The herald., 1898-09-05

any time meant the destruction OF his conn
mand by illness and the consequent failure
of the expedition. He took no chances of
delay, therefore, but swept his gallant
army upon the Spaniards with such ire
sist.ble dash that victory was won almost
before the Spaniards themselves realized
what they had to encounter.
Waiting Meant Failure
"It is perfectly evident now that had
General Shafter waited until his army and
his supplies could have been sent forward,
with ordinary deliberation, the expedition
against Santiago would have failed utterly.
In a measure It was his disregard for mill
tary conventionalities that enabled him to
carry the campaign to a brilliantly sue
cessful issue.
During all the time the troops were
lying in the trenches before Santiago, de-
spite the immense difficulties experienced
Id getting supplies to the front, the men
suffered very little from lack Of provisions
OF course they did not have what they are
now receiving at Montauk Point but they
had the actual necessaries of life, notwith-
standing the newspaper reports to the con-
trary. Doubtless there were individual
cases Of suffering because Of the scarcity
Of supplies, but, as a rule, the men had
times during the civil war. While the Fed
eral forces were lying In the trenches be-
fore Petersburg they suffered at times dur.
Ing those seven months for good food, but,
like the heroes before Santiago. they en-
dured without complaint.
Who Makes Complaint
ut is particularly notable" continued
Secretary Alger, "that the men who were
actually engaged in the Santiago campaign
are not complaining of their treatment. l
talked with scores of them-I was about to
say hundreds-and not a breath of COM
plant did I hear from any Of them. They
suffered, they are suffering yet, but they
endured and are enduring their trials like
Spartans. There may be Individual cases
Of complaints. 1t would be strange IL
there were not; but as body the army of
General Shafter Is not only satisfied will,
the situation, but immeasurably proud of
Its marvellous achievements.
McKinley's Orders
1.-THE president was particularly solicit
tous about the condition of the men who
are iiis 11c went 10 OOInp w .KOH TO dSCer-
tain for himself whether the men in the
ranks needed anything that they were not
getting. His orders were that they should
want for nothing. but he desired personally
to know whether these orders wAre beine
carried out. After several hours of pa
tient investigation and careful examina-
tion he left the camp satisfied that the men
were being as well cared for as they could
be in field hospital. He took no Officials
word for anything. He had. gone TO the
camp TO see for himself, and his convection
as to the conditions was reached only after
he had come In personal contact with those
conditions.
''In the hospital she went from waru
almost from cot to cot. stopping every few
seconds to talk to the sick and cheer them
with kind expression or a grasp Of the
hand. 1t was an experience not soon TO he
forgotten. Such a visit as President Me-
Kinley made to Camp Wikof Is almost
unique Ia military annals. He went to tho
camp equipped with knowledge, Judgment
and experience to make an investira tion
He had served In the camp and in the field