The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-22
ALGtR IN EXPLANATION
Tells Depew About the Manage
ment of the Department.
HE is NOT RESPONSIBLE
Proper Instructions Were Given, but the
Orders Were Not Properly Car
RED Out-An Immense Work
Accomplished.

-"
rotary OF war and has consented to its
publication. The letter. which was
written In reply 70 a request for infor-
nation on the subject referred 10, Is as
follows:
MY Dear Mr.. Depew-The great
pressure OF business has prevented me
sending 10 you the statement you were
kind enough 10 ask for as 20 what has
been accomplished in the way OF out
fitting the army for the field. conduct
OF the campaign. etc. Also the chiefs
of divisions have been too much driven
with work TO compile the data request
Cd. One not In the midst Of the work
can hardly realize what an undertake
ing Il is TO call 125. 900 men into the field
at one time, coming from all the states,
and 70 have them mustered and gath
cred IN camps on so short notice, and
this, too. when we had scarcely any
camp OUTFIT for their accommodation,
all having TO be provided for by the
war department, as you know, when
war was declared there was no equip
ment whatever for the volunteers I'm
store. That his was successfully ac-
complished with very few accidents, is
a matter of record.
Subsequent calls, including the reg
dAoA a "a 80
900 men when war was declared) made
a total OF 26s,5 600 men. To accomplish
al IN so short a time has been a great
work OF course. gathering this vast
number Of men together, in a large
easur under unframed regimental
and company oo~mmanders-l mean in
actual field duty-the lack of knowledge
a TO the sanitary conditions to be OBJ
served. the carelessness in not observ-
ing Instructions which were furnished
as to the proper use OF them, added
greatly 10 the work OF the medical de-
partment h from the homes OF 2l6,-
900 volunteers has constant great INK
iety been felt as 10 what might happen
TO their soldiers, and hundreds Of In
ouiries made by letters and kilograms
have been received every day concern
ing individual soldiers The feeling
upon the part OF these people that the
war department is responsible for the
care OF them individually has natural
ly aroused sympathy In case of sickness
and death and created much sorrow.
There is nothing young men in robust
health are so ~prodigal of as their
health, until 1t Is gone. Men go into
camp feeling that they can stand ny
thing and everything and cannot be
made to believe TO the contrary until
stricken with disease. Every effort has
been made from the beginning to fur
nlsh every amp with all appliances
asked for, but of course the command
ing officers in the field are the ones who
have been in charge Of these men. For
instance. one army corps commander
has division orders and enfurces them
respecting sanitary affairs, and he has
to-day but a fraction oven 2 per cent.
of sick. Others have not been success
full and the consequence Is that Uphold
and other fever have bred and spread
10 a considerable extent. One regiment
in the ~Chickamauga camp has a colo
mel who enforces sanitary rules In his
regiment, requiring all men to boil all
water they drink, keeping the camp
cleanly, and the result Is that there
are less than Is sick, and the camp, too,
Is in as unfavorable a location as any
IN the command. Others more favora-
bly, situated have ten times that num-
Der on the sick list. one OF the rcgI-
ments OF the call, not yet removed from
its state, sends bitter complaints of ty-
phofd fever.
Concerning the Santiago campaign.
when the ships left Tampa they had
on board only three months provisions
and an abundance OF hospital supplies.
They had lighters TO unload at a point
of d~ebarkation. These lighters were
lost in severe storms on the way. As
soon as We were notified of the fact
tows OF lighters were sent from Mobile
and New Orleans, which were also over
taken and lost by storms. The navy up
piled US with lighters and one of these
was wrecked. The army d~isembarked.
getting of a portion OF its supplies and
medical stores. n Immediately
marched TO the front to fight the Span
iards. The great difficulty OF landing
supplies subsequently was that the
wind sprang up every morning at 10
O'Clock and made a high surf, render
ing almost impossible the use Of small
boats with n lighter, which was all
they had left for the purpose. OF the
packers who were employed. 60 or more
tell sick and heavy rains falling every
DAY. the roads Of they could b. called
such) became impossible for vehicles.
Pack animals had to be employed to
carry food to the army, which being eN-
tended to the right around Santiago.
Increased the distance from the coast
every day. and made the ask more
ulfhcult However, the result and rub
sequent sickness that has broken out
In the army showed tine great wisdom
OF General Shafter in moving forward
10 make an attack while his men were
IN Vigor. II was a movement bordering
On audacity, but II succeeded and the
persistence of the attack. | have no
doubt, greatly disheartened the Span
adiuH- me tehult was one or the great
est victories for the men engaged Of
modern warfare. The number OF pris-
oners taken exceeded the attacking
force by nearly two TO one.
"When yellow fever broke out and
the fever list increased into the thous-
ands, II was for a time supposed that fl
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
number. but upon inquiry IL was as
certained that a very few Of these cases
comparatively We're yellow fever. when
IL was at once decided 10 bring the men
home as speedily as possible. Every
Trims that human ingenuity could de-
wise has been lone 10 succur the army.
not the ingenuity Of the secretary OF
war. but the result Of the combined
counsel Of those who have had a life
long experience In the field. Some men
have been neglected on COM
inc hAHa - -