Evening star., 1898-08-09
CAMP TARANT TULA
Where the District Troops We're Sta
toned Near Santiago.
SOME CAUSES OF MALhRIAL FEVER
Captain Mosher's Promotion Re-
ceived With Satisfaction.
H o P E TO G CT A W AY
rom a Staff Correspondent.
In Camp on Tarantula Hill,
Near Santiago, July q, 1898.

Near Santiago. July q, 1898.
The District troops had their somewhat
dropping spirits raised today by the posi-
tive assurance that they are soon to re-
turn to the states. They had hoped to go
to Porto Rico. and when the prospect for
that assignment passed away the men be-
gan to show the effect of the roughing it
and exposure through which they had
passed. AS long as there was active duty
in sight, no matter how arduous or what
the danger involved, they held up wonder
fully. No regiment in the brigade made
such a fiattering showing on it's sick re-
port.
With the monotonous routine of a crowd
ed camp and the possibility of garrison
duty here in Cuba, came depression of
spirits which has eliminated in a great deal
of sickness. There were 173 men on the
sick report this morning, twice as many
as yesterday and five times as many as the
day before. The surgeons pronounce it a
form of malaria peculiar to this lati-
tude aggravated, perhaps, by phase
of camp fever. Fortunately, however, the
epidemic, for 1t has really assumed that
form, has so far proved very mild, and two
or three days of treatment usually restores
the patient to duty This epidemic is going
through the entire army, and so far our
men have been the lightest sufferers. The
9th Massachusetts, camped on our right
has half of its men on the sick list, and
the 1st Illinois, also in the same brigade
with the District men, are little better off
than their Massachusetts comrades.
1t is really distre ssng to see the poor
fellows under this new affiiction. 1t comes
on them suddenly, frequently causing them
TO drop down in their tracks, as if hit by
a bullet. 1t is frequently accompanied by
delirium. and it is no uncommon thing to
hear the men crying out in the night In
their fevered condition. All this naturally
tends to try the courage and depress the
spirits of those who are well, and naturally
causes the disease to gather momentum
fl ON the effect it produces. Surgeons Pyles
and Cox are untiring in their efforts to re-
lieve the suffering of the sick, and the Of
ficers of the regiment are doing good work
among their men in the way of offering
kind words of advice and encouragement
and seeing to it that they do not neglect
any possible precautions to preserve their
health. Sleeping on the ground and expos
ure to the hot sun seem to be the causes
most conducive to the spread of the trouble.
Handicapped by Orders.
One trouble that we meet with here is
the enforcement of orders from high
sources of authority restricting the action
of regimental commanders In the manage
ment of their camps. These orders usually
emanate from some wiseacres who know
all about Cuba theoretically, of course, and
who get the ear of authority at Washing
ton, and this advice ultimately results in
the issuance-of orders here which handi-
cap the officers in immediate command l
should like to have about ten minutes
earnest, vigorous conversation with some
or these knowit-alls' who have been so
generous in the matter of advice In the
first place their advice is based on expe-
rlence gained in the cities. They know
about as much of the conditions confront
ing men in the field, conducting an offensive
campaign In this country as an army
teamster does of the Decalogue. They in
sisted that the men must not sleep on the
ground or they would die, yet they offered
no practical suggestion as to the way men
on forced marches could overcome the
force OF gravity and by a simple act of the
VIII suspend themselves in midair 1t NAV
be that these savants are under the i'm,
presslon that charging columns are accom-
panied by large wagon trains bearing
spring mattresses and high bedsteads
Iheh, the men must under no circum-
stances get their feet wet. Great heavens,
no" should have enjoyed having had
just one well-preserved wiseacre along
when the District troops marched from
Slboney to San Juan hill, fording five
streams on the way, some of them roaring
torrents up to mans waist and a good
part OF the journey made in a drenching
RAIN Inc experience would no doubt have
washed out some of the dusty cobwebs in
a badly geared-up headpiece of the wjse
acre
worst or all was their advice about the
proper kind of food to eat. Soldiers mnst
not eat strong food" they said, and thew
raised great hue and cry about the hard
tack and sow belly furnished the men
III the neid. NOW, the fact is, the man VINO
Is making forced marches, digging trenches
ana performing the many arduous duties or
soidler under this tropical summer sDp
neeus strong food. 1t was most fortunate
'he authorities did not heed this advice
ana attempt to substitute a light diet for
the regular army ration
FOR the man of leisure who spends most
OF MS time indoors, ard only ventures forth
i"te III the afternoon, no doubt this was
good advice. The lighter his diet here the
better. just as the same rule would annIv
In Washington city. Experience has shown
however, that the soldier who ate heartily
OF government rations; drank moderately
OF stimulants, ii he had been accustomed
tn drinking chew ed and smoked lust as be
always had been used to do; used ordinary
common sense about taking care of him
self, and, above ALL did not worry about
Els inability to follow the impossible adj
wee or the wiseacre-this man stood the
cempaign infinitely better than the poor
Fellow who attempted to follow a lot of
senseless, trpracticable rules
Now after the active part of the cam
paign is over we see the effect of the WISE
acres advice in the enforced inactivity of
the men. They are not allowed to leave
their camps to rove about over the country
In the sun. when that Is the very thing
trey need to get necessary exer-
else and divert their minds. They
must not battle In the heat Of
the day. but after sundown. when the men
have just partaken Of a hearty meal. Such
CONTINUED on sThird Pagel