New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-03
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR ROMEYNE HEARD
IN WASHINGTON.

CONDUCT OF THE SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN CHILL
cIsED-BAD CONDITIONS on TRANSPORTS
Washington. Nov. 1.-The War Department III
vestigatlng Commission held session mere qua
for the purpose OF hearing the testimony OF MAJOR
Henry Romeyne. a retired Army onicer' ne sa'u
that lie had asked al the beginning OF lne ""
a military assignment to so to the front as an o'N
GER but II was refused and he then went az cor
respondent OF a weekly newspaper. His testimony
covered the er,barkation Of the troops at to't
Tampa and the campaign In CUBA lie sd'u '''
when he went TO Port Tampa the bank oil the canH'
there was covered with troops He had "ah'eu ~
go over with the 10Th Infantry. which was MS o'u
regiment but no could tell him where '"e
regiment was TO be found. He asked STAN o'rcer
and several others for this Information pu' ho o"o
knew. nor did any one appear 10 kho" o'' VIC"
vessel any particular troops were 10 enDaih' lne''
was great confusion. consequence Oh WIN"
part Of a command would so on one vessei anu
part on another. and the commands were III '''
cases separated from their stores. lie mao seen 10
order for the systematic embarkation OF the troops
and he had heard 1t said that they were toiu u ~
aboard heltor-sketer
When asked to express an OPINION as W '
prepara lions for the embarkation the witness hesi
tacd. saying that TO do so would Involve crl''c'S'
OF his superiors. The Commissioners insisted OH
reply and Major Romeyne said that he ala not
think the preparation was such as II should nave
been There was" he said "a lack OF SURF Doa'S'
and also Of order and OF preparation LOT '"''u"e'
When the landing undertaken the troops le''
the ships unfortunately, parts going al one "l'o
and other parts at other times" lie toid OF inc
effort to tow two lighters over to Cuba but s SAD
that lost. and that 1t was the Rel,et"s A.
preston that II lost on purpose peOduSo -
retarded the progress OF tie fleet , ,,coo,,
In Response 10 a question from Genera ,s, ~
" or Romovnc said that while it was difhcuLt 10
land anything ambulances and wagons conld nan sen
ben landed as easily as artnery, ne it hat,Ie NJ
only ambulance at the 'front.' AZ tne % tho
ri Caney and it not used for conveying ne
wounded to the rear Speaking OF ,cnnga SURPRISE
that an inflated balloon had been carrier a., az ' 10
head Of the attacking column mus toons but
The Spaniards the exact location OF ne p hoer
no did not know al whose orders TINS had peen
done. He said the town OF Siooney waS. w. IN
his life and that no effort made TO clean !. up
Of proper food at the fever hospitals and the cook
ing generally poor Any one IN IN ms hnI bnen
a patient in the hospital and SAID there had oeen
no neglect Of patients by the medical attenudntS
Ue had known surgeons in the latter hospitals 10
work sixty hours without cessation. o,so, ,s,,od
why did they not have more surgeons. asAeu
The witness said he couid not answer
Major Romeyne said he had come No,.n a.
convalesccnt with many others on nc ranSspTp :
Concho and he criticised the provisioning OF me
yeSe IN ev 1cp t en Board H m2s WITHOUT
or pillows and with no covering al ngh The water
offensive 20 both sight and smell ne ssIu
vided especially for convalescents. The meat was
ca nncd and inferior and mucn or the hard'ack
moulded" Hc also said that there was only one
physician aboard the vessel, and he was con- on
vaiescent. Six mon had died on the way up ana
Major Romeyne expressed the opinion, in response
to a question from Captain Howell. that Win
proper attention and good food the lives OF at eas.
some OF these men coull have been saved he sald
he was unable TO place the responsibility ior tne
neglect but the captain Of the vessel had SAID that
when ho made application 10 20 10 Jamaica TOT
fresh food and water before starting on the voyage
from Santiago the request was refused.
General Wilson. Ex-Governor Beaver and captain
Howell go Camp Meade tomorrow TO inspect
that camp.