The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-09-15
STATEMENT BY MILES.
The War Was Fought Mainly
Upon His Plans.
WAS IN COMMAND AT SANTIAGO.
Gaze Telegram From Alger to Him
Showing He Was to order Assault II
Necessary Also TO Take Surrender.
Porto Rican Campaign.

Porto Rican Campaign.
NEW York, Sept. S.--The following |
statement, emanating from General |
n les, was given to the reporters on |
board of the OLDHAM on arriving yester-
day. 1t IS in the form of letter, in |
which General Miles is mentioned in |
the third person.
While at Porto Rico and during the |
voyage returning on the OLDHAM, on which |
steamer were General Miles and staff, two |
battalions of the Second regiment of Wis |
consin volunteers, learned the following |
facts concerning the Cuban and Porto !
Rican expeditions. In the first place, let |
me say that the war has closed, after be-
ing conducted largely as General Miles
stated publicly at the beginning of the
war that IL would be. The statement was
publicly made, and general order was
issued by him as commander of the Amer
lean army, In which the plan he has
striven to pursue was foreshadowCd,
namely, seeking to accomplish results
with the least possible loss of life. In an
interview III the latter part of May he
said:
"rhe United States government is too
strong, too great and too powerful to com
nit any foolish act In connection with the
proposed invasion of Cuba"
Referring to the proposed rush to the
fever stricken city of Havana, he said
mo officer is fit to command troops
who, from any motive whatever, would
needlessly risk the life of a single soldier,
either from disease or the bullets of the
| enemy. have never sacrificed the lives
| of men under my command and do not
| propose to submit them to any unneces-
| sary risks in the present campaign"
In the order issued to the army at an
early date, he directed that:
Every officer, of whatever grade, will,
80 far as may be in his power, guard and
preserve the health and welfare of those
| under his charge. He must labor dill
gently and Zealously TO perfect himself
| and his subordinates in military drill in
struction and discipline, and above all he
| must constantly endcavor by precept and
| example to maintain the highest charaC-
ter to foster and stimulate that true sol
| dicrly and patriotic devotion to duty
| which must characterize an effective army.
The principles thus enunciated have
| been Zealously observed from the first.
| Owing to the fact that the season for
campaigning In Cuba had been exhausted
! in debates and delay in congress and in
| necessary preparations, General Miles WAS
opposed to rushing an ill-prepared, undis-
ciplined and unequipped army in move
ment against the capital of Cuba, defend
| ed by 100000 trained Spanish troops, and
in this position he stood practically alone
for several weeks. Havana, MatanZas,
Santiago and n few other points were
drawn on his military map as hotbeds of
| disease, destructive to an army, and
places to avoid, especially during the
| siCkly season.
When finally called upon to submit
plan of campaign he did so and put IL in
writing. In substance he took the stand,
first, that every effort should be made to
equip the Cubans and thereby enable
them to harass the Spanish forces. The
cry of "On TO- Havana" should be encOur.
aged, but when the transports, loaded
with troops, were out of sight of land
they should sail as straight as steam
power could bear thcm to the gate of the
Antilles and the key Of the whole posi-
tion--POrtO Rico-then, having seized and
occupied that island, q movement to Cuba
was to follow by medns of u strong cav
ally force, which was TO be organized and
equipped by August or September. He
contemplated that 10000 cavalry thrown
to the center OF Cuba, cutting the Spanish
forces in two and moving west to Havana, by
the time the rainy season was over, and it
would be possible to manOuvro an army, we
could move against that city a well organized,
well equipped and we'll disciplined army and
complete the capture Of the Spanish forces.
The enclosure of Cervera's feet in the harbor
Of Santiago changed the conditions and made
IT necessary to move military force to that
point.
General Miles, while at Tampa organizing
the expedition, felt the Importance of the en-.
terprise SO greatly that he requested permis,
sion to accompany that expedition or to i'm.
mediatey organize another to join it. This
permission was not granted so far as accom-.
panying that expedition was concerned, but
authority was granted to equip second "for
movement and operation against the enemy
in Cuba and Porto Rico" However, before
this expedition was equipped calls were made
for additional forces to go to Santiago, and
they were immediately forwarded. On July
., General Shafter telegraphed that his losses
had been greatly underestimated; that he
met with stronger resistance than he had an
ticipated, and that he was strongly consider
ing the advisability of falling back to a posi-,
! tion five miles to the rear, and that he had
been unable to be up during the heat for four
days.
Under such circumstances General Miles
telegraphed General Shafter that he would be
with him within week with strong rein.
forcements, Of course, taking the troops pre-
pared for the second expedition, which had
been ordered by the president to operate
against the enemy in Cuba as well as Porto
Rico. These reinforcements were pushed
rapidly forward and some of them arrived in
advance OF the commanding general and were
put in position In the trenches around Santi
ago. Under verbal instructions of the presi
dent, General Miles was directed to go wher.
ever he deemed his presence was required
and that he should give such directions as in
ul5 Opllloh Woro DesO lor bhS army dnu tnt
government
These were the circumstances under which
General Miles left Washington.
Arriving at Santiago, July IL, not as pri
| vate individual nor as q visitor. Any pretense
! that he went there disrobed Of his authority
| or official capacity is too childish to be consd
cred by sensible men. From the moment ht
! arrived at Santiago he was responsible fol
what might occur, He arrived there with
the Yale, Columbia and Rita loaded with
infantry and three ships loaded with artillery
besides those already disembarked. He de
signed TO disembark the troops and artillery
= named on the west side Of Santiago, as was
understood before leaving Washington, anG
before he went ashore he made the necessary
arrangements accordingly. He then pro
| ceeded to the 'front.' and after consulting with
General Shafter, note was semitic the Span
ish commander by General Shafter saying
that the commanding general of the United
States army had arrived in his camp with
strong reinforcements and would meet him
between the lines at any hour agreeable Il
/, him.
The reply of the Spanish commander wai
\ that he would meet him at IL o'clock next
morning. The meeting was held, and after
some conversation between General Shaftel
and General Toral, General Miles frankly In
formed the Spanish general that he had lef
Washington six days before and that it wa
then the dissemination Of the government
| that this portion of the Spanish army mus
| be captured or destroyed. He also informed
the Spanish general that his reinforcement