Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-16
KNEW OF INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT
OF SANTIAGO ARMY.
GEN. BRECKENRIDGE TESTIFIEs
THINKS MILES WOULD HAVE DONE
BETTER THAN sHAFTER.
Exprexses the Opinion That the Evils
That Were Experienced Were
Inevitable Under American
System-Lays Blame
ON Congress.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.-General Breck-
inridce continued his testimony before the
war investigating commission to-day. III.
testimony to-day dealt with the campaign
in Cuba and the transportation OF troops
10 that island. He had. he said. gone 10
Cuba as Inspector general, arriving ut
Tampa on the 9Th of June. He had oO-
served casually the preparations Tor tAe
disembarking of troops before tie cNreal-
lion left, and had concluded that they were
quite inadequate. Il made no report. now
ever" he said. ''as General Miles was on
the ground and could observe for him
self"
Continuing. he said that there was no
prepara:ion for landing in the iace OF IN
enemy. other than that which the navy
might furnish. So far he had observed
there were only two lighters and TWO
scows secured on behalf OF the army ne
fore the departure from Tampa. II was
his understanding, however. that the army
and the navy Were cooperating IN TINS
expedition.
Speaking of the conflict of authority on
the transports lie said the masters oil the
vessels did not respond as promptly as
might have been desired. True he salu,
there was little naval cadet on boaru
each of the vessels, but he had no author
ltk- An aCIudl NAV dl VI '4-N
termasters department on each vessel
would have been better. What was need
ed was prompt communication between Inc
commanding officer and the vessels. ana
the masters of the transports did not re-
spond very promptly.
Asked as 10 his opinion of the result OF
the Santiago campaign, he said he thought
ii was consistent with the character OF
the men who conducted it. What was 10
Tang Nf NJ
eral Shafter? I think 1t would have been
different If General Miles had been In COM
mand-that it would have been more sat
isfactorily conducted. l think he has more
of the spark and genius of command than
any other man in the army. ana l am
sure that If he had had charge ne would
have been in the front rank
Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested that
: the battle in front of San Juan had beer,
fought and the victory won within eight
: days OF landing. General Breckinridge, in
. reply, said the victory had been won when
General Torals nerve gave out. This, he
: continued, had been the war of all others
+. when success had been Won in its earliest
stages. He believed that the war was the
: Lords war. and that this wonderful sue
cess was due TO His supervision The time
Yet, 1t must be remembered that the DIS
tance between the battlefield and Siboney
was less than half a days march.
While he considered the result marvel
I ousiy commendable. he did not feel that
General Shafter was above criticism in The
} conduct OF the campaign. He could not be-
heye the result was a miracle. but he as
: crfbed the outcome to the fact that the
r army was one which was capable of mec.-
Ing l az ca, calls, No mi matter how II Wa, was
He had al the time quoted Lord Beresford.
when he said TO his army upon Il certain
OCCASION: Il have led you into devil OF
hell to get me out of it," He was sure.
= at least, that all engaged in the war mad
the best OF which he was capable, and he
r had never known a war in which there WAS
. not criticism at the close of it.
General Breckenridge spoke of the IL
= spector generals Office as having been
- emasculated by the order requiring the re-
;. ports OF subordinates in that office to he
: that when he discovered this 80 ne
went into the field, as Offering the only
arena In which he could be of real service.
He had intended TO say, in effect. There
is the desk in my office: do as you please
with IL. General Sanger was there: he.
too is from Michigan. 1 thought he could
take control OF the office If ii WAS desired.
but he did not remain"
Continuing his testimony bearing upon the
inspector generals duties. he said that Els
criticism OF the change was based on the
fact that II deprived the central authority
of information and as Il Consequence the
Office was practically useless The order
had the effect OF cutting the umhilical
cord he said. and tn. circulation was
not good" As a result of the change when
clude in his report b" had failed TO lInd
any there
Resuming his remarks nf Il general char
acter. General Breckenridge expressed the
opinion that there had not been enough
fighting To obscure other results common
to war. He thought the evils which had
been experienced were inevitable under our
American system. He condemned this syS-
tenn as most reprehenSible. and said the vol
unteer soldiers must always suffer tn.
worst of the consequences. IT the rcEuia!
stands UP under, il better than the Voiun.
teer. is only because he has had Tim.
10 adjust himself 10 the unfavOrabie condl
tions."
He traced all the trouble to the want o.
preparation and mobilization in time u
peace. and that. in turn. TO the failure o
congress 10 appropriate the necessary
money for reforms. Replying to question
from Mr. Woodbury. he said that, consd
ering the system. lie thought the govern
ment had done far better in its conduct o
The war than anybody had expected. an,
Just about one-fourth rs well it shouIc
General McCook asked General Breckin
ridge IL he had visited General Shafter II
ago. and General Breckenridge replied tha
he had done so.
Did he offer the command OF the arm,
TO YOU. as has been reported i'm the ures-|'
General Breckenridge replied: Il Yer,
much prefer not to answer that question
You should ask General Shaf;er. Such
conversation as occurred between Genera
Shafter and myself on that occasion is no
Of character TO he spoken N lightly
f',il 10 see how reply from me woul,
promote the object of your inquiry. Yol
want 10 know what General Shafter did
rot what he may have thought of doing
If General Shafter has not repeated TN
conversation. l ought not TO do So
As matter af fact ne did not turn III
command over TO you%" suggested Gov
ernor Beaver. 10 which General Breckin
ridge responded. NO. he did not and d
not think there is any Improperly in m
saving that he could not have done So
With this the matter was allowed I
General rat OK
Cused.
Captain Robert W. DowGy. who wa
master OF transportation "A Montauk Point
stated that, at the beginning OF the histor
Of the camp. the supply of transportatio
facilities was Inadequate. though thev wcr
sfterward improved. While there had bee