The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-04


down by tactics and military prccepts. The
problems were new The regular army was as
semUed together for the first time since 1860.
New weapons resulting In new tactics, were
quantities not deternnable In advance Of OK.
ncticncc. Throughout the entire campaign not q
complaint was received by the War department
nom any oilcer or man OF the regular army
General Lawton and General Wood, both good
types OF the American regular soldier have testi'
fed that they have endured, on more occasions
than one, greater hardships in Indian campaigns
than the Santiago campaign entulcd." In 90
days the Spanish fleet had been driven out Of
Santiago hafbor, after several severe engagements
with an enemy greatly superior in force, on its
own ground well intrenched; $4,000 prisoners
over 100000 rations and large part OF Cuban
territory captured, without tho loss of a
prisoner, gun or flag; while, besides our own
forces, in spite OF difficult communications, there
were fed 5000 Cubans and 10000 helpless men,
women and children thrust into Our keeping by
the fortunes Of war; Tie author says:
Eighty nine newspaper correspondents accom-.
panied General Skaters expedition, or about six
to regiment OF 1000 men. Not five per cent Of
these representatives Of the press had ever seen
battle, and very few, II any were experienced
war correspondents. The hardships OF war were
entirely new to them, and large portion OF
the reports in the daily pres, should have been
reads the time with this understanding. Many
OF the accounts criticising the condition of that
campaign were absolutely without foundation in
fact"
The PHILIPPINE campaign, our relations with
Asunaldo and the Tagalog rebellion are treated
in three chapters. In addition to the consider
alton of the Philippine operations from polti-
cal and military standpoint, the author en-.
phasizcs the efficiency, under hard service con.
ditions, OF the American forces In speaking OF
the capture of Manila, he says that "the landing
was made during the season OF the highest tenn
a,,1
were about the same as Mt Santiago" That
once, when the surf was unusually heavy, the
troops ashore were without food 81 hours. The
watchful vigil OF The flooded trenches resulted in
the destruction Of many pairs of shoes and 800
men OF General AIerritt's army marched into
Manila barefoot. Conceive the remarks of the
yellow press had this incident, so common in
war, occurred at Santiago, instead OF at Manilal
Yet there were no complaints from those sturdy
heroes"
lengthy chapter follows, headed ''Tle Miles.
Eagan Controversy containing the authors
views and position the subject. lie says in
cosing:-'Had / consciously permitted a ration
of food which believed to be bad, to be served
to soldier on duty in the field under the flag of
this republic, should not dare 10 hope or ask to
be forgiven.''
One of the most interesting chapters in this
book is that on Camps and Disease" 1t is
maintained that no national camp occupied dur.
ing the suner OF 1903, was in itself unhealthy,
and that the percentage of sickness was smaller
than among our troops in 1861, the British forces
in South Africa, and relatively less than in any
war of modern times. Yet much was prevent.
able, being due to camp pollution, the cause
being ignorance or neglect on the part OF officers
coupled with inezperience on the part of the
men. The precautions taken by the War depart
menc are shown. The Chickamauga camp site
had been one of our camp sites for much larger
n lOnpnr nprOl
less supplies, during the Civil war. An account
Of the investigation of the conditions ut this
camp is given, OF board Of surgeons one from
the regular army and two from the volunteer.
Among other things, the report shows that 20
per cent. of the volunteer regiments brought ty-
phoil fever TO Camp Thomas with them. There
came under the observation of the typhoid.fever
board 4i,S03 men OF the 1st and I'd Army corps
at Chckamauga, among which there had de.
vcloped 4OGs cases OF recognized typhoid fever
and 5902 cases, regarded as typhoid from their
subsequent history. OF these o0G0 cases, there
were 1l3 deaths, Q rate lower than the death
rates from this disease in the large hospitals in
Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York.
The author quotes at length speech o:
General Boynton. in permanent charge of Chick.
amauga Park, delivered at reunion OF Civil
war veterans, in September, 1900 in which the
speaker draws comparisons in detail, between
conditions during the Civil war and the war with
latter i'll quantity and quality OF supplies and
stores and hospital accommodations and treat.
ment transportation, etc. Among other things,
he says:
$40 sum up this subject the War Department
used GA standard Pullmans, 1901 tourist Pull.
mans and 3,2Sj first class day coaches-a pro.
vided with ice water by the barrel for the trans.
portation Of the Camp Thomas troops alone.
And the yellow journals insisted that the depart
mCnt was crowding the soldiers into cattle cars
and insisted upon it until the country believed
it. You remember where you bivouacked in the |
Dyer Field, at the close Of the first days
fight, after twcnty'sevcn hours marching and
fighting without a meal; bivouacked without |
fires when white frost was settling down and |
with only few crackers and scraps of bacon |
and pork, which could not be cooked because |
the cnemys lines were too close to admit OF
fires Well, in the days which tried the sous
Of the sensational journals in the Spanish war;
Just back OF where You bivouacked, the commits |
sary department had bakery, with a capacity |
Of GG,OOO cightocn.ounce loavcs, and every soldier |
and civilian Cmployc in that army got loaf |
Of it every day, ii he wanted it, and it was as
good bread us | ever care TO see on my own
table"
Tie goes on to say that fresh meat was issued |
seven days out of ten, as good as ever came
IN refrigerator TO the cities and towns
)f the North every quarter carrying Il tag Of
without the loss OF a pound, except where it
ell into the hands OF regiments whose men did
not know how to care for it in hot weather, nor
heir officers how to tell them. He speaks Of
he bacon as the same as bought in 1rst.class
amily groceries, and OF the high quality and
quantities Of fresh vegetables "The War de-
Iartment was keeping house with 27i,00O board
'rs." lie refers TO the hospitals as superior to
my OF the Civil war, overcrowded at times and
It times n lack OF nurses. "And everything did
lot move as smoothly as a church fair, but
10 lack OF supplies or attention beyond what
vas inseparablc from tho rapid organization Of
great camp" lie notes that thirteen rcgi-
nents and ten batteries OF regulars drank the
water, as well as the large park force, without
ingle case OF fever developing amongst then
The regulars never lost man from any camp
liscase whatever. ''WhCn the troops moved from
amp Thomas, there were medical stores enough
eff behind to fit out fifty regiments with full
eld supplies Tor active campaigning" After
tating that the work OF the War department and
lac staff corps, in promptly mobillzing a quar-
or Of 4 million men, was creditable in the high
st degree, General Boynton goes on TO say;
"Oi course, there were lacks at times, Every
rue soldier knows that these are nscparablc
rom war conditions. But the quartermaster's
nd cOmmisslry departments could not furnish
rundle'bcds and Mother Winslow's soothing
yrup ON the spur OF the moment and so it was
impossible to check the squalling OF the few who
imagined they We're going into summer en-
ampment and found themselves in war camps in
tead. And the sensational journals became the
'illing organs Of all this baby business. But
he county did not then understand that these
ttaclis had political origin, and as II was not
eomed eXpedient to make direct attacks on a
ar president, the scheme was devised Of striking
i'm by attempting to discredit his War de-
artmcnt and the management OF the war;"
General Boynton further said: 'The dcath.rate
t Camp Thomas is the best test oi all the sen.
ltonal stories with which the country was de-
eiyed enraged and driven wcl.nigh crazy. The
}urnals attacking the War department told you
llt Lhn snlLl.rs Lhnln Alal nM lLn .lnnu 60 |