The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-10-08
HE FINDS NO FAULT.
Gen. Wheeler Testifies Before In
vestigating Committee.
lie Saw No Negiigence-Men Did hot
Complain of Hnrdship-Prnise for
shafter-Dcfense az Camp
Mikon.

vestigating committee began its exam
nation of witnesses Tuesday by piac-
ing Gen. Joseph Wheeler on the stand.
Chairman Dodge stated to him the
scope of the commissions duties and
asked Gen. Wheeler whether he had
any objection to being sworn. He re-
piled that he had none. and Maj. Mills.
recorder for the commission, admins
tered the oath.
Ex-Gov. Beaver conducted the exam
nation, developing the essential facts
as 10 Gen. Wheeler's rank and his COM
mand.
Gen. Wheeler stated that he left Tampa
for Cuba on the 18th OF June. but that ne
had no knowledge OF the plan OF campaign
before going aboard the transport. He
then told OF the voyage. On June n Gen.
Shafter ordered him 10 disembark the next
day. which he did with portion or MS
command. He rode into the country four
miles that day. and the next day moved
his troops 10 Jaguaracta. He then be-
gan his recOnnoiterlng. arranging with
Gen. Castillo, OF the Cuban army. 10 senu
Cuban troops with his men for the recon-
hotter, but unfortunately the Cubans dld
not keep the engagement. He told or the
first battle at La Quasina, stopping 10
com pliment especially the regu ar troops
and also TO speak OF their excellent hiring.
! Thev soon learned 10 distrust the reports
and estimates OF the Spaniards. Gen.
/ Wheeler had not been able on his own sc-
count 10 secure any accurate estimate OF
1 the Spanish loss during the American APP
proach upon Santiago.
The plan OF Campaign.
| Discussing the plan OF campaign, he said
he doubted whether any more effective
! plan could have been adopted. Speaking or
| the medical department. he said that at
times there were complaints. but that they
were not serious. on occasions there was
a shortage OF surgeons; some OF the sur
geons being sick or wounded. According
| TO Gen Wheeler's belief. the wounded IN
battle were promptly cared Tor by the
surgeons. After the fight Of July ], an tne
! wounded were carried from the neld that
| night The witness had heard that there
! was more complaint OF the shortage or
medicine among the Infantry than IN the
cavalry service.
Camp site nt Tampa.
Col, K back to Tampa. he said that at the
season he was there. the first half OF June.
lhe site was without objection, Dui ne
had felt that IL would be wet later In the
season II was his impression that Tampa
had been selected as camp site AFTER the
beginning OF the war, and was incidental
TO the Intended movement on havana
There was he said, at times some shortase
OF supplies at the camp, but nothing, ne
added that a soldier could complain or.
They had comfortable tents. and the com
| missary supplies were sufficient. The wa
! ter supply also was good. He said the men
an his command were well taken care Of
However very few men were at that time
: sick He had himself gone into the nos
pitals and had found the men doing well
Gen. Wheeler said he had no control over
any OF the supplies which were taken e
Santiago on the transports when he lief
. Tampa This was attended TO by the diff
ferent staff officers. He only knew from
, conversation with these that there wa
an abundance OF the supplies OF all char
2 acter.
Returning 10 the Santiago campaign, n
said that only two regiments had reporte
Y a shortage OF rations. and he had immedi
\ | ately telephoned TO the rear, and the snort
age which was due TO accident. had bee
:. adjusted There was suffering when tn
q men were compelled to lie on the breast
$ works.
. More Doctors and Nurses Needed.
= The meat was poor. and they had no brea
but hard tack. They were forced 10 NV
Y I'm the sun and water alternately. and nee
o essarily there was much sickness. Will
l. they had the full quota OF doctors an
/. nurses he thought that II more had bee
- furnished the men would have been bette
IS cared for. AS for rations, three days SUI
ply was generally issued Whenever IN
troops went into action they would thro
their food away, as we'll as their packs. an
they often did not recover them.
Never Heard OF shortage.
20 In reply 10 questions. he stated he nevS
had heard OF any shortage OF commissar
or ordnance supplies at Santiago. but }
had been told that the medical supple
were short. yet he had no personal know
n edge on this point. He had seen son
"a wounded men crawling to the rear In u
engagements. but as rule as soon as
ell man fell In battle he was carried TO u
N hospitals by the medical corps
~ lie said that as a rule the quality or hal
~ tack was good. Where there was any d
". terloratlon Il was due 20 local rains, al
OF not TO the fact OF original inferiority.
OF The spirit OF the army was such he sal
q. that there was no disposition TO complai
- 'aThey we're all proud to be there and wi
ing u undergo hardships
he spread of Disease.
OF Cant. Howell asked 10 what he attri
he uted the development OF disease after Z
capitulation OF Santiago and Gen. Wheel
IN, replied that II was due 10 the climate A.
20 10 the exposure made necessary Al !
no men seemed TO be more OF less anect
- by the conditions lie had. he said. know
Ut OF no Instance OF sick or wounded m
he dying from want OF care from the ply
IN. clans SO far as he knew, there was sc
-. eral commentator or the medical cor
" except that on one or TWO occasions tn'
Iu- had been some grumbling In regard
IL general conditions. He thought there
-, n deficiency In the number OF ambulanc
- but this deficiency was due TO the exig'
ces OF the campaign. Gen. WheeieI
said in reply TO Capt. Howell that kn
OF no confusion In shipping supplies fr'
70 Tampa lie was not acquainted with ca
. in which the body OF a vehicle was shipr
I'm on one vessel and the wheels on anoth
ill His memory was not distinct as TO co
re plants from physicians In his comma
?, as TO the scarcity OF medical supplies.
az he thought there were some such co
re- plants. but In such cases he had had tn
90 supplied as promptly as possible.
q n a Model Camp.
-rs The general contended that Wlkoif '
A model camp. the climate n salubrious
ing and the accommodations quite exceptio
on. An character He considered the hosp
en-. capacity equal to the demands upon
~. and that no military camp In history '
ION ever so well supplied In all respects as
ent this. Red tape methods were entir
Ice abolished and the demands OF the n
were met as soon as they were prope
voiced.
Opposes school Collections.
m Albany. n. Y. Oct. 5.-State Super