Evening star., 1898-11-15
Gen. Breckenridge Continues His
Testimony This Morning.
some CRITICISMS ARE MADE
Dr. Magruder Tells of His Visits to
Camp AIger.
CAPT. DOWDY \ WITNESS


| investigating commission. The witness had
| gone to Cuba as inspector general. arriving
| at Tampa June =. He said the prepara-
tons for emharkation of troops appeared
| quite inadequate to him. He said he had
| made no report because General Miles was
| on hand and could for himself. There
was no preparation for landing an army in
| the presence OF ii hostile force except such
as the navy might afford.
| They had a naval cadet on each Of these
| transports, but he had no authority" said
| General Breckenridge. Il thought it would
| have been better had there been a RESPONSE
bic naval officer on board the transports"
The witness said there appeared to be a
plan of campaign in Cuba. but he didn't
| know its details. He continued.
Talk With Gen. Miles.
Il have no doubt there was a definite
plan. 1t looked like it. had conversa-
tion with Gen Miles before L left for Cuba
and l believe he had definite suggestions
| of mis- own"
The witness said that the papers had 80
| loudly proclaimed that Santiago was tho
object of the campa ga that many of those
on the transports md not believe IT was
| true. Speaking Of the campaign the wilt
Il SIS said:
| Il think it would have been very different
| if Gen. Miles had been in command.
consider Gen. Miles much more dashing
officer than apy other man In the field.
think he has the genus of command.
| He said he did not say the plan was Gen.
Miles plan although he had plan.
Il do not" he said, wish to say any
| thing that would derogate for a moment
| from the credit of that contest, but ! do
rot think it was miracle. 1t wa, the
| finest army America has ever seen. There
was no demand on it that was not met.
| 1t was compact army
The witness Salu when he was asked on
board the transport why he had such con-
fidence that the American army woulu win
| he quoted the words of an English COM
n,ander:
- have led you into devil of a fix, and
ii is your duty to get me out OF it "
Gen Dcdge-"liave you ever known of a
| great battle that ,sas not criticised Sneh IL
was overT'
The witness. There is always criticism.
You cannot have great venture without
| leaving some fly specks that some one Will
magnify"
The Transports.
Speaking of the transports, he said they
were not in the best condition.
IT believe" he said, mo army has had
better. 1 felt then and feel now, how ever,
| that the govern ment should have done bet
ter for its soldiers. The steamers were not
| built for transport duty. They were made
| for different purpose. / do not know. but
/ should think that other steamers might
| feeling that all the men possible should be
sent on those lonsports 1t was regarded
as better 10 crowd the men than it would
ht We been to let smaller srmy get on
Gen. Wilson suggested that Gen. Lawton
| rad compllmorted Gen. Breckenridge In the
highest terms for his service at Santiago.
The wliness-"Nou know. Gen. Lawton
and myself had very kindly relations and
when ii came out that the inspector gen.
elars department had been emasculated by
this war L saw that the only way for the
Inspector gehtral 10 share the dangers OF
the campaign was to get out with the
troops.
Il found that Gen. Lawton was the man
that Gen. Shafter relied upon chiefly for
The success of the campaign. Therefore. on
me DAY oil The ight L went with Gen. Law
toms division, which had the right. Gen.
Lawton many times was kind enough 20
ask my judgment on various matters. buI
that was merely voluntary service and L
suppose anything said about it should have
come from Gen. Lawton."
His Department EmascuIated.
Col. Denby-"You say the inspector gem
erals department was 'emasculaJed.' Do
you its efficiency was interfered
with?"
The witness-'The efficiency that would
have been possible under such an organi-
Zation as the chief of the corps would have
liked, was interIered with. When I left L
thought the Secretary was going to assign
General Sanger as inspector general He
Was n MlcHlEdn man ana nODeu TO see MN
in that place.
The witness said the trouble with the in
SpectIOn sl stem, as it existed after the war
commenced, was that there was no way of
getting a knowledge of the existing condi-
uons to the central authority.
General Sanger asked if the witness knew
the reports hau not been made.
He replied that when he got back from
Cuba he wanted to get some material for
his annual report, and when he inquired in
his office he told there was nothing Of
the kind in the office.
The Sinks at Camp Thomas.
DR.. Conner called the attention of the
witness to the statement that had come TO
the commission that 3,175 sinks had been
left uncovered when his command left
Camp Thomas, which had been filled in
since that time.
The witness said that when he was ready
TO leave lac represented to the department
that the sinks should be filled in. and 800
was allowed him for that purpose. But he
was ordered to turn the money over to
Gen. Boynton, who was In charge OF the
park.
The witness said the diseases that had
occurred during the war among the soldiers
were such always trouble green troops
All soldiers have to go through such dis
eases, he said, just as children have to go
throug the trials of teething.
Gen. Breckenridge said that the law was
responsible for a great deal of the difficulty
that had been experienced. He recommend
ed strongly that action be taken in the near
future to have the army kept in a condi-
ton of readiness for emergencies. He said
that in one case company of cavalry had
not been given its carbines until few days
before it was mustered out. He said that
If members of Congress will insist upon de-
clning to provide necessary equipment the
people who send them to Congress must
take the consequences when trouble arises.
They will fight through their enthusi-
asm," he said but they must take the lit
tie hell they have prepared for themselves"
Lack Of Preparations.
The lack of preparations was the cause OF
much suffering. They had 250.0o0 men with
out 2500o0 suits of clothes for them at the
beginning of the war, and the same condi-
ton existed I'm regard to everything that
was needed. But although the condition
was far from desirable the army was
better prepared than il had been for twenty
years
Mr.. Woodbury-'"rhen you think the
army, under the conditions that faced Il
old well could be expeetedg'
The witness-''lt did far better than any,
hal .-st,t.N