Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-07-18
Nave, Suggested 5000 Troops,
and l5,425 Were Sent
MERRITT WANTED MORE


ss,5ouarters today and given out for
publications ,,- d.
che press recently relating to an al
t.s.i difference OF opinion regarding
,ss number of troops TO be sent TO the
Philippine Islands In the first Instance
Immediately upon receiving the
r.v. through the press dispatches Of
peueys victory at Manila, Con. Miles
recommended the dispatch Of a military
force TO the Philippines. The following
o. hls letters
Headquarters of the Army Washing
tsr. d. O.. May o. isgS.-Thc Hon. Sec
riary Of war.-slr;-I have the honor
90 recommend that Gen. Thomas NJ.
Anderson be sent to occupy the Philip
plns Islands In command Of the follow
iHr troops.
Two 6attaiIonH Fourteenth Infantry.
two trbops OF Fourth cavalry. one rcgi-
nent 0f Infantry California volunteers,
Two batteries u heavy artillery Calf
flrnn volunteers one regiment infnn-
try oregon volunteers, one regiment of
Infantry Washington volunteers; the
troopa TO 80 with all the necessary APP
p'nuceg supplies and equipments. Very
fssptetfully, NELSON A. MILES
Major General Commanding u. $. A.
The force above designated was APP
pfoximately 5000 men and the RECON-
mendatlon was approved by the Prcul-
dent, us follows:
Executive Mansion. Washington. u.
g.. May 4. isgs.-rhe troops designated
by Gan Miles. " approved by the aecrc-
F.HU T. u.HU HhufHIA has umHHfublnI al
San Francisco. cat, for service as may
be- ordered hereafter.
UP to this time no communication
had been received from Admiral Dewey,
Dis first dispatch. dated May lst. not
reaching Washington until the tth.
Then later the following dispatch was
received from him;
Hongkong. May 70. iSgs.-Cavlte. May
i3-Secrctary Of the Navy. Washington
ID. CT am maintaining strict blockade
N Manila by scn uud believe rebels are
hymmlng In by lnud.ulthough they have
inactive ana making no demonstrations.
Great scarcity OF provisions In the city.
] believe the spanish governor-gcneful
Will be- Obliged 10 surrender som.
can take Manila at any moment. To
retain possession and thus control phil
ippincs would require In my best judy
NI|NNAH - MNNNHffINNNIfl ANNNf OF NfNNN
men. although United states troops sent
BY Pekin viii BE- very useful 10 relieve
The olympia of guarding Cavite United
States troops should make provision
i1r extremely hot. moist climate Span
iHh force II estimated at 10000 men. The
rebels are reported 10 have $4,000 men.
DEWEY.
'on May 10. 1895. after seeing the
above dispatch, from Admiral Dewey.
Gen, Miles made the following recon-
mgndation
ie1dquarters Of the Army. Washing
ton, u. G., May 10, isss.-The Honor
able Secretary OF War.-sir:-I have
the honor 20 submit the following; In
order 10 make the United States force
o. strong and effective as possible with
a. view 10 It's maintaining our possess
tlonh and our tiag ON the Philippine
Islands and al the same time relieve
our navy hs speedily as possible, Hug-
ggsl that the command sent there con-
t.sl ui the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
United states Infantry, two squadrOns
o.. the Fourth cavalry, one battery Of
h'lNy artillery from the Seventh and
Two batteries OF light artillery from
The seventh, and Ia addition 1875 yul-
unlecra from California. Colorado,
kansa, Montana, Nebraska, oregon.
Tan, Washington. North Dakota.
e0uih Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, Min
hr.9il already designated.
also recommend that two i2-inch
guns, two io-inch guns. with disap-
pairing carriages, and eight mortara,
20 be- dismountod also two S.lnch guns
NV az hrnicln harracks-all to be
placed on board ships at San Francis
| ~ ana sent TO Manila. there 10 be
| Mounted as speedily as possible for the
p'chse ui that hurbor and used, to-
i t,lh.r with any rapid-nrc guns that
NHH H..I . h.. a.
4 WAt place When this IL accomplished.
We meet can be released for more Inn
Nl'hl service, The guns and NOR
Al referred 10 should be replaced as
! Nn oa possible by others sent TO san
ilanpltep from the gun foundrles ana
s,sghals on the Atlantic coast. Very
respectfully yours.
NELSON A. MILES.
Major General, Commanding.
The troops designated In the above
glnmunlcatlun numbered i5.42i men,
hhleh was over 10000 more than Nd
I.N Dewey had asked FOR; but not
Nlslnding II was Gen. Miles'a opin-
w Aal 10 view OF the admirals state
mtnl mat the Spanish force was cstl-
I1Nl az 10000 men IL would be udVls-
~, 'o' ua To have preponderatlng
In NE meantime. Gen. Merritt had
~ elected TO command the cXped-
w Jog the Philippines, and, In letter
4 w resident, dated May 10, 1895, he
limited an estimate OF troops nccea-
- 10 constitute such an expedition.
mplslng 1900 men, OF which NUM-
XIV NVVl were regulars. on May 18th
supplemented this by an estimate
r a Siege battery and a small ord
H.hee detachment.
yen. Miles had not seen Gen. Nor
~. estimate when he wrote the letter
"ay ION. given above. This letter
Ta referred 10 Gen. Merritt for re-
f,liAs ana was received back with the
'''''"Ihs Endorsement;
rnealquarters Department of East.
tr'..Noia Island, May II. lSgs.-Re-
guVlly returned to the ndiutnnt
.lal OF the ARMY consider the
h.Nporllun ~ the force outlined by
W. major general commanding the
s,,n9 Y. unsulted to the ends to be nc-
pushed and insufficient In efficiency
T' expedition to the Philippines
ivan lsslmentl OF regular Infantry
'v,tl,llA OF regiment OF regular
gsr, ana two light batteries Is "a
~ Anal proportion OF the forty-two
of"thls IN the army when the work
lima, w consists OF conquering n ter
hBiS, rvyl miles from our base, de-
W,.A ny q regularly trained and nc-
una1rd army vi from 10 200 Ia ss 0oo
Ii. qua inhahlated by IA. 600 900 OF peo.
,ne majority OF whom win regard
tll religion. W" W race
4 alsa II am not greatly mis-
lb ny .ue suggested command IL only
a ofepel ~ The Fourteenth infantry
u w partially available NV letter.