Evening star., 1898-07-25

Ger lhls subjected him TO summary and
severe punishment, even death yet Gem
erA Shaftcr, probably realizing that iRno-
rance OF military law was the explanation
OF the action, conten;ed himself w1th ex-
peiiing that correspondent from Cuba
A more serious offense from the fact that
IL might easily have led to rioting and loss
OF hfe was That OF three other correspond
entS who by circulating Infiammatory post-
ers stirred up the town. They were like
wise depCrted, and as evidence that he has
no personal i'll feeling toward the paper
represented by them, but desires only to
exercise such control as is imperatively de-
manGed in the interest of safety Of our
troops ard protection Of the people under
their care, General Shafter has decided
that these correspondents may be i'm
medately replaced by others who will OBJ
serve the rules of prudence.
In a very dignifed manner General Shaf-
ter takes notice of some Of the severely
critical newspaper articles that have ap-
peared touching the conditions of the
troops before Santiago while they lay in
the trenches. He admits that there was a
shortage OF tobacco for a time. but shows
conclusively that there was noeack 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 af-
forded troops in garrison, IL embodles the
main features of the army ration while on
field service and removd from a base or
supplies. AS il has been alleged in some
quarters there was a lack of purpose in the
battles incident to the advance upon SAN
tiago. it is Interesting to note that While
General Shafter admits that for two days
he was himself lying i'll, owing TO the great
heat and exposure, he asserts that the
plans laid down in advance for the move
ment were carried out with absolute eN-
actness.
Satisfied With Progress.
With the week just closed the United
States saw the end of the third month OF the
war with Spain, and the responsible oifi-
fror,o ba UraSident doucn "a the low
est employe who has had to do with shap-
ing the course of events. feels nothing but
satisfaction at the progress made. With
scanty material at hand an army OF
quarter of a million men has been Inobii-
lied, armed, equipped and much OF II mas
seen service. The battles preceding the
capture Of Santiago have been remarkable
in many respects, and, in the opinion OF
military experts. have covered the United
States army engaged with .imperishable
glory. Modern warfare of a type devel-
oped in these engagements was absolutely
new and untried, not only TO the United
States army, but to the world. No such
charge is recorded in history that made
upon the stone fort and the block houses
crownIng the hills of El Caney. There
have been engagements between trained
troops and savage races In the Jungles OF
India and on the hills of South Africa of
late years that conveyed I'm slight man.
ner the possibilities of modern weapons;
but these battles fought by the 9th Army
Corps have been the first in which large
bodies of troops of civilized nations on
both sides have been engaged with all the
implements of modern warfare. and the re-
suit is bound to be highly instructive to
the military student and to extort admira-
ton for the splendid fighting qualities Of
the United States soldiers from the most
unwilling critics.
Gen. Heury's Experience.
Few officers in any army have had more
I'LL,
rough country, than that redoubtable old
Indian fighter, General Henry, so that
some weight must be attached to the opin-
ion of merits of our officers and troops ex-
nressed by him in the following personal
letter addressed by him to Adjutant Cen
eral Corbin, dated in front OF Santiago.
July Il:
I'VE had a pleasant sail down, but hRv-
ing to row the men ashore took some time
to get off We left Siboney about , pm.
yesterday with the Sth Ohio and came into
camp here. about three miles from 'front.'
In company with General Breckinridge
rode to the front to General Nheelers
headquarters, and. a flag of truce being
up, had an opportunity to see the lines.
We are almost on top of them, In front or
of Wheeler being 800 yards from them, but
the country is rough, going down to a fall
ing and ascending, all covered by their
fire. The country all the way is the rough
est l ever saw. You have to follow roads
or trails, and come under heaNy IRE, thelr
position commanding every approach. The
work done by these troops since landing,
their heroism and patience under disCom-
forts, heat and rain calls for the highest
praise, and the work accomplished by
Shafter, his pertinacity and go-aheadtive-
ness under adverse circumstances and
discomforts, is a revelation to me. / doubt
if there is another officer who would have
gotten there he did. Our loss was
most unfortunate, but from character of
country could not have been avoided If we
had to get there. Last night the Sth Ohio
were almost drowned out and it pours
today; that's the climate, and TO get out
of ii ii would be cheaper to lose more by
fighting and success than by sickness,
which is sure to come by staying. We have
about thirty cases Of yellow fever and
many of malaria, but the men are cheer
ful. General Duffield and Captain Wilcox
have yellow fever. they say mild form
gotten from sleeping in infected buildings,
which are now to be burned. Miss Clara
Barton and Mrs. Addison Porter rode to
the front yesterday in an army wagon over
rough road and raining They are unself-
ish women. Too much credit cannot be
given the 'heroism, 'pertinacity,' pluck pa
thence and endurance of men who have
borne the brunt Of this work"