The age-herald., 1899-07-18
Merritt Displeased With Force

Merritt Displeased With Force l" Headquarters Department of the East. " Respectfully Returned to the Adjutant-
 General of the Army.
 T consider the composition of the force outlined by the major-general commanding the army as unsuited to the ends to be ac- oomplshed and insufficient in efficiency for the expedition to the Philippines.
 Two regiments of regular infantry, two-thirds of a regiment of regular cavalry and two light batteries is very small pro- portion of the forty-two regular regiments in the army when the work to be done con- sists of conquering territory 1000 miles from our base, defended by regularly trained army of from 10000 to 25,000 men and inhabited by 100000 of people, the majority of whom will regard us with the intense hatred born of race and religion.
 Besides. if I am not greatly mistaken, tile suggested command is only on paper, as the Fourteenth infantry is only partially available My letters of May l3 and b give the composition and minimum strength of the regular force l deem necessary.
 (Signed) ''W. MERRITT,
 Major General Commanding"
 Ut was then referred to General Miles for further remark and was indorsed by him as follows:
 Headquarters of the Army.
 Washington, May 1S,. 1898.
 Respectfully submitted to the secretary of war.
 '.The reference to the Spanish troops is believed to be very much exaggerated. No toaa, there is anything like the number indicated in the above indorsement, while the popu- lation of that territory is probably nearer one-half the number stated. The number of troops already ordered to the Philip pine islands is three times as many as Ad- miral Dewey called for. The force ordered at this time is not expected to carry on war to conquer an extensive territory and the chief object of the within letter was to suggest means of quickly establishing a strong garrison to command the harbor of Manila and to relieve the United States fleet under Admiral Dewey with the least possible delay. This in my judgment is of pre-eminent importance.
 ''The troops mentioned in the within let ter, as available to send to that depart ment, number 15,425. The Tenth Pennsyl- vania volunteers, ordered today, will be approximately 1 ,000 more. These troops, in my judgment are all that it would be ad- visable to send to the Philippine islands at this time. If it be deemed advisable to send additional regiments they can be sent from New Orleans or Tampa, but the force now ordered to be sent is, as already indicated, 1O,0GO more than will be required for the purpose.
 Insisted on Big Guns
 ''It is, however in my judgment of the highest importance that orders should be sent to place the six high power guns and eight 12-ineh mortars, with at least fifty rounds of ammunition per gun and mor- tar, on vessels at San Francisco and pos sibly Puget Sound with the least possible delay, and sent to the harbor of Manila and mounted as speedily as possible. It may be advisable to send additional guns These orders should be sent by telegraph, and the engineer and ordnance departments should be directed to expedite the work by every possible means.
 (Signed) NELSON A. MILES,
 Major General, Commanding U. s. A."
 "lt thus appears that there was no con- troversy regarding the number of troops to be sent, General Miles. in fact, having de- signated more than General Merritt called for, but only a difference of opinion as to the composition of the force, General Mer- ritt desiring to have more regulars than were desgated by General Miles.
 Certain newspapers have attempted to show that General Miles did not want more than 6O00 troops to be sent to the Philip pines under General Merritt but the above official correspondence shows this is not the fact"