The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-09-01
WHO HAS BLUNDERED IN
CARING FOR OUR TROOPS?
Responsibility for Cruel Conditions to Be
Fixed. Only Twelve to Attend TO
Commissary Affairs.

the case Of the American troops at
Santiago, at Tampa, at Montauk
Point, at ChIckamauga, at Camp
AIger and at Fernandno is to be
officially Investigated.
The complaints have been too
numerous to be passed without
action. Unless the officials of the
Administration at once begin the
investigation, and thorough one at
that, it is certain that congress will
take the matter in hand as soon as
it meets.
There will be no immediate pres
sure for an answer as to the State
camps or as to the Porto Rican cam
pa1gn, which seems to have gone
well It will be sufficient for the
present if Secretary Alger and Gen.
Shafter will tell why there was such
bitter and cruel failure in the handl-
ing Of the army of 10000 at San
tiago.
There is an opinion that the great
problem of assembling an army of
100000 men throws no mantle over
neglect in handling and caring for
the 10000 men at Santiago. They
were sacrificed at Santiago, and they
are now suffering at Montauk Point
The ball of blame has been tossed
from one government otfici al to an
other. Shafter has cabled defenses
of himself, and Alger has arraigned
the Generals and Colonies because
they cried out for the men.
Figures secured from Com uaissary
General Eagan reveal the amazing
fact that the Commissary Depart,
ment is composed of only % egular
officers 1t is due to Gen. Eagan to
say that he desires to have all the
facts published in connection with
his department.
Five of these % men are on stats
and two are in Washington. One ia
old, another i'll AMI the third is in
Manila This leaves II men of the
regular establishment under orders
from Gen. Eagan to do the work of
distributing 111,000.00O rations is
sued since the beginning OF the war
Only one of these men was at Santi-
ago-Commissary Wheaton. He was
assisted by Commisssry Henry, who
was volunteer.
They did the best they could.
Commissary Henry was shot while
in the fighting line distributing
supplies. This left one man under
orders of General Eagan.
After earnest representations
eight volunteer Majors and twelve
volunteer Captains were added to
the Commissary Corps. They were
under the orders of General Eagan,
but in many cases they were so new
to the work as not to be able even |
to make out requisition.
1t is commended that the Secretary
of war should have so presented to
Congress the possible exigencies as
not to have the Commissary Depart
nent dependent for the feeding of
100000 soldiers upon the manage
nent of II regulars and 90 volun-
teers.
Thus she food-the part of it that
was unloaded-was thrown upon
,he beach, with only two men to
receive it.
Then came confusion. General
Shafter seemed to forget that there
vas anything to 30 except land mea.
The subsistence stores that were
1ot landed We're in many cases re-
turned to Old Point or to New York,
ust as they were laden.
The men had to shift for them.
selves. There was no lack of food.
The total amount of food sent TO
lamps was 100000 ratious. The
amount that reached Santiago was
over 100000 -atious. These rations
vent with the army, which it took
'nly 10000 rations day to feed.
Commissary Wheaton, who was at ,
Santiago, in his report to General i
Eagan, says:
There was never day that there !
vas not as much as $4,000 surplus {
akinns on the +Srhtinrr lima