New-York tribune., 1899-07-11
WHEELER AT SANTIAGO
THE GENERALS EFFECTIVE REPLY TO
HIS CRITICS.

OBEDIENCE TO ORDERS AND USEFUL IN
ITS REsULTs-GENERAL WHEELER
OPPOSED RETREAT FROM
FIRST To LAST.
In Stephen Bonsar. book about the Santiago
campaign published last winter. and in other pup
ncations Of about that time-notably letter 10
the Editor Of The Tribune printed on March II
appear some serious structures General Joseph
Wheelers professional conduct in that campaign.
The Generals official reply to his critics made IN
the form Of report to the Adjutant-General with
the approval and by direction Of General Mics
which has now issued from the Government Print
ing Of1ce is explicit that II ought to be more
familiar to the general public than War Depart
ment publication IS likely 70 make Il.
one Of the chief accusations brought against
General Wheeler in the ietter To the Editor or Ihe
Tribune already referred 10. which followed MT.
Bonssrs lead is that the engagement OF Las
Guasimas. at which ne commanded. was fought IN
direct disobedience Of General Skaters orders and
interfered with his plans. In reply 10 this grave
charge General Wheeler shows that on June q
General Shafter sent for him. expressed great
anxiety al having heard from General Law
ton. told him that there was Spanish force al
siboney, and directed him to proceed to It's immedi-
ate vicinity with the dsmounted cavalry then on
shore. General Skaters exact orders being TO
proceed TO Jurugua and throw forward pickets 10
Observation-Disclosures name for Siboney. General
Wheeler says:
hs sea was 50 high that the captain m e. q bo1 my
to be lowered at that time. but Insisted upon his
doing so. reached the shore. procured the horses
10 move forward as soon as possible gave the same
directions Colonel Wood and General Young and
steele and NJ Weston Of nv stan and one order
ly. I rode rapidly 10 siboney
General Wheeler proceeds 10 relate that he found
General Lawtons division. 5,4oO strong, had been
Matted before reaching Sboney. and was camped
on the sihvney and Daiqulri road; that the enemy
had eft Sboney that morning and were hghtng
with Cubans the Sboney and Santiago road
that after riding to the front and reconnoitrng he
was convinced that II would be great military
advantage 10 attack and defeat the enemy in their
position. and that thereupon he directed the com
mand 10 take breakfast before daylight the next
morning and start 10 the front az dawn. This was
done. and the enemy found in the position they
occupied the previous night. about three miles from
siboney General Wheeler continues:
man was sent across to General Wood TO let
him know that We were in position and that the
to be the right OF the enemys line was in full view
The space intervening between this portion or the
enemys line and our position was quite open but
the enemy's left was hidden by heavy timber and
undergrowth. As We were not hred upon. and as
had been unable to find the bulk Of the Cuban
force feared for a moment that the men saw
might be Cubans. therefore. together with Major
Beach. rode a little elevation in front and care
fully examined them with powerful glass. and.
being satisfied that they were Spaniards ! went
Hotchkiss guns This was replied to by long line
OF infantry and the fight commenced shortly after
that Wood was also in action. Bells dismounted
vanced and Major Norvell. leaving Captain Ayress
troop with tte battery deployed his other three
gether Offcers and men fought with great gal
lantry, continuing 70 advance. and IN an hour me
tate. and our men being exhausted, ana an IN, ne
men and resim snral officers being on foot pursuit
ffty-two wounded. and. after giving directions in
regard TO the cave OF the wounded and the burial
s, M yew ~ sant,ro and her rode on 10 point
about seven miles from Santiago. Immedia tey
and received from hin, complimentary replies. That
afternoon I received instructions to take command
Seyed oe a the the fodS1g rom General shafer ad
general: The Commanding General di;
rects me 10 say that he Is Slad 10 hear such good
news and that you are ocSupyins the enemys
ground
The following day General Wheeler received d.
rect from General shafter a message containing
the words Your news is excellent" and on that
day General shafter received coneratulatory dis
patches from the President and the Secretary Of
War In his Official report OF September l3 Cen
eraI shafter referred TO the Las Guasmas hght az
follows:
The engagement had an inspiriting effect upon our
men. ana COUNTESS CORES spondlney epIssseo Lne M
enemy. a 4 was nov plainly demonstrated 70 them
that they had foe 10 meet who would advance
upon them under heavy nre delivered from IN
trenchments.
The foregoing expressions Of General Shafter DO
not indicate that he considered his orders 70 have
been disobeyed and his plans interrupted by Cen
eral wheeers action. and General Wheeler adds
that in al his talks about the fight General shatter
spoke OF the action in complimentary terms and in
his hearing told members Of Congress emphatcaly
that II had very important and beneficial bearing
upon the campaign
An important point TO note Is that the charge Of
disobedience is made 10 rest alleged statements
Of General Lawton: but General Wheeler insists
that n he had such support the foregoing
facts furnish the evidence Of General Lawton It.
self would prove his case. Thus. in his testimony
before the War Investigating Committee General
Lawton said: L was directed by the General Com
rnanding n proceed toward Siboney with instruc-
tions to capture the place II possible. and hold it,
while on June 3 referring 10 the retreat Of the
Spaniards he said: The retreat is rapid I'm
possible 70 follow Up with infantry squadron
OF cavalry would have enabled me to capture the
command General Wheeer's comments are that
General Lawton's orders are thus shown 10 have
necessarily contemplated battle; that his own
orders we're practically identical: that he "wss
ordered up 70 town occupied by Spanards." and
this certainly meant that he was 10 night them 4
II 10 our advantage 70 fight"
Again referring 10 the use OF General Lawton
a witness against him. General Wheeler quotes this
sentence from Mr.. Bonssrs book:
General Lawton first not unnatural,y dis
pleased with the way which orders had been
ignored and the whole plan Of campaign frustrated
and IN expressing 10 General Wheeler his opinion
OF the escapade ne stated that every man who had
fallen in the Guasimas fight had been needlessly
sacrificed.
To this General Wheeler decisivey replies FOL
lows:
It is my duty TO that this statement is abso-
luteiy untrue The first time ! General LawtOn
that day was some hours after the fight had taken
place. / had received orders from Genera Shatter
ak eOTrTu "a q YER on
the senior officer The island Of Cuba, and General
I.aWton the seventh IN rank. He UP 20
me shook nv hand, complimented upon the
fight and said: Il am very glad. indeed. 10 serve
-ectness OF Mr.. Bonsals statement Will be best
understood when recall that General Lawton
had not seen General Shafter since the evening or
the 21st. He could not possibly at that time have