The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-09
ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
THE CH1RGES AGAINST ITS EFFTCT.
 ENCY AT SANTIAGO,

ment Overwhelmingly In Gettfnr
 Even Lighter for the Landing of
 Medical Supplies Conduct of Crews on
 Hospital Ships Amounted Almost to
 Mutiny-Attitudc of Red Cross Society,"
 Criticized.
 Washington, Aug. S.-Surgeon Gen- eral Sternberg has received the follow ing report concerning the conditions existing at Santiago, of medical SUD- plies, transportation and other features connected with the expedition to San- tiago under General Shafter. The re- port explains what has been done by the medical department and gives the dis- advantages under which the depart- ment operated in Cuba:
 Tampa Heights, Fla, July 29, 1898. To the Surgeon General, U, s. Al.
 Washington.
 Sir-In view of the recent charges made affecting the efficiency of the ar my medical department at Santiago. and especially with reference to the conditions prevailing on hospital trans- ports, l have the honor to submit the following facts, believing that my posi- tion as adjutant to the chief surgeon. Fifth corps, and as the officer in charge of the outfitting of the hospital transports Iroquois, Cherokee and Breakwater, may possibly give value to such report
 Drugs, medicines, dressings, instru- msnts, hospital tentage and supplies were loaded on the transports at Tampa in quantities sufficient to meet the needs of the Santiago expedition These supplies were divided up on the va rious vessels, each organization having It's own equipment. While the bulk of the supplies was with the organized hospitals the regimental equipment was largely in excess of it's needs and was intended to be called in to supply. if necessary, the equipment of three hospitals
 The landing on Cuban soil was made as rapidly as possible, each organiza- tion accompanied by the medical at NNANNeSAASb were pushed forward with no other equipment and supplies than could be carried by the soldiers Having no means of transportation for even their field chests, the regimental medical officers had absolutely no resources at their command except such as were provided by the orderly and ship corps pouches, and the first aid packets car ried by the soldiers. Having only left their ships, the latter were promptly ordered out on the small bays at Si- boney and Daiquiri to permit the un- loading of other ships.
 These partially unloaded ships, in obedience to their orders then pro- ceeded to sea from five to fifteen miles. where they remained for some time. Such orders were given the transports carrying the reserve and the first divi- sional hospitals. The one carrying the reserve hospital, in obedience to it's or- ders, proceeded to join the naval block ading squadron off Moro Castle, where it remained five days and nights, the other transports disappearing, if I was correctly informed, for an entire week. During the time the fight at Quasima had occurred and large numbers of sick and wounded were requiring treatment. In the meantime a report Of the con- dftions prevailing on shore was made to the chief surgeon, who promptly laid the case before the commanding gen. eral, requesting that a launch be plac- ed under the control of the medical de- pertinent for the collection of medical supplies from the various transports
 I was also requested that pack train be organized in the proportion of one pack mule to each regiment, to transport supplies-especially the field chests-to the front for proper distribu- tion, and it was suggested by the chief surgeon as available for the perform ance of those duties. The exigency of the situation did not apparently appeal to the commanding general and for two days the medical department was unable to get transportation of any kind to the other ships or to the shore, although there were large number of naval launches and boats employed on various other duties. On the third day by order of the adjutant general one rowboat was turned over to the medi- cal department for the purposes above named, and at the same time an order was issud for land transportation to carry medical supplies to the front mot to exceed one six~male team" On get ting into this boat with supplies, from the headquarters transport, I was di- rected by sundry staff officers to take them on various errands. On my re- fusal to recognize their authority the commanding general, who had appear ed on the scene, personally revoked the previous order and directed, after the landing of the supplies already in the boat, that it should return without de- lav.
 Presenting the order for land trans portation to the quartermaster on shore I was informed that only pack mules had as yet been landed, that neither wagons nor harness had been brought ashore and, finally, that the road was impossible for wagons. After this boat had been taken away the chief surgeon was without any means of communica- ton with the medical officers on shore or still on transports; or finding out their wants or rernedying the many known to him. The condition of things remained until after the fight at Las Quasima, at which time there were ab- so.utely no dressings, hospital tentage or supplies of any kind on shore within reach of the surgeons already landed The news of the Quasima fight being