Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-04

arranged with General Castillo Of the Gu
ban army to furnish Cuban soldiers. but
the Cubans did not turn up as arranged.
The first engagement at La Guasima he
spoke of In a complimentary way. especially
in his references to the regulars. He spoke
of their early firing. The Spaniards at first
boasted that they would drive the Ameri-
can pigs into the sea, but they Were dis
couraged by the bravery of the Americans
and their excellent firing.
OF his own knowledge General Wheeler
knew nothing accurate about the losses of
the Spaniards.
AT I'll Caney, he said. there were more
Americans killed while forming the line of
battle than after the tight began. The
Spaniards knew that the Americans would
have to come over the road they used, and
opened heavy fire upon them He said al
Ell Caney he had advised, after conference
with others, that no retreat be made. as
there was large hill between his COM
mand and other American troops. and he
feared the whole Spanish force would be
thrown on them.
Good Example Of High Officers.
II ought to say it was magnificent OF see
officers of high rank said Gen. Wheeler,
going ashore with packs on their backs
and sharing the harGships of the men. 1t
had a good effect on the men. None of us
had tents for seven days"
He spoke of his command getting in
trenched mile and three-1uarters from
Santiago.
Asked the character of roads which his
command passed over from time to time,
he said after the work that was done on
them they were very good roads. Up to
the time his command got before Santiago
the rains had not made the road bad.
No General Shortage of Supplies.
He said there was no shortage of ord
nance and commissary supplies.
Certainly not OF ordnance" he said
n Far nf eiT
planning of shortage of rations, but that
condition was only temporary
Gen. Shafter Praised.
He said that Gen. Shafter deserved great
credit for the way he kept the army sup
piled He said he seemed to realize the
great Importance of that matter and his ef-
forts were to keep at least three days ra-
ticns with the troops, and he did keep two
days rationS there
Gen " heeIer said that il would have been
a good plan to follow the line of the bay,
but he did not think it was better than
what was pursued. This was in reply TO a
question by eX-Gov. Beaver.
BY placing their guns on the adjacent
hills the Americans could have knocked
the Spaniards to pieces. In MORO Castle
the guns were not mounted. though the
Spaniards had guns I'm breastworks. The
railroad was not fitted for transportation OF
heavy guns, but they could have made II
so.
General Wheeler said he had advised
against any retreat across the San Juan
after they had secured their position IL
front of Santiago.
The Medical Department.
Asked what the condition of the medical
department at the front was, he said there
was at times some complaint but II was
not so serious. Some were killed or were
sick or wounded. There was not as much
complaint in cavalry organizations as he
heard among other troops. Probably, he
said. they had better supply.
Ex-Governor Beaver-'Were the wounded
promptly taken care of?'
General Wheeler said he thought they
were. The number of men burylng the
dead and carrying off the wounded before
Santiago weakened their line.
The camp conveniences, while the troops
were there, just at that time were favor
able, but they feared they might not con-
tinue so.
Conditions of Tampa.
The selection of Tampa was not because
of the Santiago campaign. The campaign
at Santiago was an afterthought, being
brought about by the conditions existing
there.
The largest number of troops in Tampa
he thought, was about $1,000 or 1900. He
did not think he had seen any accurate
report about that. The troops at Tampa
were well supplied with comnissary stores
The water supply at Tampa, he said, was
good The facilities for taking care of
men from medical standpoint. he said,
were good. He had gone into the hospital
tents and he thought the sick were being
We'll taken care of. At that time there
were few sick of either volunteers or req
ulars. There were but few Sick ana they
were well cared for.
Gen. Wheeler said he had no direct con-
troll of the supplies that went with him
to Santiago. He had no knowledge how he
was TO be supplied when reaching his des-
tinetion except upon talking TO stnf on
cars. He knew there was an ab,r,danos =.
supplies on the transports