criticised, but the Grand Lodge
of the State formally approved it, and in June, 1862, the
Grand Lodge of New York, by duly engrossed and certified
resolutions, made its formal acki,owledgments to the Grand
Master of Louisiana for this most gracious proof of his
Masonic charity .
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XI
A LIVELY TIME
IF you should happen to be in the city of Providence, R . I . ,
and should make your way to No . 19 College Street, and
knock at the door of Room 18, you will be greeted by a
cheery "Come in," and will find yourself face to face with a
handsome, sturdy man, with a bright eye, gray beard and
scantily covered head of hair . Although at this writing
(1907) he is verging closely upon the proverbial three-score
and ten, he is as vigorous, alert and wide awake as most men,
two-thirds of his age . If the great Civil War claimed its
hundreds of thousands of valuable lives, it must not be for-
gotten that it saved many others . Those who in their early
manhood passed safely through its perils, hardships and the
rough out-door exposure became strong, rugged and tough .
Multitudes of pale, dyspeptic youths who enlisted came out
with physiques that laughed weakness and disease to scorn .
They have lived the scores of years since in the enjoyment
of high health, which otherwise could never have been
theirs .
The gentleman to whom I allude is judge George N . B l i s s ,
but in his case he was a splendid specimen of athletic man-
hood from the beginning . He is a native of Eagleville,
Tiverton, R . I ., where he was born, July 22, 1837 . He was
graduated from Union College, Schenectady, with the degree
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A Lively Time 149
of A.B . , in June, 186o . Shortly after he entered the Albany
Law School, and on his graduation, in May, 1861, was
admitted to the Bar of the State of New York . In Septem-
ber of the same year he enlisted as a private in Company B,
First Rhode Island Cavalry . Young Bliss's ability caused
him to be made quartermaster-sergeant soon after, quickly
followed by his promotion to first lieutenant, which rank he
held until mustered in as captain of Company C, in August,
1862.
Having enlisted as a soldier, Captain Bliss set out to
become a thorough one. He was a daring and skilful horse-
man, he had fenced with foils when a schoolboy, and became
one of the finest swordsmen in the army. He was known as
a man of undaunted bravery, always ready and eager to obey
the orders of his superior officers, and never flinching in the
face of any peril, no matter how great nor how hopeless the
chance of victory might seem . Captain Bliss's modesty causes
him to pass lightly over many of his exploits, which would
have brought fame to any soldier . But his old comrades
agree in pronouncing him a superb officer, whose example in
the most trying circumstances was a model to others . He was
a splendid type of the American volunteers which have
carried our flag to triumph on many a crimson battlefield .
His qualities in this respect won the admiration of his
enemies, with whom he crossed swords again and again in
the hot conflict, which seemed at times and for so long to
waver in the balance .
Captain Bliss's regiment was with Sheridan's army in the
valley of the Shenandoah, and in September, 1864, was on
duty at General Torbert's headquarters, where Bliss was in
command of the provost guard . After the victories of
Sheridan at Winchester, on the 19th, and Fisher's Hill, on
the 22d, General Torbert with his cavalry occupied Waynes-
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150 A Lively Time
borough, Va . On September z8 they set out to destroy
the railway bridge .
About the middle of the afternoon on the day named,
Captain Bliss was directed by Major Farrington to ride into
Waynesborough with orders to the provost guards to prevent
soldiers from entering the houses, since the entire cavalry was
about to pass through the town to water their horses in the
Shenandoah . It was a crisp, cool day in early autumn, and
the captain was in high spirits . A few weeks before lie had
been in the hospital, but the pure air, delicious spring water,
good rations, and rough, out-door life had restored him to
his usual perfect health . Life never looked more attractive
to the young patriot .
The captain had in his charge about fifty prisoners,
captured a day or so before . Just before entering the town a
sergeant was met with a large quantity of bread, which by
orders of the captain had been baked in Waynesborough for
the captives . Promising soon to return, Bliss rode into town
to give his orders to the provost guards . Having done so,
he was about to go back, when his attention was drawn to the
efforts of a Vermont cavalry regiment to destroy the railway
bridge. They had nearly completed the work before Captain
Bliss heard firing in the distance across the river . Looking
in that direction, he saw, about a mile away, the enemy
driving in the Union pickets. The latter fell back to
the reserves, who charged and drove the Confederates
in turn .
Captain Bliss supposed the affair was only a skirmish, but
when he saw the Union reserve hurled back, he knew it was
an attack in force . He galloped back into the village, where
Captain Willis C . Capron, of the First Rhode Island Cav-
alry, had command of about a dozen men as provost guard,
and ordered him to form them in line across the main street,
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and allow none but wounded men to pass to the rear . This
was done, and Bliss was on the point of returning to his
squadron, when Captain Capron begged him to take com-
mand . Captain Bliss refused, but Capron insisted, and the
faces of his men showed that their wishes were the same .
They knew that in Bliss they would have the best of leaders .
He read the expression of their countenances, and in his
crisp, military fashion said :
"Very well ; I'll take command ; pass to the rear as junior
captain ."
At the same time, Captain Bliss drew his sabre and placed
himself at the front . The firing on the opposite side of the
river became hotter, but the Confederates steadily pushed the
Federals back and the situation was fast becoming desperate .
Seeing that something must be done quickly, Captain Bliss
gathered about thirty men for a charge across the river,
accompanied by cheering, the object being to make the enemy
believe reinforcements were approaching . At the same time
the main body of Union cavalry would be given time in which
to rally for action .
The charge was made, and Bliss had nearly reached the
front, when a major galloped up to him with orders from
Colonel Lowell to take his command to the ford of the river
and stop the stragglers . By his promptness, Captain Bliss
checked fully a hundred and fifty panic-stricken men . With
the aid of the lieutenants among them they were gotten into
line, when a Confederate battery began dropping shells
among them. The whole body was terrified and dashed so
tumultously across the river that they swept Captain Bliss's
small force off their feet . He dashed after them, and suc-
ceeded in getting a few together, and began to throw up a
barricade across the main street . There was not time to
complete it, however, and the little body fell back till they
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152 A Lively Time
reached the Third New Jersey Cavalry, drawn up in column
of squadrons in the western suburbs of the town .
Looking again toward the enemy, Captain Bliss saw
Colonel Charles Russell Lowell, who had been in command
of the picket line, approaching with his horse on a walk. Hewas the last man to fall back before the advance of the Con-
federates . The bullets were whistling all about the brave
o f f i c e r , and little puffs of dust in the road showed where many
struck. Captain Bliss hurried out to meet him .
"Colonel Lowell, I had only a few of the provost guards,
but I did all I could with them to help you ."
"There is no question of that ; but, captain, we must check
their advance with a sabre charge . Isn't that the best thing
we can do?"
"I think it is ."
A few minutes later they came up to the Third New Jersey
Cavalry . Colonel Lowell addressed the officer in command :
"Major, let your first squadron sling their carbines, draw
their sabres and charge ."
The order was given, but not a man moved . They were
demoralized by having seen the troops driven back . Colonel
Lowell shouted
"Give a cheer, boys, and go at them 1"
He and Captain Bliss set the example, and charged, cheer-
ing and waving their sabres . It was just the thing needed,
and the squadron dashed hot after them . A little farther on
Colonel Lowell drew to one side, so as to send other troops
to the support of the squadron .
This left Captain Bliss to lead the charge . He was
mounted on a large, powerful sorrel horse, which speedily
carried him a hundred yards in advance of the others. Reach-
ing the partially built barricade, he reined up and looked
back His men were coming on with a splendid squadron
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A Lively Time153
front, while in the other direction the enemy, in column of
fours, were turning to retreat . It was the psychological
moment for a charge, and Captain Bliss, waving his sabre
high above his head, shouted at the top of his voice
"Come on, boys 1 we've got them on the run I"
Touching spur to his horse, he went over the barricade
at a single leap, and thrilled by the chance of routing the
enemy, the captain put his steed on a dead run, and the next
moment was among them swinging his sabre right and left,
striking wherever he saw a chance of reaching a horseman .
Almost in the same instant he made the discovery that he
was entirely alone . The men had not followed, and he was
caught in the most terrifying peril of his life, for here was
one man attacking a squadron of cavalry single handed .
When the fearful truth broke upon Captain Bliss, he had
penetrated so far into the company that fully a dozen were
behind him . They were retreating in a loose column of fours,
and he had three files on his left hand and one on the right .
He says that fifty men were shouting
"Kill that damned Yankee 1" and all set vigorously to work
to do it .
Captain Bliss did not believe he had one chance in a
million. He was certain to be cut down if he tried to retreat,
and the farther he went, the worse would his situation be-
come. In the dizzying whirl of the moment, he thought that
if he could fight off death until he reached a side street he
would spur his horse into that and try to make a circuit back
to his lines . He set out to attempt the impossible .
It need not be said that all this time the captain was the
busiest man that can be imagined . His sabre flashed right
and left, for he must needs use it with skill and might and
main to repulse the assaults upon him . He aimed one blow
at Captain Morgan Strother, who dodged, and W . T. Haines
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154 A Lively Time
ducked just in time to save his head. But Captain William A .
Moss, Hugh Hamilton, color bearer of the Fourth Virginia
Cavalry, Robert L . Baber and Thomas W. Garnett all caught
it fairly and were wounded. (Later on we shall explain
how their names came to be known . )
While laying about him like a Trojan, Captain Bliss was
on the alert for the side street to which he had pinned his _
hopes. He caught sight of one on his left, and dropping his
head close to his horse's neck, he broke through three files,
plunged into the opening and felt a thrill of hope ; but at
that instant a shot fired at him struck his steed and fatally
wounded him . Feeling him going, the rider vigorously
jerked the reins and struck his spurs deep into his flank. The
noble animal strove bravely, but he was doomed and went
down with a plunge which flung the captain to the ground .
Before he could leap to his feet two horsemen were upon him,
and each struck a vicious, well-aimed blow . One used his
carbine, and Bliss parried the stroke, which otherwise would
have killed him . He had no chance to ward off the sabre,
which inflicted an ugly cut on his forehead . Getting upon
his feet, he called out :
"For God's sake do not kill a prisoner 1"
"Then surrender 1" commanded the horseman .
"I do surrender ."
"Give me your sword and pistol."*
The captain handed the weapons to his captor, but had
hardly done so when he received a blow in the back, which
knocked him forward several paces. Turning his head to
learn the cause, he saw that a soldier had ridden up with
*Referring to this incident, Captain Bliss in a letter to the writer says :
"I suppose Shepherd, to whom I surrendered, did not dream how neardeath he was . If he had refused me mercy, I would have run him at once
through the body, and we should have died together ."
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In dire extremity
<< For God's sake do not kill a prisoner !
~ Then surrender !"« I do surrender ! "
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A Lively Time 1 57
his horse on a trot and stabbed him with his sabre . The
captain grimly says that the reason the weapon did not pass
entirely through his body was that the soldier, "in his igno-
rance of the proper use of the weapon, had failed to make the
half turn of the wrist necessary to give the sabre smooth
entrance between the ribs ."
In the same moment Captain Bliss observed another
soldier taking aim at him with a revolver . In that crisis,
when his life seemed scarcely worth a second's purchase, the
prisoner made the grand hailing sign of distress of a Mason .
Captain Henry C. Lee, the acting adjutant-general, instantly
recognized it and dashed up on his horse, and peremptorily
checked every demonstration against the wounded man . Heordered one of the soldiers to take him to the rear and see
that his wounds were dressed . The order was obeyed,
though on the way the prisoner was obliged to give up his
gold watch, his money, and afterward to exchange his cavalry
boots for a pair of canvas shoes .
Captain Bliss's wounds bled so much that he was too weak
to mount a horse without help, but he was gotten into place
behind one of the guards, and a ride of three miles brought
him to a field hospital, where his wounds were dressed . Later
in the evening he was put into an ambulance with Captain
William A. Moss-at that time a lieutenant-who had re-
ceived a bullet wound in addition to the sabre cut from
Captain Bliss . . Captain Moss, like Bliss, was a Mason, and
did his utmost for the comfort of the prisoner . The sabre
thrust caused the latter more trouble than the wound in
his forehead . His lung had been injured, and he had
to be plentifully dosed with morphine before he could
sleep .
The next forenoon a mounted courier came to the hospital
with orders to take Captain Bliss to the headquarters of
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158 A Lively Time
General Thomas T. Munford, commanding the Confederate
force that had made the attack the previous day . The
prisoner, however, was too weak to sit a horse, and the
messenger went back without him . Late at night the
wounded were all landed by the cars in Charlottesville, and
Bliss was placed in the officers' hospital . During the two
weeks that he remained there he was treated with every
courtesy and kindness . The surgeon in charge, J . S . Davis,
Professor in the University of Virginia, was specially atten-
tive and did everything in his power for the comfort of the
Union prisoner .*
A few days after the arrival at Charlottesville, a wounded
Confederate called upon Captain Bliss .
"I am W. T. Hanes," said he with a smile, "and was the
first man you attacked in the ranks of the Fourth Virginia
at Waynesborough . "
"But you were not hurt," remarked Bliss .
"No; I was lucky enough to dodge that cut ; if I hadn't, I
shouldn't be here to shake you by the hand . No man ever
tried harder to kill another than I tried to kill you, but your
horse was too swift for me ; as I followed, your sabre looked
like a snake writhing in the air ."
By the middle of October, Captain Bliss's wounds had
healed and he was sent to Lynchburg, where he remained two
days, going thence to Libby Prison, in Richmond . The long,
hard journey from Charlottesville reopened his sabre wound,
and he was placed in the hospital, which was located at the
south end of Libby . He recovered so rapidly that in little
more than a week he was transferred to the regular prison
quarters, where he met an old college friend in Captain
*Captain Bliss informs me that he met seven Union officers whose lives
were saved during the Civil War through their being Free Masons . Andthese were only a few among the hundreds and thousands on both sides .
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A Lively Time1 59
Henry S. Burrage, of the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts In-
fantry, who had been unfairly taken prisoner several days
before while exchanging newspapers on the picket line . The
following day General Roger A . Pryor (now a retired justice
of the Supreme Court of New York) was captured in similar
circumstances . Captain Burrage, on December 9, was sum-
moned to the office of the prison and told that he had been
selected as a hostage for a Confederate private, then under
sentence within the Union lines . Captain Burrage reminded
the commandant, Major N . P. Turner, "that General Pryor
was already held as a hostage for him, and it was unfair to
complicate his case by the new arrangement . Major Turner
admitted the force of this contention and searched through
the prison rolls for another Massachusetts officer, but finding
none, decided that Captain Bliss, of Rhode Island, would fill
the bill . Accordingly, he was notified of the unwelcome
honor thrust upon him . Moreover, he was told that in addi-
tion, three other officers who were named were held as hos-
tages for four privates that had been sentenced to be hanged
by General Burnside for recruiting men for the Confederate
army within the Union lines in East Tennessee . Captain
Bliss was furnished with writing material and advised that if
he wished to save his own neck he would better get busy and
do what he could to preserve the lives of the condemned
prisoners . With such an incentive, the captain promptly
wrote to Senators Anthony and Sprague, who were equally
prompt in interesting themselves in the matter . Few know
by what a hair's breadth this delicate negotiation was carried
through to success. Suffice it to say, that all came out right in
the end, and one of the saddest of war's many tragedies was
averted. On January 25, 1865, the hostages were released
from their cells and sent back to the regular prison quarters .
On the 5th of the following month, all, with the exception of
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16o A Lively Time
Lieutenant Murray, were sent down the James River on the
flag-of-truce boat and re-entered the Union lines .
The experience of Captain Bliss in Libby Prison was inter-
esting, but the story of the prisoners confined there during
the progress of the war has been told too many times to be
repeated in this place . The four months' confinement broke
the health for the time of the rugged young man, and he was
placed on light duty as president of a court-martial at
Annapolis, Maryland. On May 15 he was mustered out
of service and returned to the profession of law in his native
State of Rhode Island .
The stirring events narrated were followed, as has been
the case in many other similar instances, by a pleasant sequel .
In June, 1875, the Richmond Commandery of Knights
Templars made a brief visit to Providence on their return
from the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the
battle of Bunker Hill . Captain Bliss had a cheery time with
a number of the members, to whom he related his experience
at Waynesborough . When they went home they retold the
story . Thus the way was opened for not only an acquaintance
with the ex-Confederates whom he encountered, but for the
recovery of the sabre which the captain had been compelled
to surrender when his horse was killed and he stood in
imminent danger of death .
Under date of March 24, 1902, Robert L. Baber wrote
from Rock Island, Va ., to Captain Bliss, asking for his photo-
graph in return for the three sabre wounds he had inflicted on
his head in that lively scrimmage nearly forty years before .
He got the photo and further correspondence followed . As
proof of the truth of the account given of Captain Bliss's
notable exploit, we quote from some of these letters . MrBaber, writing April 29, 1902, said :
"I was highly gratified to learn of the man who gave me
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A Lively Time 161
such an awful drubbing, but proud to know that it did not
seriously injure me : it only gave me six weeks' furlough .
You say that three of the men whom you wounded after_thirty years are still living, which is correct . Mr. ThomasWGarnett is the man, if I mistake not, whose name you had
not learned, who is living and whose post-office is Arcanum,
Buckingham County, Va . Captain William A. Moss hasbeen dead twelve or fourteen years, I suppose .
"I am nearly seventy-six years of age, have been a member
of the Methodist Church nearly sixty years, was justice of
the peace twenty-five years, a Mason nearly forty-two years
and am a notary public now and have been for about twenty-
eight years ."
Upon receipt of this letter, Captain Bliss wrote to Thomas
IN. Garnett, who answered on May 14, 1902
"DEAR SIR : I am agreeably surprised to hear from you .
I was at Waynesborough, Va ., on September 28, 1864 . I
was wounded by the same man who wounded Captain Will-iam A. Moss and Robert L. Baber . (His name I haveforgotten . )
"I received a sabre wound on my head . He or you gaveme a right cut and passed on . I followed you to a left-hand
street. I shot at you and your horse fell . Just then Cap-
tain Moss called me to his assistance . I went and did notsee you again until that night at the hospital . I was thefirst man you wounded in the fight .
"I got your sabre from Thad Sheppard and carried it the
balance of the war, and buried it on my return home after
the surrender .
"I never knew Hamilton . Captain Moss has been deadabout twelve years . I know Barber . He lives about thirty
miles from here . I am glad we are both still living . Writeagain ."
Garnett set out to recover the sabre of Captain Bliss with
the purpose of restoring it to him . Two months later he
wrote to the captain, telling him that after General Lee sur-
rendered at Appomattox, General Munford called for men
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162 A Lively Time
to go with him to join General Jo Johnston, then at Dam-
ville, Va . Garnett was one of the volunteers . When they
reached Lynchburg, they saw it was useless to try to gofarther and gave up . On the way back, Garnett was advised
to get rid of his side arms, through danger of being mistaken
for one of Mosby's scouts . Ten miles from Arcanum, he
hid the sabre under the bottom rail of a fence, intending to
return and get it after things had quieted down, but he never
did so. The sabre was found by the owner of the place when
removing the fence, and he notified Garnett that while he
was willing to let him have it for nothing, it must be with the
provision that it was for himself alone ; but if he wished it
for any other purpose, he would have to redeem it . Garnett
wrote on July 27, 1902 :
"I had to make the second trip to see Mr . B . F . Sheppard
before I caught him . He said I was welcome to the sabre,
but if sent to you, five dollars must be paid for it . I put
the sabre under the fence April 11, 1865, and Sheppardfound it in 1874. Nine years under the fence had left their
marks. The leather on the hilt had rotted off and the scab-bard was nearly eaten up by rust . Sheppard put a woodenhilt on in place of the leather, and used it to kill rats with,
;and cut off a part of the guard to make it handy . There is
but one thing about it I can recognize, and that is the dent
in the edge, which was in it when I got it . " [This dentwas made by the parrying of the carbine, as has been de-
scribed . ]
The old, battered, but precious sabre reached Captain Bliss
a few days later, and it need not be said that no relic in the
possession of the brave veteran is held in such proud and
loving remembrance . It was on exhibition at the annual
reunion of the First Rhode Island Cavalry, August 9, 1902 .
A noteworthy incident on that occasion was the presence of
Color Bearer Hugh Hamilton, who received the warmest of
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A Lively Time 163
welcomes from his former foes, but now his ardent friends .
He was the guest of judge Bliss . Hamilton is four years
younger than the judge, erect as an Indian, tall, soldierly,
courteous and strikingly handsome . The two had their
photographs taken together, and under the picture, which is
before me as I write, judge Bliss has placed the following :
"Once foes, for many years past and for all the years to
come, friends . "
Captain A. D. Payne died at Warrenton, Va ., in March,
z893. In his account of the remarkable exploit of Captain
Bliss, he wrote
"The Fourth Virginia Regiment was at this point in the
front, and Captain Morgan Strother, its commander, whenhe discovered the barricade, ordered some of his men to dis-
mount to remove the obstruction . While this was beingdone, he suddenly gave the order for the dismounted mento mount, which was immediately obeyed, and just then an
incident occurred worthy of mention, as exhibiting a deed of
individual heroism rarely witnessed . Just as the men ofthe Fourth Regiment were well in the saddle, after the order
of their commanding officer, a single soldier, coming from
the direction of the enemy, with sword in hand, dashed into
the Black Horse Troop, which composed one of the squad-rons of the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, and on that occasion
was the color squadron, sabering the men right and left,
wounding several, and among them Lieutenant William A .
