Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-21
GENERAL WHEELER REPLIES TO
nONSAl.'S ATTACK.
CAMPAIGN BEFORE SANTIAGO
..FIGHTING JOE" GIVES ISIS SIDE OF
THE TORY.
Say. He Did Not Disobcy Orders aud
Was Not Relieved Of His Conn
mand-His Statement Sup
ported by Some strong
Evidence.

4 tosN. =
General Corbin to-day made public the
statement which General Wheeler has felt
called upon to make. in order. as he says,
It" refute certain allegations which re.
fleet upon the cavalry division which / had
the honor to command"
The statement is exceedingly voluminou3
making really another history of campaign
before Santiago, and it Is accompanied by
an appendix made up of letters from OIL
GERS who We're connected with Genera
Wheeler in his operations, to support the
allegations he makes.
General Wheeler begins with the declar-
alton that some statements We're made be-
fore the war investigation commission re.
garding the battle of La Guasimas. which
do great injustice to that part of the army
which fought in that battle. Steven Bonsal
states that General Wheeler was guilty OF
disobedfence Of orders. General Wheeler
says to remain silent and neglect to rcfIte
the untruthful charges made by Bonsal
would be disloyal to the soldiers and to the
country. He notes that 1t is with the ap-
proVal of Major General Miles. the COM
mand!ng general, that he makes the ex-
PLANTATION now submitted.
The history of the movement begins with
q quotation of a statement made by Gen.
eral Lawton before the war commission,
TO the effect that he had been directed by
the general commanding TO proceed to and
capture Siboney. General Wheeler tells
now the troops landed, how he had pointed
out to Shafter the necessity of pursuing
ana beating the Spaniards before they
could retreat behind their strong breast.
works at Santiago, and how Shafter and
many officers fully concurred in the ne.
cessity for a speedy movement. He reports
STARTERS order to proceed to Guaraeua
and throw forward pickets to J~uraguacito'
otherwise Siboney).
He quotes various orders to show Shat
ters anxiety to get Wheeler RAPIDLY for
ward in order to reach Lawton. whom he
found on the road just before reaching
Siboney- Wheeler tells of the reconnais-
ance he made personally and of a consulta-
ton that night with General Young and
Colonel Wood. He says the Cubans pre-
dicted that the Spaniards would leave
sibcney and Santiago that night. When
the advance began next day. General
Wheeler says the regular troops and ar
tiliery were ordered upon the main Siboney
and Santiago road. while the rough riders
ard some of the other cavalry organiza-
tons were. ION the recommendation of
General Castillo. sent by the less FREQUENT
ed and most difficult road"
The Spaniards were found in the same
ooo th1CV lilies
from Siboney. and General Wheeler gives
a description of the action that followed.
He says that the dynamite gun, upon
which great reliance WAS placed, failed to
reach him, and 1t WAS for a time very
doubtful whether the men in front of him
were SpaniaIds or Cubans. In an hour. the
fight was won. but. the enemy's retreat be-
ing precipitate. his men being exhausted
and all being on foot. pursuit was i'm
possible. At thisp point General Wheeler in
cludes congratulatOry reports from Shafter
upon the engagement.
He points out that Shafter was the only
Onicer in Cuban waters senior to him; that
he. Wheeler. was the senior officer on
discretion. He quotes Skaters testimony
before the commission TO the effect that
they had different men from the Cubans
to fight. Wheeler submits that this shows
beyond controversy that what he did was
strictly III accordance will General Shat
ter's orders: that the La Guisamas fight
was made in strict obedience to the spirit
Of and proper Interpretation of the orders
received from General Shafter.
In addition. General Wheeler insists that.
leaving this evidence aside, the facts stat
ed by Lawtcn in his report TO Shafter Of
JCne %. and LawtOn's sworn evidence be-
fore the war commission, would show that
he fought the La Guasima battle in strict
compliance with the express wishes of
General Shafter. his commanding general.
Wheeler quotes Lawton's statement that
he had been ordered by Shafter TO proceed
against Siboney and declares that. pract-
cally, mis- orders were the same as Law
tens. He insists that the Spaniards were
in a position where il was advantageous
for the Americans to attack them rather
than TO allow them TO fight in their block
houses and other defenses. which they oc-
CGpled at the time Lawton received his Or
ders. Says General Wheeler:
THE least DELAY and this opportunity