Appendix B 283 



failure in the quantity of supplies, but to the lack 

 of system in embarkation. 



As with the other regiments, no information was 

 given in advance what transports we should take, 

 or how we should proceed to get aboard, nor did 

 any one exercise any supervision over the embarka- 

 tion. Each regimental commander, so far as I 

 know, was left to find out as best he could, after 

 he was down at the dock, what transport had not 

 been taken, and then to get his regiment aboard it, 

 if he was able, before some other regiment got it. 

 Our regiment was told to go to a certain switch, 

 and take a train for Port Tampa at twelve o'clock, 

 midnight. The train never came. After three 

 hours of waiting we were sent to another switch, 

 and finally at six o'clock in the morning got pos- 

 session of some coal-cars and came down in them. 

 When we reached the quay where the embarkation 

 was proceeding, everything was in utter confusion. 

 The quay was piled with stores and swarming with 

 thousands of men of different regiments, besides 

 onlookers, etc. The commanding general, when we 

 at last found him, told Colonel Wood and myself 

 that he did not know what ship we were to embark 

 on, and that we must find Colonel Humphrey, the 

 Quartermaster-General. Colonel Humphrey was 

 not in his office, and nobody knew where he was. 

 The commanders of the different regiments were 

 busy trying to find him, while their troops waited in 

 the trains, so as to discover the ships to which they 



