The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-11-03
LackO Of AmbulaEceS at the Front.
Improper Food For lnvalids
Oh Shipbcard.
Conditions at Chickamauga Criti
cized by Some of the Army
Physicians.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 3.-The war in
vestigating commission held a session
here for the purpose of hearing the testi-
monv Of Major Henry Romeyn, a re-
tired army officer. He said that he had |
asked at the beginning Of the wal for a
military assignment to go to the front
in his capacity as an officer. but it was
refused and he then went as q corIs,
spondent Of u weekly newspaper. His
testimony covered the embarkation of
troops at Port Tampa. and the campaign
in Cuba. He said that when he went to
Port Tampa. the bank of the canal there
was covered with troops. He had wanted
to go over with Twelfth infantry which
was his old regiment, but no one could
tell him where his regiment was TO be
found. He asked a staff officer and sew
eral others for this information but no
one knew, nor did anyone appear to
know on what vessels any Of the partic-
ular commands Were to embark. There
was a great confusion. as a consequence
OF which a part Of a command would 90
on Il vessel and a part on another. and
the commands Were in some cases sepa-
rated from their stores. He had seen no
order for the systematic embarkation of
troops and he had heard it said that
they Were told to 90 aboard heller
skelter.
Inadequate Preparations.
When asked to express an opinion as
to the preparations for Decentralization.
the witness hesitated. saying that to do
so would involve criticism of his supe-
riorS.
The commissioners insisted upon a
reply. and Mr.. Romevn said that he did
not think the preparation was such as it
should have been.
There was" he said. "a lack of surf
boats. and also Of order and of prepare
ton for landing. When the landing
was undertaken. the troops left the
ships indiscriminately. parts going at
one time, and other parts at other times.
He told OF the effort TO tow two light
ers over to Cuba. but said that one was
lost and that il was the general impress
sion that it was lost on purpose because
II retarded the progress of the fleet. In
response 10 a question from General
McCook. Major Romevn said that while
il was difficult to land anything. ambu-
lance> and wagons could have been land
cd a. easily as the artillery. He had seen
only one ambulance at the front at the
battle OF FL Caney. and ii was not used
for conveying the wounded to the rear.
Speaking OF other incidentso Of this battle
he said there was general surprise that
an inflated balloon had been carried at
the head Of the attacking column. thus
Indicating to the Spaniards the exact
location Of the troops. but he did not
know at whose orders this had been
done.
Dirtiest He Ever saw.
He said the townof Sibonev was with
ont exception the dirtiest place he had
ever seen III his life. and that no effort
wa, made to clean il up before the fever
broke out. There was a deficiency OF
proper food at the fever hopitals. and
the cooking was generally poor. ANY
one il this hospital was liable to con
tract yellow fever. He had been a
patient in the hospital. and said there
had been no neglect Of patients by the
medical attendants at this hospital. or
at the hospitals for the wounded. He
had known surgeons in the latter hos
pitfalls to work 90 hours without cessa-
tiOn.
Why did they not have more sur
geOns:' asked Colonel DENLY.
The witness said he could not answer.
Lack of Good Food and Water.
Major Romeyn said he had come
north as a convalescent with many other
convalescents on the transport Concha.
and he criticized the provisioning Of the
vessel in severe terms. Many Of the
men were compelled to sleep on board
hunks without blankets or pillows. and
with no covering at night except the
cotton uniform they wore during the
day.
The water was offensive to both
sight and smell, he said, land the food
was poor and scanty, none being pro-
vided especially for convalescents. The
meat was canned and inferior and much
Of the bareback moulded"
He also statedtellat there was only one
physician on board the vessel, and that
he was a convalescent Six men had
died On the way up, and Major Romeyn
expressed the opinion, in response to a
question from Captain Howell, that with
proper attention and good food the lives
of at least some Of these men could have
been saved. He said he was unable to
place the responsibility for the neglect,
but that the captain Of the vessel had
stated that when he made application to
20 to Jamaica for fresh food and water
before starting on the voyage from San
tiago, the request was refused.
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THE WATER CONTAMINATED.