The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-05
WHEELER FINDS NO FAULT.
0ENERAB EBSTTFTES THAT TIE ARMT
WAS WE'LL MANAGED.

Ne Gives an Account 70 the InvestiEatinG
oommisSion 81 His Experience in the
Campaign rom the BeGinninE-No Real
Lack Of Supplies - RoGimsnts which
Were without Food and Medicines Could
Have Secured Them for the AskiuE-No
Complaints RsAohed Hiua-EIIs Work In
Cutting RED Tape at Camp wikoh-
wherever There Were Minor Faults
They Were RSmodisd o~uiCllyLThe Army
Had Feed and Luxuries "Better Than
Any Army Ever HAD" the General said.
WASHINGTON. Oct. A-President McKlnley's
war Investigating commission to-day heard In
part Its drst witness. and the Developments
showed the s%oundness Of the attitude assumed
by the President and Secretary Algor that an
Investigation of The conduct Of the war In the
Santiago campaign and In the manage
ment Of the camps and hospitals ostab.
lished In the United States would show
that the greater part Of the oEitiOisma.
public and private, were unSounded. Major.
Gen. Joseph Wheeler told Of the operations Of
the division under his command In Cuba MI
OF his observations and o~xpaI1snces q Camp
Wlkon. MontAuk Point. Thu plan of campaign
pursued in Cubs. he thought YVES proforAhio 70,
that which had been suggested. Of reducing
The forts and towns around Santiago By the
military forces, against which he protested
vigorously in q letter b Gen. 6hafton
Gen. Wheeler admitted that thSrO w0S Q Aaok
Of transportation facilities ,at eantiaSA but
commended Cen Shafter fOrBo utilizing what
was &C hand a. TO mako the Oampa1gn q 0uo-i
cess. IN this paEtof Gen Whooi0H'S testimony
there cropped out his only criticism Of Gen.
ehafter. Il related to the order Of 0mbarka.
ton. which placed his division fourth. Being
second in command. and his forces consisting Of
cavalry. Gen. Wheeler thought Il should be nrSk.
There was objection TO the transports lying on
shore 60 great . distance while the expedition
and storos were disembarking. 10 was DIM
cult to determinO who was in command Of the
tranSportsi they wero under the charge Of the
QuaTtermAster's division Of the army.
The medical division. he said. was fairly well
orGanized; ordnance supplies and rations were
promptly furnished. In reply to q direct Ques-
ton from Gov. Beaver. who conducted the
examination on behalf Of tho commits
sion. Gen. Wheeler said that In his obs
servation he saw no omission that ordinary
prudence Of o commander or foresight of an in-
telligent head OF stafH could have obviated
There was no suffering from lack Of ordnance
or commissary stores; no wounded uncared
for and no ambuscade Of troops; no wormy or
mouldy food and no neglect Of soldiers.
Gen. Wheeler's testimony regarding matters
u SHIup WlkOu WAS uOb COuCluueu NneH JuO
commission adjourned for the day. and that
will be continued tomorrow. He made a gem
eral statement Of the condition OF things at
Wikoff; described what had been done
by him as commander. under the Presi-
dents especial direction and order. and
approved most heartily Of the selec-
ton Of the site. He differed radically
from the opinion Of the medical experts put
forward BY the New York World Us to the de-
| afr ~hfHk, I'D AOnAdtAna~ 80 NhA 10, An-
claring that its establishment was both
a military and q public necessity. Re-
viewing q series OF alleged facts" SUBJ
mitted to the commission by the World,
regarding which that paper asked that GEM
Wheeler be called to testify. the witness de-
MED any knowledge Of most OF them. and exc
pressed his unbelief in their accuracy. He con-
demned the contract with the Long Island
Railroad by which 1t had a practical monopoly
Of Transportation to and from Camp Wikof.
Gen. Wheeler admitted that there were cases
| Of wronRdoinR. but said that as soon as abuses
were discovered he gave orders that stopped
them. That there were distress and suffering.
the General said no one could deny. but 1t waG
caused by disease and not by neglect. incom-
petence or cruel treatment Out OF q hospital
population OF 10000 there were less than 300
deaths. q fact emphasized by DR.. Connor. the
medical member of the commission. Alto
gether the General said the idea OF
the camp was splendid and its site
and conditions magnificent in view Of
the results. not o single case OF
yellow fever having been developed from
among all those who were brought there sick
from q yellow fever country. There was no red
tape at Camp Wikoh. Gen. Wheeler said. and
no reQuisitions. All supplies. Of which there
was an abundance. were Erantsd'on applica-
tion.
1t was noticeable throughout the day that
Gen. Wheeler volunteered almost nothing
in the way Of explanation or assertion.
everything being drawn from him BY
direct questions. Although Gov. Beaver
conducted the greater part Of tho In
quiry. other members OF the commission
asked questions. notably Gov. Woodbury.. Col.
DENLY. Capt. Howell and Dr.. Connor. the lattor
taking especial interest in the matters affecting
the medical division.
In response to questions. Gen. Wheeler said
that he had boon appointed q Major-General Of
Volunteers on May 4 and commissioned on May
T.. A month later. on Juno 2. he went aboard
transports at Tampa with his cavalry division.
remaining mine days before they sailed for
Santiago.
Before you sailed were you Informed Of the
details Of the campaign at Santiago 2"
Gen. Wheeler was not.
Continuing, the General said the command
sailed in about forty TRANSPORTS. EfHecting q
landing. Gen. Wheeler said. he reported at once
to Gen. Shafter. and made a personal recon-
noissance tho next day. Gen. Wheeler went
into details regarding movements OF the troops
leading up to the first engagement. and paid .
compliment to the yalor and courage OF the
American troops.
Nothing could be finer" he said. and I
never saw mon conduct themselves better in
battle"
On the rsconnoissance spoken Of Gen.
Wheeler saw Gen. Castillo. the Cuban leader.
who promised to be with them the next day
with $50 men. but they did not appear before
the engagement. Gen. Wheeler said they
learned later that the Spaniards before the en-
gagement were Boosting and saying that they
would drive the Yankee pigs into the sea-"
I'VE lost. as l remember. sixteen men," said
Can Whaeler.