Moss and Corporal Hugh Hamilton, a gallant soldier andthe color bearer. The boldness and suddenness of the attack
paralyzed for a moment or two the Confederates, and inthat interval this bold assailant succeeded in forcing his way
through the Confederate column, and might possibly haveescaped, but a shot fired by a Confederate brought his horse
down, and he fell with it . He was at once surrounded, and
received a sabre cut in the face while in the act of parrying
a blow from a carbine . Another Confederate gave him asabre thrust in the back, and in all probability he would have
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164 A Lively Time
been slain but for the timely interference of Captain Henry
C. Lee, an aid of Colonel Munford, who, seeing the struggle,rode up and put an end to it . It is said that Captain Lee
recognized in the prostrate man a brother Mason, through
some sign or cry used by the Masonic order in times of dis-
tress or danger ."
Brigadier-General T. T . Munford at this date is living at
Lynchburg, Va. Writing on March 4, 1882, to judge Bliss,
he thus referred to the olden times :
"In fighting over our battles, as all good soldiers love to
do with those who went hand in hand together, I have fre-
quently had the incidents you recalled in your letter men-
tioned by those of us who witnessed it, and it affords me
pleasure to say it was worthy of a better support than you
received from the ranking officer ordering the charge or the
men who should have followed . A little dare-deviltry in a
cavalry officer sometimes acts like magic ; a few dashing fel-
lows well led have turned a victory from one side to a rout
on the other, without any cause . Your courage will never
be doubted by any Confederate who saw your manly bravery
in the fight, and you may thank a kind Providence that you
are now alive to tell your own story in your own way . Youhave spoken in a manly and generous way of what passedin our lines . When I saw you at night, sitting behind aConfederate cavalryman, with the blood streaming down
your face, going to the rear a prisoner, I said to Dr . Ran-
dolph, brigade surgeon, that you were one of the `widow's
son party .' He being one of the elder brothers, replied, `I'll
see your mother's son well taken care of this night,' and as
most of the staff-officers were of the clan, they did the best
they could for a brother in trouble .
"I am not a Mason, but most of my staff were Masons,and I know they frequently did many things that seemed to
give them extra pleasure for the unfortunate on the other
side . I was sure the institution was full of good works,
and although I was only a poor soldier who tried to do his
duty, without being a Mason, I believed the organization
was based upon Christian principles, and was always in sym-
pathy with the work of the fraternity . "
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A Lively Time 165
In some respects the most peculiar interest attaches to the
narrative of Captain Henry C. Lee, for it will be remem-
bered that he was the one who recognized the Masonic call
of Captain Bliss when driven to the last extremity, and by
instantly responding saved him from certain death . Captain
Lee at that time was in his twenty-third year, so that he could
not have been a Mason for more than about a year and a
half. He died in Richmond in June, 1889. Some five years
before his death he wrote to judge Bliss
"Just as Captain Moss got into town, owing to the Third
not being up and the Second not well in position, I was sent
forward by Colonel Munford, who was then commandingour brigade, to halt the squadron of the Fourth, and as I was
galloping up one side (the right) of these squadrons (we
were in columns of fours), I saw you galloping down onthe other side . Knowing you would be looked after, par-ticularly as you were alone, I kept on and halted the head of
the troops, and then I saw your men going in the opposite
direction . They were the ones you told me, when I firstsaw you after the war, you expected to lead in the charge
against us and thought they were following you . My orderswere also to bring our troops back that had been sent up on
the road to the right, the First Regiment, for we were nearly
into Sheridan's camp, and were fearful that your troopsmight sweep down this street and cut this party off . It was as
I was returning, and had gotten to the corner, that I saw
your horse fall and three or four of our men with you . AsI passed you, you called out for relief as a Mason, andmaking a sign which I recognized, I ordered our men tolet you alone, take you to the rear and see that you were
attended to, as you seemed to be wounded . I had to go on
to bring our troops back, and, although you said something
to me, I had no time to stop . One of our men was aboutto kill you when I got to you, and informed me that you had
badly wounded Captain Moss, and had struck somebodyelse, and thought it wrong for me to interfere . When Icame back of course you were gone, and the horse, too, I
think, and I never saw you again until you came down to
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16u A Lively Time
see me here in r88o . I heard that you and Captain Mosswere carried back in the same ambulance, and Moss, having
some 'apple-jack,' our national drink, you took a drink to-
gether ."
In conclusion, it may be said that Captain Bliss received
the Congressional medal for gallantry, September 28, 1864,
and the records of the War for the Union tell of no exploit
that was more deserving of the honor . Two of his sons
served in the navy during our late war with Spain, and the
veteran has long been a judge in the Seventh District Court
of East Providence, R . I .
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XII
HTHE MAN WHO SAVED PRESIDENT DIAZ
OW the fate of the Mexican Republic once hung on the
Masonic honor and fidelity of a Brooklyn man is the
point of a remarkable political story that has been revived
in every Brooklyn lodge by the recent visit to the Mexican
capital of a member of Kings County Lodge, F . and A. M .
It is the story of a country made stable by the strength
and ability of one man, and it contains every element of
heroic manhood, unquestioned bravery, passionate politics and
grim humor, running the gamut from the fate of a nation to
that of a fistic encounter in which future President Diaz was
sent sprawling across the deck of an American steamship by
a purser who proved to be the greatest friend he ever had .
The facts given below are vouched for by leading Masons
in Brooklyn and are in detail as corrected by the Rev . T .
Morris Terry, of Kings County Lodge, a veteran member
of the order and a Past Master . The member who is respon-
sible for the revival of the story, because of recent honors
extended to him both in New Orleans and in Mexico City, is
another member of the same lodge, John Jerome Farley, an
expert connected with the Goodyear (shoe) Machinery Com-
pany, now of 1331 North Front Street, Columbus, Ohio .
Among those who have been prominent in an investigation of
the story is Fred L . Jenkins, the head of the Veteran Masons,
of 452A Hancock Street, Brooklyn .
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168 The Man Who Saved President Diaz
Mr. Farley, however, though his recent visit to the Mex-
ican lodges brought forth the story, was at the time of the
series of events that are hereinafter told a babe in swaddling
clothes in Brooklyn . Just who the real hero was is not yet
disclosed, but on the statements made to the Eagle it seems
certain that his identity is known to some .
In the early seventies President Diaz was not known as a
patriot . Patriots in Spanish-American republics are success-
ful revolutionists . Diaz was not successful in those days .
Rather was he a fugitive beyond the confines of his own land,
and few who saw him about the cafes and at the festivals of
New Orleans paid much more attention to him than did men
of later years to Cubans who talked filibustering in Phila-
delphia before the war with Spain .
At the time there was plying between New Orleans and
Vera Cruz an American merchantman, taking to the war-
racked nation cotton, grains and foodstuffs and bringing back
the tropical products and the mineral wealth of Mexico .
The purser of that vessel was a young man from Brooklyn .
The purser did not know Diaz, nor did he know that there
was a price of $so,ooo on the head of any man in New
Orleans, and the full knowledge of what such a munificent
headpiece means did not come back to him till later years,
when, tried by fire and found not wanting, he came to his
reward by the hand of the man who, on that eventful night,
he met as an exile in the Louisiana metropolis .
While walking along one of the city streets, thinking of
the sailing in the morning, the purser was accosted by a friend
who introduced a quiet-looking young man whom he asked
the purser to make a passenger with him on the morrow .
The stranger wore a magnificent Masonic emblem .
"He is a fugitive," said the friend, "and must return before
it is too late."
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The Man Who Saved President Diaz 169
"But I can't take him . My ship and my cargo might pay
the forfeit," said the purser, shaking his head .
"But you must take him . He is your brother and his very
life is at stake," was the stern answer .
The purser wavered and then consented, promising to pro-
tect to the utmost the stranger in his cabin from spies and
Mexican officials who might be watching for the "rebel"
leader .
On the morning when the ship was passing out of the
muddy delta of the Mississippi, Diaz, who even for years
afterward was unknown to the man who was befriending him,
was seated at the purser's desk . He had been writing on a
long, narrow strip of paper. Toying with it as the ink dried,
he turned to the purser and slowly said
"You have helped me, but I must tell you something . I am
in your power. There is a price of $so,ooo on my head . To
earn that all you will have to do is to hold me till we get to
Vera Cruz and deliver me to the military . Senor, you may do
that if you like . "
The young purser looked steadily at the man before him,
started to say something and then stopped . Clearing his
throat, he slowly and with a voice choked with emotion,
answered
"I don't befriend a man to betray him . I took you aboard .
If I can, whatever the cost, I am going to put you on the
beach in your own country ."
Diaz's eyes filled with tears and all the fire of his ardent
nature was in his embrace as he exclaimed fervently :
"Thank you ."
The scene was dramatic, but no master of stagecraft ever
completed another such with so strong a climax .
Handing the purser that long, narrow strip of paper on
which he had been writing, the Mexican said :
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170 The Man Who Saved President Diaz
"Here is a check equal to what they would pay you ."
Again the young purser looked at the man before him,
almost angrily this time, then seizing the paper, he tore it
to bits that were borne away by the lazy, sluggish gulf winds
and lost in the wilderness of the blue waters . His answer
was
"I would not take you for money . I won't take money for
saving you . "
The next in a series of incidents in this game-where the
life of a nation, rather than the life of a man was at stake-
happened off Vera Cruz, where the American ship came to
anchor
"You must put me ashore," begged the future ruler .
"It's death, man," pleaded the purser. "I can't do it. If
you are captured, I will be taken and so will the ship . And
they will kill you . "
"I must go l I will go ! I will swim it!" young Diaz cried
with that determination that afterward made him what he
is to-day .
"It's madness, man . You will drown . The harbor is full
of sharks. You will never reach the shore ."
Diaz was obdurate, however, and that afternoon he
divested himself of his heavier clothing, girded on a knife to
defend himself against not only man-eating sharks, but man-
hunting soldiers, and sprang overboard .
Taking to the water, he headed toward the beach, and the
friend who had protected him so far watched him with his
glasses as he rose and fell with the waves, now tossed on
their crests, now hidden behind them as they broke in combers
on the sand bars .
Suddenly Diaz turned back, and seemed swimming with
redoubled effort to regain the ship . Through the breakers
there plunged a boat and from it came the glint of sunlight as
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The Man Who Saved President Diaz 173
the red rays struck on the drawn swords of soldiers . The
man had been seen and was pursued .
The race was an exciting one, but the swimmer had the
start and was alongside as the purser shouted to the men in
the fo'castle :
"Line the starboard rail1 Lower a line," and made a
place for that bit of the ridiculous that so persistently seems
to enter into every affair of moment .
As Diaz was seized and drawn aboard the patriot soldiers
were already coming up the gangway . The situation was
critical, and a false move would have meant death to the
young man .
