The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-21
&c eess

the difficult position OF the troops at the
end OF the battle, dreucned with rain.
hungry and tired. He claims the victory
was due to the cavalry division entirely,
aud quotes the Spanish reports to SHOW
that the Spaniards believed the American
force which whipped them and drove them
from the 1eld was ten times as large as It
actually was.
He refers TO a statement by Bonsal that
Lawton had declared that every man who
had fallen in the Guasimas fight had been
needlessly sacrificed. and he says:
1t is my duty 20 say that this statement
is absolutely untrue
He tells how General Lawton after the
tight congratulated him tWheeler) points
out how unsoldierly il would have been
for Lawton to have criticised his seplor
officer in that fashion. He says the
statement that the Guasimas Eight had the
erect OF drawing the troops five to six
miles into tho interior was also a mis-
take. The advance was only three miles
and would have been necessary in any case
10 ma proper campaign ground. In this
connection he again quotes Shaftrr in an
oruer to him TO advance Lawtoa division
made because it would have been inpossi-
pie to have camped the entire army within
three miles of the coast at Siboney.
Touching Gerenal Miles statement he
fore the war commission. where that officer
ssi1 Lawton had told him that there was
a scheme on foot to leave him 1.awton)
IN the lurch and have fight, General
Wheeler points out that General Miles
was careful to say that he only repeated
what Lawton told him.
Taking UP the charge that Wheeler had
Deen renewed OF command on the night of
the Goth and had command during the
battle on the~ following dav. General
Wheeler says all these statements are alb
solutely false. Thereupon he shows he was
assigned to his command on June "a. and
tells what he did day by day in the service
OF that command He says that on the
zstn. 18th and Both he suffered from fever.
arising from exposure. but nevertheless
continued his duties and WAS not nut upon
the sick report.
He admits he was ignorant of the con,
ference held by Skater and his generals
on the 5oth. but Shafter explained this by
saving he understood Wheeler was sick
ana his physician had advised against
letting him know of the proposed BATHS
me next day. Notwithstandlng this.
Wheeler says he learned that active
preparations were being made for opera-
lions. and at daylight on the next dsv he
rode to the front and exercised command
ne tells or the various orders he gave to
sumner and his reports TO Shafter of what
he was doing, which supports his contep
uch. He tells OF the weakness OF the line
at San Juan, and says that many Officers
insisted that the ridge could not be held,
and he learned that the same statements
had been made to Shafter.
says General Wheeler: II did everything
IN my power to discourage this feeling
and told those who came TO me that The
enemy had fed from us AT La Guasirnas and
that we had driven them from their fortif-
cations on San Juan ridge; that they would
expect us TO take Santiago the next day:
tnat there was no possible danger of their
making an attack upon us that night and
that If they did We could hold the ridge
The iighting was more or less severe dur
ing the day. but by night we were we'll
intrenched and ! regarded our posItipn nc
impregnable."
General Wheeler says the statement that
nc had told General Kent of his desire
70 retreat was absolutely untrue. adding:
Il was emphatic and positive and earnest
against retroating at the time we took
San Juan hill until July Is. when san
tiago surrendered"
He attached General Kents denial Of
this statement along with considerable
other evidence of the same character He
says the publicity Of the errors he seeks
TO correct has brought to him many offers
from army officers familiar with tho facts
to write him on the subject in refutatlon
and he adds In the shape Of an appendix
to his own report number of letters from
such officers He quotes General Lawton
in letter to himself as pronouncing his
tWheeers) history OF the campaign "a
very Just and accurate description of what
occurred, and he quotes Governor Roose-
welt as follows: II have read BonsaIl's
book and II makes me extremely indig-
nant He seems to have selected you as an
especial object OF attack OF the Guasimas
night he knows absolutely nothing"