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About The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1902-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1904)
-'fi mJ if3 B& & icor ThI 8 t? LS " COLONEL M "I Will Give One Thousand Dollars to Any Person Wha Wii Prova That One Line of That Article is s Not Strictly True." -COn. AMIXANDKIt S. J1ACON, 3T l.llicrlj Slree, N. Y. WAS LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ROOSEVELT A GOOD SOLDIER, OR DID HE HAVE A GOOD PRESS AGENT? Iho Republican Campaign Committee has Issued n pamphlet called "Roose yells Military Record," which has been circulated by the million, and n mem iiro . . IlouK" "hlcrs, acting for the Campaign Committee, Is sending It to 1 i u.)m h Vnr velern8. w'1' 'I Mnlement thnt tbo President "1h now being vllllflcil nticl abused in outrn Reims terms for iiolltleal reasons," and states: "J resent the bitter campalRii falsehoods which are being uttered about him." ibis pamphlet was probably Issued as a reply to my nrtlele In the AiiRiist number oC the ARM.Y AND NAVY CRITIC. It Is needless to sfty that It Is not an nnswer to any charRo contained In that nrtlele. In HMX) I Issued n brochure on "The Seventy-first Regiment at San Junn " wherein inost of the chnrges were sot forth. No ONE OF Til KM HAS EVER BEEN ANSWERED. The August Critic has been Issued foi nearly three inonthB and no person lias attempted to answer It. 1 will give one thousand dollars to any person who Mill move, thnt one lino of that article Is not strictly I repent the charges: i i 1T"Ti!.0 b!ck h0U8e on San Juan was captured at about, 1:30 p. m., on July 1, 1898, by the Infantry, not by the Cavalry. ' 2.Colonel Roosevelt did not see a Spaniard on July 1st, and was not In a position whera he could see one. h, tS'um .R0Zt?'!V.& fc,count of hl3 "."olc ehargs on horwback up Ban Juan Hill U absolutely false. Ar-Kettle Hill, a small rise of ground about 800 yards In front of the. San Juan hills, never contained a Spanish soldier or Spanish entrenchment. 5. The Infantry had lain In advance of Kettle Hill for hours before 1:30 p. m. They did not take possession of Kettle Hill, for no reason except that they had no use for an old kettle. ' 6. Earlier In the day, the Rough Riders had gone to the right of the road, to Santiago, for half a mile, and lay for hours In the tall grass, neck high, j 71 R e ,nfantrv hatl left the sunken road between Kettle HIM nd San Juan, and had captured the block house, Colonel Roosevelt and his Rough Riders came out of the tall grass and went up Kettle Hill 8. There were no entrenchments on the San Juan hills, except about 100 b.j1 arund,1th0 b,ock, house- Colonel Roosevelt's statements In his "Rough Riders," written months after the war, do not correspond with official reports, evep hlo own, and are absolutely untruthful. THE OFFICIAL REPORT. Colonel Roosevelt's olllclal report, found at pages 11! and 14 of Major General Miles' Supplementary Report, 181)8, contains the following: "Accordingly wo charged the block house and entrenchments on the hill to our right against n heavy lire. It was taken lu good style, tbo men of my regiment thus being the llrst to capture nny fortlilcd position and to break through tlio Spanish lines." (Every word of that statement is abso lutely false.) "After enptur Ing this hill, we first of all directed a heavy, lire upon the Snu Juan hill to our left, which wns nt Uie time being nssnlled by the regular infantry nnd cavalry, supported by Captain Park er's Gulling guns. By the time San Juan was taken a largo force had as sembled ou the hill we had PREVI OUSLY captured." A glnnce nt tho map shows that the bill occupied by tho cavalry was far lu tho rear of tho Sau Juan hills, and tho rep6rts of the engineer olllcers and tho otllcinl tnnps nro unanimous thnt it contains no entrenchments what ever, nnd there is no record of its over having been occupied by the Spaniards. A glance at the map will show how preposterous Is Colonel Roosevelt's claim. 1 Colonel Roosevelt staled In an ad dress to tho Nntlonnl Guard Associa tion of the State of Now York, ou Feb ruary 18, 1000 (pp. 50, 57, Otllcinl Re port, N. 0 N, Y.): "As for tbo Snn Juan light, it would lio nn cxnggeratlon to say it wbb n colonel's tight. It -wns a squad lead er's fight. No human being In the col umn knew what be wns to do when the column stnrted. Wo moved forward again, crossed tho river nnd had to halt within range of tho Spanish bat teries on the hills until we got the or der to chnrge. More by n consensus of opinion thnn anything elso wo went up nnd took the bill." This is the olllclal report of this ppeech to the National Guard, but In the nctunl speech ho admitted that he did not seo a Spaniard; thnt they did not know thnt there had been a battle until it wns over. The position of the First Volunteer Cavalry, half n mile to tho right of the road to Santiago nnd behind Ket tle Hill, Is Indicated by the reports of Leonard Wood, colonel, First V. S. Volunteer Cavalry, nnd T. A. Baldwin, lieutenant-colonel, Tenth Cavniry (see pages ;i2 nnd 341, of General Miles' olllclal report). These reports are ver batim the same. One plugarlzes from the other. As General Wood wns some where In tho rear, ho was probably the offender: "After proceeding about bnlf way 1o tho San Juan Illll (from El Pozoi the leading regiment (Rough Riders) was directed to CHANGE THE DI RECTION TO THE RIGHT, and by moving up to the creek to effect junc tion with General Lawton's division, which was then cngnged nt Caney, about n mile mid a half toward the right, but was supposed to bo working toward our right llnnk. After proceed ing lu tills direction ABOUT HALF A MILE, this effort to councct with Gen. Lnwton wus given up, nnd the First nnd Tenth cavalry were formed for nttnek ou the EAST HILL, with the Volunteer Cnvnlry ns support." Colonel Wood srys lu his report of July 0 (p. 342): "Our first objective wns tho bill with n small red-roofed iiouso on It." (Kettle II Ml.) After the occupntlou of tho Snn Junn Mils by the Infantry, it became nec essary to create entrenchments to be raptured nnd Spauinrds to be killed liy tho political colonel, nnd the only rwny to do this was to make n bristling fortification out of nn old kettle that Hind been left behind by tbo Infantry Lours before. Colonel Egbert, Sixth Infantry, snys in his ofliclal report, pages 304-5: "The nn Junn Hill fortifications being in plain view, about 400 ynrds dtstnnt, fivhile to our right and IN PROLON NUTS HOT SHOT GATION OF THE ROAD ON WHICH WE STOOD was another illl surmounted by a laige painted house. This Is the hill SUBSE QUENTLY captured by the cavalry division and opposite to which their lines extended, though they were not In sight from the road. "This was the llrst opportunity of fered to eillclently cniry out General Hawkins' order to enlllado the San Juan Hill, upon which my regiment and tho detachment of the Sixteenth now opened a hot lire, to whleh the trenches responded, and this CONTIN UED FOR AN HOUR. It will be oh served that except for Captain Whit all's detachment of the Sixteenth THE SIXTH WAS NOW ENTIRELY ALONE IN Its attack on the Snu Juan Hill. "Hero the Sixth remained, contend ing With tho hill FOR ABOUT AN HOlflt, but as we wero particularly hidden by tho hedge and protected by a road trench (sunken road) our cas ualties wero not heavy. At tho same time I was not satisfied with our po sition on tho road, which, being ob liquo to the hill, gavo only an oblique nnd comparatively ugt effective lire. I therefore concluded to advnnco the regiment Into tho Held of high grass and weeds lying between our present position nnd tho Sau Juan blockhouse. As they drew nearer wo dis tinguished the tall hgure of General Hawkins, with bis aid, Lieutenant Ord, Sixth Infautry, charging nt the bend of tho skirmishers mid waving their lints. As soon ns this could bo stopped by n signal tbo min gled troops of tho Sixth, Sixteenth, Thirteenth and Tweuty-fourth swept up nnd over tho bill nnd it wns won, Captain Charles Byrne's Company F, nnd Captain Keunou's Company E, of the Sixth, being among tho foremost, If not actually tho veryllrst, on the summit." Captain Whltall, of the Sixteenth In fnntry, says lu his report, page 285: "During tho entire action, from tho time General Hawkins ordered my company forward, 1 never received n command from any one until after my company had carried tho colors to the blockhouse, where it was the llrst llag on tho San Juan. Hill. At tho time of my arrival nt tho blockhouse en tho cresf of the hll I could see no other men there but those of my company nnd n few men from other companies of the regiment." Lieutenant Stedmnu, of tho Six teenth Infantry, says, In his olllclal report (page 282): "I hero nscertnlucd that tho other companies of my battal ion were to my left, IN THIS SUNK EN ROAD. I moved my company to the left and went through an opening In n wire fence, which hnd been cut by n Cubnn, who was very prominent in tho llrst charge. This was nbout thjrty paces from the" crossing of the creek. This put mo on tho right of the front line thnt stnrted to niako the charge across this open space, tho companies consisting of A, D, E, C, and (5, Sixteenth