The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-22

General Miles had taken measures person
ally to correct matters and on July II had
telegraphed tor Well-equipped corps or
bridge builders. etc. and had ordered places
burned General Miles said the transporta-
tion facilities were used to carry sup
plies TO some fifteen THOUSAND to twenty
thousand refugees from Santiago and about
live thousand Cuban troops.
This he stated in answer to question,
was not expected, because / had cautioned
General Shafter to keep his men cut of the
Spanish buildings Of every character and to
keep the men away from the natives. Had
ne not done as he did. the army would have
been much better supplied.
The generals army in Porto Rico, he said.
had been supplied, in way, with quarter
masters and commissary stores, but not IN
the best way. At Porto Rico he had asked
that fixed rations be sent, but instead they
were sent down in bulk without bills of
lading. and in many instances stores were
spoiled in the hold and thrown away. This
caused great embarrassment and loss OF
stores and deprived troops of food He as
serted that the scarcity OF food largely
caused the distress of the troops. He had
advised against the shipping of beef to
Porto Rico both because there was an
abundance OF II on the island. as well as
because Of his belief that ii was defective.
lie characterized the refrigerator beef of
balmed beef" and said the canned fresh
beef, Of which $4,000 pounds had been
shipped there, was condemned by officers
whose commands used it.
Who fixed the beef as an army ration?
You'll have TO ask some one here in
Washington. You had better ask the secre-
was sent as food Ii they had not taken
that they would have had to 20 hungry II
they had sent paymasters down there as
asked we could have bought food, but they
did not do that General Miles suggested
that the food was sent to his large army
under pretense OF an experiment
BEEF PLENTY IN PORTO RICO.
General Miles called attention to the fact
that good fresh beef could be bought in
Porto Rico for cents a pound, American
money, and he suggested it might be inter-
esting TO compare the cost of the refriger-
ated beef together with the expense of
transportation. He said he did not know
but what the chemicals used in treating
the beef were responsible for the great sick
ness in the American army. Reports which
he had received concerning it were to the
effect that this beef had an odor like an
embalmed dead body.
Captain Howeil~Were these reports ever
general?
General Miles-Reports were frequently
sent in to him. But he seemed to insist that
the beef be used.
Captain Howell-Was the matter ever
brought to the attention of the secretary of
war?
General Miles--I requested that no more of
ii be sent. If supply of it were sent to
the men i'm this country L would prohibit
their use of 1t. i am having an investigation
now of the matter. / thought you gentle
men would get onto II.
He said he had never complained to the
secretary of war as to the condition of the
beef, but had asked that the supply be stop
ped.
General Miles stated the first plans for
sending troops to Cuba were not his, as
he was opposed to sending troops there until
Cerveras fleet was located. The question
at the outset a naval problem: and the
dispatch of troops, in his judgment, then
hinged on which fleet should destroy the
other. If the Spanish had destroyed the
United States feet the United States would
have been blocked for a number of years
tKp hn h1H u in IN xHyO
would have lost it, it would have been
impossible to get it back here"
He was opposed also to sending a large
force TO places like Havana or MatanZas,
because of the large percentage of yellow
fever deaths there He said the destruction
or CerVeras fleet settled that problem. He
said he wanted to operate with small force
against the Spanish forces by harassing
them during the siclSly season. aiding the
Cubans and not endangering the lives of
his own force. He also at first favored TAX
ing Porto Rico to prevent the Spanish from
Miles gave details of the Porto Rican ex-
petition organization and obstacles.
Son sI .il with ms opinion OF camp sites
Camp Alger, Va, the most Objectionable
camp, In his mind, was when the regiments
began reaching there, AS to Chicka manga
he had recommended modifying the regulars
there, but he never anticipated 1900 men
would be sent there, and when he found it
lion Of the forces among other localities.
MERRITTS TESTIMONY.
General Merritt was the first witness of
the afternoon. He begun his testimony by
a description of the operations around
Manila prior to its capture. Owing to the
sma nness of his force, he said the army
was compelled to operate along the sea
front in cooperation with the navy. Had
there been larger American force on land
the city could have been taken from the
high ground inland, but this was tactically
impracticable without leaving our base at
the mercy of both Spaniards and insurgents.
The citys defenses were good. The Span
sards had excellent arms and plenty of am
munition All they lacked was sand"
The engagement lasted not over two hours.
The army had both Spaniards and insur-
gents to contend with. THE insurgents
were very anxious to take part in the at
tack" said General Merritt. but they were
not notified when the attack would be made
and was sure the entrance of the Filipinos
into the city would mean unnecessary blood
General Merritt said that American losses
were not correctly stated in the press re-
men killed and wounded. No accurate ac-
count of the Spanish loss ever obtain
able. The American force, however. cap
tured over 1900 stands of modern arms and
the Spanish loss was known to be severe.
There was some discussion by the commits
sion over the relative merits of the Spring
field and the modern small-caliber rifles.
This drew from General Merritt the state
ment that personally he should prefer the
the "caliber 300'' or the Mauser. However,
come of the line officers would be better
judges of that than l. he added. AS an
instance of the lack of the stopping power"
Of the small bore rifle he said one of his
officers was shot through the leg in the
Manila fight and did not know it till the
next morning.
General Merritt said, in reply to ques-
lions. that the volunteers were as effective
and as enthusiastic could be desired. He
regarded them as very excellent troops. The
supplies were satisfactory at all times, eX-
cept as to ice and milk for fever patients.
He explained this by saying that there was
apparently no milk-producing animal in that
region. There were some small cattle, APP
parentiy imported from China, but they
gave no milk to speak of. AS to medical
supplies and hospital conveniences General
Merritt said he had heard no complaint. On
entering the city the army took possession
of all the good houses and turned them over
wounded were thus we'll provided for. The
army on the island depended upon local
stock for transportation This proved quite
satisfactory and he doubted the ACCESSIBILITY
of importing American horses or mules.
Asked If he had the cordial and effective
support of the administration. General Mer-
rift said: From the President / had the
most hearty sympathy and support. and this
applies also to the various departments. The
only thing of which l might feel l had a
right to complain was not having some con-
tngent of regulars to act as a nucleus, even
if they had to be taken from Tampa. /
should like 10 have had that Fifteenth Reg
ular Regiment. but l was told / could not
have II unless ] furnished something to take
Its place. But ! made the best l could of the
situations and distributed my staff officers