The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-23
ROOSEVELT TESTIMONY.
CsIsaeI u az Rsugh Riders Says There
Was Utter Confusion at Tampa.
HE TOOK THE LAW INTO his OWN HANDS
And DouEht Food for his ,icu and
liorscs-yrunspnrt Faciiisics We're
Totally Inndeauate in Cubn.

Eatirg commission today was 9ColOnet
Roosevelt. In reply to a request from
General Wilson Colonel Roosevelt told OF
the equipment and mastering in OF the
first volunteer cavalry. known as the
Rough Riders.
"Whsn we reached Tampa Colonel
Roosevelt said, there was a condition Of
utter confusion We ware dumped outside,
mile away from our camp No one knew
where the camp was. There was no one
10 tell us where to 20 or what to dol .ttter
waiting twenty-four houdls took tna law
into my own hands and bought food for
the men and horses. bater, when We fotini
OFT camp. we were all right
Were you reimbursed for your outlay"
never asked It. Ii was a personal
matter entirely
Co!orcl Roosevelt said condition OF
confusion existed at Tampa. Nobody
seemed TO know anything and no arrange
ments were evident as to whGt transports
were to be used. His own regiment was
assigned 10 the Yucatan. incidentally he
heard that the Second infantry and Seven
ty-flrst New York volunteers We're also
assigned to the Yiicatal. As soon as he
heari that he hurried on the Rough Riders
anu took possession OF the snip and held
1t against Other regiments. His men had
decided 10 so 10 Cuba, and they got there.
do you attribute all thl confusion"
asked General Wilson, TO lack OF intelli-
genie on the part OF the men in charge or
TO The natural oyercsowded condition OF
tho work
Il was only Lieutenant colonel and
could not know who was at fault"
Replying to other questions Colonel
Roosevelt said the food was ample and with
the exception OF the canned roast beef tbs
meat was bad. He told OF the voyage 10
Cuba and tie decentralization OF the regi-
inent nj Baiqulri. This i'sgimeHt was one
of the first 10 land Captain Shaw who
was associated with Ca onel Roosevelt In
the navy department, cent a Cuban pilot
on board the fuC~taa and ne took tbs
transport a mile anu i haie nearer shora
than any of the Other transports. Thc.e
was great scarcity of material for land
Ing horses and supplies.
Colonel Roosevelt, still replying to ques-
tIoas Ngardirg the detail of the nareh OF
his regiment 10 its frs camping place,
said
After supper Colonel Wood told us that
we weiia to start next morning 10 Take the
Spariards
The next mornings march was haro
one especially for the men. There were no
opportunities for fukers. 1t was 80 hot
that about 100 men dsopped out Tor rest,
and when the first Spanish post was dis
covered Colonel Wood ordered silence aud
was ordered to daDloy TO the right
when the spaniards began firing to com
mnnicate with the ship. They were using
smokeless powder. and l could NOT see
where they Mere.
tWlaen located the Standards with my
glgsses. 1 did not know what TO do, but
knew 1t was a good rule If In doubt to go
ahead, and so We went ahcndf'
Colonel Roosevelt went over the details
OF the fighting. He paid a warm tribute
to tho gallantry OF Assistant Surgeon
Jamcs W. Church, 4 former Princeton
Football player, VINO had more than once
run the firing line and carried wounded
men on his bsck to the division hospital.
Ctlone Roosevelt them told how ne resi-
mglt eaWp7tl for the night. Asked about
ratons, re said:
1--WE had the regulations Of salt pork and
hard tack coffee and sugar. but be men
wanted vegetables, snd I wanted to get
3 me for thew | took forty men With the
offssrs TO sibaasy and tried TO buy them.
The department refused to sell me hoals
aud toulaSoes aneSs could certify That
ttey were for officers consumpEap.
stretched my conscience as FAR as could
an nan BEARDED hansport and pnr-
chased about 5N0 pounds OF beans The
S's2nge d tho mon good. Ii was too hot
to eat nothing but regulation rat ons.'
Caicncl Roosevelt went ON 10 tell Of the
advance IN Santiago and OF tho night OF
july l, when the regiment slept in, the
81 the srnokaless powder, and said that the
United States artlllpry was frequently
driven from IT'S position because of the
targets made by the clouds Of smoke that
resulted from tho firing of black pewter,
'fWss youT camnN3pd fully supplied With
feed and ammuntIcn?"
THE am,nnnd!on supply was excellent.
tbs food was Insufficient There was
plenty Of food back In siboney. ! suppose
ii wa. lack OF transportation facilities that
kept us without good food until July 4. |
went to Slhoney and got lond for the men.
Then later ! got into Santiago and bought
rice and milk II wa Ind had the mule
trains that we were forced to lt,sve be-
him! at Tampa there would have been no
lack OF supplies"
Replying to questions, Colonel Roosevelt
said other regiments at the front suffered
ficm lack OF supplies One man OF the
First Illinois visited the Rough Riders
camp and cfiored 81 fer seven hardtaclls
Two hundred men from the Ronelp Riders
camp ate thgpe Tho Rough Riders had
enough 10 eat, but II was by tho'r indi- |
ysdunl efforts and Individual expenditures.
There was q great scarcity cf all medical ,
SUPPLIES at the front except quinine and !
cilon,el and great lack OF surgeons aud !
hcsptal stewards.
II reference to camp wikoT, the colonel
said thtfe was Rreat confusion for The first
few DAYS ufter tho arrival of the troops.
During those days" no continued. ~ do
no, ihis's our men were treated as well as
they shrui2 have been, o rear home hift
nstse tir>f there wa7 nothing tha, could
find fault with. thought our brigade was
atn,'tatSr carol for, The records were
s tadly kert at the hnsnital. but the work
was crpWg.ing the authorities and also our,
reyinel.s records were bldly kept, but
Cont care TO complain about II, or course.
I ] can oaly sF,Tak sor tho experiences Of my
ow1 reEintebt,"
Why was, there Q scarcity OF medical
supriers In CVha?' asked Or. Connor,
II dent know 4 heard there were plenty
CT tsr fhrs- Thsre WIS ,amsntnbls lack
q amhirs-rrs. think W. could have done
tettsr with fswer man and more transporta.
ticr.'s
expertedy"
81 q rot expect anything went to
tfke thsrss - they cans think that
y nfafly al the prlTat'cns miFht have been
x nyn'A ~ ~ tte trnrrrnrtaticn facilities had
bees heftoY frrervAF?'
'Fasa YOU aMtbirg yor can suggest to
Z W for thu fuiures' asSfi General w ison.
believe AL tho difficulties we met
wrt'' would be ohyiafea IN the future II the