Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-03-09

WASHINGTON, March 9.-Except
for the ridiculous hero claim based on
the Indian campaign incident of 1886,
for which Leonard Wood, although
not within miles of hostile bullet,
was decorated II years afterward,
Woods record as a military hero"
rests wholly on his activities during
the war with Spain.
Wood is recorded as present at two
actions: Las Guasimas and San Juan
Hill.
At Las Guasimas, but for his res
cue and support by the colored troops,
his command might have been wiped
out.
Was In The Rear
At San Juan General James H. Will
eon stated that Wood, during the hard
fighting, was I'm the rear, looking for
ammunition" and Colonel Roosevelt
records the fact that he sent messen-
ger after messenger to try to find
Wood, without avail.
Testimony before the senate COM
mittee that passed upon Woods nom-
ination to be a major general in the
AIulY III 1OOOy IdlSSO dIl IubSIGOllIS
question:: Where was Wood during
the hard fighting at San Juan Hill and
Kettle Hill on the first day of the Bat
tie of Santiago?
General James H. Wilson, who tes-
titled before the committee Dec. 1908,
discussing this question, said:
"Later had another interview with
Mr.. Roosevelt after he had been elect
ed vice president of the United States
at his home at Sycamore Hill.
he began in rather eXtravagant terms
of praise of General Wood, whereup-
on said to him:
Rescued By Troops.
Governor Roosevelt, | think you
are perhaps mistaken about that. If
1 am correctly informed, General
Wood never was under fire in his life
until the Spanish war began, either in
the Geronimo campaign or at any
other time. In the Spanish war he
was never in but one battle, and that
at Las Guasimas, where but for his
rescue and support by the colored
troops, he would have been badly ham
died
"'Oh, yes,' said Mr.. Roosevelt, he
was at San juan To which I replied,
81 beg your pardon, he was not. You
know that he was in the rear looking
for ammunition
eyes, he said, but do not tell
anybody Now, why he did not want
me to tell anybody do not know"
Secretary of War Elihu Root testi-
fed before the committee on the last
day of the hearings and stated that
President Roosevelt had informed him
that General Wilson was mistaken.
One Important Reference.
But Roosevelt in his book, "The
Rough Riders" while he makes re-
peated references to the presence of
Wood at the Las Guasimas affair, in
his description of the actual assault
and capture of the two San Juan hills
by infantry and cavalry troops on the
first day of the Santiago fight, makes
only one important reference to Wood
which is significant:
"I sent messenger after messenger
to try and find General Wood
and get permission to advance, and
was lust about making up my mind
that in the absence OF orders | had
better march toward the guns, when
Lieut.. Dorst (adjutant general of the
division commander, not on Woods
staff came up through the storm of
bullets with the welcome command
to move forward and support the reg
ulars in the assault on the hills in
front"
Called For Records.
Secretary of War Root testified
that he knew that Wood was present
at the battle of Santiago; that the
records of the War Department prove
that he was. Soon after Root gave
this testimony the War Department
called upon the late Coolnel ]. H..
Dorst to state what he knew as to
Woods whereabouts on the occasion
in question, and Colonel Dorst re-
sponded with statement showing
exactly where Wood was, and what he
was doing during the assault and cap
ture of San Juan and Kettle H II.
The records of the War Department
were never produced to back up
Roots testinlony9