Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-28
THE MILES INTERVIEW.
Alleged Structures and Complaints
Made by the General.

louisville Courier-Journal)
When the inevitable snap comes in the
strained relations between General Miles
and Secretary Alger the statements at
tributed to General Miles in the following
Interview, sent TO the Kansas City Star
by its staff correspondent from Ponce,
Porto Rico. are likely to figure largely in
the case. If correctly reported General
Miles accuses General Shafter of disobey-
ing his orders. under protection of secret
dispatches from the War Department
which dispatches, he further charges,
were given out at Washington in garbed
form 10 the press He also is made TO
lay upon Secretary Alger the grave re-
sponsihilty for the ravages Of fever in
the American army at Santiago Algsr
having entirely ignored a report made 10
him by Miles of the danger. with recon-
mendations for meeting it. The interview,
under date Of Ponce, August 18th, follows:
A SECRET DISPATCH.
After l arrived in Santiago with re-en-
forcements for General Shafter, and while
was conducting the surrender negotia-
tions, Adjutant-General Corbln sent a
secret dispatch TO General Shafter, as
surfing him that my coming made no diff
ference in his command: that | did not
go to supersede him
This dispatch / did not see then. Cen
eral Shafter did not mention IL 20 me- but
it was given out for publication in Wash
ington. Ii might have caused great trou-
BILE and confusion, except that il was
based on an impossibinty."
General Miles said this 10 me Yesterday
In the course of a conversation touching
upon the Cuban campaign He said It
firmly and with considerable suppressed
feeling, and. from the way he spoke. II Is
evident he viii have something 70 say on
the subject when he returns home In ex-
p'anauon OF what he meant. he continued:
ONLY TOOK COMMAND"
II no more superseded General Sharter
than colonel supersedes a captain. II |
a captain was sent ahead with a company
Of soldiers and was later on Joined by his !
colonel with the rest Of the regiment. the |
colonel would not supersede the captain: |
he would simply take command Of the en- |
tire force, as l did at Santiago That this |
fact was recognized by the War Depart /
ment is shown by the subsequent proceed |
ings, for the dispatches from there in re- |
gard 10 the surrender came 20 me- and |
General Shafter was not mentioned in |
them. L have been commanding-genera OF !
the army Of the United States ever since |
Mr.. Cleveland appointed me such three |
years ago and l have heard nothing TO |
led me to believe 1 have been relieved |
Of my responsibility.
THE dispatches from and 10 Santiago
all show this, but they We're very much
multilated and garbed in Washington
when given to the public Words and SEN
fences were left out which changed the
meaning and significance Of the messages F
and several VERY frnnnrfarf ,u.- ,,,h,..h
would have thrown a clearer light upon
the situation, were entirely suppressed" /
ALGER CLAIMS TOO MUCH.
Newspapers which reach here from the .
United States show that considerable dis !
cussion Is now going OF as 70 the credit
for moving the Santiago army from Cuba
back 10 the States. Secretary Alger
claims, II appears. that he originated
the idea and had already made the neces- 4
sary arrangements before the appeal sent
from the commanding officers al SANTIAGO
reached Washington.
MILESS PLAIN WARNING.
on file IN General Miles's Headquarters
Is copy OF cab.egram sent BY General
Miles TO Secretary Alger July Ast. This
"a Die was suppressed by the Secretary in
Washington, and no attention was paid
TO the recommendations Of General Miles.
winch outline the pan now followed by
the War APARTMENT, but for which others
are claiming credit.
II General Miless recommendations had
been promptly followed out and his state
ment OF the condition OF the army been
given 20 the public when received, much
Of the sickness and trouble would have
been avoided. This cable reads as follows:
In order 70 avoid conflict OF authority
or misunderstanding general directions
were given General Shafter. 20 be exc
cuted under his order and direction. as
follows" (Then follows instructions IN
regard TO government property and Span
Ish prisoners. and the message continues):
FEVER IN EVERY REGIMENT.
There is not a single regiment OF regu-
lars or volunteers that Is not infected
with yelow-fever from one case in the
Eighth Ohio TO thirty-six in the Thirty
third Michigan.
after consulting with the best medical
authorities 1t is my opinion that the best