The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-22
WORK IN PROSECUTING WAR.
s,.cpETARY OF WARS LETTER TO
MR., DEPEW MADE PUBLIC.

"a the DttucuIties Encountered
4, Its Accomplishments Expla-
,otiou of the Bad Sanitary COndi-
.,ops and Resultant Fatalities.
orders Were Loosely Regarded in
Camp-SOIdiers May Have Been
Neglected, But Largely for Lack OF
surgeons, Many of Whom Were
themselves Stricken.
New York. Aug. 21-Ion. Chauncey NJ.
Danew has received a letter from the Sec
,.tsrv of War and has consented to its
publication. The letter which was written
~ reply to a request for information on
the subjects referred to, is as follows
war Department, Washington, Aug. 10,
,S,N-AIy Dear DIR. Depew: The great
nressure of business has up to now pre-
vented me from sending to you the state
y,.nt YOU were kind enough to ask for, as
N what had been accomplished in the
way of Quitting the army for the field,
The conduct of campaign, etc. Also the
chiefs of divisions have been too much
driven with work to compile
tbe data required. One not in
tbe midst of the work can
hardly realize what an undertaking it is
TO call 1250O0 men into the field at one
time. coming from all the states, and to
have them mustered and gathered in
camps on so short notice, and this, too,
when we had scarce any camp outfit for
their accommoda ton, all having to be pro-
vided for by the war department.
As YOU know, when war was declared
there was no equipment whatever for the
volunteers in store. That this was sue
cessfully accomplished, with very few ac-
ct5ents. is a matter of record. Subse-
ouent calls, including the regular army
(which numbered about '27OOO men when
war was declared) made a total of 26S, 800
men
ITO accomplish all in 50 short a time
has been a great work. OF course, gather
ing this vast number of men together,
in a large measure under unframed regi-
mental and company commanders mean
in actual field duty-the lack of knowl-
edge as to the sanitary conditions to be
observed, the carelessness in not observ-
ing instructions which were furnished as
10 proper care of the men, has added
greatly to the work of the medical de-
parrment.
Thus from the homes of 216,OOO volun-
teers has been constant and great anxiety
as to what might happen to their sol
diers and hundreds of inquiries made by
letter and telegram have been received
every day concerning individual soldiers.
"The feeling on the part of these indl-
= 10
sponsible for the care of their men indi-
vidually has naturally aroused SYM
patty in case of sickness and
deaths and has created much sor-
row. There is nothing young men in ro-
bust health are so prodigal of as their
health until it is gone. Men go into
camp feeling that they can stand any
thing and everything and cannot be MADE
to believe to the contrary until stricken
with disease
Every effort has been made from the
beginning to furnish every camp with all
appliances asked for, but, of course, the
commanding officers in the field are the
ones who have all the direct charge OF
these men,
For instance, one army corps COM
mander has given orders and enforces
them, respecting sanitary affairs, and he
has to-day but a fraction over 2 per cent.
Of the sick list Others have been less
successful and the consequence is typhoid
end other fevers have been bred and
spread to considerable extent. One reg
iment in the Chickamauaga camp has
colonel who enforces sanitary rules in his
regiment, obliging the men to boil all the
water they drink, keeping the camp clean
", and the result, less than twenty-five
SICK and his camp, too, in as unfavora-
Die place as any in the command
Others more favorably situated have
tunes
one of the regiments of the last call not
yet removed from its state sends bitter
complaints of typhoid fever Concerning
the santiago campaign, when the ships
LETT Tampa they had on board three
months provisions and an abundance of
hospital supplies. They had lighters to
unload with at the point of debarkation.
These lighters were lost in severe storm
on the way. As soon as we We're notified
OF the fact two lows OF lighters were sent
from Mobile and New Orleans, which were
also overtaken by the storm and lost The
navy supplied US with lighters and one
" tHese was wrecked. The army disem-
uarKed, getting off a portion of its sup
plleS ana medical stores and Immediately
marched TO the front to fight the Span
Idids' The great difficulty of landing sup
p'eS subsequently, was that the wind
spSHg up every morning at 10 o'clock and
maze a nigh surf, rendering almost I'M
nsH'ef which was all they had left for
WIS purpose. OF the packers who We're
s"Poyed 60 per cent. soon fell sick and
nay rains falling every day the roads
VI they could be called such) became am
PsssaoIe for vehicles, and pack animals
a@u 10 be employed to carry food to the
"llhy' which, being extended to the right
SS rl Santiago, increased the distance
t aol' me coast every day and made the
TASK more difficult
-o"eVer, the result and the subsequent
si -hIIeS9 mat has broken out in the army
ti.i'"'u the great wisdom of Gen. Shafter
10y ing forward to make the attack
~ ~ MS men We're in vigor. 1t was a
slo' eneht bordering on audacity, but il
t,uet'eded and the persistence of the at
'@lA have no doubt. greatly dishearten-
H. uHe apaniards. The result was one of
of galest victories for the men engaged
or ISSae I'm warfare. The number of pris-
~, taken exceeded the attacking force
~ u'aIiy TWO to one.
fs,'. "tH yellow fever broke out and the
lst increased into the thousand it
"1 Tor a time supposed that It was prin-