Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-09-15
CORRECTLY QUOTED.
Miles Substantiates the Recent In
terview Sent from Porto Rico.
He Gives Out TyPOwrItten Document re-
Eardlng War MOVementa-T Ro-
quests Made by Him Ignored by
the War Department

New York, Sept s.--The United
States transport OLDHAM, having on
board Maj Gen. Nelson A. Miles and
his staff, Maj. Greenleaf, Capt. Whit
ney, the Second regiment Wisconsin
volunteers, consisting of 80 officers and
800 men, and the hospital corps from
Porto Rico, arrived here yesterday. Mrs.
Miles, son and daughter were also on
board the transport, which sailed from
Ponce on September /. The surgeon
in charge reported all well and no
sickness or deaths during the voyage.
The troops were in the best Of spirits.
The big transport was decorated pro-
fusely with palms and draped with
flags. From the fore truck WINS flying
the American ensign over large
Spanish flag, while long strings of in
ternational code aags were floating
from each masthead to the rails. Gen,
Miles admitted to the Associated press
reporter, who interviewed him while
the OLDHAM was lying off Liberty is
land, the substantial accuracy of the
statement attributed to him by the
Kansas City Stars correspondent at
Ponce, Porto Rico. He said;
There nre few minor inaccuracies In the
published reports, such as usually occur In such
interviews / do not care to point out tho In
acourncies referred TO ut this time; they arc
unimportant II is true that requested that
my troops In Porto Rico on their return home
should be allowed TO camp somewhere near
New York, preferably Brooklyn heights, Fort
Wadsworth or Governors island also ro-
quested OF the war department that the troops
DO allowed to march through New York olty
never intended 10 parade myself, as I shall
go to Washington In few days and would not
be here at tho time Of the contemplated parade
asked that tho Wisconsin men aboard the
OLDHAM be permitted to stay In this vicinity for
q day or two to give them q chance TO see tho
city. 1t would do no harm 10 lot these western
boys got glimpse OF Now York, Surely they
merit IT, Many OF them think have never
seen the city and perhaps will never have an
other chance to see IT,
10 my first request, namely, that my troops
be permitted to camp hercabouts In tho neigh
borhood of Brooklyn heights and that they DO
allowed TO parade, have received no reply.
To my second request received reply ut
quarantine this morning ordering the Wisoon-
sin boys home forthwith. The men will 60
from the transports directly TO bhe oars
1 shall stay In the city day or two TO trans
act some business and will then proceed to
Washington Gen Wilson's division will
reach New York In n day or two, Thcy will
come on the transports Mississippi, Manib0ba,
Alamo and Concho, The last will carry Gen
| Wilson and his headquarters,
Gen. Miles gave to the represen Ia
tives of the press u typewriter docu-
ment treating of the prosecution OF
war with Spain. The paper was writ
ten in the form of an interview with
the general. In it the general is rep
resented as recalling to mind that in
q public statement made at the begin
ming of the war, referring to the talk
of rush for the fever stricken city OF
Havana, he said;
No officer is 1T to command troops who from
any motive whatever would necdlessly risk the
/ life Of single soldier either from disease OF
the bullets Of the enemy. have never sacrl-
feed the lives OF men under my command and
! do not propose TO subject them To any unneces-
| sary risk in the present campaign,
Further along in the interview the
document given out yesterday says:
Owing to the fact that tho season suited for
campaigning In Cuba had been exhausted In
debates and delay In congress- and In necessary
preparations, Cen Miles was opposed
to rushing an Ill prepared undlcl-
plined and uneQuipped army in move
ment against the capital OF Cuba, defended
by 100000 trained Spanish troops, and IN this
position no stood practically alone for several
weeks. Havana, Matanzas, Santiago and a
few other points were drawn on his military
map as hotbeds OF disense destructive TO on
army and places to be avoided, especially DUR
ing the sckly season.
Gen. Miles then states that he sub
mitted plan of campaign and under
instructions from the president he was
directed to go wherever he deemed his
presence necessary, So he left for
Santiago and when he arrived there
he was responsible for what happened
and claims full credit for the victory.
The general then narrates his success
full operations in Porto Rico.
/