The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-16
some FRANK CRITICISM.
GEN. BRECKENRIDGE BEFORE
THE WAR COMMISSION.
He Traces All the Trouble to Want
Of Preparation and Mobilization
In Time of Peace, and Is No Adj
mfrer Of Conduct of shafter.


had observed the preparation for the d.s-
emharkailon 81 the troops and concluded
they were quite Inadequate. He said there
was no preparation for landing IA the
face OF the enemy cfaef than taAt which
the navy might furnish. Speaking OF the
conflict OF authority 81 transports. he Eali
the masters u vessels ai4 not respond al
promptly might have been desired
True" he said there WAS a little navy
cadet on board each Of the vessels, but be
bad no authority An actaal navy officer
OF the quarte!Elaster' department Oh
each vessel would have BEEN better"
Asked his opinion as TO the result OF the
Campaign. Breckinridge said he thought
1t was consistent with the character OF the
men who conducted IT; what xas to De
expected from the limitations Of Gen.
Saafter. Il think e would nave been DIFF
fersnt il Niles had been In command: that
II would have been more satisfactorily con
Quoted. | think he has more OF the spark
and genius Of command than any man ia
iae army, and { am sure IL he had had
Charge he would have been ia the front
rank"
Ex-fsov Woodbury. suggested that the
battle Ia front Of San Juan had been fought
and the victory won within eight days uf
landing. Breckenridge Ia reply said the
victory had been won when Torars nerve
gave out" This. he continued haa been
war or ali others when success had been
won IN ats earliest stages. lie believed the
war was the Lords war. and the wonder
fui SUCCESS was due 10 Ills supervision
Nniie he considered the result as marvel
ousiy commendable. he did not feel that
saaffer was above criticism ia the con-
duct or the campaign. He could not be-
heVe the result WAS \ miracle. bat ha
Ascrioed the outcome Ia the fact that the
army was one which was ca pahle Of meet
Hs all calls No matter how ~ was tam
yled up. he and at went Ia victory" He
nad AZ times quoted Lord Eeresfori when
ne said 10 his army upon a certain ocea-
SION i have led you into a deyil OF
IA. and IL is Row your duty to fight like
neil 10 Eei me out Of H."
Resuming remarks Of \ penerai character
breekinridge expressed iae opinion thar
uhere had not been enough lighting 70 OH
seure the other results common 10 war He
uspusht the evils which had been exDert-
eilced were Inevitable under our Americas,
sysiem. He traced all Inc trouble 70 the
want OF preparation and mobilization in
tine Of peace
Replying to question from Woodbury..
ne said. considering the system. he Thought
tie government had done FAR better in It's
conduct Of the war than anybody had ex-
pscted, snd JLst about fourth AS VOL as
II should have don4 =
Gen Mccook asked BRECKENRIDGE If he
mad visited Shafter when the latter was III
ct Santiago and Breckenridge replied he
had done so
Did Re then offer the cnmmnna Of The
army 10 yon. As reported IN the prezs9'
Breckinridge replied.
very much prefer nos b answer that
question. fou should ask Saafter sich
suh,Fetsali9n ~ occurred hetwcen Shafter
AMI myself = not ~ q character IN hs
spoken ~ lightly. ! fati L. STE how a repiy
from M Roa4d promote the object ~ your
INJURY. II saaiter has not peatei tne
toaFefSation, / ought rot Ia do So"
Capt Robert w Dowdy. who was master
OF transportation a MoGtsuk point stated
that a. rae beginning u the camp. tranS-
pofiatou facilities were inadequate, though
they were after wards improved
br. william - Weaver, of the Ninth
Pehtisyifah-t volunteers, VAS the FIRST Wit
hess heI0r" me war commission a he att
ernoon session. and he proved an ln4por-
tart witness, ~ hc gave detailed 'uforma-
ton concerning the conduc; or n rpxlrneutal
hospital AZ camp Thomas pr Weaver
SAID that tApaod fever had broken out
ABOUT the ista Of June. ani taat Il mad IN
creased from itat time uatG tae aosh II
August There had been about GO cases
OF this disease IN fhe regiment and twenty
eight or thirty deaths The Doctor said
There was IN Insufficient Supply ~ !rues
and that At times hs failed "a SET wtl,t was
needed, gu'ntne Was una az ths 1rfteing ~
Which there hid bee0 scarcity and 10 ego
Ills ware secured from home lie said mai
at one tins ;arfs were atty or s,xtv ~
rhod patients al the Feaimcntai hosul,af
because there Mas na atest,safrt t7ttav ear
them Ia the a.YlsloH hospital Al another
time there We're aiNtx-dve patients In ma.
cam@hy tents for whom a.itss.ssio, eel,t
net re secured IN any a1s4fta. a3gts.9, ar
reglnrntai