Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-08-26

Washington, Aug. 22.-Cnder cover OF ,
letter to c. NJ. Depew, ostensibly in |
answer to a request for information as !
TO the responsibility for the conditions ,
that hindered the work of the invaders !
of Santiago, Secretary Alger answers |
the charge of incompetency preferred |
against himself and others in connection
with the prosecution of the war. The
defense reads as follows:
My dear Mr.. Depew-The great pres
sure of business has up to now prevented
me from sending to you the statement
you were kind enough to ask for as to
what had been accomplished in the way
OF Quitting the army for the field. the
conduct of campaign, etc. Also the
chiefs of divisions have been too much
driven with work to compile the data
required. One not in the midst of the
work can hardly realize what an under
taking it is to call 125 600 men into the
field at one time, coming from all the
states, and to have them mustered and
gathered in camps on so short notice;
and this too when we had scarce any
camp outfit for their accommodation
all having to be provided for by the war
department.
As you know, when war was declared
there was no equipment whatever for
the volunteers in store. That this was
successfully accomplished with very few
accidents is a matter of record. Sub
sequent calls, including the regular
army (Which numbered about 270OO
men when war was declared) made a
total of 26S, 500 men. To accomplish all
in so short a time has been a great work
OF course gathering this vast number of
Itt. in n 10
unframed regimental and company com
manders-I mean in actual field duty
the lack of knowledge as to sanitary
conditions to be observed. the careless
ness in not observing instructions which
We're furnished as to proper care of the
men, has added greatly to the work of
the medical department. Thus in the
homes of 216,00O volunteers has been
constant and great anxiety as to what
might happen to their soldiers, and nun
dreds of inquiries made by letters ana
kilograms have been received every day
concerning Individual soldiers The feel
ing on the part of these Individuals that
the war department is responsible for
the care Of their men Individually has
naturally aroused sympathy in case of
sickness and death, and has created
much sorrow.
Orders ON sanitation.
There is nothing young men in ro-
bust health are as prodigal of as their
health, until it is gone. Men go into
camp. feeling that they can stand any
thing and everything, and cannot b.,
made to believe to the contrary until
stricken with disease. Every effort
has been made from the beginning 70
furnish every camp with all appliances
asked for, but of course the command
ing officers in the field are the ones who
have the direct charge of these men.
For instance, one army corps COM
mander has given orders and enforces
them respecting sanitary affairs, and
he has today 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
spread, and spread to considerable
extent. One regiment in the Chick
amauga camp has a colonel who en-
forces sanitary rules in his regiment,
obliging the men to boil all the water
they drink, keeping the camp cleanly
and the result-less than % sick, and his
camp, too, in as unfavorable a place
as any in the command. Others more
favorably situated have 10 times that
number on the sick lists. One of the
regiments of the last call not yet re-
moved from it's state sends bitter COM
plants of typhoid fever.
The Santiago Campaign.
Concerning the Santiago campaign
When the ships left Tampa, they had OF
board three months provisions and ar
abundance of hospital supplies. They
had lighters sent to unload with at poin
of debarkation, These lighters were
lost in severe storms on the way. AZ
soon as we were notified of the fac
two lows of lighters were sent from
Mobile and New orleans, which Wer'
also overtaken by storm and lost TIT
navy supplied US with lighters, ana ON
Of these was wrecked. The army DIS
embarked, getting off a portion OF IL
supplies and medical stores ana I'M
mediately marched to the front To hgh
the Standards The great dithcult,
of landing supplies subsequently wa
that the wind sprang up every mornln
at 10 o'clock and made a high surf rem
dering almost impossible the use o
small boats with one lighter which wa
all they had left for this purpose q
the hackers who were employed, GO per
cent soon fell sick and heavy rains ran
ing every day the roads or they coul
be called such) became impossible 70
vehicles Pack animals had to DE en-
ployed to carry food to the army which
being extended to the right around san
tiago. increased the distance from IN
coast every day and made the task NOR
difficult. -. 49,. Tho s,,he
uuent sickness that has broken out
the army showed the great wisdom
General Shafter in moving forward
make the attack while his men were
vigor. 1t was a movement borderi
on audacty but it succeeded ana u
persistence of the attack, nave
doubt, greatly disheartened the spa
iards. The result was one OF the grea
est victories for the men engaged
modern warfare. The number OF pr
oners taken exceeded the attack'l
force by nearly two to one.
When yellow fever broke out anu
fever list increased into the thousand
1t was for a time supposed that II W
principally yellow fever. The prlhel
of troops north at once after the 81
render, under such conditions "ou
have been certain death to a vast hul
Der, but upon inquiry it was ascertain