The herald., 1898-11-16
THE CUBAN CAMPAIGN
WAS NOT A MIRACLE OF GOOD
MANAGEMENT
BREcKINRlDGE's TESTIMONY
Would Be More Interesting If He Had
Not Declined to Talk About
Shafter
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15-Gen. Breck
inridge continued his testimony before tho
War Investigation Commission today. His
testimony today dealt with the campaign III
Cuba and the transportation OF troops te
that island. He had, he said, gone to Cuba
as Inspector-G General Arriving at Tampa on
the 5th of June, he had observed casually
the preparation for the Decentralization Of
troops before the expedition left and had
concluded that they were quite inadequate
81 made no report, however,, he said
"as Gen. Miles was on the ground and could
observe for himself"
Continuing, he said that there was nc
preparation for landing in the face of an
enemy other than that which the navy
might furnish. So far as he had observed
there were only two lighters and two scows
secured on behalf of the army before the
departure from Tampa. 1t was his under
standing, however, that the army and navy
were cooperating in this expedition.
Speaking of the conflict of authority on
the transports, he said the masters of the
vessels did not respond as promptly as might
have been desired.
"True," he said, "therc was a little navy
cadet on board each of the vessels, but he
had no authority. An actual naval officer
of the Quartermaster's Department on each
vessel would have been better. What was
needed was prompt communication between
the commanding officer and the vessels and
the masters of the transports did not respond
very promptly.
lie was questioned at some length con-
thn L,,,t of th. ON in frop
of Santiago, and replied that the result was
what he had expected it would be. Every
thing there, he said, was strained to get men
ON board, and consequently there waScom-
paratively little effort to secure equipments.
While he knew nothing definitely of the
plans of the campaign, he was sure there
was some plan. He was quite sure from a
conversation he had with Gen. Miles that
he had plan, though he did not say that
this was the plan carried into effect.
"Of course" suggested Governor Beaver,
Santiago was the goal Of the campaign"
Certainly. The fact was published so ex-
tensively in the newspapers that many of
the men on board the vessels would not ac-
cept other information as to the destination
as correct"
Asked as to his opinion of the result of
the campaign, he said he thought it was
consistent with the character Of the men who
conducted it-what was to be expected from
the limitations of Gen. Shafter. 81 think
it would have been different if Gen. Miles
had been in command-that it would have
been more satisfactorily conducted. / think
he has more of the spark and genius of COM
VvapI fl,np in tho and I
sure that if he had had charge he would
have been in the front rank"
Ex-Gov. Woodbury. suggested that the bat
tie in front of San Juan had been fought
and the victory won within eight days of
landing.
Gen. Breckenridge in reply said the vic
tory had been won "when Gen. Torals
nerve gave out" This, he continued, had
been the war of all others when success had
been won in its earliest stages. He be-
lieved that the war was the Lords war; and
that this wonderful success was due to his
supervision. The time for the battle was,
however, short enough. Yet it must be
remembered that the distance between the
battlefield and Siboney was less than half
a days march, but while he considered the
result as marvelously commendable he did
not feel that Gen. Shaftcr was above crit
icism in the conduct of the campaign. He
could not believe the result was miracle,
but he ascribed the outcome to the fact
that the army was one which was capable
of meeting all calls. "No matter how it
was tangled up" he said, "it went to vic
tory"
4 l. / tai T nx-,ln o,,l
when he said to his army upon certain
occasion: 81 have led you into devil of
fix, and it is now your duty to fight like
hell to get me out of it,
He was sure at least that all engaged in
the war had acted with zeal, and every man
had done the best of which he was capable,
and he had never known war in which
there was not criticism at the close of it,
General Breckenridge spoke of the inspec-
tor generals office as having been emascu-
lated by the order requiring the reports of
subordinates in that office to be made to the
adjutant general, and said that when he
discovered this was so he went into the
field as offering the only arena in which he
could be of service. He had intended to
say in effect: "There is the desk in my
office, do as you please with it. General
Sanger was there; he, too, is from Michi-
gan. l thought he could take control of
the office if it was desired; but he did not
remain"
Continuing his test imony bearing upon the
inspector generals duties, he said that his
criticism of the change was based upon the
fact that it deprived the central authority
OF ability to secure information, and as
consequence the Office was practically use
less.
"The order had the effect of cutting the
umbilical cord" he said, "and the circula-
tion was not good"
AS result of the change, when he asked
for facts = the office to include in his report.
he had failed to find any there.
Resuming his remarks of a general char.
acter, General Breckenridge expressed the
opinion that there had not been enough
fighting to obscure other results common n
war. He thought that the evils which had
been experienced were inevitable under orr
American system. He condemned this
system as most reprehensible and said the
volunteer soldier must always suffer the
worst of the consequences.
"If the regular stands up under it better
than the volunteer, it is only because he |
has had time to adjust himself to the IN |
favorable conditions"
General Breckenridge traced all the
trouble to the want of preparation and
mobilization in time of peace, and that. in
ti1rn to tho fpi1ura of Copgrocp 20 ,,,,z