Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-09-17
An OLO sOLDIEH's VIEW


An old soldier, who Is at present 30
%jOuTning AT H%OlOroOk, Arizona, sends 70
THE CITIZEN the following clipping from
u recent issue OF the Philadelphia Press
and requests that il be republished, a. he
says 1T is very appropriate for publica-
tiOn at this time, for |. like the writer,
am OF the opinion that there have been
blunders made during the war with Spain
but | do not think II possible that they
we're Intentional"
Much is being said OF the suffering OF
our soldier boys, and criticism ID ramp
ant. Doubtless there has been ONE mis-
takes, but war and soldering Is no picnic.
That a government virtually u~nprepared
for WAT, could muster, OTganiZeAnd equip
100000 men and whip Ii OF the leading
nations OF the world IN four months,
without making a mistake or Two, would
have been miraculous, The transportation
OF northern men 10 the hot, tOrTid climate
of the south, could not but result In the
sickness, and yet, withal, IL Is but d drop In
the bucket compared 10 the number OF
deaths during the civil war. Out OF the
10000 men, there are about ! 200 deaths
by Wal and sickness. IL is sad indeed
that there wac 1900. Much better had
there been nOnei but such are the newt
able results OF a Much complaining,
too, In the eating line. Well a soldier
cannot sit down three times a day 10 beef
steak and coffee, and fried chicken and
other nice things. lie must expect 10 be.
cOme somewhat irregular in his meals,
and Ne knOw just how hOmesick a boy gets
when his meals get slim aud far apart.
What boy has not come home from school
NEARLY starved" and grOwled at mother
because supper wasn't ready. SO IL wa In
theNaT OF 81; 30 II was in theWar OF 'Bs;
30 Il will be IN the next war. Our expert
enee during thirty-seyen months OF sol
der life, was much more fortunate than
thousands OF boys. We had but one
little fOretaste OF trial that amounted 20
anything. and that was In July "a, when
with 1899 other boys, under General
Hunter, we attempted 10 capture Lynch
burg, Va. We we're 100 miles from our
base OF supplies, which was ChRrlestOWn
on the Ohio river. General Jubal Early,
reinforced by Ewels Corps from Rich.
mOnd, concluded that we couldn't take
LynehbuTg, and his conclusions were cor
rect. On "A hot July morning the ball
opened. Our troops we're driven from
the field and Our supply train captured.
Then began the retreat across the Sewal
mountains OF four days, ana over water
less mountains. Men fell exhausted
by the way. hundreds OF horses were left
exhausted. The subsistence for the boys
consisted OF birch bark and mountain
tea. The boys would say, that Hunter
would send his staff ahead into the mar
row valleys aud eat all the sheep BOTTel
and plantain, and the boys could get none.
We refer 10 this, not 10 portray our
unworthy self, but 10 show the fact, that
a soldiers life Ia one Of circumstances,
which often cannot be- controlled. In
that mob OF hungry men the government
was damned and criticized, yet IL was In
no way responsible for the trouble. My
self with others. OF lrst opportunity,
would write q long letter home and de-
tail the sad experience, and very likely