Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-11-02
A MAJORS TESTIMONY.
Henry ROmOyne, aRetiTed Officer,
Gives bis Story.
Wanamaker to Answer Slander Suit
FILED by Thomas M. Robson.
Farmers Of Kansas Anxious 10 Nov
their Grain ami Want Cars.
POsrMsrREss FOR w1HsIOw. ARIZONA

Washington, Nov. 2-The war inyest.
CATION commission held session here
to-day for the purpose Of hearing the tes-
tlmony OF Major Henry ROmeyne, re-
tired army officer. lle said he asked for
q military assignment, but IL was 70.
fused. lie went "a correspondent Of
weekly newspaper. lie said wren he
went 10 Port Tampa the hank OF the
canal was covered with troops. Hsvanted
10 90 over with the Tenth infantry, his
old regiment, but no one could tell him
where the regiment could be found.
There was great confusion, as In conse-
Quence Of which part OF the regiment
would 90 in one vessel and part on an
other.
The regiments were thus separated
from their stores. He had seen no order
for the systematic embarkatlon OF troops,
and he heard IL said they were told to 90
aboard ter.skelter. When asked TO
express his opinion as TO the preparation
for the embsrkation. the witness best
tated, saying to do so would involve the
criticism OF his superiors. The commits
sioners insisted upon a reply Romeyne
replied that he did not think preparations
wera such a. they should have been.
"rhere was" he said, "a lack Of surf
boats, also Of order sni preparation for
landing. When land was undertaken
the boats left the ships unfortunately,
part going one time and part another"
In response to question from General
McCOok, Major Romeyne said that the
ambulances and wagons could have been
landed as easily as the artillery. lie had
seen only one ambulance at the front at
the battle of nj Caney. Speaking Of other
incidents at thla battle, no said there
was general surprise that the In.
fiAted balloon had been carried at the
head OF the attacking column, thus
indicating to the Spaniards the exact
locations of the troops. He did moi
know at whose orders this was done.
He said Siboney was without exception
the dirtlest place he had ever seen and
no effort was made TO clean II up before
fever broke out. There was deficiency
OF proper food at the fever hospitals, ant
the cooking was generally poor. Ro
meyne said he came 10 the north will
many other cOnvalescants on the trans
port Concha. He criticized the provi
sloning OF the vessel In severe terms
Many men were compelled TO sleep OF
hunks without blankets or pillows will
no covering at night except the cottOI
uniform they wore during the day.
"Water was offensive both to the sigh
and SMELL" he said, "and food poor anC
scanty, none being provided especially
for conyalescents." He stated that there
was only one physician on the vessel, ant
he cOnyalescent. Six men died on the
way up. Romeyne expressed the opinion
that with proper attention and good food
some OF these men could have been saved
He said he was unable TO place the re-
sponsibility for the neglect, but the cap
tain OF the vessel stated that when hC
made application to go to Jamaica fol
fresh food and water before starting or
the voyage from Santiago, his request
was refused.