Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-08
PROOF OF 1T AccUMULATING
THREE WITNESSES BEFORE WAR
INVESTIGATING BOARD.
All Agreed in Saying That No Other
Army Was Ever So AbundantIy
and Luxuriantiy Supplied
Discomforts Grossly
ExaggerntcS.

We're before the WsiT investigating
sion to-day-General Greene, who partici-
patel in the battle of Manila: Colonel Lee.
chief Quartermaster at Camp Thomas, and
Major Hersey. who was fer a time in COM
mand of the Roosevelt rough riders. Each
admitted the possibility OF individual cases
Of suffering and discomfort, but all said
that The vast majority of complaints We're
exaggerated, if not without foundation.
They agreed in saying that no army was
ever so abundantly and luXuriously sup
Piled as was the American army in the
Spanish war.
General Greene, the first witness, sailed
from San Francisco TO Manila on the
steamer China, an excellent vessel, he said,
which was inspected by board of Off
GERS before it was chartered. He found
the ship IN good condition, but the men
necessarily were crowded. Four months
provisions and a large quantity of quarter
masters and medical supplies were carried.
With a few exceptions the loading was
carefully done, though there was some
misplacement, owing TO haste.
General Greene said that there was no
complaint during the voyage of scarcity of
supplies but during the first two days
cut there was some dissatisfaction with the
cooking. This was soon improved and no
criticism was heard afterward.
The details of the ocean trip and the bat
tie of Manila were related in a manner
calling for closest attention from the COM
missioners, but covering the same ground
as his report to the war department re-
Gently made public. He spoke of the in
surgents which lay between his forces and
the Spanish lines. 1t was, the witness said.
impossible to give an estimate of their
number, but he thought II was about 10000.
They were well supplied with Mauser and
Remington rifles, many of which they had
captured from the Spanish and others they
had purchased abroad.
The health of the troops was excellent,
and the commissary supplies were abun-
dant. but difficulty in getting them ashore
on account of the storm caused some hard
ships. Only on one day were they without
food, but during the other twenty-four
days they had sufficient food to sustain
life. though there was shortage, due
tirely to the inclement weather. He con-
sidered the surgeons efficient
1t had been impossible properly to supply
the men with shoes, and as a consequence
about $50 of the troops marched into the
city barefooted after the capitulation.
General Greene thought the army regula-
tions should he adapted more to campaign
experiences than at present. Since the
civil war the regulations had been refined
until they had been gotten down TO so fine
a point that you could hardly move under
them.
The site of Camp Merritt, San Francisco,
was very poor. The location was made by
General Otis. and General Greene felt safe
in denying the report that there had been
colIusion with the railroad authorities in
choosing the site. The most fragrant evil
deuCe of neglect that he had seen during
the war was the case of transports at New
rFa--
that should have been remedied. He had
also seen green coffee used both in Florida
and at Manila.
Comparing the experience of his troops
with those of Turkey and Russia, he said
he had seen more suffering in the Turkish
army in day than he had seen in the
American troops in a month, and there
were 5000 Russian troops i'll of typhoid few
er at the close of the Russian campaign.
He spoke from observation, and said the
comparison at every point was favorable
TO the American troops.
The officers appointed from civil life were
willing, but a rule were without ex-
perience and the great difficulty was that
there were not enough regulation officers to
go around
Major Henry p. Hersey. of Santa Fe, n
M, of the Roosevelt rough riders said the
camp at Tampa, Fla. was low and fat. and
j
there was an increase of fever and kindred
diseases. The troops were, he said well
supplied from the commissary and other
departments, but there We're some COM
plants of the bearing of the physician
who was left with the squadron at this
point. He ascribed the sickness of the men
in Cuba to the climate and the hardships
of the campaign.
He had come North TO Wikofr on the
Miami, which was considered one of the
worst OF the transports, but the voyage
was not characterized by any special dis
comforts. Camp Wikoff was the most per
feet camp he had ever seen. The water
was wholesome and the sinks were care
fully attended to-
The sickness of the command decreased
rapidly at this camp. Soldiers were never
taken care of so well as at Montauk.
Asked about the deaths of Messrs Tinany
and Wrenn, of the rough riders, he said
that Tiffany had yellow fever and had
suffered more from the Alndness of mis-
friends on landing and going 10 rjoston
when he needed quiet. than he did from
any other source.
Mr. Wrenn was given n furlough to at
tend tennis tournament Major Hersey
says he next heard of him rs being III
though he was in good condition when ne
left camp
SoloAel James I. Z. Lee, chief quarter
master at Camp Thomas, said that his
estimates for supplies all had been met
with a remarkable degree of prompIittde
Cosonel Lee dwelt upon the natural DIM
culues of supplying an army of So 900 who
seemed 10 expect to he able to turn a
faucet ana get everything they wanted
upon the spur of the moment
There were some articles of which they
were never sble to get a sufficient supr,lY:
army trousers. Tor instance. In the making
OF contracts with the railroads ColOnclS
Hecker and Bird. in the Washington head
quarters, had manifested a DISPOSITION TO
interfere with him by prescribing imDossi-
BILE CONDITIONS. he had protested in sharp
and vigorous language, and therea II r
there was no trouble. The passenger rates
had been made at Washington and were
very low, but when he tried to get freight
rates, they were too high. He had felt that
he could give better results If allowed 10
make both lines of contracts as with ono
rate already made, the government would
be in the power of the railroads He had
contended for this right and 1t was con
ceded to him. He did not believe that any
actual suffering had arisen on account OF
the ineffcienCy of officers.
THE contiEIity of Chattanooga with lis
saloons and the freedom with which the
selling of pies and cakes and beer in the
camp was permitted was he said "a far
more prolific cause of disease. to nv mind
than the sleeping of the men on the ground
or any other cause that has been sug-
gested.'
Kansas Friends in Session.
LAWRENCE. KAS Oct T-(Snecia1