The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-04-06
COL. HARD'S STORY
OF THE EIGHTH.
Recounting Their First Day
On Cuban Soil.
AN INTERESTING STATEMENT
Brought Out by Recent References That
the Colonel of the Eighth Failed to
obey Orders to "Proceed to
the Front hmm ediateIy."
(East I.ivernool Crisis \

Cast Liverpool Crisis)
For the first time in any paper, the
Crisis today is enabled to publish over
his own signature the version of Col. c..
v. Hard. who commanded the Eighth
Ohio during the Cuban campaign, of
the part the Eighth played in the San
tiago campaign, and the reason why the
Presidents Own" never reached the
trenches. Col. Hards statement is
brought out by a recent reference In the
Crisis to the allegation that was fire.
quently made in the days Immediately
following the surrender of Santiago
was made in public print once or twice,
and was never contradicted- the
colonel of the Eighth Ohio had failed to
obey orders to proceed to the front i'm
mediately."
Col. Hard has never before taken the
pains to vindicate himself before the
public, and so far as the Crisis knows
this is the first time the coloners side
or the story has been given. 1t is very
complete defense of himself: it is con-
cisely written, and it furnishes valua-
BILE addition to the history of the Eighth
during that momentous campaign. Col.
Hard's letter is given in full below:
~ Tic Oh CrlSlS.
have received a copy of the Alliance
Review in which is republished an
article from your paper regarding the
landing of the Eighth Ohio regiment at
Siboney. In that article you say that
regiment could have marched to Gen.
Skaters headquarters and participated
In the surrender of Santiago If the officer
in supreme command of the Eighth had
lrarNt h s..
have marched on without a word of
complaint" that If the commanding
officer had obeyed orders to report i'm
mediately. the regiment would have
reached the firing line;" that "Shafter
needed all the men he could get, about
July 11th, but a weak k-kneed regimental
commander could not see the necessity
of bringing his regiment two miles fur
ther and obeying orders;" and that
furthermore, although the Eighth BIZ
vouaced on Sevilla plain at o'clock in
the evening Col. Hard did not report
the presence of his regiment on the
island to the commanding general until
late the next afternoon"
These are plain, frank, open charges,
couched in unambiguous terms. They
ascribe to a soldier the three most Sc
which he can be guilty-disobedience of
orders; neglect of duty, and cowardice.
The penalty for lapses of such gravity
is severe; and punishment, in the pres
ence of the enemy follows swift upon
the heels of the crime. l do not know
the source of your information. But as
the indictment seems TO have editorial
sanction, 1 feel justified in assuming
In iN,YA Col
historical truth you will give a state
ment from one who was in fairly good
position to know what was going on
with reference to the Eighth regiment,
the same publicity that has been given
the charge.
GEN. HENRY IN SUPREME COM
MAND.
First, then, as to disobedience of Or
ders: From the afternoon of July 6th
when we embarked at New York, until
the morning of July 18th, the late Mai
Gen. Guy V. Henry was my immediate
commanding officer. To him my re-
ports were made, and from him all my
orders were received. Every order re-
ceived from him was promptly obeyed.
On boarding the st. Paul at New York,
after all the men had been embarked,
I was informed that Gen. Henry was on
board. l at once went to his head
quarters, and was rrormed by him that
he was going to Santiago to take COM
mand of division consisting of Gen.
Duffields brigade, then at Santiago, and
Gen. Garretson's brigade. of which our
regiment was a part,-the other two
regiments being the Sixth Massachus-
setts and the Sixth Illinois. He called
for report of the condition of the regi
ment, the number of men, character of
equipment-in short, he assumed COM
mand. AS any soldier knows, or should
know. as long as Gen. Henry was near
me, even II he had not been our division
commander, I was subject to his orders.
On our arrival off Siboney, July 10th,
a dispatch boat drew up along side the
st. Paul. from which two officers from
Gen. Skaters staff were taken on
board-Lieut. Col. John ]. Astor and
Maj. s. w. Groesbeck. They inquired
for Gen. Henry, and were conducted to
his quarters. A few moments later !
was sent for, and, after an introduction,
Gen. Henry informed me that these Of
ficers had brought an order to him to
land with my regiment and conduct us
to his (Gen. Shafter's) headquarters,
where further instructions would be
given him as to our disposition. I was
ordered to distribute 100 rounds of am
munition and three days rations to the
men, and disembark as rapidly as pos
sible. Gen. Henry at once took a boat
and went on shore. advising me that
he would there await the disembarka-
tion.
nRDERED INTO CAMP RY SHAF-
TER.
It was long after noon the next day
when the last man was landed. I'm
mediately after the last boat was land
ed, formed the regiment and marched
out Of siboney. Gen. Henry with his
star, and accompanied by guide. led
the way. and directed me to follow.
When about a mile out Of siboney he