est reward. The results of all this were clearly shown in the war with Spain. In addition to its strictly military duties the army has been entrusted during the last generation with other duties of the highest importance. The Engineer Corps has been charged with the conduct of all the great public works of a national char acter, the improvement of rivers and harbors, the construction of forts and public buildings, the explorations and surveys of the West, the demarcation of the national boundary lines on the north and on the south, the construction of light-houses on the sea and lake coasts, the hydrographic survey of the great lakes, and the conduct of astronomical expeditions. The sums expended on these great works are counted by the hundreds of millions of dollars, and while efforts have frequently been made to transfer these functions to civil departments of the Government, yet the confidence in the integrity and efficiency with which they have been administered by the army officers in charge is so great and so universal that all such propositions for a change have been rejected. The officers of the army have also for many years past furnished a constantly increasing number of instructors in military art and science at colleges and schools, thus disseminating the elements of military knowledge among the youth of the land as part of their general education. In recent years officers of the army have also been detailed to the various States for service with their National Guard or organized militia, and have been largely instrumental in bringing the State regiments to their present high state of efficiency, so widely different from the inefficiency which characterized the militia from the Revolu tion to the War of 1812. The gradual cessation of Indian hostilities after 1885, the opening up of the Western country by railroads, and the growth of large cities even in the heart of the Far West, caused the frontier finally to disappear; and made it possible to concentrate the troops in comparatively large garrisons in the vicinity of cities, whence they could be rapidly transported by rail to any point where hostilities might break out, either on the plains or elsewhere. To this concentration General Sheridan gave unremitting thought and attention while in command of the army during the last few years of his life. At these stations were built permanent barracks of the most modern and approved type, not excelled by any thing of the kind to be found in other countries. There was a startling contrast between these surroundings and the “dug outs"’ in which officers and men and even their families had lived just after the Civil War, at stations remote from every trace of civilization, where the mail arrived but once in two months during the long winters. The concentration of comparatively large bodies of troops at a single post made it possible to conduct drills and practice marches in a way to supplement the military instruction gained in the Indian campaigns. Schools of application were established to complete this education; for the Engineers in New York harbor, for the Artillery at Fort Monroe, for the Cavalry and Infantry at Fort Leavenworth, and for the light batteries at Fort Riley. The superior quality of intelligent American recruits led to the introduction of gymnastics and calisthenics, wall-climbing and gun-drill for the infantry, and rough riding for the cavalry, until in every cavalry regiment there was one or more troops who could hold their own in bareback performances with Buffalo Bill's cowboys. Practice at the riflerange was not only made compulsory but was taken up with enthusiasm by the officers and men, with the result that in every company every man was a qualified marksman and a large number of them were sharpshooters. The ideal was at last fully realized about 1895 of an army small in numbers but most highly trained in every thing pertaining to their occupation; well educated officers, of unquestioned courage and high moral character: intelligent and thoroughly drilled men, every one an athlete in perfect health; and all, both officers and men, disciplined and subordinate, imbued with a loyalty to their country and their leaders which has never been surpassed. Their arms, equipments, and uniform were the very best that money, brains, and practical experience could devise. Such was the superb little force of 25,000 men, constituting the United States Army in the spring of 1898. The Defeat of Roman Nose by Colonel Forsyth on the Arickaree Fork of the Republican River, September, 1868. VOL. XXX.-64 It was rudely disorganized during its brief campaign in the ensuing summer, but it accomplished the object for which it existed, and in a manner that commanded the applause of the entire world. The Maine was blown up on February 15th, but the President continued his efforts to avert war, which was not declared until April 21st. In the interval Congress had passed an act (March 8th) adding two regiments of artillery to the army and providing for a threebattalion organization in all regiments; on March 9th it had passed a resolution appropriating $50,000,000 for the national defence, to be expended in the discretion of the President; and on April 15th, nearly all the regiments of cavalry and infantry were ordered by rail from their stations in the west and on the Pacific coast to New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa, and Chickamauga. Within a week after the declaration of war, Congress passed acts authorizing the President to call for volun Guard regiments of the various States, which had long been thoroughly organized, uniformed, drilled, and equipped, and many of which had the traditions of service in the Civil War. They bore no resemblance to the militia of the War of 1812. The other volunteers were largely commanded by regular officers of long experience, and they were composed of splendid material. paign, 1870. There were three campaigns in the war, each very brief, and