The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-05
JUST LIKE A PICNIC
--~EN WHEELER so REGARDED
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST
SANTIAGO
FIRST TO GIVE TESTIMONY
War Department Investigating
Commission Begins Taking Tes-
timOny by Calling Gen. Wheeler
to the Stand-He Admits There
Were Abuses, but Regards Them
as the Fortunes of War.

to the Stand-He Admits There
Were Abuses, but Regards Them
as the Fortunes of War.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-The war in
Testigation commission began the TAX
ing of testimony today, and Maj. Gen.
Joseph Wheeler was on the stand the
greater part of the day. There was a
1uI attendance of the commission, and
the doors of tire room in which the in
Quiry was conducted were for the first
time opened to the representatives of
the press. Gen. WheelerS testimony
covered the case of the soldiers at the
two important points of Santiago and
Wikoft. He said with reference to the
conduct of affairs at Santiago that
there had necessarily been some suffer-
ing in the trenches, but that Gen.
Shafter had exhibited the utmost effort
tC supply his men. There had been,
he said, a shortage of land transporta-
ton facilities for a time, and there had
been 10 tents for a week. The roads
were very fair. The general commended
that WikOff was a model camp, the
climate a salubrious one and the aC-
cOmmOdatiOnS quite exceptional in
character. He considered the hospital
CAPACITY equal to the demands upon it,
ard that no military camp in history
spects as was this. Red tape methods
were entirely abolished and the de-
mandS of the men were met as soon as
they were properly voiced.
Speaking of the sleeping apartments
of the transports Gen. Wheeler said
they We're quite warm, and there was
some discomfort He had often gone
down among the nm at night and
found that there was comparatively lit
tie complaint. except for the heat.
Coming back from Santiago to Mon
tauk, he had sailed on the Miami, hav-
ing chosen it because it was said to
be the worst He had found it COM
Portable, and when they landed there
were only thirty-four sick and only
three or four of these were too i'll to
stand up for inspection. There was
plenty of water on the vessel, and
sUfficiency of ice for the sick. though
not for others. After the destruction
Of Cervera's fleet the army was more
abUndantly supplied than any army
in the field had ever been. Before the
surrender he demanded that the men
should be kept off the ground and be
" ell sheltered from the rains by tents
There was also much care as to trans
pCrtatiOn facilities, and as to medical
and cOmmissiary supplies. He said, in
reply to a question, that the tertS had
been left on the transports SO that no
time should be consumed in removing
them. I'VE were there for business"
he said, land we felt that prompt dis
embGrkation and a prompt movement
to the front would impress the enemy
more than anything else we could do"
There was also a shortage at this time
Of transportation facilities. The de-
ficiency Of transportation after the
landing was the reason why the tents
were not brought up, why the siege
guns were not brought up and why
many other things were not done.
CAMP WIKOFF CONDITIONS.
After a recess Gen. Wheeler devoted
Sis testimony chiefly to his experience
at Camp Wikoff MOntauk Point. The
president, on giving him command
there, had ordered MIN 70 spare no
pains or expense to make the men COM
Portable. He made an examination of
the camp, and found it necessary to
undertake much preparation to care
for the men prop9rly, to bore wells,
lay water pipes, build laundries, dis
Injecting plants, get floors for the
tents, erect hospitals, etc. The sur
geOns at his request, had made a list
of special a. tcles to be purchased for
the sick This he had asked them to
do in obedience to the presidents di-
reCtiOns. The list included evaporated
green corn, sugar-cured hams, fish,
ice, canned goods, meats, soups, pick
les. lemons, oranges, eggs, tea, milk
and many other articles, in addition
t. the regular ratiOns. 1.-The people
came with many kinds of food, and I
undertake to say" he declared, that
no army on earth was ever so album
dainty supplied with necessaries or lux
uries." The general location and the
transportation facilities Of the camp
were poor There was but one line Of
railway, and that single track and
with inadequate terminal facilities.
The camp, he said, could have been
supplied by water, but unfortunately
there was a contract with the railroad
company owning the land which gave
it the control of all transportation, ex-
cept that on government transports
This contract had been made. he un-
derstOOd, in return for the use of the
land. He did not know who had made
the contract. There were good hospi-
taIs erected, but there was a scarcity
- OF nurses. He Immediately wired for
nurses, and within five or six DAYS
there was an abundance. He sum-
moned the surgeons fol a consultation
each morning, and would Immediately
order anything additional needed. The
patients were laid on mattresses, on the
noor, and supplied with clean bed lin
en-. From first to last, 10000 patients
entered the hospitals at Montauk
Point. The hospitals had, when he
@c'iiNoN' q CctpdClly not TO exceed goo
and, so far as he knew, the hospitals
have been equal to the demands made
upon them. About 1892 of the San
tlago soldiers had been reported sick
but many others needed attention
Many visiting ladies had made com
plants to him that many sick were
not properly cared for, but he found
on visiting the different cases, that the
ladies were mistaken. Many Of the
patients relatives or friends, who came
to visit the soldiers, expressed salts
faction at the treatment of the sick.
He knew Of no complaints from reIa-
tiVes.
Gen. Wheeler explained that the rea-
son there was so much complaint about
the burlals was that the burial ground
was so near and so plainly in view.
ever zo0 or the men had died in the
existence Of the camp. He knew moth
ms OF the details of interment. and
couId not say whether any bodies had
been buried without clothing. Upon
the whole, he thought the fact that
ifere had been no spread of yellow
1eVer from the camp was quite mar
Vicious. One of the greatest difficulties
he had encountered was to properlv
cCr troll the removal Of sick soldiers
by their relatives, in cases where SYM
pathy and affection often ruled. in
stead of discretion
Gen. Wheeler considered the hospital
Facilities ample, after the erection of
the division hospital. There were
times when they were crowded for a
day or two, but, on the other hand.