The evening times., 1898-07-13
WOUNDED men NEGLECTED
Alleged Lack ofSurgeons and
Medical Attention.
SCENE, OF MUlH SUFFERING
A corresponaent,Returnin. to Tam-
pa ,Frona the Front Declares That
There Is Inadequate Preparation
for the Care of Men Stricken ON
the BNttlcnelds.

of invasion, left this port, some weeks
ago, military men who had seen service
wondered at the small size of the ambu-
lance corps which had accompanied the
expedition. Immediately after the skir-
mish Of the First Volunteer Cavalry.
better known as the Rough Riders. there
came a telegram from Major General
Shafter asking for more ambulanccs.
more surgeons and more medical sup
plies. These were hurried off at once,
and 1t was apparent that mistake had
been. made in not providing more thor
oughly against possible emergencies.
This mistake became still more apparent
after the battles in front of Santiago on
June 30 and July and 2
From a newspaper correspondent VINO
reached here on the transport Cherokee.
which brought back nearly three hun
Dire and fifty wounded enlisted men, facts
were learned tending TO show that some
one has blundered., The facts, as related
by the man referred to. show that a de-
plorable condition OF affairs existed in
the American camp near Santiago up to
and Including July 4, when the Cherokee
started north. 49, s..s.--s
81 was at the front" said this corres-
pon0ent, during the fighting on July 1
and 2 and whatever the errors that may
have been made in the conduct of those
battles they lose value compared with
the inefficiency in the handling of the
wounded both on shore and on the way
home. In the first place. no apparent
effort was made 10 relieve the sufferings
of the men who fell on the field. l don't
say that the few surgeons who were there
did not work, for they did, and they
worked like heroes. But they were un-
able, from mere lack of numbers TO at
tend to all the cases.
"on the night of July was forced to
retire to the shore. because of Illness and
the sights that met my eyes as 1 trudged
along the road made an impression that
will never, can never, be forgotten. On
my way l passed hundreds of men who
had been wounded, dragging themselves
along, many of them on their hands and
knees. each step adding to their agony
and lessening their chances of recovery
Enlisted men, some of them bleeding from
bullet wounds, could be seen carrying
their officers, who were more seriously
hurt, and all along the route were others
whose injuries were too severe to permit
them continuing their journey without
assistance. The little stream which cross
es the road near Siboney was absolutely
red with the blood of men who had stop
ped TO rest themselves and dress their
wounds. The sight was pitiful almost be-
yond description.
'As fast as these unfortunate fellows
reached the hospital they were cared for,
put the accommodations were overtaxed.
and General Shafter then decided to send
away all who were able to stand the
voyage. Looking at 1t in the light of
what happened after the return trip be-
gan, IT seems as if it would have been
more humane to have kept them there.
for the conditions on the Cherokee were
such as to retard, instead of hasten. the
recovery of the poor fellows who were
sent aboard her. In the first place. the
mold OF the ship gave forth the most dis
gusting odors from the bilgewater which
mad been collecting in her for the last
month. Then the decks of the ship were
oVercrowded with wounded men, Worse
than all, the medical attendance was
grossly insufficient. For the $50 men on
BOARD there was only one surgeon and
three or four hospital stewards. When /
ten you that in one day this surgeon made
iic redressings, you will see that he had
a greater burden than he should have
mad. Many of his cases were SO serious
that amputations may be necessary 70
save the lives of his patients, and the
oVercrowding of the vessel made the ex
istence of all of them almost unbeara,,Ie
NO provision had been made for the
comiort OF the poor fellows and proba-
bly, fourth of them were without blan-
kets, and many of them without even
Clothing sufficient to cover their naked.
ness The hot days in Cuba had caused
them to throw away their blankets. ana
numbers of them had lost their clothing
In the battles with the Spaniards. ON
the way here the supply of bandages be-
came exhausted, and for this reason the
suherings of all were unnecessarily in
creased by some ones negligence.
don't care to locate the blame. but some.
body in authority will have a great crime
to answer for when the day of reckoning
comes"
When the Cherokee was tied to her pier
a large number of surgeons were on hand
to care for the wounded men and make
them comfortable for their ride nor;hward
on the ambulance trains which were In
waiting. In squads of fourteen the men
were sent from the ship their wounds
dressed and good food issued to them.
The work was well and promptly done.
and within few hours the journey to
Fort Mcpherson was begun.