The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-04-06

from Gen. Henry to 60 into camp at a
designated spot a short distance ahead.
Major Mills informed me that he had
been sent back to deliver the order, and
to conduct the regiment to the ground
selected. He also informed me that
Gen. Henry and his staff had ridden up
| to Skaters quarters some two or three
| miles in advance, where he had report
ed and announced that the Eighth Ohio
was approaching, and had received the
order from Shafter to put us into camp
on the east bank of the river. The rea-
| son assigned by Gen. Shafter for put
| ting us into camp where he did, was
that there was no other spot between
| the river and Santiago where we could
encamp, and that 1t was then too laS
for us to reach the lines before dark.
| THAT AWFUL RAIN STORM.
When we had marched over the inter-
vening distance. Gen. Henry met Inc in
the road, pointed cut the ground ami
directed me to encamp the Eighth regi.
ment there. Together we inspected
the ground, and he made some sugges-
tions about guards, water. etc. and as
| the different batallions came up 1 di-
rected them where to go and in what
manner to pitch their tents. Gen.
Henry had already pitched his tents on
the ground, and remained there until
his departure for Porto Rico on the
| morning of the 18th.
That night, the 18th, we had a ter
| rife rain storm, the recollection of
which will never be effaced from the
memory of any man who was there
Early in the morning, before reveille,
on the 18th, an orderly from Gen. Shaf-
ter came to Gen. Henry with instruc-
| tions to remain with the Eighth regi-
ment where it was then until further
orders. These instructions Gen. Henry
at once communicated to me; and they
| were obeyed. The rains of the night
before had made the streams raging
| torrents, and the road quagmire, so
that both were impossible.
On the morning of the 18th, about s
o'clock, Gen. Henry left for Siboney,
| whence he was ordered to take the other
two regiments of our brigade, then
on transports at that place, and make
a landing on the west side of Santiago
| bay.
FIRST REPORTED TO SHAFTER.
A half an hour later, before reveille
an orderly came to my quarters with
an order from Gen. Shafter directing
me to send Immediately a battalion to
report at corps headquarters, to en-
| camp there. / at once had reveille
sounded, ordered Major Weybrecht to
form his battalion and report to Gen.
Shafter with it as soon as possible, and
, having taken a cup of coffee, started
on foot for Gen. Skaters headquar-
, ters, to receive instructions, and to ask
permission to move our camp. So that
within an hour and half after / was
out from under the command Of our
division commander, Gen. Henry, I
was on my way to report to the COM
mander-in- chief.
To resume, then: Gen. Henry was
my commanding officer from July 9Th
to July 18th. To him reported, and
from him received all my orders, as
long as he was on the island. or on the
st. Paul. My orders to disembark were
issued by him: he ordered me where to
march and by what route. He ordered
me where to encamp and when, and
how long to stay there: and could not
move or stop moving without an order
from him. His tent was within rs feet
of mine. and all that was done in that
camp was done under his eye.
Suppose, as you charge, I had re-
fused to obey an order to continue the
march to Santiago. How long would it
have taken Gen. Henry to put me un-
der arrest, take my sword away from
me and prefer charges against me for
disobedience of orders and cowardce?
I would not have been left in command
of the regiment five minutes. Or sup
pose, on the other hand, in order to
L. .
soldier who was painting for gore, had
persisted in marching toward Santiago
after having been ordered into camp at
the Aguadores river by Gen. Shafter
and Gen. Henry, how long would it
have taken Gen. Henry to put an end
to my military career?
WHERE THE INJUSTICE LIES.
You say: "If the Eighth had gone
those two miles further-in short If the
commanding. officer had obeyed orders
to report Immediately the regiment
would have reached the trenches" etc.
1t is possible your informant received
an order from Gen. Shafter to report
Immediately" but as commanding Of
ficer of the Eighth regiment no such
order reached me. This is the first time
I ever heard the story about disobe-
dience Of orders in any tangible form. I
think the statement I have made,
which can be verified by Maj. Mills,
Capt. Duncan. of Gen. Henry's staff,
and a number of officers and men of the
Eighth who heard the conversation be-
tween Maj. Mills and Gen. Henry and
myself, and by some privates who
heard Gen. Skaters conversation with
Gen. Henry, will settle that question.
Second: you say: "Col. Hard did
not report the presence Of his regiment
on the island to the commanding gen.
eral until late next afternoon" The
facts already stated answer that
charge. Gen. Henry, my commanding
officer was with me and in command.
He reported the presence of my regi-
ment about 4 o'clock on the afternoon
of the 11th to Gen. Shafter and re-
ceived his orders as to my disposition.
1t would have been a gross breach Of
military discipline etiouette and repu