Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-09
AT CHlCKAMAUGA.
Absolute Loyalty Of Soldiers tc
Commanders.
Report That Chickamauga Will Be Deserted
by Regular Army Not Believed


Mail and Express. The city of tents
on Chickamauga battle field has leaped
from mud. mackintoshes and rubber |
boots into dust, neglgee shirts and |
canvas shoes. The Southern summer |
has leaped from bud into full-bloWn |
rose. The realization that d large part |
Of the army may be kept in northern |
Georgia for an indefinite period is only |
miugated in its discomfort by the
thought that if it is going to he warm |
here it must be much warmer in |
florida and hotter yet in tropical Cuba. |
AS 70 the likelihood of there being an
army camp at Chickamauga, perma- !
nent for ut least the summer, re- !
mark made to me today, by Col. Sheri- |
dan, Gen. Brooke's adjutant general, is |
significant. His attention was called
to a statement. repeatedly telegraphed
in the past few days, that the de-
parture Of the Ninth Cavalry, the
twenty fourth Infantry and all the
artillery for Tampa last week. was TO
he followed by the practical evacuation
of Chickamauga and its abandonment
rs A military rendezvous. Col. Mikes
stiff white mustache fairly bristed q :
he said: THAT story is a lie-an abso-
Lutte lie
Now. Col. Sheridan has reputation
for truthfulness not to he outshone by
any West Pointer whose moral en-
trenchments are Fashioned against
trevarication. 1t may be put down as
certain therefore. that if this camp IS
to he abandoned, and if there is to be
any immediate movement of the regu-
lar army toward the coast, the adju-
,,f Ia d.
ing knows nothing about it.
Cen Brooke himself pleasantly de
clin,s to be quoted upon the subject.
adhering to his policy of saying moth
ing officially TO the newspaper press
unless he has something OF hrSt class
importance to announce.
Another widely published statement,
emanating from Washington upon al
legged but anonymous authority in the
war department, is that Gen. Miles
would leave that city on Sunday to
take command of the forces at Chicka-
manga. As To that report, Col Sheri-
dan said that nothing whatever had
been heard of it at headquarters here,
and he added that it was quite safe to
assume that Gen. Miles would have
advised Cen Brooke of any such in
tention.
There can be nothing more uncertain
than politics With the exceptions OF
love and war. in which the proVerb has
it that ans fair. But these expressions
from Col. Sheridan may be accepted
rs defining the situation here today,
though the effect of what the morrow
NAV bring forth at far away Manila.
or along the Cuban and Florida coasts,
no man may surely predict.
II is to be noted that the spirit OF the
1000 men or SO now at Chickamauga
under command of Gen. Brooke. IS one
Of thorough readiness 10 obey and or
thorough devotion to duty. 1t IS theirs
not to reason why" they should stay
here. when they would gladly welcome
the opportunity to do and die" Ii the
latter be necessary. | am told by 4
general officer of high. rank that there
is a prevailing disposition throughout
the army to resent the. sensational and
unpatriotic criticisms Of the admins
tration's policy that have been made
bv certain newspapers that treat an in
ternationai war much as they would the
grewsorne details of local murder
NV own observation in going through
the camp and talking with officers. OF
all ranks, day after day, confirms this
statement They know the temper OF
''i9ii - ta,.4;.>,,,,,, ; r.itho,,t az
'0i'7 '"' ; 9iroo+io,, Tbev
p'loii ~. D,os.;aa,+ MCKINLEY is
49,. l-l1-S ;n1obiaf1 They have
,>arfoo+ confidence
~, nm ~, ,,..+baa.s o,,rre,ts nt
H0' ~, 49,, +,,,.a., ofasaa ct la,
80. 80 low ,raa IN i5ic I,ra +,
ora in bic hands From commander Il
caol, thev have .,,nbounded and unre
served confidence in his far- lighted
,virdop, his untsrriuf. judgment his de-
,,o+;on IN humanity and TO country.
rbav understand. as 30 civilian can
that the senior ma lar general, Miles, j!
enorossed with iIr,poryallt duties a
Wasbinpton They realize that tn,
second ma Tors general, IN erritt ma:
most imnerat;vt ana 4 absorbing func
tione to nerforna AZ MS Headquarters il
NV yo,ly h.,ri,f,t. Ssrhey appreciate
that the third major general. Brooke, il
,,aatt,o tba yaf,,Yfre,,, ents of his com