The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-11

it difficult for them to be properly sup
piled with food, cooking utensils. camp
equipage, blankets, tentage. medical
supplies, transportation, ETC.. and was
lc a. great extent the cause, in my
judgment, of the debilitating effect
upon the health and strength of the
men, who were otherwise in good ply
steal condition. The material neces-
sary to clothe and equip large armies
was not even manufactured at that
time, and the consequent condition of
the troops for weeks and months was
injurious to the commands in many
ways"
The report recites orders made by
him, dated May Is, prescribing the
proper equipment of the different COM
man6s, which, General Miles says, were
delayed in publication from May 16 I'm
til that date.
Orders are referred to for the send
ing of the regulars to New Orleans,
Tampa and Mobile to begin the inva-
sion of Cuba; Cor the gathering Of
troops at Chiekanauga, and for the
movement Of 10000 troops on Cuba,
but none of these movements on
Cuba materialized,' he says. The
want of proper equipment and ammu-
milton rendered the movement imprac-
ticable"
At this point there is a brief digres-
sion where, in a paragraph, General
Miles refers to General Merritt's Phil
lpPlne expedition, as organized and
equipped and conducted as being sue
cessful in every way.
General Miles then pays an eloquent
tribute to the brilliant exploits of
l6eutenants Rowan and Whitney, who
secretly explored Cuba and Puerto
Rico and ascertained the military sit
uations
WANTED TO GO WITH SKATER.
He resumes the report with an ac-
count of the dispatch of General Shat
ter's expedition, saying: L desired to
go with this command" His exact re-
quest on this point, as telegraphed from
Headquarters at Tampa, was as T0lIoWs:
This enterprise is so important that
desire to go with this army corps, or
to Immediately organize another and
go with IL TO join this and capture po-
sition No. .. Now that the military is
about TO be used, believe it should be
continued with every energy, making
the most judicious disposition of it to
accomplish the desired results
He also stated: This expedition has
been delayed through no fault of any
one connected With it. 1t contains the
principal part Of the army, which, for
intelligence and efficiency, is not eX-
celled by any body of troops on earth.
The telegram was dated June 5, and
the day following Secretary Alger tele-
graphed in reply: THE president wants
TO know the earliest moment you can
have an eXpeditionary force ready to
go to Puerto Rico large enough to take
and hold that island without the force
under General Shafter." General Miles
response was: In ten days"
He next speaks Of the unsuitability
Of transports, which were merchant
freight steamers; and of the accumu-
1F
croweing the facilities there and eaus-
ing great delay. Finally, the Santiago
expedition sailed on June Il, and Cen
eral Miles quotes an order issued by
him to General Shafter, directing the
latter to make a number of inquiries
to ascertain whether every possible
provision had been made for the trans
ports, for the supply of rations, hospital
supplies wagons, landing boats etc,
winding I'd: L would suggest that
thorough attention be required to every
detail, in order to insure perfect order
in the disembarking of your command
The order is dated June Il, and June
IL General Miles received the follow
ing dispatch: Washington, D. c., June
10. 1S9S-Afajor General Miles, Tampa,
Fla: Important business requires your
presence here; report at once. Answer.
"R. A. ALGER."
PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.
June "a General Miles submitted to
the secretary Of war a written plan of
campaign. Briefly stated, the points
were: That provision be made for the
reception of at least 200 Spanish
prisoners. That, after capturing San
tiago. some deepwater ports be taken
on the north coast of Cuba That Nue-
Nitas be captured, and that with $4,000
cavalry and some light artillery and a
small body of infantry an advance be
made into Puerto Principe, in the in
terror with the troops, and thence move
towards Havana This move would oc-
cUpy the tine until Sept. 80: the troops
would be in the most healthy Dart of
Cuba during the rainy season, and the
prisoners could be employed in road
making. Should a Spanish force be adj
vanced to Villa Clara, the entire Unit
ed States army could be thrown be-
tween that point and Havana, the
Spanish army could be divided and be
beaten in detail. Should that plan be
rejected. then, after capturing San
tiago, the entire force should be re-
moved TO the western end of the island
and campaign made against Havana.
General Miles next recites an order
to himself from Secretary Alger ito or
game an expedition for operations
against the enemy in Cuba and Puerto
RicO."
From the order dated June 26, it ap-
pears that no expedition was to be or
ganized under the immediate COM
mand of General Brooke for such
movement. The command under Gen
eral Shafter, or such part as could be
spared from the work in hand. was to
join the foregoing expedition, and,
reads the order: You will command
the forces thus united in person"
General Miles at this point mentions
q project he had conceived at that
time for the capture Of the Isle of
Pines. which was a smuggling base for
supplying food for Havana, and the
harbor OF Nipe, on the north coast, as
q coaling and refuge station for the
navy. Continuing, he says: 1.-The yell
low fever at this time had broken out
in Mississippi, and it was feared it
might spread over the southern states
The safety Of the military camps was
then a matter Of great Importance, and
after consulting with the best author
tiles I advised that the troops at No
bile be sent to Mount Vernon, Ala,
which has been refuge for the garri-
sons On the gulf for many years; also
to Miami. on the east coast Of Florida,
another place OF refuge, and also TO
Fernandina, Fla, in order to isolate
the troops as much as possible from
railroad centers, where they would be
likely 10 become infected by the trav-
cling pubic. L alsO recommended that
a portion of the troops at Chickamauga
be sent to Fernandina, and also to
Puerto Rico, and at the same time sug+
eested that troops be stationed in the
I.oudon and Shenandoah valleys, in
the vicinity of Antietam, and on Long
Island sound. These recommendations
were in order to avoid overcrowding
the larger camps at Chickamauga and
Camp Alger."
SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN.