Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-16
rSsrEcroR-oExERAL TELLS OF
WAR EVILS AND WAR MISTAKES.
SKATER NOT ABOVE CRITICISM
Miles wouId Have Conducted the
Santiago Campaign Much More
satisfactorily - Important Testi-
mony ms TO Hospital Abuses.

hOHO " tuDt as Inspector -SthSAoi1 a.
irving at Tampa on the 9Th OF June. lie
had observed casually the preparations
for the Decentralization of troops before
the expedition left. and had concluded
that they were quite inadequate. Il made
no report, however" he said, ''as General
Miles was on the ground. and could OBJ
serve for himself"
Continuing, he said that there was no
preparation for landing in the face of an
enemy, other than that which the navy
might furnish. SO far as he observed,
there were only two lighters ana two
scows secured on behalf of the army be-
fore the departure from Tampa. 1t was
his understanding. however. that the
army and navy were cooperating in The
expedition.
Speaking 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 a little naval cadet on
board each of the vessels. but he had no
authority. An actual naval officer of The
quartermaster's department on each vts-
| sci would have been better. What was
! needed was prompt communication be-
tween the commanding officer and the
vessels, and the masters of the transports
did not RESPOND vesy promptly"
SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN.
| He was questioned at some length con-
| corning conditions at the front at San
tiago. and replied that the result was
what he expected 1t would be. While he
| knew nothing definitely of the plan or
| campaign, ne was sure there was plan.
L.. Ylrt
| ton he had with General Miles that he
had a plan, though he did not say that
| this was the plan carried into effect.
"Of course" suggested General Beaver,
| Santiago was the goal OF the campaign
| Certainly, the fact was published so
| extensively in the newspapers that many
| of the men on board the vessels would
| not accept this information as TO their
| destination as correct.
Asked as to his opinion OF the result OF
| the campaign he said that he thought
ii was consistent with the character OF
the men who conducted il what was to
be expected from the limitations of Gene
| raj Shafter.
COMPLIMENT TO MILES.
81 think it would have been different
IL General Miles had been in command,
he continued. that 1t would have beer
he has more Of the spark and genius OF
command than any man in the army, anc
am sure if he mad had charge he woulc
have been in the front rank
| Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested ina
the battle in front of Santiago had beer
fought and the victory won within elgh
DAYS of landing
General Breckenridge, in reply. said The
victory had been won when Genera
ToraPs nerve gave out
He believed that the war was the Lord
war. and that this wonderful success was
dine TO His supervision. The time fol
the battle was short enough. 1t mus
be remembered that the distance between
the battlefield nd Siboney was less thar
half a DAYS march, but while he consid
cred the result as marvellously commend
able. ne did not feel that General Shafte
! was above criticism in the conduct or TN
| campaign. He could not believe the re
sult was a miracle, but he ascribed tn
outcome to the fact that the army wa
one which was capable of meeting al
calls.
ARMY TOOK CARE OF ITSELF.
oNo matter how it was tangled up,
he said. 'ft went to victory"
He had at the time quoted Lord Beres
ford. when he said TO his army upon
certain occasion: II have led you into
devil of a fix, and 1t is now your uut
to fight like - to get out OF IL.
He was sure, at least, that all engage
In the war had acted with zeal. and tina
every man had done the best that he wa
capable of, and he had never known
war In which there was not criticism d
the close of it.
General Breckenridge spoke or the 1T
eractor-eeneraPs office as having bee
emasculated by the order requiring IN
renorts of subordinates in that'ofiice 10 0
made TO the Acknowledgement. ana sal
that when he discovered this was 81
he went into the field. as Offering the onl
arena in which he could be OF any re'
service.
SLY ALLUsION TO ALGER.
! He had intended to say in effect: "Ther
Is the desk in my office; do as you pleas
with il. General Sanger was there ~
TOO. is from Michigan l thousht
could take control OF the once, IL II wa
? desired but he did not remain a..
Continuing his testimony bearing on IN
inspector-genetars duties. he said tina
5 his criticism Of the campaign was base
= ON the fact that IL deprived the cehtrt
e authority of the possibility OF securin
I Information. and as a consequence u
:. | of6ca was practically useless. Inc Oh
: der had the effect of cutting the uihpiilo'
cord - no said. land the circulation wa
not good" .o,, no bo
AZ a result Of the change, when ne ma
asked for facts in the office TO include
y his report. he had failed TO ma an
there.
NOT ENOUGH FIGHTING.
b. Resuming his remarks of general chi
racter General Breckenridge eXpresse
u tho opinion that there had not pee
Il enough fighting to obscure other resui
d common TO war. He thought the eVi
/ which had been experienced were inev
y table under our American system l.
condemned this system as most reprehel
20 sible and said the volunteer soldier mu
p olwavs suffer the worst of the cons
. ouences. :. no
r cor than the volunteer IL is only b
p canse he has had time to adjust himse
e. 10 the unfavorable conditions.
He traced all the trouble to the want
. nrenaration and mobilization in time
d, neace. and that, in turn, to the failu
~ Congress to appropriate the necessa
10 moneys for reforms.
u Renlylng TO a question from Mr.. woo
g. hurry he said that. considering the sy
I'd tom he thought the government mad dol
as FAR better in its conduct On the war th'
TO anvhodv had expected, and just abo
onc.fourth as we'll as II should ma
done"
NJ TuAT INTERVIEW WITH SHAFTE
General McCook asked General Brec
y toridge n he had visited General smart
e. In his tent when the latter was i'll
Santiago and General Breckinridge ]