Los Angeles County
Biographies
MAJOR FREDERICK RUSSELL BURNHAM
BURNHAM, MAJOR FREDERICK
RUSSELL, Pasadena, Cal., Soldier, Scout, Frontiersman and Mining Expert, was
born near Mankato, Minn., May 11, 1861. Son of
Rev. Edwin Otway Burnham and Rebecca Elizabeth (Russell) Burnham. Married Blanche Blick, at Prescott, Ia.,
Feb. 6, 1884. Three children were born, Roderick D.,
Bruce B., and Nada Burnham. Latter died of fever and starvation in siege
of Bulawajo (Matabele
campaign), South Africa. Major Burnham is descended of a family noted in every
American war, including the French and Indian wars. His father was a
Kentuckian, a pioneer missionary among the Indians of Minn. The family passed
through the uprising of Red Cloud at New Ulm, Minn., and on another occasion
his mother, carrying him, fled from her home and hid the boy in bushes until
the Indians had been driven away.
The Major attended schools in Iowa and California,
whither the family moved in 1870, but his real education was in the open.
Richard Harding Davis, writing of Burnham in “Real Soldiers of Fortune,” says:
“Some men are born scouts, others by training become
scouts. From his father Burnham inherited his instinct for woodcraft, and to
this instinct which in him is as keen as in a wild deer or a mountain lion, he
has added in the jungle and on the prairie and mountain ranges, years of the
hardest, most relentless schooling. In those years he has trained himself to
endure the most appalling fatigue, hunger, thirst and wounds; has subdued the
brain to infinite patience, has learned to force every nerve of his body to
absolute obedience; to still even the beating of his heart.”
Major Burnham’s father died when the lad was eleven years
old, and the son worked for two years as a mounted messenger for the Western
Union Telegraph Co. He was known as the hardest rider in Southern California.
At fourteen he began his life as a scout and frontiersman, and for the next few
years wandered over Arizona, Mexico, California and other parts of the
Southwest. In 1878 he went to the frontier of Texas as a cowboy and buffalo
hunter, also doing police duty. In 1880 he moved to Arizona, and became a
prospector and a scout in the Indian wars.
In 1882, because of his daring, expert knowledge of woodcraft
and absolute fearlessness, Major Burnham was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Pinal
County, Ariz., but served only a year, returning to his cattle and mining
interests, scattered from Mexico to British Columbia. About 1884, he purchased
an orange grove at Pasadena, Cal., but after a few weeks of inactivity, went
back to frontier life.
Major Burnham, when he heard of the work of John Cecil
Rhodes in South Africa, decided to go to that country. He sailed, in 1893, with
his wife and small son. The first Matabele uprising
was in progress, so he went to Rhodesia and volunteered his services to the
British.
Here Major Burnham began the life of brilliant daring
which placed him among the world’s famous soldiers. His knowledge gained in the
Indian wars was brought into play and he became one of the chief advisors of
Cecil Rhodes and Dr. Jameson. The most historic event in the war was Major
Alan Wilson’s attempt, with 344 picked men, to capture Lobengula,
the Matabele King, who was guarded by 3000 warriors.
Burnham and Ingram were of this party and distinguished themselves. The attempt
of Wilson failed, he and most of his men being
massacred. Burnham, Ingram and another man were sent for reinforcements and
after a thrilling trip, reached Major Forbes’ command, but he was engaged in a
desperate battle and unable to go to Wilson’s aid. Burnham and his comrades
joined Forbes and helped fight to safety. Wilson’s dash was made the subject of
a war drama, with Burnham as one of the heroic figures, causing great enthusiasm
throughout Great Britain, and Henseman, in his
history of Rhodesia, referring to it, says:
“One hardly knows which to most admire, the men who went
on this dangerous errand, through brush swarming with natives, or those who
remained behind battling against overwhelming odds.”
For his services the Government and Cecil Rhodes gave
Burnham and his companions 300 square miles of land, also the chartered company
gave him a campaign medal and an engraved watch.
Returning to Rhodesia in 1896, Major Burnham took part in
the second Matabele uprising and distinguished
himself by destroying the native King, Umlimo, in a
cave in the mountains, which act put an end to the rebellion. Burnham and his
companion, who broke through the native lines to get their man, had a thrilling
escape.
Shortly after this Burnham left South Africa, and after a
brief stay in California, went to the Klondike as a prospector. Upon hearing of
the Spanish-American war he rushed back to the U. S. to volunteer his
services, but was too late. Colonel Roosevelt regretted this as much as Burnham
and paid him a great tribute in his book.
Burnham returned to the Klondike, but in 1900, upon being
offered the post of Chief of Scouts by Field Marshal Lord Roberts, joined the
British army in South Africa and served through the Boer war, receiving great
honors from the British people. Upon being invalided home, he was greeted by
London as a hero, and commanded by Queen Victoria to dine and spend a night at
Osborne House. He received the campaign medal and was presented by King Edward,
personally, after the death of the Queen, with the Cross of the Distinguished
Service Order. He was given the rank of Major in the British Army, presented
with a purse of gold, and received a personal letter of praise from Lord
Roberts.
Major Burnham is associated in the Yaqui Delta Land &
Water Co.’s development of a large tract of land in old Mexico, with John Hays
Hammond, companion of earlier days in the service of Cecil Rhodes.
Major Burnham is a member of the Masonic order.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
12 May 2011.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 657,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston,
Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Marie Hassard.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES