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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 1898)
lw -s .. .1 L,- 5 THE COURIER. PlPiFiFPS K - k s F R- Kf l. THE WIDOW IN DOUBT tTown Topic War Correspondent. I hope that the investigating com mittee appointed by the president to unearth mistaken war methods will not turn out a white-washing commit tee. To roe it looks bad for exposes when a man, a dyed-in-the-wool poli tician like Colonel James A. Sexton, of Chicago the comander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic is to be one of the nine. Colonel oexton has the reputation of being a "square man;" but "square" with him signifies to stand firmly by his constituents. Like the Chicago Inter-Ocean of other days, he will escape lies, but avoid the truth if truth will in' any way re flect upon the integrity of the man who chances to belong to his party. This Investigation committee should be composed of men who want nothing of this administration, and expect nothing of the next. Politics have knocked the foundation pins out from under all military management from the time the war began, and politics alone stands responsible now for the suffering of cur soldiers. In June from Tampa, I said this: "While these army officers are say ing nothing, it looks to me as if many of them feel keenly the position they are in. They are humiliated before these military attaches who are here to represent different countries. They seem like children at school, who are being punished for something they do not deserve. While our regular army is equipped and ready for everything our volunteer army is not ready, is suffering, and these time-nonored offi cers who love all soldiers, suffer, be cause they. too. are helpless. Their hands are tied. Their 3udgMit ig nored. Smiles do not often lipht up their faces. There is care and anxiety in their expression. .d the character lines are gradually becoming drawn to a tension. Why Because politics continually reach in to interfere and to slaughter good sense, and directly our soldiers. Things go wrong be cause at present there is no real head political heads have not the ability and our military heads are given no opportunity." I hate to say "I told you so," but a little further along in that same let ter I asked: "How long will it be be fore our able military men will be left to work out this conflict in their -wn way without interference?" Ml this, mind you. was early n June. It may not be plain in Wash ington, where the blame lies for all that has come to tne army since then, or undertsood fully by the people but to those in the field, so far as these three departments that are to be in-restigateJ-the quartermaster, the Hiedical and the commissary-it needs no investigation to discover what is the matter. It is summed up in a nut shell: Civilian appointments of in competent men. Civilians, however, are not altogeth er alone in the falling down. One of the greatest crimes of She war was when General Brooke allowed the only pure drinking water at Chickamauga to be cut off. Because of that alone, -we have now to contend with the "Chickamauga typhoid." wmca is con sidered the worst of all the camp fev ers. The owner of Crawfish Spring wanted $10,000 from the government for this spring. It was a question whether or not it belonged to the Leiter hospital property, anyway; T)ut the tnan. like everybody elss in that thing out of ncleUshrdlmbfwywymfw part of the country, wanted some thing out of Uncle Sam, and threat ened to cut it off unless he received fe price. The water was cut off: Many of the soldier sever knew why "I have always found him gentle manly." "He is a cad just the same, and can- their four mile trips for drinking wa- army. Politics should. In this instance, out of the presence of his superior ter stopped, nor why it was suggested stand aside and give full power to mil- officer. not ordered that they boil the wa- itary heads. As it stands today, war A few days after this a special cor ter from the hydrants. There were systems are ruined and politicians are respondent for a New York publica not facilities in camp for boiling wa- cursed. tion was coming from 'General San- ter, and no way of cooling it after it What has become of the sons of ger's headquarters. It was raining was boiled. somebody, the nephews of politicians, and the curtains to her carriage were Anyway, what was $10,000 to our the civilians with shoulder straps? down. The driver was stopped