The Red Cloud chief., 1898-09-02

and the capabilities of my soldiers and
the moral effect of our gradually
coping up the enemy within his own
lines.
KNEW BETTER, PERSONALLY.
my engineers were very apprehen-
sive that the Spandiards might break
through on my left and cut of ST.
honey. This, from a purely military
standpoint. might have been truth.
fully correct, but personally ! had not
for a moment any fear or that score.
The result has, l think, proved the
correctness of my conclusions.
"Our primary object vas to drive
Ccrvera out and next TO take the town.
We had gradually driven the Spaniards
back on his lines, circling the city and
slowly advancing day by day. The
enemy began losing spirit rs Dol as
our guns had been placed in a position
10 cover the town.
when Cervera left the situation
was changed. The town was Mt my
mercy and had / given the order for a
direct assault IL would have been
taken within our hours. I believe
that with the forces then at my COM
mand, reinforced rs they had been, l
was In n position to take the city by
force.
But IL ! had taken a step Of such a
character what would have been the
result? l estimate that our casualties
would have been 1000 men and the
action l took has had more brilliant
real results without heavy loss Of val.
liable lives.
KNEW ToRAL WOULD GIVE UP.
THE town itself Is admirably stu
atcd for defense and the fight would
have been a long and bloody one.
Every house is strongly constructed of
stone and entirely different from the
ordinary frame buildings, Every
house was a little fortress itself. Had
the Spaniards, forced by desperation,
fought the battle out In the streets
u loss would have been enormous.
But from the moment General Toral
made a proposition for a conference
knew he was determined TO give ny
and acted accordingly.
SICK ONLY TWO DAYS.
personal reflections have been cas-,
upon me because l was not on the
fighting line. This was not the place
for a general in command Of an army
II must be remembered that l was cor
nected by telephone with the officers
at the front and was better able to di
rect operations from the position ] hat
taken. Save for two days when i'll,
was in direct command of this cam
paign, which l consider unique IL
American history, for Il was really tn,
first time the United States had fought
with it's regular army. The civil wa,
was a war of volunteers, but this cam
paign was fought by our regulai
troops.
81 did not notice the fact Mt first
but there were only three voluntee
regiments engaged against the Span
iards. While the highest credit is 4
be given them and they fought bravel.
and well, there was the moral supper
Of the regulars back Of IL all.
WHAT VOLUNTEERS LACKED.
: 'Our volunteers lacked that unity
cohesion and individual support nc
: ticeable in our trained troops, but a
the same time no disparsgemen
: should be made OF the volunteer reg
ments In the campaign. What the
lacked otherwise they made up for !
!, enthusiasm and patriotic spirit and
desire to command no better arm
q than the n composed Of the class @
' volunteers under me in the Santisy
campaign.
The operations Of the regulars |
the campaign have proved conclusivel
!, their superiority over SON, organizs
q iions OF state militia in which the me
are partly compelled To serve by
5 sense OF shame. out they do not sho'
n the enthusiasm of volunteers.