The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, August 10, 1898, Image 1
SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY AUGUST 10. 1898.
New Series-Vol. XVIII. So. 2
. Cit Mtftjjnmit aittr Mp
Pu'siislsd Every heines ?Lay,
-BY
KT. <3r. Osteel
SUMTER, S. C.
TXRMS :
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charged for. i
Shafter's Army Could N
Stay io Cuba.
A conference of all commanding a
medical officers of Geo. Shafcer's an
was held at headquarters in Santia
on August 3rd, at which Gen. Shaft
read a oable message from Secreta
Alger, ordering bim at the recommer.
arion of Surgeon Geo. Sternberg,
move tbe army ioto the ioterior,
San Lois, where it is healthier.
As a result of the conference, Ge
Shafter insists upon tbe immedt*
withdrawal of the army north wish
two weeks as all agreed io the opini
that to stay io Cuba would result
the death of a large part of the arm
Col. Roosevelt took the initiative io
lengthy letter addressed to Geo. Sta
ter.
GENERAL OFFICERS7 RO?N
ROBIN
After Cot. Roosevelt bad taken ti
initiative, ali che American general cf
oers united io a round robin addresse
to Geo. Shafter. It reads :
4,We, the undersigned officers, cou
maodtog the various brigades, division1
etc , of the army of occupation i
Coba,;.' ara of the unanimous opioic
i that this army should be at once take
out of the island cf Cuba aod sent i
some poiot oo the northern seacoast i
. the United States ; that it eao be doo
without danger to the people of th
United States ; that yaliow fever io th
army at present is not epidemic; th:
there are ooiy a few sporadic eases, bc
(bat tba army is disabled by malani
fever to toe extent that its efficiency i
destroyed and that it is in a conditio
to be practically destroyed by ao ep
demie of yellow fever, which is sure t
comer? the near future.
"We koow from the reports of coa
pptecc officers aod from personal ot
serv&'ions that the amy is uoable t
move into the ice-tor and that ther
are oo faoitittea for suoh a move i
attempted, an i that it could ojt h
attempted till too late. Moreover
the heft medical authorities of the isl
land say thal with our present equi;
ment we could not lise io the ioterio
during toe rainy season without lo?
from malarial fever, which is almost a
deadly as yellow fever.
"This army must be moved at one
or perish. As the ?rmy can be safe!
moved now, the persona responsible fo
preventing such a move will be respoo
si hie for tbe unnecessary loss of mao
thousand of lives
"Oar opinions are the result of care
fal personal observation, aod they ar
also based on the unanimous opioioo c
oar medical officers with the army, wh
understand the situation absolutely "
Maj. M. M Wood, the chief sur
geoo of the First divisioo, said : "Tn
army most be moved north," and addet
with emphasis, "or it will be unable ti
move itself."
Geo Ames has sent the following
oable message to Washington :
* **Tbe Hon. Secretary of the Navy :
"Tbis army is incapable because o
.sickness from marching anywhere, ex
oept to tbe transports. If it is evet
to return to the United States it mus
do so at ooce v
To a correspondent of the Associated
Press Geo. Ames said :
"If I bad the power I would pot th?
meo oo the transports at ooce and ship
theo north without further orders.
I am confident snob action woold ulti?
mately be approved. A frill list ot the
sick mea would mean a copy of th?
roster of every company here."
HAD BEEN FORESEEN.
Washington, August .* -Upon be?
ing informed of the formai request
made by the commanding generals ot
the American army at Santiago to have
their men removed immediately to the
United States, the war department of?
ficials stated that this request has beeo
anticipated, and that the war depart?
ment has been direotiog the bes?, part of
its energies to tb? return of Gen. Sbaf
ter's force to the United States. It has
already provided for their recepfioo an
ideai camp ar M nota ok Point, R [.,
sad orders were sent forward yesterday
io begin the homeward movement by
fmbarking at Santiago five cavalry reg?
iments of Sbafter's force, inoluding
?josevelf's Rough Riders It was not
deemed possible nor desirable to bring
th?tn ali here at one time, not only from
the lack of transports, but for medical
rations, the physicians representing
that a soddeo change io olimate would
probably kill many of tbe soldiers who
bave oot passed tbe convalescent stage.
