The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-16
FOR EN- BARKING TROOPS
SHAFTER'S VICTORY DUE TO
SPLENDID ARMY UNDER HIM.
GENERAL MILES MILITARY GENIUS
Brecknridge Would not Reply when Asked if
Shafter had offered him Command.
He Thought 0fficsis and Men
had Done all they Could.


Washington, Nov ID. General
Breckenridge before the war investga-
ting commission to-day dealt with the
campaign in Cuba, and the transporta-
ton of troops to that island. He said h
had gone to Cuba as inspectator gener-
al, arriving at Tampa on the 9th of
June. He. had observed casually the
preparations for the Decentralization of
troops before the expedition left, and
had concluded that they were quite i'll
adequate. Il made no report, however
he said, "as General Miles was on the
ground and could observe for himself. .
He said that there was no preparation
for landing i'll the face of an enemy
other than that which the navy might
furnish So far as he observed 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 were cooperating in this ex-
petition.
Speaking of the conflict of authority on
the transports, he said the masters of
the vessels did not respond as promptly
as might have been desired True"
he said, there was a little navy cadet
on board each of the vessels, but he
had no authority. An actual naval Off
Ger of the quartermasters department
on each vessel would have been better.
What was needed was prompt communi-
cation between the commanding officer
and the vessels, and the masters of the
transports did not respond very prompt
ly.
SANTIAGO GOAL OF CAMPAIGN.
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 definitely of the plans
of the campaign, he was sure there was
plan. He was quite certain from a
conversation 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 General Beav-
er, Santiago was the goal of the CAM
paign."
Certainly. The fact was published
so extensively in the newspapers that
many of the men on board the vessels
would not accept the 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 Gen
eral Shafter Il think it would have
been different if General Miles had been
in command-that it would have been
more satisfactorily conducted. | think
he has more of the spark and genius
of command than any man in the army,
and / am sure If he had had charge he
would have been In the front rank
Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested that
the battle in front Of Santiago had been
fought and the victory won within eight
days OF landing. General Breckenridge,
in reply. said the victory had been won
when General Toral's nerve gave out. Il
IT WAS THE LORDS WAR.
He believed that the war was the
Lords war. and that this wonderful sue
cess was due to His supervision. The
time for the battle was however. short
enough. Yet. it must be remembered
that tie distance between the battle
field and Siboney was less than a days
march; but while he considered the re-
suit as marvelOusly commendable, he
did not feel that General Shafter was
above criticism in the conduct of the
campaign. He could not believe the re-
suit was miracle, but he ascribed the
outcome to the fact that the army was
one which was capable of meeting all
calls. mo matter how it was tangled
up" he said, ''it went to victory
He had at the time quoted Lord Beres
ford when he said to his army upon a
certain OCCASION:
II have led you into a devil Of fix,
and it is now your duty to fight like
he'll to get out Of it,"
He was sure Mt 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 Il war in which there was
no criticism at the close of it. General
Breckenridge spoke of the Inspector Gen
erals office as having been emasculated
ny tHc oIueE requiring tuc ItpoItS VI
subordinates in that office to be made
to the Adjutant General, and said that
when he discovered this was so he went
into the field as offering the only arena
in which he could be of any real service.
He had intended to say in effect, There
is the desk in my office; do as you please
with it. General Sanger was there; he
too, is from Michigan. thought he
could take control of the office if it was
desired but he did not remain"
HE BLAMES THE SYSTEM.
Continuing his testimony bearing on
the inspector generals duties, he said
that his criticisms of the change was
based on the fact that it deprived the
central authority of securing information
and as consequence the office was
practically useless. 1.-THE order has the
effect of cutting the umbilical cord" he
said, "and the circulation was not good"
As result of the change, when he
had asked for facts in the office to in