The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-09

tentage and supplies, and, having con-
troll OF her boats, 1 was able to visit
other transports in the harbor and and
medica supplies from them. While
subsequently Quitting the Cherokee
and Breakwater, this work was contin-
ued as well as opportunity and limited
facilities permitted; getting supplies
from perhaps a third of the transports
composing the feet. Outside of h ii
IL is believed that no other regimental
medical property was ever unloaded up
TO the time of my departure.
Appealing on several occasions for
the use of a lighter or small steamer
to collect and land medical supplies, 1
was informed by the quartermaster's
department that they could render no
assistance in that way, and the medi-
cal department was compelled to rely
entirely upon its own energies and i'm
provise its own transportation. 1 feel
justified in saying that at the time of
my departure large quantities of medi-
cal supplies, urgently needed on shore.
mal on transports, a number of
when were under orders to return to
the United States.
Had the medical department carried
along double the amount Of supplies.
IL is ditncult to see how with the total
~ inadequate land water trans
ports provided by the uartermast
department. the lamentable conditions
on shore could have been in any way
improved.
QUITTING TRANSPORTS.
The Quitting of transports for the
reception of sick and wounded is a
duty demanding thought and exper-
fence and should never be entrusted To
any n except a regular medical Off
Ger. 1t includes the proper policing of
the portions of the ship to be used by
the Wounded, the removal of hunks and
partitions to give space and air. the
of the ships blankets. door
mats, rugs and carpets TO render the
Dunks more comfortable. the securing
OF extra supplies, such as canned soups,
lime juice and oat meal, the establish |
ment OF a mess and laundry and the
assignment of convalescents to specific
light duties which materially relieve
the overworked hospital corps. Usual
" ii IS necessary to overcome passive |
resistance and opposition on the part
OF the crews and a tendency on the
part of the captains to disregard or
modify orders. In several instances in
my own experience this action of the
crew amounted almost to mutiny and
was only to be dealt with by
threats, a show of force and in one
instance by the use of the irons. While
.Ius officer at the hospital at Fort
Nlohroe learned officially that the zap
tam OF the ship Seneca positively re-
tuseo TO obey the orders emanating
from your office, given him by the con-
tract surgeon in charge, to proceed to
New YORK, he remaining nearly an ad-
dltlonal day at Hampton Roads with
SICK and wounded and asserting hat
he would obey no orders given by the
medical department. A similar exper-
lence of my own at Baiquiri, which had
10 pc settled by force, emphasized the
ract that no one should be placed in
charge of such a ship who is not ac-
customed to command men and enforce
obedience.
With regard to the Red Cross society
would seem as if the lofty purposes
this organization We're on the San
-lago expedition subverted to individual
interests. While at Tampa the Red
ross ship State of Texas was formal
y placed under the control of the chief
surgeon, Fifth corps, by Dr.. Logan. the
representative of the society, he act
under Geographic instruction to
hat effect. Colonel Pope accepted this
'f1er inc asked that the State of Texas
accompany the expedition of General
Although this order was fully
by DR.. Egan, the State of
Texas did not accompany the expedi- !
lon, nor did it arrive at Siboney until ;
he forces had been landed, a battle
ought and. our hospitals established {
md in working order. The first offers ;
made by this society dealt largely in !
.'eneralities and manifested reluctance I
o the organization to the q,
medical department. Too much praise l
annot be given to the individual efforts
I DR.. Lesser inc the Red Cross nurses
heir working was untiring and I'M
elfsh and the assistance rendered bv
hem was of great value. :
In conclusion, it is desired to empha- q
lze the fact that the lamentable condi- !
ions prevailing in the army before +
antiago were due to the military ne !
essity which threw troops on shore l.
away from the possibility of sup '
ly without medicines, Instruments. n
or hospital stores of any \