Appendix D 311 



obeyed. General Wheeler was in command ashore; 

 he was told to get in touch with the enemy, and, be- 

 ing a man with the "fighting edge," this meant that 

 he was certain to fight. No general who was worth 

 his salt would have failed to fight under such condi- 

 tions ; the only question would be as to how the fight 

 was to be made. War means fighting; and the sol- 

 dier's cardinal sin is timidity. 



General Wheeler remained throughout steadfast 

 against any retreat from before Santiago. But the 

 merit of keeping the army before Santiago, without 

 withdrawal, until the city fell, belongs to the au- 

 thorities at Washington, who at this all-important 

 stage of the operations showed to marked advantage 

 in overruling the proposals made by the highest 

 generals in the field looking toward partial retreat 

 or toward the abandonment of the effort to take the 

 city. 



The following note, written by Sergeant E. G. 

 Norton, of B Troop, refers to the death of his broth- 

 er, Oliver B. Norton, one of the most gallant and 

 soldierly men in the regiment : 



On July ist I, together with Sergeant Campbell 

 and Troopers Bardshar and Dudley Dean and my 

 brother who was killed and some others, was at 

 the front of the column right behind you. We 

 moved forward, following you as you rode, to 

 where we came upon the troopers of the Ninth 

 Cavalry and a part of the First lying down. I 

 heard the conversation between you and one or two 