Yankee wit, however, saved the day. Seizing the wet
:swimmer by his frowsy hair and giving him a heavy blow
'behind the ear, the purser threw him to the deck, and with
an oath, pounced upon him and grabbed him by the throat .
"You drunken dog 1 You hound, I'll teach you to jump
ship . I'll teach you to try to drown yourself," he cried .
Then, leaping to his feet, the purser gave orders to put
the man into irons, and turning to the astonished soldiers,
asked them what he could do for them .
In broken English the leader explained that the country
was in the throes of a civil war, and said that all ports were
being watched for rebels, who had been driven from the
country, but who might at any time return . Seeing a man in
the surf, they thought that he had been caught, but were glad
to know they were mistaken and that "Senor El Captain had
got his drunken sailor back." With many other apologies
they went away .
The next danger that menaced the young man was when
two lighters came alongside to take off the cargo . These had
aboard, beside their crews, emissaries of the government, and
it was with a good deal of difficulty that the situation was met .
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174 The Man Who Saved President Diaz
The work of loading was made as slow as possible, and
it was long after dark when the scows were filled . Hiding
the fugitive as best they could, the officers of the vessels
invited the crew to share their hospitality while Diaz was
rowed off into the darkness and put ashore farther down the
coast. This effort was successful, but it interrupted for years
the friendship that had sprung up between the humble purser
and the great Mexican leader .
A few years ago, however, there came the climax, and it
was brought about with all the dramatic effect of the modern
melodrama . The sailor hero of this story chanced to go to
Mexico, and among the places he visited was Mexico City .
As he alighted from his train he was suddenly arrested by
military officers . Being innocent of any wrong, he grew
indignant and begged to be informed of the cause of his
detention .
"This is an outrage ; send for the American consul," he
cried . But the soldiers only the more pushed him along
toward a carriage drawn by gayly caparisoned horses and
gave the order to the driver to proceed . Bands played and
the hoie poloi along the streets waved their sombreros and
shouted . Being arrested with martial honors was something
he did not understand .
His amazement grew as the procession drew up in soldierly
ranks before the plaza and the American was politely assisted
to alight and escorted into the central room of a palace, where
there stood before him, dressed in a finely fitting frock coat,
a a thickset man of small stature in whose eyes he saw a look
of friendly recognition .
An officer in uniform-still like the stage this story goes-
then broke the clouds :
"El Presidente ."
The friend of years ago, the exiled rebel, the brother in
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The Man Who Saved President Diaz 1 75
trouble, was President Diaz, for years the head of the Mex-
ican Republic . It all came back to him ; even the head price
was explained .
"But how did you know I was here?" asked the American .
"My friend, never since the day I left you have I failed to
know where you were. I have followed you and watched you
prosper. You saved me and you saved Mexico . I could do
no less than wait for you to come back to her . "
Recently the Masonic papers contained the announcement
of the honors bestowed upon an American, but Brooklyn was
not connected with the matter till the New Orleans and
Mexico City lodges sent communications to the Rev. Mr .
Terry about the visits of Brother Farley .
The Masonic announcement was, however, that the
$5o,ooo which floated away on the warm waters of the gulf
stream thirty years ago was paid later as a present, and that
an American Mason, the friend of President Diaz, was hold-
ing a responsible office under the Mexican Government .
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XIII
ON THE SUMMIT OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS-FIRST MASONIC LODGE EVER HELD
IN MONTANA(Extract from Grand Historian's Address delivered before the Grand
Lodge, F. & A.M. of Montana, by Nathaniel P. Langford, * in 1867 . )
TIS brief contemplation of the leading features in our
early history leads me to narrate somewhat in detail that
portion of it which antedates the introduction of our order
in organized form . I esteem myself fortunate in having
been one of the early settlers of Montana-more fortunate in
having, before I left the abodes of civilization, been raised
to the sublime degree of Master Mason . When the company
of which I was one entered what is now Montana-then
Dakota-a single settlement, known by the name of Grass-
hopper (now Bannack), was the only abode of the white
man in the southern part of the Territory . Our journey
from Minnesota of fourteen hundred miles by a route never
before travelled, and with the slow conveyance of ox trains,
was of long duration and tedious . It was a clear September
twilight when we camped on the western side of the range of
the Rocky Mountains, where they are crossed by the Mullan
road . The labors of the day over, three of our number, a
brother named Charlton, another whose name I have for-
*Mr. Langford was Grand Master in 1869-1870 .
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On the Summit of the Rocky Mountains 177
gotten, and myself, the only three Master Masons in the com-
pany, impressed with the grandeur of the mountain scenery
and the mild beauty of the evening, ascended the mountain
to its summit, and there, in imitation of our ancient brethren,
opened and closed an informal lodge of Master Masons . I
had listened to the solemn ritual of Masonry an hundred
times, but never when it impressed me so seriously as upon
this occasion ; such, also, was the experience of my com-
panions . Our long journey and its undeviating round of
daily employments had until this occasion been wholly un-
alleviated by any circumstance calculated to soften or mellow
the feelings subjected to such discipline . We felt it a relief
to know each other in the light of Masonry . Never was the
fraternal clasp more cordial than when, in the glory of that
beautiful autumnal evening, we opened and closed the first
lodge ever assembled in Montana .
Contemplating this early incident in the history of our
order from our present standpoint, and including in the con-
templation what Masonry has since done for the Territory,
and the Territory for Masonry, it seems to have been invested
with a kind of prophetic interest ; especially as at that time
it could hardly have been possible for the few Masons in the
Territory to have known each other, except as mere adven-
turers . As a manifestation of the all-pervading affections of
Masons for the lodge it is worthy of enduring record in our
archives . It is one of those facts that will reach forward
into our history and seize upon those undying elements which
shall transmit it to posterity . The fact will render the spot
sacred-and once known among Masons it will never be for-
gotten-that the first lodge in the Territory was opened and
closed upon the summit of the Rocky Mountains .
I might dilate upon the beauty of the evening upon which
we met-the calm radiance of the moon and stars, the
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178 On the Summit of the Rocky Mountains
grandeur of the surrounding scenery . We exchanged fra-
ternal greetings, spoke kind words one to another, and gave
ourselves up to the enjoyment of that elevation of spirit which
Masonry, under such circumstances, alone evokes ; and when
we left the summit of that glorious range of mountains, to
descend to our camp, each felt that he had been made better
and happier for this confidential interchange of Masonic
sentiment.
Men when separated by distance from their homes and
all that is dear to them upon earth, and uncertain as to the
exposures and perils that lie before them, are apt to reflect
upon those events in their past experience which afford the
greatest promise or feeling of security and happiness . Every
true Mason who has made the journey across the plains can
attest to this . And as one of the striking evidences of the
effect of this influence upon the Masons who came early to
this Territory, I mention a little incident which occurred
while our train was working its weary way over the moun-
tains lying between Deer Lodge and Bannack . I happened
at that time to be the only Mason in a company consisting
of ten or twelve men . We had stopped at noon for refresh-
ment near the bank of what is now known as Silver Bow
Creek, and were preparing to resume our journey when three
or four horsemen descended from the mountains into the
valley where we had halted. They were dressed in the coarse
but picturesque costume of mountaineers, and presented to
our inexperienced eyes the appearance of a troop of brigands .
We regarded their movements with suspicion, and were ready
at a moment's warning to engage them in hostile
combat . All but one of them rode on without deigning to
notice us . He stopped and engaged in conversation with
those of our own men who were occupied in yoking our oxen .
I was at a little distance, and at the moment was engaged,
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On the Summit of the Rocky Mountains 1 79
in adjusting the cincho of my saddle, when I heard him make
the inquiry
"Whose train is this?"
To which he received the reply, "Nobody's ; we own the
wagons among ourselves. "
"Where are you from?"
"From Minnesota . "
"How many men were there in your train?"
"About one hundred and thirty ."
"Was there a man named H. A . Biff in your train?"
"No, sir ; no such man . "
"Did you ever hear of such a man?"
"I never did," replied one . "I know of no one of that
name," said another
Now, as fortune would have it, I had a short time before
travelled the same road that had been travelled by the miss-
ing man (who, as I afterward learned, was a Mason), and
I had been informed by those who at that time accompanied
me that he had been killed by three ruffians . The particulars
of his assassination are familiar to you all . This was the
first murder of a brother of which we have any knowledge or
record .
From the information thus received I was enabled to
answer his anxious inquiries ; and as I rode along in company
with him during the rest of the day, I was greatly pleased
in finding in him an intelligent and warm-hearted brother
Mason. It was his first meeting with a brother in the Terri-
tory, and we employed the time we were together in relating
each to the other his Masonic experience, and bearing mutual
testimony to the satisfaction we had derived from the order,
and to its peculiar adaptability to our condition in this new
country . A friendship was thus formed through the instru-
mentality of Masonry which could not otherwise have found
existence .
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XIV
TRUE TO HIS OATH-A LEGEND OF THENEW JERSEY COAST
REV. WILLIAM HOLLINSHED is a retired clergy-man of the Presbyterian Church, and at this writing is
proprietor of the Burnbrae House, a summer resort about
two miles from the little town of Sparta, Sussex County,
N J . I spent the month of June, 19o6, at the Burnbrae, and
formed a high regard for Mr . Hollinshed's ability and Chris-
tian character. He is one of the admirable few whose daily
life is in accord with his profession, and whose retirement
from active service, because of broken health, does not mean
that he has ceased his labors in his Master's vineyard. Heis as constant as ever in his works of charity, consolation and
self-denial, and is known far and near as an earnest minister
of the Gospel .
It was while sitting on the porch of the Burnbrae, as the
moon shone over mountain and lake, long after all the other
patrons were sunk in slumber, that Mr . Hollinshead gave
me, among many interesting experiences, the following
"I was resident pastor for four years in the Lackawanna
Valley, where the Erie, Delaware and Hudson, and the
Ontario and Western coal fields are located . My charge was
the Forest City Presbyterian Church, six miles north of Car-
bondale and twenty-three miles from Scranton. The popula-
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True to His Oath 181
tion of the section was about seven thousand . Twenty-five
hundred men and boys were employed in the mines, of whom
six hundred were English speaking, the others being Poles,
Huns, Slavs, etc .
"My troubles came with the great coal strike, when a
boycott was placed against the families of the pump runners,
engineers and foremen, who were members of my church, and
were trying to protect the property of their employers, make
it possible for the country to have coal, and to save places
for the workmen when the turmoil should end . These faith-
ful employes were hounded, stoned and fired upon . They
were refused meat, bread, milk and clothing, as were their
wives and children . Out-of-town merchants were warned not
to sell these necessaries to any of the suffering families or to
their friends . The only way of satisfying their crying wants
was through purchase by me in my own name of what was
needed . I did this extensively, and distributed, so far as
possible, the articles secretly, though it was inevitable that
my action should soon become known . If there ever was a
persona non grata, I was that individual .
