Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1904 — POLITEST OF WARRIORS. [ARTICLE]

POLITEST OF WARRIORS.

Gen. Plumer, Who Carries DrawingRoom Manners to the Field. Maj. Gen. Plumer, who led a battalion of mounted riflemen in the Matabeleland campaign in 1890, has a reputation rivaling that of “the mildest mannered man that ever scuttled ship or cut a throat." In the thick of the tight lie is the politest of warriors. As an example of ids unvarying “drawingroom manners.” as a brother officer once styled them, a story is told of him that during the Matnbcle campaign his small force found itself in a very hot corner, and the men were falling rapidly in all directions. Plumer had two machine guns with him, and these, he considered, were not doing ns well as they might. He called up an ordejrly, therefore, and said to him: “Will you kindly go to Capt. Blank (who commanded the guns) and tell him that I think ho might do better if he would please move ills guns a little further to the right? Thank you.” And then lie calmly went on with his direction of the tight in the same quiet, onsy manner. Again he was rather badly lilt jvblle in command of a column during the recent South African war, and sent a message to Ills second In command to the effect “that lie was rather badly scratched, and lie would he greatly obliged if Col. Blank would take over the command of the force pending further orders.”