Texas A and M University - Aggieland Yearbook (College Station, TX)

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lllllllii 1 )oa ' (,(l o| aecto ' U C(. and f)Ti. elleyecj’ ° l exert. Gen. Lawrence Sullivan Ross was born Septem¬ ber 27th, 1838. When about six months old his father moved to AVaco—then a mere Indian village. Surrounded in early boyhood by the hos¬ tile and fearless Comanches, young Ross grew up inured to the privations and hard¬ ships, as well as the dangers of frontier and Indian life. He early gave evidence of a bravery and devotion to the State, which has since char¬ acterized his whole life.— When nineteen years old at home on a summer vacation from college, he won his spurs and the sobriquet of j| “ the boy captain ” in a des¬ perate encounter with Co¬ manches, killing 95 of their number, capturing 350 head of horses, and recovering a little white girl, whose pa¬ rents could never be traced, but whom Ross brought up and educated. On recovery, he returned to college and graduated with distinction. He immediately returned to Texas, and was at once placed in command of the frontier, at the early age of twenty years, by the far-seeing Governor Sam Houston. At once organizing a faithful and fearless band of follow¬ ers, in a heroic encounter with the Comanches, he de¬ Pkrsident L. S. Ross.

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not one year old, the organization is one which will reflect credit on the college anywhere ; and its members may rest assured that their earnest efforts are fully appreci¬ ated, both by the Corps and the Campus. this, our first Annual, we may well look with pride of on the fact that all our cartoons and other illustrative drawings are the work of “ home talent.” Kven some of our photographs—those illustrating the article Dovjn the Line —were done by Mrs. J. H. Connell, wife of our pro¬ fessor of agriculture. And while we do not have co¬ education here, as at the University, } r et Miss Hutson has been a lecture-student for the past two years, and is counted an honorary member of the class of ’95. Two of our designers, Mr. McMillan and Mr. Holman, graduate this year ; but the succeeding numbers of The Olio will, we trust, for several years } 7 et, have the benefit of Mr. Munro’s ready pencil. Tf HU thanks of the Executive Board and of the editorial staff of The Olio are due to our whole Faculty for many helps and acts of kindness. In particular we wish to express our gratitude to President Ross, Professor Hutson, Professor Philpott and Professor and Mrs. Connell, for special assistance. 4 - « 12

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feated them with terrible slaughter, capturing- their prin¬ cipal villag-e and stronghold, captured over 400 head of horses, and rescued Cynthia Ann Parker. In this battle Ross killed in a hand-to-hand combat the big chief Peta Nocona; and was soon afterwards, by special order from the War Department at Washington, commended for his bravery, and offered a commission in the United States army. Entering the Confederate army as a private, he rap¬ idly rose to the rank of brigadier-general. His many deeds of valor throughout that war are too numerous to mention here, having participated in 135 engagements of varying importance. Perhaps the most memorable in¬ stance of his gallantry was at Corinth, in his famous charge on battery Robinett, where he lost 150 men of 350 in going a distance of 300 yards before the fort was reached and taken. He here won the distinction of “ the hero of Corinth,” and was named by Gen. Dabney A. Maurey, as displaying the most distinguished bravery on that memorable occasion. After the war, left penniless, he went to farming, and in 1873 was elected sheriff of his county—thus inaugurat¬ ing a brilliant era of public service to the State, marked by firmness, conservatism, honesty and patriotism. A service so well known that it is here only necessary to mention it. Retiring from the Governor’s chair in 1890, he became President of the Agricultural and Mechanical College. He has met with the same success here as in other lines of public service ; the growth of the institution has been rapid and continuous under his guiding direction. Five new residences have been added—a commodious brick dormitory, a brick wood shop, blacksmith shop, electric light and ice plant, steam laundry, water works and natatorium. The departments have received new equipment, and the grounds transformed under his imme¬ diate direction from a prairie waste to a flower garden.