The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-11-19
PROVIDENCE IWON THE WAR
EVIDENCE OF BRECKENRIDGE.
The United states Inspector General
TeStifies Before the Investigations
Commission. and Says Evils Were
Inevitable Under the system.

Washington. Nov l6.-Genenl Brock |
inridge continued his testimony before the |
war investigating commission yesterday. |
His testimony today dealt with the cam
paign in Cuba and the transportation OF
troops to the island.
He went TO Cuba as Inspector general.
Arriving at Tampa he had observed the
preparation for the debarkation of troops
and concluded they were quite inadequate.
He said there was no preparation for
landing in the face OF the enemy other
than that which the navy might furnish.
Spea king OF the conflict OF authority on
the transports, he said the masters OF the
vessels did not respond as promptly as
might have been desired.
True" he said, there was little navy
cadet on board each OF the vessels but
he had no authority. An actual navy Of
Ger of the quartermaster's department on
each vessel would have been better
Asked Us to his opinion to the re-
/ suit of the campaign, Breckenridge said ne
thought it was inconsistent with the char
acter of the men who conducted it. What
was to be expected from the limitations
OF General ShafterY
81 think it would have been different if
General Miles had been in command;
that it would have been more satisfactor-
ily conducted. l think he has more of
the spark of genius of command than any
other man in the army, and l am sure
if he had had charge he would have been
in the front rank"
Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested that
the battle in front of San Juan had been
fought and victory won within eight days
of the landing.
Breckenridge, in reply, said the victory
had been won when Toral's nerve gave
out"
This, he continued, had been the war
OF all Others when success had been won
in its earliest stages. He believed the war
was the Lords war. and the wonderful
success was due to his supervision. While
he considered the result as malvelously
commendable, he did not feel that General
Shafter was above criticism in his con-
duet of the campaign. He could not be-
lieve the result was a miracle; but he as
cribed the outcome 10 the fact that the
army was one which was capable OF meet
ing all calls.
NO matter how it was tangled up" h,
said, 1T went to victory" He had. al
the time, quoted Lord Beresford, when he
said to his army upon Il certain occasion
Il have led you into a devil OF fix and il
is now your duty TO tight like hell to Sc
me out OF it"
Evils Were IneVitu;,i-.
Resuming remarks of general char
acter Breckenridge expressed the opinion
that there had been enough fighting Il
obscure the other results common to war
He thought the evils which had been ex
perienced we're inevitable under our Amer
lean system. He traced all the trouble L
want of preparation and mobilization il
time of peace.
Replying to question from Woodbury.
he said, considering the system, Ia
thought the government chad done ia
better in its conduct of the war than any
body had expected, and just about one
fourth as well as it should have bee
+ done"
General McCook asked Breckinridge
he had visited General Shafter when tn
latter was Ill at santiago, anu DIechu
ridge replied that he had done 50.
I'D he then offer the command OF tn
army to you, as reported in the press
: Breckenridge replied: Il very niue
a prefer not to answer that question. Yo
should ask General Shafter. Such CONVEX
sation rs occurred between Genera
Shafter and myself is not of characte
\ to be spoken of lightly. fail to see ho'
!. reply from me would promote the OF
iect of your inquiry. Ii General Shafte
has not repeated the conversation, ougl
not to do So"
Captain Robert w. Dowdy, who va
master of transportation at Montau
!! Point, stated at the beginning OF til
[. camp the transportation facilities WEI
l. inadequate, though they were afterwarC
n ilpproNpd