The Worcester spy., 1899-05-21
GEN. AMES' SARCASM.
He Strikes Out From the
Shoulder at
Shafter.

Manchester, N. H, May 2O.-The ad-
dress of General Adelbert Ames of Low
ell, Mass, before the New Hampshire
Society Of the Colonial Danes, has ere
ated a great deal of quiet comment
among those who heard it, and has new
er been published until now.
General Ames reinforces all the crit
icism that has been made as to the
care of the men and the condition of
the army at Santiago, and also gives
inside history as to the signing of the
famous round robin" pronunciamen-
to. He said:
In the attack on Fort San Juan hill
our principal loss was suffered while
our troops were getting into position
for the assault. This was due to the
fact that proper reconnaissance had not
been made and because a balloon was
dragged along the road at the head of
the column, which served as a target
to mark the position of our troops un-
der and to the rear of it. Our regu-
lars are but indifferently regarded by
the people, and l doubt If their service
in Cuba has been recognized. Even the
most careful reader Of the Spanish-Am
erican war literature of the day, of
which there is much, might conclude
that there were $4,000 Rough Riders at
Santiago and 400 regulars, whereas
there were, in fact, ID, 900 regulars and
only 400 Rough Riders.
Gen. Skaters commentator of the
conduct of his army under fire is lit
tie unkind to his generals while on the
other hand he is the target for the
t,o,s 81
1t appears by the official records and
other writings made too prominent to
escape notice, that he was on board his
ship on the 24th, when the battle of
Las Guasimas was fought; that he re-
mained there until the 30th, six days
later, and only assumed command on
shore on July l, the day of the last bat
tie. In explanation of his tenaeity in
holding to his ship, he says: IF a
storm had come up all would have been
gone" He fails to make any statement
by which one can understand just
what he meant by such "goneness." 1t
has been said, storm or no storm, his
place was on shore with his army.
On the Sd of July, while contemplate
ing a retreat Gen. Shafter demanded
the surrender of the city of Santiago
under the threat of immediate bonn
bardment, and what fills us with
amazement and delight is, that without
artillery in position for efficient can
nonading and with no effort to advance
our lines to enter upon a siege in any
military sense of the word, he was able
to frighten or otherwise induce the
Spaniards to surrender the city of
Santiago with its garrison of12,00O men;
but, over and beyond this very con-
siderable feat, he accepted, as graceful
ly as though he had forced it, the sur
render of half of the province Of San
tiago and 110O0 more men. | do not
think ha has received full credit for
this transaction.
With all my belongings, which con-
sisted of two valises and handbag, l
was set ashore in a small boat early IN
the forenoon of July 10. My first and
only duty was to get to the front !
was informed there was telegraph
and telephone office on the hill; to 1t
l went. After waiting an hour for an
opportunity to telephone to headquar-
ters. I was told that the better way
would be to telegraph. This | did, put
at the end Of another hour l was IN
formed that 1 might not get an answer
until late that afternoon-and mead
quarters was only six miles away.
This little incident is illustrative OF the
ganaraI situation in the whole army.