The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-11-15
GENERAL MILES REPORT.
Dealing With the Campaign in Cuba and
Porto Rico.

rcction of Secretary Alger, deals chiefly
with the campaigns Of Santiago and
Porto Rico. IN the introduction the
General says that the military history
| oil 1898 is the most extraordinary Of any
wear since the end of the Civil War
The General then goes on to speak OF
the unpreparedness Of the country for
war, the legislation III Congress looking
TO the increase of the army his own
| recommendation that it be swelled -
162.597 troops for offensive operations
and these to be thoroughly drilled, hard
encd and equipped for service.
Continuing. he says that he was con
WINGED that no large number Of men
should be sent to Cuba during the un-
| healthy season. that the nay could have
made the island untenable to the Span
| iards. and that the work should have
| been left to it while the volunteers We're
being fully prepared for service.
He refers to his orders for sending
regulars to Tampa, Mobile and New
Orleans; for the gathering Of troops &c
Ch~icEanau@a and for the movement
of 10000 troops on Cuba. but adds that
for want of proper equipment. ammuni-
ton. etc. the movement on Cuba did not
materialize.
He refers to General Merritt's Philip
| pine expedition as we'll organized AMI
equipped. Then he tells of the eNpc-
| dition of Shafter's force. saying it was
delayed through the fault Of no one con
| nected with it: and he goes on to speak
of the poor transports. his order to
General Shafter directing him to ind out
if everything possible had been done IN
the way Of furnishing supplies, boats.
etc.
June oath General Miles submitted TO
the Secretary Of War 4 written plan OF
campaign as follows:
That provision be made for the recep-
ton of at least 10000 Spanish prison
CrS
That after capturing Santiago some
deep water ports be taken on the north
coast of Cuba.
That Ncuvitas be captured and that
with $4,000 cavalry and some light ar
tillery and a small body of infantry an
advance be made into Puerto Principe
in the interior and the troops be thence
moved toward Havana. This move
ment would occupy the time until Sep
tembcr 30th. the troops would be in
the most healthy part Of Cuba during
the rainy season and the prisoners could
be used in road making. Should a Span
iSh force be advanced to Villa Clara. the
entire United States army could be
thrown between that point and Havana.
the Spanish army could be divided and
be beaten in detail. Should that plan
be rejected. then after capturing San
tiago the entire force should be removed
to the western end of the island and Il
campaign made against Havana.
General Miles next ~reciteS an order
to himself from Secretary Alger 'to
organize an expedition for operation
against the enemy in Cuba and Porto
Rico
From the order dated June Goth it
appears that an expedition was to be or
ganiZed under the immediate command
o. General Brooke for such movement.
The command under General Shafter or
such part as could be spared from the
work in hand was to JOIN the foregoing
expedition, and. reads the order. you
Will command the forces thus united, in
person."
General Miles here speaks of his adj
vice to move the troops away from places
where fever had broken out to localities
in the Shenandoah Valley, and then
returning to the Santiago campaign tells
of Skaters dispairing telegram in which
he spoke of the possible withdrawal
of his forces from before Playa del Este.
a number Of other published dispatches
are quoted, among them one from Alger
authorizing him to accept the surrender
Of Santiago and giving terms on which
this could be accomplished. If these
were rejected General Miles could order
an assault.
General Miles says that he told Shaft
er that the latter could appoint commits
%sioners to draw up the terms of
surrender and then quotes several
kilograms on the situation already pub
lishcd.
The General then goes over the Porte
: llcan campaign. explaining his change
in the point of landing by saying that
in the absence of landing launches he
wished to keep the enemy in ignorance
5 of his objective point and acted accord
ingly.
: The success of the enterprise" he
added, was largely due to the skill an6
good Seneralship of the officers in com
mand of the different divisions and bri
gades.
1t is gratifying to record,' he con
: tinues. that in the war not a single de
; feat was met, and not Il prisoner. color
e gun or rifle has been captured by tht
n enemy. In this respect the war ha.
t been most remarkable, and, perhaps. un
S paralleled. Under all circumstances an,
[ III SIHte ol many most trying dlfhcultle
the troops have maintained the fortitud
of the American character and the hon
of their arms
General Miles closes his report witt
5 some earnest recommendations for tn
Improvement of the military service. II
trusts the experience of the last fey
q months will be valuable to the peopl
and to the government. The value o
N coast defenses, he says has been prove
= and the system should be completes
without delay.
i He favors the adoption of a standar
&c Of strength for the army to meet tn
country's growth and suggests that it b
- one soldier for every LOCO population
yielding a force of 62.579. While thi
force is already provided for. nnfo1
u tunately the authorizing act requires tn
army to be reduced to its former made
= Quate basis on the termination of tn
war. General Miles in conclusion recon
~ mends that authorization of an auxiliar