Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-08-26
Incomprtence. or What

Inc responsibility tOr incompetent man
agement in the war department will never
be fixed without an Official investigation
and even then it would not be settled to
everybody's satisfaction. Much of the
criticism has doubtless been unjust, be-
cause the critics have not remembered the
size of the task which was suddenly thrust
on the depart ment and the meager facili-
ties which, at first, were at command. In
this connection the personal defence made
by Secretary Alger under the guse Of a
letter to Chauncey NJ. Depew, elsewhere
printed in full is of great and timely in
terest. 1t covers the ground, explains it.
self, and, as matter of course, is the
strongest statement of the official side Of
the case that can be made.
The thing difficult to understand is how,
after four months Of experience aud pre-
pa.ation, there should he total failure, IN
a case like that at the Montauk camp, to
have even ordinary and decent comforts in
readiness for the sick and wounded men
brought there from Santiago. Then, too,
there is the "hoIror' Of the transport
ship Mobile. which arrived at Montauk
last Friday with a load of soldiers from
Santiago--for if the accounts are true this
is not too strong a word to apply to it.
Surgeon General Rlood OF Massachusetts,
went on to meet the soldiers from that
state who came 10y the Mobile and this is
what he said when he got back to Boston :;
"The Mobile was in when | arrived, but
went on board before the men were landed.
Everything was in bad shape, dirty and
filthy. To be sure, the men had ham
mocks, but really the only place fit to stay
was upon the upper deck. The boat had
been used as cattle steamer, and was
only par tally cleaned up; so you can i'm
agine the condition of things. The sick
bay was in very bad condition The men
were on cots but the floor above was
loose, and had only cotton cloth, possibly
duck, over the cracks, so that during the
rain of the night before the water had
come in upon them. The adjutant told
me that nine men had died during the
trip. The food was poor, and the men
came off the vessel in terribly debiltated
condition, | never in my army expert
ence saw men so used up.
Conditions like these might be excused
when the first pressure of the war was
on, and bloody campaign was being hotly
pressed, but to have them occur at this
stage of the proceedings savors of gross in =
competence or gross negligence, for which
somebody must be held responsible.
The Mobile brought 1900 soldiers from
Santiago to Montauk. The men who
fought so bravely at FL Caney were crowd
ed closely together, after weeks of fighting
and exposure, and they continued to re-
ceiye insufficient and improper food. She
brought the q Massachusetts, boys from
the towns in the western pant of the state,
and the 22l and Sth regulars. Ten men
died during the trip, including eight from
the volunteer regiment. This brought the
loss of the , regiment up to 80 men, and
several other deaths have been reported
during the week, including that of DR..
Bowen of Springfield, assistant surgeon,
who was left at Santiago i'll with fever.
The Adams company has been the severest
sufferer, losing IL men, but the Orange,
Greenfield and Northampton companies
have Jared nearly as badly.