The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-18
GEN. YOUNG
TESTIFIES.
Before the Commissioners Investi-
eating the War Department.
POPULAR IMPRESSION REFUTBD.


ed, as Currently Reported, at the
Battle of Guasima-Cubans Gave NJ
Aid-Held Back by Skaters Orders
Washington, Nov. 1S.-Dr. ForwooC
continued his testimony before the wal
investigating commission yesterday
concerning conditions at MontauI
Point, where he was chief army sur
geOn. He said that from the beginning
to the end of the history of the general
hospital at Camp Wikoff there was
never a time when there were not from
90 to 500 vacant beds. Many patients
soon after arriving were sent away tC
hospitals in neighboring cities. largely
in response to public clamOr. During
the first 30 days of the history of the
camp 5000 patients were treated, and
it would have been out of the question
to take care of them all in the camI
hospitals. DR.. Forwood declared there
had been a sufficiency of medicines ant
medical supplies at all times-a waste.
ful abundance in fact
Major General S. B. NJ. Young was
before the commission at its afternoon
session, relating in detail his expert
enCe at Santiago and vicinity and ar.
terwards at Montauk. He said he had
landed at Daiquiri on the 21st Of June
and that by the morning of the 23C
his entire brigade had been put ashore
He had notified General Wheeler anC
had received orders to move on fou
or five miles and secure a good camp
He had accordingly pushed on to Sib
oney. He had asked Wheeler wher
the government camping ground wa
and he had replied that the Spaniard
occupied 1t. 81 then" said Genera
Young, asked permission to go ou
to see the ground, saying / would lik
to get it for our own troops, to whic
General Wheeler assented."
In accordance with this arrangement
he moved out at o'clock next morn
ing to fight the battle of Guasima
sending the volunteers, the rough rid
! ers, by one road, the regulars going by
another He declared that there was
no surprise in this fight and no ambus-
cade. as had been reported. General
Young said he had occupied the enc.
my's camp that day, land it was a very
good camp" he added naively.
In reply to a question as to what aid
he had received from the Cubans ir
this fight he replied none whatever
The Cuban guides had deserted him
upon the first fire. After the fight was
over, however, some of the Cubans haC
come UP under the command of {
Frenchman, who saluted him very
tragically with his sabre. saying tha
he had been ordered by General Cas-.
tillo to follow the enemy and fight hin
wherever he could find him. Genera
Young said he simply ordered the Gu.
bans to the rear, and the only service
they had performed was to gather III
the baggage that the American soldier!
had discarded.
General Young said that immediately
after the Guasima fight he had looked
the ground over toward Caney and hac
informed General Wheeler that he wa
confident he could take the place tina
night with his brigade If allowed to d
so. General Wheeler had replied tina
his orders from General Shafter wer
not to advance without notifying him
and that he would notify the genera
of his General Youngs) wishes. H
had not heard anything more ofiiciall
In regard to the matter.
With this General Young's service
Cuba ceased, as he was taken dow
back home. After a period of sickness
he was sent to MOntauk Point to es
tablish Camp Wikoff He consideret
the camp very healthful and the sit
desirable. LAS to what was done ther
for the soldiers" he said, II think
| deserved more credit for what l di,
at MOntauk than for what l did at Ii
| Guasima. l think more was done thal
Oh,
diers."
Telling of the hardships of one CON
mand which had just arrived from Cub
| he said: They were not the heroes
| being only regulars. He said the pr
vations of the war were not so seriou
as Indian campaigns he had been en-
gagged in. There had been occasion
when he and his command had had t
live on corn, and others when ther
was nothing to be had except hors
meat or burro meat" But that" add
ed the general, was not in the news
papers" He was satisfied that mos
of the complaints against the CAM
were unfounded. General Young con
cluded his testimony with the state
ment that the soldiers were far bette
cared for than they had been In til
civil war
The commission adjourned at
o'clock to meet at the Fifth Avenu
hotel in New York, today. Genera
Dodge stated that letters had been re
ceived from about hundred person
in the vicinity OF New York, but sal
he did not know whether all Of thes
would appear as witnesses. After con
Guiding the work in New York tn