The record-union., 1898-08-09

latter We're promptly ordered out of the
small bays at Siboney and Baiquiri to
permit the unloading of other ships.
These partially unloaded ships, in
obedience to their orders, then pro-
ceeded to sea from five to fifteen miles,
where they remained hove to Indefinite
ly. Such orders were given the trans
ports carrying the reserve and the
first divisional hospitals. The one car
rying the reserve hospital, in obedience
to it's orders, proceeded to join the
navals blockading squadron off Morro
Castle, where it remained five days and
nights, the other transports disappear
ing, if 1 was correctly informed, for
an entire week
'"During this time the fight at La
GuasinaS had occurred, and large num-
bers of sick and wounded were requir-
ing treatment In the meantime re-
port of the conditions prevailing on
shore was made to the Chief Surgeon,
who promptly laid the case before the
commanding General, requesting that
a launch be placed under the control
of the medical department for the col
lection Of medcal supplies from the
various transports. 1t was also re-
Quested that a pack train be organized,
in the proportion of one pack mule
to each regiment, to transport supplies
especially the field chests-to the
front for proper distribution; and L
was suggested by the Chief Surgeon
as available for the performance or
these duties.
THE exigency Of the situation did
not apparently appeal to the command
ing General. and for two days the
rn cyof
transportation of any kind to the other
ships or to. the shore. although there
were a large number of naval launches
and boats employed on various other
duties.
"On the third day, by order or the
Adiutant General, one rowboat was
turned over to the medical department
for the purpose above named, and at
the same time an order was issued for
land transportation to carry medical
supplies to the front, not to exceed one
mule team
"On getting into this boat with sup
plies from the headquarters transport
I was directed by .sundry staff ofhcefs
to take them on various errands. On
my refusal to recognize their authority,
their commanding General, who had
voked the previous order, and directed,
after the landing of the supplies already
in the boat, that it should return with
out delay.
presenting the order for land trans
portation to the Quartermaster on
shore. I was informed that only pack
mules had as yet landed; that neither
wagon nor harness had been brought
hot hn
impassable for wagons After this
boat had been taken away the Chief
Surgeon was without any means OF
communication with the medical offl-
GERS on shore or still on transports, of
finding out their wants, or after rem
edying the many already known to
him.
This condition of things remained
until after the fight at Las Guasinas,
at which time there were absolutely
no dressings hospital tentage or sup
plies of any kind on shore within reach
of the surgeons already landed the
news Of the Guasinas fight being re-
ported to the Chief Surgeon, he was
finally able to get on board the Oil
yette and send her to Siboney, where
she received the wounded.
with regard to the Red Cross So
ciety. it would seem as if the lofty pur-
poses of this organization We're, on the
Santiago expedition, subverted to indi-
vidual interests. While at Tampa the
Red Cross ship State of Texas was for
malIy placed under the control of the
chief surgeon of the Fifth Corps, DR..
Egan. the representative of the society,
he acting under telegraphic instructions
to that effect. Colonel Pope accepted
this offer and directed that the State
of Texas accompany the expedition Of
General Shafter to its destination. AL
though this order was fully understood
by DR.. Egan, the State of Texas did
not accompany the expedition, nor did
it arrive at Siboney until the forces had
been landed, a battle fought and our
hospitals established and in working
order. The first offers made by this
society dealt largely in generalities, and
manifested reluctance to subordinate
the organization to the Medical De-
partment.