The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-10-11
GEN. ALGER'S BOOK IS OUT
A REVIEW OF OUR LATE WAR.
Publication of the Book Delayed on
Account of Recent Death of Pres
ident McI<inley-He Gave Several
Prominent Men a scoring--GeneraI
Miles Included

New YORK, Oct. 7.-General Ayers
book on the Spanish-American war,
which his publishers stated has been
delayed and changed because of the
death of President Mckinley" will be
issued Thursday.
General Alger opens his book with
survey of the Cuban situation in 1898
and comments upon our unprepared-
ness for war at that time and the
splendid spectacle of the countrys re-
Spouse to the governmental ultimatum
upon Spain. He then leads the reader
through the hurried preparations for
war, the disappointment of hundreds
of volunteers, the demands of sea
coast cities and towns for immediate
protection and the savage criticism of
the military administration plan of
campaign and the battle with appar-
emily endless shortcomings and griev-
ances. Then follows the embarkation
at Tampa, which was severely criti-
cized at the time, but which General
Alger is now convinced that all things
considered, was not a mistake.
The account of the march on San
tiago is graphically pictured.
The book takes up the round robin"
signed by the general officers of Shat
ter's army while the negotiations for
surrender were pending, in which it
was stated that this army must move
at once or it will perish" from the
fevers that threaten the camp
General Alger has no criticisms to
offer of the road robin ITSELF but says
that it's publication was one of the
most unfortunate and regrettable in
cidents Of the war.
General Alger reviews at length the
differences between General Shafter
and Admiral Sampson, and concludes
this chapter in these words:
ut is difficult to account for Ad-
miral SIMPSONS attitude towards the
army during the operations before
Santiago, as well as to excuse him
for his contradictory statements subse-
quently made in his official report.
After the third of July the admiral's
conduct may be due to the keen dis
appointment resulting from his nom
participation in the engagement with
Cervera's squadron. Possibly he felt
Skaters request for a conference on
the morning of July 8, although it was
responsible for his being out of the
honor of actively participating as COM
mander in chief in one of the most re-
markable victories in the annals of
naval warfare"
General Alger reviews the Miles
Eagan controversy over the alleged
furnishing of embalmed beef to the
army and tells of the appointment by
the president at his request of the
commission to investigate the conduct
of the war department in the war with
Spain. The commission met Septem-
Der "a, 1898 he says. and up to De-
cember p of that year 'had taken
testimony in II towns and cities. and
in many different camps, granting to
citizens, soldiers and eX-soldiers an
opportunity to appear for complaint
or testimony of any kind regarding the
conduct of the war Many thousands
of soldiers were invited to give their
evidence without regard to rank or
service.
con the 21st of December" contin-
ues General Alger, "the major general
commanding the army of the United
States appeared before the commits
sion then sitting in Washington, and
made his statements with reference to
the canned, fresh and refrigerated beef
furnished to the army during the war.
although the commission had been
sitting nearly three months, the charg-
l es with respect to the canned and re-
frigerated beef were now made for
the first time, and, stranger and more
inexcusable and more unsoldierly still,
during all those months with this pre-
tended knowledge of facts wdich, if
, they existed she uld have been made
q known to the secretary of war for the
e protection Of the army. General Miles
had never mentioned the subject
General Miles seemed to be pleased
it'll the notoriety which his startling
statement before the commission AMI
+ lis subsequent newspaper interviews
: gave him. for, again. on the 31st Of
I March, 1899, in New York city, he pub
: lished. through representative of the
Il Associated Press and of a metropoli
= tan paper additional charges. This
unmilitary and questionable method Of
naking in public grave and scandalous
charges regarding a brother officer and
}. the work of his department, charges
/ Which subsequent and careful investi-
g CATION proved both unwarranted AMI
It untrue, seemed to appeal to certain
l. abara cfarietipc Of tho major ppnara1