The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-11
Though He Tries to Justify His Pre-
yicusIy Expressed Plans.
HIS PLANS FOR CUBAN CONQUEST
Two Obstacles Were to be Avoided in
War With Spain-One Was Land
ing Before We Controlled the
Waters aud Another Was
the Health of the Island.
His Recommendations

| WASHINGTON, November W.-Ine re-
port OF Major General Miles, command
ing the United States army. was made
public to-day by direction of Secretary
Alger.
The keynote OF the report is found In
one of the opening sentences, where IL
| 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
| facts. by which General Miles shows the
history of the year 1898 to be the most
| remarkable since the civil war.
| The document is divided into four chap
ters, for while brief allusion is made to
tho military expedition 10 Alaska, in
terest centres in that portion which treats
| OF the war with Spain.
Under this general head the General
| deals with the plans Of the war prepara-
| tlons, the Santiago campaign, with Cen
| eral Miles operations in Porto Rico and
| lastly with the important changes in ex-
] isting organization, which are, in Cen
eral Miles opinion, necessary to make
| the army an effective weapon for the
defence Of the country.
NO CRITICISM.
There is an entire absence,o any evil
dence OF direct criticism. though certain
sentences In the report are italicized in
apparent desire 10 Justify previously-ex-
pressed plans OF details of the campaign.
and where it deals with events the docu-
ment Is largely made up Of quotations
Of official dispatches.
auff Inc Of hn rnnnrll
gins with statement OF the unprepared-
ness of the country. showing how the
equipment left by the million soldiers
of the civil war had been dissipated or
had become obsolete until the tentage,
TRANSPORTATION and camp equipage was
insufficient for any important military
operation. He recOunts the legislation of
Congress just prior TO the war looking
10 the increase OF the army, and cites
his own recommendation Of April 9th that
1000 men be provided for coast defence
ana reserves: that the regular army be
increased and that 0000 immunes recruit
ed. making a force of f62. @7 men, which,
with $1,000 native auxiiaries he consid-
cred sufficient Such a force. properly
equipped, he believed 10 be better than
a larger force partly equipped.
MOBILIZE TROOPS.
In the letter containing this recommen-
dation. ne said: II also recommend that
az least % regiments Of infantry, regi-
ments of cavalryand the light artillery
he modified and placed In one large
camD where they can be carefully and
thoroughly prepared fully equipped
drilled. disciplined and instructed in bri-
gades and divisions, and prepared for
war service"
tie further asked: For 5000 volunteers
tn make up an army Of 10000 soldiers for
offensive operations IN cuba, the whole
force to be fully equipped, leaving the
State troops 20 defend the coasts and for
a reserve
April 18th, he wrote Secretary Alger as
follows:
"I have the honor 10 submit .he fol-
lowing: That in my judgment the avail
able force Of the regular army sfould be
modified I'm the best and most availahle
healthful position in the department OF
the Gulf. | suggest Chickamauga Park
on account OF It's latitude and sovan-
tages FOR preparing an army Tor Gctuai
warfare"
General Miles says In his report that
In the beginning the war problem was
purelv a naval one and he was con
yinced that should our navy lrove su-
perior. the position of the Spanish army
in Cuba would be rendered untenabie
with a minimum loss Of life sn1 treas
ure TO the United States. lie said;
SERIOUS OBSTACLES.
"There were two most serious obsta'
cles 10 be avoided. One was placing an
army on the island of Cuba before our
navy controlled the Cuban waters, ana
the other was putting an army on the
island al a time when a large number
OF the men must die from the diseases
that have prevailed in that country, ac-
cording TO all statistics, for the last one
hundred years"
He pointed out In letter TO the Sec
retarv of War these dangers, enclosing
a communication from Surgeon-General
Sternberg, and urged that the Spanish
be merely haTrassed and damaged during
the rainy, unhealthy season, while the
navy was demonstrating its superiority |
and the volunteers were being equipped.
In this letter. which is attached. DIR. |
GuIteras is cited in support Of the recon-
mendation 10 delay the army movement |
upOn Cuba. In order that the volunteers |
should be speedily made efficient on April |
18th. General Miles wrote the Secretary |
OF War. that they should be camped /
for sixty DAYS I'm their respective states \
before leaving them, and disciplined md |
,duipned. and their officers instructed,
all important, he said, to health and efii-
,iency.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED.
General Miles adds: "Congregating tens
u thousands Of men, many OF whom
we're not uniformed. and scarcely any
equipped. in great camps away
rom their states, rendered II difficult
or them to be properly supplied with |
ood. cooking utensils, camp equipage,
tentage medical tupplies. trans
,ortation. etc, and was 10 a great ex-
ent the cause In my judgment. OF the
eblitating effect upon the health and
trength OF the men. who were otherwise
n good physical condition. The material
10 clothe and e1uip large
rmies, was not even manufactured at
hat time, and the consequent condition
Z the troops for weeks and months~was
njurious to the command In many
Fays."
Orders were issued for sending the
egulars to New Orleans. Tampa and
fobile to begin the invasion OF Cuba;
or the gathering OF troops at Chicka-
lauga. and for the movement Of 70ooa
roops on Cuba, but none OF these move-