The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-25

Washington, July "a. = General
Shafter reported by cable today that
the condition of the troops at Santiago
was rapidly improving and said he
hoped in the course of day or two
40 have them all located in comfort
able camps. where they may rest and
recuperate and where the sick may
recover. He is feeding II, COO of the
Spanish prisoners of war and although
he has not yer been able to furnish
them tents, this deficiency is being
made good and their condition is no
worse in this respect than was their
condition before the surrender.
The general makes no mention of
the alleged letter from Garcia to him
self, nor does he speak of any friction
between them, hence the department
has come to doubt the authenticity of
the published stories on these subjects.
In his report to the war department
relative to conditions at Santiago, Gen
erai Shafter has thrown some light
upon the difficulties in which certain
OF the newspaper correspondents there
have involved themselves. From his
report it would appear that, animated
by an ambition to take a prominent
part in the important events following
CslCA ONiti III Idplu SuCCcSSlOn dl
Santiago after the initiation of the
negotiations for the surrender of the
city, few of the correspondents were
guilty of grave breaches of military
law, necessitating prompt corrective
action by General Shafter. Thus, for
instance, one correspondent, in his eff
forts to take part in the flag raising
over the city hall, resisted the military
officers in the execution of their duty
and even attempted a personal as
sault upon the commanding general.
This made him subject TO summary
and severe punishment, even death.
yet General Shafter, probably realizing
that ignorance of military law was the
explanation of the action, contented
himself with eXpelling that correspond
ent from Cuba
A more serious offense, from the fact
that it might easily have led to
rioting and Joss of life. was that of
three other correspondents, who, it ap-
pears by General Skaters report, by
circulating inflammatory posters,
stirred up the town. They were like
wise deported. and as evidence that he
has no ill-feeling towards the paper
represented by them. but desires only
to exercise such control as is impera-
lively demanded in the interest of
safety to our troops and protection of
the people under their care, General
Shafter has declared that these CORE
spondents may be Immediately re-
placed by others from the same paper
who will observe the rules of prudence. |
No mention is made of any other cases
requiring attention and it is indicated
that the relations between the news
paper men and the army officers at
Santiago are generally amicable and |
satisfactory.
REPLIES TO CRITICS.
In a very dignified manner General
Shafter takes notice of some of the |
severely critical newspaper articles |
that have appeared touching the con- |
cition of the troops before Santiago |
while they lay in the trenches. He |
admits that there was a shortage of |
tobacco for time, but shows con-
clusiveiy that there was no lack of |
the necesSaries of life and that the
troops were adequately supplied with |
hard bread, bacon, sugar and coffee.
Although this bill of fare is not as
extensive as that afforded troops in
garrison, il embodies the main fea-
lures of the army ration while on
field service and removed from a. base
of supplies.
AS it has been alleged in some
quarters that there was lack of pur-
pose in the battles incident to the
advance upon Santiago, it is interesting
to note that while General Shafter adj
mits that for two days he was himself
lying ill., owing to the great heat and |
exposure, he asserts that the plans laid
down in advance for the movement
were carried out with absolute exact
ness.
REMARKABLE OPERATIONS.
The battles preceding the capture of
Santiago have been remarkable in
many respects, and in the opinion of
experts have covered the
United States army engaged with i'm
pressible glory. Modern warfare of a
type developed in these engagements
was absolutely new and untried, not
only to the United States, but to the
world. No such charge is recorded in
history as that made upon the fort and
GROWING the hills of Ell
caney. There have been engagements
between trained troops ard savage
aces in the jungles of India and on
he hills of South Africa of late wears
hat conveyed in a Slight manner the
possibilities of modern weapons, but
hese battles fought by the Fifth army +
,crps have been the first in which large
bodies of troops of civilized nations on
both sides have been. engaged with all
he implements of modern warfare, and
he result is bound to be highly in
tructive TO the military student and to
xtort admiration for the splendid
lShtlng QualtleS OF the united states
soldiers from the most unwilling crit
cs.
GENERAL HENRY'S TRIBUTE.
Few officers in any army have had
nore experience in hard fighting, es-
'ecially in rough country. than that old
indian fighter. General Henry, so that
ONE weight must be attached to the
pinicn OF the merits of our officers
nd troops expressed by him in the fol-
owing personal letter, addressed by
i'm TO Adjutant General Corbin, dated
q front of Santiago, July 70:
I'VE had q pleasant sail down. Hav-
ne TO row the men ashore, took some
ire TO get of Ne left Siboney at
m. yesterday with the Eighth Ohio.
nd came TITO camp here about three
niles from the front. In company with
Ieneral Breckenridge 1 rode to the
ront to General Wheeler's headQuar-