As far as the qo.stion of removing
tbe troops back into the mountains wai
cooceroed (the qaet-tioo which seems to
have precipitated the indignation meet?
ing among the American commandent
at Santiago), it is learned that the med ?
ical department here made no such rec?
ommendation. Ail that it had to say
oo this subject was that if the troops
most remain near Santiago an effort
should be made to remove them at once
to some healthier camping ground.
Surgeon Gen. Sternberg agrees thor
oughly with the opinion expressed by
the signers of the "round robin" at
Santiago that meo who have suffered
from the severe malarial fevers of the
south Coban coast so far from being
immune against attacks of yellow fever,
as bas been asserted in some quarters,
are actually io very mach greater dan?
ger than those wbo have escaped the
malaria Malarial fever, it t9 stated, is
I no more a protection against a subse?
quent attack of yellow fever than
would be a case of measles against
smallpox, while the fearful debility re?
sulting from the malarial fever won d
certainly tend to make the victim zn
especial mark of yellow jack.
The department to day gave out a
statement of its resources in the way
of transports at Santiago, and also,
as an incident, directed attention to
the fact that the troops cannot be
withdrawn as a whole until the Span?
ish prisoners are disposed of Other
wise there is no certainty that, find?
ing themselves able, to do so, the
Spaniards would overpower their
captors, repossess themselves of Ssn
(iago and thus lose io the American
army the small foothold in Cuba
which it has cost so much blood and
money to secure. It is, however, the
expectation that all of the American
troops will have been removed from
Santiago to the United States by the
end of this month, and that is proba
bly the very best than can be done
under the circumstances
WILL BRING THEM IIOME AT
ONCE
Washington, August 4.-The Pres?
ident to-day had a conference with
Secretary Alger, Secretary Long and
Assistant Secretary of Navy Allen,
at which action was taken for tbe
prompt transportation of Gen. S h af?
ter's army from Cuba to Monta uk
Point
It was concluded that there were
sufficient vessels off the coast there
now for the purpose. When the
; meeting ended it was officially staled
that the number of vessels now
there was adequate for the remove
of the army. The dispatch of the
troops home accordingly will begin
at once J ? .<. '
Question Raised as to Immu?
nity.
Senator Bacon of Georgia has ?seot
a long telegram to the war department
against tbe removal of Col Rty's
Third regiment, US V . to Santiago
de Cuba He says : "Although call?
ed' "immune" ts no more immune from
yellow fever than any other volunteer
regiment. It is composed almost ex
elusively of Georgians, nearly ali of
whom are very yoong men and many of
them minors When enlisted, the
government subjected them to a rigid
physical examination, bat no proof was
demanded or desired as to their immu
oity from yellow fever It is not even
pretended that a man io the regiment
bas ever had yellow fever. To send
these young mee and boys to Santiago
at this time with co enemy to fight, is
lo expose them to tbe same de? tb ly
peril from yellow fever as is now said
to confront those who having reaped
the honors, are now demanding to be
soot to a northern seaside."
Against this, Col. Ray, who had not
been cnsulted, most vigorously pro?
tected, saying it was an unwarranted
interference on the senator's part He
declared that bis regiment bad not
been organized on an immune basis
and that it was not a Georgia regiment
at all. The officers and men of this
regiment are willing and anxious to go
and do their duty in any place they
m8y be called
in referei.ee to this matter the
Charleston correspondent of the State
j says :
The news has come to Charleston
that Col. Ray's regiment, now in camp
at Macon, Ga , bas been ordered to pro?
ceed to Savannah and there embark for
Santiago. Much interest attaches here
to the movement of the Third regiment,
for the ressoo that it includes a Charles?
ton company, commanded by Capt.
Frank Frost
The regiment recently received crders
i to bold itself in readiness to move oo to
' Santiago, aod the final orders to pro?
ceed occasioned oo surprise. The regi?
ment wa* founded under the immune
act of congress, but it is no more of an
immune regiment than the troops now
in the yeilow fever pest hoie and the
mortality will probably be found as
great io this regiment as among the
regiments now at Saotiago, The men
are happy, however, at the thought of
seeing service.
The Philippine Problem.
Washington, August 3 -An inter
j e6ting question, and one of vital im
i portance to ihe administration, is the
attitude to be assumed by the United
States towards the Philippine insur?
gents in the event that we reach an
agreement for the suspension of hos?
tilities with Spain. It is stipulated
in our peace terms that the United
States military forces shall occupy
and establish a military form of gov?
ernment over the city of Manila and
the bay, with the surrounding terri?
tory. This involves an immediate
surrender of the Spanish forces, not
to Aguinoldo, but to Gen. Merritt,
and there is some talk that the insur?
gents will resent this very bitterly,
and that it will be necessary to expel
them forcibly from the territory de?
scribed. Beyond this it is said in
some quarters that pending the deci?
sion of the peace commissioners as to
the foture of the Philippines, the
United States will be morally bound
to maintain the status quo in the isl?
and at large In other words, having
deprived Spain of the means of re?
sisting the onslaughts ot the insur
j gents, it is urged that the United
States would be bound to prevent the
latter from continuing their warfare.
There is i; lack of information in
Washington on many important
points as to the conditions of the
Philippine? For instance, it is not
known, even approximately, how ex?
tensive the revolutionary movement
has been throughout the vast group
of 1,200 islands and among the large
population estimated to aggregate
between 8,000,000 and 15,000,000
If the revolutionary movement is
general and extends to very many of
the islands the task presented to the
United States military and naval
forces will be one of great magnitude
in the event that it is decided to be
incumbent upon us not to restore
Spanish sovereignty where it has
been lost, but to prevent its over?
throw in sections where it is still su?
preme and to prevent excesses and
outrages at the hands of th? insur?
gents
Washington, August 3,-The State
Department has been advised by
United States Consul Wildman, at
Hong Kong, that al) prisoners taken
by A gu 51 raido, the insurgent chief,
including monks, are "treated with
perfect humanity," and that all re?
ports to the contrary are absolutely
false.
Aguinaldo to Wildman.
Hong Kong, August 5 -The fol?
lowing hns been received by Consul
Wildman :
Cavite.
I have read in the newspapers
that I am getting the big head and
I am not behaving as I promised. In
reply, I ask why should America
expect me to outline a policy for her
interests ? Is America not to be
frank wi h me ? Teil me this, am I
fighting for annexation, protection or
independence It is for America to
say not me. I can take Manila as I
bave defeated the Spanish elsewhere,
but what would be the use. If
America takes Manila, I can save my
men and arms for what the future has
in store My good friend, believe
me, that I am not both fool and
rogue. The interests of my people
are as sacred to me as the interests
I of your people are to you.
Aguinaldo.
The Spaniards Dying, Too.
Santiago de Cuba. August 4-4 15
P. M.-(Delayed in transmission.)
Geo Toral, the cum wander of the
! Spanish roops, sent a letter to-day to
? Geo. Shifter, advising the latter that
the camp of (be surrendered Spanish
j troops is in an unhealthy condition
! The Spanish officer also reported that
J there were (several hundred sick in the
hospitals, and that there was an aver?
age of twelve deaths daily. The trans?
ports expected here to carry the Span?
ish troops back to Spain have not yet
i been beard from.
j Geo. tfbafter willi take action at once
j tn order to improve the sanitary con
! ditiun of the Spanish soldiers and their
? camp.
-- ??
THE SECRETARY OF WA?.
FEELS MORTIFIED.
j Washington, Augusto-Secretary
? Alger has sent severe protests to
j General Shafter for permitting the
j publication ol Brigadier General J.
Ford Kent's official report of the bat
I tie of July 1. 2, and 3, in front of
Santiago; and the publication of the
letter of Col. Roosevelt, and the
'Round Robin" of the general ofti
eera of the Santiago army.
