The record-union., 1898-08-22
Difficulties Under Which He Has
Labored.
Nearly Quarter of a Million Of Mon
Were Transported Beside All the
Munitions Nesded for
the War.

NEW 1ORk, Aug. A1.-HOn. CnduH-
cey NJ. Depew has received a letter
from the Secretary of War and has
consented to its publication. The letter,
which was written in reply to a re-
quest for information on the subject
referred to. is as follows:
War Department, Washington, Aug.
13, 1S9S.-My Dear Mr. Depew: The
great pressure of business have pre-
vented me sending to you the statement
you We're kind enough to ask for, as to
what had been accomplished in the way
of outfitting the army for the field, con-
duct Of campaign, etc. Also, the chiefs
Of divisions have been too much driven
with work to compile the required
statement. One not in the midst of the
work can hardly realize what an under
taking it is to- call 125, 900 men into the
field at one time, coming from all the
States and to have them mustered and
gathered in camps on so short notice
and this, too, when we had scarcely any
camp outfit for their accommodation,
all having to be provided for by the
War Department, as you know; when
war was declared, there was no equip-
rTaeat whatever for the .rolunteers in
store.
That this was successfully accom-
plished, with very few accidents, is a
matter OF record. Subsequent calls. in
clud1ng the regular army (Which num-
befed about "a 600 men when war was
declared), made a total of SOS 500 men
10 accomplish all in so short a time
mas Deen great work OF course
gathering this vast number of men to-
gether, IN large measure under un-
trained reglmental and company COM
manders-I mean in actual field duty
tfe lack or knowledge as to the sani-
tary conditions to be observed. the
carelessness in not observing instruc-
tions which We're furnished as to the
proper use of them, added greatly 10
the work of the medical department.
thus from homes of 216010 volunteer :
has constant great anxiety been felt as
TO what might happen TO their soldiers.
and hundreds of inquiries made by let
ters and kilograms have been received
every day concerning individual SOL
diers.
The feeling on the part of these in
dividuals that the War Department is
responsible for the career of them in
dividually has naturally aroused SYM
pathy in case Of sickness and death and
created much sorrow. There is nothing
young men in robust health are so
4 pNodigal of as their health. until il is
gone. Men go into camp feeling that
they can stand anything and every
thing and cannot be made to believe to
the contrary until stricken with dis
sise. Every effort has been made from
fae beginning TO furnish every camp
With all appliances asked for, but OF
Course the commanding officers in the
ned are the ones who have direct
charge of these men. For instance, one
army corps commander has division
orders and enforces them respecting
sanitary affairs and he has to-day but
fraction over , per cent on the sick
LIST. Others have not been successful
5Ed the consequence is that typhoid
and other fevers have bred and spread
to considerable extent One regi-
Hent In the Chickamauga camp has a
Coicnel Who enforces sanitary rules in
his regiment instructing the man TO
boil all the water they drink. keeping
The camp cleanlyi and the result is that
that there are lessthan twenty-five sick
and the camp, too. is in as unfayora bla
location as any in the command.
others more favorably situated have
en- times that number on the sick list
one Of the regiments of the call. not vet
removed from its State, sends bitter
complaints of typhoid fever.
Concerning the Santiago camnaien
when the ships left Tampa they had
y IN board three months provisions and
J IN abundance of hospital supplies
They had lighters to unload at point
of debarkation. These lighters were in
severe storms on the way. AS soon as
we were notified of the fact that two
tows of lighters were sent from Mobile
and New Orleans. which We're also
overtaken and lost by storms. the navy
supplied us with lighters and one of
| these was wrecked. The army disem-
: parked, getting off portion of it's sup
Il plies and medical stores and immedi-
Speniards. The great difficulty of land
4 ing supplies subsequently was that the
lwind sprang up every morning at 10
kand made high surf, rendering almost
impossible the use of small boats with
one lighter. which was all they had left
for the purpose. OF the packers who
Here employed sixty or more fell sick,
ind heavy rains falling every day. the
soads Qf they could be called such)
became impossible for vehicles: pack
animals had to be employed to carry.