The record-union., 1898-11-03
Testimony Before the War lnVeStI-
CATION Commission,
Observations of Major ROmsyne, Retired
Army Officer.
Says Regiments Were Loaded on
Transports at Tampa in Great
Confusion-Had Heard 1t Said
That the Men Were Told to Go
Aboard HeIter Shelter.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2-The War
Investigation Commission held ses-
sion here to-day for the purpose Of
hearing the testimony of Major Henry
Romeyne, a retired army officer
He said that he asked at the begin
ming of the war for military assign
ment to go to the front in his capacity
as an officer, but it was refused, and
then he went as a correspondent of
weekly newspaper.
His testimony covered the embarka-
tion Of the troops at Port Tampa and
the campaign in Cuba. He said that
when he went to Port Tampa. the bank
OF the canal there was covered with
troops He had wanted to go over
with the Tenth Infantry, which was
his old regiment, but no one could tell
him where the regiment was to be
found. He asked a staff officer and sew
eral others for this information, but
none knew, nor did any one appear to
know on what vessel any particular
troops were to embark. There was
great confusion, as a consequence Of
which part of a regiment would go on
one vessel and a part on another, and
the regiments were thus separated
from their stores. He had seen no Or
der for the systematic embarkation Of
the troops, and he had heard it said
that they were told to go aboard he'll
ter-skelter
When asked to express an opinion as
10 the preparation for embarkation, the
witness hesitated, saying that to do. SO
would involve the criticism Of his SUI
periors. The Commissioners insisted
7Yr1O n n =
that he did not think the preparations
were such as they should have been.
There was" he said, "a lack of surf
boats, and also of order and of prep
aration for landing When the landing
was undertaken the troops left the
ships indiscriminately, parts going at
one time and other parts at other
times"
He told of the efforts to tow two
lighters over to Cuba, but said that one
was lost, and that it was the impression
that it was lost on purpose, because it
retarded the progress Of the fleet
In response to a question from Gen
eral McCook, Major Romeyne said that
while it was difficult to land anything,
ambulances and wagons could have
been landed as easily as the artillery
He had seen only one ambulance to the
front at the battle of FL Caney and it
was not used for removing wounded to
the rear.
Speaking of other incidents Of the
battle, he said there was general sur
prise that an inflated balloon had been
carried at the head of the attacking
column, thus indicating to the Span
iards the exact location of the troops,
but he did not know at whose orders
this had been done.
He said the town of Siboney, was
without exception the dirtiest place he
had ever seen. No effort had been made
TO clean it up before the fever broke
out. There was a deficiency of proper
food at the fever hospitals, and the
cooking was generally poor Any one
an this hospital was liable to contract
yellow fever. He had been patient in
the hospital, and said there had been
no neglect of patients by the medical
attendants at this hospital, or at the
hospitals for the wounded. He had
known surgeons in the latter hospi-
tails to work sixty hours without cessa-
tion.
Why did they not have more sur
geons?" asked Colonel DENLY.
The witness said he could not answer.
Major Romeyne said he had come
North as a convalescent with many
other convalescents on the transport
Concho, and he criticised the provis-
ioning of the vessel in severe terms.
Many men were compelled to sleep on
board hunks, without blankets or pill
lows. and were not covered at night
except by the cotton uniform which
they wore during the day
"The water was offensive to both
sight and smell'' he said. "and the
food was poor and scanty, none being
provided especially for convalescents.
The meat was canned and inferior. and
much of the hardtack moldy"
He also stated that there was only
one physician on board. and that he
was a convalescent. Six men had died
on the way up. and Major Romeyne
expressed the opinion, in response to a
question from Captain Howell. that
with proper attention and good food
the lives of at least some of the men
could have been saved. He said he
was unable 20 place the responsibility
for the neglect, but the Captain of the
vessel had stated that when he made
application to go to Jamaica for fresh
food and water before starting on the
voyage ITOun SdulIdSO Tie 1Squ6SA was
refused.
General Wilson, Ex-Governor Beaver
and Captain Howell go to Camp Meade
tomorrow for the purpose of inspect
ing that camp.
THE HEARING AT LEXINGTON.
LEXINGTON. Nov. 2.-The first wit
ness before the War Investigating
Commission to-day was General Jo-
seph P. Sanger, who had command OF
the Third Division. He said the Sec
ond Division camp at Chickamauga
was badly located, being in rocky
ground, where sinks could not be deep
ly dug.
When asked why the Quartermaster'
Department could not furnish articles
necessary for supplying the army
General Sanger said:
The complex system of furnishing
supplies to our army is at fault Il
there was one department to supply al
the wants Of the army there would be
no clashes, and these complications
could not arise At Chickamauga the
control of my division hospital was
taken from me ana taken by the Chief
surgeon of the corps'
The General went into a discussion
of the complex system of our war regu-
1ations. General Sanger said he con-
sidered the weak point in Camp Thorn
as was its bad sanitary condition
There were over 600 licensed hucksters
who visited Camp Thomas. Much lem
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