The report of Gen. Kent above re
ferred to, charged the first battalion
of the 71st New York regiment with
being panic stricken on July I, and
attempting a stampede ; but were
held in check by the officers of bis
staff until made to lie down while
the other troops advanced into the
fight.
tThe Situation to Date,
Speculation is at end with regard
to the general demands of the United
States, on account of the promulga?
tion of the President's notice. These
general terms as stated in yesterday's
dispatches are as follows :
The President does not now put
forward any claim for pecuniary in?
demnity, but requires the relinquish
ment of all claim of sovereignty over
or title to the island of Cuba as well
as the immediate evacuation by Spain
of the island ; the cession to the
United States and immediate evacua?
tion of Porto Rico and other islands
under Spanish sovereignty in the
West Indies ; and the like cession of
an island in the Ladrones. The Uni?
ted States will occupy and hold the
city, bay and harbor of Manila pend?
ing the conclusion of a treaty of
peace which shall determine the con
trol, disposition and government of
the Philippines.
If these terms are accepted by
Spain in their entirety it is stated
that commissioners will be named by
the United States to meet commis?
sioners on the part of Spain for the
purpose of concluding a treaty of
peace on the basis above indicated.
This followed by Spain's accept?
ance of the conditions with one or
two alleged minor reservations as?
sures the speedy end* of hostilities.
But the statement of the President's
terms as given to the public is too
general to erect definite opinions on.
It is necessary to know a great deal
more of the particulars before one
can absolutely affirm what are the
advantanges to be derived from the
purposed treaty.
It is strange what propensity there
is nowadays to cast reflections upon
other people, without inquiry as to the
justice or relevancy of tbe reflections.
Mr. John L P. Cantwell, of Wilming?
ton, N. C., who was a private in Co.
H , Palmetto regiment, in tbe Mexican
war, bas written a letter to Governor
Ellerbe, in which he alleged that cer?
tain pieces of silverware bequeathed by
Gen. Andrew Jackson to bis native
State, formerly in the custody of Col.
James D. Blandiag, of Sumter, S. C.,
bas been transferred by bim to the
custody of parties beyond the limits
of the State, contrary to the will of
Gen. Jackson. This letter of Mr.
Cantwell was given at once to the daily
newspapers, and the statement made
that "any information in regard to the
matter will be gladly received at the
Governor's office." The information
came very promptly, and we imagine
it waa not very cordially received at
tbe Governor's office, since the facts
show that a very grave blunder was
j committed io that office when such a
j letter, containing an unjust reflection
upon a gallant soldier and honorable
citizen of the State, waa so hastily
given to tbe newspapers. It was a
silver vase that Gen. Jackson willed to
the bravest soldier of his native State,
and it was placed in the custody of the
survivor* of the famous Palmetto regi?
ment. For many years ibis vase was
kept by the late Capt. W. B Stanley,
of Columbia, president of the Palmetto
survivors' association, and at bis death
it went into the charge of his succes?
sor, Col. James D. Blandiog, who has
served his oountry with conspicuous
gallentry He was a soldier in the
Florida and Mexican wars, and was a
colonel in the Confederate army. He
has lived beyood four score years, and
in his old age suoh an aspersion upon
bis character is simply an outrage, but
the offence is more grievous that the
executive office of his native State
should be the medium for throwing the
slightest suspicion upon bis integrity
and fidelhy. The vase was kept by
Capt. Stanley in the vault of the Cen?
tral National bank in Columbia, of
which he was president, and it has been
all wed to remain there since it went
into the custody of Col. Blanding.
The very least that is due to this vet?
eran of three wars is an ample apology
from the executive office for so flagrant
and unnecessary impeachment of his
honor as a soldier, which might be fol?
lowed with the adoption of a rule not
to furnish letters from unknown and
irresponsible writers to the newspapers
where hoi ored and trustworthy citizens
are called to account for imaginary of*
I fences.-Greenville Mountaineer.
The Dread Typhoid.
