The evening times., 1898-11-12
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER L.. 1898.
The Miles War History.

The efiicial report Of General Miles il
a succinct history IF the military ope-
rations from the beginning o. tho
trouble with Spain to the signing Of
the prgtocol. and il concludes with sug-
gestions that Congress VIII consider in
providing fpr the reorganization Of The
army or the actual movements OF the
war the public is fully informed: but
th..- is Sume secret history revealed
by q a-Ial Miles that must strengthen
IL pular belief in the lack of judg-
r-.t ai patriotism Of the head of the
War Department and in his amazing
vanity which led him tc discard much
= III adyioe Of the commanding gen
,ral There ara facts which General
I'll amits. We have every reason to
infer and these would show more dis
tincly Jhe existence Of a purpose at
he Mar OfIice 10 anIagonize and re-
sJi'ct his influence. For example. he
max uu comment on the extraordi-
nary letter addressed 10 him 10y the
commander Of the Fifth Corps, General
Shafter. Who. for some inscrutable rea-
son. was selected by Secretary Alger
letter Is significant and indeed positive
in showing Alger's purpose to exclude
General Miles from active participation
I'm he campaign which he planned and
which. at a critical moment, he saved
from disastrous failure
Tor the wreckng Of the army by dis
cas- for the suffelings inflicted ON the
soldiers through lack of supplies Of ali
kinds. and lack of hospital appliances
and attaches General Miles is in no
way L. blame. If the Secretary of War
lad Hp; obstinately rejected the scheme
# pref laration so carefully and fully
drawn up by the commanding general,
even 10 the smallest details. all need
less suffering would have been avoided
ar it, when the movement from Florida
was ordered, the corps commander had
D. IN an efficient officer and had follow
"a the lines clearly indicated by General
Miles who required information as to
TIE medical, quartermaster and COM
missary supplies, the lighters and other
small boats for taking them ashore
everything, in fact. that was deficient
hen the transports reached Cuba-all
TIE train of evils inflicted on our heroic
soldiers would have been prevented.
This is apparent from careful reading
Of General Miles report. There would
have been no defect in any department,
and consequently no shortage Of proper
ratiOns. tents, clothing, doctors, medi-
cines, stretcher-bearers and stretchers.
aubulances, sanitary police, etc, al any
time and therefore no epidemic OF vel
luw fever. This statement is fully war
Tanted by the specific revelations of
General Miles, supported by his orders
and messages.
This report, which does not indicate
the least personal animosity, which is
model of lucidity and dignity. and
which shows an unparalleled degree of
farbearance and self-restraint, confirms
the worst charges that have been made
against Secretary AlgeT. That civilian,
who had been unfortunate in having ac-
quired an unusual amount of military
ignorance OF his Civil War experience
had the audacity of his ignorance in
disresarding the suggestions Of a train
I'd general in the matter of supplying
y
before they should be gathered in the
large camps Of mobilization. There is
no reason To think these suggestions
ever reached the Governors of the
States, many Of whom sent their full
quota OF troops to the general camps
without any equipments. This failure
imposed on the War Department a task
TO which il was not equal and which
Secretary Alger urges as his excuse for
whatever was defective in his admin
istration. After voluntarily assuming
this tremendous enterprise against the
plans and protestations of General
Miles. he pleads this as the cause of
his stupendous failure.
II does not follow, however. that be-