New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-05


fact that his command had received the fourth
Mace in General Skaters order for the landing
st Santiago when he thought he was entitled to
be allowed to land first on account Of his rank.
The entire afternoon session was devoted 70
the examination Of conditions at Camp Wikoff
The General contended that Wkof was model
camp the climate salubrious and the accomrno-
dations exceptional in character He considered
the hospital capacity equal TO the demands on
IT, and said that military camp in history
was ever so we'll supplied in all respects as was
this Red tape methods We're entirely abolished,
and the demands Of the men were met as soon
as they were properly expressed.
At o'clock the Commission adjourned until
tomorrow General Wheeler will resume his
testimony al 1890 o'clock and will probably be
followed by General H V. Boynton. General
Fitzhugh Lee has informed the Commission that
he will not be able to appear before Thursday.
GENERAL WHEELER'S STORY IN DETAIL
Washington Oct 4-When General Wheeler took
the stand Chairman Dodge informed him OF the
scope Of the Commissions duties and asked
whether he had any objection 70 being sworn He
replied that he had and Major Mills. recorder
Of the Commission. admins tered the oath EX-
Governor Beaver conducted the examination de-
veloping the essential facts 10 General Wheelers
rank and his command.
General Wheeler said that he left Tampa for
Cuba on Jun. T. but that he had knowedg. Of
the plan Of campaign before going aboard the
transport He then told OF the voyage. On June
q General Shafter ordered him dsenbark the
next day which lie did. with a portion o. MS COM
mand He rode into the country four miles that
day and the moved his troops to Jaguracta.
He then begtn recommending. arranging with Gen
eral Castillo Of the Cuban Army. 70 send Cuban
troops with his for that purpose but untortu-
~ hans "A keeo he
He told Of the first batile al La Quasina stopping
70 compliment especially the Regular troops and 10
speak Of their excellent firing. They soon learned
10 distrust the reports and estimates Of the Span
iar1s
Speaking Of the proceedings after the first battle
h explained that he had been reported sick and
there uere some movements Just before the battle
81 E Caney with which he was not familiar l
was not sick" he said but had been on the 18th
ana Goth Still had not gone 10 the sick list. l
mad fever. but appreciated the situation, took
medicine and came out AL right" He was in the
battle Of e. Caney and expressed the opinion that
more men had been killed in the formation OF the
nne than afterward. He told Of the necessity for
sading the San Juan River saying that the water
about waist deep.
GENERAL SKATER PRAISED.
u ought TO say" said the General in the course
G. his testimony. that Il magnificent TO see
officers 0; high rank 90 ashore with their packs on
their men They slept on the ground with the SOL
diers None Of us mounted and we were
without tents for seven days
Speaking OF the character OF the road from the
coast 20 The points occupied BY the Americans, he
said that with such attention as they able 70
give 70 them they were very good. The rains had
not been severe Up TO that time, The roads were
narrow but equal 10 the demands. The supplies
he considered sufficient except in few Instances.
and in those instances the deficiency was only
temporary General Shafter" he said deserves
great credit for the zeal he displayed in this re-
spect He devoted himself to this task. and I
think there IS no doubt that he succeeded We
used pack trains and there comparatively little
suffering because Of the shortness of ouartermas-
ter's supplies
General Wheeler said IN response 70 question
that Cervera's feet the objective Of the cam
paigr There was 10 reason why the Spanish
troops should not have made sortie from san
t!ago ana ne had asked General Tora after the
surrender why ne had not attacked The latter
replied that the failure 70 30 so was because his
men were footsore. Yet General Wheeler could
rot accept this explanation for the Spanish SOL
diers were not footsore General Wheeler's opinion
was that the Spanish commander was not able to
face the Anericans in the open
Discussing the plan Of campaign, he said ne
doubted whether any more effective plan could
have been adopted Speaking Of the medical de-
partrnent ne said that times there were COM
plants but that they were not serious on ooci-
slons there was shortage o. surgeons some OF thc
surgeons being sick or wounded According 70 his
belle. the wounded IN battle were promptly cared
for by the surgeons After the fight Of July all
the wounded were carried rom the feld that night
lie had heard tina: there more complaint OF The
shortage OF Medicine among the Infantry than N
the cavalry arm.
Going back to Tampa he said that when he vas
there the FIRST half OF June. the site was without
objection but mad felt that & would be wet later
IN the season II was his impression that Tampa
had been selected as camp site after the Beginning
o. The war and was Incidental 10 the intended
movement m Havana. There times some
shortage OF supplies at the camp, but nothing ne
adaed that soldier could complain OF lhey
had comfortable tents and the commissary supplies
were sufhcien, The water supply also was gooo'
The men in mis- command were well taken care Of
Hoy,ever very few men were at that time sick. He
ha6 himself gone into the hospitals. and had found
the men doing vei..
AN ABUNDANCE OF SUPPLIES
General Wheeler said he had no control over any
Of the supplies wllica were taken 10 santiago on
TIE transports when he left Tampa TINS was at
tended 10 by the stan officers He only kne" from
conversation with these that there was al" a0uh-
dance OF supplies 0; ali character
Returning 70 toe Santiago campaign he said that
only tao recinlcnts had reported shortage o.
rs;ioas and he had Immediately telephoneo 20 the
rear and the shortage. which was Que 10 a0~'0e'''
had been made GOOD There was s~iis'i's 80
the men were compelled 10 lie on the oreas'"otAs.
The meat was poor. and they had no ofedo pu.
bareback They were forced 20 lie IN 'fe sun 1id
water alternately and necessarily there was much
sickness While they had the full quota OF ooe.0''
and nurses he thought that II more had oeeh Iu'
..saed The men would have been better careo IUi.
As :or rauons three days supply was gehetaHy
isyle1 Whenever the troops went INTO acuo" ,'Vy
would throw their food away. as wen a. W
PACKS and they often did not recover item. .ha.
General Wheeler took up the common report una,
the Cubans sto.e goods thus discarded II Nds NJ
fair ne said thus 10 accuse the natives tot me-
20 much OF this hotsam ana )etsam -. -,
80 ~. - "a ,or belnn1 themselves. he