Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-10-08
Two More Illustrating Points in the

the naval department and the Sampso
crowd had = characteristic illustra
ton Saturday in the development
over the Dear S,hley" letter s
called, written to him while he was be
fore Cienfuegos by Sampson. One O
the chief charges against Schley wa
| the waste of five days at Cienfuegos
and the defense was that he had stroE;
reasors to believe Cervera's feet wa
there, that the means for determioin!
positively that it was not there, by th
signal code with the Cnbans, wa
kept from him and finally that hi
stay there was in obedience to Samp
son $ own suggestion in the following
letter:
| therefore am of the opinion tha1
our best chance of success 10 captur
ing their ships will be to hold the two
points, Cienfuegos and Havana. with
Bll the force we can muster. Ii later
it should develop that these vessel,
are at Santiago we could then assem-
BILE off that port the ships best suited
for the purpose, ard completely block
ads it. Until We, then, receive more
positive information, We 81 all continue
to hold Havana aud Santiago.
Schley took it that the USE of last
word "Santisgo' was mistake for
Cienfuegos, as otherwise the letter is
contradictory on its face or shows tina
Sampson changed his mind between
beginning and finishing it. At the
very least it is outrageous that he
should be so abused as be has been
for giving such an Interpretation to
the order as any reasonable man
would. TIE original of the letter
shows that the word "Cieufuegos"
was erased and Santiago written
over it and Sampson letter-press
copy shows that this was done before
it was sent. Naturally Schley's coun
sci asked that Sampson be summoned
to explain what he meant or why, if it
was rot an error he should give uirec-
tions that contradict themselves ir side
of dozen lines This most reasonable
request the government side fought
With all its power. This one incident
q ould be enough to decide the case in
fair men g minds, even if the court of
inquiry should not sit another day.
Secretary Ayers forthcoming
book severely criticises Sampson for
no aid to the land opera
lions, though Gen Shaftar repeatedly
appealed for it and Sampson as often
promised the same, without making
IN effort to keep the promise, - Gen
lger concludes:
1t is difficult to account for Adm ral
sampson S seeming attitude toward
he army during the operations before
Santiago, as we'll as to eScGss him
rom his contradictory statements,
made in his official re-
port. After the Sd of July the ad
niral's conduct may be due to the
seen disappointment resulting from
lis non participation with Cervera s
quadron. Possibly be felt that Shat
er's request for a conferer ce on the
morning of July 3. innoc ant though it
vas, Was responsible for his being de-
rived Of the honor of actively partic.
pating as COMMANDER in chief in one |
t the most remarkable victories in |
be annals of naval warfare.
Perhaps it would be unfair. remem
ering how seldom in the history of
'ar there has been effective naval CO.
peration with land operations, to
lame Sampson to the extent Alger
nd Shafter do But this at least is
erfectlv clear. that while Sampson s
Icseys, if not himself, have been de-
ounciug Schley because in the four
r five days he was In command off
antiago heswould not 90 closer to
tack one Of the Spanish ships under
le protection of the land batteries.
I'D at the risk of mines ard torpe-
)as, Sampson in command for more
ian a month, With twice as manyl
lips and gurs as Schley had, and
900 men on shore to help, would
1T risk his ships to cooperate.
The charitable conclusion with re-
lrd to Sampson 9hJ is now mental
reck. is that this warfare on Schley. ,
hch he begun and inspired, came
midd already disordered, and ,
hoss morbid direction was stinulat- /
by his disappointment that he t
lppered to be absent on the morn
g of the final battle. and at the :
ases of the press that were show. d
ed on Schley. perhaps unfairly to
me extent. as the real victor of :
ntiago with some unpleasant com +
risons with Sampson. The latter is I
id to have been graduated with the q
st record any man ever bad at An +
polls, and it is hard to believe that G
nan of such ability as his, if 10 his 3
sht mind. could have beer guilty of y
the the littleness which appears so :,
en- 10 this case.
But for the part Of the naval depart \,
mt in the matter there is no such
,use.