The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-08-31
\ Chapter Regarding the
Santiago Campaign.
SKATERS AUTHORITY,
At All Times He was Under the
Orders of Gen. Miles.
A SECRET DISPATCH SENT.
Gen. Miles Asserts In an Interview that
shafter was Told in a Telegram from
Adjt. Gen. Corbin that Miles Did Not
Come to Cuba to supersede shafter.

AuJt' zen. COrDln That Miles Dtd MOI
Come to Cuba to superSode Shafter.
Kansas City, Aug. 3O.-The Star
prints long dispatch from J. D..
Whelpley, its special war correspond
ent who has just returned from Porto
Rico, bearing upon the Miles-Alger
controversy. Mr.. Whelpley denies
that his recently published interview
in Porto Rico with Gen. Miles, where
in the latter was quoted as casting re-
Elections upon the war department,
was not genuine, and in support of the
statements already made by it the
Star prints kilograms that passed be-
tween the war department and Miles
and Shafter on the points of issue.
doubt is expressed by some," says
Mr.. Whelpley, "as to whether Gen.
Miles ever said these things l credit
him with. Others suggest he may
have said them in confidence, which
was betrayed. / feel confident that
Gen. Miles will stand by the interview
referred to.
"My talk with him was not conf
Dental. / went to him as a newspaper
reporter, for the ayowed purpose Of
securing an interview. There was no
reservation from publication in the
conversation. This is proved by his re-
fusal to answer some questions which
he would have answered had this not
been so.
"In this instance, however, no ques-
ton of veracity arose. Gen. Miles,
even if he so desired, could not con-
ceal the proof of all he said. 1t is
written in the records of the war de-
partment and it only needs a clearing
away of inconsequent matter to tell
the story clearly and in full"
The Stars article says: "That Gen
Miles was in command of the entire
army when in Washington is evident
That he did not resign this supreme
command when he went to Tampa
| and that it was he who was treating
with the Cubans for cooperation in
Cuba is shown by the numerous tele,
grams exchanged with Gen. Garcia
The war department recognized Miles
as chief when he was in Tampa.
son July Shafter sent the follow
ing dispatch to Washington, addressed
to the adjutant general: There seem:
to be no reasonable doubt but that
Gen. Pando succeeded in entering San
tiago last night with his force, sale
to be about 5000 men. This puts 6
different aspect upon affairs and while
we can probably maintain ourselves, i
would be at the cost of very considera
BILE fighting and loss. Gen. Lawtor
reports that Gen. Garcia, who was tt
block entrance of Pando, informed
him last night that Pando had passed
in on Cobra road. Gen. Lawton say!
he cannot compel Cubans to obey m,
instructions to place themselves II
any position where they will have II
fight and that if we intend to reduc,
Santiago we will have to depend alon'
upon our own troops, and that we will
require twice the number we nov
have
st was this situation which deter
mined Gen. Miles to go to Cuba. Th
day he sailed with reinforcements-
July The sent the following dispatcl
from Washington to Shafter:
"'Take every precaution agains
surprise and be on the lookout tha
the enemy does not turn your righ
flank and come in on the line of you
communications Reinforcements ar
being sent forward as rapidly as posi-
BILE, but you will have to be the judg
OF the position you are to hold unit
reinforcements can reach YOU
Seen. Miles sailed for Cuba. o.
July II he reported his safe arrival t
the war department and at once as
sumed charge, reporting to the secre
tary of war. All of the subsequen
business of the surrender was entirel
in his hands, as shown by the fac
that the war department communicat
ed with him direct, not even mention
ing Skaters name in the numerou
dispatches.
"Shafter was entirely ignored. I
the face of this situation, Secretar
Alger, through Gen. Corbin, sent di!
patch to Shafter, assuring him tina
Miles did not come to Cuba to super
cede Shafter in any way. This dil
patch Miles refers to as secret 70
, he says he did not know it had bee
sent, not being notified from Washing
ton, and Gen. Shafter saying nothin
about it. After the surrender Mile
still retained control. He authorize
Shafter to appoint peace commission
ers and, Judging from Shafter's r,
: port that all was over, he instructe
him as to the disposition of tn
troops"