The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-09
ROOSENELT"S FORC1BLE LETTER
Our Troops Ripe for Dying Like Rotten
Sheep.

Copyright 1898 by Associated Press,
Santiago dc Cuba. August 3.-3:3O p.
~m.-(Dclaycd in transmission.) Sum
nloncd by Major General Shafter. 4
mpctin" was held here this mornin" at
~headuuarters and in the presence OF
every commanding and medical officer
of the Fifth Army corps. General Shat
ter read Il cable message from Secretary
.Alger. ordering him at the recommended
ton Of Surgeon Genera Sternberg, 10
move the army into the interior, to SAN
Luis. where it healthier.
As Il result of the conference, General
Shaftcr will insist upon the immediate
withdrawal Of the army north within
two weeks.
As an explanation of the situation. the
following letter from Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt. commanding the First Nolun-
tper cavalry. TO General Shafter. was
handed by the latter to the correspond
cnt here Of the Associated Press for pub
lication:
major General Shafter:
'Sir: In Il meeting of the general and
medical officers called by You at the
palace this morning we were all. rs You
know. unanimous in view Of what should
be lone with the army. To keep us here,
in the opinion Of every officer commando
ing 4 division or Il brigade. will simply
involve the destruction of thousands.
There is no possible reason for not ship
ping practically the entire command
north at once. yellow fever cases are
very few in the cavalry division where J
command one of the two ~hrigadeS. and
not one true case Of yellow fever has oc-
Cured in this division. except anon"
the men sent to the hospital at Siboney.
where they have. / believe. contracted it.
But in the division. there nave been
1900 cases of malarial fever. Not 4
man died from it. but the whole COM
mand is so weakened and shattered rs
to be ripc for dying like rotten sheep
when Il real yellow fever epidemic in
stead Of 4 fake epidemic. like the pres
cnt. strikes us. as it is bound to if We
stay here at the height Of the sickness
season. August and the beginning of
September. Quarantining against ma
larial fever is mucn like olarantining
against the tooth ache. All Of us are Ger
tain. rs soon rs the authorities at Wash
ington fully appreciate the conditions Of
the army. to be sent home. If we are
kept here it will in all human possibility
mean an appalling disaster. for the sur
gconS here estimate that over half the
army. if kept here during the sickly sea
son. will die. This is not only terrible
from the standpoint Of the individual
ives lost. but it means ruin from the
standpoint of the military efficiency Of
the flower Of the American army. for the
great bulk of the regulars are here With
on. The sick list. large though it ~.
exceeding 1000 affords but Il faint in
dcx of the debilitation of the army. Not
IN Y,ar capf ~ fl for 1ctiva work Mn
weeks on the North Maine coast. for in
stance. or elsewhere. where the yellow
fever germ cannot possibly proDacato.
would make rs all rs fit rs fighting
cocks. able as we are eager. to take =:
leading part in the great campaign
against Havana in the fall. even if We
are not allowed TO try Porto Rico.
we can he moved north. if movcd at
once. with absolute safety 10 the coun-
try. OF course. If would have been in
finitely better if we had been moved
north. or to Porto Rico two weeks ago.
If there were any object in keeping us
here. we would face yellow fever with
rs much Indifference as we face bullets.
but there is no object in it. The four
immune regiments ordered here are Suffi-
cient to garrison the city and surround
ing owIs. and there is absolutely moth
ing for us to 60 here. and there has not
been since the city surrendered. 1t is
impossible to move into the interior.
Every shifting Of camp doubles the sick
rate in our present weakened condition.
and any how. the interior is rather worse
than the coast. rs | found by actual re-
cOnnaisSance Our present camps are as
healthy as any camps at this end of the
island can be.
- 1v-ri+o nn1y nanyc aannnf o1r
men who have fought so bravely. and
!, who have endured extreme hardShips
and danger so uncomplainingly. go to