The herald., 1898-06-16
WAR BY INCoNPErENTs
Yesterdays war news was neither re


surfing nor pleasing to contemplate. The
contrasting pictures presented at Tampa
and at Guantanamo are calculated to ex-
cite burning indignation in the breasts
Of those Americans who desire to see thu
brave fellows that are fighting the battles
Of their country given proper support
On a sun clustered hilltop at Guantan-
amo six hundred marines-they are fewer
pow-under command of Lieutenant
Colonel Huntington are holding their own
against an overwhelming force of Span
ish soldiers. The former are enemies in
q strange land; the latter knowing every
inch of the country, resorting to guerrilla
methods, fighting from ambush mainly
at night, have given the marines no rest
For three or four days the Americans
have held that historic hill hoping against
hope that reinforcements would come.
If the Spaniards should summon up ordi-
nary courage and storm the height with
their superior numbers, our men would
inevitably be swept into the ocean. Why
they are kept there only the strategy
board knows. The position could be re-
taken by half an hours Smelling by the
warships. Shall these men be kept there
and be slowly slaughtered, rather than
that they should be allowed to retire :?
And if they retire there is a temporary
triumph Of the Spanish arms.
That is one side of the picture. The
other is at Tampa. Day after day, week
after week, almost, it has been announced
that the expedition would move on Cuba.
The navy had performed its preliminary
work. 1t had cleared the way, and waa
all ready to cooperate with the army.
The war department knew all these
things; knew the urgent need of sending
immediate reinforcements.
Still the transports did not sail from
Tampa. The appointments of politicians
and sons of their fathers with pull
went merrily ON. Trainload after train
load of supplies rolled toward Tampa,
only to be sidetracked. delayed, and
choked UP through the almost universal
mismanagement that prevailed.
At last it was announced, with a -four
ish of trumpets. after numerous false
alarms, that the fleet of transports had
actually sailed. That was on the 9Th
instant. They should have arrived off
Santiago on or before the 10th. If they
had done so they would have been in am
pie time to relieve Huntington's be-
leagured marines.
The fleet did essay to begin it's voyage.
Some of the vessels actually started
Then came a message from Washington
ordering further delay. Report had
reached the board of strategy that a
Spanish fleet was lowering about wait
ing to capture or sink the transports as
soon as they should get out to sea. That
was enough. A scout was sent after the
ships and they were brought back almost
before they had sighted blue water
all but one, which got away and sailed
almost to the Cuban coast before it was
overtaken. Then came another season of
mystery and uncertainty, until last
Tuesday the fleet sailed once more, under
e stronger convoy. The phantom Spanish
fleet did not materialize. It couldn't
While all this backing and filing has
been going on-while the board of STRAIT
egy of the war department has thus
made a ludicrous exhibition of over
caution-Huntington and mis- gallant
marines have been facing the Spanish
bullets at Guantanamo, holding their po-
sition against force several times larger
than their own, waiting for reinforce
ments that never came. And this is war,
as conducted by incompetents.