The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-07
THE WAR INVESTIGATION.
Generals Wheeler and
BoyntOn Testify.
NEWSPAPER CHARGES


Death Of Private Parrott-Individual
Cases of Suferlng-The Soldiers Gen.
orally Well Cared FOr-Water Not
COntaminated-Camp Thomss IL a
Healthy Location.
Washington, October 4.--The war in
vestigaing commission began the taxi
ing of testimony today and Major Gen
eral Joseph Wheeler was on the stand
the greater part of the day. There
was full attendance Of the commits
sion, and the doors of the room in
which the inquiry is conducted were
for the first time open to representa-
tives of the press.
General Wheeler's testimony covered
the case Of the soldiers at the two i'm
portant points of Santiago and Wikoff.
He said with reference to the con-
duct of affairs at Santiago that there
| had necessarily been some suffering in
| the trenches, but that General Shafter
/ had exercised the utmost effort to pro-
| tect his men. There had been, he said
a shortage of land transportation IA
CluIlGS IOT q time anu lnore naU Deon
| no tents for a week, and the roads
were very fair. He revealed for the
| first time that he had had some feeling
| over the fact that his command had
| been given the fourth place in General
| Skaters order for the landing at San
| tiago, when he had thought he was en-
| titled to be allowed to land first on ac-
| count of his rank.
Discussing the plan of the Santiago
| cOmpaign, he said he doubted whether
| a more effective plan could have been
| adopted.
Speaking Of the medical department,
| he said that at time there were COM
| plants, but that they were not seri-
| Gus. On occasions there was short
| age of surgeons, some Of the surgeons
| being sick or wounded.
According to General Wneeler's be-
| lief the wounded in battle We're
After the fight Of July 1st, all the
wounded were carried from the field
| that night. The witness had heard
| that there was more complaint of the
shortage Of medicine among the in
| fantry than in the cavalry arm Of the
| service.
| Going back to Tampa, he said that at
the season he was there, the first half
| of June, the site was without objection,
| but he had felt that it would be wet
| later in the season.
There was," he said, 'at times some
| shortage of supplies at the camp, but
nothing" he added, that a soldier
could complain Of"
| General Wheeler said he had no con-
| troll over any of the supplies which
| were taken to Santiago on the trans
ports when he left Tampa. This was
! attended to by the different staff Off
| GERS. He only knew from conversation
| with these that there was an abun-
| dance of the supplies Of all character.
| Returning to the Santiago campaign
he said that only two regiments had
| reported a shortage of rations and he
| Immediately telephoned to the rear and
| the shortage, which was due to acci-
dent, had been adjusted. There was
suffering when the men were compelled
| to lie in the breastworkS. The meat
was poor and they had no bread but
| hard tack. They We're forced to lie
in the sun and water alternately and
necessarily there was much sickness
| While they had the full quota of doc
tors and nurses he thought that II
| more had been furnished the men
| would have been better cared for. As
for rations three days supplies were
generally issued. Whenever the troops
| went into action they would throw
their food away as we'll as their packs
|
| In reply to questions, he stated he
never had heard of any shortage OF
commissary or ordinance supplies a
Santiago, but he had been told that thi
medical supplies were short. Yet h
had no personal knowledge on thi:
point He had seen some wounde5
men crawling to the rear in the en-
gagements. but as a rule after a mar
fell in battle, he was carried to tn
hospital by the medical corps.
| He said that as a rule the Qualit,
| of hard tack was good. Where ther
was any deterioration it was due to 10
cal rains and not to the fact Of origina
inferiority.
The spirit of the army was such, h
said, that there was no disposition t
complain. They were all proud to b
there and willing to undergo the hard
ships.
Replying to a question from Colone
DENLY, General Wheeler said the regu
lars had shown a greater ability {
take care of themselves than the vol
unteers.
Captain Howell asked to what he at
tributed he development Of disease af
| ter the capitulation of Santiago, an
General Wheeler replied that 1t wa
: | due to the climate and to the exposur
made necessary. He had, he said
| hIoNH VI III VI sim "
wounded man dying from want o
| care from the physicians. SO far as h
knew, there was general commenda
ton of the medical corps, except tha
on one or two occasions there had bee
} some grumbling in regard to genera
conditions. He thought there was
|, deficiency in the number OF ambu
, lances, but this was due to the ex
, igencies Of the campaign. Genera
Wheeler also said in reply to Captai
, Howell that he knew Of no confusio
in shipping supplies from Tampa. Hi
memory was not distinct as to com
plants from physicians in his com
mand as to the scarcity OF medical sup
plies, but he thought there were som
such complaints, and in SUCH cases b