The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-13

ger, and had there been serious storms,
or had the landing been hard BY vlSi-
liant and we'll tialned fOrce VI the enemy,
the result might have been far diirerent
Contracts. THE contracts. covering mir
lions Of dollars. were MADE ny tue quar-
termasters department during the period
between Apfn and October 1, and al
though inuannite charges have IRON time
to time been made OF fraud and rollusivn,
no evidence has been prouuced before
the commission to substantiate tncsr
charges, although the parties making tncni
have been invited 10 appear,
Transportation of Meuiea, supplies ana
of Sick ana Wounded Soidiers--tt is sone-
what difnculL 10 sum up the transportation
OF medical supplies.
Large quantities were purchased By the
Surgeons In charge OF medical departments
In New York. st. Louis and San rran-
cisco, and carefully boxed,
The supplies were sometimes sent h
express. thus insuring their more prompt
delivery,
The delay In some instances In securing
medical supplies at Santiago seems to
have been partially due to cnrelessness In
loading them on the transports. Tnis is
shown In the cases of the steamship
LA Grande Duchess, which left Charles
ton. S. G., July ~. Upon unloading the
vessel at Ponce on July IS. large supply
of medical stores we're found on her des-
tined for General Skaters army at San
tiago. The vessel was ordered to San
tiago July 81. The steamers Seneca and
Concho were used as hospital ships for the
return Of the sick and wounded from SAM
tiago In July. Their esavenlences for
this purpose were very unsuitable.
Land Transportation ca tno Command
During the Santiago Campaign. owing TO
the lack OF necessary troops the means OF
land transp, rts during the Santiago cam
paign were painfully deficient.
General Shafter testiiies that he could
carry no moro on his transports from
Tampa; tina, he realized that he would
have very few ambulances, but that wagons
could be used for transport both OF the
wounded and OF his supplies, while alnbu-
iances could be employed only for one pur-
nose. s5T Y
General Humphrey testified that no more
land transportation was taken, simply be-
cause the vessels were fully loaded. The
testimony showo that the transports ar
rived eft the south coast OF Cuba. near
Santiago, on June 2t; that the pack Trains
were landed on June %. that the first
WAGONS We're landed on June %. and the
landing Of the latter was continued more
rapidly than they could be set up on shore
and that, In fact, eonie OF those that were
landed were never set in at all.
General Chaffce testified that on July i,
at the battle OF FL Caney, ten days after
balances or Wagons available and that the
r ads were so horrible that they could not
reach the front,
1t is plainly evident that this army or
$4,000 men, disembarked in the face of an
enemy, In hostile country, and rapidly
thrown forward against an armed force.
was painfully deficient In land transpprta-
ticn, but In spite OF the absence OF this
almost absolutely necessary portion of the
equipment rf well trained command, II
drove the enemy before it. capturing their
outposts, pushed them beyond their main
defenses. drove their feet from Santiago
bay to absolute destruction as 1t reached
the navy OF our country, and, finally, after
gallant fighting under tropical sun,
amidst most adverse conditions, captured
u strongly fortified city and received 9s
prisoners OF war over $4,000 Spanish sol-
diers.
SUBSISTENCE DEPARTMENT.
Brisadier General Charles p Eaean,
ceminissary general. U. S. A.. Ia charge.
The consmtssiop has cnrcfuIis IN
vestiEatcd the subject OF the condi-
tson, quality md quantity of food
supplied to the army. Almost with
out exception IL has been shown by
the testimony taken that wherever
the troops were ordered, whether ia
the various camps In the United
States or in Porto Rico, Cubr and
Manila. the rntions ms prescribed by
lRSv were on the TRANSPORTS aud al
| the camps with the soldiers.
| So far as we have been able to as-
certain there WINS but one occasion.
Tint Of day In front Of santiago.
when the troops were seriously short
of rations; these had been supplied,
| but were thrown inside when the
men went into action; the condition
of ronds and lack of transportation
| prevented prompt Reissue. At times
| the vegetable ration was not O good
quality, the potatoes and onions be-
ing spoiled. Condemned Nv uonrd
| of survey, such vegetables were de-
| str0! ed. Some trouble occurred he
cause such vegetables and other
damaged food were disposed of by
| the company without warrant Of a
| board Of survey. This was done
through ignorancc, their officers moi
knowing wbnt WIS necessary to be
| done.
| Refrigerated Beef.--This commits
sion wns organized ON the 2tth Of
| September last. Up TO the 2fst day
of December it's members had taken
testimony In seventeen different
| towns and cities and nine camps
IT had also received many hundred
letters, communications and news
| paper clippings from persons living
| in all parts of the country.
Examinations of numerous officers
| and enlisted men have been made IA
10 the condition and quality of the
M ent issued 10 the troops.
/ The testimony, with some excep-
| lions, was that the refrigerated bssi
issued was pure, sound and whole
some.
on The 21st day of December iHs'
| Major General Nelson A. Mics upon
the written request of the president
OF the commission, appeared before
~. lie refused TO be svvorn, ~ an
| otnrr witnesses had been scAcep'
one. who. afterwards, stated thnt y
would make his statements w'tho"'
LrspE sworn aud was responSipio
tos. ;. Ilat hv said. He proceeded anu
| 80 a.. ne.t ffme in the histOry ~