se for the soldier of the Civil War.
They are continually crying about the pension he is getting; that he is
favored in the Government service; etc., etc. They do not dare attack him
openly, as yet, but do it covertly. There is no officer listening to me
who did not see cruelties in the Civil War. Many of you have had to order
them, but you know you were never brought to account for them when they
were acts of necessity. We were always careful that no cruelties were
committed by enlisted men, but whatever was done was by the order of an
officer. It was the practice of the War Department never to interfere in
these matters, leaving them to the officer who was in charge of the forces
in the field. None of these things occurred without his knowledge; he was
on the spot and knew the necessity for them, and if he did not take action
it was considered that none was necessary, and they were seldom called to
account for it afterwards; but in the Philippines they are bringing
officers to account simply because of the outcry of people who care
nothing for the merits of the case, except to make capital against our
country's policy in maintaining itself in the Philippines. In view of all
the facts, I must doubt the sincerity of those who are seeking to bring
discredit upon our little Army, the marvellous efficiency of which has won
the admiration of the world. Under the regulations, it is impossible for
the Army to defend itself and make answer to these attacks, except through
their own officers, and their reports do not reach the public, for the
press seems to use only that which reflects upon the Army, and omits that
which is in its favor. It is the duty of every companion here, as well as
of every good citizen, to enter his protest against these unjust attacks.
The right side is beginning to get a hearing, and when the facts and
causes for the action of the Army are generally known, it will be found
that our Army is as humane and well-behaved a body of troops as ever went
into a foreign country, and we must all assist in seeing that it receives
justice.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Battle of Atlanta, by Grenville M. Dodge

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