"We must not censure the local dealers too severely, for
had they disregarded the notice served upon them, they would
not only have been boycotted, but that fearful agent, dyna-
mite, would have been used against them . Although the
woful situation did not last long, it was long enough for me
to give some help to suffering womanhood and helpless chil-
dren . I wrote to other ministers and a circular was dis-
tributed, asking for peace and an observance of the laws .
It proved useless, however, for the men were in a desperate
mood and a riot followed, which was prevented from becom-
ing a bloody massacre through the arrival of the militia .
"The sight of my members, tried and true, insulted and
pelted with chunks of rocks, filled me with righteous indigna-
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182' True to His Oath
tion. In October I wrote an article, `A Voice from the Coal
Fields,' which was published in the N . Y . Sun . Although I
did not localize it, what I said was the simple truth . I was
known at once as the author, and the mob became more
inflamed than ever . The leaders of the strike replied with
i5oo handbills of an inflammatory character, directed against
me personally and meant to rouse the passionate hatred of the
foreigners . Beyond question it succeeded . I replied with
dignity and courtesy, but it was like pouring oil upon the
raging flames .
"One morning when I came out of my door I saw a book
lying on the porch . Upon examination, I found that it had
been shot half through by a revolver bullet, all the leaves
had been cut by a razor and four grossly insulting messages
were written within . I knew that action would follow these
threats, but I was in the path of duty, and was resolved to go
forward, content to do the will of the only One to whom I
bow the knee .
"A few nights later, just as I had closed my prayer-
meeting, and was about to pass out of the door to go home,
I was confronted by a woman, a member of my church, whose
face and manner showed that she brought momentous news .
Beckoning me to one side, she said in an excited under-tone :
" `Mr. Hollinshed, you must not try to go home to-night . '
" `Why not?' I calmly asked, though my heart was beating
faster than usual .
" `If you do, you will be killed ; I am telling you the truth . '
" `I don't doubt that, my good woman, but explain ; who
is your authority?'
4t 'My husband ; he overheard the plot ; he was in the next
room ; he telephoned me ten minutes ago not to lose a second
in warning you ; I had just time to fling my shawl over my
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« You must not try to go home to-night ."
" Why not?"" If you do you will be killed ! "
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True to His Oath 185
head, and I ran all the way to this place ; had I been a few
minutes later nothing could have saved you. '
"When she told me this I understood it all . Her husband
and I were members of the same Masonic lodge . He re-
membered his oath, and took his life in his hands when he
sent notice by his wife of my intended assassination . -His
use of the telephone in the circumstances was dangerous, and
his wife running through the wintry street was likely to draw
attention to her, but neither of the couple hesitated at the
risk. I do not mention the name of my loyal brother, for it
is not necessary, and possibly might injure him, even at this
late day .
"I thanked the woman and told her to assure her husband
of my deep gratitude . It would have been imprudent for her
and me to be seen together, and I waited until she passed
from sight. Then I walked to the barracks and told what I
had learned to the captain . He detailed two soldiers to escort
me home, which was reached without molestation . Thesoldiers guarded my house for a week . While this precaution
unquestionably saved my life, it did not protect me when on
'the street . On two occasions the leaders shouted to their
followers to `kill thereacher,' and they seemed
eager to do it . On my way to the post-office one morning,
I passed five hundred scowling men, with whom I saw
I was certain to have trouble . In returning, a ferocious-
looking fellow called me such a vile name that I turned to
rebuke him . He was standing in the door of a saloon,
and when I walked toward him he laughed and dashed
inside .
"By this time fifty rioters had closed around me . I faced
them and told them to do their work . I preferred to die a
martyr to American principles rather than live a craven and
coward . The fact that it was broad daylight and we were
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186 True to His Oath
on the main street made the mob hesitate, and I reached home
unharmed .
"The nervous strain lasting through five months was too
much for me . On the next Sabbath morning I was stricken
with paralysis while in the pulpit . What a proof it was of
the reign of terror in that region, that not a physician could
be found with enough courage to come to my assistance ! I
speedily recovered and remained two years longer at Forest
City, myself and my church-members subject all the time to
the boycott . The outside world can form no idea of those
awful times . When the body of a workman was borne
through the streets to the grave, it was between jeering
crowds, who shouted, 'Good l good!' clapped their hands,
and called out the most shocking insults . It was almost im-
possible to get singers or pall-bearers . School-teachers were
discharged because they had brothers or fathers at work .
Free Masons were too frightened to attend lodge meetings
when their route led through any of the by streets, and it
seemed at times as if no man was safe unless he meekly bowed
to the will of the lawbreakers . I was no agitator, and never
when in the pulpit defended corporations or attacked the
Union . I did what I could to help the starving families of
the strikers, collecting money, clothing and food, which I
divided at the risk of my life impartially among those in need
of them ."
It was on another evening that Mr . Hollinshed related the
following incident. While in pleasing contrast to his turbu-
lent experience in the coal regions, it illustrates none the less
touchingly the beautiful spirit of Free Masonry :
At the time referred to a prosperous cloth merchant of
southern England lost his wife, to whom he was devotedly
attached . Ruth, a daughter nine years old, in whom his love
centred, could not dispel the gloom and depression of the
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True to His Oath 187
father, whose decline in health became so marked that his
physician told him that only a long sea voyage, with its
change of scene and manner of living, would save his life .
He reluctantly consented to sail to America . It was in mid-
summer, and his intention was to return home for the
Christmas holidays. He embarked from Liverpool for New
'fork, and almost immediately experienced an improvement
in health and strength . When within a day's sail of land a
dense fog settled over the vessel . A furious easterly gale
set in . The captain lost his bearings, and hardly had the
lead been cast when the ship was dashed upon the outer bar .
This was before the establishment of that blessed institution
of life saving along our ocean and lake coasts . The vessel
was rapidly pounded to pieces . Nearly all were washed from
the wreck and drowned. When all hope was lost, the father
lashed his child to a plank . He had no thought that either
would be saved, but he uttered a prayer that the body of his
child might be found by some fisherman and given Christian
burial . He pinned a little golden emblem, the square and
compass, to her shawl, and had just time to kiss her good-by
when the billows swept her from his sight .
A fearful crash followed, and the parent became uncon-
scious . When his senses returned, he found himself in the
cabin of a vessel bound for New Orleans . He had been
rescued at break of day when the fog lifted . Upon his arrival
at the Southern city he read the accounts of a shipwreck in
the newspapers, with the statement of the loss of all on
board. He used every possible means to gain tidings of his
lost daughter, but in vain, and when he finally sailed for
England he was firmly persuaded that she had perished and
would never be seen by him again in this world .
Five years later business called the parent once more to the
United States . He had a vague hope that he might be
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188 True to His Oath
able to learn something of lost Ruth, and that it should be-
come his sad privilege to place her remains beside those of
his revered wife . He knew the vicinity of the wreck, but
when he visited it and made inquiries was not able to glean
the slightest information . At the inn in New Jersey he
learned that two of the guests were Free Masons, who had
come thither as representatives to the Grand Lodge, which
was about to convene in that town . Having made himself
known as a member of the order, the father was invited to
attend the session . He did so, and when the routine business
was finished he was invited by the Grand Master to make
some remarks. He complied, speaking glowingly of the suc-
cess and prosperity of Masonry in England, after which he
told the purpose of his visit to that part of New Jersey. Hegave a graphic account of his shipwreck, the loss of his only
child, and said that the prayer of his life was that he might
find her grave and be able to carry the remains to his home
in England.
While relating his affecting story the Englishman did not
notice that the tyler was excused for a brief while, and that
all the brethren showed a peculiar interest in his words .
Recess was declared shortly after . A group gathered around
the visitor and feelingly expressed their sympathy . He was
in the midst of conversation, when suddenly a young woman
was ushered into the lodge room, looked wildly round for a
moment and then rushed to the astounded visitor, ex-
claiming
"My father 1 my father 1"
Before he could rally from his bewilderment, her arms
were round his neck and she was sobbing with joy . Then he
recognized her as indeed his lost Ruth, and every eye in the
room was filled with tears at the touching meeting between
child and parent, who had for years thought each other dead .
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True to His Oath 189
When something like quiet was restored, the tyler in a
trembling voice said to the visitor
"This is the saddest and happiest night of my life, for I
lose and you gain a daughter . I am a fisherman, and on
that eventful day was repairing my nets, near the inlet, when
the waves tossed a plank to shore near me . I saw the uncon-
scious child and the square and compass pinned to her cloth-
ing . She was alive ; and carrying her tenderly to my home,
she speedily recovered under the care and loving attention
of my wife . The Masonic emblem did not save her life, but
it drew me more closely to her . I yield her to you with an
overflowing heart ; take her, but may I not claim that the
happy daughter has gained a new mother and two fathers?"
"Indeed you may ; you shall be her second parents as long
as you live ."
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XV
ASOLDIER OF FORTUNE
CAPTAIN GEORGE B. BOYNTON was born in thecity of New York in 1842, at 73 Fifth Avenue, just
below Fourteenth Street . He received an excellent education,
but when the war for the Union broke out, he was seized with
patriotic fervor and enlisted in a cavalry regiment belonging
to his native State . He fought bravely throughout the war .
At the battle of Pittsburg Landing his right cheek was cut
open from ear to mouth by a sabre cut . He refused to stay
in the hospital, but did valiant service with his regiment until
the final surrender at Appomattox, when he was honorably
discharged with the hundreds of thousands of other Union
soldiers .
The taste of war which young Boynton thus gained has
never left him. When he returned to his home he meant to
do the same as most of his comrades did-settle down to a
peaceful life for the rest of his days . But a revolution began
in Cuba in 1868, under Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, and
Boynton threw all his enthusiasm and energies into it . Hebecame famous as a blockade runner . Despite the alertness
of our Government, he got together many valuable cargoes
of rifles, ammunition and supplies of war, and was equally
successful in dodging the Spanish officials .
It will be remembered that though Cespedes captured the
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A Soldier of Fortune 191
town of Bayamo and the insurgents were victors in a goodly
number of battles with the Spanish soldiers, the final result
was not favorable to the Cubans . Captain Boynton saw that
he would have to wait a long time for the money due him on
account of the war supplies he had furnished . While he
was meditating over the best course to follow, if indeed any
course remained open to him, the Franco-Prussian War broke
out . Believing there might be something for him in this new
and more formidable conflict, he went to France to look into
things . During that struggle he brought several cargoes of
war supplies into French ports, and on one occasion came very
near losing his life. The Austrian Government was engaged
in equipping its army with a new rifle . It had sold 3500 of
the old rifles to a London firm, and they were to be delivered
on the firm's order at the Vienna arsenal . Captain Boynton
opened negotiations with the firm, bought the rifles and sent
a ship to Trieste . When the rifles were safely stowed in the
vessel, the Austrian authorities, not satisfied with the arrange-
ment, ordered the ship to be detained. When the order was
communicated to Captain Boynton, he replied that the
officials might go hang, and directed the captain to steam
away . Fire was opened upon the defiant vessel and she was
struck several times . The wonder is that she was not sunk,
but she succeeded in safely reaching the open sea . The
daring captain deserved a better fate than to learn upon
arriving in the harbor of Bordeaux, in March, 1871, that the
Prussians and French had signed a treaty of peace at Ver-
sailles only three days before . All the money paid for the
guns and for chartering the vessel was a dead loss, which
fell upon Captain Boynton .
