The times., 1899-03-21
GENERAL WHEELER'S
REPLY TO CRITICS
A Convincing Report on the
Santiago Campaign.
Stephen Bonsa's Allegations Shown
to Be Entirely Unfounded.
Shnfter's Orders Obeyed - Colonel
KooseveIt's Terse Comment-The
Battle of In Gunsimas.

General Wheeler has written what is
really new history Of the Santiago cam
paign, which he submitted to the War De-
| partment in reply to the attack made upon
| him by Bonsal in his book and by ring of
army officers. The report was made public
by Adjutant General Corbin yesterday. 1t
is immensely satisfactory to the friends
| of General Wheeler, who are now glad that
he decided not to let the unofficial charges
| made against him go unchaIlenged- The
generals defence is thorough, irrefutable,
and convincing. Many friends OF General
Wheeler called at the Arlington last night
to congratulate him upon his literary eff
fort but he is still in New York.
The Report.
The report is very voluminous and is ac-
ters from officers who were connected with
General Wheeler in his operations to sup
port the allegations he makes.
General Wheeler begins with the dec
laration that some statements were made
before the Alger Relief Commission re-
garding the battle of La Guasimas which
do great injustice to the part of the army
which fought that battle under Wheeler's
command. Stephen Bonsal states that Gen.
eral Wheeler was guilty of disobediencc
OF orders. citing General Miles and Gen.
eral Lawton in such fashion as to give his
book the apparent weight of having been
written by one of General Lawton's staff.
General Wheeler says that to remain si-
lent and neglect to refute the untruthfuI
charges made by Bonsal would be disloyal
soldiers n "a 10
notes that it is with the approval of Major
General Miles, the Commanding General,
that he makes the explanation now sub
mitted.
The history of the movements begins with
quotation Of a statement made by General
Lawton before the Alger Relief Commits
sion, to the effect that he had been directed
by the General Commanding to proceed to
and capture Siboney. General Wheeler tells
how the troops landed; how he had point
ed out to Shafter the necessity of pursuing
and beating the Spaniards before they
could retreat behind their strong breast
works at Santiago, and how Shafter and
many officers fully concurred in the neces-
sity for speedy movement.
He reports Skaters order to proceed
to Jaragua and throw forward pickets to
Juraguacito" otherwise Siboney). He
quotes various orders to show Skaters
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 he
made personally and of consultation that
night with General Young and Colonel
Wood. He says the Cubans predicted that
the Spaniards would leave Siboney and
Santiago that night.
The Advance.
When the advance began next day, Cen
eral Wheeler says, he, with the regular
troops and artillery, was ordered upon the
main Siboney and Santiago road, while the
Rough Riders and some of the other cayaI-
ry organizations were ION the recommen-
dation 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 de-
scription of the action that followed.
He says that the dynamite gun, upon
which great reliance was placed. failed to
reach him, and II was for 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 be-
ing precipitate, his men being exhausted,
and all being on foot, pursuit was impos-
sible.
At this point General Wheeler includes
the engagement.
He points out that Shafter was the only
officer in Cuba senior TO him; that
he, Wheeler, was the senior officer on
shore, and OF course much was left to his
discretion. He quotes Skaters testimony
before the Alger Relief Commission to the
effect that the fight had good results; that
it taught the Spaniards that they had diff
ferent men from the Cubans to fight
fbat CHI
beyond controversy that what he did was
strictly in accordance with General Shaft
ers ORDERS that the La GuasimaS fight
was made in strict obedience TO the spirit
of and proper Interpretation CT the orders
received from General Shafter. In addi-
ton, General Wheeler insists that leaving
this evidence aside the facts stated by
Lawton in his report to Shafter, of June
%, and that Lawton's sworn evidence be-
fore the Alger Relief Commission, would
show that he fought the La Guasimas bat
tie in strict compliance with the express
wishes of General Shafter, his commanding
general
Wheeler quotes Lawton's statement that
he had been ordered by Shafter TO proceed
against Siboney. and he declares that prac-
tically his orders were the same as Law
toms. He insists that the Spaniards were
in a position where it was advantageous
for the Americans to attack them rather
than 10 allow them to fight in their block
houses and other defences which they oc-
cupied at the time Lawton received his or
ders. Says General Wheeler:
SEEKING an Opportunity.
1.-THE least delay in this opportunity
would have been lost. l knew that he
(Shafter) wanted the enemy to be impress
ed with American bravery and determine
ton. ! knew that the American people
and the Administration had sent us to
Cuba for special purpose and that a
prompt attack on the Spaniards would aid
in attaining that purpose. This (drsad of
yellow feyer) added to and emphasized the
imperative necessity of prompt action upon
my part.
''The victory was due entirely to the
chiyalrous courage of the 964 brave Ameri-
can soldiers who fought the battle. The
statement that they were ambushed was
absolutely untrue. The statement that they
were aided in any way, shape, or form by
any other troops Is also untrue. The near
est American troops were about four miles
off when the fight commenced, and the vic