Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-16


Who Is Anything Except Compliment
tary to the Commander Before Santiago
Much Praise for rAIiIes-Characteristic
Story of Beresford Told to illustrate the
situation Before the Surrender of ToraI.
Washington, Nov. 16.-The feature
| of General Breckinridge's testimony
| before the war investigators yesterday
was its tone in regard to General Shat
ter, which was anything but cOmpli-
mentary. On the other hand it was
highly eulogistic of General Miles. He
said that the preparations for embark
ing Skaters force at Tampa was quite
inadequate: that there were no lighters
TO speak of nor any preparations to
land in the face of the enemy except
the warships at Santiago. At the front
the only point was to get men forward;
equipment was not considered. The
fight there was won when General
Torals nerve gave out. He did not con-
slider General Shafter was above criti-
cism in the conduct of the campaign
Limitations of Gen. Shafter."
Proceeding General Breckenridge said
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 war in which there
was not criticism at the close of it.
What was to be expected from the
limitations of General Shafter?
1 am sure that if he [Ailesl had had
charge he would have been in the front
rank" He could not believe the result
was miracle. but he ascribed the out
come to the fact that the army was
one which was capable of meeting all
calls. NO matter how it was tangled
up he said. lit went to victory" He
had at the time quoted Lord Beresford
when he said to his army upon a GER
tain 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,
Leaves Room for Speculation"
The most interesting perhaps of
Breckinridge's testimony was when he
declined to testify He was asked if he
had visited General Shafter in his tent
when the latter was i'll at Santiago. and
General Breckenridge replied that he
had done so. Did he then offer the
command of the army to you as has
been reported in the press?"
General Breckinridge replied: "I very
much prefer not to answer that ques-
tion. You should ask General Shafter.
If General Shafter has not re-
peated the conversation 1 ought not to
do So
LAS a matter of fact. he did not turn
the command over to you?" suggested
Governor Beaver. to which General
Breckenridge responded:
No. he did not. and 1 do not think
there is any impropriety in my saying
that he could not have done So"
Those Sinks at Camp Thomas.
Dr. Conner questioned General Breck-
inridge about the condition Of the sinks
at Camp Thomas when the troops left
there, saying that it had been represent
ed to the commission that some 5000
of them had been found to be uncovered.
The general replied that necessarily
some of the sinks had been left uncov-
cred: that it was difficult TO clean up
after a large army evacuating camp.
He said, however. that he had foreseen
this and had asked 1900 from Wash
inEton for the purpose of putting the
sinks in proper condition. This money
had not arrived before his departure,
but he supposed il had been received
later and had been used by his success
sor for the purpose for which it was in
tended.