The Indianapolis journal., 1898-09-02
Will Not BE in Command at Montauk
Point Until He Is Out of
Quarantine.
BETTER HOSPITAL REPORTS
SURGEON GENERAL STERNBERG
GIVES DIR. SEM A GOING OVER.
List of Regiments Ordered Mustered
Out-Ohio and Kentucky Sending
Hospital Trains South.

CAMP WIKOFF, L. l., Sept THE
transport City of Mexico, with Gem
eral Shafter on board, was sighted
off Montauk Point at $40 a. m.
to-day and an hour later dropped anchor
in Fort Pond bay. The City of Mexico has
on board beside General Shafter the MEM
bers of his staff, including Lieutenant
Colonels E. J. McClernand, B. f. Pope and
G. McC Derby, Majors Robert H. Noble,
John Miley and S. w. Grosbeck and Cap
tains j. E. Gilmore and E. II. Plummer.
AS soon as General Wheeler was notified of
General Skaters arrival he ordered
salute Of fifteen guns to be fired, and
Troops M, G, II and X of the regular cav
airy were detailed to escort General Shafter
into camp when he should land.
General Shafter and his staff were landed
from the City of Mexico shortly before
clock being taken off in the auxiliary gun
boat Aileen and landed at the floating dock
some distance away from the quarantine
pier. General Young was at the pier at the
time. The coming ashore at the float of the
commander and his staff was unexpected.
General Wheeler had the cavalry drawn up
at the quarantine pier and the guns waiting
to salute General Shafter. He was not
aware that General Shafter was on shore
until General Shafter and his staff had been
driven to the detention hospital in car
riages. General Wheeler was a little put
out when he learned that General Shafter
had landed. General Shafter appeared in
good health when he came ashore. On the
City of Mexico beside the general and his
staff came one company of the First regu-
lar infantry. No report as to their condi-
ton has been made. General Wheeler when
informed that General Shafter was ashore
ordered the salute of fifteen guns fired.
1t was difficult to get near General Shaf-
ter at the detention camp, but the COM
mander of the Santiago campaign sent word
to the correspondents that he was glad to
be on American soil once more, but was
sorry to learn that so many of his men
had died and were still sick at Montauk.
He said, however, that had the troops re-
mained in Santiago they would have Jared
much worse.
General Shafter is now, strictly speaking.
by reason of rank in command of Camp
Wikoff, but he will not assume the reins
of control until his term in the detention
camp is finished. In interview this aft
ernoon General Shafter said:
Il enjoyed the trip north on the Mexico
greatly, but more SO on account of the ship
being a prize. From a casual observation,
/ like Camp Wikoff 1t seems just such
place as l should have selected. 1 will soon
acquaint myself thoroughly with all the de-
tails of the camp.
II knew nothing of the Miles-Alger con-
troversy until l was shown newspaper on
my arrival here. / will not discuss it now,
that am unfamiliar with the phases of the
case. nor will enter the controversy at any
time. Secretary Alger and General Miles
can take care of themselves. and SO can |.
1.-The Red Cross and other nurses did good
work at Santiago, but the front is hardly
the place for women. There was never any
real scarcity of food in Cuba, but there
no transportation facilities to get sup
plies to the front other than pack trains.
The army and sick in hospitals down there
Jared well as possible in such a climate.
When told that it had been denied tnac
there was yellow fever at the camp at San
tiago. General Shafter said that it was
nonsense, there was yellow fever there
and the doctors in Santiago, who knew it
like a book, said it was yellow fever ana
nothing else. Santiago was on the mend,
the general said, and the sanitary measures
taken by the Americans were having a good
effect.