The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-05
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in regard to general conditions. He
thought there was a deficiency in the
number OF ambulances but this deficiency
was due to the exigencies Of the cam
paign General Wheeler also said in
reply to Captain Howell that he knew
Of no confusion in shipping supplies from
Tampa.
There had been difficulty in getting
the troops to lie as near inshore as was
desirable, rendering it difficult to get
at supplies promptly.
The masters Of the transports claim
ed to have their authority from the quar-
termasters department. but he thought
the commanding officers had acted indie
pendently as TO how far out they should
lie.
lteferring to the sleeping apartments
on thc transports, General Wheeler said
they were quite warm and there was
some discomfort. He had often gone
down among the men at night and found
that there was comparatively little com
plaint. except for the heat
Coming back from Santiago to Mon
tauk he had sailed on the Miami, having
chosen it because it was said to be the
worst. He found it very comfortable,
four sick and only three or four of these
were too i'll TO stand IN for inspection.
Inere was plenty Of water on the vcs-
sci and a sufficiency of ice for the sick,
though not for the others After the de-
struction of Cervera's, fleet, and there
was no danger from navigating the sea.
the army was more abundantly supplied
than any army in the field had ever
been. The various societies had. he said,
responded most literally to the needs of
the army.
asked if he thought there had been
any neglect in preparing for the cam
paign, he said he had been so busily oc-
cupied that he had not given the matter
great attention, but he had not thought
at the time that any precaution had
been negleced.
lie said in reply a question that the
tents had been left on board the trans
ports and that this had been done be-
cause of the feeling that no time should
be consumed in removing them. 1--WE
were there for business he said, "and
we felt that prompt Decentralization
and speedy movement to the front
would Impress the enemy more than any
thing else we could do.
But if they had had the tents they
would have used them. There was also
a shortage at this time of transportation
facilities toward the front His own iii
ness had been caused by exposure and
he had not himself been supplied with
tent
II was more shifty than some of the
soldiers" he said. II stretched a little
old cloth from a tree to protect my face
from the dew, but any soldier could
have done the same thing
General Wheeler recommended that
there should be well trained teamsters
regularly enlisted and employed
During the examination General
Wheeler stated that previous to the cap
itulation of Santiago. General Shafter
had written him a letter asking his
views in regard to changing base and
attacking the forts in front of Santiago
but he said he had advised strongly
against this course as it would have left
San Juan hill which he considered in
vulnerable to be re-taken by the Span.
iards. General Wheeler denied that there
had been an ambuscade at Guasina.
The entire afternoon session was de-
voted to the explanation OF conditions
at Camp Wikoff on Long Island. The
General contended that Wikoff was
model camp, the climate salubrious one
and the accommodations quite excep-
tional in character. He considered the
hospital capacity equal to the demands
upon it, and that no military camp in his
tory was ever so well supplied in all re-
spects as was this.
Red tape methods were entirely abol
ished and the demands of the men were
met as soon as they were properly voiced.