The Elbert County tribune., 1898-10-13
the Questions Asked by the War
Investigation Commission.
'EGARD TO THE CUBAN CAMPAIGN
kcIanaton of the Plan of Campaign and the Reasons
(which Governed It-Why Tampa Was Selected
AS the Base of Operations.

,e,on. oct. ll.-seeretaryy ll.-s,,,ry h,ssi hy ,bs
,hc questions submitteu .1
,,on by the president nartment
e eonuus snsin was made public
war N,,arv VIZ, OF war replied to
~ ~ Questions as follows;
General plan.
p,ou Of campaign decided upor
~ after the declara,,on " a.
d..cided TO move on s ii mi,
be campaign be pos'p
tumn7 go, n,oc,eade by the
er-i''i,a,, ..,nortnut ports Of Cuba. as
pt the ~ nresident's proclamation,
Pa ~ ., iroops at points nearest
ol'hs ,,afIable in any emergency
pa 10 " rtse and especially 10 ue
ms -, assistance In case tne
tot .he navy should make the
'lons t,rces necessary or uesirapie
a. nav plan was pnrtiaiS ma
" IN Ma ,drce at Mariel. point
10 a.. .,,-vIx miles west Of hhVaha,
tweni,s heen received that In It's
Is hn',u ..,e,ri,v were high grounds
iiae and suitable for camps pre-
~, movement upon Havana
oH ,,ss deemed advisable tne
Il -. that possibly an assault
81, "a. uoon the forces detehu-
hcfore the rainy season SET
.l,.,s ia we're issued to move on "ay
:. ',,hseouently plans were ch"iseu
-. ~ further Information t,ae
o,,,5 he great danger to the meant"
,-aons In that vicinity hhc' a.so,
..o,,nt Of the uncertainty OF IN
,,orts of the enemy's meet =. W."
ds,ermlned to keep the FORCES IN 'ne
.d states at points as near s,,",ion
{Me, for immediate enioo' N" Tns
IA an emergency demand ~
<tlaro campaign proved 10 De '''e
fy,.a he added. further, that 1t was
shgH' a,,er consultation with medical
.sssl,,.s mat troops camping In sou,n-
noil.e e,l.a.. d,rtn,, the summer would pe-
sa,,evbat accllmated for their ser
les In Cuba.
santiago Campaign
When was the Santiago cam
len detorminedF ,a,,, was
Santiago canpaisn
'lis " ,'a,ossarv bv the presence of Ad-
W y, t.or,,era,s feet in Santiago harbor'
a. Va nre,iop.ly been contemplated as
,oini on the coast where recon
..s,cs In force was to be MADE 70 rs
...,n thc strength Of the enemy IN tIe
,s,srt locations in eastern cuba Inc
,a,1,sta destruction of Admiral Ger
=. gcet was necessary. and to enapie
navy 10 accomplish this. the military
- rnder Major General Shafter was
- 20 move at once on the city ana
- ~ Santiaro. This movement |
I. hastened by reason OF telegram
lived from Admiral Sampson on June
.,a,,r. mat he had bombarded torts
an June 6, and silenced the
ID of the city and II 10000 men We're
re city and feet could be captured
hin forty-eight hours.
;ee comics OF kilograms herewith at
ned marked a, b, c. d. E, f. O. NJ
il proper to state that after the date |
his message the Spanish garrison was
,ely reinforced. The opinion OF Au-
al Sampson was doubtless correct Ut
time. The troops sailed from lainpn
June "a. 1895. with 16,sss oihcers anu
Tampa as the Base.
iIrd-why was Tampa selected as the
{ OF operations?
lswer-On account of the shipping Ia
les at that point and its comparative
Il distance from Cuba. rendering any
ement oil the trOopS poseipiS W s''O-N
ce as the progress OF the piockade
my other sudden condition might re-
e.
,urth-why were summer camps or
zed at Fernandina. Jacksonville and
ipa.
iswer-All of the army camps in the
n were selected with special regard
the health of the troops and their con-
ence for prompt movement by rail
water. The camp at Fernandina was
nlzed on the recommendation of Ma
General Lee. commanding the Seventh
y corps. A permanent camp was
II contemplated at Tampa. Troops
} sent there preparatory to embarka-
and were kept there to be ready for
emergency, and Inter to embark for
o Rico.
ith-When was the Porto Rico cam
n determined upon?
swer-The Porto Rico campaign had
long under consideration and orders
AIRY II out were issued June "a. 1888.
e copy of letter herewith marked u"
Iaior General Mlles.)
Delay of Transports.
were the troops held in
sports after embarkation at Tampa
not permitted to sail for several
swer-Troops were held on transports
dvices received from Commodore Re
that Spanish cruiser. second class
Spanish torpedo destroyer seen by
e. Nicholas. Cuba. destroy convoy"
e copies of kilograms from the navy
- L