Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-08-26
SECRETARY ALGER'S REPLY
Head of War Department to Critics.
DissvOws Responsibility for the Awful Conditions Which
Existed

Is no doubt-all against positive orders
due perhaps to carelessness and
negligence, but largely on account of
not having the medical force to spare
(many of whom were sck) from the
camp at Santiago. Many medical Off.
GERS sent with the transports were taken
Ill on the way home.
Work That Was Done.
To give you little idea of the work
that has been done, append the follow
ing: The work of the adjutant gen
erals department has been to muster
and order to their station, to be precise,
216,400 volunteers and 24.9OO for. the
regular army-this with a reduced force,
as many staff officers from all of the de-
partments had been promoted and or
dered to the field.
The chief of engineers reports an ex
penditure of S5.030,000 for harbor de-
lenses, building emplacements of heavy
guns, mortar batteries and mines.
The surgeon general has had the en-
ormous work o. fitting up hospitals or
eanizing the medical corps, employing
male and female nurses, contract sur.
geons. being surgeons who are employed
from civil life. besides those commits
stoned as corps, division and brigade
surgeons; furnishing medical supplies
and answering the demands from all
over the country and from camps at
Santiago, Porto Rico and Manila. The
work done in this line is almost beyond
comprehension.
The commissary general had pur-
chased and distributed up to Aug. no.
90I, 235 pounds of rations, which have
been TRANSPORTED and distributed to all
armies in the field here and at Santiago.
Porto Rico and Manila besides the large
quantity distributed among the des1-
tute Cubans.
The quartermaster generals report Is
too long to even give an approximate
idea of his work In the way of trans
portation to Honolulu, Manila, Santiago
and Porto Rico, and return home. there
have been sent 50, 63S men, with artillery
equipment and supplies. BY rail in
this country there have been trans
ported 900 officers. 233 g62 enlisted mon
also 405S2 animals, besides thousands
of wagons. artillery and other quarter
master. commissary, ordnance, medical
and signal service stores. The total
number Of articles of clothing and camI
equipment distributed to the army by
the quartermasters department has
been G.274,4SS. of which l can only men
| ton a few articles as follows: Blankets
2SS.739; blouses, 2S3.762; trousers. 4o6.
423 hats, 934, 1O6; canvas field uniforms
49, POO; shoes (pairsl. 511,37S; undershirts
| 1876. 500; tents 179,142. The total weight
of food and forage distributed daily t
| the army is approximately 900 tons.
Added to this is the large fleet of trans
| ports chartered and purchased, the man
! agement of the same in conveying troops
| supplies and ammunition. The pay
master has promptly paid the army ant
| is deserving of very great credit for hi.
work. The signal corps has provide
most efficient service, furnishing cable
telegraph. telephone and signal ser
vices To the different commands in tn,
| fields.
If you had day or two to spare
would like to sandwich a little worl
for you. | would like to send you thes
statements in detail which think woul,
bewilder you if anything can.
Sincerely yours.
r. A. Alger.