askedhispermissiontoleadthecharge。Heorderedmetodoso,andthistimeawaywewent,andstormedtheSpanishintrenchments。Therewassomeclosefighting,andwetookafewprisoners。WealsocapturedtheSpanishprovisions,andatethemthatnightwithgreatrelish。Oneoftheitemswassaltedflying-fish,bytheway。Therewerealsobottlesofwine,andjugsoffieryspirit,andassoonaspossibleI
hadthesebroken,althoughnotbeforeoneortwoofmymenhadtakentoomuchliquor。LieutenantHowze,oftheregulars,anaideofGeneralSumner’s,broughtmeanordertohaltwhereIwas;hecouldnotmakeuphismindtoreturnuntilhehadspentanhourortwowithusunderfire。TheSpaniardsattemptedacounter-attackinthemiddleoftheafternoon,butweredrivenbackwithouteffort,ourmenlaughingandcheeringastheyrosetofire;becausehithertotheyhadbeenassaultingbreastworks,orlyingstillunderartilleryfire,andtheyweregladtogetachancetoshootattheSpaniardsintheopen。Welayonourarmsthatnightandasweweredrenchedwithsweat,andhadnoblanketssaveafewwetookfromthedeadSpaniards,wefoundeventhetropicnightchillybeforemorningcame。
Duringtheafternoon’sfighting,whileIwasthehighestofficeratourimmediatepartofthefront,CaptainsBoughtonandMortonoftheregularcavalry,twoasfineofficersasanymancouldwishtohavebesidehiminbattle,camealongthefiringlinetotellmethattheyhadheardarumorthatwemightfallback,andthattheywishedtorecordtheiremphaticprotestagainstanysuchcourse。Ididnotbelievetherewasanytruthintherumor,fortheSpaniardswereutterlyincapableofanyeffectivecounter-attack。However,lateintheevening,afterthefight,GeneralWheelervisitedusatthefront,andhetoldmetokeepmyselfinreadiness,asatanymomentitmightbedecidedtofallback。JackGreenwaywasbesidemewhenGeneralWheelerwasspeaking。Ianswered,“Well,General,Ireallydon’tknowwhetherwewouldobeyanordertofallback。Wecantakethatcitybyarush,andifwehavetomoveoutofhereatallIshouldbeinclinedtomaketherushintherightdirection。”Greenwaynoddedaneagerassent。TheoldGeneral,afteramoment’spause,expressedhisheartyagreement,andsaidthathewouldseethattherewasnofallingback。
Hehadbeenverysickforacoupleofdays,but,sickashewas,hemanagedtogetintothefight。Hewasagamecockifevertherewasone,buthewasinverybadphysicalshapeonthedayofthefight。Iftherehadbeenanyoneinhighcommandtosuperviseandpresstheattackthatafternoon,wewouldhavegonerightintoSantiago。Inmypartofthelinetheadvancewashaltedonlybecausewereceivedordersnottomoveforward,buttostayonthecrestofthecapturedhillandholdit。
Wearealwaystoldthatthree-o’clock-in-the-morningcourageisthemostdesirablekind。Well,mymenandtheregularsofthecavalryhadjustthatbrandofcourage。Ataboutthreeo’clockonthemorningafterthefirstfight,shootingbeganinourfrontandtherewasanalarmofaSpanishadvance。Iwasnevermorepleasedthantoseethewayinwhichthehungry,tired,shabbymenalljumpedupandranforwardtothehill-crest,soastobereadyfortheattack;which,however,didnotcome。AssoonasthesunrosetheSpaniardsagainopeneduponuswithartillery。AshellburstbetweenDaveGoodrichandmyself,blackinguswithpowder,andkillingandwoundingseveralofthemenimmediatelybehindus。
Nextdaythefightturnedintoasiege;thereweresomestirringincidents;butforthemostpartitwastrenchwork。AfortnightlaterSantiagosurrendered。Woodwonhisbrigadier-generalshipbythecapitalwayinwhichhehandledhisbrigadeinthefight,andinthefollowingsiege。Hewasputincommandofthecapturedcity;andinafewdaysIsucceededtothecommandofthebrigade。
Thehealthofthetroopswasnotgood,andspeedilybecameverybad。
Therewassomedysentery,andalittleyellowfever;butmostofthetroublewasfromasevereformofmalarialfever。TheWashingtonauthoritieshadbehavedbetterthanthoseinactualcommandoftheexpeditionatonecrisis。Immediatelyafterthefirstday’sfightingaroundSantiagothelatterhadhintedbycabletoWashingtonthattheymightliketowithdraw,andWashingtonhademphaticallyvetoedtheproposal。Irecordthisallthemoregladlybecausetherewerenottoomanygleamsofgoodsenseshowninthehomemanagementofthewar;
