The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-10
Brought North Now Same
as in the Sixties.
FEARS OF THE PRESIDENT
Lincoln Thought That the Plan
Night Break Up the Army.
FRIEND or GEN. sHArTER TALKS

: NEW YORK. Aug. 10.-lSpecial. THE
hounswhat tar1y decision to bring the fe-
YER stricken soldiers of Skaters army
north for rccuperation reminds old timers
OF the prolonged fight made In behalf OF
northern hospitals for the sick and wound
cd during tho civil war.
+ IL reminds them also that, curiously
enough, the bringing Of the men north
wss long strenuously objected to by Presi-
dent Linooin, that ne did not withdraw.
his opposition until Che spring OF 1858 and
that the first goverhment general hospital
north, similar in plan and scope to the one
now making ready near Montauk Point.
vyss NOT established until October Of that
wear. Mr.. Lincoln feared that wounded
and siok soldiers brought near their homes
and cured could never be made to go south
again and nGht. He said to the widow of
Governor Harvey Of Wisconsin, who had
her heart set on the project, that more
perfoct scheme for the running of the army
st the front could not be devised, adding
that lees than half tho Federal soldiers
drawing pay In tho Army Of the Potomac
when the battle Of Antietam was fought
wers patriotic enough to take their places
IN the lighting llne.
Mrs.. Harvey believed that Mr.. Lincoln
misjudged the soldier boys and told him
20. II was her view that the man who
had been bravo enough to expose himself
10 the ohemy's IRE onos would be brave
enough to do 90 again. and she finally con-
WINGED the president. It may be added
Chat her Wow was proved correct by the
facts. sinos nearly every one OF the men
brought to northern hospitals who recov-
cred was moro than willing to go south
and serve out his term Of enlistment. The
came spirit exists among the American
soldiers Of today. Among the dozens OF
wounded men with whom the writer has
conversod there has been only one who did
not express the fervent hope that be might
ret well and strong soon enough to return
70 Cubs and do some moro nghting.
TAX By = Friend Of shsftor.
Recent developments have In some de-
uree overshadowed the controversy as to
whethar General ShAfter was personally at
fault with regard 10 the Ill supplied and
dirty transports on whioh some OF the
wounded wore brought north. His friends
here hold that he has been unkindly treat
ed by q section Of the press and public.
They express keen regret that the censure
hoaued upon him from certain quarters
cee,ns likely to cause al least partial for
retfulness Of what they term his brilliant
conduct Of the campaign
ssIt has been stated, said one Of Shat
tcr's friends today, that tho general was
placed In charge Of the Santiago campaign
n ouposition to General Miles, President
McKinley's choice, but not Secretary Al
rer's. Tor the work; that Miles planned
the campaign, and planned 1t 90 well that
Rhaftar could not easily make failure OF
Il unlsss he deliberately tried to do 90,
and 90 on.
II speak from tho card when say that
although General Miles was asked to plan
the operations for the conquest of Cuba
his plans a originally laid out included
NO Santiago campaign. II was an after
|thought, due to the bottling up of Cervera
~ our fIoet and Sampson's request that
Hhere BE- military cooperation. When II
.vas decided to acCede to his demand, Miles
~eleotod Shafter a. the best man to go to
Santiago, prsfsrring himself 10 take charge
uf the oampaiQp In Porto Rioo the reduc
tion Of Whioh, IN his opinion, would vastly
bimplify the work 70 be done In Cuba.
scared Into surrsnderingf
81 uAnd, as have the best Of reasons fol
Believing, tbs Santiago campaign wal
mOUX0U O0D On AAAAC0 0VvAw~8 ~ sSAoA WI
himself. The chief element at his plan wa
raid sctiop. He know the men would b
oaeer and vigorous on landing in Cubs
( md could f9ht much better then thar
nftep tba tropIoal climate had begun to d.
Z Its deadly work. Though himsolf made to-
iii two days after landing to go to th'
front In person, his plans were 30 well un
,1erstood By tho officers Of his commans
hat they carried them out IN the face Q
he almost insupornble difficulties and tn
box Of fleld artillery and stores OF which
20 have all read and beard 20 much.
II myself believe that the Spsniard
Were never whipped, but that they wer
nlmply scared into surrendering by the Inn
yetuosity Of Skaters operations. Hat
6hafter delayed beginning operations til
overything that could possibly be needet
was ashore the epaniards would probabl!
have seen the situation a. IL was and will
the ho1p Of the ravages Of fever among oul
men might have been able 10 cause TIT
sacrifice Of 90 American lives to every ont
actually lost
al have heard men say that Shafter'
( operations were criminally rash and tha
when he comprchcndcd the situation b
should have withdrawn his army till tn
close Of tho rainy season; that he shoul
have aeen that tho chances were aga.rs
him and that ~ . prudent man he shoul
have refrainod from taking them, cspt
eiAlly after he was personally prostrate
BY Illness.
II suppose some Of these men woul
Nike to sec him court martialed for winnir
3 victory against the rules Of probabili
and thrown out Of tho service In disgra
&~r~..~~ ~ <<.v1ro m a s,rovcv,t tho ax1fforiu