The times., 1898-07-19
The Men behind the Guns

Major Grandprey. the military at
tache of the French embassy. noted
what he regarded as the chief element
in the success Of the American army at
Santiago. This was the intelligence,
courage and readiness of the private
soldiers-the personal initiatives" as
he called it. which they alone of all the
soldiers of the world possess. Similar
testimony as to the value of the same
quality has been given by Count Won
Goetzen. military attache of the Ger
man embassy, who was another witness
of the battles at San Juan and Ell Ca
ney. The shooting of the Americans
was surprising he said. THE men
sprang to their work with tremendous
vigor. 1t is an important lesson by
which other nations may profit The
dash and spirit displayed by the Sixth
and Sixteenth Infantry, which came
under my observation, were marvel
GUS" In the battles fought by the
army, the private soldiers have been
recognized as having done everything
toward the achievement of the glor-
ious result
1t must have been observed by many
that in the case of the naval battle in
which Cervera's fleet was destroyed
no such credit has been given to the
men behind the guns. From a dozen
sources the public has learned that the
engagement was full of lessons, and
some of them have been cited. We
have been taught that armored vessels
have an advantage, that speed is a very
important quality in a warship, that
smokeless powder should be used, and
so on. But little or nothing has been
said about the necessity of having men
behind the guns of the kind that were
nerve, and enthusiasm and skill. Yet
it is obvious that these men were quite
as vftally essential to the victory as
any other one element. The Spanish
vessels were hit hundreds of times and
that, more than anything else, drove
them TO suicide or surrender. The
Spanish gunners. most, if not all of
whom, were conscripts. and some of
them convicts, did not shoot well.
Commodore Schley seems to be the
first to do justice to the real he
roes of the fight. When delegation of
the men on the Brooklyn ran aft and
asked permission to cheer in honor of
the surrender of Santiago, Commodore
Schley consented and out of the dark
ness came the cry: Three cheers for
Commodore Schleyl" The cheers were
given and repeated as though the men
had brazen throats. and the crew of
the Indiana took them up. The mod st
officer was deeply touched. and when
he had mastered himself, he said:
Thank you, boys: but l didn't do it.
lou are AliG DDSS NIip dlu IL A<tl lHC
officers cheer the crew. Now: To the
men behind the guns" Then was wit
messed the strange spectacle of the Off
GERS throwing their caps in the air and
cheering for their men. First for the
gunners, then for the engineers, and
at last for the blackened, scorched,
half-naked heroes who fed the furnace
fires down below. Probably there is
nothing exactly like it in history. 1t
must appeal strongly to the sense of
justice of the American people, who
have been almost led to believe that
only officers were engaged in the bat
tie After this no suspicion can attach
to Commodore Schley of a disposition
to snatch honors that belong to others
The whole country will join with him
in giving credit to the men behind the