The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-18


Patapsco wien she was destroyed in
Charleston karbor.
General Alger is in many respects ao
ideal secretary TO ba at the head Of the
great war GsparsIrent during the trying
period Of lrsat war. He was 20 years
old in 1881, when he hade farewell to lis
bride IF few days and volunteered as
captain Of Michigan company Of irfan-
try In the cattle OF Bonneville, Miss
alll ou1h he WIS 40 i'll lie could scarcely
sit on his horse, he led a small tody Of
men in perilous charge upon the re r
of tie confederates under General Chal-
merA Icing sorely woundei just after
ward. not by the lead Of the enemy. hat
ty tree. which broke his leg as he pas
sad il on his horse. For bravery In this
engagement he was made ajor, and af
terwsrd colonel, in CusNr's famous
brigade. lie was sfterwari brsvetted
malor-eeneral "for gallant and meritori
Gus services, and was on private service
while still lame. in 1858 and 1864, Ieceiv
ing orders personally from President
lincoln. lie therefore fully understands
the relations tetween the exscuti.e and
military in time OF actual war. None of
the other mem bers Of the cabinet Is q
war veteran. Secretary Sherman, now
ever, was In the Senate during tse civil
war, and should well understand the re-
iations between the executive and legisla-
tive trspchfs of tie government in
emergencies of hostility. Furthermore
he knows all of the war experiences Of
his brother. General Sherman. like a
book, and can profit bv them almost es
though they were bis own.
General Miles, as well es almost all OF
the other generals Of tho army, entered
the late wtr with the volunteers. They
are therefore familiar with the needs and
weakness OF raw recruits. as we'll as the
proper handling of we'll trained men.
General Miles had passed his majority ty
only year when lie took the field as
u first lieutenant in 1851. -Four years later
he was comm ,ssioned colonel and brew.
cited major general fer extraordinary
bravery. No privations of lar In
Cuba or elsewhere could terrify him lie
fatei the toughest Kind Of travel ard the
tloodiest kind Of guerilla warfare, not
only during the civil war, but during his
campagirs against the hostile indians on
tho Western frontier as late as 1856.
During all these exciting camraigns ne
suffered countless escares from death, being
shot in ths meek, hip and shoulder. lie
would he an ideal le der for great army
In the event Of war, not only becaus, Of
his pluck end courage. but because Of his
strikinsly handsome mien ana digpiIied
bsaring.
IL tho Senate. the men who would have
thu greatest inf oepce In time 'f wa, are
the II Q nters Of the committee on military
affairs. General Hawley. who had charge
of the bill for the increase of the army, Is
chairman OF that oommittss. General
He is the best known throughout the
country of all of New England's living
soldiers. IL has teen said of him that
he Is only "brevet Yankee" having
besp born in North Carolina. He was
editor of the Hartford Cournnt when he
enlisted, in 1861, as lieutenant To-
gether with General Terry, Hartford
lawyer, he planned and carried to success
in February. 1865 tho famous attlck upon
Fort Fisher, on the North Carolina
coast which for three years had detied all
of the operations of the combined land
forces ana North Atlantic ilest. Almost
to the very olose Of the war this strong
hold had remained menace TO the Union
cause.
senator and former secrstary of War
Proctor, who stands next to General
Hawley on tie ssue committee. and who
has just left Cubs, began his war txperi-
tncss under tine famous "Bsldy Smith"
He was quortsrmaster and afterwari col
onsl OF the Fifteenth Vermont with Will
liam Grout, now representative from tie