The record-union., 1898-10-05

Of.v
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4-The War
Investigating Commission began the
taking of testimony to-day and Major
General Joseph Wheeler was on the
stand the greater part of the day. There
was a full attendance of the commlS-
sion and the doors of the rooms IN
which the inquiry was conducted, were
for the first time open to the represen-
tatives 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 conduct
of affairs at Santiago, that there had
necessarily been suffering in the
trenches, but that General Shafter mad
exercised the utmost efforts to protect
his men. There had been, he said. a
shortage of land transportation facili-
ties for a time and there had been no
tents for a week The roads were very
fair.
The General contended that Wikoff
was a model camp, the climate salu-
briouS and the accommodations quite
exceptional in character. He cons1d-
cred the hospital capacity equal to the
demands upon it, and that no military
camp in history was ever so we'll sup
piled in all respects as was this. Red
tape methods were entirely abolished
and the demands of the men were met
as soon as they were properly voiced.
Chairman Dodge stated to him the
scope of the commissions duties and
asked General Wheeler whether he had
any objections to being sworn. He re
piled that he had none and Major Mills,
Recorder for the commission, admins
tered the oath.
Ex-Governor Beaver conducted the
examination, developing the essential
facts as to General Wheeler's rank and
his command General Wheeler stat
ed that he left Tampa for Cuba on the
14th of June, but that he had no knowl-
edge of the plan of campaign before
going aboard the transport. He then
told of the voyage.
On June Dist General Shafter ordered
him to disembark the next day, which
he did with a portion of his command.
He rode into the country four miles
that day and the next day moved his
troops to Jaguaracita. He then began
his reconnoitering, arranging with
General Castillo of the Cuban army, to
send Cuban troops with his men for
the reconnoiter but, unfortunately, the
Cubans did not keep the engagement.
He told of the first battle at La
Quasina, stopping to compliment spe-
cially the regular troops and also 10
speak of their excellent firing.
They soon learned to mistrust the re-
ports and estimates of the Spaniards.
- General Wheeler had not been able on
his own account to secure any accur-
ate estimate of the Spanish loss dur
ing the American approach upon San
tiago.
Speaking Of the proceedings after the
first battles, he explained that he had
been reported sick and there were some
movements just prior to the battle at
FL Caney with which he was not ia
miliar.
Il was not sick" he said But I
had been on the Doth and Both. Still
1 had not gone on the sick list 1 had a
fever, but l appreciated the situation,
took medicine and came out all right" "
He was in the battle OF FL Caney and
expressed the opinion that more men
had been killed in the formation OF the
line than afterwards. He told of the
necessity for wading the San Juan Riv-
er, saying that the water was about
waist deep.
II ought 10 say" said the General,
in the course of his testimony. that it
was magnificent to see officers of high
rank go ashore with their packs on
their backs, accepting all The fortunes
of war with their men. They slept on
2 ha q
us were mounted and we were without
tents for seven days"
Speaking of the character of the
roads from the coast to the points oc-
cupied by the Americans he said that
with such attention as they were able
to give to them, they were very good.
The rains had not been severe up to
that time. The roads were narrow. but
equal to the demands. The supplies
he considered sufficient, except in a
few instances, and in those instances
the deficiency was only temporary.
General Shafter," he said, deserves
great credit for the zeal he displayed
in this respect. He devoted himself to
this task and l think there is no doubt
that he succeeded. We used pack
trains and there was comparatively lit
tie suffering because of the shortness
of quartermasters supplies
General Wheeler said in response to
question that Cervera's fleet was the
objective point of the campaign. This
was no reason why the Spanish troops
should not have made a sortie from
Santiago and he had asked General
Toral after the surrender why he had
not attacked. The latter replied that
the failure 10 do so was because his
men We're footsore Yet, General
Wheeler could not accept this explana-
tion, for the Spanish soldiers were not
footsore. General Wheeler's opinion
was that the Spanish commander was
not able to face the Americans in the
open.
Discussing the plan of campaign he
said he doubted whether any more eff
fective plan could have been adopted.
Speaking of the medical department he
said that at times there were COM
plants, but that they We're not serious.