The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-10

SAMUEL s. SUMNER, Brigadier Gen
eral Volunteers, Commanding First Brig
ade Cavalry.
WILL LUDLOW, Brigadier General
Volunteers, Commanding First Brigade,
Second Division.
"ADELBERT AMES, Brigadier General
Volunteers, Commanding Third Brigade,
First Division.
LEONARD WOOD Brgsdier General
Volunteers Commanding the City Of San
tiago.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Colonel,
Commanding Second Cavalry Brigade,
AS the result of these representations the
war department was moved to something
like energy in an effort to bring the troops
to the north without delay. Transports
were rushed to Santiago. The four great
liners St. Paul and St. Louis, Yale and
Harvard formerly the Paris and New York;
were dispatched to assist in the work Of
removing the army from its peril. Mon
tauk Point, at the east end of Long Island
has been chosen as the site of the camp Ito
which these troops will be transferred, and
work to transform the locality into mill
tary camp, with hospital accommodations
for the SICK was begun and is being pushed
with all the means at the Governments
disposal. Ships have left, and are leaving
daily, for this northern haven.
ROOSEVELT AND ALGER
The sensation of the campaign is the corre-
spondence which passed, when the Porto
Rico expedition was being arranged, be-
tween Colonel Roosevelt and Secretary
Alger.
The declaration in Colonel Roosevelt's let
ter that to keep General Skaters troops on
the island would involve the destruction Of
thousands Of men was viewed as criticism
on the war department, scarcely warranted
by the circumstances and inexcusable,
above all things, in its publication to the
world, Promptly Secretary Alger responded
with slap at Roosevelt, by publishing what
was clearly private and personal letter,
with the apparent intent to make the
colonel ridiculous for an apparent vain
glorious assumption of superiority in his
Rough Riders over the ordinary volunteers,
Here is the correspondence.
SANTIAGO, July %, 1895
My Dear Mr.. Secretary:
1 am writing with the knowledge and APP
prevail of General Wheeler. We earnestly
hope that you will send us, most Of the
regulars and at any rate the cavalry divis-
ion including the Rough Riders, who are as
good as any regulars and three times as
good as any State troops, to Porto Rico.
There are 1 300 effective men in this divis-
ion, if those who were left behind were
| joined to Them we could land at Porto Rico,
in this cavalry division, close to 1000 men,
who would be worth, easily, any 10000 Ma
tional Guards armed with black powder
Springfelds or other archaic weapons.
TN the copy of the letter given out at the War
Department asterisks were inserted at this point,
indicating that part of the Roosevelt letter was
suppressed by Secretary Algerl
Very Respectfully,
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT
This reply of Secretary Alger was cabled
to Colonel Roosevelt
WASHINGTON, August A.
| To Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Santiago:
Your letter of 23d is received The regular
army, the volunteer army and the Rough
Riders have done well, but suggest that
unless you want to spoil the effects and
glory of your victory you make no invidious
comparisons The Rough Riders are no
better than other volunteers. They had an
advantage in their arms, for which they
ought to very grateful.
| r. A ALGER
Secretary of War.
One transport with cavalry left Santiago
on Thursday, and the entire army corps
constituting the military force recently
operating against the city is to be with
drawn as speedily as possible. The war de-
partment now says that the order for the
withdrawal of the troops was issued before
| the publication of Col. Roosevelts letters.
News of Gen. Miles advance north toward
San Juan is daily received, without Incl
dent of note up to date. His advance is
first along the military road from Ponce to
San Juan, and second along the road from
Yanco, skirting the west coast. Gen.
Stone is at Utuado, on the march to Areci-
DO, on the north shores and reinforcements
have been sent to him. Guayama, city
of 10000 inhabitants. thirty-six miles east
of Ponce, was captured on Friday, after a
short brush with the Spaniards, the first
real fight since the Americans landed on
Porto Rican soil. Three American were
wounded, one Spaniard killed and several
wounded. All the south coast of the island
| is now held by the Americans.
| .