The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-22

Before the War investigation
>~ion-Ists Experience Before SANTA
=~o-Charge. Against Camp Vtkof
ncniad

eu at 4 tlCCh loUas W mSe% o. "~
Fifth Avenue hotel New York tomor-
row. After concluding the O In
New York the commission will pro-
coed TO Boston, and. returning. Will
Etep at Philadelphia. 10 make certain
injuries there. II is also expected
that a number of witnesses will be call
ed after the return 10 Washington. and
IL the commission does not go TO Cuba
some persons will be asked 10 come
here. Colonel DENLY will remain IN
Washington while the other members
Of the commission are absent, and VIII
take the testimony of such persons as
may ask TO be heard.
DR.. Forwood concluded his testimony
today concerning conditions at Man
tauk point. where he was chief army
surgeon. He defended the camp and
hospital at that place, denying many
charges against the place. He said the
newspaper men at the camp were gen
tlemen, but they appeared 10 be under
orders TO criticise the camp. he
knew of two Instance in which the
reporters had received orders to
roast everything" He had told them
not to spare when they found criti-
cisms justified.
Major General S. NJ. B. Young was
before the commission at its afternoon
session, relating his experience at
Santiago and vicinity, and afterwards
at Montauk. He said he had landed
at Daiquiri on the 21st of June and by
the morning of the 23rd his entire brl-
gade had been put ashore. He had
notified General Wheeler Immediately
and had received orders L move on
four or five miles and secure a good
camp. He accordingly had pushed on
TO Siboney. He had asked Wheeler
where the good camping ground was
and he had replied that the Spaniards
occupied it. Il then" said General
Young. asked permission to go out
to see the ground, saying should like
to get it for cur own troops. to which
General Wheeler ~aSsented.' In ac-
cordance with this arrangement he
moved out at 5 o'clock next morning
to fight the battle Of Guasima, sendlng
the volunteers, the Rough Riders, by
one road, and the regulars by another.
He declared that there WIS TO surprise
in this fight and no ambuscade, as
had been reported. He had recon-
noitered the Spanish camp with a glass
for half an hour before the fight began,
and he attacked the Spaniards and not
the Spaniards him.
Speaking of the Rough Riders. he
said that they were allowed to be am
buscaded was due entirely to the de-
mOraliZed reporter and the demOraliZed
adjutant of the regiment, who had left
the service soon afterwards"
General Young said he had occupied
the enemy's camp that day"-and it
was a very good camp" he said
naively.
In reply to a question as to what
aid he had secured from the Cubans
in this fight he replied none what
ever"
N6IoIdl 1OuLS Sdlu ludI llhl1CuIol'ly
after the Guasima fight he had looked
over the gTOurd towards Caney and
had informed General Wheeler that he
was confident he could take the place
that night with his brigade if allowed
to do so. General Wheeler had replied
that his orders from General Shafter
were not to advance without notifying
him, and that he would notify the Cen
eral Of his General Youns's) wishes.
He had not heard anything NOR Off
cia1y in regard to the matter.
With this General Young's service in
Cuba ceased and he was taken down
with fever on the Goth Of June and
sent back home. After a period of
sickness he was sent to Mantauk point
to establish Camp Wikoff.
He detailed the difficulties Of the
preparation of the camp. He said il
had been impossible to get in floors
and that he had not considered them
necessary, either for health or comfort.
Il gave them lumber and ha miners
and nails, however, and told tnem TO
make themselves floors if they wanted
them. | thought they were being
treated too much like babies" Re
80 Ni| : cdpDAi'S 1'
said they were abundant and hat food
enough had been allowed to spoil to
feed 1,500 daily. The hospital and
quartermaster stores were also ample.
He had never in all his experience seen
any army hospitals so we'll supplied
with medicine and stores Of all kinds.
The controlling motive in selecting
Montauk was that of securing proper
quarantine and a very strict quaran-
tine was observed. He considered the
camp very healthful and the site de-
sirable. 'As to what was done there
for the soldiers" he said, Il think ]
deserved more credit for what | did
at MOntauk than for what / did at
La Guasima. l think more was done
than should have been lone for the
soldiers"
! Telling Of the hardships OF one COM
mand which had just arrived from
Cuba he said: They were not the
heroes, being only regulars" He said
the privatiors of the war were not sc
serious as Indian campaigns he had