Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-11
Maj. Gallagher Tells How Commits
sary Stores Were Handled in Cuba.
MORE LIGHTERS WERE NEEDED
Abundant Transportation for Send
ing Rations to the Front.
SHORTAGE LASTED TWO DAYS

The testimony of Maj. Hugh ]. Gallagher
yesterday afternoon after The Stars re-
port of It's proceedings was closed. MAJ.
Gallagher gave an interesting account con-
Cerning the landing of supplies at Siboney,
and their issue and transportation there,
at Ell Poso. San Juan and Santiago.
He said the commissary and quartermaster 9
departments had done all in their power TO
meet the demands of the army, considering
the conditions under which they labored.
He said he did not know where blame
should rest for failure TO get supplies ashore
quicker. and when urged to locate the re-
sponsibIlity retorted:
God Is to blame for it,
The witness went on to explain that the
plies during the two days when they only
had lighters supplied by the war vessels.
having only one steam lighter. AS this eX-
animation continued, Gen. Wilson explain
ed that the quarterInasters department had
borrowed two lighters that had just been
finished for work on the Mississippi river
by the engineer department. that it had
been reported that they had been lost at
sea, and that the quartermaster's depart
ment had reimbursed the engineer depart
ment for them.
Inefficient Officers.
department who he said were incompetent
and took no interest in learning their du-
ties. These, he said, were civilian appoint
ees.
The witness had testified that he was de-
pot commissary at Siboney from June % to
July /.
Ex-Gov Beaver asked him how many ra-
lions were landed that first afternoon.
y very small quantity replied the wit
ness. Il landed only 1000 1900 rations
1t was very small quantity I could get
ashore in the lighters
Ex-Gov. Beaver-'Have you any memo
randa of rations you accumulated there the
first day?'
The witness-'I have not. I was not the
officer responsible for the rations Mai E.
b. Wilson was responsible, and he contin-
ued to be responsible until he was taken i'll
with fever. The rations were taken to
the front nearly as fast as they were land
ed At the end of the second day the pile
OF rations was very small. 1 cannot say
what the amount was
Ex-Governor Beaver-"How far were the
troops from you at this timer
Ran Short of Coffee and Sugar.
The wftness-'They varied in distance
from two to seven miles. 1 want 1t under
stood that l could not always fill reauisi-
lions at Ell Paso. On two occasions ! could
not. This was due to the fact that on two
days July and 6. the surf was very heavy
at Siboney and the lighters could not land
supplies The wagons were obliged to go
10 BatQuiri for the supplies. During these
two days we could not supply coffee and
sugar. Other parts of the rations were
given In full
The witness said there were 900 900 com
plete rations on the Allegheny, the trans
port which was at Siboney at the time he
first got there. That was enough to sup
ply the whole army for twelve days. He
nf.ff -, i
that the hard bread was always good when
issued, though it was often injured after
ward by the rain.
Ex-Governor WOodbury-"Was there any
suffering on account of non-suppIy of ra
lions? -
The witness-"Among the soldiers? They
were on the firing line while 1 was at the
depot L did not see that. I know men
were coming back to the depot and asking
Tor canned goods and bareback, and I was
always able to supply them"
Ex-Governor Woodbury-"How much
complaint came to your notice regarding
the quality of rationS?'
The witnesS-'I cannot recall anv com.
plant as TO their quality"
captain HoWell-"Did you hear any dis
cussion by officers on your way to Cuba of
arrangements for landing supplies?'
The witness-'J did not"
Feeding Cubans and Refugees.
The witness said that at Siboney they
not only fed the army, but they were feed
ing the Cubans and refugees, too.
Ex-Gov. Beaver-.'What was the excess
of rauons issued over the amount neces-
sary to supply the army"
The witness" We never made any eff
fort to give the complete rations to these
people. We gave them what We could
spare should say we Were feeding 1900
men IN addition to the army. We gave
then things that We could not very well
use on the firing line. such as rice, beans,
green coffee and flour"
Ex-Gov. Woodbury-"Our soldiers were
not deprived of any rations on account of
these issues TO the Cubans?'
The witness-'I think not 1 can safely
say no"
Ex-Gov. Beaver-'I understand you were
called upon to feed soldiers and citizens Of
Cuba in addition TO our own army?"
The wltness-"We supplied the Cuban
army OF 1.Gn men from June % until July
To- We gave them hard bread. coffee
sugar, salt, soap. candles and extra things
of that kind. We gave the refugees of b.
Caney what we had. The prisoners of war
were fed after the surrender, too. They
numbered in and about Santiago, about
12Oo0 or 1900 men. We also sent supplies