The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1898-11-19
City Surrendered When It Gave
Out---Victory in Spite of
Shafter. =
Troops Superior Even to the Cir
culnstances in Which He
Placed Them.
IF Miles Had Been in Command
Things Would Have Been
Different.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-General
Breckenridge continued his testimony
before the war investigating commits
sion, dealing with the campaign in Cuba
and the transportation of troops to that
island. He had, he said, gone to Cuba
as inspector general, arriving at Tampa
ON June5. He had observed casually,
the preparation for the Decentralization
Of troops before the expedition left and
had concluded that they were quite in
adequate. ~. -
II made no report, however" he said,
''as General Miles was on the ground
and could observe the situation"
Continuing, he said there was no prep
aration for landing in the face of an
enemy other than that which the navy
might furnish. So far as he had OBJ
served, there were only two lighters and
two scows secured on behalf of the army
before the departure from Tampa. 1t
was his understanding, 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 re-
spond as promptly as might have been
desired. - s4
Little Naval Cadet on Board.
"True," he said, ''there was little
navy cadet on board of each of the YES
sells, but he had no authority. An ac-
tual naval officer or an officer of the
quartermasters department on each ves-
sci would have been better. What was
needed was prompt communication be-
tween the commanding officers and the
vessels and the masters of the transports
did not respond very promptly"
He was questioned at some length
concerning the conduct Of the campaign
in front of Santiago and replied that the
result was what he had expected it
would be. Everything there, he said,
was strained to get men on board and
consequently there was comparatively
little effort to secure equipment. While
he knew nothing officially of the plans
of campaign, he was sure there was a,
plan. He was quite certain from con-
versation he had had with General
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"
What Was to BE Expected.
"Certainly. The fact was published
so extensively in the newspapers that
many of the men on board the vessels
would not accept this inform alton 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
General Shafter. I think it would have
been different if General Miles had been
in command that it would have been
more satisfactorily conducted. think
that he has more of the spark and
genius Of command than any man in
the army, and am sure that if he had
had charge, he would have been in the
front rank"
The Lord Was on Our Side.
Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested
that the battle in front Of San Juan had
been fought and the victory won within
eight days Of landing. General Rneck-
-