And in the career of the
general the unforeseen adventures are the most interesting. A man
who in eighteen campaigns has played his part would seem to have
earned exemption from any other risks, but often it was outside the
battle-field that MacIver encountered the greatest danger. He
fought several duels, in two of which he killed his adversary;
several attempts were made to assassinate him, and while on his
way to Mexico he was captured by hostile Indians. On returning
from an expedition in Cuba he was cast adrift in an open boat and
for days was without food.
Long before I met General MacIver I had read his book and had
heard of him from many men who had met him in many different
lands while engaged in as many different undertakings. Several of
the older war correspondents knew him intimately; Bennett
Burleigh of the _Telegraph_ was his friend, and E. F. Knight of the
_Times_ was one of those who volunteered for a filibustering
expedition which MacIver organized against New Guinea. The
late Colonel Ochiltree of Texas told me tales of MacIver's bravery,
when as young men they were fellow officers in the Southern
army, and Stephen Bonsal had met him when MacIver was United
States Consul at Denia in Spain. When MacIver arrived at this
post, the ex-consul refused to vacate the Consulate, and MacIver
wished to settle the difficulty with duelling pistols.
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