Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-03

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parole " ofklcefs and men, the o1Etcefs
retaining their sido arms. The officers
and men after parole to be permitted TO
return to Spain the United States assist
ing. # not accepted. then assault. unless
in your Judgment an assault would fall
Consult with Sampson and pursue such
course as to the assault as you jointly
agree upon. Matters should be settled
promptly
or A. ALGER,
Secretary of War"
On July 49, Secretary Alger wrote to the
Secretary of the Navy requesting that he
order the feet off Santiago to at once
force it's way into the bay if possible.
Secretary Long responded in a mere ac-
acknowledgement of receipt of the commune
cation.
The Secretary's next telegram was adj
dressed to Cen Shafter on the following
day, and read:
Have you received the absolute sur
render of the army? We are waiting the
conditions with impotence"
Skaters response was that Miles re-
garded the surrender as absolute, and the
matter would be settled by commission
ers that day, the 10TH
Next the correspondence shows the his
tory of the Porto Rican campaign. July
49, the seer etary telegraphed Miles at Sib-
oney what he had determined upon, as he
wished to direct transports. Miles replied
that after comforting with Sampson, Cape
San Juan was considered the best place
to land.
Miles succeeded in getting Sampson to
increase his naval concoy and then tele-
graphed under date of St. Thomas, July 26,
that circumstances were such that he had
changed his plans and taken the harbor
of Guanica. Secretary Alger, however.
asked on July 26 why the plans had been
changed. Miles replied, under date of the
Goth, from Ponce, that at first it had been
intended to select only a rendezvous at
Port F'ajardo, but that that intention
had become known and the Spaniards had
been able to concentrate in the vicinity.
Then Port Fajardo was not safe horbor.
and he was without the lighters which
he had expected to meet. August g. in
telegram relative to supplies. Gen. Miles
recommended that the manufacture of
Sprinffield rifles, 45-calibre ammunition,
all white canvas tentage and black leather
equipments of every description be dis
continued, as they are obsolete and should
not be part of the army equipment.
The Secretary's reply was as follows:
War Department, August 8.
Gen. Miles, Ponce, Porto Rico.
LAS you ought to know the last calibre
As Springfield rifle was manufactured in
ninety-three. Smokeless powder cart
ridges are now being manufactured and
will be forwarded. l suggest that you
get along with what the government has
on hand.
.'R. A. ANGER,
Secretary of War
That portion devoted to the telegraphic
correspondence of the war closes with
few dispatches indicating the finish Of the
Santiago campaign
OF the military academy, Alger endorses
the recommendation for an increase of
the number of cadets by twenty annually,
to be appointed by the President, and one
by each Senator to supply the officers
needed for the army of the future.
Treating of the quartermaster generals
report, the Secretary picks out an inter-
esting fact He shows that the Govern
ment purchases 800 horses and mules,
5179 wagons $50 ambulances and S3,078
tons of coal and chartered n vessels and
purchased 16 steamships. The use of the
Missouri was generousuly donated to the
United States, with the services of her
captain and crew, by her owner, B. N.
Baker, of Baltimore, and is a valuable
hospital ship. The cost of transporting
the Spanish prisoners to Spain was ST. 513,-
S60 The graves of the soldiers at Santi-
ago. In Porto Rico and the Philippines
have been marked and these remains will
be brought home as soon as the plans are
completed.
One of the great mercies of the cam
paign were the women nurses. The re-
port says that until one has had exper-
fence or made careful observation he can.
not realize the work that these noble
women did for our sick soldiers in the
hospitals; but they cannot be well en-
ployed at regimental hospitals in cam
paign.
The manufacture of the Krag-Jorgensen
or a similar magazine gun should con-
tinue until we have. at an early date, at
least 500, Geo of these arms in our arse
nails, with a full supply of ammunition.