althoughIwishtorepeatthattherealblameforthisrestedprimarilywithusourselves,thepeopleoftheUnitedStates,whohadforyearspursuedinmilitarymattersapolicythatrendereditcertainthattherewouldbeineptitudeandfailureinhighplacesifeveracrisiscame。AfterthesiegethepeopleinWashingtonshowednoknowledgewhateveroftheconditionsaroundSantiago,andproposedtokeepthearmythere。Thiswouldhavemeantthatatleastthree-fourthsofthemenwouldeitherhavediedorhavebeenpermanentlyinvalided,asavirulentformofmalariawaswidespread,andtherewasasteadygrowthofdysenteryandothercomplaints。Noobjectofanykindwastobegainedbykeepingthearmyinornearthecapturedcity。GeneralShaftertriedhisbesttogettheWashingtonauthoritiestoorderthearmyhome。Ashefailedtoaccomplishanything,hecalledacouncilofthedivisionandbrigadecommandersandthechiefmedicalofficerstoconsultoverthesituation。
AlthoughIhadcommandofabrigade,Iwasonlyacolonel,andsoI
didnotintendtoattend,buttheGeneralinformedmethatIwasparticularlywanted,andaccordinglyIwent。AtthecouncilGeneralShafteraskedthemedicalauthoritiesastoconditions,andtheyunitedininforminghimthattheywereverybad,andwerecertaintogrowmuchworse;andthatinordertoavoidfrightfulravagesfromdisease,chieflyduetomalaria,thearmyshouldbesentbackatoncetosomepartofthenorthernUnitedStates。TheGeneralthenexplainedthathecouldnotgettheWarDepartmenttounderstandthesituation;
thathecouldnotgettheattentionofthepublic;andthathefeltthatthereshouldbesomeauthoritativepublicationwhichwouldmaketheWarDepartmenttakeactionbeforeitwastoolatetoaverttheruinofthearmy。Allwhowereintheroomexpressedtheiragreement。
Thenthereasonformybeingpresentcameout。ItwasexplainedtomebyGeneralShafter,andbyothers,thatasIwasavolunteerofficerandintendedimmediatelytoreturntocivillife,Icouldaffordtotakeriskswhichtheregulararmymencouldnotaffordtotakeandoughtnottobeexpectedtotake,andthatthereforeIoughttomakethepublicationinquestion;becausetoincurthehostilityoftheWarDepartmentwouldnotmakeanydifferencetome,whereasitwouldbedestructivetothemenintheregulararmy,ortothosewhohopedtogetintotheregulararmy。Ithoughtthistrue,andsaidIwouldwritealetterormakeastatementwhichcouldthenbepublished。Brigadier-
GeneralAmes,whowasinthesamepositionthatIwas,alsoannouncedthathewouldmakeastatement。
WhenIleftthemeetingitwasunderstoodthatIwastomakemystatementasaninterviewinthepress;butWood,whowasbythattimeBrigadier-GeneralcommandingthecityofSantiago,gavemeaquiethinttoputmystatementintheformofalettertoGeneralShafter,andthisIaccordinglydid。WhenIhadwrittenmyletter,thecorrespondentoftheAssociatedPress,whohadbeeninformedbyothersofwhathadoccurred,accompaniedmetoGeneralShafter。IpresentedthelettertoGeneralShafter,whowaveditawayandsaid:“Idon’twanttotakeit;dowhateveryouwishwithit。”I,however,insistedonhandingittohim,whereuponheshovedittowardthecorrespondentoftheAssociatedPress,whotookholdofit,andIreleasedmyhold。
GeneralAmesmadeastatementdirecttothecorrespondent,andalsosentacabletotheAssistantSecretaryoftheNavyatWashington,acopyofwhichhegavetothecorrespondent。Bythistimetheotherdivisionandbrigadecommanderswhowerepresentfeltthattheyhadbettertakeactionthemselves。TheyunitedinaroundrobintoGeneralShafter,whichGeneralWooddictated,andwhichwassignedbyGeneralsKent,Gates,Chaffee,Sumner,Ludlow,Ames,andWood,andbymyself。
GeneralWoodhandedthistoGeneralShafter,anditwasmadepublicbyGeneralShafterpreciselyasminewasmadepublic。[*]LaterIwasmuchamusedwhenGeneralShafterstatedthathecouldnotimaginehowmyletterandtheroundrobingotout!WhenIsawthisstatement,I
appreciatedhowwiseWoodhadbeeninhintingtomenottoactonthesuggestionoftheGeneralthatIshouldmakeastatementtothenewspapers,buttoputmystatementintheformofalettertohimasmysuperiorofficer,aletterwhichIdeliveredtohim。BoththeletterandtheroundrobinwerewrittenatGeneralShafter’swish,andattheunanimoussuggestionofallthecommandingandmedicalofficersoftheFifthArmyCorps,andbothwerepublishedbyGeneralShafter。
[*]GeneralWoodwritesme:“TherepresentativeoftheAssociatedPresswasveryanxioustogetacopyofthisdespatchorseeit,andItoldhimitwasimpossibleforhimtohaveitorseeit。I
thenwentintoGeneralShafterandstatedthecasetohim,handinghimthedespatch,saying,’Thematterisnowinyourhands。’He,GeneralShafter,thensaid,’Idon’tcarewhetherthisgentlemanhasitornot,’andIleftthen。WhenIwentbacktheGeneraltoldmehehadgiventhePressrepresentativeacopyofthedespatch,andthathehadgonetotheofficewithit。”