each remarkably brilliant and successful; each was conducted on foreign soil, involving movements across the ocean in improvised transports and for distances varying from 1,000 to over 7,000 miles. Each was conducted with the assistance and cooperation of the navy. The first, under Shafter, consisted of 16,000 men, eighty-five per cent. of whom were regulars, the flower of the army, containing no recruits. It sailed from Tampa, landed near Santiago, fought three engagements, conducted a brief siege, and within three weeks teers to serve during the war Cavalry Private, Indian Cam- of the landing received the not exceeding a period of two years, and increasing the regular army to 63,000 men by filling up the companies to their maximum strength. These were supplemented by the act of May 11th authorizing the raising of three regiments of volunteer engineers and ten regiments of immunes. surrender of a Spanish army of 23,000 men. The second, under Merritt, consisted of 10,000 men, of whom three-fourths were volunteers. It proceeded from San Francisco on its long voyage across the Pacific in three detachments, landed within range of the enemy's guns at Manila, was engaged in The first call for volunteers was made constant skirmishes with the Spaniards, on April 23d for 125,000 men. They and within two weeks after the arrival of were practically all enlisted within thirty the third detachment captured the city of days, and on May 25th the second call Manila and received the surrender of an was issued for 75,000 men. This call was army of 13,000 men. The third, under substantially completed by July. In Miles, consisting of 10,000 men, sailed August the number of men under arms partly from Santiago and partly from Fort was 58,688 regulars and 216,029 volun- Monroe; it landed in Porto Rico, deteers, a total of 274,717, or an increase feated the enemy in several minor engageof about 250,000 since the declaration of ments, and was about to compel the surwar. The war was by this time already render of his army when its movements ended, and on August 18th orders were were arrested by the armistice of August issued for mustering out 100,000 volun- 12th. The aggregate losses in the three campaigns were 280 killed and 1,579 wounded; of the latter less than five per cent. died. The deaths from disease were teers. Of the volunteers who responded under the first call nearly one-half were National larger in proportion, and the total number of deaths between May 1st and September 30th, was 2,910. Not a prisoner, a gun, or a flag, had been lost. The three campaigns had all been conducted in the tropics, in climates usually considered deadly for Northern men, and in the very worst part of the rainy season. The Navy surpassed even its brilliant record in the War of 1812, and in the two great battles of Manila and Santiago it sunk every hostile ship and practically destroyed the Spanish navy. The war was virtually terminated by the Protocol of August 12th, under the terms of which the Spanish troops were to evacuate Cuba and Porto Rico. There were more than 70,000 of them in the vicinity of Havana, which had not been brought into action. Cadet Private, 1901. There never was a war in which so many of the enemy were captured with such small loss to the captors; never one which, with so small an amount of hard fighting, brought about such profound and far-reaching political results. The situation at Manila during the four month between the signing of the Protocol and the signing of the Treaty was in many respects without precedent; it was full of danger and difficulty, and contained all the elements of explosion. Within the walls were 13,000 Spanish prisoners, without the walls 20,000 United States troops, and just beyond the suburbs 15,000 armed Filipino insurgents. Spain had not yet surrendered the sovereignty nor expressed any willingness or intention to do so; the United States had not yet decided whether it would take over the islands or retire from them; an insurgent government had arisen under Aguinaldo, which, while it had no legal existence, and was not recognized by any nation, claimed dominion over the whole group. The Spanish Government had, however, ceased to exist not only in Manila, but at nearly all other points in the Philippines; the United States force were bound fast, by the terms of the Protocol, to the city, bay, and harbor of Manila and could make no move in the interior; Aguinaldo alone was free to act, and he made the best of his opportunity, setting up his despotic government at all points, using the taxing power to the full limit, and with the proceeds buying arms and ammunition abroad and shipping them into the islands through every port and landing-place except Manila. The treaty of peace was signed on December 10th, and on the 21st the President put an end to this anomalous situation which had grown intolerable. In his proclamation of that date (promulgated by General Otis at Manila on January 5, 1899) he announced that the islands had been ceded to the United States and "the military government heretofore maintained by the United States in the city, harbor, and bay of Manila is to be extended with all possible despatch to the whole of the ceded territory." The long delay had been interpreted by the Filipinos as an evidence of fear, and they had been forming their plans of attack with the intention of driving the Americans out of the islands. Within two days after the proclamation was issued these plans were perfected, but the execution of them was postponed until a favorable opportunity. This was thought to have arrived when the Senate was about to vote on the final ratification of the treaty, and on the night of February 4, 1899, the attack was begun. From the moment the first shot was fired the situation of the troops was completely changed; they were at last free to act, and they acted with uncommon vigor. The Filipinos were repulsed with enormous loss, and hostili Captain (Adjutant) Light Artillery |