Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-09-01
Officers Versus Men.


The following appeared IN tAe SOL
diers Column of the Washington, D. Z
Post of Wednesday of last week, the
24th inst
Editor Post: Last Fridays Washing
ton napers stated that as soon as 1t be-
came known that certain volunteer reg
iments had been selected to be mustered
ont. protests began to be sent 70 the war
department strongly opposing the same
and objecting to discharge before seeing
some actual service. These protests, II
was said, came from officers, politl-
clans. and others" but none was report
ed from the rank and file of the reg1-
ments.
/ do not know how the men OF other
commands may feel, but will domy best
to set forth the position of the tltteentn
Pennsylvania Volunteers and the opln-
ions of the great majority of the regl-
ments concerning the matter OF beng
mustered out. The FifteentE left their
homes "for war" April % and lay in
camp at Mount Gretna, Pa, until the
nth of June During this period ex-
peditions were being formed and regi-
ments assigned to them. Our com
mander had chance to take his regl-
ment to Manila, but let it slip through
his fingers.
.June 12 we came TO Fort Washington
and have been garrisoned here ever
since We felt on arrival that here we
would stay till the end of the war and
never see any actual campaigning. The
regiments captains, like the great ma
iority of their men, felt dissatisfied with
our assignment and proposed concert
ed movement to secure change 10
greater activity, but the higher officers
seemed very well content with their
snap job and not only refused to take
part in the movement, but the colonel
rolled his eyes in astonishment, felgned
or real, and came down on the project
f1at-footed.
Hostilities have now ceased and the
war is practically over unless difficulties
arise with the Cubans themselves. To
prevent or settle such troubles troops
will have to be stationed in Cuba and
other new acquisitions. Most of the Off.
GERS have found it very nice and fne to
do nothing all day long and draw salar-
les ranging from 1925 to $500 per month.
while the men in the ranks, who gener-
ally made as good wages, and IN some
cases great deal more, at home, draw
their little $3.50 per" So it IS only
human that the officers wish to make
their soft snaps continue as long as pos
sible, and, sad to say, it seems that they
are willing to do so at the expense of
their men, sacrificing the rights and un-
doubtly blasting the future of many.
The newspapers stated not long ago
that two officers of the Fifteenth had
been at the war department in Wash
ington trying to have their regiment as
signed to occupy some post in the Phll1-
ppines or other islands, and at the pres
ent writing another is away from camp,
presumably trying to further this de-
sign.
OF course every one. officer or private,
knows best why he does or does not
wish to continue army life. We. for
our part, know that four-fifths of the
Fifteenth Regiment are sick and tried
of military life as viewed from the
standpoint of garrison duty. and object
most strongly to spending the next TWEEN
ty months in existence so lacking in pur-
pose and usefulness. We see no honor
in being sent to occupy Cuba after Spain
has surrendered it. It's true we enlist
ed for two years unless sooner dis
charged If the war lasted two or
it, but if the war is over we wish to be
returned to our homes 20 resume the
peaceful pursuits we left in the hope of
serving our country. IF Uncle Sam
has no more use for us we feel that he
should discharge us. The garrison duty
belongs to the regulars, who make sol
diering a business. The great majority
of us feel this way, and yet Officers
politicians, and others 60 to the war
department and state there and to the
world that we object to being mustered
out, but wish to continue in this tent ed
exile. In asserting this they simply try
to make Secretary Alger and the public
believe lie.
Now let it be understood that an over
whelming majority of the Fifteenth
Pennsylvania Volunteers want no ad-
ditional twenty months of garrison duty
and if we are not needed to suppress
guerrilla bands of Cubans IN actual war
fare we consider our government under
obligation to muster us out of the ser
vice. No matter what any salary daz-
zied officer or designing politician may
say, this is the truth. e. III. NEGLEY,
Company E. Fifteenth Pa. Vol.
Fort Washington, Nd.
This letter caused sensation in the
camp, and Col. Kreps telephoned from
Washington to place Negley under
arrest, and he was threatened with
court martial and imprisonment
The letter was answered in the
same paper next day, by one signed by
a aSergeant named Ludwig but suppos-
ed to have been written by Major Craw
ford, in which a feeble denial of Neg
ley's charges was made, and that was
followed by one of Private Lewis Of
the Grove City company in which he
said
II noticed by this mornings issue of |
your paper that Sergt Ludwig. of |
Company G. Fife enth regiment United |
States Volunteers, has taken exception |
to the statement of Z. H. Negley, Com |
pany e, Fifteenth regiment, in which |
he says that Negley is only speaking for
himself and few of the rank and file. |
The following figures will prove that |
Sergt Ludwig's statement is incorrect.
His own company and 70 men out of 106
signed petition asking the Governor
of Pennsylvania to use his influence to
have them mustered out The other
companies signed as follows: Com
pany X, 80; Company E, 80; Com
pany +, 80; Company G, SO. Companies !
A. b and d were intimidated by officers |
and threatened with court martial.
We cannot see that Negley made any
assault on the integrity of our officers
While we have the greatest respect for
our officers, we do not wish to be re-
tanned for garrison duty and sacrifice
our personal interests Mt home.
And Lewis was promptly arrested by
order of Kreps and placed in the guard
house.