The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-06
Veterans I'=2t For war.

fought ty young men who have had no.
military experience, said an official Of
the war department. to-day. There
has been a great deal said and publish
ed about the veterans Of the late war
forming the nucleus Of the army that
ON Of US expect TO in, AIDE cuba or
defend our coasts. but as a mat
ter Of fact most Of these veterans are
barred from service. In the first place.
they are too old. and, in the second
place, they are drawing pensions be
cause Of disability. Either of thcacron-
ditions would d~isqualify them for mil
itary service
This Official explained that the records
show that very few Of the Revolutions
airy soldiers served in the war IF 1872,
which was begun twenty nine years
after the peace Of Paris, which closed
the Revolution. Thirty three years
have elapsed since the close Of the
Civil war. and boys who were IS in
1868 are 81 years old now. The 90
OF military service is between - and
10 tho world over, and those veterans,
who were youths at the surrender at
~Appomattox arc now far beyond the
limit in age. The war. however, was
fought, for the most part, by me Of
middle age, who arc now. CT course.
much too old to endure the fatigue Of
a campaign.
There is another matter that dis
qualities a host Of veterans Of the war.
This is the pension roll. Veterans
who receive pensions are supposed to
be suffering some disability. If they
are, they are disqualified for active
service, and could not pass the
physical examination necessary for
enlistment. Moreover, in the opinion
of this official, the Government would
stultify itself by accepting for active
duty men whom it has pcnsioned
because OF disability. The pension
roll, therefore, would become Il list Of
exemptions.
Many thousands Of these old sol
der, said this official, have rrac:i-
cally volunteered their services al
ready. They arc anxious to serve
their country in the field again, and it
will be Il matter of grave regret that
the country cannot use the splendid
valor that o Gettysburg and saved
the | Mon. But that 1T cannot make
use Of them is evident: and we are
looking to the younger generation,
which has, we are confident. the same
amcnity to discipline and the same
natural qualities Of the soldier which
won our wars i'll the past and can win
them in the future"
Even if the veterans where accented
for military duty, it is thought they
would not be able to. withstand the
rigors of the Cuban summer climate.
\ few marches would send most Of
them into the hospitals or home sick
on leave. The war department ex-
poets, therefore, to depend on vigor-
Gus young recruits, Differed as far as
possible by men who have been sea-
soncd by service in the West or veter-
an officers Of the Civil war. Among
the veteran officers were mentioned
e:cns. Miles and Merritt, whose robust
health fits them for active duty in the
field.
But the department realizes that
the war must be fought in the main
by the new generation, and that it
must rely npca nna;sc:p!;ncl troops
and to u large extent upon officers who
have had no experience in actual war
fare. This applies also to the vcter-
ans of the Confederate service, though
to Il less extent. They would have no
pensioned disability in the way Of en-
listing, but old age probably would
bar them from the army of occupation
or active defence.
On the other hand, the Spaniards
have seen more military service than
the troops which the United States
could put in the field. They have
many veterans of African. Philippine,
Cuban and Carlist wars, and the rcgu-
lar troops arc greatly in excess of those
Of the United States.
These matters. while they arc con
Sidcrcd seriously by the military de-
partmcnt, are moi disturbing It's conf
dence i'll any degree. 1t is chatting.
however, like the navy department,
under the present policy Of the prcsi-
dent, and the wish is often heard that
an Executive like Lincoln or jackson
occupied the White House in this cri-
sis.