by on government when fifty thousand lives Have any of them distinguished them- orderly, who requested that an officer were at stake. selves? I had my eye on a few, and from General Grant's staff be taken One great reason for neglect of fine thought to let them out of the war in to the station. The driver said the detail, for oversight in keen manage- a blaze of glory from my pen. I carriage was engaged, but -the orderly ment of General Brooke and other could not follow them into Cuba, but insisted that all carriages in the na commanding officers at Chickamauga, I remembered them affectionately, tional park were public conveyances, was the number of women demanding and had my blaze ready to touch off The correspondent sa-a: attention at all times. Officers' wives with accounts off their bravery. I "I have hired this carriage for the were in such evidence, in camp and made of myself an investigating com- day. but I have no wish to be unac out of it, that many times reports mittee, and desisted after the second commodating. Who is the officer?" were not properly made, and com- name on my list. My blaze would not "Lieutenant Levey," replied the or plaints were niped in the bud; there burn. My first son was rescued from derly. was eternally the wife to hear what a perilous position under a freightcar, "Lieutenant Levey is not a gentle was to be said. Nothing could be con- where he was hiding, and my second man and he cannot ride in this car fidentialr nothing could be sacred. If one succumbed to the first ache in his riage," said the war correspondent, an officer, in making a report, chanced little toe as an excuse to stay in tho The orderly looked astonished, but to have an opinion of his own, and the hospital or be carried about on a said loyally by the way the orderly wife of the superior officer thought stretcher. I decided it would never -was a member of the Fourteenth New differently, tne wile won out. a ioi do to hunt up the rest of them. If York of good work was handicapped in tins these two flunked, all hope for the way, and commanding officers were others was gone. left many times in ignorance of tnings The punishment of Cadet Sheldon at that should have their attention. West Point for rfiiRino- tn calnt :j i.., 5 n mi nut p. On sec- It sounds far fetched to say that a civilian fencing master recalls to my ond thought I will allow it. I want to few women interfered in the welfare mind so salute that went at tell him what I think of him," replied of thousands of soliders. but a general Chickamauga. Shoulder straps in this SSStlBS' with has one wife, and that wife never feels war have put my a "beggar on the lady and the orderly, with satch- quite in the swim until war comes, horseback." One day in the street at els, piled in with the driver. The cor- and war does not come often. Her Chattanoojra a private met a second respondent said: r sTinrt in ,! war. but she was i:.. c-j: i "I did not at first consent to extend ..., .. ... . ucuKuaui. Biauuiug near nw a ursi there. If you wanted to know the lieutenant from General Wade's staff. president's innermost thoughts and The second lieutenant said to the pri- the next move or the secretary or war. rate: all yon had to do at Chickamauga was "Why don't vou salute me?" to sit down among these "army wo- The private, a refined looking volun men." There was never but one teer, looked astonished and tinallv great general, but one real command- Said: "What is the matter with you shabbily at Lookout Inn. All la- ing general, and that one, of course. John?" ' dies there disl,ke..you;" ,. u v v a v . . , "He was drunk," said the lieutenant, the woman's own husband, and he in "Don't you dare to call me John, and oh. no. He was not drunk. He the most sacred confidence of Jhe ad- if you don't salute me I will have you was there on a pass to visit his ministration. placed under arrest," answered the mother." A thing that would amuse me if it lieutenant "No he vras dnmk and aslced me aza - ... ... 'uj m, . . the way to the bar," insisted the lieu did not appear so woefully absurd, is The private gave the salute with a tenant. the hint thrown out at various limes cynical smile and passed on. Just ,4To say a soldier is drunk seems to about General Miles wanting to be then the second lieutenant met the be a favorite way some of you officers president of the United States. Why, lieutenant from General Wade's staff. ,h.av,e of. defendine yourselves. That that man is so much of a soldier that I He did not salute. . 