The record-union., 1898-11-23

30 0T WnaL 10 DO. After waiting tWen-
ty-four hours I took the law into my
own hands, and bought food for the
men and horses. Later, when We found
our camp. we were all right"
Were you reimbursed for your
outlay?n
I never asked it. 1t was a personal
matter entirely
Colonel Roosevelt said great con-
dition of confusion existed at Tampa.
Nobody seemed to know anything, and
no arrangements were evident as to
what transports were to be used. His
own regiment was assigned to the Yu-
catan. Incidentally, he heard that the
Seventy first New York Volunteers
and Seventeen Infantry were also as
signed to the Yucatan. AS soon as he
heard that he hurried on the Rough
Riders and took possession of the ship.
and held it against the other regi-
ments. His men had decided to get to
Cuba, and got there.
DO you attribute all the confusion"
asked General Wilson, ito lack of in
telligence on the part of the men in
charge, or to the natural overcrowd-
ing Of work?"
Il was only a Lieutenant Colonel.
and I could not know whose fault it
was
Replying to other questions, Colonel
Roosevelt said the food was ample,
and with the exception of the canned
roast beef, was good. The beef was
very bad.
Colonel Roosevelt told of the voy-
age to Cuba, and Of the disembarka-
tion of the regiment at Daiquiri. The
regiment was one of the first to land.
Captain Shaw, who was associated
with Colonel Roosevelt in the Navy
Department, sent a Cuban pilot on
board the Yucatan, and he took the
transport a mile and half nearer the
shore than other ships. There was a
great scarcity of material for landing
men and horses.
Colonel Roosevelt, still replying to
questions. told in detail of the march
of his regiment to it's first camping
place. After supper he continued,
Colonel Wood told us that we were to
start next morning to attack the
Spaniards. The next morning the
march was hard one, especially for
the men" .
Colonel Roosevelt gave brief details
of the fighting.
Asked about lIG IdllOllSt AAC 0NAN~'
1--WE had the regulation Of salt pork,
hard tack, coffee and sugar, bur the
men wanted veget ables and / wanted
to get them for them. I took forty
men. with the officers horses, to ST.
honey, and tried to buy them. The
department refused TO sell me beans
and tomatoes unless I could certify
that they were for officers consump-
ton / stretched my conscience as far
as / could, and then boarded a trans
port and purchased about 500 pounds
of beans The change did the men
good.
Replying to questions, Colonel Roose-
welt said other regiments ait the front
suffered from lack of supplies. One
man of the First Illinois Regiment Wis
tied the Rough Riders camp and Of
fered 81 for seven hard tacks. Two
hundred men of the regiment came to
the Rough Riders camp and ate the
broken hard tack. The Rough Rid
ers had enough TO eat, but it was the
result of individual effort and indi-
vidual expenditure There was a great
scarcity of all medical supplies at the
front. except quinine and calomel. and
a great lack OF Surgeons and hospital
stewards.
In reference to Camp wikoff, Colonel
Roosevelt said there was great confu
sion for the first days after the arrival
of the troops. During these days. he
continued, II do not think our men
were treated as we'll as they should
have been so near home, but after that
there was nothing that I could find
fault with"
why was there a scarcity of medi-
cal supplies in Cuba?" asked DR.. Con-
ner.
II do not know. I heard there was
plenty on the ships. There was la
mentable need of mbulances. I think
we could have done better with fewer
men and more transportation"
Have you anything you can suggest
to us for the future?" asked General
Wilson
Il believe all the difficulties we met
with would be obviated in the future
if the National Guard was trained as
are the armies of foreign countries.
Give them long marches. Let them
mass at San Antonio and move to Gal
weston or some other place March
them to a port and embark them. No
matter if it does cost money, let them
be trained. Each year let the army
in peace be put through the experience
it must have in time of war
Colonel Roosevelt referred the COM
mission to. his official report for any
further particulars that it might desire
Of his personal experience during the
campaign.
The commission then adjourned.