The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-16
ceatFal BftekinrIdge Gives Some Salty
Testimony Before Commission.
Office ii Inspector General Was Made a
: NuIIity BY the Adlutaut Generals.
SKATERS SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN CRITICISED
Had Miles been I'm Command lie
would Have Been nj the Front.
Would Have Been different.

Washington, November l5.--Gcncral
Breckinridge continued his testimony be-
forc the war investigating commission to-
day His Testimony today dealt with the
campaign In Cuba ana the transportation
Of troops to that island He had. he said
gone to Cuba as inspector pcnernl, ari-y-
ing at Tampa on the 9th OF June. He had
observed casually the preparations for the
characterization Of troops before the expcji-
ton had left, and he concluded that they
were quite Inadequate,
Il made no report. however, he said,
AS General Miles was on the ground and
could observe for himself h
< Continuing. he said that there was no
prcpir;ltion for landing III this face OF an
enemy other than that which The navy
might furnish. So .ar as he had observed,
there were only Two lighters and tvu
soows secured on behalf OF the army before
the departure from Tampa. IL WAS his tiii-
deIs.andng. however,. that the ;tfdny and
lazy were cooperating In this expedition,
Speaking OF the conflict Of authority on
the transports he said the masters of tic
vessels did not respond us promptly as
might hayu been desired.
True he said There was II little navy
cadet on board each or The vessels, but
he had no authority. An actual nayal,offi
Ger or an officer OF The duarternastcr's
department on each vessel would have
been better
What he needed Was prompt communf-
cation between the commanding officers
and The vessels and tlie masters or tbs
transports did not respond very promptly.
lie was questioned at some length con-
cerning the conduct OF tho campaign In
front OF Santiago and replied that tine re-
suit was what hs had expected Ii would be.
Everything dhsre, he said WIS strained TO
get men on board, and correctly, there was
comparatively little effort TO secure csl,iIp-
nieiit. Whila he know nothing definitely
OF the plans OF the eanHaisn he WAS sure
there was a plan, He WIS quite certain
from u conversation he had had with Gem
elial Miles there was 4 plan. though he did
not say that this plan was the plan carried
into effect.
'Qf couiee." suggested Governor beaver
Santiago was the goal OF the canlTaign?.'
Certainly. The fast was published ~
extensively in the newspapers that many
OF the men on board the vessels would not
accept this information us 10 the deSttna-
tlon as correct"
Asked as 10 his opinion OF the result OF
the campaign no said ha Thought Ill was
consistent with the character OF the men
who conducted it--whal WAS to be expects,,
from the limitations of General Shaltor.
y think II would have been dllforcsAsAa
General Miles had been In commando at
1t would have been more Satisfactorily con-
Quoted. ] think he has more of the aparls
and genthnencss of command than any man
In the army, and am sure that Il he had
had cliargsi he would have been IN the front
rank
J EN- Governor Woodbury. suggested that
the battle In front of San Juan had been
fought and the yictory won witAin eight
days OF landing.
General Breckenridge in reply said the
victory had been won when Geuer,al To-
rails nerve gave out This" he continued
had been the war OF all others when sue
cess had been Acn In its earliest stages
lie believed that tho war was the Lord s
War and thai this wonderful SUCCESS was
due to His supervision The time for the
battle was, however. short enough Yet.
~ must be remembered. that distance be-
tween battlefislds and Slboncy WAS less
Than half days march. but while he con-
sidered the result as maryeloiisly COM
{
Stsfter was above criticism in the conduct
OF the campaign. He could not believe tho
nssult as \ miracle but he ascribed tho
outcome to the fact that the army was tne
Which was capable Of mea,lng all calls
No matter how II was tangled up" he
said, Il vcat 10 victory"
He had ut ule time quoted Lord Beres
Cord when HE Ga!d to his army upon a GER
min oeca'sion: v have led you into devil
OF a fix, and Vt Is NOW your duty Co figh,
lake he'll 20 get me out OF st." Ee was SURE
vt least tlhae all engaged In the war hnl
acted With zeal and every man had dous
tine best mo WAS capable OF and he had
criticism at the close OF It.
general Brecklnriage spoke OF .he in
spesi.or gepcIsaas office as having been
enl0scufated by the order requiring the re-
pofits OF sltSurdinAtee In thajt office 10 he
made 10 the iadgutant general aud said that
when he discovered this was so he Went
into the field ~ Offering the only arena i,
MnieM ne could 0e Of real service. He hal
lntepdad to cay W effect: There II the
desk IN my office; do an you please with
~ General Sanger Was there, tuo. HI
8elg0 vs. fran Michigan. hhought he could
& Ake control uf THE officers ii 1t was a.
Sired. hut 1a did not rentain.''
CcntlnWipe his testimony bearing upon
tns mspecter eeumsl's duties, he said lhss
~ diat 1T deprived tho ceniutai IN tb IA W.
firm secAning tn1usnaeion. and as ! con.
ssassr's ~ osfsoe wa practically usa-
'I@s order had the effect Of cutting tae
w. ea sAore,y be sadd. and the circv-
IA xas M rood
- ress,k q &he CHANGE. when he had
1 g. ssEt - uxa faaled 70 fInd any