Infantry. "I led my company across this open space some 000 yards, and the charge was made directly in front of THE trench occupied by tbo enemy. That was a little to the left of the block house directly fronting us, nnd ou the crest of the hill, THE ONLY FOHTI FIED FIELD WORKS near this blockhouse." Captain L. W. V. Kcnnon, of the Sixth Infantry, snys In his olllclal re port (pnge 2SS): "Our nrtlllery tire bnv lng ceased, Company E went up the bill, and was the llrst organization of our army to reach the summit and the fort. A number of enlisted men of other compaules Joined in the advance nnd reached the crest with us. At this time there were a few Spnnlnrds in tho blockhouse nnd In tho treucbes to the flanks, but the greater part were In the renr of the fort, retreating to a position In rear." . General Kent says In his olllclal re port (page ICO): "General Hawkins, some time after I renched the crest, reported that the Sixth and Sixteenth Infantry had captured tin- hill, which I now consider incorrect. Credit is almost equally due the Sixth. Ninth, Thirteenth, Sixteenth and Twenty fourth regiments of Infantry." General Miles olllclal report contains the reports of scores of olllcers on the battle of San Juan, not one of which hears out Colonel Hoosevelt's absolute ly false report of the battle contained In his "Hough Itlders." There Is not any olllclal report of the battle Irom any source corroborating Colonel Hoose velt's olllclal report of the battle. I therefore repeat the charge that Colonel Roosevelt has obtained promo Hon to the Presidency of the United Slates by a report of his own alleged heroic acts at San Juan Hill, which re ports were knowingly false. I repeat there was but one blockhouse, and one entrenchment on the San i'inn Hills. These were captured by the Infantry. This infantry had lain far hours In and around the sunken road in advance of Kettle Hill, and AFTER the Infan try had captured San Juan," ltoosevelt nml his Hough Itlders came out of the tall grass, where they had been con cealed for hours, and went up Kettle 'Hill, which lind never had upon It an entrenchment or a Spanish soldier. Colonel Roosevelt had had no mili tary experience. Ho lert a position In tbo navy, where he might have been of some service, in order to take a spectacular position in the army, where ho was the Jaughlng stock of regulars and volunteers alike. All the world honors a brnvo soldier, but all the world despises false pretences. "Hoosevelt's Military Hccord." pub lished by the Hepubllcan Campaign Committee, Is a mere collection of platitudes, and the recommendations of ltoosevelt for brevet and a medal of honor met with no serious consid eration. They won rejected. The let ters of recommendation aro very guard LETTERS FfiOH 1 P I'm Glad I'm a Reular-Tiiey Go AInail and Bo Their Cusliiess Wiiliout Any ! Iiiss or leatliers-L'ui I'm Sorry Tiiat Wc Will Not Get Any Cre it For Gar Work--They Say Oar Uicrj-e Will Make Rooselt I'rasid nt $ Seme toy and Thai is What We Went to War Fo;." LETTER NO. 1. At Foot of San Juan Hill. July J, 1SU3. This has been a day of terror and yet this evening duds me singularly cool and calm. The lighting started about daybreak with nn artil lery duel, In which our artillery seems to have got the worst of It. I hear that Grimes has been shelled out of bis po sltlon ou El Pozo and that Capron's artillery was worse than useless. You see, our artillery was using black pow der, while the Spanish used smokeless powder. So, while we were u perfect mark for them, wo could not locate their batteries at all. The casualties have been pretty heavy I hear to night that our division has lost about 350 killed and 2000 wounded. Our regiment lost something over 100 killed nnd wounded, but I don't know Just how ninny. I thought wo would bo the whole thing on account of hav ing taken this hill, but tho adjutant (who Is now Lieutenant Koehler) says the Rough Riders will gut all tho credit because they have their pres3 agents along. And, what do you think, they were not even lu the light. They left the main advance column early In the morning, nnd going off to the right got lost somewhere lu the climmrral and did not get out again until to night. I Just got back from a walk along the lino and llnd the army strung out like this: Letter contains a map not thought necessary to reproduce. Ed. It Is n pretty thin line, but I guess wo will bo able to hold our position. The regulnrs aro simply wonderful as lighters. They go nt It Just ns if it was sport instead of tragedy, nnd tho fact that men nro killed nnd wounded con tlnually don't seem to bother them