The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-20

The war investigating committee is MAX
ing great mistake in not calling War Cor
respondent Creelman, of the New York
Journal, as witness, when to do so would
save time and expense and put an end to the
whole business. For Creelman can I l all
about how the war was fought-at least
the Santiago end of it-wherein the tactics
of the commanding general were at fault,
just what should have been done and who
it was that really led the troops to victory.
On this last and h-discussed point he
must be reckoned as an authority, for it
was no less a person than Creelman him
self who assumed the entire pressure on
the occasion of the fight at Ell Caney. He
admits as much in a Review of Reviews
article, coyly, of course, after the New
York Journal fashion. He did not start out
on that momentous morning with the in
tention of taking the lead, but in his zeal
to be where the excitement was he soon
found himself mile in advance of the
United States infantry and but short dis
lance from the enemys intrenchments.
One company caught up with him before
long, and, after some firing, he tried to
persuade the captain to make a charge up
the hill by a path he pointed out. and try
to take the fort and the flag. The capita in
declined. Then Creelman left the captain
and went over to General Chaffee, and,
while bullets fell around him, laid his plan
for capturing the fort before that officer
II suggested a CHARGE" says Creelman.
"and offered to show the troops if he sent
them, safe way up the HILL" The general
detached a company to investigate. but the
captain of it was not very enthusiastic
over the plan. Another officer, Captain
Haskell, presently came along and prompt
ly accepted my offer to lead the way" The
next step is thus described:
1 stepped through the line of bushes, fol-
lowed by Captain Haskell and the troops,
and started up the hill. The only weapon
/ had was a revolver in my belt, and l
Slung the holster round to the back so that
should not be tempted to draw. The
troops came on slowly, and when I found
myself actually out on the clear eScarped
slope leading up to the trench where even a
mouse could not hide itself I walked fast
T could see the lines of soldiers on ali sideS
watching the ascent. Gradually I got away
from our line, so that by the time I was
within twenty feet of the barbed wire fence
/ was at least two hundred feet ahead of
Captain Haskell and his men. 1 was abso4
lutely alone.
He walked up TO the trench and looked
in, ordering the Spaniards crouched there
to stand up and surrender. They did 50,
looking pleased. Then he jumped across the
trench and ran around to the entrance Of
the fort to get the flag. The story goes on:
Our fire had killed most of the men in
the fort. I found near the door the officer
in command surrounded by all of the gar
rison that were left alive. A wall of terror
went up from the wounded men writhing on
the floor as / entered. i went up to
the officer, and. looking him straight in the
eye, said in French: You are my priS-
oner" He threw his hands up and said:
do with me as you please" Do you know
that at that moment got a Sneaking idea
into my head that a soldiers work was
about the easiest thing had ever struck;
but found out my mistake later.
And there you are. In all this investiga-
ton disposition to lay the responsibility
on some other man has been manifest. No
witness is willing to acknowledge that he
did it. Here at last is one who is not afraid
to acknowledge that he was pretty much
the Whole Thing. Let him be called and
the controversy settled.