The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-09-08
MILES BEGINS
WAR ON ALCER
Landed in New York Yesterday
on Obdam.
CONFIRMED THE INTERVIEWS
Which Have Been the Talk for
Weeks.
GIVES OUT LENGTHY Statement
He Did Not Go to Santiago As a
Visitor.
BUT AS CHIEF COMMANDER
Tells How the Plan of War Was Form
ulated by Himself and How He
Conducted Capitulation of
Gen. Toral's Army.
He Did Not Go to Santiago As a
Visitor.
BUT AS CHIEF COMMANDER

New York, September 1.-THE United
States transport OLDHAM, having on board
Major General Nelson A. Miles and staff,
Major Greenleaf, Captain Whitney, the
Second regiment of Wisconsin volunteers,
consisting of thirty officers and 800 men,
and the hospital corps from Porto Rico,
arrived here today. Mrs. Miles, son and
daughter were also on board the transport.
which sailed from Ponce on September 1.
General Miles admitted to the Associat-
ed Press reporter who interviewed him
while the OLDHAM was lying off Liberty
Island the substantial accuracy Of the
statements attributed to him by the Kan
sas City Stars correspondent at Ponce.
Porto Rico.
'There are" General Miles said to the
newspaper men about him, "a few minor
inaccuracies in the published reports, such
as usually occur in such interviews. I do
not care to point out the inaccuracies re-
ferred to at this time; they are unim-
portant.
The following statement emanating from
General Miles was given to the reporters
on board of the Obdam. 1t is in the form
of letter in which General Miles is mem
toned in the third person.
Conducted After Miles Plan
''While at Porto Rico and during the voy-
age returning on the Obdam, on which
steamer were General Miles and staff, two
battalions of the Second regiment of Wis
consin volunteers, learned the following
facts concerning the Cuban and Porto
Rican expeditions. In the first pace, let
me say that the war has closed after be-
ing conducted largely, as general Mics
stated publicly at the beginning of the
war, that it would be. The statement was
publicly made, and a general order was
issued by him as the commander of the
American army in which place he has
striven to pursue, foreshadowed, name
ly seeking to accomplish results with the
least possible loss of life. In an interview
in the latter part of May he said:
1.-The United States government is too
strong, too great and too powerful to COM
init any foolish act in connection with
the proposed invasion. of Cuba
referring to the proposed rush to the
fever stricken city of Havana, he said:
No officer is fit to command troops,
whom from any motive whatever, would
needlessly risk the life of a single soldier,
either from disease the bullets of the
enemy. have never sacrificed the lives
of men under my command, and don't pro-
pose to subject them to any unnecessary
risks in the present campaign"
To Preserve Health
"In the order issued to the army at an
early date, he directed that every officer,
of whatever grade will SO far as may be in
his power, guard and preserve the health
and welfare of those under his charge. He
must labor diligently and zealously to per
feet himself and his subordinates in mill
tary drill instruction and discipline and
above all he must constantly endeavor by
precept and example to maintain the high
est character, to foster and stimulate that
true soldierly spirit and patriotic devotion
to duty which must characterize an effec
tive army.
1.-THE principles thus enunclated have been
zealously observed from the first. Owing
to the fact that the season suited for cam
paigning in Cuba had been exhausted in de-
bates and delay in congress and in neces-
sary preparations, General Miles was op-
posed to rushing ill-prepared, undisci-
plined and unequipped army in movement
against the capital of Cuba, defended by
100 900 trained Spanish troops and in this
position he stood practically alone for sew
eral weeks. Havana, Matanzas, Santiago
and few other points, were drawn on his
military map as hotbeds of disease, de-
structive to an army and places to be
avoided, especially during the sickly sea-
son. When finally called upon to submit
a plan of campaign he did so, and put it in
writing
'.In substance he took this stand, first,
that every effort should be made to equip
the Cubans and thereby enable them to
harrass the Spanish forces. The cry of
'On to Havana should be encouraged, but
when the transports. loaded with troops