Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-14
GEN. WOODS TESTIMONY
Is that Beef Was Good and Used in His
Own Family.

Washington. Jan. 13.-Gen. Leonard
Wood was the star witness before the
testimony bore on general conditions in
Cuba and he opened with the general
statement that never in the history of
any country had there been $50 SO sf ,if
He praised the quality of the much,
talked-of beef furnished the army and
said that except for some cans that wei"
thrown away, the beef was of a good
quality and he himself had used the meat
both in the war and in his own family.
Gen Wood thought every man in his
command, if necessary to the govern
ment, would again volunteer his services
that which had been made. ne sara,
would have brought about any difference
in the amount of sickness amons me
army of invasion. The difficulties, he
said in transporting food to the army
were almost insurmountable and the oc-
casion of shortage was very readily ac-
counted for railroads being almost i'm
passable. None of the ren should now
have any disagrecable reeolections OF
the war, save such as would result from
any hard service which always goes with
war.
The success of the Cuban campaign.
said Gen. Wood. was simply phenomenal
haps the extraordinary success was due
in large measure to this fact. The Span
quickly every time that they were almost
paralyZed and daZed. The capture OF
Santiago where the United States forces
captured over $4,000 men. was so com
pIete and rapidly effected that it brought
about the surrender of the entire island.
AS to the war generally. he had seen far
paigns in the West than he had in Cuba,
AS to the beef. he had never noticed
anything bad and said the great trouble
was the ignorance and superstition OF the
men, The average soldier, he asserted
does not regard matured meat with any
favor. AS to the refrigerated beet usea
ION
it was furnished in tremendously noii
weather: the beef was unloaded IN GOOD
condition. was taken out OF the relflge,I,-
ators aboard at night. owing to the colo
was taken ashore at daybreak: meantim.
there would be shower. followed by IN,
sun coming out in intense force !. o anH by by
o'clock in the afternoon: IL eaten thi''
night it would be all right.
The United States forces at Santlag'
had unlimited rations and the spaniard.
left the city full of food. The popular
idea that Santiago was devoid Of foof
and the Spaniards surrendered because
they were starving. he said was not true
Asked to the congested state OF ar
fairs at Tampa prior to the embarkatlof
of the Shafter expedition. he said ther'
was no cause for complaint The eXpedi
tion had acted on urgent orders to EN-
bark hastily. had loaded on on long mar
siderable congestion and complaining an'
swearing. but the same conditions woul'
have been encountered anywhere. Tn
campaign he thought should be Judge,
only by what the United States forces
did.
Gen Wood said there was no complain
made Of conditions during the campaign
from anybody. who amounted to any
thing: certainly none from the old sol
tliers. He said originally the army wa
supplied with enough medical officers
but people lost sight of the fact. tina
medical officers are also susceptible t
malaria. and for a while the number wa
deficient, but there was no cause 70
complaint. The army of Cuba now h
said, was plentifully supplied with doc
tors
Perhaps" suggested Capt Howell. al
was well that the men did not take muc
medicine"
II always have made it practice" r.
piled Gen. Wood. who was formerly a
army surgeon. mot to take any myself
Gen. Wood said that in all of his ser