The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-06
Maj. STURGIS' PLACE
COL. A. L. WAGNER RELIEVES HIM
AS ADJUTANT GENERAL OF
DEPARTMENT
VERY MUCH IN THE LATE WAR
Fought With Gen. Lawton at Ell
Caney and Went to Porto Rico
With Gen. MiIes-Says No Better
Command Than Gen. Shafter's
Ever Went Into a FtGht-Maj.
stursis Goes to Pinar del Rio.

Col. Arthur L. Wagner, Who was re-
Gently detailed by the war department
to be adjutant general of the depart
ment of Dakota, arrived in this city
yesterday morning and went direct to
the army building, where he relieved
Maj. Sturgis. who had been acting in
that capacity for several months. Or
ders arrived yesterday from Washing
ton detailing Maj. Sturgis as adjutant
general of the department of Pinar del
Rio. Cuba. Maj. Sturgis will leave for
his new post of duty in q few days.
Col. Wagner. the new adjutant gen
eral. is a West Point graduate, and for
many years he has been regarded an
authority on strategy. He has written
a number of books and pamphlets
bearing upon that department of mill
tary knowledge. At the outbreak of
the Spanish war he was detailed to
act with Capt. A. S. Barker, u. S. N,
now in command Of the Oregan, as an
army-navy advisory board to the
board of strategy, which planned the
movements of the troops and fleets
during the war.
Col. Wagner. in May, was relieved
from his duties as a strategist and de-
tailed to Gen. Miles staff. He served
a few weeks. and when Gen. Skaters
was detached from Gen. Miles staff
and transferred to that of Gen. Shaft
err He accompanied Gen. Shafter to
Cuba and landed with him at Baiquiri.
AS soon as the landing was effected
Col. Wagner was assigned to the staff
Of Gen. Lawton, who commanded the
Second division of the invading army.
"No troops ever behaved better than
ours at Ell Caney," said Col. Wagner
~ I n y
better command than that of Gen.
Shafter ever went into a battle. The
rough riders, the Second Massachu
sets and the Seventy first New York
were the only volunteers during the
first days of the Cuban campaign, and
they were selected because they were
as good as regulars"
Col Wagner said he did not wish to
speak of himself or his adventures in
Cuba. He remained with Gen. Law
ton until Gen. Miles arrived at San
tiago, and then he rejoined Gen. Miles
staff and remained in Cuba only until
the terms of the surrender of Santiago
had been agreed upon by the Ameri-
can and Spanish commanders. Cen
Miles Immediately started for Porto
Rico and Col. Wagner went with him,
landing at Guanica, on the south coast
of the island
The Porto Rican campaign. said
Col Wagner, was conducted with
great skill, and great results were
achieved with a minimum loss of life.
We were in two severe engagements
Homiguaras and Coamo- Had the
signing of the peace protocol been de-
layed a few days we should have had
the Spanish forces captured and dis
persed throughout the island. They
would have held San Juan short
time, but we would have invested the
city from the rear and the fleet would
have bombarded it from the harbor,
so it's fall would have been delayed
but short time.
Col. Wagner left Porto Rico In Au-
gust and went to Washington to re-
cuperate from fever which he contract
ed in Cuba. He had been on waiting
orders until ordered to st. Paul.