The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-23
ALGER RDEFBNDS HIMSELF
Former Secretary Of War Replies to
Newspaper Criticism. 4.
NOTA DOLLAR MISAPPROPRIATED.

General A1xer Says the President Appoint
cd Only 1882 of the s786 Volunteer
Omcers, and He Selected Regular Army
Men or Men Who Had Served in the
Civil War or on tho Frontier.
WASHINGTON, D. C.. peciaD.-General
Alger has issued statement, covering mat
ters relating to the conduct OF the war
which have been the subject of criticism In
the public press, the statement having par
ticular reference to the appointment OF
staff officers In the volunteer army. The
statement Is, In part, as follows:
T am led to make the following state
ments on account OF the many criticisms
which have been made by the public press.
and especially on account Of recent arti.
Gle which appeared in the London Times,
containing assertions which have no foun!
datton In truth.
"At the commencement OF the war with
Spain and several years prior to that time,
the regular army consisted OF only $4,000
men, with the minimum number OF officers
prescribed by law. The situation can be
partially appreciated when It is remem-
bered that within sixty days from the dec
laration Of war the strength OF the army
was increased to 275,000 men, and every
thing for the equipment OF this great force,
including eloihing, tents, transportation,
medical supplies, camps and camp equip
age, and all that pertains to equipping an
army for service, had to be manufactured,
transported and distributed for use.
'tFrom the statement referred to the
public night be led to believe that the
volunteer army was officersd by men So
lected through political influence by the
Secretary OF War, by. special favor and
without any regard to fitness orthe duties
they were to perform. As Is we'll known,
the volunteer force, with the exception OF
three regiments OF engtneers, three reRt-
ments Of cavalry and ten regiments OF i'm
mune infantry, was made up OF regimsnts
from the various States, tho officers OF
which were all appointed exclusively by
the Governors Of the respective States from
which tho regiments came, and any officer
found unified for service and discharged
was replaced by another In the same man
ner. The President had NO voice or con.
troll in the matter. ~"
'sThe returns OF the volunteer army show
that in August, 1898, there were 207, ,1A
enlisted men and 87S5 officers IN these
regiments. This, with the regular army
recruited up to the war strength, made an
and men. The volunteer officers appointed
by tho President numbered, all told, 1882.
or this number Al were taken from the
regular army aud 59i from civil life.
Those from civil life had all seen service
during the Civil War or on our Western
frontier, and all had proven themselves to
be competent to command.
s'It has been stated and repented many
times that the Secretary OF War made
these appointments, when the truth Is
that very few were made upon his recon-
mendation, although he caused the entire
list, with the recommendations, to be CON-
piled and placed before the President for
his selection. There were three regiments
OF cavalry, the officers of which were ap-
pointed by the Secretary OF War, Colonel
Leonard Wood, now O Brgadier- General
and commanding the departments OF Sam
tiago and Puerto Principe, was one OF
these. Colonel Grigsby and Colonel Tor
roy, both good officers, were the other
two.
"Criticisms as to the amounts and
methods OF expenditures, which could i'm
ply wrong or careless use OF money, were
also made by the London Times. This
charge Is false. So far as the conduct OF
the service was concerned, no person with
any knowledge OF the facts can ever charge
truthfully and no one can ever show that O
dollar was misappropriated, stolen or en-
bezzled ont Of the hundreds OF millions OF
dollars that were expended. The records
are an open book, and will be glad to
have them rlgidly examined, and ask my
successor to open these accounts to the
country whenever properly called for, In
order that the entire truth may be known"