Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-10-08
aNistellanepus &eadil1g.
JOE WHEELER'S TESTIMONY.
The Veteran Commander Is Soldier; Not
a Milksap.


The Veteran Commander Is Soldier; Not
a Milksap.
The war investigating commission
began taking testimony last Tuesday
and Major General Joseph Wheeler
was on the stand the greater part Of
the day. There was full attendance
of the commission, and the doors Of
the room in which the inquiry is con-
Quoted were for the first time opened
to the representatives of the press.
General Wheeler's testimony covered
the case of the soldiers at the two i'm.
portant points of Santiago and Wikof
He said, with reference to the conduct
of affairs at Santiago, that there had
necessarily been some suffering in the
trenches; but that General Shafter had
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, and the roads were
very fair. He revealed for the first
time that he had had some feeling over
the fact that his command had been
given the fourth place in General Shat,
ter's order for the landing at Santiago,
when he had thought he was entitled
to be allowed to land first on account
of his rank.
Discussing the plan of the Santiago
campaign, he said he doubted whether
a more effective plan could have been
adopted.
Speaking of the medical department
he said that at times there were com
plants; but that they were not seri-
Gus. On occasions there was shortage
of surgeons, some of the surgeons be-
ing sick or wounded.
According to General Wheeler's be-
lief, the wounded in battle were
promptly cared for by the surgeons.
After the fight of July 1st, all the
wounded were carried from the field
that night. The witness had heard
that there was more complaint OF
shortage of medicine among the infan-
try than in the cavalry arm of the
service.
Going back to Tampa, he said that
at the season he was there, the first
half of June, the site was without
objection, but he felt that it would be
wet later in the season.
"There was" he said, cat times
some shortage of supplies at the camp
but nothing" he added, that soldier
could complain Of"
General Wheeler said he had mo
control over any of the supplies which
were taken to Santiago on the trans
ports when he left Tampa. This was
attended to by the different staff Off
GERS. He only knew from conversa-
ton with these that there was an
abundance of the supplies of all
character.
Returning To the Santiago campaign,
he said that only two regiments had
reported shortage of rations, and he
had Immediately telephoned to the
rear and the shortage, which was due
to accident, had been adjusted. There
wes suffering when the men were com
PEELED to lie on the breastworks. The
meat was poor, and they had no bread
but hardtack. They were forced TO lie
in the sun and water alternately, and
necessarily there was much sickness.
While they had the full quota of doc.
tors and nurses, he thought that If
more had been furnished the men
would have been better cared for. AS
for rations, three days supplies were
generally issued. Whenever the troops
went into action they would throw
their food away as we'll as their packs,
and they often did not recover them
In reply to questions, he stated he
never had heard of any shortage OF
commissary or ordnance supplies at
Santiago, but he had been told that
the medical supplies were short, yet
he had no personal knowledge on this
point. He had seen some wounded
men crawling to the rear in the en-
gagement, but as rule, after man
fell in battle, he was carried to the
hospital by the medical corps.
He said that as rule the quality OF
the hardtack was good. Where there
was any deterioration it was due to
local rains and not to the fact OF orig
inal inferiorty.
The spirit of the army was such, he
said, that there was no disposition to
complain. They were all proud to
be there and willing to undergo the
nardships.
Replying to a question from Colonel
DENLY, General Wheeler said that the
regulars had shown greater ability
to take care of themselves than the
volunteers.
Captain Howell asked to what he
attributed the development of disease
after the capitulation of Santiago, and
General Wheeler replied that it was
due to the climate and to the ex-
posure made necessary. He had, ne
said, known of no instance of sick
or wounded man dying from want OF
care from the physicians. So far as he
knew there was general commenda-
10, of tho n,adiool nnrnS eXceDt that