Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-21
MiNiqan, W|kin { Co,
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GENERAL H0WARD'S
VISIT TO THE CAMPS.
He Denies the Charges of Msmanage
n.Snt.

He Denies the Charges of Mlsmanage-
n.snt.
During the past few weeks | have
visited the camps at Chickamauga, Mo-
bile, Atlanta and in and around Tampa.
nave talked with many OF the officers
and have been freely in and out among
the men. In my opinion the admins
tratiOn OF affairs at these camps IS II
excellent hands. The commanders OF
the corps are admirable selections.
The division and brigade commanders
could hardly have been better. The
soldiers have been well cared for as
general rule. There is, in my Judg-
ment, no just gronnd for indiscriminate
criticism, such as that INDUCED in III
some quarters, as TO the food and the
equipment of the men. Considering all
the difficulties that had to be met IN the
mobilization Of the regular and volun-
teer forces, after so many years OF
peace and with such limited supply
as we had on hand Of army equipments
and munitions of war, our army OIL
GERS have done exceedingly well in the
few weeks Of preparation they have
had.
II SuOulu NC ti1etI tAAS
acts of Congress charging the army
are very recent. Such hardshlps as the
men in the camps have had to bear are
only those incidental to army lie
everywhere, and must be regarded as
more CT less necessary and lneVltapie
under the conditions imposed IN time
Of war. The Florida climate is too
warm at this season OF the year 10
make drilling in the open sun a COM
Portable pastime at any time OF DAY,
but the officers in charge have been
uniformly considerate Of the health and
general welfare OF the men. The OH
GERS commanding the volunteers are
for the most part experienced IN thelr
work. and can be trusted to 90 what
is proper, safe and right.
The regular officers are accustomed
to the preparation and handling or
troops. They know their business ana
are attending to it with due zeal ana
th0roughness. The men in the ranks,
so far as my observation reached. are
satisfied with the way things are going
and are making few complaints about
their food or anything else. Of course
there always will be some grumbllng
among so many. The government ON
Gals are making all possible haste 10
procure uniforms for those who are yet
without them and other essential sup
niles. Occasionally the newness OF a
uuartermaster, a commlssary or otaer
staff officer is apparent, and sometimes
such an officer was not sent aEeaa 10
make previous arrangements for an IN
coming regiment, and some natural
embarrassment ensues. The same
thing occurred occasionally at the out
set of the civil war and will occur III
every war and in every country where
there is no standing army.
Such a war as that upon which we
have entered cannot be prepared 1or
and fought out in week and day;
discipline, drill and completeness CT
organization take time. 1t is reasona-
HE TO believe that the administrator
AT Washington is doing its full duty.
And If will continue to discharge all
IFS RESPONSIBILITIES promptly and salts
factorilv unless the officials CT the War
department should be overDurdened
With nolitical interference or be too
much thronged with those VINO are
seeking appointments. ne oliiclais
of the army and navy VIII soon give
abundant satisfaction to the army ana
IL the country, both in the amount ana
in the character Of the supplles iur-
nished. There can be no DOUBT OF tnls'
The rush Of business at Washington
for the past few weeks reminded me
of a similar torrent that occurred Wheh
the troops first came together at the
national capital in 1861. After Bui!
Run Mcclellan brought order out OF
the apparent confusion by taking ample
time to organize and rearrange the
troops. There was another great in
flow of civilians from every quarter
tbrongirg the War Department Just
nreyious to the time when Edwin NJ.
Stanton. the great war Secretary, came
to the helm His great executive aplil-
tv and assiduous labor corrected the
evident evils and put things to rights,
hut il required time as well as LABOR 10
do it.
7 thought the camp at Mobile, under
General Coppinger, was in particularly
fine condition. He has just such an
army as | would like to command.
The regulars appeared to be perfectly
confented with their situation, and the
volunteers were enthusiastically lml-
tating them in drill. At Chickamauga
saw such fine regiments as those
from Ohio. Pennsylvania, Minnesota,
Vermont and New Hampshire, and
their evening parade would do honor
to old troops | did not happen to see
The New York troops, but in FLORIDA
7 met Colonel Greene and other officers
If the Seventy-first and had good ac-
counts of the Sixtyninth. From what
I learned OF their condition these regl-
ments will certainly rival any in the
field General 0. o. Howard, in Les
1;,-e weekly