Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-09-15

AN EFFORT TO BE MADE TO CLOSE
THE MOUTH or THE CON-
MANDlNG GENERAL.
The Old Veteran Has Returned From
Porto Rico and Has Declared
Himself Alger Wont Say
Word Miles is q
True Soldier.

- True Soldier.
NEW YORK, Sept. 7.-Major General
Nelson A. Miles, bronzed by tropical
sun and with the light Of conquest in
his eyes, arrived in tsis city to-day
and promptly threw down the gauntlet
to Secretary Alger and other geniuses
Of the War Department who have
attempted to eliminate him from the
war situation.
The Commanding General stands by
his guns. Recent interviews with
him, published In this country, he de-
elared ut the outset were substantially
correct.
"There were few errors In the last
interview" !" he said. "but on the whole
1t represents my views.'
General Miles not only insists that
he was in command while he remained
at Santiago, but that he had hand in
the final negotiations for the surrender
Of General Torai and the Spanish
troops.
In q carefally prepared statement
he reviews the whole conduct Of the
war and inferentially, rather than
directly, points ont that the deaths
from disease, the Ill health and the
suffering Of the troops in Cuba were
due to . failure to follow tho plans of
campaign which he a. Commanding
t3enerai drew up and furnished to the
Department in writing.
General Miles, when seen by cor
respondent, said, In regard to the
famous telegram to General Shsfter,
In which the Secretary Of War told
Shafter that Miles would not supersede
him:
"After the surrender I concerned
myself with more important matters,
relating to the occupation Of Porto
Rico, and, although I had heard OF
this telegram In vague and round
about way, first saw the full text OF
it ct the head of an article Of August
IA. This telegram, IL it meant any.
thing, was In direct violation of the
verbal and written orders of the
president"
After recounting at length the under
standing with the War Department
and the conditions in and around
Santiago as he found them upon his
arrival there, Gen. Miles said:
ssThess were the circumstances
under which General Miles left Wash.
ington, arriving at Santiago July IL
not as private individual nor as Wis
itor. Any pretense that he went there
disrobed Of his authority or ofi1cia
lcapacity is too childish to be consid'
cred by sensible men. From tn,
moment he arrived at Santiago he WA
Iresponsible for what might occur. HI
arrived there with the Yale, Columbii
and Rita, loaded with infantry, ans
three ships loaded with artillery, be
sides those already embarked, H.
designed to disembark the troops an,
artillery named on the west side o
Santiago, as was understood befor'
leaving Washington, and before b.
went ashore he made the necessar.
arrangements accordingly. He theI
proceeied to the front, and, after con
sulting with General Shafter, not
was sent to the Spanish commando
by General Shafter, saying that tn
Commanding General of the Unite,
Estates Army had arrived In his cam
with strong re-enforcements an
would meet him between the lines q
any hour agreeable to him.
II Referring to the surrender of San
tiago, Gen. Miles says: 'The Spanis
commander begged for longer tim
and earnestly requested until twelv
o'clock next day. This was anall
agreed to by General Miles, the meet
ling dissolved and the officers sepa
!, rated. On returning from this con
ference q dispatch was received b
/ Gen. Miles from Warrington 90 fol
lows:
al, "WAsHINaToN, D. G., July 13.-Ma
. Gen. Miles: You may accept surreu
] der by granting parole to officers an
D men; the officers and men after parol
} to be permitted to return to SpaiI
/ the United States assisting. II nj
]. | accepted, then assault, unless in yor
Judgment, an assault would fail. Cor
suit with Sampson and pursue sue
Icourse - to the assault 10 you joint
: lagree upon. Matter should be se
tied promptly. "R. A. ALGER,
o (signed) Secretary Of War"
"This does not look a. IL Gener
Miles was there az q visitor. He WI
lcharged with responsibility OF ordel
: ing an assault upon the eptrenchmen
. and fortificstions Of an army, whicl
o IL successful, would have cost st lea
5000 lives; or, Of Withholding the q
. sault, II In hts Judgment, such asssu
n would fail.
|. "No greater discretion was ev'
given to any general commanding
tazmy, and what is moro, will be ol
. served, he was authorized to accel
J. the surrender, which In the intere
. of his subordinates, he generously d
cIined to do and went away, ieavil
q oil the honor TO his next in ran
lGen. Shafter.n
Il Gen. Miles wrote the above inte
view and speaks Of himself in Il
third person.