The Portland daily press., 1898-11-28
HOW TROOPS WERE MOVED.
The Report Of ouartermaster General Lud
ington.

Washington, November 20. THE annual
report of Quartermaster General M. |.
Huntington reviews the operations of his
office to the close of hostiiities with Spain
Treating of the war as affecting the
uuarterInaster generals department. he
says:
"To properly clothe and equip this
large number OF soldiers for active and
Immediate operations in the field was
problem of vast proportions.
stWith all the perplexing difficulties
confronting the department in three and
a half months an army of 275,0U0 men
was equipped with supplies and the army
in Cuba, consisting OF 10, uoo men, leaving
their tentage behind arrived at their
camp at Montauk Point and found
complete new outfit of tents and clothing
ready there for them. =
General Ludington discussed in
detail the transportation during the war.
lie says:
''From April i. 1898, to the breaking up
of Camp Wikof the average movements
of troops by rail amounted TO II. SOB OIL
GERS and ABS, $50 men. From the deeiara-
ton Of war to June 80, 1898, this depart
ment chartered for service on the ATTAIN
tic and Gulf waters 63 vessels, with d to-
tai tonnage of l04, 10l, and a carrying
capacity of 1887 officers, ". 355 men
their arms ammunition. equ1pme
medical and subsistence d. partments j
6, 746 animals There wer3 also chsrtes u
four waterboats, with total capacity y
$50, 900 gallons; three lighters, two tugs
and one barge; also two barges pur chased.
Fourteen ships were chartered to June
80, 1898, on the Pacific coast, having a
total tonnage of IA, 1862.
ssFor tho transportation of the sick and
wounded this department purchased from
the Maine Steamship company the steam
ship John Engis, renamed the Keller,
for the sum OF $3.50, 600. This ship WAS
Cited up at considerable expense as 9
hospital ship, and every appliances pro-
vided for the care, comfort and treatment
for the sick and wounded The interior
of the ship was remodelled d provided
with an electric plant and two steam
launches were also provided. The expen-
ditures for refitting amounted to Sl36, 80 i
ssSince the first of July, 1895. there have
been chartered ON the Atlantic coast foul
vessels, viz: Steamships Wandsrer, La
| Grande, Duohesse, Tarpon and Ute.
! 2 hese vessels were made auxiliary to the
| fo of transp orts for transportation OF
troops and supplies to Cuba and Porte
| Rico, and increased the tonnage to III, 09s
| tons and the carrying capacity to over 20,
| 600 men,.
For the Santiago expedition vessels
were bought as follows: Panama, S4l,-
GOO: Port Wet r, Sl75, 600; Rita. sl25, 900
Mohawk, $3.50, 900: Mobile, $500, 900, Mas
sachusetts, $3.50, 600; Manitoba, $780,
Mississippi, SIS 1000; Michigan, $3.50, 600
Roumania, $4,000; OLDHAM, S225, 900
Berlin, $500, 600; Chester, $500, 600: total
So, ADJ 900. Their aggregate tonnage wa
81, z6S.
Speaking of transportation of the arm,
to Cuba, Gen. Huntington says that thu
fleet arrived at Daiquiri without serious
mishap, but difficulty was encountered
by reason of lack of sufficient means TO
Tightening.
In conclusion, Gen. Ludington says:
SAT the commencement of hostilities
the regular establishment of this depart
ment did not afford enough officers o
experience to meet all the requirement.
of the extraordinary situation with which
the department was SO suddenly confront
ed. Important problems had to be con
Guided in order that the troops could b
promptly equipped and hurried into tn
| field, but Notwithstanding all the diff
culties 1t is believed that the army ha
been we'll provided fol-"