Having the rifles on his hands, he decided that, instead
of trying to deliver them in Cuba, he would dispose of them
to Don Carlos, who was stirring up things in Spain, with
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192 A Soldier of Fortune
the object of placing himself upon the throne . The Pre-
tender eagerly seized the chance thus offered, and before
entering Spain, in April, 1872, pledged himself to pay a
generous sum for the rifles . The delivery was made, and
Captain Boynton furnished several cargoes to the Carlists
during the uprising, which continued to a greater or less
extent for three years . No man could have been more
intrepid than he. He bought several vessels in England and
chartered others to be used in running the blockade. He had
more than one narrow escape from the Spanish men-of-war,
and came near being arrested and imprisoned in England .
It will be admitted that the captain rendered the most valu-
able kind of aid to Don Carlos, and the pay which he received
for his services was nothing . The infamous pretender,
when he saw certain failure before him, not only refused to
pay a dollar of his indebtedness to the American, but did his
best to get rid of his creditor by having him assassinated .
The captain was so indignant that he began figuring how he
could suitably punish the swarthy miscreant .
Before a decision was reached, the war flames flashed up
in the Balkans . He hastened thither, and fought with his
usual bravery on the side of the Servians and Montenegrans
against the Turks. Then the Russians mixed in, and Boynton,
who had a large supply of war supplies on the vessel which
he had chartered to carry him to the scene of hostilities, sold
most of them to the Russians, who were so pleased that they
allowed him to witness as their guest the battle of Plevna .
Then the captain returned to New York, but with eyes and
ears open for new fields for his activities .
It looked for a time as if he would have to abandon the
profession for which he had formed so strong a liking. The
"Ten Years' War" in Cuba came to an end in 1878, and
Spain for the time was triumphant . The Cubans unaided
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A Soldier of Fortune 193
were unable to win their independence . They had to wait
twenty years for Uncle Sam to expel Spain from the fertile
island, and to present liberty to the natives, with the doubt
very strong on our part whether the Cubans were worth even
a portion of American blood that was shed in their behalf .
Captain Boynton was getting on in years, and after his
tempestuous experiences, he had about made up his mind
to settle down to the quiet business of life, when a quarrel
broke out between Chile on the one hand and Peru and
Bolivia on the other, because of the claims made by the latter
two to the guano and nitrate beds on the borders of the three
countries . The murmur of distant war was music in the
captain's ears, and its beguilings were not to be resisted. He
left New York by the first boat for Valparaiso, and most of
his life since then has been spent in South America, where
the chronic situation is that of revolution . For the quarter
of a century following he was rarely absent from that seeth-
ing continent, and in the history of the almost numberless
wars his name will be found writ large .
Captain Boynton, however, engaged in a "side issue"
which must not be forgotten . It will be remembered that
Arabi Pasha headed an uprising in Egypt against foreign
domination . He was defeated and made prisoner . Not
deeming it prudent to let him remain in Egypt, where he was
likely to make further trouble, England removed him to
Ceylon. The deposed leader had many powerful friends in
Alexandria, and with them Captain Boynton made an agree-
ment to take the exile back to that city . If he succeeded, he
was to be paid $ i 50,000 The veteran soldier of fortune
made secret and skilful arrangements, for surely his experi-
ence ought to have qualified him for the dangerous part he
had set out to play . In due time he arrived in Colombo,
where the first news that greeted him was that the English
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194 A Soldier of Fortune
had released Arabi Pasha . Thus the grand scheme of the
captain went up in smoke and he never received a penny for
his part in the venture . Ill luck seemed to follow him per-
sistently .
It would require a larger volume than this to tell all the
stirring adventures of Captain Boynton in South America .
He took a leading part in the uprising against Balmaceda, in
Chile, in 1891, and eluded by a hair's breadth the clutches of
President Baez in Santo Domingo, and President Hippolyte
in Hayti . He made a flying visit to China, where, as was
inevitable, he plunged into the fighting which was then going
on in different parts of the Flowery Kingdom . If he was
unsuccessful in the way of making money, he was mar-
vellously lucky in saving his head .
In the latter part of September, 1893, the captain of the
British warship Sirius, while lying in the harbor of Rio
Janeiro, saw a tug flying the British flag, heading for the
cruiser 4quidaban, the flagship of the fleet under Admiral
Mello . This officer had joined his brother admiral, Da
Gama, in heading a revolution against the government of
President Peixoto of Brazil . The uprising was speedily put
down .
The captain of the Sirius was at Rio to protect British
citizens and property . That which he saw led him to believe
the tug with its English flag meant to attack the rebel war-
ship. He stopped it and demanded an explanation. Captain
Boynton was in command and he was taken on board the
Sirius . He declared that he was an American, whereupon
he was turned over to Captain Picking, of the cruiser Charles-
ton,who telegraphed to Washington for instructions as to
what he should do with his prisoner . Boynton vigorously
denied that he had intended to attack the fl quidaban, but was
going out to Admiral Mello to try to sell him his cargo of
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A Soldier of Fortune 195
war munitions . But Captain Boynton had a torpedo on
board and had flown the British flag, which was a violation
of the law of nations . Captain Picking was perplexed, and
telegraphed to Secretary of the Navy Herbert for further
instructions . It looked for a time as if international compli-
cations would follow as a result of Captain Boynton's activity .
After some delay, the Washington authorities ordered him
brought back to the United States, where it was hinted he
might be tried on the charge of piracy . He was kept for
four days at the Brooklyn navy yard, when the Federal
authorities decided to let him go upon his promise that he
would keep away from Brazil until the troubles there were
over .
In reading of the experiences of this remarkable soldier of
fortune-only a small portion of which have been referred
to-one must wonder how it is he often came so near and
yet escaped death by so narrow a margin . A partial explana-
tion lies in the fact that Captain Boynton has been a Free
Mason for a good many years . Many incidents in his re-
markable career bearing upon this membership cannot be
told, for reasons which all brethren will understand . One
occurrence, however, will be given and must suffice . At the
time he was specially active in Santo Domingo, he was caught
"red handed"-that is, trying to deliver munitions of war to
the revolutionists . He was tried by drum-head court-
martial and sentenced to be shot the next morning at sunrise .
Captain Boynton made himself known as a Mason to one
of the prominent officials, who was also a Mason . That night
he succeeded in "escaping," rejoined his ship, and when the
sun rose was sailing merrily away over the Spanish main .
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XVI
THE ABDUCTION OF WILLIAM MORGAN
IN1821 William Morgan was a brewer, living in York,
Upper Canada. Unsuccessful in that business, he removed
to Rochester, N. Y., and wrought at his trade of stone-
mason. He was a ne'er-do-well, addicted to tippling, spent
most of his time in saloons, and was a man whose word few
would accept . Two years later he changed his home to
Batavia, Genesee County, in the same State .
It is doubtful whether Morgan was ever made a Free
Mason, though he may have received the degrees in Canada .
He succeeded, however, in convincing a number of the breth-
ren that he had passed through the "Blue Lodge," and was
allowed to enter the one at Batavia . He made oath that he
had been regularly entered, passed and raised, and he was
made a Royal Arch Mason at LeRoy, N . Y ., on the last day
of May, 1823 . A movement was set on foot to establish
a Royal Arch Chapter at Batavia, and Morgan signed the
petition for that purpose, in 1826 . His character was so
well known that most of the other signers objected to the
appearance of his name on the petition, and a new one was
substituted, from which it was omitted . This curt snub not
only angered Morgan, but implanted in his sodden brain the
resolve to expose the secrets of the order, by which he was
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The Abduction of William Morgan 1 9 7
confident that he and his associates would gain a great
fortune .
He secured an ally in David C . Miller, editor of the
Republican 4dvocate, a weekly paper published at Batavia .
It is said that this man had received the first degree in
Masonry, but being found unworthy, was never advanced
further . He was involved in debt, and, like Morgan, be-
lieved that the treachery would make all concerned indepen-
dently rich . The editor did not shrink from publicly
announcing his purpose .
It was right here that the Masons made a blunder which,
in the language of the French, was worse than a crime . They
should have paid no attention to the treachery, and the publi-
cation, whatever it might have been, would have fallen flat
and attracted little or no notice . Strong arguments were
made to Morgan to abandon his scheme, and he said he was
willing to do so, but Miller pushed the publication as fast as
lie could . Several hotheaded Masons determined to get
the manuscript. Miller's office was set on fire in September,
but the flames were extinguished before much damage was
clone. A reward of :-ioo was offered for the arrest and con-
viction of the incendiary, but the secret was well guarded .
There were not wanting those who believed that Miller had
set fire to the building as a shrewd means of advertising .
Morgan owed a sum of money to a hotel keeper at Canan-
daigua, and he was arrested for the debt and taken thither .
He was acquitted, but arrested again on a similar charge,
confessed judgment and was lodged in } : a i l . Miller was also
arrested, but he eluded the officer and fled to his home . The
wife of Morgan hurried to Canandaigua to the aid of her
husband, but learning that the debt had been paid, returned,
having been told that her husband would speedily join
her .
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198 The Abduction of William Morgan
When several days passed without his appearance, she be-
came alarmed and sent a friend to learn what it meant. Hecame back with word that the debt had been settled and
Morgan released, but he had hardly left jail when he was
seized by Loton Lawson and another person and hustled
down the street . He resisted violently and shouted
"Murder l" Nicholas G. Chesebro and Edward Sawyer,
who with Lawson were members of the posse that had
brought Morgan from home, were spectators who refused to
help the prisoner . They followed the others, and were in
turn followed by a carriage, which soon came back and was
driven toward Rochester . It was empty when it went away,
but contained several persons on its return . The messenger
of Mrs. Morgan reported that the carriage reached Rochester
at daybreak and was driven three miles beyond . At that
point the party left it, and the vehicle returned. The driver
swore that all the men were strangers to him and that he saw
no violence .
Here another point is reached upon which the truth will
never be clearly known . Many have contended that no per-
sonal harm was intended, but that the purpose of the abduct-
ors was to compel Morgan to abandon his scheme and to
leave the country, the promise being made to him that he
would be provided with a liberal sum of money . It is said
further that he agreed to do as proposed, that he received the
money and buried himself out of sight of all his former
acquaintances . Reports came from time to time that he had
been recognized in South America, in Turkey, -in the wilds of
Canada, and in other parts of the world, but all these reports
were baseless . The miserable fellow had disappeared as
utterly as if the ground had opened and swallowed him from
human sight.
