The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-20
THE SLAUGHTER OF OFFICERS.

I IHEN the reports came of the killed and
w wounded among Our troops engaged in the
fighting around Santiago it noted that the
casualties among the officers in proportion to those
among men of the rank and file were extremely high
The fact regarded at the time evidence of
the valor of the men who are leading our boys to
battle, and the statement frequently made this
heroism Of leadership of the many SUPERIOR
ties of the American over the Spanish army.
Now that Santiago has been surrendered and the
Spanish side of the battles is becoming known this
belief in the superior courage Of officers will have
to be dismissed, at least based upon other
foundation than that of the death rate in the battles
The losses among Spanish officers OF high rank
greater than own and it is evident they must
have exposed themselves under fire with conspicuous
courage from the first skirmish to the end of the
fighting
General Toral, the Spanish commander in talking
with Our commissioners after the surrender of his
army, is reported to have said: II would not desire
to my worst enemy play with the cards held
Every one of my generals killed wounded. l
have not single colonel left and am surrounded by
powerful enemy"
Such Strengthening Of officers as that report re-
veas has rarely been equaled in any 1t is
evidence that sharpshooters more skill
full than those Of the Spanards in picking off from
the enemys force the horseback with
shoulder straps. The rifle record was in fact of an
extremely high order for battle and in its way is
equal to what done in the fights by Our crack
gunners.
In the meantime it must be noted again that Our
own officers suffered heavily Nearly every regiment
on side that present during the fighting lost
one or more of its field officers. Among the killed
were colonel, lieutenant colonel and major
Among the wounded were nine lieutenant colonies
and five majors. The losses of captains and euten-
ants were extremely heavy. Altogether we had
twenty three officers killed and eighty wounded, in
series Of conflicts which in our Civil War would
hardly have been accounted sharp skirmishes.
An Eastern man having verdict Of $4,000
against c. P. Huntington went straightway and COM
mtted suicide. The motive will be conjectured va
riously It may be the victor could not bear the
thought that Huntington was to be deprived of any
of the gold industriously earned and dearly
cherished More likely, however, he was fatally
panied by contemplation OF the difference between
getting verdict against Huntington and getting his
hand on the cash named therein.
1t is pleasure to agree with the Post in Its estimate
of the who have been selling Red Cross stores
to the soldiers patriotic citizens having provided
these stores for the benefit of the boys Spectators
of this stamp deserve to be hanged at the yard arm
Shafter and Sampson seem in doubt as to which is
entitled to the ships captured with Santiago but
long the ships have been captured people in gen.
eral will not bother about such details.
For time the Spanish declared they would not
consider peace until they had humbled American
pride. They are drifting toward the conclusion that
they have nothing to do this with
Bids have not yet been received by the Government
for the transport Of prisoners SPAIN but there is
already evidence tending to show the contractors will
charge all the traffic will bear
Hungry and discouraged miners may give the ad-
vice to keep away from the Klondike but the really
effective talking will be done by the nuggets the lucky
ones bring back
1t is impossible to blame the Spanish soldiers
harshly for having looted the pantries of Santiago
Their appetites did not surrender
Perhaps good dose of seasickness will relieve
u