The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-22
Writes a Letter to Chauncey d.
DepeW
Telling Him About the Work
That Was Done
BY HIS DEPARTMENT
All the Mistakes and ShortcOm-
ings
Are Due to SubOrdinates and to
Providence.

New York, Aug. 22-Chauncey M
Depew has received the following letter
from the secretary of war and has con-
sented to its publication. 1t was writ
ten in reply TO a request for informa-
ton:
My Dear Mr.. Depew: The great pres
sure of business has UP to now prevent
ed me from sending to you the state
ment you were kind enough to ask for,
as to what had been accomplished in
the way of Quitting the army for the
field, the conduct of campaign, etc
Also, the chiefs of divisions have been
too much driven with work to compile
the data required. One not in the midst
of the work can hardly realize what an
undertaking it is to call 125, 900 men into
the field at one time, coming from all
the states, and to have them mustered
and gathered in camps on so short
notice, and this, too, when we had
scarcely any camp outfit for their ac-
commodation, all having to be provided
for by the war department.
As you know, when the war was de-
clared there was no equipment what
ever for the volunteers in store. That
this was successfully accomplished, with
very few accidents, Is a matter OF
record. Subsequent calls, including the
regular army (Which numb ered about
p 900 men when war was declared),
made a total of 26S,500 men. To accom-
plish all in so short a time has been
great work.
OF course, gathering this vast number
of men together, in a large measure
under unframed Tegimental and com
pany commanders mean in actual
field duty-the lack of knowledge as to
sanitary conditions to be observed, the
carelessness in not observing instruc-
lions which were furnished as to proper
care of the men, has added greatly to
The work of the medical department.
Thus, from the homes of $4,000 vol
unteers has been constant and great
pnXfnfV what might hanDen TO
their soldiers and hundreds of inquiries,
made by letters and kilograms, have
been received every day concerning IN
diVidual soldiers. The FEELING on the
part of these individuals that the war
department is responsible for the care
of their men individually has naturally
aroused sympathy in case of sickness
and death, and has created much sor-
row. There is nothing young men in
robust health are so prodigal of as
their health, until it is gone. Men go
into camp feeling that they can stand
anything and everything, and cannot
be made to believe to the contrary I'M
til stricken with disease.
Every effort has been made from the
beginning to furnish every camp with
all appliances asked for, but, of course,
the commanding officers in the field are
the ones who have direct charge OF
these men. For instance, one army
corps commander has division orders
and enforces them, respecting sanitary
affairs, and he has today but a fraction
over 2 per cent on the sick list. others
have not been successful ana the cOnSe-
uuence is that typhoid and other feVerS
have been bred and spread to a conS1d-
cradle extent. One regiment In the
Chickamauga- camp has a colonel VINO
enforceS sanitary rules in his regiment
obIfging the men to boil all the water
they drink, keeping the camp Clean
and the result is that there are less
than fifteen Sick, and the camp, too, IS
in as unfavorable place as any in the
command. Others more favorably sit
uated have ten times that number on
the sick list. One of the regiments OF
the last call, not yet removed from its
state. sends bitter complaints of typhoid
fever.
Concerning the Santiago campaign,
when the ships left Tampa they had on
hoard three months provisions and an
abundance of hospital supplies. They
had lighters to unload with at point OF
debarkation. These lighters were lost
in severe storms on the way. AS soon
as ne were notified of the fact, two
tovs of lighters were sent from Mobile
and New Orleans, which were aLSo
overtaken by storms and lost The
navy supplied us with lighters, ana one
of those was wrecked. The army as
embarked, getting off a portion OF It's
supplies and medical stores, and i'm
mediately marched TO the front to hghI
the Spaniards. The great difficulty OF
landing supplies subsequently was De
cause of the wind, which sprang up
every morning at 10 and made high
H..
s1se of small boats, with one lighter,
which was all they had left for this
purpose. %
OF the packers who were employed, gu
ner cent soon fell sick, and, heavy
rains falling every day, the roads Off
they could be called such) became I'M
passable for vehicles. Pack animals
had to be employed to carry food to the
army, which, being extended to the
right around Santiago, increased the
distance from the coast every day ana
made the task more difficult.
However, the result and the subse-
quent sickness that has broken out IN
the army showed the great wisdom OF
General Shafter in moving forward to
make the attack while his men were in
vigor.
It was a movement bordering on au-
dacity, but it succeeded, and the per-
sistence of the attack, I have no doubt, |
greatly disheartened the Spaniards. The |