The Portland daily press., 1898-08-06
Sagasta Is Ready to Surrender #
He Dared to Do So.
War Department Issues a Statement Re-
sarding Orders Given at Santiago
Plans Had Already Been Made to
Bring the Soldiers HOme-The Trouble
i'm the Sixth Massachusetts and What
Was The Cause.

the unfortunate army in Santiago before
the united protest was made, the follow
ing statement is given out by the Secre-
tary of War regarding the shipment Of
troops North from Santiago.
"Until quite recently, it was supposed
that yellow fever was epidemic in Santi-
ago and it was not believed that itwould
be safe to send ship loads North of men
largely infected with yellow fever. The
disease, it was believed, 4 would spread
rapidly on board ship and result in the
death and burial of many at sea.
"On the 2sth ult1no, the Secretary of
War telegraphed to General Shafter that
as soon as the fever subsided, the men of
his command would be moved North ia
the camp that has been selected for them
on Montauk Point. On the 30th Of July
General Shafter telegraphed: "Made
known Secretary of Wars telegram, that
troops would be moved North as soon as
fever subided and 1t had very good effect
on the men,
"When, however, the true condition
was made known, an order was. issued to
General Shafter to move his command
North as rapidly as possible and all ships
in the quartermaster's service, possible
to get to Santiago, were sent there and
the liners st. Paul and st. Louis were
also ordered there. AL this was done be-
fore the communication signed by General
Shafter and his generals was received and
before Col. Roosevelt's letter was pub
lishsd.
: cover $50 surgeons are at Santiago and
175 immune nurses have been sent there
besides the usual hospital corps that al
ways attends such an army, There have
been less deaths in Santiago by yellow
than by typhoid fever in any camp of the
same size in the United States"
Two messages were received at the War
Department today from Ponce, the first
announcing the death of brilliant young
army officer, and the second, from Gen
eral Miles himself, touching the trouble
in the sixth Massachusetts, regiment
which was the subject of official inquiry
by Secretary Alger yesterday. Details of
the letter telegram are not obtainable,
but it is apparent that General Miles Is
determined to repress sternly at the very
beginning, any departure from military
discipline, even among the volunteer
element in his command. AS near as can
be gathered the officers of the sixth de-
clined to submit to an examin alton
which was prescribed by the brigade
officers, the proper authority, and upon
the instance of the latter they sought to
resign their commissions. General Miles
himself is dealing with the case and If
he should decide to allow these officers to
resign or discharge them from the service
of the United States and the latter is
possible, the governor of Massachusetts,
will be called upon to appoint their sue
cessors
| 1t can be said that up to this time, the
officials are thoroughly satisfied with
General Mi!es's conduct of the Por rto
Rican campaign n and they do not hesitate
| to admit that the events that have oo-
| CURED since his landing at Guanica 1uiiy
justify the arbitrary change made ny
him in the carefully laid plans of the de-
partment for the conduct of the campaign