El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-06
GEN. WHEELER'S REBUKE.
To The Critics OF The War Admins
tratiOn.

tratiOn.
A dispatch from Camp Wikoff gives
the following from Maj. Gen Joseph
Wheeler:
Headquarters United States Forces,
Camp Wikoff, l.. l., September ], 1898.
The following is a sample of the let
tiers we are constantly receiving re-
garding the soldiers in the camp:
In regard to my stepson we feel very I'M
easy about him on account of the newspaper
ed on the private soldiers. Although he has
never uttered a complaint since he has been
in the army, we hear from other sources of
the cruel and horrible treatment inflicted on
our soldiers under the pretenSe of humanity
for our neighbors and the whole country is in
a state of terrible excitement L should not
be surprised IL the feeling should lead to u
revolution of some kind, for assure you
denunciations of the war department and
the administration. 1t is indeed a great pity
dimmed by such shameful thing as the i'll
treatment and starvation of our own brave
soldiers. while the Spanish prisoners have
afford.
st will be seen that this letter says
that not a word of complaint has been
received from this soldier, aud so far
as my investigation goes no complaint
has been made by any of the brave SOL
diers that have added glory to our
arms in the Cuban campaign. A great
many anxious fathers, mothers, broth
ers or sisters arrived here from all
parts of the United States to look after
their relatives whom they say the pa
per5 tell them are suffering. and many
OF them have heard that their relatives
are in condition of starvation. Most
of these people are little able to ex-
pend the money fer such Journey,
and they are surprised when they come
here to find their relatives surrounded
with everything to eat which can be
procured by money: and if sick in the
hospital, they are gratified and sur
prised TO find that they are given ev-
cry possible care.
will give the exact facts as [ see them,
| will state:
Every officer and soldier who went to
Cuba regarded that he was given a
great and special privilege in being
permitted to engage in that campaign.
They knew they were to encounter
yellow fever and other diseases, as well
as the torrid heat of the country, and
they were proud and glad to do so.
They knew that it was impossible for
them to have the advantage of wagon
transportation, which usually accompa-
MES an army, and yet officers and meu
= =
cts and their rations on their backs,
and to be subjected, without any shell
ter, to the sun and rains by day and
the heavy dews by night. They GER
tainly knew that the Spaniards had
spent years in erecting defenses, and it
was their pleasure TO assault and their
duty to capture the Spanish works.
GLAD TO SUFFER.
"They were more that glad to incur
the hardships and these dangers. They
went there and did their duty, each
man seeming to feel that American
honor and prestige was to be measured
by his conduct. The brave men who
won the victories did not complain of
the neglect of the government, but on
the contrary they seemed grateful to
the president and secretary of war for
giving them the opportunity to incur
these dangers and hardships.
''They realized that liz the hurried
organization of an expedition by gov
eminent which had no one with any
experience in such matters, it WAS i'm
possible to have everything arranged
to perfection; and they will testify that
under the circumstances the conditions
were much more perfect than any one
would have reason to expect aud that
the president ana secretary of war and
others who planned and dispatched
these expeditions deserve high COM
mendation.
''One reason why our army was lack
ing in some respects in equipage was
that telegram was received from Ad-
miral Sampson stating that if the army
reached there Immediately they could
take the city .at once, but if there
should be delay the Notifications of the
Spaniards would be so perfected that
there might be great difficulty in tax