The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-05
WHEELER'S
EVIDENCE
Army Situa ion Was Ex-
cellenf, He Says.
SUFFERING NOT UNUSUAL.
Every Provision and Precaut on
For Mems Welfare.
SOLDIERS LAUGHED AT STORIES

eating commission began taking tes-
timony yesterday. and Major General
Wheeler was on the stand the greater
part OF the day. His testimony covered
the case OF soldiers at Santiago and
Wikoff
The supplies in Santiago he considered
sufficient except in a few instances, and
In those instances the deficiency was
only temporary. General Shafter,"
ne said, deserves great credit for the
zeal he displayed in this respect. He
devoted himself to the task and think
there is no doubt that he succeeded.
We used pack trains, and there was
comparatively little suffering because
supplies"
Speaking Of the medical department,
ne said that at times there were COM
plants. but that they were not serious.
On occasions there was a shortage OF
surgeons, some of the surgeons being
sick or wounded. According to General
Wheeler's belief the wounded in battle
were promptly cared for. General
Wheeler had no control over any of the
supplies which were taken 10 Ssltiago
on the transports when he left Tampa.
This was attended to by the different
staff officers. He only knew from con-
versation with those that there was an
abundance OF the supplies of all char
acter. Only two regiments had re-
ported a shortage of rations. and he had
Immediately telephoned to the rear and
the shortage, which was due to accident,
had been adjusted. There was suffer
fng when the men were compelled TO
lie in the breastworks. The meat was
poor and they had no bread but hard
tack. They were forced TO lie in the
sun and water alternately, and neces-
sarily there was much sickness. While
they had the full quota of doctors and
nurses. lie thought that IL more had
been furnished the men would have been
better cared for. As for rations three
days supplies were generally issued
Whenever the troops went into action
they would throw their food away as
well as their packs. and they often did
not recover them.
General Wheeler took up the common
report that the Cubans stole everything
thus discarded. 4 II was not fair. hesaid
TO thus accuse the natives. for there was
so much Of this fiotsam and jetsam that
hungry and poorly clothed as the Gu
bans were. they We're not to be blamed
for helping themselves. He said he had
seen among the $4,000 people who came
out of Santiago many ladies of refine
Inent emaciated and evidently hungry.
In reply to questions, he stated he
never had heard Of any shortage OF COM
missary or ordnance supplies in San
tiago but he had been told that the med
ical supplies were short. He had no
personal knowledge on this point. He
had seen some wounded men crawling
to the rear in the engagements. but as
rule as soon as man fell in battle he
was carried TO the hospitals by the
medical corps. AS rule the quality
Of the hardtack was good. When there
was any deterioration 1t was due to local
rains and not to the fact of original
iaferiority. The spirit OF the army was
such that there was no disposition to
complain. They were all proud to
be there and willing to undergo hard
ships.'
Captain Howell asked to what he
attributed the development Of disease
after the capitulation OF Santiago, and
General Wheeler replied that IT was due
TO the climate and to the exposure.
All the men seemed to be more or less
affected by the conditions. He had
known Of no instance of sick or wound
ed man dying from want of care from
the physicians. SO far as he knew there
was general commentator of the med
zeal corps except that on one or two oc-
casions there had been some grumbling
in regard TO general conditions. He
thought there was deficiency i'm the num-
Der OF ambulances but this deficiency
was due to the exigencies OF the cam
paign. His memory was not distinct as
20 complaints from officers in his com
mand as to the scarcity OF medical sup
plies, but he thought there were such
complaints. and in such cases he had
them supplied as promptly as possible.
There had been difficulty in getting the
transports TO lie as near in shore as was
desirable, rendering II difficult to get
nt supplies promptly. In this connec-
tion General Wheeler revealed the fact
that he had felt somewhat hurt that his
had been the fourth command ordered TO
be landed when he thought his rank
tnlllltu MIN u the uTSt ldUuiDE. trtn-
eral Shafter had given the order which
thus affected him.
The tents had been left on the trans
ports because of the feeling that no time
should be consumed in removing them.
I'VE were there for business" he said.
"and we felt that prompt disembarka-
tion and a speedy movement to the
front would impress the enemy moro
than anything else we could do" II
they had had the tents they would have
used them. There was also shortage
at this time OF transportation facilities
towards the front His own Illness
had been caused by the exposure. and he
himself had not been supplied with
tent. II was more ,shlfty than SOM
or the sotdiers. ne selu. "a strStChed
little oilcloth from a tree To protect ms
face from the dew. but any soldier could
have done the same thing
Referring to- the sleeping apartments
OF the transports, General Wheeler said
fhaN traNa ptfIta t.arra and fh.ra xe.a