nt nil. They take It as n matter of course. J'm glad I'm u regular. They go nhend nnd do their business without nny fuss or feathers. But I'm sorry thnt we will not get any credit for ourj worK. Tiiey say our enargo will make Roosevelt President somo day. nnd thnt thnt Is the only thing he went Into tho war for Just politics. Well. I suppose I shouldn't kick, as I nm looking for a laurel wreath myself. The adjutant says L'll never bo heard of unless I should chance to get killed, when T will occupy one line in the papers in the list of dead and wounded. When I was over on the right flank about nn hour ago tlitf" Rough Hitlers were Just gettlug up to the lino in the position assigned thorn. Wbero they hnd been nil day I don't know, but tho talk is thnt they were having sport on n hill somewhere In the renr. I will proba bly know more nbout this to-morrow or next day. It Is rumored that wo will advance again to-morrow and drive tho Spanish Into tho harbor. They retired lu pretty good order to-dny, ns they only left eight dead on the hill nnd no wounded, so fnr as I know. Just how many are In the op posing army I do not know, but it is PARTING OF THE WAYS. , The People Must Decide Whether the Nation ShuU Bo u Republic or an Empire. Wo nro now at tho parting of tho ways one (Democracy) carries us for ward in the graud avenue traced out for us by the founders of our nation, n patli of dignity, honor, peaceful, hap py advancement, which marks us us the hope of mankind in all that makes ..Tii .i 7i , " .. ""' """ I while the other (Republican) rond tnkes nL !! ,, tli?.iFro?t ".Tm M'Uere. TT1? peoples full of 'ambitions, civil hat- trndm,rcl?l(iU(L,,UlS' feudn.1, IuIserk'3- trailing their slime across tho ccntiir-1 m.an0 acl1K f ? 0e, urdeuel with armor, to light out questions of ' ed, and no one of them was written by nny man who saw the alleged he roic charge against the San Juan ket tle. Hooscvelt says, in his "Hough Hitlers," page 123, that lie tried to llnd General Sumner and Ueneral Wood and could not. Colonel Mills was wounded and out of action long be fore the charge. Hcconiniendatlous. in general terms, by subordinates amount to nothing. Such uuolllclal recommendations may be had for the asking. The charges contained In the bro chure, published In 11)00, remain unan swered; the charges of the August Army and Navy Critic remain unan swered. And I repeat, and defy any man with knowledge to refute them. General MacArthur obtained his pro motion as Major-Gonernl by making n report about his manenvres In the capture of the city of Manila, which we now know to have been a sham battle, and Admiral Dewey swore be fore a committee of Congress that the city had practically surrendered to him a week before and It was arranged that the Spaniards were not to lire back. Colonel Funston obtained his promo tion as brigadier-general upon his own report of his own heroic deeds in the capture pf Agulnaldo, which we now know to hnve boon put up by Aguln aldo himself, who says. In Everybody's Magazine of August, 11)01, that the la dles had come over the day before from Caslguran to Pallium to have a dance, thus traversing the very road over which Fiinston passed In his hor rible privations. Colonel Hooscvelt has obtained pro motions by n false report lu his "Hough Itlders" of ids own heroic deeds In an Imaginary charge on an imaginary horse up an imaginary hill against Im aginary Spaniards. ALEXANDER S. BACON. 37 Liberty street, New York City. snld that there is between .20,000 and ."lO.OOO. We have only 17.000 men on tho Island, of which -1000 or 5000 are oluntcers, so you see what kind of stuff we are made of. LETTER NO. 2. San Juan Hill. .Inly 10, 1SDS. No chiiige since my last letter There are rumors that we will nttnek the Spanish in the morning. Seems likely that we will, as we have received orders to pack rolls and haversacks at 4 a. m. to-morrow. This afternoon I went along tlia entire lino tof our army. Had nothing else to do, and I wanted to seo Just how we wero lo cated. This is the way we are sit uated: I Letter furnishes map not deemed necessary to publish. Ed. lou win notice a llttlo hill In the rear which I have marked "It. R." That is where the Rough Riders did all their terrlblo lighting on the llrst day or the light. I don't know, but honestly believe they never saw a Spaniard over there. I hear that it is In till tbo New York papers that Roosevelt and his Rough Riders took San Juan Hill. That is a He. He didn't take San Juan Hill. He didn't even see the hill, and he has never been near It yet. We took the hill, and we've been ou top of It ever since. J. lie