The times., 1898-11-22
CONDITION OF THE ARMY.

ment yesterday that the war with Spain
| might be on again, it was ascertained
] that the army is In no condition for war
When the peace protocol was signed, two
months ago. the army was slowly being
nodded Into shape. During the interval
| the army has been reduced in numbers
by many thousands: and the men mus
tered out would not, 1t is believed be
likely to return to the service after the,r
terrible experiences in the Cuban cam
paign and in the camps
AT army headquarters 1t was ascer-
tanned that there are not now more than
5000 regulars fit for field service. In the
volunteer army there are approximately
5000 men fit for the field; but they are
yet raw recruits. having never been in a
campaign. Experience warrants the be-
lief that not more than 5000 of those
men will prove to be good soldiers; that
is. fit for fighting.
Moreover, 1t is said that there are not
enough Mauser or Krag-Jorgensen riff S
TO equip large army. Besides nothing
has been done to procure smokeless pow
der. The army was in great deal be-
ter condition for war on August IA than 1t
is today. AT present 1t is simply n pit
iably small excuse for an army to repre-
sent the power of this republic on land.
A regular army officer in reviewing
many of the incidents of the war and
talking in general way of the posi-
bility of hostllities being renewed should
peace negotiations be broken off by the
Spaniards said:
ut is to be hoped that Secretary Alger
will now understand that to resume war
with Spain should not begin with war
against Gen. Miles. Trained soldiers SIM
ply desire to fight the enemy. We do not
go to war to see how much money can
be made out of contracts for transporta-
ton, nor do we care whether Gen. Corbin
becomes a major general, or a lieutenant
general We go to war to defeat the
enemy
Very few of the army officers will talk
even confidentially concerning their uni
versally disliked Secretary and his coterie
Another well known army officer called
attention to the fact that during recent
hostilities, the officers who disobeyed
orders were the ones who received pro-
motions and were made heroes of by the
head of the department. For example,
Gen. Young. who recently testified before
the Alger Relief Commission, had dis
obeyed orders at Ell Caney. and was am
buscaded. He is the man who was after
wards responsible for the mismanagement
of Camp Wikoff at Montauk Point, and
then he was promoted to be- major gen.
eral
In speaking of Gen. Young he said:
Gen. Miles directed Gen Shafter to first
send his trained regulars to the front to
avoid ambuscades. and to let the Rough
Riders and other
the fighting that they wanted, after the
position of the enemy should have been
developed. Gen. Lawton marched forth
slowly. in accordance with this direction
OF Gen. Miles. but Gen. Young went with
his brigade past Gen. Lawton's safe posi-
ton. and thus it happened tnat the Span
iards caught the brigade and would have
DESTROYED 1t. but for the prompt action of
Gen. Lawton and his regulars. who has
tened TO the scene Of action, and saved
the day The action of Gen. Young was
a disobedience of orders. for which he
should have been punished. but instead he
was promoted.
His own testimony convicts General
Young of responsibility for dreadful con-
ditions at Camp Wikoff He arrived
there on August 5. remained there ten
days, until the sick troops arrived. on
August Is, and then he says that he gave
tools and utensils to those sick men. and
ordered them TO make camp for them
selves. He had spent ten days in idIeness.
not laying a floor. nor even bringing
straw for the soldiers. He actually did
nothing for their comfort, nor for their
convenience. He testified that he put those
sick men to work because he believed
that they had been treated like babies
THAT is the language of Gen. Young
concerning 2p.oO0 sick men, who had been
In the trenches, and whose bodies were
completely saturated with fever germs.
Gen. foung's testimony is the most
brutal and horrible that has yet been TAX
en- 1t is libel on the men who had suf-
fered and who We're dying, while he had
oeeh iiving In good climate, and in lux
urious style.
Col William Ludlow, who had been
ordered to go with Skaters army. as
chief engineer officer, with orders to
'disembark and re-embark' that army.
disobeyed those orders He did not at
tend 10 his duties. but went upon the |
field, and Shafter gave him a command.
Col. Ludlow has also bee.ssmade a major
general, instead of being punished for
disobedience of orders
Gen. Shafter was several times or
dered by Gen. Miles to keep his men from |
any habitation in Cuba. and 10 |
move his camps daily. Gen. Shafter dis |
obeyed orders and he is responsible for
the original sickness of many of the |
men on account of that disobedience He |
could not be promoted, because he was |
already major general But, the Secre-
tary of War; through his adjutant gem
eral, sent secret order to Shafter to the
effect that he should not obey orders
from Gen Miles; secret order that
might have caused the ruin of that army
and the loss of thousands of lives
1t is well established fact" he con-
tinued- that the organization of the
army was taken out of the hands of the
commanding general at the beginning of |
he war, and that camps Were established
without regard to his command and sup-
sestions. Gen. Miles told the Secretary
Of War that many thousands of men
would enlist in their shirt sleeves or
oarefooted. expecting uniforms at once
Having enlisted they could not go home
sgain. Thus it happened that thousands
II men were taken into the camps with
'cant clothing and were given scant ra-
ions because of the general mismanaee-
nent OF anairs; and thus the sickness of
many men began, and it is all charge
ipie to the maladministration of Sec
,etary Alger, and his chief counselor
adJt. Gen. Corbin, the man whom Alser
wants Congress to make lieutenant gem
raj
The army is in dreadful condition to-
lay. Officers of experience, particularly
hose who We're at the front and saw the
reatment which the soldiers received.
ay that 1t may as well be accepted as a
act that not 2 per cent of the soldiers
mustered out would enlist again If a
All Tor troops should be made They
urther say that the regular army was
practically destroyed in the SANTIAGO
ampaign, while the volunteer army has