282 The Rough Riders 



APPENDIX B 



[BEFORE it was sent, this letter was read to and 

 approved by every officer of the regiment who had 

 served through the Santiago campaign.] 



[Copy.] 



CAMP WIKOFF, 

 September 10, 1898 

 To THE SECRETARY OF WAR. 



SIR: In answer to the circular issued by com- 

 mand of Major-General Shafter under date of Sep- 

 tember 8, 1898, containing a request for informa- 

 tion by the Adjutant-General of September 7th, I 

 have the' honor to report as follows : 



I am a little in doubt whether the fact that on 

 certain occasions my regiment suffered for food, 

 etc., should be put down to an actual shortage of sup- 

 plies or to general defects in the system of adminis- 

 tration. Thus, when the regiment arrived in Tam- 

 pa, after a four days' journey by cars from its camp 

 at San Antonio, it received no food whatever for 

 twenty-four hours, and as the travel rations had 

 been completely exhausted, food for several of the 

 troops was purchased by their officers, who, of 

 course, have not been reimbursed by the Govern- 

 ment. In the same way we were short one or two 

 meals at the time of embarking at Port Tampa on 

 the transport; but this I think was due, not to a 



