The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-11-19
TESTIMONY IS POINTED,
Former Inspector or-General's Sharp
Criticism.
VIEW
says victory was Won When Gen.
Tora1's Nerve Gave Out
Shafter Weakened.

Washington, D. c., Nov. 15.-Cen,
Brecklnridge continued his testimony pc
tore the war investigating commission to-
day. The testimony today dealt with
the campaign IN Cuba and the transDor-
tatlon OF troops to that island. He had.
lie sald, gone to Cuba as inspector-cen-
eral, arriving at Tampa on the 9th of
June. lie had observed casually the
preparation for the decentralization of
tronne hofn-n -ho III ,-r. -, :
| concluded that they were quite made
| quate. L made no report, however" he
said, as Gen. Miles was on the ground
| and could observe for himself
| Continuing, he said that there was no
| preparation for landing in the face of
an enemy other than that which the navy
might furnish. SO far as he had observed
| there was only two lighters and two scowS
secured on behalf of the army before the
departure from Tampa. 1t was his un-
| derstandlng, however, that the army and
| the navy were co-oDeratiDr in This cxnr-
| dition.
Speaking of the conflict of authority on
the transports, he said the masters of
the vessels did not respond as pr0r.yiiy as
might have been desired. True he said.
there was little navy cadet on board
each of the vessels, but he had no authori-
- AL h'ludi uiN dl OIIlcSF or an O1flctr
OF the quartermaster department on each
vessel would have been better. What was
needed was prompt communication be
| tween the commanding officer and the yes
sells, and the masters of the transports did
not respond very promptly.
Asked as to his opinion of the result
OF the campaign he said he thought it was
consistent with the character of the men
who conducted it. What was to he ex-
pected from the limitations of Cen Shat
ter! | think it would have been diff
ferent if Gen. Miles had been in command
that 1t would have been more satisfac-
torlly conducted. l think he has more
of the spark and genius of command
than any other man in the army, and |
am sure that if he had had charge he
would have been in the front rank
,ttI EX-Uov. Woodbury. suggested that the
days of landing. Gen. Breckinridge in
reply said the victory had been wol.
when Gen. Torals nerve gave out
This, he continued, had been the war of
all others when success had been won in
its earliest stages. He believed that the
war was the Lords war ANA that this
wonderful SUCCESS was due TO his super
vision.
He could not believe the result Was a
miracle, but he ascribed the outcome 10
the fact that the army was one which
was capable of meeting all calls. ''No
matter how it was tangled up" he said,
1T went to victory" He had at the time
quoted Lord Beresford when he said TO
his army upon a certain occasion: Il
have led you into a devil Of a fix and it is
now your duty to fight like hell to get me
out of it." He was sure at least that all
engaged in the war had acted with zeal
and every man had done the best of which
he was capable, and he had never known
a war in which there was not criticisms
at the close of it.
Gen. Breckenridge spoke of the in
spector generals office as having been
mascuated by the order requiring the
reports of subordinates in that office to
be made to the djutant-gcneral. and
said that when he discovered this was SO
he went into the field as Offering the only
arena in which he could be of real sery-
Ice. He had intended TO say in effect,
There is the desk in my office; do as you
please with it. Gen. Sanger was there:
he, too, is from Michigan. l thought he
could take control of the office if it was
DESIRED but he did not remain
Continuing his testimony hearing upon
the inspector generals duties. he said
that his criticism of the change was
based on the fact that it deprived the cen
tral authority of securing information
and as a consequence the office was prac-
! tically useless.
The order had the effect Of cutting
]
| circulation was not good
! 4 a result of The change, when he had
! asked for facts in the Office TO include in
| his report he had failed to find any there.
! Resuming his remarks of Il general
! character. Gen. Breckenridge expressed
| the opinion that there had not been
| enough fighting to obscure other results
| common to war. He thought the evils
| which had been experienced We're inevi-
| tabl" under our All&rican system. He
! condemned this system as most repre-
! hensible and said the volunteer soldier
must always suffer the worst of the con-
sequences. IF the regular stands up
! under it better than the volunteer it is
! only because he has had time to adjust
him~cif 70 the "nf.,vorable conditionS'
lie traced all the trouble TO the want of
! preparation and mobilization in time of
peace and thai, in turn, TO the failure of
| Congress to appropriate the necessary
| money for reforms.
Replying TO a question from Mr.. Wood
! bury. he said that considering the system
he thought the government had done far
better in its conduct of the war than any
body had expected and just about one
| fourth as well as it should have been
done"
Gen. McCook asked Gen. Breckinridge
if he had visited Gen. Shafter in his tent
| when the latter was i'll at Santiago and
Gen. Breckincidge replied that he had
done so.
Did he then offer the command Of the
army TO you, as has been reported in the
| press
Gen. Breckenridge replied: Il Yer!
much prefer not to answer that question
| You should ask Gen. Shatter Such con
verSation as occurred between Gen. Shaf
ter and myself on that occasion is not o1
a character to be spoken of lightly. | fai
Ia see how a reply from me would promot,
me object of Your inquiry. You want {,
know what Gen Shafter did. not what II.
may have thought of doing. II Gen Shat
ter has not repeated the conversation
ought not to do So
''As matter of fact, he did not turn tn,
command over to you:" suggested Gov
Beaver. to which Gen. Brecknridge re
sponded: NO, he did not, and | do 10
think there is any improrriety in my say
ing that he could not have done So
| With this the matter was allowed I,
drop and Gen. Breckinridee WAS excused