Atlanta, August 3 -One hundred
and sixty-nix soldiers brought from the
camp at Tampa, Fla., were landed at
Fort McPherson to day by Major Tay?
lor, with h is hospital ?rain. Nearly
every mao aboard the train had ty?
phoid fever and was unable to rise
from his berth, and with a very few ex?
ceptions, every man on the train was
carried un a stretcher to his ward in
the hospital.
Major Bubb, at Fort McPherson, re
ceivea ordtra from headquarters to
send to Newport Newe all reoruits who
belonged to regiments now io Porto
Rico. flbey will be sent forward.
--
Washington, August 5.-It is an?
nounced that the Prince of Wales
has promised to visit America.
THE CAMPAIGN
IN PORTO RICO.
Gen. Miles' Plan for Out?
flanking the'Spaniards.
Ponce, August 2, Evening, via St.
Thomas, Augast 3-(Delayed in
transmission) -The plan of cam?
paign is not fully determined upon,
but the natural strength of the Span?
ish position at Aibonito and the char
acter of the defensive works erected
there necessitate a flank movement.
The turning movement was inaugu?
rated to day, when Gen. Brooke land*
ed 3,000 men at Arroyo, sixty miles
east of here. From tnere be can
strike the military road leading to
San Juan at Cayey, beyond Aibonito.
This will compel the Spanish com?
mander, Gen Otega. who bas a great
reputation, to abandon bis stronghold
or be caught between two fires.
It is possible that a second column
may move on his left flank also, in
which case the present advance on
his trout will be shown to be only a
feint.
Gen. Stone is making a dashing
reconnois8ance north, in the direc?
tion of Arecibo. He went into Ad
jutas last night with five men and
four correspondents and to-day he
brought his command on along the
Utuado road as far as Adjuntas.
The road rises west of the Cayey
and is rough, but practicable for cav?
alry and infantry If it is foi.id
passable at Utuado. a light coiu.nn
of troops may be pushed across to
tbe north coast and st.ike iu on San
Juan on the left flank. But if Gen.
Brooke is successful, it is probable
that Gen Otega will find Aibonito
untenable, in which case the whole
of our anny, after effecting a junction,
will move on the main road.
Gen. Gar ret so n's brigade and the
batteries are camped just beyond
Ponce.
A general advance will not be or?
dered until all of Gen. Miles's plans
are perfected, but when the advance
is once began it wijl be very rapid.
The fleet will bombard San Juan
and other diversions to keep the en
erny busy at every point.
Tite Army m Porto Rico.
Ponce, Porto Rico, Friday morn?
ing, August 5, via St Thomas,
August 5 -Major Gen. Miles is pro?
ceeding entirely without regard to
peace negotiations.
Krag Jorgensens are being issued.
The 2d and 3d Wisconsin are mov?
ing up to the 16th Pennsylvania to?
day. Col. Hulings has captured five
thousand pounds of rice. Thus far
the enemy has not molested him
Major Gen. Brooke's landing at
Arroyo is successful. The troops
from the Roumanian, four batteries
and the 27th Indiana and the let
Missouri, the 1st Pennsylvania, and
the 5th Illinois, are disembarking
there.
The Morgan troops, 5th cavalry
and the Mississippi commissaries
have arrived there. Lieut. Hunter,
of the artillery, was slightly woun ?.
ed by one of our pickets last night.
Capt. Edgar Hugart, who died of
typhoid fever, has been buried willi
military honors.
Gen. Roy Stone is repairing the
road to Arecibo, but a movement
there is improbable
At Descalabroda River, six mile<s
beyond Juana Diaz, cn the road to
San Juan, Thursday night, August
.4, via St. Thomas, August 5 -The
16th Pennsylvania, of Gen Ernst's
brigade, advanced to this point to?
day and bolds the bridge over the
river.
The 2d and 3d Wisconsin are ex?
pected to morrow No sign cf the
enemy is reported, but it is believed
that the Spaniards are about 400
strong between this point and
Coamo.
The seizure of the bridge insures
control ot the road to Coamo. Pick?
ett are being pushed out, and they
may collide with the Spanish out-1
posts I
Cervera on a Trip.