actions or that man are the lnugb Ing stock of the nrmy. Ho Is contlnu nlly blowing his horn, nnd seems to think he is tho biggest man down here. If ho were not Roosevelt I believe ho would bo drummed out of camp. It is quite sickening to seo tho nirs ho puts on. I suppose before tho war is over he will bo commanding tho nrmv, nnd thnt will mean n through ticket to the Presidential chair. It's all politics. Tho men who did tbo llghtlng-tlio regulnrs-bnvo very llttlo to sav. They don't seem to be in it for glorv. They simply do It ns n matter of business. But Roosevelt is out for glory nlone, nnd ho seems to bo tnklng nil ho cnu get. Now ho wants to get back to the United Stntcs (probably tJ pull some wires). lie hns done nothing but kick, kick, kick for the last three or four days, nnd ho has made himself very obnoxious everywhere. He kicks because ho can't have toast and eggs every morning for breakfast. He kicks because he has to sleep on the ground instead of ti hair mattress. He kicks because bis men nro homesick and want to see their best girls. Pm homesick myself, but Pin not kicking, and I haven't heard a kick from any one in the regiment yet not even from one fellow whom I helped into a trans port wngon to lie taken back to the bos pltnl. Ho had both eyes shot out, wounds through tho neck, chest, ab domen, legs and arms, hut the nnlv thing lie said was: "Who's got a pipe handy?" I gave him mine. I didn't think he'd llvo more than nn hour or two. nlthough ho hnd lain in the grass three days without attention, but they got him Into the bospitnl alive. family, or of territorial and rammer. clal greed. By the latter path wo abandon hu manity, nnd Avlth drum nnd trumpet and wnrsblp, hurl ourselves into the wretched wrangle which hns been go lug ou In the old world since the dawn of history, nnd tho new world then censes to exist. This Is the track into which, tentatively but surely, our Gov ernment hasJicen trjing to push, with accelerated pace, during the last three years, nnd now tho people of the Unlt- eu htntos are about to be called upon to say if it bo their wish to continue wie marcn. n mey sny yes. let them mnrsjul, tMeIr heaviest kttallons, 1,ni,Se t,1,lr torm Qt sovernment to n dictatorship, nnd prepare their Pnrses for a drain in comparison to - tvhlcli that of our Civil War was light. The Republic Is, indeed, at the parting 0f the ways. MATB. iOSTH Col. Bacon's Review of Hie Darin? Capture of en Undefended Field toied With Imaginary Slaughter. ROOSEVELT AT SAN JUAN OUT FOR GLORY, HAVING BEFORE HIS EYES &. THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION. Wo now come to the most humiliat ing fraud lu recent history the cele brated battle of San Junn, lu the Span ish War of ISlis, which has given scores of brevets for every den 1 Span iard. The first act In the drama was to re move every West Pointer from bends of depnrtuents (excepting tho engi neers and ordnance, which contain graduates onlyj, because West Point ers unit contractors are natural born enemies. The next act was to hit in command of the army of Invasion an ofllcer who was wholly incompetent to serve in a tropical climate, weigh ing iI20 pounds and having permanent physical disabilities. Tho facts of the battle are briefly ns follows: General Shafler's plan of bat tle seems to have been nil right, but was not carried out. General Lnwton was expected to capture El Caney by 7 o'clock lu the morning: then turn to his left and form the right wing of the attack on tho Snn Junn hills; the cen tre to bo occupied by Wheeler and his cavalry; tho lert by Kent and the in fantry. EI Caney was not captured until 4.'M In the afternoon. In the meantime the Wheeler and Kent divis ions simply drilled toward San Juan, through a dense jungle, of which there had been no reconnoissance. and the Spanish skirmish line on Snn Junn ex ercised Itself at target practice from 5 o'clock In the morning until 1.S0 in the afternoon, simply Minuting at the roads and trails where the American troops were holpU"-.