The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-05

ever been, The various societies had re-
sponded most literally to the needs OF
the army.
Speaking in general way of recon-
mendations for the future, he said the
men should be kept off the ground and be
sheltered from the rain by good tents.
There should also be much care in regard
to transportation facilities and as to
medical and commissary supplies. Asked
if he thought there had bsen any neglect
in preparing for the campaign, he said he
had been so busily occupied that he had
he had not thought at the time that any
precaution had been neglected. He said
in reply to a question that the tents had
been left on the transports because Of the
feeling that no time should be consumed
in removing them. I'VE were there for
bus ness and we felt that prompt disem-
barkation and u speedy movement to the
front would impress the enemy more than
anything else we could do. But If they
them. There was also shortage at this
time of transportation facilities towards
the 'front.' His own Illness had been
caused by the exposure and he himself
had not been supplied with q tent. 81
was more shifty than some Of the
soldiers he said. ~ stretched little
oil cloth from tree to protect my face
IFO4Q GQ0 Jew pub any SO4uICI oouAA nave
done the same thing.
Gen. Wheeler recommended that there
should be we'll trained Transfers regular
~ employed. The difficulty of transporta-
ton after the landing was the resaon why
the tents were not brought up, why the
siege guns were not brought up and why
many other things were not done. The
roads began fairly good, they were grown
over giving the appearance of trails, but
~, ;e dyYn 70 ovYjI ryrovvth Of foil.
age and the impediments were easily
removed. Gen. Wheeler stated that
previous to the capitulation of Santiago
Gen. Shafter had written him asking him
his views in regard to changing base and
attacking the forts in front OF Santiago,
but that he had advised against this
course as 1T would left San Juan hill,
taken ty the Spaniards. Gen. Wheeler
denied that there had been any ambuscade
at Quasima.
The examination Of General Wheeler
was resumed at 2. 80 p. m. He spoke at
this session especially of his experiences
at Camp Wykoff. Montauk Point. He
arrived at the camp Oh the 18th of August
and by the direction of the President had
taken command of the camp, remaining
until September 9th. The President had
ordered him to spare no pains or expense
to make the men comfortable. Upon
taking command he found it necessary to
undertake much preparation to care for
the men properly. 1t was, for instance,
necessary to bore wells, lay water pipes,
build laundries, etc. 1t was also necessary
to build disinfecting plants. to get floors
surgeons, at his request had list of
special articles to be purchased for the
sick, This he had asked them to do in
obedience to the Presidents desires. This
list of articles included evaporated fruits,
green corn in cans, sug gar cured hams.
oatmeal, fish, ice, canned peas, prunes,
pickles, lemons, oranges. eggs, tea, milk
and many other articles in addition to
their regular rations. The people came
with many kinds of food. And under
take to say" he declared, ''that no army
OF earth was ever so abundantly supplied
with luxuries."
The transportation facilities of the camp
were poor. There's was but one line of
railroad, that single track, and without
adequate terminal facilities The camp
could, he said, have been supplied by
water, but unfortunately there was con-
tract with the railroad company owning
the land, which gave it the control of all
transportation except on government
transports This contract had been m ade,
he understood, in return for the use Of
the land. He did not know who had
made the contract.
General Wheeler said that when he ar
rlved'at the camp from Santiago, the tents
were without floors. 'In fact, she said,
ave had not up to that time, thought of
having floors in the tents.
There were good hospitals erected, but
there was scarcity of purses. He had
Immediately wired for nurses and within
five or six days there was an abundance.
He had been in the habit of summoning
- &c.. Itnti ooh,
morning and when any of them would
indicate the necessity for an article he
would order 1t Immediately by wire. He
detailed an apparent misunderstanding
between Surgeons Forwood and Wood, in
which Wood had complained that Col.
Eorwood, had not honored his requisi-
lions. When brought together, however,
Forwood had explained that this was due
to the difficulty of meeting the demand
was one of the articles of which there was
a scarcity. The doctors were contract
surgeons appointed by the surgeon gen.
eral He thought they had been appointed
after an examination, but he could not
say whether this was the uniform rule.
The hospital tents were, he said, all
foored The patients were laid upon
mattresses on the floor and were supplied
with clean bed linen. From first to last
ten Thousand patients entered the
hospitals ut Montauk. The hospitals had,
when he landed, capacity Of not to ex-
coed 900. So far as he knew, the hospitals
had up to his time, been equal to tie de-
Dlands upon them. Over 1859 of the San
taigo troops had been reported sick on ar
rival, but many others of the arrivals
were really sick.
He stated that visiting ladies had made
frequent complaints to him of specific
cases in which sick men were not proper
ly cared for, but he found upon investiga-
tion in each case, that the physicians said
the ladies were mistaken
Describing the general location of the
camp General Wheeler said it was charm
ing. The sea almost surrounded it, the
ground was rolling and the tents were all
ditched, AS rule when the parents or
other relatives came to visit the soldiers,
tbey expressed satisfaction at the care the
men were given He knew of no COM
plant from relatives General Wheeler
explained that the reason there was so
much complaint about the burials, was
that the burial ground was SO near and SO
plainly in view. Only 200 of the men had
died in the existence of the camp. he
knew nothing of the details of intermenfs