Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-10-13
THURSDAY EVENING, OCT. 10, 1858


the President and who presumably are
in his confidence and that of the Secre-
tary OF War. If any one OF these ohi-
GERS were to expose the misconduct,
shortcomings, and imbecile conduct OF
the administration, he would not have
pleasant time of it for the next two
wears. If he should be an officer OF the
volunteer army he would stand good
chance of being speedily mustered out.
If he should belong to the regular army,
he could not be mustered out, but there
are many other ways of making such
an outspoken officer uncomforts-
ble-disagreeable assignments and the
like. kissing goes by favor" 1t Is
good thing for an army or navy officer
to have pull with the administia-
ton. Witness Shafter aud Sampson.
It is bad thing not to have it. Witness
General Miles and Genera! Merritt
one of whom would have been the nat
ural and proper selection for command
ing the expedition sent in June to Cuba.
Both had high rank and high reputa'
ton. Shafter had neither. But he was
ssnt there all the same, and not until he
became ratified and demoraliZed was
General Miles allowed to 60 to San
tiago to push the advantages won by
the valor and suffering of the army.
Major Generals, Brigadier Generals,
and Colonies sometimes share the dan
gers and hardships OF the men, but not
often, except that the Colonel who
has his full share of the peril,
the Major General, Brigadier and
the Colonel is pretty sure to have his
flll rations. If be is hit in battle he
does not have to wait twenty-four
hours before he gets surgical attention.
He is not told to walk back to gener-
al hospital and wait for his turn while
life is ebbing away. In word, it Is
the private who not only has to face
the bullets, but to be in the trenches,
and to go supperless to bed
on the ground or mud, and
and to fight next morning on an empty
stomach. Naturally, if there is much
suffering it is the privates who have it
to bear. 1t is the privates who by hun
dreds and mora have borne copious
testimony to the lack of food, lack OF
medical aid, and all the horrors OF
the last campaign. This testimony
is minute, multiplied, and can
not be questioned. 1t has been
printed from day to-day and month
to month in many of the most re-
spectacle journals in the land, journals
previously friendly to the administra-
ton and which had even aided 20 put
it in power. Against this overwhelm-
ing volume of testimony from the sui
ferers themselves the, voices OF few
generals can't be weighed for an instant.
This testimony has been reinforced by
that of the members of the Red Gross
organization, by correspondents OF the
press, and by the spectacle Of the
emaciated victims Of this brutality and
by the death list. General Wheeler
and General Lee are the witnesses most
relied upon by the administration
General Wheeler is an officer of chsrac-
ter and ability. He had a good Confed
crate record and if ne had been entrust-
ed with the command of the expedition
to Cuba, instead of Shsfter, he would
have had sense enough to arrange for
his artillery, to take it all along with
him, to have lighters enough to put
his guns ashore and all his army |
stores, including food for his men, to |
get his artillery to the front, to have
instead of hard tack and bacon, and not
even that sll the time, ration suited |
to a tropical climate, and suitable
clothing for the men. He did have
sense enough to go to the front to push
the advance and resist the Shafter idea
of retreat after the victory had been
won. He would have organized q gen
eral hospital, properly equipped, cspa-
BILE OF attending to six or seven hun
dred wounded men in four or five |
hours instead Of twenty-four hours.
Had he been Secretary of War instead |
of the Algerine from Michigan, when
fifty millions were voted by Congress
month before the war came on to equip {
the country for the struggle, he would
have arranged for smokeless powder,
and also for improved modern arms
for the volunteers instead of the old
Springfield musket. He would not
have allowed poor bankrupt Spain to
beat him in the matter of smokeless
powder and improved, modern arms.
This and more Wheeler would have
done, for he is competent officer, edu-
Gated at West Point and in four years
of honorable, patriotic service for the
Confederacy. Brave as lion, General
Wheeler is amiable to fault. No man
ever heard him in camp or civil life