The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-11-28
GEN. CHATTER
osnetAing About the American OF.
aeer Who Wrote to Field Mar.
shal Won waldersse.

That letter in which Gen. Chaffes
called down Field Marshal Count Won
Waldersee for German looting mus,
hsve been an amusing document" said
an ex-ofiicer of volunteers, according
to the New Orleans Times -Democ rat.
Shaffee Is blunt. rugged old cam.
paigner. who has spent the best part
OF bis life fighting Indians ard cussins
nule-whackers all over the wild and
woolly west, and he know~ no more
about diplomatic bland.sum~nts than
Zulu witch doctor knows about mod
ern bacteriology. His note to VoA
Waldersee was undoubtedly hot stuff.
and l can imagine the amazemeat Of
the polished and dignifed German field
marshal as he perused it's contents.
Gott in himmel!' he must have ex.
claimed, what kind of a wild man is
dot. anyhow Chaflee was the idol
OF the rank and file throughout the
operations in Cuba" continued the ex.
volunteer, "and gosI many quaint
stories were circulated there illustrat
Ing this very phase of his character.
One Of them, which | recall on the
spur Of the moment, is peculiarly apro
pos.
During the engagement at El Cane,
Chaffee was in command of a brigade
in Lawton's division, and on the morn.
ing OF July l, when the fighting begau,
he was saddled with 800 or 400 of our
Cuban allies. As a matter of fact, the
native parrots were more of nuisance
than anything else. and Chatfee wa,
rerplexed to know what to do witt
the detachment. Some distance north
east Of FL Caney and we'll out Of IT,.
real zone Of action there was a very
small and dilapidated Spanish block.
house, perched on little ridge. and,
happening to notice it, he told the
Cuban colonel, who was an extremely
pompous individual, to take his troops
ard capture the position while tho
maiN attack was in progress. There
couldn't possibly have been over q
dozen Spaniards ia the blockhouse al
tho lime, and the work of taking it was
really child's play, hut. instead Of max.
Ing charge, the Cubans proceeded to
deploy themselves about a milo and
bali away, and opened loDg-dis.
tance l,rmbardment. If any OF their
bulleS Carried that far they certainly
did no damage. and the Spaniards prob.
ably never knew they were being as.
saulted.
During the heat Of the general en-.
gagement the allies were forgotten,
but early in the afternoon there was q
lull in the action, and while Chaffee
was consulting with soma Of his regi.
mental officers Cuban aid came rush.
Ing up and reported that the native
division was out of ammunition. MY
colonel desires that you send him i'm.
mediately some cases OF cartridges he
said, in conclusion. Chaffee looked AZ
him with a sardonic grin. 4 don't
think you fellows had better burn any
more cartridges he said, slowly.
were smoothing at 'em, and IL they did
they'd come over and kick your whole
b!ankety blanked cowardly crowd all
the way down to Matanzas. Tell your
colonel that with my compliments
he added. The aid turned purple and
went away, boiling with indignation.
II heard this story from an officer
who was present, and he chuckled glee.
fully as he told it, for everybody had
been cautioned to treat the Cuban,
with the greatest Difference and had
found 1t difficult TO obey the order.
Chaifee was probably animated by the
ss me spirit of candor when he opened
his now-celebrated correspondence
with Won Waldersee."