The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-08-10
AWFUL NEGLECT.
Horrors of the Santiago Campaign
are Told by a Surgeon.
plies Needed in Hospitals Until After
the GuaSima Fight and the Medi-
cal Stan was Handicapped
in Every Possible Way.

Washington, Aug. S.-Surgeon GEN
eral Sternberg has received the fol-
lowing report concerning the condi-
tions existing at Santiago under Gen.
Shafter:
Tampa, Fla.-In view of the charges
made affecting the efficiency of the
army medical department at Santiago
and especially with reference to the
conditions prevailing on the hospital
transports sent north with wounded, l
submit the following facts:
Drugs, medicine, dressings, instru-
ments, hospital tentage and supplies
were loaded on the transports at
Tampa in quantities sufficient to meet
the needs of the Santiago expedition.
The landing ON Cuban soil was made
as rapidly as possible, each organiza-
ton accompanied by the medical at
tendants assigned to it and troops
were pushed forward with no other
equipment than could be carried by
the soldier. Having no means of
transportation for even their field
chests, the regimental medical officers
had no resources at their command eX
cept such as were provided by the or
derby and hospital corps pouches and
the first aid packets carried by the
soldiers. Having once left their ships
the latter were ordered out of the
bays at Siboney and Baiquiri to per-
nit the unloading of other ships.
These partially unloaded ships then
proceeded to sea from to Is miles.
where they remained hove to indef-
nitely. Such orders were given the
transports carrying the reserve and
the First division hospitals. The one
carrying the reserve hospital, in
obedience to its orders proceeded TO
join the naval blockading squadron
off Moro castle, where it remained
five days, the other transport disap-
pearing for an entire week.
During this time the fight at Guas-
ina had occurred and large numbers
of sick and wounded were requiring
treatment. In the meantime report
of the conditions prevailing on shore
was made to the chief surgeon, who
laid the case before the commanding
general, requesting that launch be
placed under the control of the med
ical department for the collection of
medical supplies from the various
transports. 1t was also requested that
pack train be organized, in the pro-
portion of one pack mule to each regi-
ment, to transport supplies-especial-
ly the field chests-to the front for
proper distribution, and / was sug-
gested by the chief surgeon as availa-
BILE for the performance of these
duties.
The exigency Of the situation did
not apparently appeal to the com
manding general and for two days the
medical department was unable to get
transportation of any kind to the
other ships or to the shore, although
there were large number of boats
employed on various other duties. On
the third day, by order of the adjutant
general, one row boat was turned
over to the medical department for
the purpose above named, and at the
same time an order 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 head
I li,notaI 1r,
sundry staff officers to take them on
various errands. On my refusal to
recognize their authority the COM
manding general, who had appeared
on the scene, personally revoked the
previous order and directed that after
the landing of the supplies already in
the boat it should return Immediately.
Presenting the order for land trans
portation to the quartermaster on
shore l was informed that only pack
mules had as yet been landed, that
neither wagons nor 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 without any
means of communication with the
medical officers on shore or still on
transports, of finding out their wants
or of remedying the many already
known to him. This condition of
things remained until after the fight
at Las Guasima, at which time there
were absolutely no dressings, hospital
tentage or supplies of any kind on
shore within reach of the surgeons al
ready landed.
The news of the Guasima fight be-
ing reported to the chief surgeon, he
was finally able to get on board the
Olivette and send her to Siboney,
where she received the wounded.
Within the following day or so the
transports carrying the reserve and
First division hospitals were found
and unloaded of their hospital con-
tents. The latter hospital finally OBJ
tanned limited transportation to the
front.
The captain of the Seneca refused
to obey the orders emanating from
your Office, given him by the contract
surgeon in charge, to proceed to New
York-he remaining nearly an addi-
tio7al day Mt Hampton Roads with sick
and wounded, and asserting that he
would obey no orders given by the
medical department. Very respect
fully, Edward L. Munson, assistant
surgeon U. S. A., commanding reserve
ambulance corps.