The times., 1899-03-12

it is amusing to see the attitude OF writer's
who seek to disparage General Wheeler.
When the fight is praised they minimize
the part General Wheeler took and eX-
/ travagantly extOI the part taken by their
favorites and when the fight is censured
, they only speak OF General Wheeler as
planning and responsible for it Mr. Bon
sal says the fight could have been avoided.
That is true, and it is also true that the
war could have been avoided; but we in
sist that no single passage of arms in Cuba
was better conceived and better executed,
and, for the force engaged, had a bzttsr
effect than this initial victory on Cuban
soil and no efforts of any man or set of
men can deprive General Wheeler OF the
honor he earned in connection with it.
General Whecier's hindiincss.
In all that General Wheeler has said and
written it is noticeable that he has been
generous in his compliments to all his
comrades in arms, and ii is also noJic aGle
that he has not uttered a word of pub
lished line in commendatiOn OF himself.
Instead of criticising Lawton, General
Wheeler speaks OF him in his letters and
reports in the highest and most cOmmenda-
tory terms. Every action of Lawtons
| which he could commend We find that Gen
eral Wheeler emphasizes and praises in
high terms.
/ After the battle of La Guasimas Cen
eral Wheeler, pursuant TO General Skaters
directions, thoroughly reconnoitered Ell
| Caney. He reported very accurately the
| force and defenceS of that place and asked
! permission to move out with the batteries
which had been sent to him and reduce the
| fort and blockhouses at FL Caney with
artillery. and capture the garrison by plac-
ing troops between El Caney and Santi
| ago He also asked permission To cut on
the water supply from Santiago.
Military men say that if this had been
/ granted the victory at e. Caney would have
| cost US very few lives. but on June -,
after General Wheeler's second appeal, he
was informed that his views were all right
| but that this matter was to be entrusted
| to General Lawton.
| sick, But Fighting.
On the 30Jh the generals We're summoned
| before General Shalter. but Colonel AIiey
states that General Wheeler was not noti-
fed. the reason being [Colonel Miley's
| book. page 1887 that he tWheelerl was
sick in his tent with fever and whose at
| tending physician advised against inform
| ing him OF the proposed battle next day 80
Ii is true that General Wheeler had been
sick for three days. but ne was attend
| ing to all duties and had visited General
| Shafter each OF the two preceding days
! \ tent had been prepared for him the day
| previous and he heard the troops march
| ing along the road on the evening of the
30th, but was informed that they were
simply changing camps. Toward morning
! he became restless and at daylight ordered
| his horse and insisted upon going to the
| front. He learned from General Sumner
| and others the plan OF operations and was
| with the troops under the pelting fire to
which they were subjected on the march
| from FL PoZo to the San Juan River. He
urged the prompt movement of the cavalry
| division across the river and its formation
in line on the western bank and being
| impressed that it would be disastrous to
| comply with the original plan and await
| the arrival of Lawton. he hastened to Col
! lionel McClernand. General Skaters adju-
! tant general and received Instructions from
him to order his own and Kent's division
| forward to the attack. The favorable re-
| sponse OF the troops to these orders placed
! them in possession of the San Juan ridge.
General Kent in his official report says
| [page lGS. Report OF Commanding Cen
! eTall:
Il desire in conclusion, to express my
| gratitude To Mai Gen. Joseph Wheeler for
his courteous conduct to me. and through
| me TO my division under the trying cir
| cumstances enumerated.
Though i'll and suffering. General
| Wheeler was so perfectly at home under
| fire that he inspired all of us with as
| surance.
General Shafter in his report Tpage 154.
report of Commanding Generall says:
General Wheeler. the permanent COM
mander OF the cavalry division, who had
been ill. came forward during the morn
ing and rendered most gallant and ef-