Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-08-11
A ROUND ROBIN.
Troops Must he Sent Home Or an Ap.
palling Disaster is Liable.
To Keep the Army at Santiago VIII Luz
voivo the Destruction OF Thousands
by yellow Fever and Oth"r
Discases-To lie Returned.

SANTIAGO ne CUBA, Aur. 3. de-
laycd in Transmissionl Summoned by
Ma ten. Shaftcr, meeting was held
this morning ut headquarters, and III
the presence of every commanding and
medical officer of the 9th army corps
Gen. Shafter read a cable message
from Secretary Algcr, ordering him
at the recommendation of Surgeon
General Stcrnbcrg, To move tine
army into the interior, to san Luis,
where it is healthier. As result of
the con ference zen. Shaficr will in
siSi upon the immediate withdrawal ri
the army north within two weeks. rs
an explanation of the situation the
following letter from Col Thro Euo,c-
Welt, commanding the ist volunteer
cavalry, to Gen. Shaftcr, Was handed
by the latter To the correspondent here
of the Associated Press for publication:
Maj. Gen. Shafter;
Sir: In "A meeting Of the general and medi-
cal officers. called hy you at the palac" tins
morning. We are all a. YOU know, unanimous IN
view Of what should he done with the army.
To keep " here IN the opinion of every officer
commanding a division or a brigade, viii
simply involve the destruction Of thousands.
There Is no possible reason for not shipping
practically tho entire command north at once.
yellow fever eases are very few in the cavalry
division where command one Of
the two brigadcs and not one
true ease Of yellow fever has oc-
Cured in this division except among the men
sent to- the hospital at Sihoncv whcr" they
have | believe, contracted it. But in this di-
vision there have been I5,D cases If malarial
fever. Not u man has died from 1t, hut the
whole command i - weakened and shattered
RS to he ripe for dying like rotten sheep when
a real yellow fever epidemic, instead OF n fake
epidemic like the present strikes us ~ 1t IL
bound to- If We stay here. at the height Of he
sickness season. August and The beginning
| Of September. Quarantine against malaria
fever Is much like quaran;ining against tho
| toothachc All Of rs are certain, as soon as
| the authorities at Washington fully APP
prccate the conditions Of the army, 10
| be sent home II We are kept here it will in
all human possibility mean an appalling dis
| aStcr. for the surgeons here estimate that over
half the army. II kept here during the sicI,ly
|
the standpoint of the Individual lives lost,
but it means ruin from the standpoint
of the military efficiency Of the
flower Of the American army, for
the great bulk OF the regulars are here with
you. The sick list large though it l.. exceed
| ing 4.OM, affords hut a faint index Of the de-
| Utilization Of the army Not 10 per cent. are tit
for active work six weeks on the North
the yellow fever germ can not possibly
propagate, would make Us all as lit ~
fighting cocks, able as We are eager, To
take II leading part m the great CAM
pairn against Havana in the fall. even If We
are not allowed To try Porto Rico. We can ha
moved north if moved a, once, with absolute
safety to the country, although, of course. it
would have been infinitely better If We hat
| been moved north or to Porto Rico two weeks
ago. II there were any object in keeping US
here we would face yellow fever with ~ much
Indifference as we face bullets but there is
no object in it, The four immune regiments or
dered here are sufficient 10 garrison the city and
surrounding towns, and there is absolutely
nothing for us to do here ami there has not
| been since the town surrendered. IT is impos-
sible to move into the interior. Every shifting
OF camp doubles the sick rate in our present
weakened condition, and anyhow, the interior
| is rather worse than the coast. as have found
by actual reconnaissance. Our present camps
,-gc aS HEALTHY 80 aEy ....- nj this end Of
the island ~ u, .ur.. gtIy ,Gralis" ! can
| not STE Gu. men who naEs yht - -clNtly
and who have endured extr,,..- hardship> ;h,.
dangers 80 uncomplainingiy, 30 to destruction
without striving so far as lies in me to avert q
Ia