Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-11-15
WAR INVESTIGATION.
General Breckenridge CTitiCiSeS
Skaters Management.
Thinks Results Would Have Been
Better With Niles in Command.
Nsph.w Of TX Governor Thornton Com-
mlis Suicide iH 81, Louis.
STRIKERS WIN IN ILLINOIS.

Washington, Nov. I5.--General Breck-
enridge testified before the war inyesti-
cation commission to-day. tie had, he
said, gone 70 Cuba As lnspectOT-genetB
He observed casually the preparations
for the embaIkatiOn Of trOOIs a. Tampa
and concluded they were quite made
quste. There was no prep natiOn Tor
landing In the face OF the enemy, other
than that which the navy might furnish.
There were only two lighters and two
scOws secured on behalf OF the army
brfOre the departure from Tampa. IL
was his understanding, however, that
the army and navy were COZ operating.
Speaking Of the conflict OF authority on
the transports he said the mas
ters of vessels did not respond a.
promptly "a might have been de-
sired. "TTue," he said, "there was
little navy cadtt on board each vessel,
but he had no authority. The actual
naval Offi'er OF the quartermaster's dc.
partment on each vessel would have been
beitsr." Asked his opinion on the result
Of the campaign, he said he thought II
was consistent with the character of the
man who conducted IL, What "a 10 be
expected from the limii iations OF u, neral
ShaiteT2 Il think IL would have been
different II General Miles had been In
cOmmand-that II would have been more
satisfactorily conducted. / think he has
more spark and genius OF command than
any man In the army, and | am sure u
he had had charge he would have been In
the from, rank
Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested the
battle in front of San Juan bad been
fought and victory won within eight days
Of the landing. Genersl Breckenridge 10
reply said the victory had been won
when General TOral's nerve gave out"
He believed the war was the Lords war
and this wonderful success was due 10
HIS supervision. While he considered
the result maTyalOusly cOmmendable, he
did not feel that General Shafter wHs
above criticism In the conduct OF the
campaign. lie could not believe that the
result was miracle. but he ascribed the
outcome TO the fact that the army
was Ona capable Of meeting All
calls. "No matter how IL was tangled
up," he said, "ii went 10 victory" Tie had
at the time quoted Lord Berea ford when
he said TO his army upon certain oC.
cassiOn: II have led you into a devil OF
n tix and IL is now your duty to eight like
hell To get me out VI IL" He was sure At
least that all engaged we're actnated
with zeal and every man had done the
best OF which hs was capable and be had
never known Of war In which there
was not criticism at the close.
General McCOOk asked General Brsck-
enTidge II he had visited Shafter In his
tent when the latter was III at santiago.
Breckenridge replied that he hal done 40.
did he then offer the command Of the
army TO yon as reported In the press -
Breckenridge replied: Il very much pre-
fer not tO answer that question. You
should ask General ShaIter. Such con-
vpTsstion az occurred between Shaiter
aud myself IL not OF a character to be-
spoken Of lightly. lOu want 10 know
what General Shatter did, not what he
may have thought OF doing. II Shafter
has not repested the conversation ought
not 20 do So"
"As a matter Of fact, he did not turn
the cOmmsnd over TO youY' suggested
General Beaver. 20 which Breckenridge
responded: "NO, he did no, and do not
think there Is any imprOpTiety In my
saying that he could not have done so"