Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-10-06
GENERAL ALGER'S BOOK IS
GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.
DELAYED AND CHANGED BECAUSE
OF PRESIDENT MckINLEY's
DEATH.
DEALS WITH SPANISH WAR.
SOME RATHER CAUsTIC EXPIRES
SIONS REGARDING GENERAL
MILES.

war, which his publishers state has
been delayed and changed because of
the death of President Mckinley" will
be issued next Thursday.
Opening his book with survey OF
the Cuban situation in 1898, General
Alger says:
The thoughtful observer of public
events during the years 1895 1897 need
hardly be reminded that both the
Cleveland and Mckinley adm.nistra-
tions sought by every honorable means
to avoid complications with Spain.
though protesting against the condi-
lions prevalent in Cuba
He then comments upoa ou.' unpres
paredness for war at that time and
the splendid spectacle of the country's
response to the government ultima
tum upon Spain. He then leads the
reader through the hurried prepara-
lions for war, its embarrassment and
difficulties, the persecution of the Of
fice-seeker, the disappointment of hun
dreds of volunteers, the demands of
sea coast cities and towns for imme-
date and impossible protection, and
the savage criticism of the military
administration plans of campaign and
the battle with the apparently endless
list of shortcomings and grievances.
Then follows the plans of campaign;
the embarkation at Tampa which was
severely criticised at the time, but
which Gen. Alger is now convinced
that all things considered was not a
mistake. The account of the march
on Santiago is graphically pictured and
prepares one for the fights at Caney
and San Juan.
The Round Robin" incident comes in
for a fair share Of space. While nego-
tiations for surrender were pending pc
fore Santiago, the general officers of
Skaters army, met and signed round
robin which was given out for publica-
ton. This paper showed great alarm
over the threatened coming of yellow
and enteric fevers, ana went on TO
say this army must be moved at once
or it will perish" OF the round robin
itself, General Alger says he has no
criticism to offer. But he does criticlse
the publication OF it, saying that IL was
one of the most unfortunate and regret
table incidents OF the war.
General Alger reviews at length the
differences between General Shafter and
Admiral Sampson, and quotes many Off
cial letters He concludes this chapter
in these words.
1T is difficult to account for Admiral
SIMPSONS seeming attitude towards the
army during the operations before
Santiago, as well as to excuse him for
his contradictory statements, suose-
quentIy made in his official report.
AFTER the third of July the admirals
conduct may be due to the keen dis
appointment resulting from his nom
participation in the engagement with
Cervera's squadron. Possibly ne lelt
that Skaters request for conference
on the morning Of July Bird, innocent
though 1t was, was responsible for his
being deprived of the honor OF actively
participating as commander-in-chief n
one OF the most remarkable victories IN
the annals of naval warfare.
Of the Miles Egan controversy over
the alleged furnishing of "embalmed
beef" to the army, General Alger says:
THE commission appointed by the
President at my request to investigate
the conduct of the War Department in
as the war investigation or the Dodge
commission, met on the oath day OF
September, 1898. Up to the 2lst of
December. 1898. this commission had
taken testimony in seventeen towns
and cities and in many different camps,
granting, wherever it went to the citi-
zens, soldiers or ex-soldiers. an oppor-
tunity to appear for complaint or tes-
Lit o,.jf ,.er In cor
duct of the war. The commission Wis
tied numerous camps in which there
were still many thousands of soldiers,
both regulars and volunteers, who were
invited to give their evidence without
regard to rank or service. On the list
of December the major general COM
manding the army OF the United states
appeared before the commission, then
sitting in Washington, and made his
statements with respect to the canned
fresh and refrigerated beef furnished
to the army during the war.
Although the commission had been
sitting nearly three months the
charges with respect to canned and re-
frlgerated beef were now made for
the first time; and, stranger and more
inexecusable and more unsolderly still,
during all these months WITH lniS pre-
tended knowledge Of facts which, if
they existed. should have been made
known to the Secretary of War for the
protection of the army. General Miles
had never mentioned the subject.
General Miles seemed to be pleased
with the notoriety which his startling
statement before the commission and
his subsequent newspaper interview
gave him; for again on the 3lst OF
March, 1899, in New York city, he pub
lished through representative OF the
Associated Press and of a metropoll-
tan paper, additional charges. This
unmilitary and questionable method OF
making in public grave and scandalous
charges regarding brother officer ana
the work of his Observation-Disclosures
which subsequent and careful invesu-
CATION proved both unwarranted and
untrue-seemed to appeal to certain
characteristics of the major general
commanding to which reference here
would be out of place.
- hi fnxro ION