The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-08-25

IeNer ana FOR Inis reason Dlu MOI
Hurry Them North-Som of the Sick
ness In Army Camps Due to Careless
ness of Omcers and Men.
NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-Hon, Chauncey
NJ. Depew has received a letter from
Secretary Of War Alger and has con.
sented to its publication. The letter
which was written in reply to a request
for information on the subjects referred
to said III part:
"As you know, when war was de-
clared, there was no equipment what.
ever for the volunteers in store. That
this was successfully accomplished,
with very few accidents, is matter Of
record. Subsequent calls, including the
regular army (which numbered about
$4,000 men when war was declared),
made total of 2GS,50O men. To ac-
complish all in so short a time has been
a great work. OF course gathering thus
vast number Of men together, in large
measure under unframed regimental
and company cOmmanders-I mean in
actual field duty-the lack Of knowl-
edge as to sanitary conditions to be
observed, the carelessness i'll not OBJ
serving instructions which were fur
nished as to proper care Of the men,
has added greatly to the work of the
medical department.
He said further:
There is nothing young men in ro-
bust health are 50 prodigal of as their
health until it is gone. Men 90 into
g.. l,,N
thing and everything, and cannot be
made to believe 70 the contrary until
stricken with disease. Every effort has
been made from the beginning to fur
nish every camp with all appliances
asked for, but Of course the command
ing officers in the field are the ones who
have The direct charge Of these men.
For instance, one army corps COmman-
der has given orders and entOrces them,
respecting sanitary affairs, and he has
today but a fraction over per cent on
the sick list. Others have been less sue.
cesSful, and the consequence is typhoid
and other fevers have been bred and
spread TO a considerable extent.
concerning the Santiago campaign,
when the ships left Tampa they had on
board three months provisions and an
abundance Of hospital supplies They
had lighters to unload with at point of
debarkation These lighters were lost
in severe storms on the way. As soon
as we were notified of the fact two tOws
OF lighters were sent from Mobile and
New Orleans, which we've also over.
taken by storm and lost. The navy sup.
| piled rs with lighters and one OF these
was wrecked. The army disembarked,
| getting oil portion of its supplies and
| medical stores, and Immediately
| marched to the front TO fight the Span.
| iards. The great difficulty of landing
supplies subsequently was the wind
| sprang up every morning at 10 and
made high surf, rendering almost i'm
| possible the use of small boats with one
| lighter, which was all they had lett for
this purpose.
"Of the packers who were employed,
GO per cent soon fell sick, and heavy
rains falling every day, the roads (i
they could be called such) became i'm
| passable for vehicles. Pack animals haC
TO be employed to carry food TO the
army, which being extended to tn,
right around Santiago increased the
distance from the coast every day, anC
made the task more difficult. However
the result and the subsequent sickues:
that has broken out III the army showed
| the great wisdom of General Shafter IN
moving forward to make the attach
while his men were in vigor. 1t was q
movement bordering on audacity, but
1t succeeded and the persistence of the
attack, have no doubt greatly dis
heartened the Spaniards. The result wa
one OF the greatest victories TOR the mel
engaged OF modern warfare. Thl
number of prisoners taken exceeded til,
attacking force by nearly two to one.
| when yellow fever broke out anC
the fever increased into the Thousand
IL was for time supposed that it wa
principally yellow fever. The bringing
troops north at once after the surrender
under such conditions, would hav,
been certain death to vast number
but, upon inquiry, it was ascertaineC
that very few of these cases compare
| aively were yellow fever, when it wa
at once decided to bring the army hom
as speedily as possible. Everything
that human ingenuity could devise ha
been done TO succor that army-nOt tn
ingenuity Of the secretary OF war, bu
the result of the combined counsel 0
those who have had lifelong expert
enCe in the field. That some men hay
been neglected on transports Comln
home there is no doubt-all agains
positive orders-duo, perhaps, 10 care
lessness and negligence, but largely o.
account of not having the medical fore
to spare (many of whom were sick
from the camp at Santiago. Man
medical officers sent with transport
were taken i'll on the way nome,
Secretary Alger also appended the fo
lowing in part
the work of the adjutant general
department hassbeen 10 muster and OF
der to their station, 10 be precise, 2ld,
400 volunteers and 24,0OO Tor the regU
lar army.
"The chief of engineers reports an eS
penditure OF S5, $50, 900.
The surgeon general has had tn
enormous work of fitting up hospital
and organizing the medical corps,
"The commissary general has pul
chased ana distributed, up to Aug,
40, ,907 ,285 pounds Of rations.
1.-THE quartermaster generals repol
is too long TO even give an approXimat
idea of his work. In the way of tram
portation to Honolulu, Manila, Santiag
and Porto Rico, and return home, thel