The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-08-19
HE'LL BE ReMEMBEReD.

There is a rugged, heavy weight United
States army officer down in the West In
dies, man of robust courage bat quiet
and asy-going methods, of uncomplain-
ing temperament and certainly of official
forbearance and modesty. We take him
to be a brave, bluff, logged fighting Off
Ger, without frill or spangle. He pos
sibly does not dream of the kindly senti-
ments the people entertain toward him
and he may be very far from appreciat-
ing the distinguished relationship of his
own personality and conduct with late
events of world wide import.
We hear little indeed of this officer in
these piping times of rehuent peace just
enough of him and from him to indicate
in matter of fact way that he is at his
post, glued to his duties and doing bust
ness in business way. If we didn't see
the daily bulletin of epidemic and death,
beginning with Santiago" for date line
and ending with ''Shafter'' for a sigma
ture, few could tell, perhaps, what had
become of this Major General of United
States Volunteers of whom we are speak
ing. Quite likely. some few have forgot
ten him, and, quite as likely. some others
may not care to remember him.
And yet the military career Of General
Shafter, brief indeed as to days, has been
transcendently the most uniquely incom-
parable as to process, progress and re-
suits in all the worlds calendar of wars.
We first had tidings of General Shafter
in California in early May, his obscure
transit East awakening just ripple of
inquiry as to "Who in thunder is Shat
teri" In June, with motley roster of
troops, regulars and volunteers, infantry
and cavalry, white and black, he and
they were bundled into transports, medi-
cal stores and cannon dumped after them,
and all were shipped to Santiago to play
at war, to make a show and noise. and to
thus brighten and confuse the Spaniards.
Why the purpose, what the object, or
where the joke of all this, Shafter unto
this hour has never inquired. He was not
great or glorified military figure; he
roamed stranger to the public plaudit,
and drew only the idle notice of the curl
Gus because of his corporosity. But when
Shafter landed at Santiago and looked his
soldiers fore and aft he saw that for its
size he had the finest army IN the aeorld;
and that very estimate of his men quail
fed him, beyond any other, to command
them! The rest is history, and history
without parallel. He consulted with
no human being save with Joe Wheeler,
his cavalry leader and man after Shat
ter's own notion, for Wheeler never could
understand the use of war except to fight
right through. What of Skaters bat
tened down field batteries at sea and his
medical and provision stores mule-stalled
at his rear? Some great generals would
have built grand quarters and generous
camps, erected ordnance buildings and
cut handsome roads all this while the
troops were collapsing under sun and
rain and tropical plaques. Shafter was
not an engineer, a surveyor, a sapper, a
sailor, strategist, tactician or poll
tician; he was an American soldier and
a fighter, and he had the implements of
that profession sharp and anxious. The
army that sprang at his command con-
quered the kingdom of Spain on SPANS
own ancient and historic soil conquered
her in thirteen hours under man who
was sent to amuse the Spaniards under
a man on whose devoted head has since
been heaped the odium of every error and
the burden of every incapable in the gov
ernment's pay-Shafter! Will the coun-
try remember him? Wait.