The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-02-18
slMPSON's AFFLlCTION
eide Lights on the Admiral's
usalth During Spanish War.

at. subordinate' Said to Have Done
u, That Has Been Attributed to
xorth Atlantic SquadrOn's Conn
,or-Part Played by Captain
h chadwick and Lieutenant stnunton
o.+oh,ishment beyond doubt OF
o+ that the late Admiral William
CD' somnson was suffering from the dis
which finally killed him a full
ea'o hesore he was assigned to the
' '~ of a squadron in the war
"" Snoin has made clear many
WIZ Wis which before were only limited
'4'I soys a special dispatch from Wash
~ s'.ton ON TO the New York Times. Many
0tboso things have long been known
VI washington, but have never been
,mshod Yet it has been well known
p'D novol officers and others that long
, ~ his mental trouble was openly
Oootnovledged Admiral Sampson was
az condition to transact important
~ This made ridiculous to those
. u we're aware of the circumstances
,ho assertion that the admiraPs illness
coused by criticism of his naval
+ions 1t also accounts for the in
U1pao+ion Of his friends over criticism
u Itch If is said, might more properly
Sova been bestowed upon some OF his
subordinates'
.,on If which Admiral Sampson was
aonhar the bad condition of his
hoolth was manifest to his colleagues.
rbo commission was often obliged to
transact its business without him, and
Srrinc IFS sessions he was frequently
unaware of what was going on.
THAT he was a victim of aphasia dur
inc the campaign is established now.
There was only pity for the admiral.
whatever criticism there has been
among those who knew the facts has
bpen made upon those who, knowing
his condition, sent the sick man to COM
mond feet in war time and perform
exhausting duties.
The strain upon him, of course, was
greatly lessened by his immediate sub
ordinates, who took charge of much of
his work. This is particularly true OF
CoDtain T. E. Chadwick, his flag cap
rain and adviser. 1t has been limited
that CAPTAIN Chadwick was RESPONSE
BILE for much that was done at San
tiago. Another of those who took the
admiraps work upon their shoulders
was Lieutenant Sidney A. Staunton,
his flag lieutenant.
1t was Lieutenant Staunton VINO
wrote the famous Fourth of July dis
patch beginning, THE fleet under my
command" It was Staunton also, 1t Is
said, who prevented the sending OF
Commodore Schley's dispatch announc-
Inc the victory. 1t is understood that
it was Staunton who wrote the Gun
ner Morgan letter" and who read the
proofs of Maclay's history.
During the progress Of the court OF
inquiry, held in Washington last year,
a strong effort was made by counsel to
show that in fact it was Captain Chad
wick and not Admiral Sampson who
did most of the things complained OF
by them. For instance, that 1t was
Captain Chadwick who received the
Cuban signal code from Commander
McCalla and who did not communicate
it to Commodore Schley, as a result or
which Schley lost three days at Glen
fuegos. Captain Chadwick himself tes-
tilted that he advised Admiral Samp-
son against sending dispatch congrat-
uating Schley on his success in finding
the Spaniards at Santiago.
distinguished naval officer of the
highest rank in the service was in at
tendance upon the court of inquiry
ready to go upon the stand and give