The Washington times., 1901-08-22
SAMPSON, THE MULE MAN.

TIE EDITOR OF The TINES: When the
| Spanish war broke out there We're seven
rear aiimirals on the active lst-kirk-
land, SeIfridge. Miller Sicard, Matthews.
Norton and Bunce. There were ten COM
modores-Dewey, McNair, Howell, Howl
son, Kautz, Remey, Farquahar. Watson.
Robson, and Schley. The Spanish had a
SQUADRON in the Philippines. but their
main fleet was supposed to be In Eu-
ropean waters. Ii was generally oeieved
that one of the rear admirals would De
placed in charge of our Atlantic feet
to meet the latter Spanish force Ii was
the important point, the post or hcnor-
The ranking commodore, Dewey, was Sc
lected to take charge of our Asiatic Squa-
dron and was sent off after the Spaniards
TO the Philippines. He could make no
objection to going thither. as there were
number of rear acmiralS who ranked him
remaining behind to be placed in charge
of our Atlantic fleet So he went on all
unsuspicious OF the deep laid plot to rob
him of fame
After he was gone. two squadrons were
organized of our ships in the Atlantic.
one in charge of Commodore Schley and
the other in charge of Captain Sampson
the seven admirals and the other eight
commodores being utterly ignored. ana
then came the most remarkable tning IN
American history This Captain sampson
was placed in command over Commodore
SchIey being given the unlawful title or
acting rear admiral. Never before was
an officer of inferior grade placed IN com
mand over a superior offfcer Dy Presi-
dent of the United States. In the case
of General RosecranS being placed In
command over General Thomas, they were
both major generals, but Thomas had
the older commission. In this case it is
a captain over a commodore. There was
lack of confidence in Thomas; he was
thought to be too slow. but he indicated
himself nobly at Nashville. and gained a
victory on land equal to that gained by
Schley over the Spanish on the waters OF
Santiago.
But what puzzles me is why was this
Captain Sampson placed in authority over
the ten commodores on the active list?
If they were Inefficient why have they
made six of them rear admirals since
then and why do they retain the other
four ON the active list of commOdoreS? Al
though they placed this Captain Sampson
ever ali the cOmmedores of the navy, yet
Dewey was away from where he could
directly order him, sent off to the Philip
pines to get him out of the way, 50 that
Captain Sampson could be put in the line
OF glory and prize morey on the Allan
tic.
/ cannot find where Captain Sampson
had performed any meritoriOuS service to
entitle him to be selected over his superb
or officers TO meet the Spanish fleet. and
although | have heard il said that he
rendered yeOman service in sustaining the
Secretary to obtain a female preacher for
the Unitarian Church. to which they both
belong. don't think that would have any
effect i'll the selection.
| believe it was at Trafalgar that Lord
Nelson. observing his second in command.
who was leading tie left wing OF the
feet, closing with the enemy, said to Cap
tain Hardy: See how calamity that
noble fellow Colingwood carries his ship
into action" Sampson had no gentlemanly
appreciation of that kind. and in his re-
port of the battle off Santiago omits al
together TO mention the name of Comm0-
dore Schley. the man who won the victory
and reflected credit upon the American
Navy The Matanzas mule whom he i'm
mOlated at cost to the United States of
sl5.G00 in ammunition ought to be revived
to kick him to death.
WILLIAM E DOYLE