The age-herald., 1898-09-15

ton recall some of the most brilliant 1 achievements of the confederate army in
 the civil war. by stonewall Jackson, for in- | stance, and they took the enemy by sur prise and demoralized him.
 General Wheeler stepped from congress into the military service at the outbreak of
 the war. He had been trained as soldier,
 having been graduated from the Military
 Academy at West Point in 1859. Having
 served in the regular army up to the time of the civil war, he resigned to enter the confederate service, in which he fought throughout, rising from the rank of lieu tenant of artillery to the command of the cavalry corps of the western army. Upon the death of the famous General Stuart, he
 became the senior cavalry general of the confederate service, and he distinguished himself as commander in many important engagements. We recite these facts to show that General Wheeler is no less a soldier in | spirit than by training and experience, and the Judgment which recalled him to the na- tional military service in the war with Spain and gave him high rank in 1t was of we'll justified sagacity. Upon the close of l the civil war, General Wheeler engaged qui- etly and unostentatiously in civil pursuits, and his selection a representative in congress rom Alabama was que to IHs public recognition of his fitness for the place.
 General Wheeler is a democrat and a southern man, strong in his attachment for the south, but in this war there has not appeared in either his conduct or speech the slightest indicat tion of his political or sectional sympathies. He has been simply
 soldier of the United States, gallant faithful, efficient, resourceful, and always magnanimous No complaints have come from him concerning either his superiorS or
 subordinates, of his treatment and the circumstances in which he placed. He
 has accepted his conditions without word of cavil, has remained cheerful and confi- dent always, even under the depression of illness peculiarly provocative of irritability, has obeyed orders without question or crit icism, and in all ways has sought to make himself useful to his country and helpful to his military comrades. He has never pushed
 himself forward, never blown his own trumpet, never posed for admiration, but has gone about the pursuit of his duty, thinking of it rather than himself
 That is a characterization of the highest type of the soldier and the best quality of manhood, and that it is just and in no way
 exaggerated will be, we are sure, the judg- ment of all the army cognizant of the serv- ices of General Wheeler, and it should be the judgment of all his countrymen like wise. The temptation to magnify deficien- cies, errors or shortcomings of the war, real or imaginary, for the political benefit of his party, the opposition to the administration, | might have been strong for less sterling character, but it was powerless with Gen eral Wheeler. In no utterance made by him during the period of hostilities or since it's close has he exhibited any other disposi- tion than desire to deal justly with every individual and every department of the mill itary service, and he has not hesitated to reDel indignantly careless or malicious as sauts upon their ability and fidelity which
 meaner spirits were seeking to turn to po- litical profit Being such man, just, gal lant honorable, magnanimous, and of un- usual competence to judge of the matters | in dispute because of his close association l with the Santiago campaign and his com mand of the camp to which that army was returned, his opinions and declarations on | the subject must have with the public the weight of an impartial and final decision.