Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-10-07
HAS NO COMPLAINT.
.Fighting Joe /" Wheeler Testifes
as to the Conduct of the War.
DECLARES MANY REPORTS FALSE.
No Shortage of Food OF of Medi-
z o1nes-Praise for Gen. shafter
ss, GWilkoff, He Says, Is q
Is Model Camp.

/ Washington, Oct. s. - The war in
Ysstigating committee began its exam
lnation of witnesses Tuesday by plac-
ang Gen. Joseph Wheeler on the stand.
Chairman Dodge stated to him the
SCOPE of the commissions duties and
asked Gen. Wheeler whether he had
any objection to being sworn. He re-
piled that he had none, and Maj. Mills,
Recorder for the commission, admins
tered the oath.
Ex-Gov, Beaver conducted the exam
anatiop, developing the essential facts
BIS to Gen. Wheeler's rank and his COM
mand.
Gen Wheeler stated that he left Tampa
for Cuba on the 14th of June, but that he
bad no knowledge of the plan of campaign
before going aboard the transport. He
then told of the voyage. On June Il Gen
Shafter ordered him to disembark the next
Gay, which he did with portion of his
eommand. He rode into the country four
miles that day, and the next day moved
bill troops to Jaguaracita. He then be-
gan his accommodating, arranging with
Gen. Castillo, of the Cuban army, to send
Cuban troops with his men for the recon-
4biter, but unfortunately the Cubans did
hot keep the engagement. He told of the
first battle at La Quasina stopping to
compliment especially the regular troops
And also to speak of their excellent firing.
They soon learned to distrust the reports
Hpd estimates of the Spaniards. Gen
wheeler had not been able on his own ac-
COUNT to secure any accurate estimate OF
TIE Spanish loss during the American ap-
psoaoh upon Santiago.
Shafter Is Praised.
Speaking of the character of the roads
fron the coast to the points occupied by
thu Americans he said that with such at
tehtton as they were able to give to them
they were very good. The rains had not
been severe up to that time. The roads
were narrow, but equal to the demands
The supplies he considered sufficient, ex.
cept in a few instances, and in those In
stances the deficiency was temporary
"aen. shafter," he said, deserves great
predtt for the zeal he displayed in this
and I think there lie no doubt that he sue
oeeded. We used pack trains, and there
was comparatively little suffering BECAUSE
Of the shortness Of Quartermasters' sup
The Plan of Campaign.
Discussing the plan of campaign, he said
he doubted whether any more effective
plan could have been adopted. Speaking Of
the medical department, he said that al
times there We're complaints, but that they
were not serious. On occasions there was
q shortage of surgeonsi some of the sur.
geons being siok or wounded. According
to Gen. Wheeler's belief, the wounded In
battle were promptly cared for by the
surgeons. After the fight of July !, all the
wounded were carried from the field thai
night. The witness had heard that there
was more complaint of the shortage OF
medicine among the infantry than in the
cavalry service. aEAsS
Camp Site at Tampa.
Going back to Tampa, he said that at the
season he was there, the first half Of June,
u otf yrtthn oh hut bn
had felt that 1t would be wet later in the
season. 1t was his impression that Tampa
had been selected as camp site after the
beginning Of the war, and was incidental
e the intended movement on Havana,
There was, he said, at times some shortage
6f supplies at the camp, "but nothing" he
added, that soldier could complain off,
They had comfortable tents, and the COM
ntssary supplies were sufficient. The wa
ter supply also was good. He said tfA men
In his command were well taken care of.
However, very few men were at that time
hick. He had himself gone into the hos,
pitfalls, and had found the men doing well.
Gen. Wheeler said he had no control over
any Of the supplies which were taken to
Santiago on the transports when he left
Tampa. This was attended to by the DIFF
Serent staff officers. He only knew from
conversation with these that there was
an abundance of the supplies of all char.
aoter.
Shortage of Rations.
Returning to the Santiago campaign, he
said that only two regiments had reported
shortage Of rations and he had immedi-
Rtely telephoned to the rear and the short
age, which was due to accident had been
adjusted. There was suffering when the
tnep were compelled to lie on the breast
woEKs.
More Doctors and Nurses Needed.
The meat was poor, and they had no bread
but hard tack. They were forced to live
in the sun and water alternately, and nee.
essarily there was much sickness While
they had the full quota of doctors and
nurses, he thought that If more had been
furnished the men would have been better
cared for. As for rations, three days sup
ply was generally issued. Whenever the
troops went into action they would throw
their food away, as we'll as their packs, and
they often did not recover them.
Shouldn't Blame Cubans.
Gen, Wheeler took up the common report
that the Cnbans stole goods thus discard
ed. 1t was not fair, he said, to thus accuse
the natives, for there was so much of this
aotsam and jetsam that hungry and poor.
" clothed as the Cubans were, they were
not to be blamed for helping themselves
He said he had seen among the q, 600 people
who came out Of Santiago many ladies' OF
refinement who were emaciated and evil
IDENTIFY hungry.
Never Heard Of Shortage.
In reply to questions, he stated he never
had heard of any shortage of commissary
or ordnance supplies at Santiago. but he
had been told that the medical supplies
were short, yet he had no personal knowl-
edge on this point. He had seen some
wounded men crawling to the rear in the
engagements, but as rule as soon as
man fell in battle he was carried to the
hospitals by the medical corps.
He said that as a rule the quality of hard
tack was good. Where there was any de.
terioration 1t was due to local rains, and
not to the fact of original inferiority
y The spirit Of the army was such, he said,
that there was no disposition to complain
bThey were all proud to be there and will
ing to undergo hardships."
Regulars VS.. Volunteers.
Replying to question from Col DENLY,
Gen. Wheeler said that the regulars had
shown a greater ability to take care OF
themselves than the volunteers. The vol
unteers were more careless, but the volun-
teer cavalryman were not SO negligent as
the other volunteers, because they were
generally western men, who had been used
TO camping He thought this fact had had
d strong influence in causing the health
OF the regulars to be better than that OF
the volunteers.
Spread of Disease.
Capt. Howell asked to what he attrib-
uted the development of disease after the
capitulation of Santiago, and Gen Wheeler
replied that 1t was due to the climate and
men seemed to be more or less affected
by the conditions. He had, he said, known
OF no instance of sick or wounded man
dying from want OF care from the physi.
clans. So far as he knew, there was gem
III 10. Hal 1r,-,.e