Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-08-10

suggested by the chief surgeon as
avaiIable for the performance OF
these duties.
REFLECTS ON sHAFTER.
The exigency Of the situation did
not apparently appeal to the com-
maudlng general, and for two days
the medical department was unable
to get transportation Of any kind to
the other ships, although there was
a large number of naval launches
and boats employed on various
other duties. On the third day, on
the order of the adjutant general,
one row boat was turned over to
the medical department for the pur-
poses named above, and at the
same time an oGder>was issued for
land transportation to carry medical
supplies to the front mot to exceed
one six mule team" On getting
into this boat with supplies from
the headquarters transport | was
dire cted ~ sundry officers to take
them on various errands. On my
refusal to recognize their authority
the commanding general who had
appeared on the scene. personally
revoked the previous order and
directed after the landing Of the
supplies already in the boat that it
should return without delay. Pre-
senting the order for land transpor'
tation to the quartermaster on
shore, was informed that only
pack mules had been landed; that
neither wagon or harness had been
brought ashore, and finally, that
the road was impossible for wagons.
After this boat had been taken
away the chief surgeon was with
out means Of communication with
the medical officers on shore or
still on the transports, OF finding
out their wants or of remedylng the
m&ny already known to him. This
connition of things remained until
after the fight at Las Guasimas, a,
which time there were absolutely
no dressings, hospital tentage OR
supplies of any kind on shore with
in reach Of the surgeons already
landed.
The news OF the Guasimas fight
being reported to the chief surgeon
he was finally able to get on board
the Olivette and send her to Sibo-
ney, where she received the wound
ed. Within the following day or
so the transp ,rts carrying the re-
serve and first divisional hospitals
were found and unloaded of their
hospital contents, the latter hospit-
al finally obtaining limited trans
portation to the front. After a
couple of days on board the Oil
vette I was directed to put the Iro-
quois in condition to receive pa
tients and to take the full capacity
of the ship on board. While doing
this I was abe to set ashore con-
siderable hospital tentage and sup.
plies found aboard of her, and, hav-
ing control of her boats, l was able
to visit other transports in the har-
Dor ard land medical supplies from
them.
While subsequently outftting the
Cherokee and Breakwater this work
was continued as we'll as opportuni-
ty and limited facilities permitted,
getting supplies from perhaps a
third of the transports composing
the feet. Outside of this I believe
that no other regimental medical
property was ever uuloaded up to
the time of my departure with
wounded on July 10. Appealing on
several occasions for the use of a
lighter or small steamer to collect
and land medical supplies, l was
informed by the quartermaster's de-
partment that they could render no
assistance in that way, and the
medical department was called to
rely entirely upon its own transpor-
tation. l feel justified in saying that
at the time Of my departure, large
quantities of medical supplies ur-
gently needed on shore still re-
NAMED on transports, number of
which were under orders to return
to the United States.
CONDITIONS ON SHORE.
Had the medical department car
ried along double the amount OF
supplies it is difficult to see how,
with the totally inadequate land and
water transportation provided by
the quartermaster's department,
the lamentable conditions on shore