The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-22

which was written in reply to a request
for information on the subjects referred
to, is as follows:
War Department,
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 1898.
Ny Dear Mr. Depew.-The great pres
sure of business has up to now prevent
ed me from sending to you the state
ment you were kind enough to ask for,
as to what had been accomplished In the
way Of outfttlng the army for the field.
the conduct Of campaign. etc. Also. the
chiefs Of dlvisions have been too much
driven with work to compile the data re-
quired. One not in the midst Of the work
can hardly realize what an Undertaking
It is to call $4,000 men into the field at
one time, coming from all the states,
and to have them mustered and gather
ed in camps on SO short notice, and this
too, when we had scarcely any camp OUT
fit for their accommodation, all having
TO be provided for by the war depart
ment. As you know, when war was de-
clared there was no equipment what
ever for the volunteers In store. That
this was successfully accomplished with
very few accidents, is a matter of re-
cord. Subsequent calls, including the
regular army (Which numbered $1,000
men when war was Geclared) made n
total of 2ss,5OO men. To accomplish all
in so short time has been great work
OF course gathering this vast number
OF men together In a large measure un-
der unframed regimental and company
commanders mean in actual field
duty-the lack OF knowledge as to sani-
tary conditions to be observed. the care
lessness In not observing instructions
which were furnished as 70 the proper
care Of the men has added greatly to the
work Of the medical department. Thus
in the homes of 10000 volunteers there
mas been constant and great anxiety as to
what might happen to their soldiers. and
hundreds of inquiries made by letters
and kilograms have been received every
day concerning individual soldiers.
ProdigaI oEThsIr Health,
The feeling on the part Of these indi-
vlduals that the war department Is re-
sponslble for the care OF their men in
divldually has naturally aroused sym
pathy In case OF sickness and death. and
has created much sorrow. There is
nothing that young men, who are in ro-
Dust health, ,are go prodigal OF as their
health, until 1t is gone. Men go into
camp feeling that they can stand any
thing and everything, and cannot be
made believe to the contrary until
stricken with disease. Every effort has
been made from the beginninSto furnish
every camp every appliance asked for.
but Of course the commanding officers in
the fieid are the ones VINO have the di-
rect charge Of these men. For instance.
one army corps commander has given
orders and enforces chem, respecting
sanitary affairs, and he has to-day but
a fraction over per cent on the sick
list. Others have been less successful
and the consequence Is typhoid and
other fevers have been bred and spread
to a considerable extent.
One regiment in the chlciamauga
camp mas q colonel who enforces sani-
tnry rules in his regiment, obliging the
men TO boil all the water they drink,
keeping the camp cleanly and the result
is less than twenty-five sick and his
camp TOOLS in as bad place as any in
tho command. Others more favorably
situated have ten times that number
on the sick list. One Of the regiments OF
the last call, not yet removed from Its
state, sends bitter complaints of typhoid
fever.
Concerning the Santiago campaign,
when the ships left Tampa they had on
board three months provisions and an
abundance of hospital supplies. They
had lighters to unload with ut the point
Of debarkation. These lighters were lost
in severe storms on the way. AS soon
as we were notified OF the fact. two tows
of lighters were sent from Mobile and
New Orleans, which were also over
taken by storm and lost. The navy sup
piled us with lighters and one OF these
was wrecked. The army discmbarked,
getting OF portion of Its supplies and
medical stores and Immediately march,
ed to the front to tight the spanIards.
DIHiCuIiy In Landing SuPPliOS.
The great difficulty of landing supplies
subsequently was the wind
which sprang up every morn
ing at 10 o'clock and made u
high surf, rendering almost impossible
the use of small boats and one lighter,
which was ali they had left for this pur-
pose.
OF the packers who were employed, 60
per cent soon fell sick. and heavy rains
failing every day the roads tIt they
could be called such) became impnss-
able for vehicles. aud pack animals had
To be employed to carry food to the
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