Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-08-11
THEY BREATHE EASIER.
War Department ohlcials DepreOAts ths
Publicity Given Reports from Santiago
Might Have Prevented Peace.


Washington, Aug. O. ARMY officials
are greatly relieved TO know, from the
Santiago dispatches, that what APP.
pears to have been great danger to
the American arms has been safely
passed by. The reports of the Ameri-
can commanders at Santiago, includ-
ing all the major generals, division
and brigade commanders, which
were made public in the news
dispatches Thursday, gave for the
first time to the public news of
the terribly demoralized condition Of
the American army. II this state
OF affairs had been known week ago,
the most serious results must have fol-
lowed The Spanish governmentmust
have been excited TO refrain from maxi
ing peace overtures and to prolong
their resistance The publicity given
to these rumors was most strongly de-
precated by almost every official OF the
administration, but the American
army at Santiago is being loaded upon
transports as rapidly as possible, and
it is hoped that, within a few days,
the bulk of the army will be ut sea,
bound for Montauk point, L, /.
In the place of these weary and bait
tle-worn troops will be five regiments
of immunes, now due at Santiago sup
posed to be proof against yellow fe.
yer, and at any rate gifted with fresh
store of energy and health to draw
upon. Gen. Miles has with him in
Porto Rico force probably equal to
the actual demands of the campaign
there, so that the heavy reinforce
ments now on their way to that island,
or about to be dispatched, can be
safely diverted TO Santiago or any
other Cuban point at short notice, If
occasion should make it necessary.
In proof of the allegation that the
war department had bestirred itself
to succor the unfortunate army at San
tiago, the following is given out by
the secretary of war regarding the
shipment of troops north from Santi-
ago:
Oubll uullt TtCtHbly ~ WIS huppOStu UNIV
yellow fever was epidemic in Santiago and II
was not believed that II would be safe TO send
shiploads north of men largely infected with
yellow fever. The disease, II was believed,
would spread rapidly on shipboard and result
In the death and burial of many at sea
On the 2Sth ultimo the secretary of
war telegraphed to Gen. Shafter that as
soon as the fever subsidized the men OF
his command would be moved north to
camp that had been selected for them on
Montauk point On the 3Oth OF July Gen.
Shafter telegraphed: made known secretary
of wars telegram that troops would be moved
north as soon as fever subsidized, and II had o
very good effect on the mem" When, however,
the true condition was made known, an order
was issued to Gen. Shafter to move his COM
mand north rs rapidly as possible, and oil
ships In quartermaster's service, possible 70
get to Santiago, were sent there, and the great
liners, St Paul and ST. Louis, were also Or
dered there. All this was done before the
communication signed by Gen. Shaiter and his
generals was received, as we'll rs before Col
Roosevelt's letter was published. Over 1870
surgeons are ut Santiago and l76 immune
nurses have been sent there, besides the usual
hospital corps that always attends such an
army. There have been fewer deaths in Santl-
ago by yellow fever than by typhoid fever In
any camp OF the same size In the United
States