Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-08-11
WANT TO COME NORTH.
Roosevelt and Other Generals Of Skaters
Army Tell Of the Peril That Threatens
Our Brave Boys ut Santiago

Santiago, Aug. D. AS an explana-
ton of the situation among the Amer
lean soldiers here, the following letter
from Col Theodore Roosevelt, CON-
manding the First volunteer cavalry,
to Gen. Shafter was given out for pub
LEGATION:
Maj Gen Shafter-Sir: In a meeting Of the
general and medical officers, called by you ut
this place this morning, we were all, as You
know, unanimous In view OF what should be
done with the armv. To keep us here. In the
opinion Of every officer commanding division
or brigade will simply involve the destruc-
tlon Of thousands There Is no possible reason
for not shipping practically the entire COM
mand north at once. In this division there have
been 800 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 real
yellow fever epidemic strikes us, as 1t is bound
to II we stay here at the height Of the sickness
season, August and the beginning OF Septem-
Der. Quarantine against malaral fever Is
much like quarantining against the toothache.
II we are kept here 1t will, in all human posi-
billty mean an appalling disaster, for the sur
geons 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 II means ruin from
the standpoint Of the military efficiency OF the
flower OF the American army for the great bulk
OF the regulars are with YOU The sick list, large
though 1t Is, exceeding 1900. affords but faint
index OF the debilitation Of the army Not ten
per cent are fit for active work Six weeks
upon the north Maine coast for instance or
elsewhere where the yellow fever germ cannot
possibly propagate, would make Vi oil az ut as
fighting cocks able, as we are eager to take
leading part In the great campaign against
Havana in the fall, even II we are not allowed
to try Porto Rico. write only because can
not see our men, who have fought so bravely
and have endured extreme harlships and dam
ger so uncompaningly, go to destruction with
out striving, so far as lies In me- to avert q
doom as fearful as 1t is unnecessary and unde-
served
After Col. Roosevelt had taken the
initiative, all the American general
officers united in an address to Gen.
Shafter. 1t reads:
We the undersigned officers commanding the
various brigades, divisions etc, OF the army Of
occupation In Cuba. are OF the unanimous opin-
Ion that this army should be at once taken out
OF the island OF Cuba and sent to some point on
the northern sea coast OF the United States;
that 1t can be done without danger to the people
Of the United States; that yellow fever in the
army at present Is not epidemic; that there are
only few sporadic cases, but that the army Is
disabled by malarial fever to the extent that
It's efficiency Is destroyed and that 1t Is In a
condition to be practically destroyed by an cpl
demic Of yellow fever which Is sure to come In
the near future We know from the reports Of
competent officers and from personal OBSERVE
lions that the army Is unable to move into the
interior and that there are no facilities for such
move II attempted and that 1t could not be
attempted until too late Moreover the best
medical authorities Of the island say that with
our present equipment we could not live in the
interior during the rainy season without losses
from malaral fever, which Is almost as deadly
as yellow fever.
This army must be moved OF once or perish.
As the army can be safely moved now, the per-
sons responsible for preventing such q move
will be responsible for the unnecessary loss OF
many thousand lives. Our opinions are the re-
suit Of careful personal observation and they
are also based on the unanimous opinion Of our
medical officers with the army. We understand
the situation absolutely