Evening star., 1898-09-07
Statement Made by Him Upon Ar
rival on the 0bdam.
he HAS been CORRECTLY REPORTED
Substantial Accuracy of the Kansas
City Stars Accounts.
REQUESTS HE HAS MADE

NEW YORK. September THE United
States transport Obdam, having board
Maj. Gen. Nelson A. Miles and his staff,
Maj. Greeneaf, Capt Whitney, the ID Reg
inert of Wisconsin Volunteers. consisting
of thirty officers and 500 men, and the
Hospital Corps, from Porto Rico, arrived
here today. Mrs. Miles, son and daughter
were also on board the transport, which
sailed frcm Ponce on September 1. The
surgeon il charge reported all weil on
board and no sickness or deaths during the
voyage.
The troops were in the best of spirits.
The big transport was decorated profusefy
with palms and draDed with flags. From
the fore truck was flying the American en-
sign over a large Spanish flag, while long
strings of International code flags were
floating from each masthead to the rails.
Miles Says They Are Accurate.
Gen. Miles 1dmitted to the Associated
Press reporter who interviewed him while
the Obdam was lying off Liberty Island
the substantial accuracy of the statements
attributed to him by the Kansas City Stars
correspondent al Ponce, Porto Rico.
There are,' Gen. Miles said to the news
paper men about him. a few minor mac
curacies in the published reports, such as
usually occur in such interviews. ] do not
care to point out the inaccuracies referred
10 at this time: they are un;riportant.
1T is true that ] requested that my
troops in Porto Rico on their return home
should be allowed to camp somewhere near
New York, preferably Brooklyn Heights,
Fort Wadsworth Governors Island
And I also requested of the War Depart
ment that the troops be allowed to march
through New York city
Il never intended to parade myself as /
snail go to Washington in a few days and
would not be here at the time of the con-
templated parade.
Il asked that the Wisconsin men aboard
the Obdam be permitted to stay in this
vicinity for day two to give them a
chance TO see the city. 1t would do no
harm to let these western boys get a
glimpse of New York. Surely they merit
it. Many of them, l think, have never seen
the city, and perhaps will never have an
other opportunity to see it.
Received No Reply.
TO my first request, namely that my
troops be permitted to camp hereaDouts, in
the nefghborhood of Brooklyn Heights, and
that they be allowed to parade, 1 have
received no reply. To my second request /
received reply at quarantine this morn
ing, ordering the Wisconsin boys home
forthwith. The men will go from the
transports directly to the cars
Il shall stay in the city day or two to
transact some business and will then pro-
ceed to Washington. General Wilson's di-
vision Will reach New York in day or
two, l think. They will come on the trans
ports Mississippi, Manitoba, Alamo and
Concho. The last will carry Gen. Wilson
and his headquarters"
General Miles said that he did not desire
to criticise the conduct of any officer en-
gagged in the late war He expressed the
opinion there has been too much criticism,
complaint and condemnation published al
ready. and that the public had lost sight
of the success and glories of the war. He
did not care to enter into any general dis
cussion Of the events of the war beyond
the written statement which he had pre-
pared during his voyage on the Obdam,
and which he has given out for publication.
He will go to Washington tomorrow morn
Ing
General Miles declared that the health
Of the troops still in Porto Rico is good. He
said that he considered the island a most
charming country, but that he is greatly
pleased TO return to the United States.
Obdam's Men Taken Westward.
NEW YORK, September THE nine
companies of the I'd Wisconsin Volunteers,
which reached port today on board the
transport Obdam, were landed at 12:30 p. m.
at the Erie railroad yards In Weehawken,
where a special train was waiting to con-
Vey them westward.
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