Baltimore. Aug? 4.-Admiral
Cervera, accompanied by his son, Lieut.
Cervera, who have been prisoners of j
war at ibe Dava! academy, Aonapolia,
for several week?, passed through BBI
tio)ore io day cu rout for Fortress Mon?
roe The admiral received special per
mission from the navy department to
go to Fortrees Monroe to visit Spanish
officers who are under medical treat?
ment there Fie may exteod hi> visit to
New York.
The "Jim Crow" ca: law enacted
by the last Legislature wilt go into
effect September 1. The railroads are
all preparing separate coaches for
white and colored passengers to meet
the requirements of the new law.
Teddy Roosevelt Called Down
Washington, August 4 -The fol?
lowing correspondence has passed be?
tween Co! Roosevelt and Secretary
Alger :
Santiago, July 23, 1898.
My Dear Mr. Secretary :
I am writing with the knowledge
and approval of Gen Wheeler. We
earnestly hope that you will send us,
most of the regulars, and at any rate
the cavalry division, including the
Rough Riders, who are as good as
any regulars and three times as good
as any State troops, to Porto Rico.
There are 1,800 effective men in this
division If those who were left be?
hind were joined to them we could
land at Porto Rico, in this cavalry di?
vision, close to 4,000 men, who
would be worth, easily, any 10,000
national guards armed with black
powder Springfield or other archaic
weapons.
Very respectfully,
Theodore Roosevelt.
The following reply was cabled to
Col. Roosevelt to day :
Your letter of 23d is received.
The regular army, the volunteer army
and the Rough Riders have done well,
bot I suggest that, unless you want
to spoil the effects and glory of your
victory, you make no invidious com?
parisons. The Rough Riders are no
better than other volunteers. They
had an advantage in their arms, for
which they ought to be very grate?
ful.
R. A. Alger,
Secretary of War,
HOW HE FIGURES IT OUT.
Here ia the way a politician figures
on the gubernatorial race, in the Co?
lumbia Record, 1st :
"It depends altogether who is in
that second race with Ellerbe as to
whether Ellerbe will be beaten As I
look at it there are only two men that
can. win against bim-Watson and
Schumpert-one or the other of whom
I am pretty sure will be io that becond
raoe. Here is the way we figure out
a second race There will io all be
about 80,000 votes cast. The four
strong candidates who each have a
chance of getting io the second race
cannot average less than ten or fifteen
thousand each, and with what odds and
and ends Archer and Whitman will
pick up, Ellerbe cannot possibly get a
majority over all. Ellerbe I thick will
win as against Featherstone or Till?
man, hut his chances are not good as
against Watson or Schumpert, both of
whom have been developing considera*
ble strength of late."
It is a source of great.pride to the
people of the South that the most im
portant work done at Santiago was
done by Gen Joseph Wheeler, of
Alabama. In the great battle there
General Wheeler, though ordered to
the rear by the physicians, went to
the front and did more fighting than
any general in the army. When the
terms of surrender were negotiated.
General Wheeler was in fact the chief
representative of the American army.
His long service in congress and his
shrewd diplomacy marked him as the
man pre eminently fitted for his work,
and that he did it well, none can
doubt. If given a chance other
Southern generals will be beard from
during this war.
Somebody suggests that the names
of the captured Spanish ships be re?
tained for the sake of the memory.
Not a bad conception that
It requires only 700 men to savs
the good name of the State. There
are more than tee times that number
who who are willing to sacrifice any?
thing for South Carolina's welfare
The regiment ought, therefore, to be
filled at once.
--mw -
Washington, August 5 -General
Lee bas been ordered to be ready lo
move to Havana the moment peace
is declared.
The "White" ruo? light. The "White*
sews right.
Wisdom to-day minos comfort to-morrow
To prove ii bay a "Wbite" aod use it.
To see is to try, to try is to boy the
"Wbite."
POWDER
Absolutely Puro
POYAL BAXIHG POWDER CO.. NEW VOR*.