The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-11
Exhaustive Review of the Years
Military Operations.
HE TALKS RIGHT OUT
There II No Express Criticism OF Alger
and Aigerism. but tho Generals
Plain Recital OF Facts Reflects
on the War Secretary.


to-day by direction of Secretary Alger
The keynote of the report is found in
one Of the opening sentences where 1t Is
said: THE military operations during
the year have been extraordinary, un-
usual and extensive" a statement
which is fully borne out by the long
recital of important events which Gen.
eral Miles shows have made the mill
tary history of the year 1898 the most
remarkable since the end Of the civil
war.
In point of interest the document di-
vides naturally into four chapters, for
while brief allusion is made to such
matters as the military expeditions to
Alaska. interest naturally centers in
the portion which treats Of the war
with Spain.
Under this general head the report
deals with the plans of campaign of
the war preparations. with the San
tiago campaign. with General Miles
operations i'm Porto Rico and lastly
with the important changes in the ex-
listing organization which are. in Gen.
eral Miles opinion, necessary to make
the army an effective weapon for the
defense OF the country. There is an
entire absence Of any evidence in direct
criticism, though certain sentences in
the report are italicized in an apparent
desire to justify previously expressed
plans of details of the campaign. and
where IL deals with events the docu-
ment is largely made up of a quota
tion of official dispatches.
Treating of the war General Miles be-
gins with a statement of the unpre-
paredness of the country. showing how
the vast equipment left by the million
soldiarG Of tho civil ha
pated or had become obsolete until the
tentage, transportation and camp
equippage was insufficient for any i'm
portant military operation. He re-
counts the legislation of congress just
prior to the war. looking to the in
recommendation on April that 10000
men be provided for coast defense and
reserve: that the regular army be in
creased and 10000 immunes recruited.
making a force OF 162,597 men which,
with $4,000 native auxiliaries, he con-
sidered sufficient. Such a force proper
" equipped. he believed to be better
than a large force partly equipped. In
the letter containing this recommen-
dation, he said: 81 also recommend
that at least % regiments of infantry,
five regiments of cavalry and the light
artillery be mobilized and placed in
one large camp where they can be care
fully and thoroughly inspected, fully
equipped, drilled. disciplined and in
structed in brigades and divisions and
prepared for war service.
He further asked for $4,000 volun-
teers to make up an army of 10000
soldiers for offensive operations i'm Gu
ba. the whole force to be fully equipped.
leaving the state troops TO defend the
coasts and for a reserve"
On April Is he wrote Secretary Alger
as follows: II have the honor to sub
init the following: That in my judg-
ment the available force of the regu-
lar army should be mobilzed In the |
best and most available healthful posi- |
tion in the department of the Gulf. I |
suggest Chickamauga park on account |
of its altitude and advantages for pre- |
pairing a command for the serious re- |
quirements of actual warfare" He |
also dwelt upon the Importance of the |
most perfect equipment in all branches, |
artillery, engineering and medical with |
supplies for six months, and equipment /
for $4,000 native Cuban soldiers.
General Miles says in his report that
In the beginning the war problem was
purely a naval one. and he was con-
vinced that should our navy prove su-
perior. the position OF the Spanish army
in Cuba would be rendered untenable
with a minimum loss OF life and trea-
sure to the United States.
iit says were TWO ODStdCiRS
most to be avoided-one was placing
an army on the island OF Cuba before
BUR navy controlled the Cuban waters;
and the other was putting an army
on the island at a time when a large
number Of men must die from the dis
Eases that have prevailed in that coun-
try. according to all statistics, for the
ast 100 years" He pointed out in a
etter to the secretary of war these
hangers, inclosing a communication
rom Surgeon General Sternberg, and
Urged that the Spanish be merely har-
issed and damaged during the rainy.
Unhealthy season. while the navy was
demonstrating its superiority and the
volunteers were being equipped. In
hat letter he says: II also assert the
'elief 1 have entertained from the first,
hat we could secure the surrender of
ne Spanish army I'm the island of Gu |
"a without any great sacrifice of life" |
In this letter which is attached, DIR.
iulteras Is cited in support OF the -ec-
to delay the army move
nent In cuba, and IL Is said that aside |
rom disease, the United States troops
fould have to cope with $4,000 Span
sh troops. the remnant of 214.OO0 |
'hich troops had become acclimated
nd were equipped with 1873 guns.
here was still time. he said. to put /
1000 regular troops into healtbfuI ,
amps until they could be used in Gu +,
a with safety. In order that the VOL 1
nteers should be speedily made ef- !
cient, on April 26th General Miles /
Trote the secretary of war that they 7
hould be encamped for so days in their a
states and disciplined and \
Iuipped and their officers instructed q
J their work. so all important. he said, :
} health and efficiency =
This preliminary work should be .
one before the troops leave their =
.ates. wrote General Miles. and In a
Is report he adds this: "Congregat-
Ig tens Of thousands OF men. many q
whom were not uniformed and y
,arcely and properly equipped. in q
reat camps away from their states a
ndered IL difficult for them 10 be 4,
-operly supplied with food, cooking .,
ensils, camp equippage, blankets, e