The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-05
SKATER Is BLAMED
For the Horrors of the Concho
and Alamo.
WANTED TO LET NONE GO
But if Thew Must, Then They
Must Go Quick.
WANTED TO LET NONE GO


mo from Cuba, under conditions which
battle description, are slowly but surely
leaking out. When the whole story has
been told there will undoubtedly be a
severe day of reckoning for those who
are responsible for the issuance OF the
orders to send the ships north without
fresh water, provisions or medical sup
plies.
The matter was warmly discussed yes
terday in the Army building, and several
officers while unwilling to be quoted, de-
clared Indignantly that the fault lay with
the commander Of the army in and about
Santiago A prominent army surgeon,
whose name is withheld for The present
said:
There can be no doubt that the hor-
rible condition of these ships was due
10 the short-si GIFTED policy pursued by
General Shafter since his arrival in Cuba
He went to Santiago utterly unprepared
to combat either the wounds of battle
or the ravages of disease. He seemed to
think that he could take Santiago over
night. He left his supplies in the harbor
on the ships thar had brought them there
supplies to the front, should the occasion
arise. Such carelessness and lack Of fore
sight is unaccOuntable. Why, ne even left
his siege guns in the ships"
Now, those supplies would probably
have never been landed but for General
Miles, for Shafter never made any effort
to land tfHen-never, in fact, gave them
a thought. When Gen. Miles reached 81
honey he was surprised to find that the
supplies had not been landed, and immedi-
ateiy gave orders that this should be done
He was told that there was no means by
which the supplies could be landed. and
he thereEpon impressed into the service
couple of pontoons which were on the
Alamo, and the supplies were taken ashore
on them.
In the meantime the soldiers at the
frend were suffering untold hardsfhps.
Only then. however. did Shafter awake to
me seriousness of the situation and send
back for the supplies, which ne should
have arranged to transport in the first
instance. There seems to be little doubt
that the Concho and Alamo were sent
north in the condition in which they were
On direct orders from General Shafter
himself He was begged to allow them to
get fresh Ewater and provisions but would
not listen to the arguments presented"
The Journal presents today the state
ments of two officers, Lieutenant ]. II.
Pond, of General Duffeld's staff, and Cap
tain John o. Anderson, of the Thirty-third
ALiohi gan volunteers, both of whom came
north on the Concho, in which they state
plainly that the order for the Concho to
proceed north in her then unprepared con-
dtion emenated from General Shafter
direct.
He was demonstrated with by the cap
tain of the Concho, who represented that
his ships water was putrid and that she
had no provisions on board but the rough
est army ratsons.
''Why not let me go to Jamaica" said
Captain Risk. land get fresh water and
fresh provisions? The water in my tanks
is now so foul that my own crew have
been made sick by it. It's rotten and not
Git tor a dog to drink"
Go north. and so quicE' responded Cen
eral Shafter.
When Captain Risk received his sailing
or lers he made another appeal.
II You send sick men aboard of me,
provisioned and watered as l am" ne
said, u won't answer for the consequent
cs'. The sick will die. Let me go to ia
maica. which is right in my way, and
set fresh water at least. 1t won't take
long. and will be an act Of mercy"
Again General Shsfter positively refused
to listen to the humane captain. but
grufiy directed him TO follow his orders
am get out as quickly as possible. Cap
IA Risk was forced to obey. but did so
n many mlsgivinSs.
He put into Hampton Roads hoping to
get relief thera- He kept the telegraph
wires hot with appeals for help. but the
only answer he got in nearly thirty-six
hours. was this: Put TO sea and bury
Your dead"
In that pest ship the dead were lying on
the decks and the dying crying piteously
for water, hut there was no water to give
thcm save that which Captain Risk had
described as nor fit for a dog to drink
he Concho put twenty miles to sea
and buried three Of her dead. Then she
started back to the Roades. hat mad hard
ly completed half the journey when an
other man died. and she steamed out
az hin 10 bury him. Again she resumed
her painful journey. when stiH another
unfortunate victim hreathed mis- last
II there were wanting other proof than
Captain Risks statement that Shafter
hinTSef ordered the sailing of the trans
port. il is furnished by the order detailing
DIR. Lesser to the Concho. which IS signed
by Surgeon-Major I.aGarde. who. in his
capacity of director OF the hospital in
Cuba could only issue such an order on
the express direction Of the general COM
maadins.
X Is incumbent upon the military au-
thocties 20 assign TO any ship carving
sick from the front. R competent stan OF |
army surgeons Under a recent ruling /
of the War Department PROMULGATED /
after the Senaca affair. contract surgeons |
arc not eligible for duty on a government /
transport. The order was issued in cones- (
quence Of the demonstrated ineficiencv
and inexperience OF the two surgeons on /
board the Seneca.
Or Lesser was therefore not eligible 20 /
perform the duties Of transport surgeon 4
under a strict reading Of the new order. !
He was of course. thoroughly competent. /
but ne was not an army surgeon. and in (
detailing him 10 the care OF the sick on /
the Concho General Shafter violated 3 rule /
OF the War Departments. Again. Dr. Les (
ser had just recovered from an attack of I
the yellow fever. and was in no condition /
to undertake the ardUous duties which de- 1
veloped upon 5lim- This was also the con- /
dition Of MS wife and several OF the /
nurses which accompanied them.
1or. Lesser has not We; made MS for 4
NAL report on the voyage Of the Cont,bo. /
but when he does 50 there will doubtless /
be fresh light thrown upon this extraordi- /
nary affair