The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-19
V|L|F|ED A
SOLDIER AND
A GENTLEMAN
Vicious Criticisms of
Colonel Smith.
THEY WERE ANONYMOUS
LIBELS OF A DISGRACED CORPO-
RAJ GIVEN HEARING.
They Were Published and Cir
culated-Warren's Defense
of His Commander.

The publication in an evening paper of
a letter purported to have been signed by
"A Member of Company H. in which
certain statements rejecting on the OFF,
GERS of the First California Volunteers
and Colonel James F. Smith in particu-
lar, has aroused the friends of Colonel
Smith to deep sense of the grievous in
justice done him and has called forth a
storm of protests against statements
which are branded as false and malicious.
Frank II. Warren captain of Company
H, who returned yesterday morning from
Sacramento, where he has made earnest
efforts to have the Legislature memorial
ize Congress to bring the First California
home, was highly indignant when shown
the article, and he expressed himself in
strong terms against the perpetrator or
the outrage. Captain Warren was init
mately associated with Colonel Smith up
to the time he left Manila pending
the acceptance of his resignation from the
service, which came Tuesday by tele-
graph. After reading the aspersions
against his superior officer Captain War
rem said:
''I think l know the author of the
anonymous communication. 1t is one of
two corporals of my company who were
reduced to the ranks and sentenced to
thirty days in the guard house for alb
three days. 1t is a mean exhibition of
spitework on the part of diSgruntled
individual and l am astounded that any
newspaper should have printed the sour
rilous letter without having first verified
the allegations contained therein.
ANY one who is acquainted with Colo
mel Smiths feelings in the matter will
recognize at once that he never declared
that the boys were in no hurry to return
home. Colonel Smith was as anxious to
return home as any one In the regiment.
What he did say was that if the Govern
ment thought that the services of the reg
iment were required in Manila he, as well
as the men under him, were ready and
willing to remain and perform those ser.
vices. These are the exact feelings of
all the men. 1t is not fact that the
boys from California are sick and dis
gusted with the whole outfit. The ra-
tons are good and their quarters the
best in Manila. In my quarters there was
room for thirty more men, Each man had
a cot and a mosquito net attached there
I'm regard to Colonel Smiths political
aspirations I can safely say that he has
none, and it is not redounding to his
financial benefit to remain where he is.
He could make more money by returning
to his law practice in this city. which
has suffered on account of his absence.
II consider this unwarranted attack
upon a man who has. done so much for
the men of the California regiment as
wicked and unwarranted. Ask any man
in the regiment and he will tell you that
his attentions to the comfort of those I'M
der him.
''In recommending him for brigader
general of volunteers Major General
Thomas Anderson commends him for his
bravery and efficiency. He has COM
manded a brigade. writes Anderson with
such excellent conduct and judgment as
makes it evident that he deserves ad
vancement.'
major General Otis added his need of
praise by writing that Colonel Smith is
a jealous officer, good soldier, as well as
lawyer, and as president of the commits
sion here is rendering most valuable ser
vice to the Government. Smith always
said that he preferred to remain plain
colonel, and how any one could have the
heart to vilify him is beyond my ken.
"In regard to the officers always get
ting the best of it all l can say is that
If they did they were obliged to pay for
it. In the matter of riding around in car
riages the privates themselves were not
far behind in the enjoyment of that lux
ury. Very often if the officers desired to
take a ride they found it impossible to
crafty their desire on account of the
open victorias being already hired by the
privates, who rode up and down the prin-
cipal street, called the "Escolta,'' in
many cases the vehicle containing only
two men with their feet perched UP on
the other seat.
II deeply deplore the unkind things
said about Colonel Smith and | emDhat-
ically deny that he ever wrote or gave
utterance to the remarks that have been
aseribed to him by disaffected member
of my company"