The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-25

made. An army of q quarter of q million
men has been modified, armed and equip
ped, and much of it has seen service The
battles preceding the capture of Ssantiago
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 type developed 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 as
that made upon the stone fort and the block
houses browning the hills of Ell 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 in a
slight manner the possibilities of modern
weapons. But these battles fought by the
Fifth Army Corps have been the first in
which large bodies of troops of civilized
nations on both sides have been en-
gagged with all the implements of
modern warfare, and the result is
bound to be highly instructive to the
military student and to extort admiration
for the splendid fighting qualities of the
United States soldiers from the most I'M
willing critics. Few officers in any army
have had more experience in hard fighting,
especially in rough country, than that old
time Indian fighter, General Henry, so that
some weight must be attached to the opin-
ion Of the merits of our officers and troops
expressed by him in the following personal
letter addressed by him to Adjutant General
Corbin dated in front of Santiago July IL:
1--WE had pleasant sail down but. having
to row the men ashore, took some time to
get off. We left Siboney at p. m. yester-
day with the Eighth Ohio, and came into
camp here about three miles from the front.
In company with General Breckenridge, I
rode to the front to General Wheelers head
quarters and, flag of truce being up, had
an opportunity to see the lines We are
almost on top OF them, in front of Wheeler
being about 800 yards to them; but the
country is rough, going dowr to a falling
and ascending, all covered by their fire.
The country all the way is the toughest I
ever saw You have to follow roads or
trails, and come under heavy fire, their po-
sition commanding every approach.
1.-The work done by these troops since
landing, their heroism and patience under
discomforts, heat and rain, calls for the
highest praise: and the work accomplished
by Shafter, his pertnacity and 'go-ahead-
discomforts is a revelation to me. doubt
If there is another officer who would have
got 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 Eighth Ohio were almost
drowned out and it pours to-day; that's
the clmate and to get out of it it would be
cheaper to lose more by fighting. and sue
cess, 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 cheerful. General Dufheld
and Captain Wilcox have yellow fever; they
say mild form; got from sleeping in
infected buildings, which are now to be
burned. Miss Clara Barton and Mrs Ad-
Olson Porter rode to the front yesterday in
an army wagon. over rough roads, and rain
ing they are unsel6sh women. Too much
credit cannot be given the 'heroism, perth
nacity pluck, patience and endurance OF
men who have borne the brunt of this
work.