The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-09-13

A BLOW AT CONGRESS
TIME SUITED FOR -NSloN
WASTED BY DELAY.
HE WENT TO CUBA NOT AS A VISITOR
But as Commander in Chief of American Forces
plan of Operations Vas His Had it
Fai'ed Blame Would have
Fallen on Him.
Fallen on Him,

ToIlcH vi itii'
New York. Sept. The United States
TRANSPORT OLDHAM. having on board Major
General Nelson a.. Miles and his STAN
Major Greenleaf. Captain Whitney, III"
Second regiment OF Wisconsin volunteers,
consisting of thirty officers and SEQ men,
and the hospital corps from Porto Haco.
arrived here to-day. Mrs. Miles. Soa
and daughter were also on board the
transport. which sailed from Ponce.
Porto Rico on September LIST. The sur
seon in charge reported all we'll IN
board and no sickness or deaths durlhS
the voyage. The troops were IN the pest
of spirits. The big transport was dc
corated prOfusely with palms and draper
with flags. From the fore truck was flE-
ing the American ensign over Il large
Spanish flag, while long strings of inter
national code flags were floating from
zach masthead to the rails.
The following statement cmanatln@
from General Miles, was given to the
reporters on board of the OLDHAM. 1t is
in the form of Il letter III which General
Miles is mentioned in the third person:
w ME ut L INIto hlit iiiii -
voyage returning on the OLDHAM. on
which steamer were General Miles and
staff. two battalions Of the Second re
giment of Wisconsin volunteers, | learn
ed the following facts concerning the
Cuban and Porto Rican expeditions. III
the first place. let me say that the war
has closed after being conducted large
ly as General Miles stated publicly at
the beginning of the war that it would
be. The statement was publicly made,
and a general order was issued by him,
as commander of the American Army. III
which the plan he has striven to pursue
WAS foreshadowed, namely: Seeking to
accomplish results with the least possible
loss of life. In an interview III the lat
ter part of May he said:
THE United States Government *
too strong, too great and too powerful
to commit any foolish act i'll connfS ion
with the proposed invasion of Cuba
"Referring to the proposed rush to the
fever strcken city of Havana, he said:
".No officer is fit to command troops
who, from any motive whatever, would
needlessly risk the life of Il single soldier.
either from disease or the bullets of the
enemy. | have never sacrificed the
lives of men under my command. and do
not propose to subject them to any un-
necessary risks in the present campaign.'
I'm the order issued to the army at
an early date, he directed that:
OPPOSED ATTACKING HAVANA.
"'Eyery officer. of whatever grade,
will, so far as may be in his power, guard
and preserve the health and welfare Of
those under his charge. He must labor
diligently and zealously to perfect him
Golf ,nJ hi, o,IorI,n, tm- -, ", Hitor- ,Jni11
instruction and discipline, and above III
he must constantly endcavor by precept
and example to maintain the highest
character, to foster and stimulate that
true soldiery spirit and patriotic dev9-
ton to duty which must characterize an
effective army.
THE principles thus enunciated have
been Z~ealously observed from the first,
Owing to the fact that the season suited
for campaigning in Cuba had been eN-
hauSted in debates and delay in Con
greSS. and in necessary preparations
General Miles was opposed to rushing
an i~ll-prepared. undisciplined and I'M
equipped army in Il movement against
the capital of Cuba, defended by 100, O0t
trained Spanish troops. and in this posi-
ton he stood practically alone for sever
Ill weeks. Havana. MatanzaS. Santiag,
II al lew II icliiS were IL al
IS military map as hot bed of disease
destruction to an army. and places to be
avoided. especially during the sickly sea
son. When finally called upon to sub
NIT a plan of campaign. he did so anG
put it in writing. In substance he tool
the stand, first: That every cfforr
should be made to equip the CubanS anl
thereby enable them to harrasS tut
Spanish forces. The cry of On to Ha
yana' should be encouraged. but whel
the Transports. loaded with troops. weri
out of sight of land they should sail a>
straight as steam power could bear then
to the gate of the Antilles. and the key
of the whole position. Porto Rico: then
having seized and occupied that island
IL movement was to follow by means o
II strong cavalry force. which was +,
be organized and equipped by August o.
September. He contemplated that 20.
600 cavalry thrown to the centre of Cuba
cutting the Spanish forces in two an,
moving west to Havana. by the time tn,
rainy season was over and it would l.,
impossible to vancouver an army. w,
could move against that city with a we'll
organized, w~ell-eQuipped and well-diS
ciplined army and complete the captur,
of the Spanish forces.
MILES TO THE RESCUE.
1.-The enclosure of Cervera's fleet il
the harbor of Santiago changed the con
ditions and made it necessary to NOV,
a military force to that point. Genera
Miles. while at Tampa, organized tn,
expedition and felt the Importance of III
enterprise so greatly that he requisite
permission to accompany that eXpeditio
or to Immediately organize another to jCi
it. This permission was not granted s
far as accompanying that expedition wa
concerned, but authority was granted |
equip Il second For movement and o,
Grafton against the enemy in Cuba an
Porto Rico However. before this e,
petition was equipped. calls were maj
for additional forces to 90 to Santiag
and they We're Immediately forwarde.
On the third day of July General Shaft