-, in column. Is It not high tim that some of the mists surrounding the bittle of San Jun.i were raised? Tho War Depart ment, when asked how mmij Span lards were !n Santiago when It sur rendered, nnd how many Spaniards wero killed and wounded at San .luan and El Caney, states in a letter that they have no records that throw any light on the subject. Prominent of fleers, who hnvo www ledge, give eva sive replies. Lleu'"ii,int Jose Muller y Tejelro, nccrnd In command of nn- val forces of tho Province of Santia go, in his history, whleh hns been translated in part by the Navy Depart ment, gives only :5000 effcctlvo Span ish soldiers In and nbout Snntlago on July 1. Escarlo and his column did not break in until the Sd, and tliero were about 2100 sick In liosnltul. Their food consisted exclusively of rice nnd wnter; their ammunition wns senrce; their artillery consisted of thirteen pieces of nntlquo pntterns some of wnicii they did not tin re discharge. Santiago had not been prepared for a siege. These .'1000 n.en had over ten miles to cover,' and wero attacked at llvo different iwlnts simultaneously: (1) The fleet menaced Morro Cnstio nnd tho Socnpa buttery nt the mouth of the bay. (2) Five thousand Cubans, whoso losses were heavy Bonsnl says (p.444) their pcrrentn' of loss was tlf ty per cent, greater tha 1 tho Ameri cans'were active, nnd harassed them op the west. (3) Aqundores wns men need by a demonstration of Michigan troops Just landed. (4) El Caney was attacked by about 0000 men; aud (5) San Juan by abou 7500. According to Lieutenant Mullcr, the San Juan hills were occupied by a mere skirmish line of 2.V) Spaniards. Captain Nunez says, in his history, al so translated in part by tho Navy (p. 113), "that the advance echelon of San Juau, consisting of two companies un der tho command of Colonel Vaqulero, 'SAN JUAN HILL a fflffi . . ' NtAD "7 - X"'" " SANTIAGO ot CUBA , 2j Ik. j .. w lJ i 11 t TCI ' "-w' ( S UWATIN6 FRAUD Events of Juiv 1. 1 was reinforced by another company. The artillery on Sau .luan consisted of two old pieces that looked ns if they were a hundred years old. mounted on rickety old carriage. They were .eft behind. This echelon of Sun Juau wns attacked by 7.100 Americans with light batter; 1 aud a Galling battery thir ty to one. The American loss at San Juan, lu killed and wounded, was more thau a thousand by the oMK-ial figure. The Spanish luss was substantially nothing. Evei Sp.inlaid killed or wounded four Americans The pei centage of American loss at Sun .luan was twice that tt the British at tin "bloody" battles of Tugelu Hlvci. The Spanish loss is unknowu, but was practically nothing. One of the regular officers, who was one of the llrst to nsce.id the San Juau hill nnd occupy the blockhouse, when asked, before the-Seventy-first Regi ment Court of Inquiry, "What did you see on arriving at the top uf the hill?" replied "Nothing." Q. "Nothing at all?". A. "Nothing but scenery." t,j. "No Sparlards?" A. "Well, a few might be .seen l-i the distance retiring to their trenches." The fact Is that n soon ns the Americans formed due of battle and proceeded up tho hill nt about l.:0 p. in,, the Spanish .skirmish line retired to their breastworks around Snntlago, vMilch were never captuied, but were surrendered with the city ou July 17. About S00 ynrds In front of the San Juan hills was a small stream called Purgntorio Creek, with densely wood ed banks. It flowed close by a slight rise called Kettle Illll, which was a No far lu front of the San .luan hills. As far as known, Kettle Illll had ne?r concealed a Spanish soldier in the his tory of the world, and its only forf llcallou consisted of an old iron kettle that gave Its name to the American. For hours tho Infantry bad been lying lu a sunken road, in advance of Kettle Hill. No one thought of going on top of it because there was nothing to go liter. But when the Infantry left tbe i" sunken rond and capUnedTEnjiock- liouse. Colonel Roosevelt nnd the Hough Riders marched from the millet Held, behind this hill and Purgntorio Creek, nnd frantically charged up Ket tle Hill! It wns attended with little more danger than an nttnek on the City Hnll In New York. The San Junn hills directly beyond it had no In trenchnients, nnd hnd already been abandoned by the Spnnlnrds. His slaying the tleeinc Spaniard lets than thirty feet ntvas sounds much like murder. No regular ofllcer found It necessary to establish his reputa tion by an account of exultant blood thlrstlness. They accepted the painful duty of lighting the enemy ;is one of the snd necessities of war and sought to win no glpry by gloating over the wldowe and orphans they wero forced to make. Colonel Roosevelt stands out ngalust tho lurid horizon of war as the solitary autobiograpber from the dnvs of Caesar till now to write himself down boastlngly ns n slayer of bis fel lowmnu, and that, too, at such close range. Having examined under oath nbout 100 participants In tho San Junn en gagement, nnd having in my posses sion tho stenographer's tiauscrlpt of their testimony, I am prepared to statu that Colonel Roosevelt did not so much ns see a Spaniard on July 1, 1SDS, and was not In a position where he could see one. r ' , ,u
