Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-08
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was next examined. He said the men
we're generally in good health at San
Antonio. as they We're also in the main,
1T Tampa, which was the next stop
ping place. He complained, however,
hat at the latter place the camp was
'oW and towards the close of his stay
here, i'll July, there was an increase
# fever and kindred diseases The
roops. he said, We're well supplied from
he commissary. and other depart
ments. but there We're some complaints
against the physicians who were left
With the squadron at this point. The
chief cause of criticism appeared to be
IDS bearing toward the men.
Major Hersey also gave details con-
corning the camp Of his regiment at
Santiago. saying that it was as good Us
1t was possible to secure. He ascribed
he sickness of the men to the climate
and to the hardships of the campaign.
The transportation facilities there. wera
necessarily limited and the reads poor
at times. causing the supplies to be
slow in arrival. The roads We're 50
bad 'alat wagons would sink to tn.
axle
At the afternoon session, Major Her.
sey related his experiences and obser-
vations at Montauk Point. He had
come North on the Miami, which was
considered one CT the worst of the
transports. Still, the voyage was not
characterized by and special discom-
| forts. He considered Camp Wikoff the
most perfect camp he had ever seen,
| he location. the climate, the surround
ings and the topography being all thar
/ could be desired. The water was
| wholesome and the sinks We're careful
| " attended to. The sickness of the
| command rapidly decreased at this
ca mp. The men had not expected to
| find a picnic and had no complaints to
| make. Soldiers were never taken care
of SO we'll as at Montauk; there was
| no suffering caused by neglect.
Major Hersey was asked about the
circumstances leading to the death OF
Messrs. Tiffany and Wrenn of the
| Rough Riders. He said that Tiffany
had yellow fever before leaving camp.
He thought the young man had suf-
| fe~ed more from the kindness of his
| friends on landing in Boston than from
| any other source. He needed quiet
when he arrived in his debiItated con-
dition. Mr.. Wrenn was given a fur
| Tough to attend tennis tournament.
Major Hersey next heard of him as be-
ing i'll. though he was in good condi-
lion when he left camp.
This witness was followed by Col.
James G. C. Lee, who was chief quar-
termaster at Camp Thomas, during the
! History of that camp. He said that
neither the regulars nor the volunteers
| = r,
when they came in, and their wants in
this respect were supplied. He had i'm
mediately made estimates for supplies
and all had been met with a remarka-
ble degree of promptitude. The cloth
| ing quickly came, in the main, though
| it was not always possible to get it as
scon as was desired. There was also
some delay in securing tentage, owing
| to the fact that a supply had to be
manufactured. On this account it was
| necessary in the beginning to crowd
the men in the tents.
Col. Lee dwelt upon the natural diff
culties of supplying an army of $4,000
men. They were impatient as a rule,
and seemed to expect to be able to turn
4 faucet and get everything they want
ed upon the spur of the moment. The
| hospital and ambulance corps had been
| fully fitted out with everything, in
| Guiding floors. He had not furnished
water boilers as promptly as at first
demanded. because the commanding
officer had not given the order. He or
| dered them later and many of them
were not used after
They seemed to want them before
| they got them and not to want them
after they came" said the colonel.
There We're some articles of which they
were never able to get g sufficient sup
| ply: army trousers for instance.
| He remembered one case in which
| there appeared likely to be a clash IN
| the making of contracts with the rail-
roads for The transportation of troops in
which men who were his juniors in the
| Washington headquarters were mani
| Testing disposition to interfere with
him by prescribing conditions with
| which it was impossible to comply.
He had protested in sharp and vigor-
Gus language. and thereafter there was
NO trouble. as the Washington office
| receted from its position. Gen. Nc
Cook asked for the names OF those wno
had interfered, and insisted on having
them. After hesitating somewhat, Col.
Lee said the difficulty arose in the
transpc ration department in charge Of
/ Colonels Hecker and Bird.
Pressed to enter into particulars, Col.
Lee said that his contention was that
he should be allowed to make all the
| rates. He found that the passenger
rates had been made at Washington
and while these We're very low he found
when he came to getting freight rates
they were TOO high. He had felt thai
he ceasld give better results if allowed
to make both lines of contracts. as with
che rate already made, the government