New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-08
SAFE BEHIND BLANKETS.

ha
The testimony Of Captain Austin. now engineer
Of the Fifth Brigade s tina; he was sandsS *
and saw man IN h AIM ef He that
Major Smith told him that he wanted 70 go 70 me
a ans re anG nA and said no cannot GO have
got TO stay with Colonel Downs tll40 The VII.
ness states that he heard General Kent say, III
this regiment cannot go 70 the front. will send
regiment that can" p.l5D: . ,,o ,,,.
in the trail a regular officer came back and urged
the men to 90 up the hill G.54s He said, What the
to take this hill. We need you, every man OF you
II you afraid to go on give us your ammunition,
be glad TO 90 4, any one would show the way and
some OF the men did go forward d.50 l.5o9 and ne
Captain white who asked him where the regl-
ment was O,55S.
ROOSEVELT SPARES NOT.
Then follows the report Of Major General Roe
indorsing the Courts findings and next comes
what Governor Roosevelt has to say Of the en-
tire proceedings. He hits right out from the
shoulder OF course, in this fashion:
At the outset, desire in the strongest manner to
commend the admirable work done by the Court OF
fbn SS Terms of their and mparaty
The senior field officers OF the list discredted their
pd ey se gsi So by
at San Juan; but 1t must be remembered 70 me
was left 10 three Of their number 10 punish thls
wrongdoing when the Regular Army had sigpha ay
failed IL.
treated as the 9Th Massachusetts was treated under
similar circumstances in Porto Rico-that Is, II the
the whole trouble would have been avoided, and
very great service conferred upon both the Army
was a matter OF common notoriety in the Santiago
army and after General Kent made MS report tnsre
was no excuse whatever for failure 10 take decisive
action.
In any war where large numbers Of volunteer, rs
the country at large lies in the fact that very
many men by the exerton OF various influences se,
GG.h fhaN
to bear They eagerly grasp At high ,h Iraspns
rank when they are utterly wl1nDu. .ne ~ rheI1
duties else though very possibly men o. r amt a
able character IN tne sar6s their civic and social
duties. yet lack the fshting edge, without which
no man Is cSmps TO 40 % g pTsyent men OF this
stamp from obtainin. positions in which they may
tbs nountrv flag save by making them under:
stand that they will be held to a sharp and rigid
nG yd f1r duties Of the vtay respon
ible positions which they have sought with such
thoughtless eagerness
SAYS THE FACTS ARE CLEAR.
In this case the facts are perfectly clear. The
list. with two Regular regiments. composed Haw-
klns's brigade which led the advance OF kents IN
fantry division In the San Juan fight OF July l. Inc
brigade marched down the narrow jungle road tow
ard the San Juan River. Before reaching II the
list was ordered into a trail which struck the
river to the left of the road. According to Colonel
Downs's own testimony. General Kents orders
were for him 10 take his brigade TO me Iert slos
river and then 10 deploy IL being uncertain whether
ne. would meet the Spaniards on the hitner or INC
orders Colonel Downs marched the regiment along
until its head-that is the leftnsrucx me lora a.
living down partly in and partly on both sides OF
the trail in irregular column OF twos or column
OF fles II Is unnecessary 10 alude 10 the ADJ
surd pretence that this retrograde movement
~. old Of ma officers
Captain Austin. that he wanted the regiment TO go
forward: that II II could not go forward then ne
Austin took no steps TO inform Colonel Downs Of
what General Kent had said. Soon afterward Cen
forward. These orders were passed up along the
regiment from officer 10 officer until they reached
Colonel Downs who sent back word that the regi-
ment could go no further. At this time the two
other regiments OF the brigade had crossed the san
lead OF General Hawkins in desperate hghtlng
Finding that he could not get the list forward Gen
ments OF his two other brigades to march along
the TRAN over and through the list until hey got
regiments passed up the trail. the officers and men
jeering at the list and telling them 10 come on.
PRAISE FOR THE MEN.
Incredible 10 relate. Colonel Downs still made no
effort TO get his regiment forward and his lieuten-
snt-colonel and senior major likewise did nothing
Most OF the other officers and OF the enlisted men.
however showed spirit and goodwill al the more
striking because OF the contrast with the conouct Oh
their superors. Some Of them Joined the Regulars,
Others were led out by their own officers. colonel
Downs and the lieutenan oionel and senior major
doing nothing TO advance and but little 10 hinder THIS
move The larger part OF the list then went up
the hill. had men killed and wounded on its
summit entered the blockhouse supported q piece
OF artillery which had gotten into trouble, and, IN
short. showed that they were OF splendid stun. and
were as able as they eager TO do honor to the
glorious traditions Of the American volunteer SER
vice.
But while the bulk OF the regiment had thus
gone forward. Colonel Downs. Lieutenant Colonel
Smith and the senior major. Whittle. remained be-
hind in the trail, behind the river with various
stragglers and with most OF one company which
General Kent sent back word by one Of the officers
of the list 10 Colonel Downs 10 come forward and
bring up every available man. This order was
frst delivered 10 Major Whittle. who had at the
moment ventured across the river. Instead OF
obeying f. he hurried back and waited until after
dark on the pretence that he desired TO see what
his coonels orders were-this. be II remembered.
tenant colonel Smith meanwhile had gone 70 the
rear where he reported as sick, and did not
turn I'D again al the front for couple Of days.
There was no heavy fighting after the LIST.
when Major Whitte. according TO his own state
ment had Just been informed that the division
commander wished every man at the front. Lieu
NO POSSIBLE JUSTIFICATION.
These are the facts. On possible theory can
Colonel Downs's conduct be justified II his men
had behaved badly there would have been poor
excuse for It,: but his men did not. And on behalf