'SSlFS&'fSZ. am sure he would not leave the army "Why do you not salute me sir?" tary salute. I am afraid you have if England's throne were offered tc said the first lieutenant. discouraged him in further attempts. him. One paper an organ of coursf Eh sir what?" "stammered the Yon:know be was not obliged to see will sav that he wants to be a dem- second. 0uxv x. j , ,,,,,. .. . , . , .. .. aet-onu- "Well, he was drunk, and I told him ocratic candidate, and another, or the "I am your superior officer. You to get off the piazza, so he would not same paper at a different time, will jhould practice what you preach. I disgrace himself." claim that he desires to be a repnbli- xpect you to solute me " replied The correspondent looked at Lieu can candidate for the presidency. Bless Lieutenant H ' wlSSSiXJSffi you. General Miles does not -want to The salute was given surily, and the my paper." be anything of the kind. I am sure. T second lieutenant went his way as "Good heavens! Do you write?" don't believe he knows anything about Lieutenant H called the private to asd the startIe(J lieutenant politics, aside from the serious difficul- him. He said: 4ST?i . , t f?A Tia nae 0nfnnntm in 4Tia aii.t 4.m . vum.....!!. -...x.3 , ... ing out of his military ideas. As a with that lieutenant?" looker-on it has seemed to me that "Yes, sir," was the reply. "I have the heart and soul of the Indian fight- known him eleven years. Seven years er are in the army, and that his high- of that time we were schoolmates, and est ambition would be satisfied if he for four years we have been privates the convenience of my carriage to the station." "Whv not?" said the lieutenant. with an insinuating smile and a will ingness to continue conversation. "Because I do not like you." "Not like me me?" "Yes, you. You treated a little pn- acquainted remember nothing about the circum stances.' "But you just said the soldier was drunk." "Well, it was not me. I know noth ing about it. It was somebody else." i man wno would do a thing like could see himself in a position to care together in state militia. He has just that would be an awful cad, wouldn't for-the soldiers from a military stand- received his commission." It xms t meT t .f point without the interference of po- On General Grant's staff was, or is, not " 7U WaS litical power. At Tampa I saw him a man by the name of Levey. He is a m "But a man who would do a thing grow heartsick, and ready to sacrifice lieutenant. He was sitting cm the li,fe that 'would be a cad. would he himself and the dignity of his position piazza of Lookout Inn one morning, njen vou -t t as a figurehead in Washington to go when a little smooth-faced private Bl,t a man who woulddTa thimr with the army and protect it in Cuba hjs way. The little private like tbat would be a cad, would he from what they were suffering there, Feemed not very used to uniform or sa- no?" and what he foresaw they must suffer lutef Dut he was out for Uncle Sam !!s bl,t. ?m are mistaken " in a foreign country under the man- and for and for all lhere in wow tenofT athority, agement of ignorant civilian appoint- Jt anU he watched his "opportunity to "Yes. but really now, you must not ments. salute this lieutenant, who did not re- think it was me." Nothing was right in the very be- turn the salute, but said: Tt67' were at V"e statIon- Iieuten- 2, f fro" Tampa our ay - W-?M SXffntr started with everything wrong. The tiThey j not heen issued to us, sible. J P jealousy existing between the innum- T Another day an officer met a private erable major-generals and brigadier- "Then get off the piazza," said the jj ha. both arms full of packages, generals-and incidentally their wive. of wnl j Grant!s 8taff. S tatnofflftoB?ri0,nCer will preclude an honest endorsement g younjr soldier was dressed with "Why don't vou salute me sir?" from them for any one major-general Moe flannei shirt and belt, perfectly roared the shoulder strap, being placed in the fullest command proper uniform, and was visitinfr bis e sldier commenced to put down of all military departments; but this mother at the inn. There was a howl ""f: J stoPP also. The officer is what sho-Jd Ue done to insure, for of indignation from the ladies on the f ""nded iTkTvTrnd " the future, humane treatment for the piazza, but the tittle private stepped sad walked on. 2 -r T -" &- M 'i 1 . ' . 1$ m . . V i .- V. H :! '- - vw , , , I- . S-1 .1 & j'. 2jo"VC-Ssi; tJ X -, j. 'afeft-xu;-.'