Omaha daily bee., 1898-09-16
ECHOES OF THE LATE WAR.

A characteristic yellow story OF army
camp horrors was exploded in San Francisco
recently. 1t is link Of the saffron sausage
with which the country has ben stlhed by
sensationalists and on investigation van
ished as quickly as fog before the rising
sun. Moved by complaints OF the condition
OF the recruits for the oregon regiment in
camp at San Francisco, the governor of that
state wired to Washington urging that the
men be mustered out or sent to their regl-
ment at Manila. The governor said he was
Informed that the recruits were sin dis
organized and demoralized condition, many
OF them suffering from physical and moral
illness for want OF proper care, discipline,
sanitation and camp regulations" The ap-
peal was sent to the commander OF the
camp, but before he could inquire into the
complaint the governor OF oregon arrived,
proceeded to investigate for himself and was
given every facility by the army officers.
thorough inspection convinced him that
the complaints were without foundation.
The Oregon recruits AZ attached to the
Thirteenth regular infantry, in charge OF
regular officers. They were found to be
soldierly body OF men, we'll equipped, well
cared for; there had been no crueltes, no
lack Of hospital attention and an abundance
further that the complaints were the work
Of a handful Of malcontents, who took that
method of spreading horrors at home to
influence public sentiment in favor OF mus
terng out the recruits. They were tired of
the service and did not hesitate to sander
the army to secure release. Drumming
them out of camp would be mild punishment
for their cowardly lying.
A writer in rh Criterion, who claims to
have been with the advance OF the army
during the Santiago battles, pays a deserved
tribute to the bravery of the volunteer regi-
ments-the Seventy-frst New York. the
Second Massachusetts, and the Rough Rid
ers-which participated in the battles OF
July / and 2. 1t has been claimed by army
experts and others that the chief reliance Of
the country In war is on the regulars that
while the volunteers are equally brave and
more enthusiastic, they do not equal the
regulars in sustained fighting. These claims
are not sustained by the observations of the
Criterion correspondent. or the Second
Massachusetts, he says "he saw the regiment
in battle. He saw it fight battle as though
it were on a display drill. He heard a
regular officer eXcfaim as 1t marched by
certain point on the road to Bloody Ford
There go the tin soldiers With a modesty
unged with impudence that was beautifully
humorous, one of the prvates of the regi-
ment turned and answered. Yes, we are
the little tin soldiers In camp and in bat
tie this was the best disciplined regiment
that came under the writer's observation.
He can truthfully say that he Is not per-
sonally acquainted with any of the officers
or any Of the men Of the regiment" Read
ers are familiar with the splendid fighting
qualities displayed by the Rough Riders
in the Santiago campaign, but many incl
dents OF their gallantry are overlooked in
| the triumph of the whole corps. The Cri-
| terion correspondent relates one incident
which has not appeared in other reports and
| which places the volunteers in much better
| light than the regulars. They stormed
| San Juan Hill over three lines of regular
| troops" says the correspondent. "As they
passed one of the lines Colonel Roosevelt
| turned to the regulars lying in the grass
| and called upon them to help his regiment
| in the advance. He received no response.
| What, are you cowards?' Colonel Roosevelt
shouted. The only answer was from Major
Hayes (son of the late President Hayes
| and the most efficient of General Young s
| staff officers), explaining that the regulars
were not towards but that no men could
advance under such a fire."