The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-24

statement which General Wheeler has
felt called upon to make in order, as
he says, ito refute certain allegations
which reflect upon the cavalry divi-
sion which I had the honor to COM
mand."
The statement is exceedingly volu-
m%inous, making really another history
of the campaign before Santiago and
it is accompanied by an appendix made
up of letters from officers who were
connected with General Wheeler in his
operations, to support the allegations
he makes.
General Wheeler begins with the
declaration that some statements were
made before the war investigating COM
mission regarding the br tile of La
Guasimas which do great injustice to
the part of the army which fought that
battle. Steven BOngal stated that Cen
eral Wheeler was guilty of disobedi-
ence of orders. General Wheeler saws
that to remain silent and neglect to
refute the untruthful charges made by
Bonsal would be disloyaI to the sol
dierS and to the country. He notes that
it is with the approval of Major Cen
eral Miles, commanding general, that
he makes the explanation now submit
ted.
The history of the movements begins
with the quotation of a statement made
by General LaWtOn before the war
commission to the effect that he had
been directed by the general command
ing to proceed to and capture Sibony.
General Wheeler tells how the. troops
landed; how he had pointed out to
Shafter the necessity Of pursuing and
beating the Spaniards before they could
retreat behind their strong breast
works at Santiago, and how Shafter
and many officers fully ]concurred in
the necessity for a speedy movement.
He reports Skaters order to proceed
to Laragua and throw forward pickets
to J~uraguacito" otherwise Siboney.)
He quotes various riders to show
Skaters anxiety to get Wheeler rap
idly forward, in order to reach LaWton
whom he found on the road just before
reaching Siboney. Wheeler tells of the
reconnaissance he made personally and
of a consultation that night with Cen
era Young and Colonel Wood. He
says the Cubans spread the reports
that the ~SpaniardS would leave SibO-
sney and Santiago that night. When
the advance began next day, General
Wheeler says, the regular troops and
artillery were ordered upon the main
C1Oo1lCS liz 1Oaoy LII Al1C
Rough-Riders and some of the other
cavalry organizations were, ION the
recommendation of General Castillo,
. sent by the less frequented and most
difficult road"
The Spaniards were found in the
same position next morning about three
miles from Siboney and General Wheel
er gives a description Of the action that
followed. He say that the dynamite
gun, upon which great reliance was
placed, failed to reach him, and it was
for a time very doubtful whether the
men in front of him were Spaniards or
Cubans. In an hour the fight was won
but the enemy's retreat being precipi-
tate, his men being exhausted and all
being on foot, pursuit was impossible,
At this point General Wheeler includes
congratulatory reports from Shaftel
upon the engagement.
He points put that Shafter was the
only officer in Cuban waters senior tC
him., that he (Wheeler) was the senior
officer on shore, and, of course, much
was left to his discretion. He quotes
Skaters testimony before the commits
sion to the effect that the light haC
good results; that it taught the Span
iards that they had different men from
the Cubans to fight. Wheeler submit:
that this shows beyond controversy
that what he did was strictly in &C
cordance with eneral Skaters or
ders; hat the La Guasimas fight wa
made in strict obedience to the spiri
of n prope Interpretation of the or
ders received from General Shafter.
In addition, General Wheeler insists
that leaving this evidence aside, tn
facts stated by Lawton in his repor
to Shafter of June 23rd, and that Law
tons sworn evidence before the wa
commission, would show that he Tough
+Lo n m sim n G hattie in strict com
pliance with the express wishes o
General Shafter, his commanding gen
eral. Wheeler quotes Lawton's state
ment that he had been ordered b
Shafter to proceed against Siboney
and declares that practically his or
ders were the same as Lawton's. II
insists that the S%paniards were i
a position where it was a~dvantageou
for the American forces to attack ther
rather than to allow them to light /
their block houses and other defense
which they occupied at the time Law
ton received his orders. Says Genera
Wheeler:
The least delay and this opportunit
would nave been lost. 1 knew that h
(Shafter) wanted the enemy impress
ed with American bravery and deter
mination. 1 knew that the America
people and the administration a SCI
us to Cuba for a special purpose al
that a prompt attack on the Spaniarc
would aid in attaining that purpos
This (dread of yellow fever) added
and emphasized the imperative nece!
sity of prompt action upon my par
The victory was due entirely to tt
chivalric courage. of the 964 bray
American soldiers who fought the ba
tie. The statement that they WEI
ambushed is absolutely untrue. Tt
statement that they were aided in ar
way, shape or form by any other trool
is also untrue, The nearest America
troops were about four miles off whe
the light commenced, and the victor
had been won and the enemy had be-
in precipitate retreat fully two hou
before they reached the field"
General Wheeler proceeds to point O
the difficult position of the troops
the end of the battle, drenched wi
rain, hungry and tired. He claims Il
victory was due to the cavalry divisi,