New-York tribune., 1898-11-23

/ PEELED. IN time OF war, lntruStng the car" OF
large army to inexperienced officers. More
! over Colonel Roosevelt suggested reforms
whereby the defects which existed in the Quar-
! termaster's Medical and Commissary depart
ments in the recent war might be avoided in
! future.
The Army he thought. should be exercised
in time Of peace rs in time of war. II army
! Of from 1OOD0 TO 1900 men were marched
! from say San Antonio TO Galveston. and then
! embarked for Cuba. once every year. II would
accustom the officers and tho departments. he
said. 70 handling large bodies Of men, and
would provide a remedy for all the troubles
which existed in the with Spain.
Colonel Roosevet's testimony took UP the
greater part Of the afternoon session. II was
soon after 3 o'clock when he was called to the
wtness-chair. and it was about two hours later
when he was permitted to depart hy the Conn
mission
COLONEL ROOSEVELTS EVIDENCE.
General Dodge read to Colonel Roosevelt the
authority under which the Commission was ap-
pointed. and General Wilson administered the
oath.
Colonel Roosevelt testified that he went into
the war as lieutenant-colonel Of the 1st Volun-
teer Cavalry. and held that office until about
July s when he WIS made colonel. and held
that place to the end From August | to Sep
tember > he acted as brigade commander in the
Second Cavalry Division. He told Of joining his
regiment at San Antonio and said that he de-
voted himself almost entirely to the work OF
drilling the men in mounting and dismountlng.
while Colonel Wood undertook the matter OK
hurrying up equipment and supplies.
When got there he said. they were cloth
ing the men and arming them the supplies
arrived Naturally there a great deal of
confusion Before left San Antonio we had
the tents and blankets and almost all the cloth
ing and arms and horse gear. We were armed
with KraG -Jorgensens and six-shooters. We
had no sabres We were 10 have macnetes but
they did not get there in time. That didn't
make particle of difference, however. We ar
rived at Tampa on May 80 the Journey taking
four days. We got our horses al San Antonio
and took them to Tampa with us"
Q-Up to that time were your men properly
ratiOned? A.-There was a great deal Of con-
fusion that I should think might have been
avoided. The ratiOns for the first few days
in San Antonio not good. When we
reached Tampa we had twenty -four hours OF
utter and absolute confusion. There was no
one to show US where to camp. The
railway system was in state of absolute con-
geston. We were dumped down miles outside
Of the camp grounds. We were kept there till
evening I had to take matters into my own
hands so as to get my horses watered and fed
and get provisions for my troops When we got
into camp after the first twenty -four hours
everything all right
PAID FOR SUPPLIES HIMSELF
o.-Were you ever reimbursed for the outlay
you made in buyi, supplies during that twen-
ty-four hours? A-Oh Lord no. That was a
personal matter entirely
Q.-AbOut the location Of the camp at Tam
pa? Alt seemed to me to be a perfect one.
Such Inconvenience there were II seemed 10
me- were simply Incidental to camp life. At
Tampa there a good deal Of higgletypg-
gety business We could not find anybody who
knew where our cars were when we were or
dered from Tampa to Port Tampa We had
been told that II We didn't get aboard the
transports at Port Tampa by daybrcak We
wouldn't get aboard at all. so Colonel Wood and
| found some coal cars. and. although We didn't
believe that they were really intended for us,
yet We construed it that they were, and we
went down on them.
The Colonel described the confusion that pre-
vailed at Port Tampa. and said the system
there was certainly bad. There were 50 many
regiments to embark" he said "and 50 many
transports to put them on. II seems to me that
It would have been very simple thing to have
arranged the day before what regiments were
to he put on each transport. But far
know, no regiment knew what transport IL was
to get on. We reached Port Tampa early in the
morning There were ten thousand men swarm
ing the key. Transports were pulling In
from midstream. but nobody could tell what
transport We're 10 get on. Finally General
Shafter told lis to find the quartermaster Now
expected that the quartermaster. at such a
time would certainly be in his headquarters
where we could get at him. but he was not. and
nobody could tell US where he was Colonel
Wood and | hunted around for him for about
an hour and a half The quartermaster as
signed US To the Yucatan. To my surprise. l
found that the list New-York Volunteers and
the Ith Regular Infantry We're assigned To the
same transport. We couldn't all get on.
didn't want the Rough Riders left behind SO
| rushed up To our regiment, left one-quarter OF
the men guarding the baggage and equipments.
and rushed the other three quarters OF the regi-
ment down TO the dock. We climbed over
other transport. got on board the fucatan' ana
held H. I understand the list New-forh had
IN remain on a train for two days
DOESN'T WISH TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS.
o-To what do you attribute that confusion.
lack of business ability? A-Oh | would not
know. was only lieutenant-colonel can
Give Won the facts but don't 10 draw
cusions.
O-To what extent had your regiment been
rationed when II embarked? A.-F0r twelve
days. | think II the travel ration. The
character Of the ration good except in one
very important particular. and that exception