Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-23
MORE WAR SECRETS.
General Miles Advised Retrent
from Santiago.


be withdrawn from in front Of Santiago,
and that the campaign TO take the city
and garrison be abandoned. He did TINS
on the second day following the destruc-
ton Of Cervera's feet. More remarkable
to tell. the General embodied this start
ling proposition in writing twice in one
day. All of the strange things about the
war with Spain have not been told.
They are becoming public as the cover
of confidence is taken off the Official re-
cords.
So far as the correspondence shows.
the government did not give moments
consideration to this proposition when
General Miles made il in all seriousness
There is nothing to show that any an
swer was made. unless il was verbal
But the forwarding Of re-enforcements
and the pressing Of preparations To force
the surrender Of Toral and his garrison
went on day and night, resulting eleven
days later in complete success.
At midnight OF July 4th-his message
was dated 1850 =. M.-General Shafter
sent a long dispatch. i'm which he dwelt
on the difficulties I'm the way Of taking
Santiago. and asked for re-enforcements.
lie did not suggest abandonment OF the
campaign. His dispatch has been pub
lished heretofore. but repetition of part
OF IL is necessary for the better UNDER
standing Of General Miles's action. Gen
eral Shafter said
There appears to be no reasonable doubt
that General Pando succeeded I'm enter
ing Santiago last night with his force.
said 10 be about 5000 men. This puts
different aspect upon affairs, and while
ye can probably maintain ourselves. IL
would be at the cost Of very considerable
fthting and loss.
General LawtOn reports that General
Garcia. who was 10 block the entrance OF
Pado. informed him at 10 o'clock last
niest that PandO had passed I'm on Cobre
roa,. I.awton says he cannot compel
Central Garcia TO obey my instructions,
and that If they intend to place them
selve, i'm any position where they VIII
have 20 fight, and that II they intend 10
reduce Santiago we will have 10 depend
alone uoon our own troops. and that We
will require twice the number We now
have.
sent a message 20 Admiral Sampson,
asking if he proposed entering the harbor
so as 90 give us his assistance. Commo-
dOre Watson replies that he does not
know Admiral SIMPSONS intentions since
the destruction Of the Spanish squadron.
but does not himself think the fleet should
try 20 90 into the harbOr Of Santiago.
This. under the circumstances. is not very
encouraging.
Have been expecting n division from
Tampa and Duhled's Second Brigade.
from Camp Alger, but only a small num-
Der Of recruits has appeared so far. If
Wa have got 20 try and reduce the town.
now that the fleet IS destroyed, which was
stated 10 be the chief object Of the eX
petition. there must be no delay in get
ting arge bodies Of troops here.
GENERAL MILEsS SUGGESTIONS. |
On the morning of July 9Th there were |
conferences at the White House ana al |
the Wa Department. Three plans were
under consideration for the taking Of San
tiagO. General Skaters message was |
read and discussed one plan was TO sap
ture the Nty by an assault all along the |
land lines. Another was 10 let the navy |
make the next move by forcing an en-
trance 10 he harbor, The third was 10
have the Amy officers take one of the !
transports. protect it with hay bales. and
run the fOrtiNcatiOus at the entrance OF |
the harbor. with the purpose of showing
the navy that the entrance could be forced |
by the Warship..
These propositions were discussed IN the
presence OF General Miles. The General, |
after returning 60 his Office In the War |
Department. sent three notes % Secretary
Alger. in the first of these General Miles |
Informs the Secretary that Lieutenant
Colonel Maus volunteers 20 take one of
the transports now at Santiago, protect
ing IL with material there. and with which
several OF the transports are partly |
loaded. and force it into the harbor of
Santiago, for the purpose OF dropping |
dynamite cartridges and dragging SUBJ
merged mines or tOrDcdocs. Any number
of volunteers will De- found ready for this
service f required
In the second note General Miles br0ach
ed a fourth proposition. O. be- considered
with the three aforementioned. And this
was the suggestion that Skaters army
be withdrawn from I'm front Of Santiago
and Doe made part Of his expedition 10
Porto Rico. The second note was as fol-
lows:
Headquarters Of The Army shlngton. !,
ID. c.. July 3. 1Se8-The Honorable. the
Secretary of War: sir,-As the object for
which the army was sent TO Santiago de
cuba has been accomplishments, the
forcing of the Spanish fleet out of the
harbor and its destruction by the navy,
deem the present time most favorable
for proceeding Immediately 10 Porto Rico.
/ consider IL Of the highest Importance |
|
which Is the gateway 20 the Spanish pos
sessions ON The Western Hemisphere and
il is also important that our troops should |
be'landed there ass early as possible during |
this month. There arr now about iOUJj
men on transports al Key West. apprOXi- (
mately 1909 will soon be- ar Charleston. |
:. c.. and there are already 21oo0 an San
tiago. If this force is not sufficient. the
transports can return for more, n re-
qured. Very respectfully
NELSON A. MILES,
Mai0r-General Commanding.
General A'les's proposition was not en-
tertained on the contrary, this was for |
warded 10 General Shafter:
Adtutant-GcneraPs ONCE Washington.
july 3. 1895 ll.ZO a. M.-Major-General |
Shaftor. Playa del Este. Cuba: Secretary |
of War instructs me 10 say that the Pres /
ldent directs that you confer with Admi-
raj Sampson at once for cooperation in |
taking Santiago. After the fullest eX- |
change Of views you viii agree upon the |
time and manner Of attack
BY command Of Maior-General Miles.
IT, C.. ~ORBIN.
Adjutaut-Gcncrd. !,
MAKES HIS MEANING Palmer.
Later in tine day General Miles wrote a |
longer note celebrating and explaining |
his proposition 20 Withdraw from the un- /
finished Santiago campaign. He said:
Headquarters OF the Army. Washington, |
u. c.. July ). lSgs-The Honorable, the |
Secretary Of War: Sir.-I don't wish 20 |
be misunderstood I'm regard 10 my two |,
notes sent YOU this morning. You in |
formed me that you had three PROPOSE
lions 20 make In regard 20 Santiago. / |