The age-herald., 1898-11-17
GENERAL SKATER
 WAS RESPONSIBLE AmbulanCeS Were Left at Tampa in
 Obedience to His Orders. NO PROVISION FOR WOUNDED Would Not Allow Cooking Utensils Sent
 Forward to the Troops.
STRICT VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS
In Addition to Written Orders Were Given by Shafter That Only Forage Supplies Should Be Furnish
 ed the Soldiers.

Washington. November 1o.-At today's session of the war investigation commits sion, Colonel Jacobs, who had charge of the transportation facilities at Santiago expressed the opinion that there was not sufficient number of wagons. He thought there should have been at least one wagon to each troop or company, in addition to those at headquarters. General Shafter's first order had been to take only fifty wagons. When General Miles went to Tampa he doubled the number, but even this order did not secure a sufficient num- Der. He knew no reason for not sending more except that there was no means of getting them from Tampa to Santiago.
 General McCook developed a quite ani- mated episode by asking if there were any reasons why the cooking utensils and camp equipage of the troops should not have been forwarded from Baiquiri to the troops in the field.
 "There was no reason,' Colonel Jacobs replied, "except that General Shafter's or der forbade"
 Continuing, he said that the order was most positive. It did not specify what should not be forwarded, but was most specific in providing that only forage and rations should be forwarded. General Shafter's orders to the effect were written and the general had given him strict verbal instructions to see that the orders were ob- served. The food had been sent to the front cooked, but he thought the men should have had facilities for cooking. The order had never been changed during the month he remained at Baiquiri. 2 pr. Conner asked whether orders had been given to leave all the hospital equip meDta behind a Colonel he responded that he had personal knowledge that General Shafter had given such an or der concerning the ambulances.
 Tt was expected that there would be an engagement was it not?' asked the doctor. They Went to Fight
 Certainly responded the colonel. I've went down there to fight"
 'eThen should there not have been some provision for taking care of the wounded?"
 T should say that these things should have been taken along"
 "Then" continued Dr. Conner, "the med icai department was left in the air and the quartermaster's department is responsi- ble?"
 "The ouartermaster's department could not have been responsible. We were acting under orders. I swear that General Shaf- ter told me not to take the ambuances, but do not recall that there were any dis tinct orders in regard to hospital equip ments."
 Captain Jonathan N. Patton, who, as as- sistant quartermaster, had made the con- tracts for the construction of quartermas- ter commissary building at Camp Wikoff, Montauk, gave the particulars of this trans action and other occurrences at that camp
 He said the camp was not entirely ready for the troops when they began to arrive the time not being suffic 'ent.
 At the afternoon session Captain M. w. rcla aad rIar rnrnc faf fnh xrith 1- Garde as surgeon and executive officer Iin the Siboney hospital, was the first wit ness. He said the hospital at Siboney had been sufficiently well supplied for about 200 patients except in the matter of cots, of which there were not to exceed 90. Patients in excess of this number were compelled to lie their blankets on the ground for the first week of the hospitals history. About 1,200 men came to be treated within three or four weeks after the installation competent, and notwithstanding the short age of supplies the men had as good at- tendance there they could have had at any other hospital There was a sufficiency of supplies with the exception of a scarcity of ice and milk for the patients.
 The Transport Concha
 Speaking of the transport Concha, con- corning which there has been considerable criticism. he said he had supervised the provisioning of that vessel and he was sure that it had received all the supplies neces- sary. He did not know of any ships com ing north without medical officers and at tendants. yet the convalescents sent were expected to look after themselves on the trip.
 Dr. Munson said the condition of the army before Santiago was lamentable owing largely to the fact that the men were with pnS tents. For the first two or three days also there was practically no supplies on shore. So far as he could determine the department had made no | effort to assist the medical department. | leaving 1t entirely to its own devices.
 Col. w. H. Forwood who was the chief l medical officer at Montauk Point, testified | that his instructions were to have on hand | at all times. tents, beds and so forth and | that they were not there | were not correct The hospitals were over | crowded at times, but only for few hours. 1 He asserted that mot for minute", had | patients remained outside the hospitals | without protection from the weather, | though there were times when cots were | not on hand. In these cases the patients | were laid on hair mattresses spread on the .ent floors. Dr. Forwood said that the | was in some measure due to he fact of men seeking admission to the hospitals in order to obtain furloughs home This condition of affairs might have re- iulted in keeping deserving men out.
 stg No Red Tape Business
 '.We did not do much business with the etter pad,'' said the witness; i've did not ise the pen nor resort to red tape, but we yot on our horses and went with a vim to To what was to be done.'
 But" said pr. Conner. "these facts do ,ot explain the other fact that there were occasions when the tents were overcrowded when there were more sick men than ouId be accommodated. What steps were aken to relieve this condition?
 Dr. Forwood-We increased the carpen-