The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-11-17
WAR INVESTIGATORS
A Remarkably Good Showing For
,c;;:, ss.x the Hospital at Siboney.
TIE MORTALITY VERY SMALL.
MAJOR La Garde Testihes That OF the
Thirteen or Fourteen Hundred Sol
dIers Wounded Only Eleven Died,
Being Less Than One Per Cent.

MAJOR LII Uarue leSClHeS Thu OF tHo
Thirteen Or Fourteen Hundred Sol
dIers Wounded Only Eleven Died,
Being Less Than One Per Cent.
Washington, Nov. 17-An important
point was developed by the war inves-
tigating commission yesterday through
the examination of Major LaGarde,
one Of the surgeons in charge of the
hospital at Siboney. 1t was that Of the
1900 or 1,40O wounded men treated in
the hospital only II had died. This
was less than l per cent. and DIR. La
Garde ventured the statement that no
war in history showed SO small NOR
tally among wounded men. 70
The testimony Of Colonel J. w.
Jacobs. who was in charge of the trans
portation facilities at Santiago, indi.
Gated that the reason why camp equip
page and cooking utensils had not been
forwarded from the coast to the troops
on the battle line In front of Santiago
was to be found in an order issued by
General Shafter expressly forbidding 1t.
The order provided that only rations
and forage should be sent forward.
Colonel Jacobs declared the quarter
masters department was not respon-
sible for the condition of inadequate
camp supplies at the front. as the Of
ficers merely obeyed the orders Of the
commanding general.
Captain M. w. Ireland, who was as
ISOLATED with DR.. LaGarde as sur
geon and executive officer in the Sib-
oney hospital. testified that he had gone
to Cuba on the Saratoga, but had not
been able to land for six days, why he
did pot know. The hospital at Siboney
had .been sufficiently well supplied for
about 200 patients. except In the mat
ter of cots, of which there were not to
exceed so. Patients in excess Of this
number We're compelled to lie on their
blankets on the ground for the first
week of the hospitals history. About
1000 wounded men came to be treated
within three or four days after the ini-
tiation of the hospital There was 4
sufficiency Of supplies except delicacies
and conveniences. Speaking of the
Concha. concerning which there has
been considerable criticism, he said he
had supervised the provisioning Of that
vessel, and he was sure that 1t had re-
ceived all the supplies neressary-at
least there had been no complaint be-
fore leaving.
DR.. Edward l.. Munson. who for
time was on duty at Tampa and in
Cuba, being for a time on the Olivette
and also adjutant- TO General Pope,
chief surgeon of the Fifth corps, said
he had understood that acquisitions
were promptly approved and that all
the difficulty there was IN getting med-
cines and supplies was due to the lack
of transportation Each regiment had
been expected to take the supplies that
would be necessary. There were no
orders to leave any of the medical sup
plies except the ambulances at Tampa.
He had understood that the medical
supplies in Cuba were short. They
were taken oil the transports, but 1t
was impossible to get them landed.
Dr. Munson said that the condition
Of the army before Santiago was la
mentable, owing largely to the fact
that the men were without tents. For
the first two or three days, also, there
were practically no supplies on shore.
So far as he could determine the quar-
termaster's department had made no
effort to assist the medical department,
leaving 1t entirely to its own devices.