The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-03

l. Sept. 2.-Mator General Joseph
wheeler gave the following to the AS
ISOLATED Press to-day;
headquarters United States Forces,
Camp Wlkofr, l. l.. Sept. l, 1s9s.-The
following is a sample of the letters
which are constantly received regarding
the soldiers in the camp:
IN REGARD TO Ny sTEP-soN,
WE FEEL VERY UNEASY ABOUT
VIM ON ACCOUNT OF THE NEWS
PAPER REPORTS OF THE PR1vA-
TroS AND SUFFERING INFLICTED
ON THE PRIVATE SOLDIERS. AL
THOUGH HE HAS NEVER UTTER
IN A COMPLAINT SINCE HE HAS
BEEN IN THE ARMY, WE HEAR
FROM OTHER SOURCES OF THE
CRUEL AND HORRIBLE TREAT
NENT INFLICTED ON OUR SOL
DIERs UNDER THE PRETENsE OF
HUMANITY, FOR OUR NEIGHBoRs
AND THE WHOLE COUNTRY is IN
A STATE OF TERRIBLE EXCITE
MENT. I SHOULD NOT BE SUR
pRIsED IF THE FEELING SHOULD
LEAD TO A REVOLUTION OF SOME
KIND. FOR ASSURE YOU HEAR
on ALL SIDES THE MOST VIOLENT
AND BITTER DENUNcIATIoNs OF
THE WAR DEPARTMENT AND THE
ADMINISTRATION. IT IS INDEED
GREAT PITY THAT THE GLORY
OF OUR TRIUMPHS SHOULD BE
pMMED BY SUCH A SHAMEFUL
THING AS THE ILL-TREATAiENT
AND STARVATION OF OUR OWN
BRAVE SOLDIERS WHILE THE
SPANISH SOLDIERS HAVE THE
BEST TREATMENT THAT THE
COUNTRY CAN AFFORD"
General whesisr's Comments.
1t win be seen that this letter says
that not a word of complaint has been
received from this soldier, and, so far
as mY investigation goes, no complaint
has been made By any Of the brave
soldiers that have added glory to our
arms in the Cuban campaign. A great
many anxious fathers, mothers, broth
ers or sisters arrive here from all parts
Of the United States to look after their
relatives whom, they say, the papers
tell them. are suffering. and many OF
.hem have heard that their relatives
are In a condition OF starvation. Most
OF these people are little able to ex-
pend the money for such a journey and
theF are surprised when they come here
to dnd their relatives surrounded with
everything to eat which can be prorur-
cd by money; and II sick in the hospit-
al, they are gratIHed and surprised to
Aad that they are given every possible
care.
In reply to a direct request that 1
will give the exact facts as see them.
will state: Every officer and soldier
who went to Cuba regarded that he was
given great and special privilege in
being permitted to engage in that cam
paign. They knew they were to en-
counter yellow fever and other diseases
as well as the torrid heat of the country
and they were proud and glad to do so.
They knew II was impossible for them
to have the advantages OF wagon trans
portation which usually accompanies
armies and yet officers and men were
glad to 90. to carry their blankets, and
their rations on their backs and to be
subjected without any shelter 10 the
sun and rains bV day and the heavy
dews by night. They certainly knew
that the spaniards had spent years in
erecting defcnses. and 1t was their
pleasure to assault and their duty to
capture the Spanish works.
soldiers Didn't Complain.
81 have Just finished my daily Inspec-
tIon OF the hospitals. With rare exeep-
tons the sick are cheerful and Improv-
ing
'TheV we're more than glad to incur
tho hardshIps and these dangers. The
brave men who won tho victories did
not complain Of the neglect Of the gov
eTnnent. but on the contrary they
seemed grateful to the President and
secretary Of war for giving them the
opportunity 20 incur these dangers md
har13hlps They realized that in the
hurried organization OF an expedition
by government which had no one
with any experience in such matters, II
vas impossible to have everything ar
ranged to pecfectlon: and they will tes-
t'F that under the circumstances the
conditions were much more perfect than
anyone would have reason to expect,
tnd that the President and secretary OF
war and others who planned and dis
patched these expeditions, deserve high
commcndatlon.
u have nurses and doctors to caro-
Tor the sick. and In all my army tours
] have not found single patient who
made the slightest complain. II Is true
there has beon suffering and great
want. The climate Of Cuba was
very Eeyorc upon all Of our soldiers, but
instead OF complaining. the hearts OF
those brave men ore filed with graft
tude to the people Tor the bounteous
E"ncroaIty which has been extended to
them.
There IL no doubt that there have