The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1898-08-06

BOITI
but it means ruin from the stand point
of the military efficiency Of the flower
Of the American army, for the great
bulk Of the regulars are here with you.
The sick list, large though it is, ex-
ceeding 1000, affords but q faint index
Of the debilitation Of the army. Not 10
per cent are fit for active work. Six
weeks on the North Maine .coast, for
instance, or elsewhere where the vel.
low fever germ cannot possibly propa.
gate, would make us all as fit as fight
ing cocks, able as we are eager, to take
a leading part in the great campaign
against Havana in the fall, even if we
are not allowed to try Porto Rico.
We can be moved north, if moved at
once, with absolute safety to the
country, although, of course, it would
have been infinitely better if we had
been moved north or to Porto Rico
two weeks ago. If there were any oh.
ject in keeping us here, we would face
yellow fever with as much Indifference
as we faced bullets, but there is no OBJ
ject in it. The four immune regiments
ordered here are sufficient to garrison
the city and surrounding towns and
there is absolutely nothing for us to do
here, and there has not been since the
city surrendered. It is impossible to
move into the interior. Every shifting of
camp doubles the sick rate in our pres
enu weak ened condition, and anyhow,
the interior is rather worse than the
coast, as have found by actual recon
noissance. Our present camps are as
healthy as any camps at this end of the
island can be.
I write only because cannot see our
men who have fought SO bravely, and
who have endured extreme hardships
and danger so uncomplainingly, go to
destruction without striving so far as
lies in me to avert doom as fearful as
1t is unnecessary and undeserved.
Yours respectfully,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
Colonel Commanding First Brigade.
All the Officers Join In.
After Colonel Roosevelt had taken
the initiative, all the American general
officers united in round robin ad.
dressed to General Shafter. 1t reads:
"We, the undersigned officers, COM
manding the various brigades, divi-
sions, etc., of the army of occupation,
in Cuba, are Of the unanimous opinion
that this army should be at once taken
out of the island Of Cuba and sent to
some point on the northern seacoast Of
the United States; that it can be done
without injury to the people Of the
United States; that yellow fever in the
army at present is not epidemic; that
there are only few sporadic cases.;
but that the army is disabled by mala-
rial fever to the, extent that it's eff.
cheney is destroyed, and that it is in "a
condition to be practically destroyed
by an epidemic Of yellow fever which
is sure to come in the near future.
1--WE know from the reports Of com.
petent officers and from personal OBJ.
servations that the army is unable to
move into the interior, and that there
are no facilities for such move if at
tempted, and that it could not be at
tempted until too late. Moreover the
best medical authorities of the island
say that with our present equipment
we could not live in the interior during
the rainy season without losses from
malarial fever, which is almost as
deadly as yellow fever.
"This army must be moved at once
or perish. AS the army can be safely
moved now, the persons responsible for
preventing such move will be re-
sponsible for the unnecessary loss Of
many thousands Of lives.
''Our opinions are the result Of care.
full personal observation, and they are
also based on the unanimous opinion Of
our medical officers with the army,
who understand the situation alb.
solutely."
Must Be Moved Now or Not ut All.
Major M. w. Wood. the chief sur
geon Of the First division, said:
"The army must be moved north, /"
adding, with emphasis, cor it will be
unable to move itself"
General Ames has sent the following
cable message to Washington:
"The Hon. Charles H. Allen, assist.
ant secretary Of the navy: This army
is incapable, because Of sickness, from
from marching anywhere except to the
transports. If it is ever to return to
United States, it must do so at once. "
To q correspondent of the Associated
Press, General Ames said:
"f had the power, I would put the
men on transports at once and ship
them north without further orders.
am confident such action would ul.
timately be approved. A full list Of
the sick men would mean copy Of the
roster Of every company here"
A SENSATION IN 1T.
All the Higher Omoers Of the Sixth Mas
sachusetts Have Resigned.
BOSTON, Aug. GA special cable.