The times., 1898-08-15
NOT SPECTACULAR.
War Is Very Prosaic and Less Conn
Portable Than Ii Might Be.

The popular idea of war in general is as
erroneous as the popular idea of battle
That il is made less toIerable than il
might be is the testimony OF those who
have suffered from unnecessary annoy
ances and deDrivations due to careless
ness and inefficiency. The observations
of Siboney correspondent of the London
Chronicle are interesting: War is about
as horrible and ghastly a thing as one
painters and the writer's of fiction have
always depicted war in such glowing col
ors. There is nothing brilliant about war
there is nothing but dirt and nastiness
to offend both the eyes and nose. In this
campaign the medical corps has paid no
attention to the sanitary government of
the various camps Camps have been es-
tabiished anywhere without regard to the
water supply or the heaithfulness of the
location The rule providing that all
drinking water must be boiled has been
completely ignored: in fact. 1t is doubtful
If single ounce of water has been boiled.
except in the hospitals, since the army set
foot on Cuban soil There has never yet
been a latrine erected. Horses and mules
wander at will.
"All this would be bad enough If the
camp remained dry. but when rain falls
every day the camp soon becomes a mo-
rass, and sticky. Shiny mud is plastered
over everything and everybody There
are no company or regimental cooks
Each man does his own cooking. each
man must carry his own allowance of fat
pork and hardtack and coffee, as well as
n 70 nGif t.
waste. and results in the men not getting
the most out of the food supplied them.
But coming back 10 the spectacular side
of war, il does not exist At least, not
here. The American uniform, even cn
full-dress occasions. is distinguished for
its absence of gold lace and severe plain
ness. In this campaign the majority of
men-officers. as well as privates-do not
wear their blouses. but instead go about
in their shirt sleeves. generally dark blue
flannel or black sateen. There is nothing
TO distinguish the private from the officer.
the lieutenant from his colonel. l have
seen an entire regiment, every man in
blue flannel shirt. not a badge TO deter
mine rank. Age IS no safe guide to SEMI
ority The gray-headed man may be a
line captain, while the fresh-cheeked
youngster. who. according TO the fitness
of things, should be a subaltern, is fire.
quently some great mans son with
political pull. and consequently a paper
major or colonel.
Dirt. like death. is a great leveler.
In a campaign when troops are constant
ly on the march. when water Is scarce
and camps are made half mile from the
nearest stream, the personal equation of
cleanliness rapidly disappears. Every
body becomes dirty and remains SO. 1t
is not a matter of choice, but one of ne
cessity To wash on the corner of a tow
el-which has been overwoTked-which
has been moistened from a canteen which
may have TO be carried for hours before
it can be refilled. is prodigal reckless
ness. There are times when water is too
precious 10 be wasted in any such alb
surd fashion as that. Hence. nearly ev-
eryone quickly takes on his coating Of
dirt and retains it. and the entire army.
after il has been on the march a week.
instead of the popular idea of an army OF
flashing color. becomes a monotone OF
muddy brown