Inaregimenttheprimeneedistohavefightingmen;theprimevirtueistobeableandeagertofightwiththeutmosteffectiveness。Ihaveneverbelievedthatthiswasincompatiblewithothervirtues。Onthecontrary,whilethereareofcourseexceptions,Ibelievethatontheaveragethebestfightingmenarealsothebestcitizens。Idonotbelievethatafinersetofnaturalsoldiersthanthemenofmyregimentcouldhavebeenfoundanywhere,andtheywerefirst-classcitizensincivillifealso。Onefactmayperhapsbeworthyofnote。
Wheneverwewereincampandsofixedthatwecouldhaveregularmeals,weusedtohaveageneralofficers’mess,overwhichIofcoursepresided。Duringourentireservicetherewasneverafoulorindecentwordutteredattheofficers’mess——Imeanthisliterally;
andtherewasverylittleswearing——althoughnowandtheninthefighting,iftherewasamomentwhenswearingseemedtobethebestmethodofreachingtheheartofthematter,itwasresortedto。
ThemenIcaredformostintheregimentwerethemenwhodidthebestwork;andthereforemylikingforthemwasobligedtotaketheshapeofexposingthemtothemostfatigueandhardship,ofdemandingfromthemthegreatestservice,andofmakingthemincurthegreatestrisk。
OnceIkeptGreenwayandGoodrichatworkforforty-eighthours,withoutsleeping,andwithverylittlefood,fightinganddiggingtrenches。IfreelysentthemenforwhomIcaredmost,towheredeathmightsmitethem;anddeathoftensmotethem——asitdidthetwobestofficersinmyregiment,AllynCapronandBuckyO’Neil。MymenwouldnothaverespectedmehadIactedotherwise。Theircreedwasmycreed。
Thelifeevenofthemostusefulman,ofthebestcitizen,isnottobehoardediftherebeneedtospendit。Ifelt,andfeel,thisaboutothers;andofcoursealsoaboutmyself。ThisisonereasonwhyIhavealwaysfeltimpatientcontemptfortheefforttoabolishthedeathpenaltyonaccountofsympathywithcriminals。Iamwillingtolistentoargumentsinfavorofabolishingthedeathpenaltysofarastheyarebasedpurelyongroundsofpublicexpediency,althoughtheseargumentshaveneverconvincedme。Butinasmuchas,withouthesitation,intheperformanceofduty,Ihaveagainandagainsentgoodandgallantanduprightmentodie,itseemstometheheightofafollybothmischievousandmawkishtocontendthatcriminalswhohavedeserveddeathshouldneverthelessbeallowedtoshirkit。Nobraveandgoodmancanproperlyshirkdeath;andnocriminalwhohasearneddeathshouldbeallowedtoshirkit。
OneofthebestmenwithourregimentwastheBritishmilitaryattache,CaptainArthurLee,anoldfriend。Theothermilitaryattacheswereherdedtogetheratheadquartersandsawlittle。CaptainLee,whohadknownmeinWashington,escapedandstayedwiththeregiment。Wegrewtofeelthathewasoneofus,andmadehimanhonorarymember。Thereweretwootherhonorarymembers。OnewasRichardHardingDavis,whowaswithuscontinuallyandwhoperformedvaluableserviceonthefightingline。Theotherwasaregularofficer,LieutenantParker,whohadabatteryofgatlings。WewerewiththisbatterythroughouttheSanJuanfighting,andwegrewtohavethestrongestadmirationforParkerasasoldierandthestrongestlikingforhimasaman。DuringourbriefcampaignwewerecloselyandintimatelythrownwithvariousregularofficersofthetypeofMills,Howze,andParker。Wefeltnotmerelyfondnessforthemasofficersandgentlemen,butprideinthemasAmericans。Itisafinethingtofeelthatwehaveinthearmyandinthenavymodest,efficient,gallantgentlemenofthistype,doingsuchdisinterestedworkforthehonoroftheflagandoftheNation。NoAmericancanoverpaythedebtofgratitudeweallofusowetotheofficersandenlistedmenofthearmyandofthenavy。
Ofcoursewitharegimentofourtypetherewasmuchtolearnbothamongtheofficersandthemen。Therewereallkindsoffunnyincidents。Oneofmymen,anex-cow-puncherandformerround-upcook,averygoodshotandrider,gotintotroubleonthewaydownonthetransport。Heunderstoodentirelythathehadtoobeytheofficersofhisownregiment,but,likesomanyvolunteers,oratleastlikesomanyvolunteersofmyregiment,hedidnotunderstandthatthisobligationextendedtoofficersofotherregiments。Oneoftheregularofficersonthetransportorderedhimtodosomethingwhichhedeclinedtodo。Whentheofficertoldhimtoconsiderhimselfunderarrest,herespondedbyofferingtofighthimforatriflingconsideration。Hewasbroughtbeforeacourtmartialwhichsentencedhimtoayear’simprisonmentathardlaborwithdishonorabledischarge,andthemajor-generalcommandingthedivisionapprovedthesentence。