The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-11-16
Troops Superior Even to the Cir
cumStances in Which He
Placed Them.
If Miles Had Been in Command
Things Would Have Been
Different.

ASHlNGTON. NOV. O.-CTeneral
Breckenridge continued his testimony
before the war investigating commits
sion. dealing with the campaignin Cuba
and the transportation of troops to that
island. He had. he said. gone to Cuba
Is inspector general, arriving at Tampa
IN June ). He had observed casually,
the preparation for the Decentralization
of troops before the expedition left and
had concluded that they Were quite in
adequate.
Il 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 We're cooperating in
this expedition. Speaking ofthe conflict
Of authority on the transports. he said
the masters of the vessels did not re-
spond as promptly as might have been
desired.
Little Naval Cadet on Board.
True" he said. there was a 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
quartermaster's department on each YES
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
CT callpai-n, he was sure there was a
plan. He was quite certain from a con-
ver>ation he had had with General
Miles that he had a 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 lie Expected.
Certainly. The fact was published
So extensively III the newspapers that
many OF the men on board the vessel,
would not accept this information 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. | 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 Breck-
inridge in reply said the victory had
been o when General Toral's nerve
gave out This. he continued. had
been the wa of all others when success
had been won in its earliest stages. He
believed that the war was the Lords
war, and that this wonderful success
was due to his supervision. The time
{L~ fla 1o%f1n 1r-nr ll-A
enough. Yet it must be remembered
that the distance between the battlefield
and Siboney was less than half a days
march; but while he considered the re-
suit as m~arvelOusly c~ommendable, he
did not feel that General Shafter was
above criticism in the conduct of the
campaign.
No Matter How 1t Was Tangled Up.
He could not believe the result was a
miracle, but he ascribed the outcome
10 the fact that the army vas one which
was capable Of meeting all calls. mo
matter how it was tangled up he said,
lit went to victory"
He had at the time quoted Lord Beres-
ford when he said to his army upon a
certain occasion: Il have led you into
devil of a fix and it is now your duty
to fight like hell to get me out of it."
He was sure, at least, that all engaged
in the war had acted with zeal, and
every man had done the best Of which
he was capable and he had never known
a wal in which there was nOt criticism
at the close of it.
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