The high-handed outrage started a wave of excitement
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The Abduction of William Morgan 1 99
which swept over the entire country . The abduction of
Morgan was without palliation, even if no personal harm
was meditated against him . The guilty parties should have
been punished with the utmost rigor of the law. Among the
thousands who hotly condemned the crime were leading Free
Masons, who gave their help to running down the criminals .
As is invariably the case, the innocent had to suffer for the
guilty. Public meetings were held in Batavia and elsewhere,
in which the fraternity was denounced in the fiercest terms .
Only those who lived in the border States at the outbreak of
the Civil War can form any idea of the irrestrainable rage
that was stirred to its depths . Although Governor De Witt
Clinton was a prominent Mason, he issued a proclamation,
October7 ,
1826, calling upon all officers and ministers of
justice to use the most efficient measures to arrest the offenders
and to bring them to justice . Shortly after he followed with
a second proclamation, offering a reward for the arrest and
conviction of the guilty persons . In the following March, a
third proclamation promised $iooo to any one who, "as
accomplice or co-operator, shall make a full discovery of the
offender or offenders ."
The investigations thus set ;'on foot showed that when the
men left the carriage beyond°Rochester on the fateful morn-
ing, they entered another ;vehicle and went westward by the
way of Clarkson, Gaines,,ewiston and thus to Fort Niagara,
where they arrived the following morning . On a portion
of the journey, Sheriff truce of the county was with them .
At Fort Niagara the four men dismissed the carriage and
made their way to the fort, which was near at hand. Beyond
this it was impossible fo trace the parties farther . With them
disappeared William Morgan .
In arriving at a .clear judgment of the truth concerning
this lamentable affair,\ it must be borne in mind that naturally
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200 The Abduction of William Morgan
both parties to the controversy were biased . The accusers of
the fraternity were impulsive, hot headed, intemperate and
unjust, inasmuch as they laid the blame at the door of the
order, when in truth the vast majority condemned the crime
as warmly as their opponents . On the other hand, the Free
Masons labored to make the case as favorable as they could .
By that is meant that they insisted that no personal harm
was intended or ever perpetrated against the man, who
willingly agreed to guide himself in accordance with the
wishes of his abductors .
The father of the writer was a neighbor of Morgan, knew
the persons accused and gave it as his belief, expressed many
years after, that Morgan was placed in a boat or flung over-
board and sent over Niagara Falls .
The direct outcome of the disappearance of Morgan was
the formation of the anti-Masonic party, whose leaders were
William H. Seward, Millard Fillmore, William Wirt (attor-
ney-general under Monroe), John Quincy Adams and that
adroit politician, Thurlow Weed . During the four years
ending in 18 31, some one or other connected with the abduc-
tion was in jail, and suits were prosecuted for a long time .
Sheriff Bruce was removed from office by Governor Clinton .
He also suffered imprisonment for a year and a half. The
sheriff always contended that Morgan voluntarily accom-
panied the parties who had him in charge . Loton Lawson
was sentenced for a term of two years, Nicholas G . Chesebro
for one year and Edward Sawyer for one month . The
natural question that presents itself at this point is that if
Morgan was alive, why was he not traced-as he certainly
could have been-and restored to his friends? In truth, he
was and had been dead for a good while .
The resentment against Free Masonry flamed into a fire
that threatened to sweep everything before it . In many
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places, clergymen were not allowed to preach unless they
repudiated and denounced Masonry, and Masonic meetings
were prevented by force of arms . In several of the States
the Grand Lodges felt it advisable to suspend their meetings
for years . In Vermont every lodge stopped work . It is the
:pride of my own lodge (Trenton, No. 5) that it did not miss a
single communication throughout all those tempestuous years,
being the only one in New Jersey that thus braved the storm .
'The old lodge room was on the bank of the Delaware, and in
order to reach it the members stole through alleys and along
the shore till it was safe to dodge to the door where the
trembling tyler admitted them . Many of those who were
warmly attached to the order, after passing temperate reso-
lutions, counselled a yielding for the time to the persecution,
a closing of their work and the surrender of their charters .
This was extensively done . As evidence of the staggering
blow to Masonry, it may be stated that although the Grand
Lodge of Maine met annually from 1834 to 1843, it once
had not a single representative from any lodge, and only
twice during that period did it have representatives from
more than four lodges . The lodges in New Jersey were
reduced from thirty-three to six in number .
The cruellest charge was that Governor Clinton com-
mitted suicide in 1828 because of his remorse for sanctioning
the death of Morgan . Only a few months before his death
he had declared that Free Masonry was no more responsible
for the acts of unworthy members than any other institution
or association .
No occurrence, however tragic, is safe from misuse by the
politicians . More than a hundred anti-Masonic newspapers
sprang into existence, whose venomous opposition was beyond
description . Chief among these was the Albany Evening
Journal, under the control of Thurlow Weed, a representa-
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202 The Abduction of William Morgan
tive of Monroe County in the Legislature . No language
was too inflammatory for this and the other papers .
On October7 ,
1827, the body of a drowned man was
found on the beach of Lake Ontario, forty miles fromNiagara . It was so decomposed that recognition was im-
possible, and the coroner's jury, having rendered a verdict
of accidental death, the remains were buried. The golden
opportunity was not lost by Weed . He and several men,
including David C . Miller, had the grave reopened . At the
second inquest, Mrs . Morgan and other witnesses identified
the body of her husband . The fact that the clothing was
such as Morgan had never been known to wear, and that he
had been missing for more than a year, and that no perceptible
physical resemblance could be noted, did not prevent the official
declaration that the remains were those of William Morgan .
It was on this occasion that Thurlow Weed is said to have re-
plied to the absurdity of the whole business by the grim dec-
laration, "It's a good enough Morgan till after election ."
The evidence that the remains were not those of the Morgan
became so clear that a third inquest was held in the latter
part of 1827. It was then established beyond question that
the body was that of Timothy Monro, whose boat had been
upset while crossing the river some weeks previous .
Thurlow Weed, in a letter published September 9, 1882,
said that John Whitney, while at his house in 1831, confessed
that he and four others, whom he named, told Morgan, who
was confined in a magazine at Fort Niagara, that arrange-
ments had been made for sending him to Canada, where his
family would soon follow him ; that Morgan consented and
walked with the party to a boat, which was rowed to the
mouth of the river, where a rope was wound aroundMorgan's body, to each end of which a sinker was attached,
and he was then thrown overboard . Weed said he could not
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The Abduction of William Morgan 203
in honor reveal a secret thus imparted to him . Twenty-nine
years later, when Weed was attending a National Republican
Convention in Chicago, where John Whitney lived, the latter
called upon him with the request that he would write out
what he had told him in 1831, have it witnessed, sealed up
and published after his death . Weed promised to do so, but
in the hurry and excitement of the convention which nom-
inated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency, he overlooked
the matter . In 1861, Weed while in London wrote to
Whitney, asking him to get Alexander B. Williams of
Chicago to perform the duty which Weed had so unpardon-
ably neglected . Whitney died just before the letter reached
Chicago .
Such was Weed's statement, but the fact remains that
Whitney did not die until eight years after the date given by
Weed, and witnesses came forward who declared that they
heard Whitney angrily protest to Weed against his persistent
falsehoods about him .
To return, the anti-Masonic party grew rapidly in num-
bers . At first it was confined to western New York, where,
in 1828, its candidate for Governor received 33,345 votes,
not enough, however, to elect him . In the following year,
in the State election, the anti-Masons carried fifteen counties
and polled 67,000 votes . In 183o and 1832, Francis
Granger, the nominee of the anti-Masonic party, received a
large vote, but not sufficient in either case to bring him
success . In the State of New York, the vote of 33,345 in
:1828 rose to 156,672 in 1832 . In the last-named year the
anti-Masonic party entered the Presidential field, nominating
William Wirt of Maryland and Amos Ellmaker of Pennsyl-
vania respectively for President and Vice-President . This
ticket received all the electoral votes of Vermont . It should
be noted, too, that in 1836 Francis Granger was nominated
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204 The Abduction of William Morgan
on the ticket with General William Henry Harrison . After
that the opposition to Free Masonry died out almost as
rapidly as it had arisen, and the order was never more flour-
ishing than it is to-day .
Those who recall the devious ways of Thurlow Weed will
hardly believe the statement he made about John Whitney,
in view of the inaccuracy that his London letter of 1861 did
not reach Chicago until after the death of Whitney, who lived
until 1869 Whitney did leave a statement, which was not
to be published until after his death, and not then unless a
new attack should be made upon Free Masonry .
Whitney declared that the plan from inception to com-
pletion had in view nothing more than a deportation of
Morgan, by friendly agreement between the parties, either
to Canada or some other country . Ample means were pro-
vided for the support of Morgan's family, and for giving
him a fair start in life . Morgan agreed to everything pro-
posed. He was to destroy all MSS., gradually cease drink-
ing, refuse to meet his former partners, and to go to Canada,
if necessary, on an hour's notice . When he reached his
appointed place, he was to be paid $5oo upon his written
pledge not to return to the States . His family were to be sent
to him with as little delay as possible .
It will be recalled that Morgan was released from jail
upon the payment of his debt . This was part of the pre-
arranged plan, and Morgan understood it all . Unfortu-
nately he had obtained liquor, which always made him violent,
and he fiercely resisted, till he realized his mistake, when he
yielded and got into the carriage as quietly as did the other
members of the party. Whitney accompanied the coach fromCanandaigua . The sheriff joined the party at Wright's
Corners and they drove to Youngstown, where they called
upon Colonel William King, an officer of the War of 18 12 .
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From this point we quote
"King and Bruce got into the carriage together and had a
long conversation with Morgan. The whole transaction was
gone over and Morgan gave his assent and concurrence there-
with .
"On arriving near the fort, the driver (not a Mason) was
dismissed and the coach sent back . The ferryboat was ready
and the party went immediately on board . It was rowed by
Elisha Adams nearly opposite the fort and about a mile from
the Canadian village of Niagara . Leaving Morgan in the
boat, three of the party went to the village and met a com-
mittee of two Canadian Masons as agreed .
"No official inquiry has ever brought out the names of
these, and I shall ever be silent concerning them . We came
back to the boat, the Canadian brethren bringing a lantern .
Bruce called Morgan up the bank, out of the boat, and the
party sat down together on the grass . Now Colonel King
required of Morgan the most explicit consent to the move-
ments that had brought him there . By the aid of questions
from the whole party, Morgan admitted as follows :
" ` ( i ) That he had contracted with Miller and others to
write an exposition of Masonry, for which he was to receive
a compensation .
" ` (2) That he had never been made a Mason in any
lodge, but had received the Royal Arch degree in a regular
manner .
" `(3) That Miller and the other partners had utterly
failed to fulfil the terms of the contract with him .
