Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-16
SKATER TO ALGER.
THE GENERAL WRITES INTEREST,"
INGLY ON AFFAIRS IN SANTIAGO.
OUR SILVER HONEY PASSES.
Soldiers Are Very Comfortably Fix
ed. but the Roads Are Wretched-
Condition of the Sick and Wound
ed-Hc Was Boss.
ed-Hc Was Boss.

WASHINGTON, August 15.-Secretary
Alger to-day received a letter from Gene
raj Shafter. which is, In part, as follows:
Headquarters OF the First Army Corps.
Santiago de Cuba. August B.-Hon. A. G.
Alger. Secretary Of War, Washington:
My Dear General Alger.-Your kind let
ter of July 18th was handed me yesterday
by Major Sniffen. I thank you and the
President for the confidence you express
in my ability TO handle the matters en-
trusted TO me here. The number taken
Ill in my command Is very great, as you
will see, though not very much greater
than those returned to duty. and the death
rate is not at present alarming, although
It is steadily on the increase, and the
doctors tell me that the fever, malarial
and otherwise. is constantly presenting
more virulent features.
THE MEN ARE CARELESS.
EVERY effort possible is made to guard
ships bringing supplies to the army, but
IL is almost impossible to enforce IL Wnen
vessels must be unloaded and men neces-
sarily must come together in discharging
and receiving cargo. The great trouble Is
that the people themselves seem 10 nave
no fear of infection, and unless you nave
a guard over every individual man IL is
almost impossible to keep them from
mingling.
1.-THE silver question has settled itself,
and American silver is received the same
as American paper. .
The missing. l believe. have nearly all
heen accounted for. Not a single man
was captured, and the only men ho"
missing are those who were killed In the
thick brush and whose bodies nave never
been found. The country has been secured
faithfully for bodies rms was oone
short time after the battle.
THE camps now occupied are measure
hIv good. They certainly are on the best
,,ronnd In the vicinity, and slight changes
of location can be made. The trouble III
senarating camps Of an army OF this size
is ON account of the great dificulty OF
sunnlving them with necessary food, es-
neciallv during the wet season, when nan
a dozen wagons over roau cut IL INV
ruts two feet deep in places.
MANY TRANSFERS SICK.
"Pack trains are very GOOD ana we
have to use them, ana 10 use p'F'ii'
the time: in fact. without them we coulo
not get along; but the sickness AMONG
the teamsters and packers has been very
great. Nearly every one of them,-i sup
nose 95 per cent.-have been SICK, anu
like the soldiers, they do not recover thei
strength. .ooa arf
supplies of all articles of food ah'
clothing are abundant here. cahho'
fuIIv express my gratitude to you Tor al
the opportunities that you have gwen nls
and for the confidence that you repos'
in me. as shown more strongly thah Il
any other way by leaving me unhain
nered in my operations against Santiago
SKATER WAS THE BOSS.
81 am very sorry to see that some news =,
naners are attempting 10 throw blame %
yonr trying to run the campaign mn
Washington. and l suppose some peeps
believe ii. 1t is one of the Things now
ever that l don't suppose we can peIp
although whenever 1 have had an oppoI
unity | have tried to make II pam ina
7 have been left to my own devices
az am. very sincerely yours,
fsigned) WILLIAM r. SHAfIEh'