Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-08-05
Copyright, Associated Press.)

santiago de CUBA, August 4.-ouIu-
moned by Maj. Gen. Shafter, meeting
was held there this morning at head
quarters, and in the presence of every
commanding and medical officer of the
Fifth army corps, Gen. Shafter read
cable message from Secretary Alger
ordering him at the recommendation
of Surgeon General Sternberg, to move
the army into the interior, to San Luis,
where it is healthier. AS result of
the conference Gen. Shafter will insist
upon the immediate withdrawal of the
army north within two weeks.
AS an explanation of the situation,
the following letter from Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, commanding the First VOL
unteer cavalry, to Gen. Shafter was
handed by the latter to the correspond
ent here of the Associated Press for
Maj. Gen. Shafter, Sir:-In a meet
ing of the general medical officers call
ed by you to the palace this morning,
we were ali, as you know, unanimous
in view of what should be done with
the army. To keep us here, in the
opinion of every officer commanding a
division or brigade, will simply in
volve the destruction of thousands.
There is no possible reason for not
shipping practically the entire COM
mand north et cnce. Yellow fever
cases are very few in the cavalry di-
vision where l command one of the
two brigades, and not one true case of
yellow fever has occurred in this di-
vision except among the men sent to
the hospital at Siboney where they
have l believe, contracted it, B3e in
this division there
HAVE BEEN 1900 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 it is bound to if we stay
here at the height of the sickness sea-
son, August and the beginning of Sep
TENDER. Quarantine against malarial
fever is much like quarantlning against
the toochache.
All of us are certain as soon as the
authorities at Washington fully appre-
ciate the conditions of the army, to be
sent home. If we are kept here it will
In all human possibility mean an ap-
palling disaster, for the surgeons here
estimate that over half the army if
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 military efficiency of the flower of
the American army, for the great bulk
OF the regulars are here with you. Tie
sick list, large though it is, exceeding
AGO. affords but faint index of the
debilitation of the army. Not 10 per
cent are lit for active work. Six weeks
on the north Maine coast, for instance
or elsewhere, where the yellow fever
germ cannot possibly propagate. would
make us all as fit as fighting cocks,
able as we are eager, to take leading
part in the great campaign against
Havana in the fall, even. if we are not
allowed to try Porto Rico.
I'VE can be moved nortn. if moved
at once. with absolute safety to conn
try, although, OF course. it would have
been infinitely better if we had been
moved north or to Porto Rico two
weeks ago. If there were any object
IN KEEPING US HERE.
we would face yellow fever with as
much indifference az we face bullets.
hut there is no object in =. The four
immune regiments ordered here are
rounding towns. and there is absolutely
nothing for us to do here. and there
has not been since the city surrender
ed. 1t is impossible TO move into the
interior Every shifting of the camp
doubles the sick rate in our present
weakened condition, and, anyhow, the
interior IS rather worse than the coast,
as I have found by actual reconnois-
saEce. Our present camps are as heal
thy as any camps at this end of the ISL
and can be.
II write only because cannot see
our mer who have fought so bravely
ED who have endured extreme hard
ships and danger 50 uncomplainingly.
so to destruction without striving so
fir As lies in me to avert doom as