The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-25
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PORTO RICO
Miles Expected Arrive at the Will
Effect Landing Should the Conditions Favorable
Without Waiting for More Troops.

Smarter taxes notice or some or the Sc
verely critical newspaper articles that
have appeared touching the condition of
the troops before Santiago, while they
lay in the trenches. He admits that
there was shortage of tobacco for
time, but shows conclusively that there
was no lack 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 afforded
troops in garrison, ii embodies the main
features OF the army ration while on
field service and removed from a base
of supplies. AS 1t has been alleged in
some quarters that there was a lack
of purpose in the battles incident to the
advance upon Santiago, it is interesting
to note that while General Shafter ad-
mits that while 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 movement
We're carried out with absolute exact
ness.
With the week just closed the United
States saw the end of the third month
of the war. and the responsible officials,
from the president down to the lowest
employe who has had to do with shap-
ing the course of events, feel nothing
but satisfaction at the progress made
An army of quarter of a million men
has been modified, armed and
equipped, and much OF II has seen serv-
ice The battles preceding the capture
of Santiago have been remarkable in
many respects, and in the opinion of
military experts have covered the Unit
ed States army engaged with imper-
ishable glory. Modern warfare of a
type developed in these engagements was
absolutely new and untried, not only to
the United States but to the world.
IN ha ic in
as that made upon the fort and block
houses crowning the hills of FL 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 con-
veyed in a slight manner the possbili-
ties of modern weapons. But these
battles fought by the 5th army corps
have been the first in which large bod
les of troops of civilized nations on
| both sides have been engaged with all
| the implements of modern warfare. and
| the result is bound TO be highly instruc-
| tive to the military student and to ex-
| tort admiration for the splendid fight
| ing qualities of the United States sol
| diefS from the most unwilling critics
| Few officers in any army have had
more experience in hard fighting, espe-
cially in a rough country, than that old
| Indian fighter, Colonel Henry. so that
| some weight must be attached to the
| opinion of the merits of our officers and
| troops expressed by him in the follow
ing personal letter addressed by him TO
Adjutant General Corbin, dated in front
| of Santiago, July 12:
we had a pleasant sail down. Hav-
| ing to row the men ashore took some
| time to get off. We left Siboney at
p. m. yesterday with the Sth Ohio and
| came into camp here about three miles
| from the front. In company with Col
| onel Breckenridge l rode to the front
| to General Wheeler's headquarters and,
| a flag of truce being up, had an oppur-
tunity to see the lines. We are almost
| on top of them, Wheeler's front being
about 500 yards from them, but the
country is rough. all covered by their
| fire. The country all the way is the
| toughest l ever saw. We have to fol-
| low roads or trails and come under
| heavy fire, their position commanding
| every approach. The work done by
| these troops since landing, their hero
| ism and patience under discomforts,
| heat and rain, calls for the highest
praises, and the work accomplished by
| Shafter, his pertinacity and go ahead
| itiveness' under adverse circumstances
| and discomforts is a revelation to me.
l doubt if there is another officer who
would have gotten there as he did
our loss was most unfortunate, but
| from the character of the country could
| not have been avoided If we had to get
| there Last night the Sth Ohio were
| almost drowned out and il pours to-
| day: that's the climate, and TO get out
| of 1t 1t would be cheaper to lose more
| by fighting and success than by SICK
| ness, which Is sure to come by stay
| ing. We have about 30 cases of yellow
| fever and many of malaria, but the
! men are cheerful. General Duffield and
| Captain Wilcox have yellow fever;
they say in a mild form, gotten from
| sleeping in infected buildings, which
| are now to be burned.
| Miss Clara Barton and Mrs. Addi-
| son Porter rode to the front yesterday
| in an army wagon over rough ads
| and raining. They are unselfsh wo-
! men. Too much credit cannot be given
| the heroism, pluck and patience Of
| those who have borne the brunt of this
/ work"
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