The record-union., 1899-07-18
Admiral Dewey Thought Five Thou
sand Men Sufficient,
tetMajor General Miles Dire cted the Send.
Ing OF Three Times That Number.
Some Official Correspondence Re-
lating to the Troubles in the
Philippines and the Number of
Troops Needed to Conquer and
Hold Islands Made Public.

WASHINGTON, July IA state
ment prepared at army headquarters
regarding the sending of troops to the
Philippines shows that on May 3, 1898,
General Miles recommended to the Sec
rotary of War that General T. M. An
derson be sent to occupy, the islands in
command of about 5000 men. This
recommendation was approved by the
President On May 18th a dispatch
was received from Admiral Dewey, say
ing in part:
ITO retain possession and thus con-
troll the Philippines would, require, in
my best judgment. we'll equipped
force of 5000 men. although United
States troops sent by Pekin will be
very useful to relieve the Olympia Of
guarding Cavite. United States troops
should make provision for extremely
hot, moist climate. Spanish force is
estimated 10000 men. The rebels are
reported 10000 men,"
On May 16, 1893, after seeing the
above dispatch from Admiral Dewey,
General Miles made the following rec
ommendation:
Headquarters of the Army, Wash
ington, D. c., May 16, 1898.
THE Honorable Secretary of War
Sir: I have the honor to submit the
following: In order to make the Unit
ed states force as strong and effective
as possible with a view to it's main
tanning our possessions and our flag on
the Philippine Islands. and at the same
time relieve our navy as speedily as
possible, l 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 batteries of light ar
t1llery from the Seventh, and in addi-
ton 1870 volunteers from California,
Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska,
Oregon, Utah, Washington, North Da-
kota, South Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming,
Minnesota already designated. 1 also
recommend that two Pinch guns, two
10-inch guns with disappearing car
riages and eight mortars to be dis
mounted, also two S-inch guns now at
Benfcia Barracks-all to be placed on
board ships at San Francisco and sent
TO Manila. there to be mounted as
speedily as possible for the defense of
that harbor and used together with any
rapid-fire guns that can be spared from
the fleet now at that place When this
is accomplished, the fleet can be re-
lieved from further service. The guns
and mortar referred to should be re-
placed as soon as possible by others
sent to San Francisco from the gun
foundries and arsenals on the Atlantic
Coast. Very respectfully yours,
NELSON A. MILES,
Major General Commanding"
The troops designated in the above
nrf1la nil
which was over 10000 more than Ad-
miral Dewey had asked for, but not
withstanding it was General Miles
opinion that in view of the AdmiraPs
statement that the Spanish force was
estimated at 10000 men, it would be
advisable for us to have a preponder-
ating force.
I'm the meantime. General Merritt
had been selected to command the ex-
petition for the Philippines, and, in a
letter to the President dated May 13,
1898, he submitted an estimate Of
troops necessary to constitute such an
expedition, comprising 4,400 men, of
which number 5000 We're regulars. On
May 10Th. he supplemented this by an
estimate by siege battery and a small
ordnance detachment"
General Miles had not seen General
Merritt's estimate when he wrote the
letter of May 10th, given above. This
letter was returned to General Merritt
for remark, and was received back
with the following Endorsement:
Headquarters Department of East,
Governors Island, May II, 1898.
Respectfully returned to the Adju
tant General of the army.
Il consider the composition of the
force outlined by the Major General
commanding the army as unsuited Ia
the ends to be accomplished and in,
sufficient in efficiency for the expedi-
ton to the Philippines Two regiments
of regular infantry, two-thirds of a
regiment of regular cavalry and two
light batteries is a very small proper
ton of the forty-two regular regiments
in the army when the work to be done
consists of conquering a territory 1000
miles from our base. defended by a
regularly trained and acclinated army
of from 10000 to $4,000 men and inhab-
tied by IA, 600 900 of people, the major
ity of whom will regard lis with the
intense hatred born CT race and re-
ligion.
Besides, il I am not greatly mis-
taken, the suggested command is only
on paper, as the Fourteenth Infantry
is only partially available. My letters
of May 18th and 18th give the com,
position and minimum strength of the
regular force deem as necessary
'W. MERRITT,
major General Commanding
It was then referred to General Miles