The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-21
THE SANTIAG0CAMPAIGN
General Wheeler Denies Statements Which
Have Been Circulated.
SAYS HE STRICTLY EXECUTED ORDERS
ter, He Says. VIII Prove His As
sertions TO Be Correct.

Washington, March 20.--Adjutant Cen
eral Corbin today made public the state
ment which Major General Wheeler has
been called upon to make in order. he
says, 10 refute certain allegations which
reflect upon the cavalry division, which
he had the honor to command.
The statement is exceedingly yolumln-
GUS, making really another history OF the
campaign before Santiago and 1t is ac
companted by an appendix made up OF
letters from officers who were connected
with General Wheeler in his operations to
support the statements he makes.
General Wheeler begins with the dec
laration that some statements were made
before the war investigating commission
ret,u Hing the battle OF La Guasimas which
do great injustice to that part of the army
which fought that battle. Steven Bonsal
states that General Wheeler was guilty
OF disobedlence of orders. General Wheel
er says that to remain silent and neglect
TO refute the untruthful charges made by
Bonsal would be disloyal to the soldiers
and to the country. He notes that it is
with the approval of Major General Miles
the commanding general, that he makes
the explanation now submitted.
The history OF the movements begns
with quotation of a statement made By
General Lawton before the war commits
sion to the effect that he had been d.
rected by the general commanding to pro
coed to capture Siboney. General Wheeler
tells how the troops landed how he had
pointed out to Shafter the necessity of
pursuing and beating the SpsrNDds before
they could retreat behind their strong
oreastworks at Santiago, and how Shafter
and many officers fully copcurred in the
necessity for speedy movement. He re-
ports Skaters orders 70 proceed to
Iaragua and throw forward plckets" to
Juguaracito otherwise Siboney). He
quotes various orders to show SKATER s
anxiety to get Wheeler rapidly forward
In order to reach Lawton, whom he found
on the road Just before reaching Siboney
Wheeler tells OF the reconnaissance ne
made personally and OF a consultation that
night with General Young and Colonel
Wood. He says the Cubans predicted that
the Spaniards would leave Siboney and
Santiago that night. When the advance
began the next day General Wheeler says
the regular troops and artillery were or
dered up on the main Siboney aud Santi-
ago road, while the rough riders and
some of the other cavalry organizations
were on the recommendation of General
Castillo, sent by the less freQuented and
more difficult road,
The Spaniards were found in the same
position the next morning about three
miles from Siboney and General Wheeler
gives a description of the action hat fol-
lowed, lie Says that dynamite guns on
which great reliance was placed failed to
reach him and il was for a time very
doubtful whether the men in front OF
him were Spaniards or Cubans In an
hour the fight was won, but the enemy's
retreat, being preclpitate his men being
on fcJt, pursuit was impossible. A. this
point General Wheeler concludes with the
reports from Shafter on the engagements.
He points out that Shafter was the only
officer in Cuban waters senior TO him;
that he (Wheeler) was the senior officer
on shore and OF course much was left to
his discretion He quotes Skaters testi-
mony before the commission to the effect
that the fight had good results that it
taught the Spauiards they had different
men from the Cubans to fight Wheeler
submits that this shows beyond contro-
versy that what he did was strictly in ac-
oordance with General Skaters orders:
that the La Guaslmas fight was made in
strict obedience TO the spirit OF and proper
Interpretation of the orders from General
SKATER In addition General Wheeler in
sists that leaving this evidence aside the
facts stated by Lawton in his report to
Shafter OF June % and that Lawton's
sworn evidence before the war commission
would show that he fought the LaGuasimag
battle IN strict compliance with the expires
"ioh VI Nthtial 0HalAeT, ms commanding
general. Wheeler quotes I.awton's state
meat that he had been ordered by Shafter
TO proceed against Siboney and declares
that practically his orders were the same
as Lawton's. He Insists that the Spaniards
were IN position where It was adVantR.
geous for the Americans TO attack them
rather than TO allow them to fight IN their
block houses and other defcnses which thev
occupied at the time Lawton received his
orders.
Says General Wheeler: THE least de-
,ay ana this opportunity would have been
lost knew that he tShafter) wanted
me enemy to be impressed with American
bravery and determination. l knew that
me american people aud the admInlstra.
toh mad sent us 10 Cuba for a spe.ial MUIR.
pose and that prompt attack ON tho
spahiaIos would AID IN attaining that pvr-
pose This (dread Of yellow feyer) added
70 ana emphasized the imperative nrees-
sity OF prompt action upon my mart Tba
Victory was due entirely 10 the ,hIvalrie
courage OF the SEA brave Americas sci.
u'srs VINO fought the battle. The state-
t ntl. uAt they were ambushed was abso
s s Untrue. The statement that they
we're aided In any way, shape or form
ny any ther troops Is also untrue Ths
nsStesl american troops were about fo,,r
.uHes OF when the fight commcnecd snd
nv .letory hsd been won and ina r,,.r.s
80 pee 20 rreeiritate rstrtzt fr,iv t.a
"a. rs,s.s ,faeF Fsasssd thr ArlA'f
ssAsrn wasslsr prssssds 70 polat cut