The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-18
PUT ON THE DEFENSIVE.
The Administration Has Begun an fxplana.
tea Of the Shortage Of Troops
THEY FIRST SENT TO THE PHILIPPINES.
seeks TO Establish the Fact that
There Was Difference of
Opinion.

washington, July 17.-This statement
was prepared at army headquarters today
and given out for publication:
There has been some discussion In the
press recently relating to an alleged DIFF
ference Of opinion regarding the number
OF troops to be sent to the Philippine
islands in the first instance.
Immediately upon receiving the rTws
through press dispatches OF Dewey's VIC
tory at Manila, General Miles recon-
mended the dispatch of military force
to the Philippine islands. Following is his
letter:
1.-The Honorable Secretary Of War.
Headquarters of the Army, Washing
ton, d. c., May 8, 1s9S.-Sir: l have the
honor to recommend that General Thomas
NJ. Anderson be sent to occupy the Philip
pine islands, in commands of the following
troops: Two battalions Fourteenth iufan-
try; two troops Fourth cavalry; one reg
iment OF infantry, California volunteers;
two battalions heavy artillery, California
volunteers; one regiment of infantry Ore
gon volunteers; one regiment of infantry,
Washington volunteers. Troops 10 so
with all necessary appliances. supplies and
equipment Very respectfully,
" Nelson A. Miles,
Major General Commanding, IT, S. A.
The force above designated was APP
proximately 5000 men, and the recon-
mendaton was approved by the president
as follows:
Executive Mansion, Washington. d.
c., May A. 1s9S.--The troops designated
by General Miles, II approved by the sec
rotary of war, should be assembled at San
H,ifs ,,aI ri.
be ordered hereafter
William Mckinley
up to this time no communication hai
been received from Admiral Dewey, mis-
first dispatch, dated May /, not reaching
Washington until May 7. Later the fol-
lowing dispatch was received from him.
" Secretary of the Navy. Washington.
Hong Kong. May Is. 1895 tCsvte May
1871 am maintaining Strict blockade OF
Manila by sea and believe natives are
hemmGd in by land although they are in
active and making no demonstrations.
Great scarcity of provisions in the
city. l believe the Spanish governor gen.
eral will be obliged 10 surrender soon. /
can take Manila at any moment.
To retain possession and thus control
the Philippine islands would require, In
my best judgment, well equipped force of
5000 we'll equipped men. All the United
States troops sent by the Peldn will be
veryuseful to relieve the Olympia guard
ing Cavite. United States troops should
make provision for extremely hot, mols,
climate. Spanish forces estimated 10000
men. The natives are reported 10000 men.
Dewey
ION May 1s. 1898. after seeing the above
dispatch from Admiral Dewey General
Miles made the following recommends
ton:
The Honorable, the Secretary, OF War.
Headquarters of the Army, Washington.
May 16 lS9S.-Sir have the honor to
submit the following: In order to mako
the United States forces as strong and eff
fective as possible with view to its main
tanning our possession and our flag in the
Philippine islands. and at the same time
relieve our navy as speedily as possible.
suggest that the command sent there
consist of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
United States infantry, two squadrons OF
the Fourth cavalry, one battery of heavy
artillery from the Seventh. and two bat
teries of light artillery from the Seventh.
and in addition 1875 volunteers from CAL
ifornia, Colorado. Kansas, Montana. Ne
breska, Oregon. Utah. Washington, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming,
Minnesota, already designated. / also rec
ommend that two 12-inch guns, two 10
inch guns. with disappearing carriages
and eight mortars, to be dismoInted, also
two S-inch guns now at Benca barracks
cisco and sent to Manila. there to be
mounted as speedily as possible for the
defense of that harbor and used together
with any rapd-fre guns that can be
spared from the fleet now at that place.
When this is accomplished the fleet can be
released for more important service. The
guns and mortars referred 20 should be
replaced as soon as possible by others to
be sent to San Francisco from the gun
factories and aresanls on the Atlantic
coast. Very respectfully yours,
Nelson A. Miles,
major General Commanding. U. S. A.
The troops designated In the above
communication numbered 1925 men,
which was over 10000 more than Admiral
Dewey had asked for, but notwithstanding
this. 1t was General Miles opinion that,
in view of the admiral's statement that the
Spanish forces were estimated at 10000
men, 1t would be advisable for us to have
preponderating force.
I'm the meantime General Merritt had
been selected to command the expedition
for the Philippines. and In letter to the
president, dated May 10. 1898. ne submit
ted an estimate Of troops necessary 10
constitute such an expedition. comprising
1900 mcn, of which number 6000 were
regulars. On May Is he supplemented this
by an estimate for siege battery and d
small ordnance detachment
General Miles had not seen General
Merritt's estimate when he wrote the let
ter OF May 10, given above. This letter
was referred to General Merritt for romark
and was sent back with the following in
forsements:
headquarters Department OF the East.
Governors Island, May II, 1s9S.--Respcct-
fully returned to the adiutant general of
the army.
i consider the comr ostion of the force
outlined by the major general as unsuited
70 the ends to be accomplished and insult
fcient in efficiency for the expedition to
the Philippines.
Two regiments of regular infantry
two-thirds of a regiment of regular cav
airy and two light batteries is very small
proportion OF the forty-two regular regi-
ments In the army when the work to be
done consists of conquering . territory