The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-22
SHAFTER'S MEN SUFFERED.
MILES TELLS OF THE SCARCITY OF
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.

ed Beef" Responsible for sickness.
Thought They Would Get Onto His
InvestigatiOn-Gen. Merritt Testi-
fIes.
Washington, Dec H.-Gen. Nelson A.
Miles, commanding the United States
army, and Gen. Wesley Merritt, COM
mander of the American forces at the cap
ture of Manila, were the principal figures
before the war investigating committee
to-day.
Gen. Miles responded to the summons of
the committee only after several days
consideration. He was accompanied by
his own stenographer. His examination
was comparatively brief and not sensa-
tional
Are you willing to be sworn" he was
asked
81 think" was the reply, that / can
say what I have TO say without being
sworn"
Gen. Miles gave his evidence in a clear
unhesitating way, and went into details
regarding both the Santiago and Porto
Rican expeditions.
He opened by describing the railroad
confusion in getting the war munitions to
Tampa, and pointed out the lack of gov
ernment storehouse facilities there. He
said when the transports were loaded 1t
was found impossible to put more than
1900 men aboard, and they were equipped
as well as possible under the circum-
stances.
1t was most Fortunate" he said, "that
trapSportr bad oood tueatbar tba1
had encountered a severe storm the loss
of life, or the suffering at least must have
been fearful. AS it was, with fair wealth
er the men below, crowded in with the
mules and supplies, could get on deck,
which would have been impossible other
wise"
Shortage of Medical Supplies.
The commissary stores taken, he said
were sufficient, but the medical supplies
were inadequate. He had left the loading.
except for general directions, TO the corps
ommander, Gen. Shafter. He found just
before sailing that there were a number
of pontoon boats being taken which
would be utterly useless for the purpose,
and he himself had secured two barges
from the owners there and had taken.
other steps, but the supply of such boats
taken was very inadequate.
THE expedition" he continued, "should
have been furnished with launches
naptha or steam, or tugs, for towing
barges from the ships to the shores. He
relied largely on the engineer officers and
the engineer department for these. In
the second expedition to Porto Rico these
We're furnished, but they arrived too late
to render much assistance"
At Santiago the supply of tentage and
food was very limited.
1,of
time sufficient for the needs of the COM
mand?" he was asked.
In reply he read a dispatch from Gen.
Shafter on Aug. 4, which referred to a
Chronic scarcity of medicines and said
that four men had just died from lack
of medicines. There was at no time, said
Gen. Miles, sufficient medicines for the
troops. He remembered seeing one train
for the sick, in a drenchlng rain, with no
covering over the wagons.
Gen Beaver-From what you learned
and observed while there, do you think
there was at any time, a sufficient medi-
cal supply?"
Gen. Mnes-Of medican men and ma
terlals?
Gen. Beaver-Yes.
Gen. Mes-No. csr.
The Sick Had to Suffer.
The witness stated that the hospital ac
commodations were only of a temporary
character. He said that the shelter tents
did not shelter. Questioned as to the
character of the facilities for transporting
the wounded he said that they were TAX
en- in wagons.
Gen. Beaver-Do you know if any of
the wounded were lying exposed to the
weather?
Gen. Milestone were exposed in being
sent down to the hospitals. l saw one
train of wounded men driving along in the
drenching rain with nothing to shelter
them
He had taken measures personally to cor
rect matters and on July II had tele-
graphed for a well equipped corps of pier
and bridge builders, etc, and had ordered
places burned. Gen. Miles said the trans
portation facilities were used to carry
supplies to some 1900 or 10000 refugees
from Santiago and about 5000 Cuban
troops.
This" he stated in answer to ques-
ton, was not expected, because 1 had
cautioned Gen. Shafter to keep men out of
the Spanish buildings Of every character
and TO keep the men away from the
tives. Had he not done ne did, the
army would have been much better sup
Piled"
Poor COmmissary stores.
His army in Porto Rico, he said, had
been supplied in a way with quartermas-
ters' and commssary stores, but not in
the best way AT Porto Rico he had asked
that fixed rations be sent, but instead
they were sent down i'm bulk, without m
voices or bills Of lading, and in many in
stances stores were spoiled in the mold
and thrown away. This caused great en-
barrassment and loss of stores, and de-
prived troops.
lie asserted that the scarcity of food
largely caused the distress of the troops
lie had advised against the shipping of
beef to Porto Rico, both because there
was abundance of II on ihe island, as
well as because Of his belief that it was
defective. He characterized the refriger-
ator beef, of which there were 327 tons
sent as "embalmed beef and said the
canned fresh beef, Of which l9S.OOO pounds
had been shipped there. was condemned
by officers whose commands used H..
Who fixed the beef as au army ra-