and yet these, with the officers’ baggage and provisions, the entire hospital and its appurtenances, etc., had to be transported somehow.  It was usually about three days after we reached a new camp before the necessaries which had been left behind could be brought up, and during these three days we had to get along as best we could.  The entire lack of transportation at first resulted in leaving most of the troop mess-kits on the beach, and we were never able to get them.  The men cooked in the few utensils they could themselves carry.  This rendered it impossible to boil the drinking-water.  Closely allied to the lack of transportation was the lack of means to land supplies from the transports.

In my opinion, the deficiency in transportation was the worst evil with which we had to contend, serious though some of the others were.  I have never served before, so have no means of comparing this with previous campaigns.  I was often told by officers who had seen service against the Indians that, relatively to the size of the army, and the character of the country, we had only a small fraction of the transportation always used in the Indian campaigns.  As far as my regiment was concerned, we certainly did not have one-third of the amount absolutely necessary, if it was to be kept in fair condition, and we had to partially make good the deficiency by the most energetic resort to all kinds of makeshifts and expedients.

Yours respectfully,

(Signed)

Theodore Roosevelt, Colonel
First United States Cavalry.

Forwarded through military channels.

(5 enclosures.)

First Endorsement. 
Head-quarters fifth army corps. 
Camp Wikoff,
September 18, 1898.

Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant-General of the Army.

(Signed)

William R. Shafter, Major-General Commanding.

APPENDIX C

The “Round robin” Letter

[The following is the report of the Associated Press correspondent of the “round-robin” incident.  It is literally true in every detail.  I was present when he was handed both letters; he was present while they were being written.]

Santiago de Cuba, August 3rd (delayed in transmission).—­Summoned by Major-General Shafter, a meeting was held here this morning at head-quarters, and in the presence of every commanding and medical officer of the Fifth Army Corps, General Shafter read a cable message from Secretary Alger, ordering him, on the recommendation of Surgeon-General Sternberg, to move the army into the interior, to San Luis, where it is healthier.

As a result of the conference General Shafter will insist upon the immediate withdrawal of the army North.

As an explanation of the situation the following letter from Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, commanding the First Cavalry, to General Shafter, was handed by the latter to the correspondent of the Associated Press for publication: