The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-21
A COMPLETE REFU TATION OF
BONSAL'S CHARGES.
Wheeler Shows He Acted Under Shafter'
Orders, Proving by Officers Bonsal's
Attacks on him Unwarranted.

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General Corbin today made public the
statement which General Wheeler has
felt called upon to make in order as ne
says .to refute certain allegations which
reflect upon the cavalry division which |
had the honor to command"
Ane statement is exceedingly volumin-
GUS. really making another history of the
campaign before Santiago, and it is ac-
companied by an appendix made up of
letters from officers who We're connect
e. with General Wheeler in his opera
tions. to support the allegations he makes.
Wheeler was guilty of disobedience OF
claration that some statements We're
made before the war investigating COM
mission regarding the battle of La Guas-
imas which do great injustice to the part
of the army which fought that battle.
Steven Bonsal stated that General
Wheeler was guilty of disobedience of
orders. General Wheeler says that to re-
main silent and neglect to refute the ull-
truthful charges made by Bonsal would
be disloyal to the soldiers and the coun-
try. He notes that it is with the approx
nj of Major General Miles, command
ing general, that he makes the explana-
tion now submitted.
with the quotations of statement by
General Lawton before the war commits
sion to the effect that he had been III
rected by the General commanding 10
proceed to and capture Siboney. Gen
eral Wheeler tells how the troops land
ed: how he had pointed out to Shafter
the necessity of pursuing and beating the
Spaniards before they could retreat be-
lnnd their strong breastworks at Santa
go. and how Shafter and many officers
fully concurred in the necessity for Il
speedy movement. He reports Shaftef :
order TO proceed to .Iaragua and throw
forward pickets to Juraguaclto.' tOther-
wise Siboney) He quotes various or
ders to show Skaters anxiety TO get
Wheeler rapidly forward. III order to
reach Lawton, whom he found on the
road lust before reaching Siboacy
Wheeler tells of the reconnaissance p,
made personally and of a consultation
that night with General Young and Col
onel Wood He says the Cubans predict
ed that the Spaniards would leave Siho
ney and Santiago that night. When the
advance began next day, General Wheel
er says, the regular troops and artillery
were ordered upon the main SIboney an6
Santiago road, while the Rough Riders
and some of the other cavalry organl2a
tions were ..on the recommendation o1
General Castillo sent by the less fre
auented and most difficult road Th,
Suaniards were found in the same posi-
tion next morning about three miles iron
Siboney and General Wheeler gives {
description of the action that followed
He says that the dynamite gun npoT
which great reliance was placed failed K
reach him, and it was for time yef,
doubtful whether the men in front o.
him were Spaniards or Cubans In II
hour the fight was won but the enemy
retreat being precipitate, his men beini
exhausted and all being on foot, pursuit
was impossible A this point Genera
Wheeler includes congratulatory reports
from Sbafter upon the engagement.
He points out that Shafter was the onll
officer in Cuban waters senior to him
that he. Wheeler. was the senior office
on shore and of course much was left Il
his discretion. lie quotes Shafter's ties
timony before the commission to the ct
feet that the fight had good results; <tha
it taught the Spaniards that they ha'
different men from the Cubans to fight
Wheeler submits that this shows beyont
controversy that what he did was strict
" in accordance with general orders
that the la Guasimas fight was made il
strict obedience to the spirit of and prop
or Interpretation OF the orders received
from General Shafter.
In addition General Wheeler insist
that leaving this evidence aside, the fact
stated by Lawton in his report to Shat
!. Ter Of June 23rd and Lawton
' sworn evidence before the war invests
eating commission would show that n
fought the La Guasimas battle I'D stric
compliance with the express wishes o
General Shafter, his commanding gen
eral Wheeler quotes Lawton's state
ment that he had been ordered by Shafte
to proceed against Siboney, and declare
that practically his orders were the SAM
as Lawton's. He insists that the Span
iards were in position where ii wa
advantageous for the Americans to at
tack them rather than to allow them Il
fight in their block houses and other De
fenses which they occupied at the tim,
Lawton received his orders. Says Gen
eral Wheeler: THE least delay and thi
opportunity would have been lost know
that he (Shafter) wanted the enemy i'm
pressed with American bravery and de
termination. | knew that the American
people and the Administration had sen
us TO Cuba for special purpose and tha
prompt attack on the Spaniards woulr
aid in attaining that purpose. Th'
dread of yellow fever added to and em
phasized the imperative necessity o
prompt action upon my part. The vic
tory was due entirely to the chiyalri
courage of the 964 brave American sol
diers who fought the battle. The state
ment that they We're ambushed is absn
lutely untrue. The statement that the
were aided in any way. shape or forr
liy any other troops is also untrue. Th
nearest American troops We're about foa
miles off when the fight commenced, an