The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-13
Text OF Correspondence Between the
and Telegrams of Army officers.
CAMP WIKOFF'S FATE SEALED
ORDERS ISSUED FOR REMOVAL OF
TROOPS TO FORMER POSTS.
Instructions from Miles That VIII
Scatter the Regulars All Over the
COuntry-A Fling at AIger.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12-The plan of
having a parade in New York of the troops
returning from Porto Rico and those at
Montauk has been definitely abandoned
This is the result of several conferences on
the subject between the President and Gen.
Miles, and of consultations with army Off
GERS in New York and at Camp Wikoff. To
clear up any Misrepresentation on the sub
Ject, Assistant Secretary Meikeljohn this
afternoon decided to make public the entire
correspondence had so far in this matter
On Sept. Mayor Van Wyck, of New York,
sent the following dispatch to President Nc
Kinley:
1.-THE people of the city Of New York are
sincerely desirous of witnessing a review
of the United States soldiers, regulars and
volunteers, before they are disbanded or dis
tributed, and they earnestly hope and re-
spectfully request that you will exercise
your authority to give them an opportunity
to see the troops and show their apprecia-
ton of the services which the soldiers have
rendered to the country. A committee of
citizens has this day been appointed to take
action in this matter. and the people of this
city are ready to act at once"
On the same day President Mckinley re-
piled to Mayor Van Wyck as follows:
Your message of the 9th is received. It
would be very gratifying to me, if the
health of the soldiers will allow, to permit
a review which would enable the people of
the city of New York to show their appre-
I~cfdtfc1r- OF the brave men in the last three
months who have performed such heroic
services to the country. L will direct that
the commanding generals as we'll as the
medical officers of the army now at New
chol
probable effect upon the health of the
troops of the parade you propose. If they
report that it will not be injurious to the
soldiers in their present condition during
the heated term, and is agreeable to the
officers and soldiers themselves, it will af-
ford me special pleasure to comply with
your patriotic suggestion
At 1:5O p. M, Sept. 6. Adjutant General
Corbin wired Major General Shafter, at
Montauk Point, follows:
THE mayor of New York has asked that
the troops recently returned from duty in
the field be allowed to parade in the city.
In your judgment is the scheme feasible
in the very near future? The secretary of
war desires that you have full consultation
with your best medical officers before MAX
ing reply to this inquiry, having due regard
to the wishes of the mayor of New York
and at the same time the careful considera-
tion of the well being of the officers and
men of your command"
General Shafter replied next day in the
following terms:
81 have consulted with Colonel Forwood
and division surgeons. In their opinion and
my own this command cannot creditably
parade in New York city before the 1st of
October
On Sept. 10 Major General Miles indorsed
the above in the following language:
Respectfully returned, recommending
that the troops coming from Porto Rico be
encamped at Brooklyn or the most avail
able place near New York city and parade
through Brooklyn over the Brooklyn bridge
on Saturday, one week from to-day. Also,
if in the meantime it shall be found advis-
able and it can be done without hardship
to those troops at Montauk Point, L. l.,
that they unite in the parade as above sug-
gested, and should next Saturday prove un-
favorable on account of the weather, that
the ceremony take place on the first fair
day following. II approved 1 will give the
necessary instructions accordingly"
To-day President Mckinley telegraphed
Mayor Van Wyck, of New York, as follows:
1.-THE commanding general at Montauk
officers as to the advisability of the parade
suggested in your telegram Of the 9Th inst.
Gen. Shafter concurs in the report of these
officers. that in their opinion it would not
be advisable to parade the troops in New
York or elsewhere before the 1st of October
The exigencies of the service are such that
these troops will be moved to more suit
able camp before that day, which will rem
der their participation in the parade imprac-
ticable. The troops returning from Porto
Rico are already directed to proceed at once
to their homes for furlough and muster out.
General Miles, however, recommends, under
date of Sept. 10, that these troops be en-
camped at Brooklyn or the most available
place near New York city and parade
through Brooklyn over the Brooklyn bridge
on Saturday, Sept. IL Zone week from to-
day); and he has been authorized to make
the necessary arrangements to that end.
The following organizations remain to ar
rive from Porto Rico: Sixth Illinois Volun-
teer Infantry, two batteries Pennsylvania
Volunteer Artillery. Battery A. Missouri
Volunteer Artillery; Twenty-seventh Indi-
ana Volunteer Light Battery, Company H,
First District of Columbia Volunteer In
fantry."
Later in the day General Miles addressed
the following to the secretary of war:
"Sir-Referring to letter of recent date
regarding parade OF troops in New York
and Brooklyn, when first made my recon-
mendation regarding the parade of the
Porto Rican troops 1 was not aware that
the troops from Pennsylvania and New
York had arrived and had started for their
homes. and it was also with the expecta-
ton that at least portion of the troops
at Montauk would join the parade. especial