The record-union., 1899-01-14

tough, and without any qualities which
would render it as a fit article Of food.
There was but one way in which the
men could eat it. and that was by max
Ing it Into a stew. Fresh vegetables
were not always obtainable, and stews
could be made only occasionally. When
the Rough Riders left Tampa a large
quantity of specially prepared beef
was placed aboard the transport IN
(which they embarked. This beef was
quartered and stored In the forward
end of the transport. 1t had been
prepared by some special process un-
known to Colonel Roosevelt, but sup
posed to be with some form OF solu-
tion. The transportwas out from Tampa
but a few hours when this beef began
Ito smell. The stencil was SO great that
the men avoided the forward side of
the transport as much as possible. The
meat could not be eaten and it was
thrown into the ocean. A fourth kind
of beef was served to the Rough Rid
ers at Santiago after July 9th. 1t was
of good quality and was brought to
Cuba in special steamers with refrig-
orator facilities.
Governor Roosevelt's official report
was accompanied by reports of the
Quartermaster and Surgeon of the reg
iment and those Of several Captains.
Governor Roosevelt Is known to
greatly regret the turn the trouble in
the War Department seems to be TAX
ing, as he feels that it is not SO i'm
portant to fix blame as it Is to prevent
| the recurrence of the conditions that
gave rise to the controversy.
4 EO11 yfv,cr ic or
letter in full:
state of New York. Executive
Chamber, Albany IN. ". Jan. 9.-To
General Nelson A Miles, War Depart
ment, Washington-My Dear General
Miles: I do not distinctly understand
about this beef controversy, but possi-
bly, what have to write about it may
| be of some use.
The canned corned beef we found
to be good. The so-called canned roast
beef that was issued to us for travel
rations, both on the transport and on
the train, and which we occasionally
got even at the front, was practically
worthless. Unless very hungry the men
would not touch it, and even when suf-
fering from lack of food they never ate
a fifth of it. AT the best it was taste
less; at the worst it was nauseating.
There was also a supply Of beef Gin
the shape of quarters), which was put
aboard our transport at Tampa 1t was
supposed to be fitted by some process
to Withstand tropical heat 1t at once
became putrid and srnelled so that We
had to dispose of it for fear Of its Gre
ating disease. / think we threw it
overheard. At any rate, it was con-
demned. The beef we got at Santiago
after the 24th and 25th of July-that
is after the siege had ended and when
my brigade had been without fresh
meat or vegetables for month-was
generally good. By that time the. cav
| airy division was in a Sickly cond1-
ton The fact that the meat ration
was so bad as generally to be inedible
caused very great hardship to my men
and reduced its supply of food below
what was necessary to keep them in
proper condition. Very sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
THE NATTER DISCUSSED AT CAB
MET MEETING.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-At to-
days Cabinet meeting a large part Of
the time was taken up in discussing
General Eagan's testimony before the
War Investigating Commission yester-
day. The Cabinet members. however,
were unusually reticent with regard to
what was said, and declined to express
any opinion as to what, il anything,
would be done in the matter, which is
now in the hands of the President and
Secretary AIger.
! Nevertheless, all the members Of the
| Cabinet commend the action Of the
committee in declining to receive the
manuscript of General Eagan's testi-
mony until the objectionable epithets
have been expunged. There is no doubt
that the President deeply regrets the
| incident, and it is almost certain that
official cognizance will be taken Of the
matter very soon. The question was
| discussed of how far General Eagan
may be entitled to immunity from
punishment under the recent public
statement of the Secretary OF War, by
the direction of the President, to the
teffect that all witnesses appearing be-
fore the commission would be protected
in their rights and positions, If in the
service of the United States, regard
less of whom their testimony might
be directed against.
GEN. WOOD THOUGHT THE MEAT
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Brigadier
General Leonard Wood was the star
witness before the War Investigation
Commission to-day. His testimony
bore on general conditions in the
island, and he opened with the general
statement that never in the history Of
any country had there been SO success
full q campaign with so small loss to
life. He praised the quality Of the
much-talked-of beef furnished the
army. and said that with the exception
of some cans which were tainted and
consequently thrown away, the beef
was of good quality, and he himself
had used the meat both in the war
and N his own family.
General Wood thought every man in
his command, If necessary to the Gov
ernment. would volunteer his services
again No amount Of preparation, in
addition to that which had been made,
he said, would have brought about any
difference in the amount Of sickness
among the army Of invasion. The diff
ficulties, he said, in getting food to the
army were almost insurmountable, and
the occasion of shortening was very
readily accounted for. The roads were
almost impossible. None of the men
should now have any dreadful recollec-
tions of the war save such as would
result from any hard service which
always goes with war.
The success Of the Cuban campaign,
sad General Wood, was simply phen-
omenaI. The campaign was rapid, and