Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-22
:EmsAlmED BEEF
epntinued from page -

niDhed something to take its place.
But 4 made the best ! could of the sit
uati0n. and distributed my staff Off
GERS t. aid and train first the volunteer
officers and then the men. This work
ed very well and l was personally
thanked for this service"
Gen. Merritt paid quite as high a
tribute to the civilian staff officers as
did Gen. Sslafter ON the previous day.
.sayfw They were good officers, in
stelligeht, anxious to learn and to
work
i Are you willing to be sworn?" Gen.
Miles was asked.
Il think was the reply, that / can
say what l have to say without being
sworn
IN Gen. Miles was fortified with a large
Package of papers and had his own
photographer. He gave his evidence in
a clear, unhesitating way and went into
details regarding the Santiago and
Porto Rico expeditions.
He opened by describing the railroad
confusion in getting war munitions to
Tampa, pointed to the lack of govern
ment store.louse facilities there and
said the cars at one time were held
back as far as Columbia, S. c. He said
when the transports were loaded, it was
found Impossible to put more than 49,
900 men aboard and they were equipped
as we'll as possible under the circum-
stances.
1T was most Fortunate" he said.
that the transports had good weather.
If they had encountered a severe storm
the loss Of life, or the suffering, at
least, must have been fearful. AS ii
was, with good weather, the men below
crowded with the mules and supplies,
could get on deck. which would have
been impossible, otherwise"
The commissary stores taken, he
said, were sufficient. but the medical
supplies were inadequate. He had lefc
the loading, except for general direc-
tons to the corps commander, Gen.
Shafter. He found, just before sailing.
that there were a number of pontoon
boats being taken, which would be ut-
terly useless for the purpose and he.
himself, had secured two barges from
the owners there and had taken other
steps, but the supply of such boats
! taken was very inadequate. 1.-THE ex-
4 peditions' he continued. should have
been furnished with launches, naptha
or steam, or tugs for towing barges
from the ships to the shore. He relied
largely on the engineer officers and the
. engineer department for these. In the
second expedition to Porto Rico these
were furnished but they arrived too
late to render much assistance"
He said before the first fleet sailed
from Tampa, estimates had been def
do Of 1ba
be furnished by the navy to assist
The most cordial assistance, he added
had been promised ON the part of the
+. navy. At Santiago. the supply of tent
: age and food was very limited.
Were the medical supplies at that
Efime sufficient for the needs of the COM
mand?" he was asked.
Is In reply he read dispatch from Gen.
Shafter on Aug. 4. which referred to
chronic scarcity of medicines, ana
Mat four men had just died from lack
bf medicines. There was at no time,
gaid Gen. Miles, sufficient fentage for
he troops He remembered seeing ons
Eain for the sick. in a .drencl1ing rain,
dth no covering over the wagons. He
Ia taken measures personally to coy
at matters, and on Aug. r. had tsle-
and bridge builders, ETC., and had
red places burned. Gen. Miles said
Transportation facilities were used
TRY supplies to some 900 to 90
efugees from Santiago, and about
ydban froops. S.TfAs.S he stated,
sWer to a question, .sMas not ex-
Bal, because I had. cautioned Gen.
eer to keep the dlfsli away, from the
and out of the .gpanish build
every character Had he not
ashe did. the array WOULD have
Itch better supplied" 4,
army in Porto Rico. he said had
Applied in a way with quarter
5fe sand commissary stores, but
the best way. At Porto Rico he
|11ed that fixed rations be sent
ead Ahey We're sent down in
houf invoices or bills of lad
Fin any instances stores were
rssthe hold and thrown away.
jed great embarrassment and
ores and deprived troops ~
he asserted, the scarcity OF
caused the distress of the
mad advised against the
eef to Porto Rico both
twas abundance ofsit as
Sef that it was defective.
the refrigerator beef,
were 327 tons sent, as
a" and said that can
fof which $4,000 pounds
4 there was condemn
use commands used it.
beef as an army ra-
70 ask some one here
You had better ask the
or the commissary
bent as food. If they
they would have had
they had sent pay
kere, as asked. we
II food, but they did
Eested that the food
ge army under pre-
ent.
that the first plans
- Cuba were not
led to sendtpg
era's fleet was
at the outset
Snd the dispatch
nonf hinO,p7f m