The times., 1898-11-29
ASSISTANT wH1TEwAsHERs.
Gems. Shafter, Young and Others
Aiding the Incompetents.


Aiding the IncOmpetents.
.'We~don't fight over the battles of the
Civil War, as we used to do said a
distinguished army veteran at the Army
and Navy Club last night. There is
more to talk about in the recent war with
Spain, and more subjects for discussion .
You see. the Civil War was genu-
inc war. We developed leaders. and all
the time President Lincoln was looking
for superior generals. All of the Mexican
war veterans were welcomed. when they
rendered their services, for they knew
rendered good service. Yes, that was a
genuine war. and there were no traitors
in high places, after the war really be-
gan. 49,.
''The history of the Civil War was
trathfully made from day to day. Tie
history of the recent war. is being made
by falsifiers and incompetents. These
terms apply not only to those who have
been acting assistant whitewashers for
the AIger Relief Commission. but also to
those who have been making pubic ut-
te-aEces of falsehoods. in private roems,
in pariors. in newspapers at banauets,
and in public places.
1T was contemplate, to say the least,
for Gen. Young to testify to the belief
that the sick soldiers coming home from
Santiago, had been treated like babies.
But ii was nothing less than infamous for
Gen. Shafter to say in public that the
battle of San Juan was no trouble. 1t
was not a difficult assault
That is part truth, and part falsehood.
In the aggregate it is an insult to every
soldier who went into battle to preserve
the honor of his country. 1t Is true that,
to Shafter, the battle was no trouble
That is true. because he was not in it.
But when he says that the assault was
easy, he tells a direct untruth. Gen.
Chaffee. Col. Roosevelt and the others are
all liars. If we are to believe Shafter.
Gen. Sumner. Gen. Lawton. Gen. Hawk
ins, Gen. Kent, Gen. Wood. and all who
participated in the battle know that there
was considerable trouble in the front,
and that the assault was exceedingly diff
fcult
Another malicious bit of business on
the part of Shafter. is the fact that he
has suppressed all reference TO Gen.
Wheeler in his report Of the battle, when,
as a matter of fact, II was under Gen.
Wheeler's command that the battle was
fought. while Shafter swinging in a
hammock FIVE miles away. sruntins and
groaning with a pain in the stomach.
This is a nice sort of hero of Santiago
to go about the country be,ittlins the men
who did all of the fighting. Military
attaches of foreign governments who wit
messed the battle have all testified TO the
courage. valor and pell-meu power OF the
American soldiers who captured the hill
when fl seemed impregnabie.
In letter written at the time, Rich
ard Harding Davis says: After We land
ed. / did not see Shafter often. as my
work prevented my going as far to the
rear as his headquarters always happened
to be The San Juan fight was won only
through the brute courage of the regi-
metal officers and enlisted men That is
the naked truth. And yet, this Alger-
made soldier. and Corbin-made hero has
The unlimited gall to undertake to pose
and talk sneeringly of the soldiers who
fought the battle: the battle of which he
knew nothing whatever. As Il matter of
fact, in his official report. Shafter admits
that he was not present, did not see any
part Of ii, nor have anything to do with
it He was taking medicine and nursing
his gout during the entire time