Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-23

city, two of them so arranged that they
directly covered batteries in our front,
and for some time We're the cause of our
not firing at them. The Spanish gueril-
las were very active, especially in our
rear, where they seemed by preference
TO attack the wounded men who were be
ing carried on filters, the doctors and
medical attendants with Red Cross badges
on their arms. and the burial parties l
organized a detail of sharp shooters and
sent them out after these guerrillas, of
whom they killed thirteen. Two of the
men thus killed Were shot several hours
after the truce had been in operation, be-
cause, In spite of this fact, they kept fir
ing upon our men as they went to draw
water They We're stationed in the trees,
as the guerrillas We're generally, and ow-
ing to the density of the foliage and to the
use of smokeless powder rifles it was ex-
ceedingly difficult matter to locate them
For the next seven days until the tenth
we lay in our lines while the truce con-
tinued We had continually to work at
additional bomb proofs and at the trenches
and as we had no proper supply of food
and utterly
INADEQUATE MEDICAL FACILITIES
the men suffered a good deal. The officers
Clipped together, purchased beans, toma-
toes and sugar for the men, so that they
might have some relief from tNe bacon
and tard tack. With a great deal of diI1i-
Guilty we got them coffee. AS for the sick
and wounded, they suffered so in the nos
pitfalls when sent to the rear for lack OF
food and attention, that we found it hest
to keep them at the front and give them
such care as our own doctors could. As
mentioned in my previous letter thirteen
of our wounded men continued to fight
through the battle in spite of their
wounds, and of those sent to the rear,
many both of the sick and wounded came
up to reioin us as soon as their condition
allowed them to walk, most of the worst
cases being ultimately sent to the States.
On the tenth the truce was at an end and
the bombardment reopened. AS far as our
lines were concerned it was on the Span
ish part very feeble. We suffered no
losses and speedily got the fire from their
trenches in our front completely under
On the eleventh were were moved three
quarters of mile to the right. the truce
again being on, nothing happened here
except we continued to watch and do our
| best to get the men, especially the sick
| properly fed, and having on transporta-
| ton and being unable to get help through
| the regular channels, we used anything
we could find, captured Spanish cavalry
| horses, abandoned mules, which had been
| shot. but which our men took and cured,
| diminutive skinny ponies purchased from
| the Cubans etc
BY these means and by the exertions of
the officers were We're able from time to
| time to get supplies of beans. sugar, to-
matoes and even oatmeal while from the
| Red Cross people we got our invaluable
| load of rice, corn meal, etc. All of this
was of the utmost consequence, not only
| for the sick, but for the nominally well,
as the
LACK OF PROPER FOOD
was telling terribly on the men. 1t was
utterly impossible to get them clothes and
shoes, and those they had We're in many
cases literally dropping to pieces. On the
seventeenth the city surrendered. On the
eighteenth we shifted camp to here, the
| best camp we have had. but tho march
hfther under the monday sun told very
heavily on our men, weakened by under
| feeding and overwork, and the next
morning one hundred and twenty-three
| cases were reported to the doctor, and
now have but half of the COO with which
| | landed four weeks ago. fit for duty, and
| these are not fit to do anything like the
| work they could do then. As we had but
| one wagon the change necessitated leav-
| ing much of my stuff behind, with night
| of discomfort, with scanty shelter and
| scanty food for the most of the officers
! and many of the men. Only the posses
| sion of the improvised pack train alluded
| to above saved us from being worse. Yes
/ terday l sent in detail of six officers and
| men to see if they could not purchase or
| make arrangements for supply of proper
! food and proper clothing for the men,
even if we had to pay for it out of our
| own pockets. Orr suffering has been due
primarily to lack of transportation and
| of proper food or sufficient clothing and
of medical supplies. We should now have
wagon sheets for tentage,
| Very respectfully,
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT.