The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-08
PEKIN- EXPEDITION III \.
Letter From General Berry, General
Chnfee's Chief Of Staff.
HE SAYS AMERICAN FORCES
vero Remarkably Well Equipped and
Provided For = Admirable Equip
ment Of Japanese Army-our Men
Suffered From Heat and Want of
Water. fs, Z.

80. ~ J. p. " 2.
Water. 81
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. u
The Star says: s.
There have been some criticisms,
D,InclpalIy from nom military men, up
On the conduct OF the American erpe-
dl,.on to Peldn. This expedition was
oryaulzed In the greatest haste, and IT
Is said at the war department would
have been differently taken care OF but
,or the suddenness OF the emergency
which required troops to- be dispatched
against, the Chinese capital to save the
lcsat!oners. Now, however. the opinion
NJ n military expert has been received
at the department., and tending, as 1t
does, to confirm the regular official re.
por,s OF the officers in charge Of the ex.
neditlon, has satisfied the officials that,
Notwithstanding the difficulties under
which the American forces were gotten
together, the expedition as n whole was
remarkably we'll equipped and provided
for. This last expert opinion comes in
the shape OF lelterto Major johnson.
of the adjutant generals office. from
Br!gader General Barry now In the
Philippines. who was chief OF staff un-
der General Chaifee during the Pekln
campaign. rs.
General Barry's Letter.
The letter in part Is as follows:
after visiting Admiral Remey on
August II, I went in on the first high
tide to Tungku, where arrived about
$50 p. H., and camped for the night on
board the Monocacy. or, as the China
men call her. "Me-no-can-see," an old
side-wheeler, paddle-box arrangement
Of the time OF Noah's ark; light draft,
however. so she can go up most II the
China rivers for considerable distance.
Took a. m. train August IS for Tien
TsIn, where I arrived at n m. Found
seven troops Of the Sixth cavalry there,
fully mounted and equipped and aching
for scrap. Ispent q day at Tien Tsln
and then pulled out for Pekin. From
Pekln to Tlen Tsin is one immense level
plain as far as the eye can see In all
directions, as beautifully cultivated and
bearing as fine crops Of corn, mtllet, sor-
ghum and vegetables as you ever saw in
the United States. Every three or four
miles in all directions are small villages,
all deserted. except for the starving
dogs.
THE subsistence department had ev-
erything on hand except pie, and don't
see why the department dosn't add that
to the rations or stores for sale. Our
commissary stores were the amazement
Of all nations, and all wanted to pur-
chase. The bacon and hard bread were
especially admired. and all foreigners
remarked upon feeding our men with
such excellent quality Of everything. So
far as I have observed. our NTH were
better fitted, equipped and supplied gen.
orally than the men OF other armies.
The Japanese Army.
THE Japanese army is as near per-
fect!on In instruction, administration
and general efficiency as anything
have seen. The endurance OF those lit
tie chaps Is simply amazing. In their
ordinary drills companies are double
timed for half an hour, In full equip
ment. without q STOP. and when brought
to quick time or halted they are not in
the least wlnded. This Is due to their
home training. where they are constant
ly climbing hills, carrying loads. till
their wind is perfect. and their mus
cular development, especially of the
legs. Is the finest I have ever seen.
When they enter the army there IS nc
let-up. s5tl NY
4 During the advance on Pekln our
men suffered much from heat and lack
Of water. As the advance was arranged
japanese first, Russians second
Americans third-our men started abou,
a. M. and had their march in the hca,
Of the day Then the march was gen.
orally through corn fields-stalks eight
or ten feet high-where there wasn't Q
breath OF air. Every one feared the
wells and Pel-Ha water, SO that the
men were restricted to what boiled wa,
ter they started with In the morning.
canteen full.
"WhentI saw our troops they were in
good shape. considering what they had
gone through. We can't wage wal
without the troops enduring hardshIps
and some getting hurt. but We can take
our hats of to our supply department.
medical departments and all otncr stan
corps for the able manner In which they
supply our army and meet every emer-
gency, however. great.