The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-08-20

campaign and The LEADEH congratn-
at q itself upon being The FIRST news
lpaper in the United states TO declare
that to the blonders 81 The directing
general was due the useless sacrifice
~ the lives Of SO many gallant Amer.
can soldier. The gio that crowned
the Amer can arms ou the rugged
steppes ~ Santiago belongs 10 the
dauntless courage aud iudomitable
fighting qualities OF the American soil
diers and their officers. and not Co the
commanding general for IL IS knoN
that when night closes the bloody
struggle on San Juan HuI on tho end
Of July, that the military head OF tue
invading army realized or thought be-
realized from his position 10 the rear
at Sibouey, that he was defeated and
" uld "have 60 fan back about tive
miles but would try to save the
urtiilery Not soldier or an officer
in that whole army. except the com
mauding general, who was never on
the field of battle and knew absolutely
nothing Of the position of the enemy
ana less Of taat Of h own troops, ever
dreamed that the army was defeated
NO such thought had ever entered
their heads. The invading a my was
more than $1,000 strong, yet there
were less than 1000 Of this army en-
gagged in battle with the enemy. Why
" as th 81 IL is know "a also that while
This gallant army was struggling az
never gallent men struggled before,
the commanding general was seven
miles away from the battlefield, In his
tent with "a barber or orderly rubbing
his head to keep h M cool und,r the
burning rays Of q trop'ca sun.
on board the vessels at anchor ia
the harbor were all the heavy artill-
cry. reremptory orders were given
that these should not be landed. and
they remained useless until after the
battle OF the drst and see md OF July.
and until the Spanish general was
considering the subject of surrender
ing Santiago, when they were placed
i'm position, doubt ess with the view Of
influencing that officer. The fact that
TINS heavy artillery was unload d and
brought on the field and placed In po-
sitiOn after The two day fight. proves
that they could nave been put in po-
sitiou before these fights, and thus
the enemys blockhouses and breast.
works could have been destroyed at
long range. Instead OF doing this tie
infantry regiments were hurled
against the formidable distinctions
with Ia recklessness that can cafy ex-
cite pity Tor the commando and ad-
miration for has gallant army
There are letters 10 this city now
written by d prominent participant ia
the Santiago campa gn, showing iu
what estimation Gen. Shat or Is held
by the army which captured the Span
ish stronghold. and they are the re-
verse OF complimentary to that officer.
There is no doubt Of the fact that
when the seal from the lips Of the
officers and men Of tho Fifth army
corps il removed by their discharge
from the mintsry service, the true
story Of the birnders aud iucompeten
ey of GEN Shnfter will be told in their
true character
Washington military circles no
longer attempt TO conceal The fact that
had General Miles or General wheeler
or some other able general command
ed the invading army these uluuders
would never have occurred, and The
great victory would have been secured
at Comparatively little loss OF life TO
the American troops
There is-there can be-no doubt of
the fact, now bcing made clear by the
light daily thrown upon the subject.
that to the incompetency Of the Amer
lean commander was due the heavy
loss TO our arms, and when the militia
ny seal that now locks the lips Of the
officers and men Of that campaign is
removed, the true story wi be told
Of the incompetency which enriched
the Jagged hills Of this desperately
fought oattle field with the blood of
the gallant Capron The dtu tle.s
oNeai, the courageous Nickon, the
intrepid boy soldier, Roy C,shiou, OF
Hermessey, and hurd eds II other no.
bic and iadomitab.e spirits who. had
the directing he d Of thv army been
possessed of the geuius OF q command
cry, Miles, or Wheeler would hnye
been alive today to receive the pIau-
dts of grateful country aud toe
warm and loving kisses of wife, moth.
er, sister and daughter