" `(4) That Whitney had paid him $so, as agreed, and
he had agreed to destroy the written and printed work as far
as possible and furnish no more, and that before leaving
Batavia he had done what he promised in that way .
" `(5) That it was impossible now for Miller to continue
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206 The Abduction of William Morgan
the "illustrations" as he [Morgan] had written them . If
he published any book, it would have to be made from some
other person's materials .
" ` (6) That he had been treated by Chesebro, Whitney,
Bruce, and all of them with perfect kindness on the journey .
" ` (7) That he was willing and anxious to be separated
from Miller and from all idea of a Masonic expose ; wished
to go into the interior of Canada and settle down as a British
citizen ; wished to have his family sent to him as soon as
possible ; expected $500when he reached the place, as agreed
upon ; expected more money from year to year, to help him,
if necessary .
" `( 8) Finally he expressed his sorrow for the uproar his
proceedings had made, sorrow for the shame and mortifica-
tion of his friends, and had "no idea that David C . Miller
was such a dcoundrel as he had turned out to be ." '
"We had ascertained at the village that the Canadian
brethren would be ready to perform their part and remove
Morgan westward by the latter part of that or the first of
the succeeding week, but objected so strenuously to having
him remain among them in the meantime, that it was agreed
that he [Morgan] should be taken to the American side until
the Canadians should notify us that they were ready .
"This was explained to Morgan, and he agreed to it . It
was then understood that he was to remain in the magazine
without attempting to get out until matters were arranged
for his removal . The party then rowed back, and Morgan
was left in the bomb proof of the magazine .
"The party then left, breakfasted at Youngstown, and
went up to Lewiston on the Rochester boat that passed up,
with passengers for the Royal Arch installation that occurred
there that day . There was quite a company of us there, and
the intelligence was freely communicated that Morgan was
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The Abduction of William Morgan 209
in Fort Niagara, and the greatest satisfactionwas expressed at
the news that the manuscripts and printed sheets had been de-
stroyed, and that in a few days Morgan would be effectually
separated from the company that had led to his ruin. During
the day it was reported to us at Lewiston that 'Morgan had
gone into theatricals,' and was shouting and alarming the
people in the vicinity . Nothing would quiet him except rum,
which was given him .
"Lawson, Whitney and a few others remained in the
vicinity until Sunday night, when the two Canadian brethren
came over, received Morgan, receipted to Whitney for the
money [$5oo] and crossed to the west side of the river .
"They travelled on horseback-three horses in the party ;
Monday night they rode some thirty miles farther to a point
near the present city of Hamilton, where the journey ended .
Morgan signed a receipt for the $5oo . He also signed a
declaration of the facts in the case .
"We supposed we could at any time trace him up . Wefelt that the craft would be the gainer by our labors . Wewere prepared to send his wife and children to him as agreed .
We supposed that that was the end of it .
"What a tremendous blunder we all made! It was scarcely
a week until we saw that trouble was before us . It was not a
fortnight until Colonel King sent a confidential messenger
into Canada to see Morgan and prepare to bring him back .
"But alas! he who had sold his friends at Batavia had
also sold us. He had gone. He had left the village within
forty-eight hours after the departure of those who had taken
him there . He was traced east to a point down the river not
far from Port Hope, where he sold his horse and disappeared .
He had doubtless got on board a vessel there and sailed out of
the country . At any rate, that was the last we ever heard
of him."
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MASONIC GRAND LODGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND BRITISH AMERICA(From the World Almanac)
The returns of the Grand Lodges of the United States and British America for 2905-1906were as follows : Whole number ofmembers, 2,062,425 ; raised, 81,386 ; admissions and restorations, 28,255 ; withdrawals, 22,008 • expulsions and suspensions, 659; sus-
pensions for non-payment of dues, 12,76o , deaths, 16,223 . Gain in membership over preceding year, 58,177. Membership in 2906,
2,129,001 ; gain over the preceding year of 66,576.
These Grand Lodges are in full affiliation with the English Grand Lodge, of which the Duke of Connaught is Grand Master,and the Grand Lodges of Ireland, Scotland, Cuba, Peru, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and also with the Masons of
Germany and Austria . They are not in affiliation and do not correspond with th e Masons under the jurisdictio n of the Grand
Orient of France ; they, however, affiliate with and recognize Masons u nder the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council . Freemasonryis under the ban of the Church in Spain, Italy, and other Catholic countries, and the membership is small and scattered .
*2905Report
GRANDLODGES
NoMembers,
x906
GRANDGrand Secretaries LODGES
No .
Members,1906
Grand Secretaries
Alabamarizonarkansas*ritish Columbia
Californiaanada . . (oloradoonnecticutDelawareistrict of Col . , .
Floridaeorgiadahollinoisndianandian Territory
Iowaansasentuckyouisianaaineanitobaarylandassachusetts . . .
Michiganinnesotaississippiissouriontanaebraska
x6,667x,29226,x552,85932,6x9
35,00010,99729,346z,6687,3656,02925,2892,05674,74142,6276,36335,7292,5,986
26,9928,96025,3074,786x2,05746,79051,87220,28712,24440,9834,01314,71()
G A. Beauchamp, Montgomery NevadaJ . Tucson New Brunswick*
F. (Hempstead, Little Rock New Hampshire .R B . Brett, Columbia New JerseyJohnson, San Francisco New Mexico
Hugh Murray, Hamilton New York. H. ~acobson, Denver North Carolina, .
John fi . Barlow, Hartford North Dakota . . .
. F. Bartram, Wilmington Nova ScotiaArvine W. Johnston, Wash . OhioP. Webster, Jacksonville Oklahoma
A. Wolihin, Macon Oregonheop. W. Randall, Boise Pennsylvania . . . .
J. H . C . Dill, Bloomington Prince Ed . IslandW Prather, Indianapolis Quebec. S. Murrow, Atoka Rhode Island . . . .
N. R. Parvin, Cedar Rapids South Carolina . .
Albert K. Wilson, Topeka South Dakota . . . .H B . Grant, Louisville TennesseeLambert, New Orleans Texas
tephen Berry, Portland Utahames A. Ovas, Winnipeg Vermontin. M . Isaac, Baltimore Virginia. D. Nickerson, Boston WashingtonL B . Winsor, Reed City West Virginia . . . .
T. Montgomery, St . Paul Wisconsin. Speed, Vicksburg Wyoming. R. Parson, St . Louis
Cornelius Hedges, Helena Totalrancis E. White, Omaha
110302,204
9,565
213,4871,484
x39,20614,5785,2534,42762,6365,9767,32267,7066o8
4,7096,4287,937
5,95729,42038,7201,213
1153515,8468,99720,221
21,2512,8og
1,129,001
C. N. Noteware, CarsonTwining Hartt, St. John. D. Woodbury, ConcordT. H. R. Redway, TrentonA A. Keen, AlbuquerqueE. M. L. Ehlers, New York CityJohn C. Drewry, Raleigh
J. Thompson, FargoThomas Mowbray, HalifaxJ. H. Bromwell, CincinnatiJ. S. Hunt, Stillwateras. F. Robinson, EugeneWm A. Sinn, PhiladelphiaN MacKelvie, Summerside
Will. H. Whyte, MontrealS. P. Williams, ProvidenceJacob T. Barron, ColumbiaG A. Pettigrew, FlandreauJohn B. Garrett Nashvilleohn Watson, W acoC. Diehl, Salt Lake City
H. H. Ross, BurlingtonG. W. Carrington, RichmondHorace W . Tyler, Seattle
H. R . Howard, Point PleasantWm. W. Perry, MilwaukeeWL. Kuykendall, Saratoga
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The Forest, the Prairies, the Mountains I
HOW our blood warms and tingles over these romances of the frontier 1The brooding twilight of the woods, the flash of the mountain stream,the illimitable sweep of the prairies, the moaning of the night wind
among the pines, the sifting of the snow against the log cabin, the sunlightstealing through the forest arches, the shadowy trail, read like an open bookby the masters of woodcraft, the matching of the white man's skill againstthe cunning of the red Indian, the encounters in the dismal wilderness, therelentless advance of civilization upon savagery-these are themes thatquicken the pulse and hold the interest of the reader enchained .
In these tales of the early pioneers by Edward S. Ellis, we catch the odorof the bark on the trees, of the leaves under foot, and the fragrance of thewild flowers ; we hear the soft sweep of the Indian's paddle and the arrowyflight of his birch canoe ; through the somber solitudes steals the bird-like
call of the warrior, and we feel the tragedies in the depths of the forest. Inthose games of marvelous woodcraft, the stakes were human lives, and notalways did victory abide with the brave, the chivalrous and those skilled be-yond other men in the ways of the woods .
Best of all, these stories are clean, wholesome and manly in their tenden-cies and teaching . Parents who wish to furnish good reading to their chil-dren (and what parent does not wish to do so?) can make no better selection
than those named below. As a prominent authority remarked, no motherneed hesitate to place, unread by herself, any book written by Mr . Ellis, in
the hands of her boy or girl .
BOY PIONEER SERIES3 vols. 121110, Cloth . Illustrated .
NED IN THE BLOCK HOUSENED IN THE WOODSNED ON THE RIVER
Price per volume
Price per set 3 volumes
LOG CABIN SERIES3 vols. I2mo, Cloth. Illustrated .
LOST TRAILCAMP-FIRE AND WIGWAMFOOTPRINTS IN THE FOREST
Price per volume
Price per set 3 volumes
$1.00
3.00
$1.00
3.00
DEERFOOT SERIES3 vols. 121110, Cloth. Illustrated .
HUNTERS OF THE OZARKCAMP IN THE MOUNTAINSTHE LAST WAR TRAIL
Price per volume $1.00Price per set 3 volumes 3.00
NEWDEERFOOT SERIESEach volume illustrated by eight
original half-tone engravings by J .
Steeple Davis .
3 vols. I2mo, Cloth. Illustrated .
DEERFOOT IN THE FORESTDEERFOOT IN THE MOUNTAINSDEERFOOT ON THE PRAIRIE
Price per volume $1.00Price per set 3 volumes 3.00
THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
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The Story of the Greatest Nations
THESE are days of momentous events . The world is sweeping forward
in its stupendous progress as never before . Wars and rumors of wars,
movements of far-reaching significance, national complications, threatened
revolutions, startling discoveries in science, and the promise of still greater
discoveries in the fields of investigation, the unveiling of nature's most
mysterious secrets, the broadening spheres of knowledge-all these fill the
mind of man with awe and wondering expectancy .
We stand upon the verge of the mightiest achievements of mankind . Thekey to the limitless storehouses lies in the history of the deeds of peoples who
have risen to the loftiest heights of splendor and then have faded out and left
only a memory, or are still pressing to the goal that will mark the furthest
bounds of human power and attainment .
What a wonderful record is comprehended in «The Story of the Greatest