The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-25

Is there conspiracy on the part of some
newspapers and more demagogues to turn
the attention of the country from the I'M
precedented triumphs of American arms to
complaints and falsehoods regarding the
care of troops and the management of hos
pitfalls? If such a conspiracy does not exist,
why do the editors of those papers fill their
columns with charges which are reiterated
when they have been disproved? Is it pos
sible that a patriotism that was so fervid
six or four months ago that those charged
with the direction of affairs were tainted
with hardness because troops were not hur-
ried to besiege Havana, has given place to
spirit calculated to demoralize regiments
retained in the service? 1t seems so.
1t is fitting time that patriotic people,
to whom patriotism is more than an infre-
quent and spasmodc emotion, should con-
slider what has been achieved War with
Spain was declared April q. Since that date
more than ESQ., 900 men have been called from
civil life into military camps. 1t was an
immense undertaking for a government
which was without a reserve of military
troops the heated season set in. Campaign
ing in Cuba with raw troops would have
been fatal in an appalling degree. Yet those
papers and demagogues who are now labor
ing to disintegrate the volunteer army then
demanded that these regiments be sent to
Havana and hurled against it's elaborate
and fully manned Notifications.
of Hong Kong, which he was forced to
leave. He was compelled to sail to Manila.
Besides, it was most important to our cause
to destroy the Spanish squadron at that
port to prevent it attacking our Pacific
coast. The unparalleled victory of Admiral
Dewey was hailed by this country with the
ecstasy of delight The government, backed
by the American people. concluded to occu-
Ply Manila For that purpose General Mer-
rift asked for twenty-five thousand men and
most of them have been sent a third of the
way around the globe, to the Philippines.
With a scarcity of ships it was a great I'M
dertaking, but it has been accomplished.
With the loss of few men the army holds
Manila. In the history of the world another
When war was declared Spain had not
less than 10000 soldiers in Cuba These
men were acclimated, they had been SOL
diers from one to four years; they were
well armed and were in fortified towns,
some of them deliberately fortified. These
troops could be maintained as long as all
Spanish ports were not blockaded. The
were preparing to make a campaign in
Cuba when the rainy season should end. re-
sisting the clamor to attack Havana at
once. Cervera's squadron put into Santiago
May 49, A few days later he was shut up in
the harbor by the American fleet. The situ-
alton impelled the authorities to send an
army to take the city and assist in the cap
ture of the Spanish navy. An army of six
teen thousand men, mainly regulars, was
sent to take the town A more unfavorable
coast and country for military operations
cannot be conceived. The Spanish army in
Santiago and vicinity consisted of twenty
five thousand men. Through mire, in tor
rents of rain, alternated with a tropical
sun. over a country without roads, covered
with ChopdAACtf TIC 6dlidill SlAlSCH lHOu-
sand assailed the enemy with such audacity
that he was terror-stricken. Panic seized
officers as we'll as men, and the twenty
thousand surrendered to the sixteen thou
sand
Seized by the same impulse Of panic, Ger
vera undertook to get his ships out of the
harbor of Santiago. The utter destruction
of every ship followed, and on July this
country was the proudest nation the world
ever knew. AT the same time an expedition
was fitted out to take the island of Porto
Rico. The army landed and proceeded to
it's task with such vigor than the Spanish
made slight resistance.
The two victories at Santiago and the ex-
petition to Porto Rico filled the Spanish
government with amazement and terror.
1t had no longer fleet and it could no
longer provision its troops in Cuba. 1t sued
for peace and signed the protocol. conceding
more than this government had demanded at
the outset. This most remarkable result
has been accomplished with loss OF 1900
men-less than two-thirds of the Union
soldiers killed at Geftvsburg and hut a few