New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-21
GEN. WHEELER rs STA 7E1nENT.
DENIES THAT HE DIsOBEYED GENERAL
SHAFTER'S ORDERS
EVIDENCE GIVEN TO RErUTE ATTACKS ON HIS
CONDUCT AND THAT OF HIS DIVISION IN
THE FIGHT AT LA GI-ASfMAS.

Ivbesler has made IN order rs he says "to refute
certain allegations which reflect upon the cavalry
division which had the honor 10 command The
statement is vouminous making really another
history OF the campaign before Santiago. and II is
ACCOMPANIED by an appendix made up Of letters
from officers who were connected with General
Wheeler IN his operations 10 support the aHega-
lions he makes General Wheeler begins with the
declaration that some statements were made before
the War Investigating Commission regarding the
battle OF Ia Guasimas which do great injustice to
the part OF the army which fought that battle
Stcnhen Ponsal saws that General Wheeler was
guilty OF disobedience OF orders. General Wheeler
saws that 10 remain silent neglect refute the
untruthful charges made by Bonsal would he us
loyal TO the soldiers and 10 the country He notes
that Il IS with the approval OF Maior-General
Miles that he makes the explanation now submit
ted
The history Of the movements begins with QUO
tatlon OF the statement made by General Lawton
before the War Commission, 10 the effect mat ne
had been directed by the general commanding 70
proceed to and capture Siboney. General Wheeler
tells how the troops landed. how ne had pointed
out to General Shafter the necessity OF pursuing
ard heating the Spaniards before they could re-
treat behind their strong hreasworks az Santiago,
and how Shafter and many officers fully concurred
tr the necessity for n speedy movement. He re-
meats Skaters order 10 proceed TO Juragua ana
throw forward pickets 10 Juraguacfo otherwise
Sibonev)" He quotes various orders 70 show
Skaters anxiety to get Wheeler rapidly FORWARD
i'm order 10 reach Lawton whom he FOUND on the
rond lust before reaching Siboney. Wheeler telIs
Of the reconnaissance he made personally and OF
consultation that night with General Young ana
Colonel Wood He SAYS the Cubans predicted that
tho spaniards would leave Sboney and Santiago
that night
When the advance began next day. General
Wheeler says. the Regular troops ana ArilerN
we're ordered on the main Siboney and Santiago
and OF the
other cavalry organizat ons We're. "on the recon-
mendation Of General Castillo. sent by the less
frequenied and most difficult road The span
ierds were found in the same position the next
morning about three miles from Siboney. and CEN
eral Wheeler gives description Of the action that
followed He says that the dynamite gun on
which great reliance was placed. failed to reach
him and r. was for a time doubtful whether the
men in front Of him were Spaniards or Cubans In
an hour the fight WAS won. but the enemys retreat
being precipitate. his men being exhausted and al
being on foot pursuit impossible. At this
point General Wheeler includes congratuatory re
ports from General shafter on the engagement
sHAFTER'S ORDERS STRICTLY OBEYED.
He points out that shafter was the only ofhcer
m Cuba senior to him: that he wheeler was the
senior officer on shore, and. Of course. much was
left 70 his discretion. He quotes Skaters tesu-
nony before the Commission 70 the effect that me
fight had good results; that It taught the Span
iards that they had different men from the CuDans
10 fight General Wheeler submits that this SHOWS
beyond controversy that what he did was strictly
IN accordance with General Skaters orders; that
the La Guasimas fight was made In strict obedience
10 the spirit Of and proper Interpretation Of orders
received from General Snafter. In addition, Cen
eral Wheeler insists that leaving this evidence
aside the facts given by Lawton in his report TO
shafter Of June q. and Lawton's sworn evidence
before the War Commission. would show that ~
fought the Ia Guasimss battle in strict compliance
y1-fef Of
commander General Wheeler quotes Lawton's
statement that he had been ordered by General
Shafter 10 proceed against siboney. and declares
that practically his orders were the same as Law
TONS He insists that the Spaniards were In po-
sition where II was advantageous for the Amer-
cans TO attack them rather than 70 allow them TO
fight in their bockhouse and other defences which
they occupied at the time Lawton received his or
ders Says General Wheeler.
Tho least delay and this opportunity would nave
hear lost ] knew that he (SnafierD wanted
The enemy 70 be impressed with American bravery
and determineqon knew i lnat s io Cba for
rueclai purpose and that prompt attack on the
spanaTT9 bs WS 8read Of yenow fever added to and
emphasized tho imperative necessity or PIonlt az,
To- the chivair4c courage Of the S4 brave American
eodiers who fought me battle, dhe sta,Tn 1,i
The statement that they were aided IN any way
re- gesrest American troops were about four miles
~ when the fight commenced. and the victory had
won and the enemy had been in pfeclpll"te "
treat fully two hours before they reached the
neid
General Wheeler proceeds 70 point out the din
chit nositon Of the troops at the end OF the battle
drenchcd with rain. hungry and tired He asserts
thst the victory due to the cavalry division
entirely and quotes the Spanish reports 70 show
that the Spaniards believed the American force
which whipped them and drove them from the
field was ten times large as it actually was.
lie refers 10 a statement by Bonsal that Iawton
hot ma
,be la Guasimas eight had been needlessly sacri-
feed and sayf 1T is my duty to say that THIS
statement IS absolutely untrue" He tells how
General Lawton after the fight congratulated MIN,
and points out how unsodierly II would have been
for Iawton TO have criticised his senior officer in
tio+ fashion He SAYS the statement that the
La Ouasimas fight had the effect Of drawing the
troops five on six miles into the interior was also
a mistake The advance was only three miles, ana
would have been necessary IN any case 70 ma
proper camping ground He again quotes smarter
in an order t. him to advance Lawton's division.
made because il would have been impossible 10
have camped the entire army within three miles
OF the coast Sboney.
Regarding General Mlles's statement before the
War Commission that Lawton had told him there
was scheme on foot to leave him d-awtom In
the lurch and have a fight General Wheeler points
out that Genera. Miles careful 10 say that he
only repeated what Lawton told him
Taking up the charge that he had been relieved
OF command on the night OF ule S'Nl anu "a' ''
command during the battle on the following day
General Wheeler says all these statements are ADJ
solutclv false He shows he was assigned 70 his
command on June q and tells what he did day by
oav I'm the exercise Of that command on the 18th.
2eth and goth he suffered from fever resulting from
exposure but nevertheless continued his duties and
was not put on The sick report He admits he was
ignorant Of the conference held by Shafter and his
generals on the 3oth but shafter explained this by
saving he understood Wheeler was sick and his
physician had advised against letting MIN know 81
the proposed battle the next day. No vii hstandng
this General Wheeler says. he learned that active
rIeparatlons being made for opera and ~
dallllt next day he rode 10 the front and cXcr-
ciseI command. He tells 81 The various orders Pee