Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-11-03

AND STUPID 1NCAPAClI4-IftE
STEAMER CONCHA WAS A PEST
HOLE, WHERE THE WATER
SUNK, AND WHERE THE COOK
ING WAS ABOMINABLE-ONL
ONE SURGEON ABOARD AND HE
A CONVALESCENT - S KIT e Z n
MEN DIED ON THE TRIP, SOME
OF WHOM COULD HAVE BEEN
SAVED WITH PROPER FOOD AND
ATTENTION-GENE SANGER
TELLS OF THE EVILS OF RED
TAPE AND THE COMPLEXITY OF
WAR DEPARTMENT METHODS.
Washington, November 1.-THE in
vestigating commission held session
to-day for the purpose of hearing the
testimony of Major Henry Romeyne, a
retired army officer. He said that he
had asked at the beginning of the war
Tor military assignment TO go to the
front in his capacity as an officer, but
it was refused and he then went as a
correspondent OF weekly newspaper.
His testimony covered the embarka-
ton of the troops at Port Tampa and
the campaign in Cuba. He said that
when he went to Port Tampa the bank
Of the canal there was covered with
troops. He had wanted to go over
with the Tenth infantry, which was
his old regiment, but no one could tell
him who-e the regiment was to be
found. He asked a staff officer and
several others for this information, but
aone knew; nor did any one appear
70 know on what vessel any of the
particular troops were to embark.
There was great confusion, as con-
sequence of which a part of COM
mand would go on one vessel and part
on another, and the commands were
in some cases separated from their
systematic embarkation of the troops,
and he had heard it said that they were
told to go aboard helter-skelter.
When asked to express an opinion
as to the eparation for the embark
alton, the illness hesitated, saying
that to do so would involve criticism
of his superiors. The commissioners
insisted upon a reply, and Mr.. Ro-
meyne replied that he did not think
the preparation was such as it should
have been. There was" he said, "a
lack of surf boats and also of order
and of preparation for landing. When
the landing was undertaken the troops
left the ships Unfortunately, parts
going one time and other parts at
other tines
He told of the effort to tow two
lighters over to Cuba, but said that
one was lost and that it was the gen
eral impression that it was lost on
purpose because it retarded the pro-
gress of the fleet. In response to
question from Gen. McCook, Major
Romeyne said that while it was diff
ficult to land anything, ambulances
and wagons could have been landed
as easily as the artillery. He had seen
only one ambulance at the front at the
battle of Ell Caney, and it was not US
ed for conveying the wounded to the
rear. Speaking of other incidents of
this battle he said there was general
surprise that an inflated balloon had
been carried at the head of the attack
ing column, thus indicating to the
SpaniardS the exact location of the
troops, but he did not know at whose
orders this had been done.
He said the town of Sibony was
without exception the dirtiest place he
had ever seen in his life and that no
effort was made to clean it up before
the fever broke out. There was a de-
ficiency of proper food at the fever
hospitals, and the cooking was gener-
ally poor. Any one in this hospital
was liable to contract yellow fever.
He had been patient in the hospital,
and said there had been no neglect of
patients by the medical attendants at
this hospital or at the hospitals for
the wounded. He had known sur
geons in the latter hospital to work
sixty hours without cessation.
"Why did they not have more sur
geons?" asked Col. DENLY.
The witness said he could not an
swer.
Maj Romeyne said he had come
north as convalescent with many
other convalescents on the transport
Concha, and he criticised the provis-
ioning of the vessel in severe terms.
Many of the men were compelled to
sleep on board hunks without pillows
and with no covering at night except
the cotton uniform they wore during
the day. 1.-THE water was offensive
to both sight and SMELL" he said, "and
the food was poor and scanty, none
being provided especially for conva-
lescents. The meat was canned and
inferior and much of the hard tack
moulded"
He also stated that there was only
one physician aboard the vessel and
that he was a convalescent. Six men
had died on the way up and Maj.
Romeyne expressed the opinion, in re-
sponse to a question from Capt. How
ell, that with proper attention and
good food the lives of at least some
e 41,o.o ,,,o,, ooI,1d have haar covod