Evening star., 1925-05-16
ALL MILITARY AND CIVIL HONORS
TO BE PAID GEN. MILES At BURIAL

vile. He had driven the enemy. and
when the fatal messenger summoned
him he was placing his command in
position whence the enemy would
have been necessitated to drive him
or die. But there is no speculation
as to the conduct of Miles in that
battle. 1t was gallant and glorious.
Desperately wounded and it was sup
posed mortally, he refused to leave
the field, and fought with that tena-
cious valor that has ever character
| lied the Anglo Saxon in war.
At Spotsylvania Miles led his bri-
gade through the slaughter house so
famous as the Bloody Angle" If we
except some of the veterans of
Napoleon we shall have to go back
to some of the warriors Gibbon tells
us of for soldiers who saw as much
dangerous service as Miles had seen
when he had only completed his
twenty-sixth year.
When the war was over Gen. Miles
was a part of the army of occupa-
tion and an instrument of what they
called reconstruction" sort of
euphony in the nomenclature of the
craftsmanship of that period. the
consequences OF which will endure
for great, while in the future.
When the war with Spain broke out
| Gen. Miles made many important
recommendations, which, if followed,
| 1t is said by his friends, would have
| greatly reduced the cost and increa sed
| the efficiency of the Army. He did not
believe in assembling an immense
| army. ill-clad and imperfectly equip
| ped, nor did he see the necessity there
| for. He regarded the war as mainly q
| naval problem, and realized that the
destruction of the Spanish fleet would
| leave the Spanish army in Cuba cut
off from all supplies and communica-
ton with the home government, so
that its capture would be rendered an
| easy matter. He urged the immediate
capture or Porto Rico, and was strong
ly In favor of aiding the Cubans with
arms, ammunition and necessary sup
plies.
Before war was declared. under his
! direction, the effective force of the
Regular Army was modified at
Chickamauga, New Orleans, Mobile
and Tampa. and considerable quanti-
ties OF war material were sent 20 the
Cuban army. At the breaking out of
the war the Regular Army, although
consisting of only 5000 men, was
| well equipped, organized and discip-
lined and prepared for immediate serv-
ice. There were only equipments for
about 10000 additional men, and he
urged therefore that the volunteer
| troops called into service be kept in
| their respective States until they could
be properly equipped and organized.
He took steps to obtain the CO.
| operation of the Cuban forces in ca St
ern Cuba, and by his direction thew
| were so disposed by their commanders
/ that they aided greatly in the capture
| of Santiago. While at Tampa organ
izing the first expedition for Santiago
| he requested authority to accompany
| that expedition or to organize imme-
diately another and join the first, and
afterward to go to Porto Rico, but
this request was not granted, and in
stead he was directed by telegraph to
return to Washington.
Later, when the Army before San
tiago was seriously involved, he was
authorized to go there at once with
reinforcements, and arrived July IL.
On the 18th he met Gen. Toral. the
Spanish commander. in conference
under a flag of truce, and demanded
the surrender of the Spanish forces by
noon on the following day. In the
meantime he had arranged for a COM
bined attack by all the naval and
military forces. The Spanish com
mander was no. fed that hoStilities
would commence at that time should
he not surrender. Before the hour
arrived. on the morning of July IA.
Gen. Toral agreed to surrender, not
only the garrison of Santiago. but
all the troops in his department
The commissioners to arrange the
details of capitulation having been
appointed, Gen. Miles proceeded to
Guantanamo Bay to organize the eX
pedition for the capture of Porto
Rico. On the 21st of July he sailed
with 1914 men, although there was a
force of 1900 Spanish regulars and
Porto Rican volunteers on that island
at the time. The objective point Sc
lected for landing, Point Fajardo, on
the northeast coast of the island. was
changed by the general while en-
route to that of Guanica, on the south
coast, in consideration of subsequent
information and for other reasons. A
landing was made there July rs, and
after two engagements with the
Spanish troops Ponce was occupied
July 81. The landing of our troops
at an unexpected point took the
enemy completely by surprise. The
campaign was admirably planned and
executed, the island being practically
taken by strategy. in consequence
of the careful disposition of the
troops there was but small loss of
life.
Civilian i'm World War.
When the World War drew Amer
lea into the vortex of strife Gen.
Miles believed he was still young
enough and in sufficient health TO
again serve his country in the field,
despite his years, But he pleaded in
vain, and perhaps one of the bitterest
disappointments of his life was MS
failure to obtain some position of inn
portance with the American forces in
1917. He worked faithfully. however,
In his enforced civilian role here in
Washington.
CIVIL WAR RECORD CITED.