The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-18
THE BEST FIGHTERS.
Gen. Wheeler Says Americans Are
the Finest In the World.

When went TO West Point as q cadet.
in 1856, the first thing l did was to re-
port to Col Robert E. Lee. who was at
that time sure intendent of the Military
academy, Reaching his office, l knocked
at the door and when, in response to
summons to Come in l entered. one
of the handsomest men l ever saw rose
from a table. walked around it and put
a hand uTon my shoulder in a kind and
fatherly manner i told him that | had
come to report, and, with few pleasant
words he baGe me welcome and sent me
along to the adjutant.
I never met the great leader of the Con-
fedeIacy during the war in which We
both served, but my schoolboy recollec-
lions of him are even more valuable to
me on that account. He was a very dig
nified man. and could be stern on occa-
sions, but extremely kind hearted. His
ideas of duty were infeXible, and his son,
Austin Lee, who at that time wes cadet
at the Point was treated by hin vii no
favorable discrimination; the fact, indeed,
was rather the opposite Once the boy got
into serious trouble, and his entire class
had to come to his rescue with perSua-
sion and pledges In order 10 redeem. him
from punishment. Col. Lee remained at
and was then made a lieutenant colonel
of cavalry.
l witnessed great deal of fighting dur
ing the Civil War, but not any in which
the men en- either side showed more
bravery than l have seen them exhibit
recently in Cuta and in the Philippines.
Never shall I forget the occasion when,
yellow fever having broken out in Sibo-
ney. the Twenty-fourth Infantry volun-
~. zfD1r IN
encounter, in word, plague ten times
more terrifying than any human enemy
they could be called upon to face in bat
tie array
Though very few, probably not over 5
per cent. of the men who went to attack
Santiago had been under fire before they
behaved like veterans. In every case
where they were ordered to take posi-
ton they marched against Ii with as
much precision if on parace or ex7cut-
ing maneuvers. Each soldier seemed to
feel it privilege to be there, and to be
imbued with dete rmination to conquer
1t was the same way in the Philippines.
l recollect in particular an instance at
Porac, in the capture of which | took
part on Sept 2S, last Six hundred men
of the Ninth Infantry were ordered to
take a very strong position, to do which
they were obliged to advance 1900 yards
through open fields, every step OF the
movement being in such order as If the
troops were at drill.
have seen armies of other nations, but
the more Opportunities l have to compare
them with our own soldiers, the more i'm
pressed l have been wi h the superiority
of our own fighting men. The Americans
are the best fighters in the world to-day
the best the world has ever produced
One of the most remarkable incidents of
the San Juan fight had to do with two OIL
GERS of the Tenth Cavairy-Lieut. William
H. Smith and Lieut.. William E. Ship
These young men had entered West Point
together, one of them from North Caro-
lima and the other from Missouri They
were roommates at the Point, and remain
ed such through the course of the Military
Academy entertaining for each other a
friendship more devoted than that of most
brothers.
Being graduates together. each returned
to his own home and married. Both en-
tered the same regiment, renewing their
intimacy. They went together into the
battle at San Juan on July l, 1898, and
both were shot and killed in the same
hour. falling within few yards of each
other. When the list of killed was print
ed In the newspapers their names were
consecutive Each left a widow and three
children
Speaking of touching incidents, reminds
me of one of the most pathetic scenes |
witnessed in the Philippines. When the
insurrection began, Gen Luna. who was
the commander-in-chief of the rebel ar
mics ordered all the native villages in the
neighborhood of the scene of hosilities to
be burned and drove the people before him
like sheep After the capture of Tarlac
and the dispersion of the insurgent troops
these unhappy folk began to return to
their homes, and on my expedition |
would meet bodies of men, women and
children from half a dozen to a hundred
in bunch, coming back. They had been
living in any way they could to preserve
bare existence, most of them in carts, and
their clothes were exceedingly ragged and
dirty, though many bore evidences of su-
perior culture and standing.
They always had a number of white
flags ON poles, and usually little child
walked some distance. in advance of the
party, carrying a tall reed of the fishpole
kind with a handkerchief attached 10 it,
The infant would toddle along through the
mud with the reed, which was ten feet
long, perhaps presenting one aspect of
war that might well bring tears to the
eyes even of the most hardened victim.
One of the most heroic things / saw
done during my campaign in the Philip
pines was at the Bagbag river. We were
trying to get body of troops across the
stream, and were experiencing very de-
termned opposition on the part of the
enemy which was in strong force on the
further bank. II was difficult position,
for our soldiers were exposed TO a scath-
ing fire of artillery and small arms. New
ertheless under this destructive fusilade
two of our men swan across the river
with ropes and tied them to posts on the
other side. thus enabling Funston and his
leans on H. This soon wound up the fight,
the Filipinos taking, as usual, to their
heels.
The modern system of warfare has a
tendency TO discourage individual hero
ism. Acts of personal daring are neces-
sarily exceptional, because it is demand
ed of troops that In all ordinary cases they
shall act as body. Our discipline and
drill encourage both officer and soldier
10 do their duty on certain definite lines,
and in accordance with prescribed rules,
an army operating like single machine
under the direction of one mind-that OF
the general commanding.
What / admire in our officers and men Is
not only their courage. but also their de-
tneanor which has so great an influence
upon the morale of troops In the field
Both in Cuba and the Philippines / have
had opportunities OF observing officers
whose cool and determined bearing has
extended over raw recruits an influence
almost doubling the efficiency of the en-
tire fighting force.
Certainly we may know, TO our great
satisfaction, that the American soldier