The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-05
NO RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX.
rAWTON GIVES TESTIMONY
urFORE WAR COMMISSIONERS.

,,,- Men Were Subjected to Hard
ins In the Cuban Campaign, But
,rhev Did Not Complain as Their
sngerings Were Absolutely Neces-
In the Conduct of War He
Doesn,t Think Any Serious Mis-
+o,,es Were Made - Compliments
staff officers.
washington. Nov. 4-Actlng for the war
,-,.sstisating commission, Col. DENLY has
..,,on the testimony of Gen. Lawton, who
,ros in command of the Second Division
- The Fifth Corps in the Santiago cam
raign and who has but recently been re-
r.yed of the command of the department.
of Santiago.
His narration began with the, embarka-
ton of the troops at Tampa. Speaking
Of the. voyage over, he said the transports
uere furnished as well as could be ex-
oected as they were not troops ships. The
medical and commissary supplies We're
sntHeient to prevent absolute discomfort
Trne there was some confusion owing
to Misunderstanding of orders, but the
general did not believe that any real nard-
sbips had been occa stoned thereby.
Referring to the result of the battle at
Fl Caney he said: 81 had received very,
imperative orders to move to my left,
TO the right of Gen. Wneeler's command
but my situation was such that it was
impracrcable for me to leave Caney I'M
til had captured it,
Gen. Lawton said his division lost 41O
men killed and wounded, and that ar the
wounded had been accounted for. There
were no ambulances, but some litters how
many he did not know
knowing there was to be fight, how
does it happen that you did not have
enough filters, enough surgeons and the
proper hospital corps7s' Col. DENLY ask
ed
well, 1 cannot say there were not
enough" Gen. Lawton replied.
How do you account for the fact that
the medical men did not provide them
selves with everything necessary for tax
ing care of the wounded?"
4 think they did provide themselves
with everything they thought necessary,
considering the material they had TO choose
from. There was no time to do more or
get more surgeons than we had They
were distributed 10 their various COM
mands."
The general said that while 1t was diff
fcut to get supplies to the men while
they lay in the trenches from July to
H. he thought the quantity was sufficient.
There had been no sickness worth men
toning until after the campaign. There
had been no tents except the shelter tents,
which some had until previous to the en-
barkaton for the United States.
Asked where he fixed the responsibility
for not having the tents there Gen. Law
ton replied: Il don't fix ii at all. because
l don't think there was any responsibility
about 1t. The men were without tents
because Of the fact that it was impossible
to unload them from the ships, for lack Of
time and facilities. There was very little
complaint on account of the tents Com
plants did not come to me, and 1 was
with my men constantly. That they
should have to lie out as they did was
one or the contingencies absolutely neces-
sary IN the conduct of the war"
1t was true, as reported, he said, that
men had to wear their shirts for pos
slnly thirty days without a change, but
this was because they had thrown away
their extra clothing.
He held the climate responsible for the
sickness that followed the campaign.
though it was possible that with more
appropriate food, better cooking and shell
Ter, some of the sickness might have been
prevented.
1T is my OPINION he said that any
enc going from this climate to Cuba will
nave to suffer that acclmating fever
there I doubt if 1 per cent. have escaped
absolutely"
Summing up, Gen. Lawton said; TAX
ing INTO consideration the conditions that
we were obliged to face. the character of
the country, its climate and other things
being considered | can say there were
no serious or gross mistakes made. 1 can
say there was no lack of care on the part
OF any of those in authority, whose duty
II was TO lock after tile interests of the
camp. We had with US as line staff Of
ncers as there are i'm the world; no better
could be found. These men worked night
ana DAY, and no human being could do
more thaxy