Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-12-10
SECRETARY ALGER'S
STORY OF The WAR
An Exhaustive Review of the Opera
tions of the Army in the
Late Conflict.
ENTIRE ABSENCE OF CRITICISM
Dispassionate Recital OF Military
Events, Supplemented by Re-
ports and Dispatches
Of the Generals.

Washington, Dec. 5.-The annual re-
port of Secretary Alger is a practically
complete history Of the Spanish-Amcr-
lean war. The secretary has given to
the public, not only all the official dis
patches that passed directly between
his own Office and commanding officers
in the field and camp, hut has supple
mented these with snort explanatory
notes, setting forth the reasons for
various movements, and then, to COM
pletc the record of events, he has in
Guided in the body of the report the
report Of General Miles, OF all the gem
erals who participated in the cam
paigns in Cuba, Puerto Rico on the
Philippines, and finally the reports OF
all of the bureau officers Of the war de-
partment. Nowhere is there shown Il
disposition TO criticise, the official dis
patches being allowed to tell their own
story, and generally the secretary finds
much to praise and cause for sincere
cOngratulation in the results obtained.
The report proper begins with what
may be described as u chronological
history Of the war, consisting of a
number Of short paragraphs, begin
ming with the declaration of war OF
April 81, and setting forth the date up
on which any event Of Importance oc-
CURED, but making no comment what
ever upon the facts. The only cXcep-
ton 10 this rule is i'm a reference 10 the
casualties at Santiago. Some criticism
having been made that there was a
lack OF surgeons present, the report
states that there was 40 surgeons in
attendance, and that Of 1,431 wounded
only thirteen died Of their wounds.
Touching the surrender of Santiago
the report shows that Shaftcr demand
ed the surrender on the Sd, and re-
ncwcd his demand on the 4th. On the
morning of the 18th another demand
was made. On the evening Of that day
General Miles arrived, and on the 18th
and 18th Of July, he, with General
Shafter met the Spanish commander
under n flag of truce to discuss the sur.
render. On the afternoon Of the 18th
General Miles left General Skaters
headquarters and soon thereafter went
aboard ship, preparatory TO sailing for
Puerto Rico. July II Toral surrcn-
dcrcd $4,000 men upon our terms n
the American flag was hoistcd by order
Of General Shafter.
The secretary coming down in his
history to the middle Of August, when
an order was issued and is NOW in exc
cution TO muster out 100000 volun-
tCcrs, says:
Thus an army OF about 100000 vol
untccrs and recruits for the regulars
was called into existence from civil
life, and, including the regular army,
the total force was 274,717 men. II
was organized, armed and equipped
(no supplies being ON hand other than
those for the regulars, save Springfield
muskcts), and 10000 men Of this force
were transported by land and sea to
battlcficlds in the tropics 10000 miles
apart, where they won their victories
without a single defeat, and all with
in the period of 1l3 days from the
declaration Of "a 10 the signing OF
the protocol.
''rhis great achievement can be cred
tied to no individual; ii belongs TO the
nation. 1t was accomplished through
the intelligence and patriotism of all
who served, from the commander IN
chief TO the private in the ranks. 1t
also speaks volumes for the prompt,
patriotic and intelligent assistance of
the people who furnished, in 50 short
a period, the supplies necessary to pre-
pare this great army for the field. TO
the heroic men who served i'll distant
lands the country will ever offer n true
need of praise; but the mighty army
in camp, ready and eager to takc the
field, should also be given equal credit.
II was their presence, ready at an
hours notice, for any emergency, that
overawcd the enemy and proved to
him that further resistance would be
in vain.
"Tbc deaths in the army from May
/ to October ], including killed, died
Of wounds and of disease. were 900,
the smallest death rate recorded Of
any army in history, a remarkable fact
when il is considered that over $4,000
of our troops, born and reared in the
zone, were campaigning in
tropical climates, subject to rain and
heat almost unprecedented
The secretary says Of the volunteers
that to furlough them in winter would
be n hardship, so he recommends that
in lieu Of the furlough the officers and
men be given two months pay at the
time of their discharge, thus admit"
Of their prompt discharge in thcir
present camps in the south.
Increase in the Army.
Under the head Of increase in the
permanent establishment, the sccrc-
says:
an view Of the needs of a military
in the islands occupied by the
States, il is earnestly recon-
ncnded that the regular army be per-
manently increased to 100000 men and
the requisite officers; that Il portion
IF this army be recruited from the in
labitantS Of those islands to be mus
.ered into the service of the United
commanded by officers of u
discretion, however, to be given
the president to make appointments
IF officers from the force so recruited"
Another suggestion is that there
De employed in the United
service a c~onstabulary force for
he cities Of Cuba, Puerto Rico and
he Philippines, who have had the eN-
and can speak the language
If the islands.
Secretary Alger thinks that the gov
will be greatly taxed to sup
food to the destitute, especially in
1uha. The effort should be made, he