New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-22
ALGER TO DEPEW.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR OFFERS An
OTHER EXPLANATION.


OFFICERS IN THE FIELD-THE LOSS OF THE
LIcnTERs-woRX or VARIOUS
DEPARTMENTS
Washington. Aug II SpeciaD.-Secretary
Alger has sent the following letter TO Chauhces
NJ. Depew regarding the work Of the war De-
partment during the last four months:
War Department.
washington, August ID. 1919
Ny Dear Mr. Depew: xo,,
The great pressure OF business has up 70 TOW
prevented me from sending 10 you tie o'o'.
inent you were kind enough 10 ask loi as ~
what had been accomplished IN the way -, Vu -,
fitting the Army for the Held the .oi,uu.t 20
campaisn etc Also the CHIEFS or oiNisioii9
have been too much driven with Work 10 coinpie
the data required. one not In the inlust VI tnir
work hardly realize what an G 'n 10 aNa,1s
II is TO call 12J 600 into the neld at one
time coming from all the States. ana 10 naee
them mustered and gathered in camps on 80
short notice; and this, too. when We nau se"io n
any camp outfit for their ACCOMMODATION, AZ
having to be provided for by the war Depart,
ment. AS YOU know. when war was uec'a ,ie,
there was no equipment whatever lor .ne fTy
accomplished with very few accidents IS
matter OF record. Subsequent Calls ihciuuIns
the Regular Army (Which numbered ANU
81 900 men when war was declared), mace 10
tai Of 26S 800 men. To accomplish all IN so
short a time has been great WORK
THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.
OF course gathering this vast number OF men i,
together in q large measure under untraiheu
repi,nental and company commanders-i mean
an actual field duty-the lack OF Kho"ieuse Do
10 sanitary conditions TO be observer, 'no .
lessness in not observing instructions "hich
were furnished as to proper care or the iiieii
has added greatly TO the work OF the M Nee naa
Department. Thus from the MONIES .. -dv go
volunteers has been constant ana Srcht az 49,
as to what might happen TO their soiule,' anu
hundreds Of inquiries made by letters anu VIZ
grams have been received ever ia! . u 'sa,
Ing individual soldiers. The feeling on the paI.
OF those individuals that the War Department
Is responsible for the care OF their men ihui-
vidually has naturally aroused syinpaeny IA ~
case Of sickness and death. ana mas cred'eu
much sorrow There is nothing young men IN
robust health are prodigal of as their heai'h
until it is gone. Men go into camp feeine tnat
they can stand anything and everything. ana
cannot be made to believe 10 the contrary unti
stricken with disease.
Every effort has been made from the oeglh-
ming TO furnish every camp with all appliances
asked for but of course the commanding ofllcers
in the field the ones who have the direc,
charge Of these mer. For instance, one arm!
corps commander has given orders ana enlorces
them respecting sanitary affairs, and he mas
to-day but fraction over per cent on me
sick list Others have been less successful. ana
the consequence Is typhoid and other fevers
have been bred and spread TO consloerapie
extent. one regiment In the Chlckamauga camp
has a colonel who enforces sanitary rules IN MS
regiment Obliging the men 10 boil ali the water
they drink keeping the camp Clearly, and the
result less than twenty-five sick, and his camp
too in as unfavorable a place as any IN the
command Others more favorably situated have
ten times that number on the sick list. one
of the regiments Of the last call. not yet re-
moved from its State. sends bitter complaints
Of typhoid fever.
SUPPLIES FOR SANTIAGO.
Concerning the Santiago campaign. when
the ships left Tampa they had on board three
months provisions and an abundance Of hospi-
tai supplies. They had lighters to unload with
at point Of debarkation. These lighters were
lost ia severe storm the way. AS soon as
we were notified Of the fact two lows OF lighters
were sent from Mobile and New-Orleans. which
werc also overtaken by storm and lost. Inc
Navy supplied US with lighters. and one OF
these was wrecked. The Army dsembarked;
getting off a portion Of its supplies and medical
stores and Immediately marched TO the 'front.'
TO fight the Spaniards The great difficulty OF
landing supplies subsequently was that the wind
sprang up every morning at ~ o'clock ana
made a high surf. rendering almost impossi bic
the use Of small boats. with one lighter when
was all they had left for this purpose or the
packers who were employed. 60 per cent soon
Gelf sick and, heavy rains falling every day, the
roads Of they could be called such) became I'M
passable for vehicles; pack animals had TO be
employed to carry food TO the Army, which.
\ being extended 10 the right around Santiago.
} increased the distance from the coast every day
and made the task more difficult.
However, the result and the subsequent SICK.
ness that has broken out in the Army showed
the great wisdom of General Shafter in moving
forward TO make the attack while his men were
In vigor Ii was movement bordering on au-
dacty, but II succeeded and the persistence
Of the attack l have no doubt. greatly dis
heartened the Spaniards. The result was one
OF the greatest victories. for the men engaged.
of modern warfare. The number OF prisoners
taken exceeded the attacking force by nearly
two to one. When yellow fever broke out and
the fever list increased into the thousands It
was for time supposed that It was principally
yellow fever. The bringing Of troops North at
once after the surrender. under such conditions
would have been certain death to a vast num-
ber but. upon inquiry. 1t was ascertaned that
very few Of these cases comparatively were yell
low fever, when II was at once decided TO bring
the Army home as speedily as possible. Every
thing that human ingenuity could devise has
been done TO succor that Army-not the In
genuity Of the Secretary OF War, but the result
Of the combined counsel OF those who have had
lifelong experience in the field. That some
men have been neglected on transports coming
home there is no doubt-all against positive or
ders. due perhaps TO carelessness and negli-
gence. but largely on account Of not having the
sick) from the camp at Santiago. Many medical
officers sent with transports were taken Ill on
the way home.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
To give you q little idea of the work that
has been done. append the following:
The work Of the AdJutant-Generars Depart
ment has been TO muster and order TO their
station Ito be precise) 2164OO volunteers and
2490O for the Regular Army This with re-
duced force. as many staff officers from all OF
the departments had been promoted ana ordered
20 the field.
The Chief Engineer reports expenditure
of IS $50 600 for harbor defences. building en-
placements Of heavy guns. mortar batteries and
mines.
The surgeon-General has had the enormous
work Of fitting up hospitals. organizing the
medical corps. employing male and female
nurses, contract surgeons (being surgeons who
are employed from civil life), besides those com
missioned as CORPS division and brigade sur
geons furnishing medical supplies and answer
ing the demands from all over the country and
from camps at Santiago Porto Rico and Manila
The work done in this line Is almost beyond
comprehension.
TIE Commissary General had purchased and
distributed UP 10 August 11O,0OI.Z3o pounds
Of rations which have been transported and
distributed to all armies in the field here and
at Santiago Porto Rico and Manila. besides the
1ar1e quantity distributed among the destitute