The San Francisco call., 1898-08-09

- r, ElSntn OHlO. NS1tOW lSNST. - C Corporal Dudley "ilson Com c g pany G, Eighth Ohio. yellow fever. fs SKATER Major e neral /. 6 c 6 Q $ 6 6 8 c 6 6 g 6 . g 6 @ . WASHINGTON, Aug. S.-surgeon General Sternberg has received the following report concerning the con ditions existing at Santiago. The re- port explains what has been done by the Medical Department and gives the disadvantages under which the de- partment operated in Cuba:
 TAMPA HEIGHTS, Fla, July 29, 1898. To the SurGeOn-general, U. $. A, Wash charges made affecting the efficient army medical department at Santiago, and es- peCially with reference to the conditions prevailing on the hospital transports sent north with wounded, have the honor to submit tie following facts, be- heving that my position as adjutant to the chieI surgeon of the Fifth Corps and as the officer in charge of the quitting of the hospital transports Iroquois, Cher okee and Breakwater may possibly give value 10 such report
 Drugs, medicines. dressings, inStru- ments Hospital tentage and supplies were loaded on the transports at Tampa in quantities sufficient to meet the needs of the Santiago expedition. These sup
 
 selS, each organization having its own equipment. While the bulk of the sup plies was with the organized hospitals, the reSimenLal equipment was largely in excess of it's needs and was intended to be called in to supplement, If necessary, the equipment of these hospitals The landing on Cuban soil was made as rap idly as possible, each organization ac- companied by the medical attendance as- signed to it, and troops were pushed for ward with no other equipment and SUD- POIlld sol diers. Having no means Of tranSpOTta- tion for even their field chests, the regi- mental medical officers had absolutely no resources at their command except sufh as were provided by the orderly and hos pital corps pouches and the first aid packets carried by the soldiers. Having once left their ships the latter were promptly ordered out of the small bays at Siboney and Baiquiri to permit the unloading of other ships. These par tially unloaded ships, in obedience to their orders then proceeded to sea from five to fifteen miles, where they remained hove to indefinitely.
 Such orders were given the transports carrying the reserve and the first diyi- sional hospitals. The one carrying the reserve hospital, in obedience to it's or ders. proceeded to join the naval block ading squadron off Morro Castle, where it remained five days and nights, the other transport disappearing, if l was correctly informed for an entire week. During this time the fight at Las Guasinas had occurred and large numbers Of sick
  In the meantime report of the condl- tions prevailing on shore was made to the chief surgeon, who promptly laid the case before the commanding general, re- uuestiEg that a launch be placed under the control of the medical department for the collection of medical supplies from the various transports. It was also re- quested that a pack train be organized, in the proportion of one pack mule to each regiment m atfd G transport tbp fr9t for proper distribution; and I was sug- gested by the chief surgeon as available for the performance of these duties. The eJxigency of the situation did not appar- ently appeal to the commanding general, and for two days the medical department was unable to get transportation of any Kind to the other ships or to the shore, although there were a large number of naval launches and boats employed on various other duties: On the third day, by order of the adjutant general, one rowboat was turned over to the medical department for the purposes above was issued for land transportation to carry medical supplies to the front, mot to exceed one siX-mule team" On get ting into this boat with supplies from the headquarters transport l was directed by sundry staff officers to take them on va rious errands. On my refusal to recog- nize their authority their commanding general who had appeared on the scene. personally revoked the previous order, and directed. after the landing of the supplies already in the boat, that it should return without delay Presenting the order for land traQSpOrLdIlOn 10 the qQdrLermaSter on shore I was informed that only pack mules had as yet been landed, that nei- ther wagon nor harness had been brought ashore, and. finally. that the road was impossible for wagons. After this boat had been taken away the chief surgeon was without any means of communica- tion with the medical officers on shore or still on transports. of finding out their wants, or remedying the many already known to them.
 This condition of things remained until after the fight at Las Guasinas, at which time there were absolutely no dressings hospital tentage or supplies of any kind on shore within reach of the surgeons al. ready landed. The news of the Guasinas fight being reported to the chief surgeon he was finally able to get on board tho Olivette and send her to Siboney, where she received the wounded. Within the fol lowing day or so. the transports carrying the reserve and first divisional hospital: were found and unloaded of their hospita contents the latter hospitals finally ob taining limited transportation to tht front After couple of days duty or board the Olivette I was directed to pu the IroQuois in condition to receive pa tients and to take the full capacity of thu ship on board. While doing this I was able to set ashore considerable hospita tentage and supplies found aboard of her of boa fc