The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-05

Sick Men Would Mean Copy of
the Roster of Every Company In
Wood Says the Army Must BE
Moved or 1t VIII BE Unable to
Move Itself - AIger-ROOsevelt
correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4-Col. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, of the Rough Riders,
has succeeded in hurrying the move
ments of the war department in fetch
ing Shafter's army away from Santi
ago, though in his disregard Of the con-
ventionalities. he has drawn upon his
head a rather sharp rebuke from the
secretary of war, who evidently re-
CARDS the course pursued by Col Roose-
welt as being calculated to injure dis
cipline though inspired by the most
worthy motives. Following is a copy
of the letter from Col. Roosevelt to
Gen. Shafter, which makes the gravity
of the situation clear:
MAI Gen. Shafter-Sir: In meeting Of
the general and medical officers called by
you at the palace this morning, were all,
as you know unanimous in view of what
should be done with the army. To keep US
here in the opinion Of every officer COM
manding a division brigade will simply
involve the destruction of thousands There
Is no possible reason for not shipping prac
tically the entire command north. Yet fever
cases are very few in the cavalry division,
where I command one Of the two brgades,
and not one true case Of yellow fever has
occurred in this division. except among the
men sent to the hospital at Siboney, where
they have, I believe contracted it. But in
this division there have been 1,500 cases of
malarial fever. Not man has died from It,
but the whole command is so weakened and
shattered as to be ripe for dying like rotten
sheep when a real yellow fever epidemic
instead OF fake epidemic like the present
strikes US, as 1t is bound to do If We stay
here ct the height Of the sickness season,
August and the beginning of September.
Quarantine against malarial fever is much
like quarantining against toothache. All of
US are certain that as soon as the authori-
ties fully appreciate the condition of the
army we will be sent home. If we are kept
here 1t will. in all human possibility, mean
an appalling disaster, for the surgeons here
estimate that over half the army II kept
here during the sickly season, will die. This
Is not only terrible from the standpoint of
the individual lives lost, but it means ruin
from the standpoint of the military efficiency
of the flower of the American army, for the
great bulk of the regulars are here with you.
1.-The sick list large though 1t is, exceed
ing 4,OOO affords but faint index of the de-
bilitation of the army. Not 10 per cent are
fit for active work. Six weeks on the North
Maine coast, for instance, or elsewhere, where
the yellow fever germ cannot possibly propa-
gate would make all fit as fighting cocks
able as we are eager, to take a leading part
IL, H. 4,
the fall. even If we are not allowed to try
Porto Rico.
I'VE can be moved north, II moved at once,
with absolute safety to the country although,
of course, 1t would have been infinitely better
If we had been moved north or to Porto Rico
two weeks ago. If there any object
in keeping US here, we would face yellow
fever with much Indifference faced
bullets, but there Is no object in 1t. The
four immune regiments ordered here are suf-
fcient to garrison the city and surrounding
towns, and there is absolutely nothing for
us to do here, and there has not been since
the city surrendered. 1t is impossible to
move into the interior. Every shifting of
camp doubles the sick rate in our present
weakened condition, and anyhow, the interior
is rather worse than the coast, l have
found by actual reconnaissance. Our pres
ent camps are as healthy as any camps at
this end of the island can be.
Il write only because I cannot see our
men who have fought so bravely, and who
have endured extreme hardships and danger
go uncomplainingly go to destruction without
striving so far as lies in me to avert doom
fearful as it is unnecessary and unde-
served. Yours respectfully,
Theodore Roosevelt
Colonel Commanding First Brigade"
ALL OFFICERS AGREED.
After Col. Roosevelt had taken the
initiative, all the American general Of
ficers united in round-robin address,
ed to Gen. Shafter. 1t reads:
We, the undersigned officers, commanding g
the various brigades, divisions, ETC., of the
army of occupation in Cuba, are of the
unanimous opinion that this army should be
taken out of the island of Cuba and sent to
some point on the northern seacoast of the
United States; that it can be done thout
danger to the people of the United States;
that yellow fever in the army at pre<ent is
not epidemic; that there are only a few spor-
adic cases; but that the army Is disabled by
malarfal fever to the extent that its efficiency
is destroyed and that 1t is in a condition to
be practically destroyed by an ep.demic of
yellow fever. which is sure to come in the
near future.
We know, from the reports of competAnt
officers and from personal observations that
the army Is unable to move into the in
terror, and that there are no facilities for