The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-04
THEY UPHOLD THEIR HEROES.
ARMY AND NAVY MEN TALK OF THE
WAY THE WAR WENT.

saws Sampson Made NO Mistake in
This overwhelmingly ShreVvdness
in Campaign.
washington Letter In Philadelphia Times.
Il suppose that you want to keep his
tory straight and tell the truth about
rsople?' said a retired army officer this
evening at the Army and Navy Club.
IF YOU do" he continued. you should
tell YOUR readers who Gen. Shafter is,
and what sort of a soldier he is. I serv-
"a with him on the frontier, and know
him thoroughly. He was the best post
commander 1 ever knew, and one of the
most unpopular. He was tireless work
or and was on the go from reveille to
taps. He barely took time for his meals.
He looked after the business of the depot
ouartermas ter, depot commissary, depot
surgeon and every other officer. He SUI
nervised the work of the adjutants, and
was nosing into things day and night, so
that the officers resented his personal at
tertion to many details for which they
were responsible. They felt that Shafter
should have more confidence in them.
He is brave soldier, and one of the
most determined of men. l could not I'M
before Santiago, until l learned that he
was sick abed and his division generals
were bringing him all sorts of hard luck
stories. If he had been able TO go over
the field in person there would have been
20 weakening.
II was surprised also to hear that Shat
ter was sick because he has always been
a healthy man. He never uses alcoholic
liquor of any kind, never chews tobacco
and never loses sleep over card tables.
He is a model gentleman, as well as a
superior soldier. After the battle of
Wounded Knee, when Gen. Miles desired
prompt and efficient action to Immediate
" quell the sun dance uprising in the Pine
Ridge Agency, he sent for Col. Shafter
and the First Regular Infantry, and that
splendid regiment, under command of it's
excellent colonel, responded with alacrity.
Since that occasion, Gen. Miles has al
ways held Shafter in high esteem. No
soldiers in the army are better friends
than Shafter and Miles. This is a mat
ter beyond question.
For several years Shafter was the
senior colonel of the regular army, and
should have been made a brigadier gen.
eral by reason of seniority. But Presi-
dent Cleveland promoted other officers
over him several times. 1t was well
known throughout the army that Shafter
had not been treated fairly, although it
was conceded that the officers promoted
over him were men of ability and of SUI
periOr educational requirements, while
Shafter is lacking in book learning.
Last year when a vacancy occurred
Gen. Miles recommended and urged Shat
ter's appointment to the grade of briga-
der general, and President Mckinley sent
his nomination to the Senate. Immediate
~ the petty pismires in the war depart
ment who are always trying to pull down
somebody and who are particularly busy
a., eff Re to, Rrhr hox
been appointed from civil life, began their
endeavors to prevent Skaters confrma-
ton
AT that time Shafter wrote to Miles,
asking his aid. With promptness and
frmness Gen. Miles responded, and Shat
ters confirmation was brought about
largely because the powerful influence of
Gen. Miles was exerted in his behalf.
Shafter knows this and he is grateful.
He never forgets a friend, and never
forgets a favor, That was before the
war department undertook to destroy
Miles, and his word was regarded as law
on military affairs. His Endorsement of
Shafter, heartily and earnestly made, was
satisfactory to the Senate and the oppo-
nents of Shafter were driven into obscur-
ity. They emerged, however, when the
time arrived for them strike at Miles.
1T was because of the Endorsement of
Miles that Shafter was made a major
general, and he fully appreciates that fact.
When Shafter was chosen there was no
protest from Miles. But when the senior
major general found that affairs were in
bad shape at Tampa, he apprehended that
Shafter might not be competent to COM
mand the army of invasion, and it was
without criticism of Shafter that Miles
concluded that he ought to command that
expedition. The President assented to the
proposition, but the Presidents telegram
to Miles was lost or suppressed. Conse-
quentiy Shafter went in command of the
expedition and his work was not entirely
successful. When Gen. Miles appeared at
Santiago to take command as he had been
directed to do by the President Gen. Shat
ter received a telegram from the adjutant
general, informing him that Miles should
not assume the command.
On that occasion there were two men
Inundated by the war department, In
stead of one. Gen. Shafter was humiliat-
ed in spirit, as much as Gen. Miles could
nave been. Shafter loves Miles. and he
would rather have followed the leadership
Of Miles than to have shown him that OBJ
noXious telegram. The marplots in Wash
inston desired Shafter to take part in the
disappointment and humiliation of his
friend Miles, There could have been no
feeling between Shafter and Miles than
mat of continued personal friendship and
mutual contempt for the authors of the
unfortunate condition of affairs before
santiago.
You will observe that the telegram
reads: By direction of the Secretary of
War That meant that the superior off,
Ger of the senior major general gave the
order Gen Miles could not ignore that
order without showing characterization. It
must have been a great temptation, but
Miles, who had the verbal order of the
President back of him, submitted to the
written order of the Secretary of War, and
went aboard his shin
"It was undoubtedly hoped in Washing
ton that, under such strong provocation,
Gen. Miles would show resentment. But
ne did nothing of the kind. What passed
between Miles and Shafter cannot now be
known, but army officers who know the
men and their personal relations, are con-
hdent that not an unkind word was ut
tered by Niles or Shafter in their inter-
view Nothing can sever their friendly
relations. They viii serve together through
the Vlcissitudes of this administration,
and when there comes another admins
Uauon, with more favorable surroundings
they will he cff1 in he g