The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-17
No ASSIG NMENT OF COMMANDS
TO DIFFERENT SHIPS AT
TAMPA.
POOR PROVISION FOR NARRATION
Camp Equippsge and Cooking Utensils Were
Left Behind at Daquiri at Skaters
Order. He Ordered Ambu-
lances Left at Tampa,

taFde IN MS teslliloiS beloIt TUG WI
investigating commission to-day spoke
of the yellow fever hospital at Siboney.
which was under his charge in Il gen
eral way, He was satisfied that the
hospital was well conducted and that
the supplies on the whole We're ample.
DIR. Conner asked whether the con-
tingeney Of yellow fever could not have
heen provided against. asking whether.
IL in his Judgment it should not have
been known by the Surgeon General that
under the circumstances. there would
he no outbreak OF fever.
~TIe should have known that such
were the probabilities and everybody
should have known that such were the
chances in sending an army into an in
fected region in the summer season.
Evidently the Surgeon General did fore
see what would happen, and his words
on this subject written before the expe-
difiOn set ont and giving warning against
the invasion ut the time it was under
taken, read like prophecy"
The witness added under these circun-
stances he could not understand why
more complete provisions should not
have been made for supplying immune
nurses. and he did not know but that
the corps surgeon had asked for this
assistance ia advance; he knew only
that they had not been adequately pro-
yided Apparently, however, the army
depended upon the yellow fever expert
TO say when yellow fever would break
out. However. ii must be said that the
yellow fever was very mild and it came
to be less dreaded than typhoid. As a
consequence the mortality among the.
sick IN Cuba was less than among those
left in the United States.
Or. LcGartie expressed the opinion
that III the soldiers had been fully equip
ped there would have been less sick
ness among them, and he thought that
much of the trouble was due 70 the
fact that the soldiers were compelled 10
lie On the ground without cover,
Colonel j. W Jacobs who was chief
qnarfermasfer Of the Fifth corps at
Tampa and Ia Cuba. testified that Gen-
eral Humphrey had been in charge of
the embarkafion Of troops at Tampa.
and that no order specifying what yes-
scss the different commands were 10
occupy had been issued. In reply to a
question from Governor Beaver. he said
the emharkafi0n had been haphazard
affair. decidedly So He also thought
there WAS a great difficulty IN the pro-
visions for Decentralization. as only two
lighters were provided and enc Of those
was lost on the way oyer.
Colonel Jacobs had charge Of the trans
porTafion facilities at Santiago and he ex
pressed the opinion that there were not a
sufficient number Of wagons General
Skaters first order had been 10 take
only fifty Wagons When General Miles
went to Tampa he doubled the number,
but even this order did not secure a snffi-
cient number.
General McCook developed a quite ami
mated episode by asking IL there was any
reason why the cooking utensils and
camp eamippage Of the troops should
not have been forwarded from Daiqmiri
to the troops IN the field.
There was no reason Colonel Jacobs
replied. except that General Shafter's
order forbade IL
Continuing. he said. that the order
was most positive 1T did not specify
what should not be forwarded. but il
was most specific Id providing that only
forage and rafions should be forwarded.
The food had been sent to the front
cooked. but he thought the men should
have had SOME facilities for cooking: the
order had never been changed during the
month be remained at Daiquiri.
Or Conner asked whether orders had
been given to leave all the hospital equip
ments behind at Tampa, and Colonel
Jacobs responded that III was his impress
sion such was the ease He had personal
knowledge that General Shafter had
given such an order concerning the amDu-
lanees.
CAPTAIN Jonathan ~ Patton, who, ~
assistant anartermaster had made the
contracts for the construction Of the
auarternasfers and commissary build
ings for Camp Wikoff at MonIank Point
also testified ut the morning session.
The witness said there had been q
great deal N injustice hi the Criticisms
~ the newspapers concerning the delay
Of the sick men at the deipots going OH
on fmrlonghs. There was no neglect
81 this matter. lac said .'and no mort
discomfort than II necessary ~ reMoY.
ing sick men. The men Nare provided
with seats and cots while they waited.
AT the afternoon session Captain d
w. Ireland. who Was associated viii
Or. Iagarde as surgeon and e1eeu
tive officer I'll the siboney hospital, tes
tifed III regard % that institution. III
complained 81 the scarcity of cots, no
over fifty being proyided. The hospita
had been supplied for 30 patients. Mans
~ fle sick were compelled 10 lie On theil
blankets Oh tho ground
Dr. Edward r. Mason, Who for tins
was on duty ai Tampa and ii Cuba an
also served as adJutant 10 General Pope
chfef surgeon of the Fifth corps, sal
the condition ~ the army before San
fiago was lalnentablc. owing largely e
the fact that the men were without
tents. For the first two ~ three day
also there were practically no supplies III
shore. 40 far az he could determine
the qaarteFmaster department bai
nlade no effori 10 assist The medical dc
p0rtnsemf, leaving II entirely 70 IFS owl
devices III thought there was sniff
cient dressing FOR The wounded, snfi