Evening star., 1898-10-13
GEN. GRAHAM CONCLUDES
Thinks Complaints Are Made Mostly by the
inexperienced.
Would Have Some Things Done Diff
ferentfy if We Had An
other War.

before the war investigating commission
was closed yesterday afternoon Gen. Gra-
ham continued his testimony
DR. Conner read letter that had been
written by Mr.. Rawle OF Philadelphia COM
planning about various things at Camp AL
ger. together with a reply by DIR. Smart of
the regular army. A number of the COM
plants referred to in-these communications
had been called to the attention of Gen
Graham during the morning session and
replied to by him.
Ex-Ciov. Wuodbury-'State whether the
great expense incurred in moving your COM
mand from Camp Alger to Camp Meade
was under the circumstances, juStifable?"
Gen. Graham-''Und Undoubtedly, sir. l think
when the commission visits Camp Meade
they will realize that ! do not know any
section of the country SO well adapted for
large camp as that in which we are To-
Gated"
The witness spoke of the splendid farms
about that part of Pennsylvania in which
Camp Meade is located and said that ag-
riCulturists come from all over the world
to see the system of subdrainage applied
there.
Speaking of the hospital service of his
corps, Gen. Graham said DR.. Girard had
told him that ne had trouble in having his
orders carried out. In that way il happen
ed that when the CORPS moved on one oCCa-
sion there Were hardly any ambulances
Cumpanying the command. The doctor had
ordered three aInbuances for each regi-
ment.
DR. COnner-'.Nas any one called to ac-
connt for the neglect TO obey that order?"
General GrahaH-''Not by me. | think
he did"
Complaints made abou: conditions in the
Red Cross hospital nj Camp Meade the
witness said, originated with nurses who
had been dismissed. They had been dis
missed for Decentralization and at the time
threatened to MAKE trouble.
Colonel Denby-"State, after having rad
the experience of this war. what changes
you would recommend in the prosecution of
another war should we have one. What
would you recommend for the benefit OF
the army
Where Improvement Could Rc Made.
General Graham-"In the first place [
think every volunteer regiment should have
regular officer of experience in command
Of it. | think ii should have an additional
regular officer in both the field and staff.
1t has been very apparent in those resi-
ments of my command having regular Off
GERS that the conditions Were very much
better at all times than in regiments hay
ing no officer of experience. That is the
reason | give that my opinion.
With reference to the organization and
camping of troops. | think there should be
an entire change made in the tactics Vol
unteer officers in the camping of troops had
said they had followed the tactics closely
when their arrangement was objected to.
That was unanswerable. The tactics failed
to give limits of distances in the aryange-
ment of camps, that an officer who was
ignorant Of such things had nothing TO
euid" him in that respect There was
nothing 10 tell him whether he should Gre
mate garbage or not We have through
the experience of this summer arrived az
a system of garbage disposal which be-
Neve. would have prevented some of the
sickness W. had had it been followed in
inst
the garbage A good deal of burning was
done al Camp Alser. but not to the extent
that is being done now.
would have the tactics changed so as
10 make the dimensions of the comnanv
camps very much larger than they are
now Between tents the interval should he
not less than five feet. and ten fifteen or
twenty f"et would be better if the exrept
OF ground should admit it. The distance
between tents in Columns: that is back to
back, should be not less than seven feet
ana company streets should be not less
than terty feet wide and that could be ex-
tended If possible.
The drains should he placed on the on
pOsite side of the encampment from rho
kitchens Flies would not then communi
cate between the drains and the Kitchens"
General Graham gave an instance to
show what difficulties We're experienced in
the army to Keep men from using contain
mated water At Camp Meade he had
learned that the canal was contaminated
by sewage from Harrisburg He ordered
that no one should battle in the canal but
after that he found men washing their
dlshes IN the canal water. When he called
Them to account for dfsobeying an order.
thtS said they did not bathe in the water
The general asked them whether they did
not realize II the water were not fit to
bathe IN II was not fit to wash dishes in.
Continuing to speak of changes in the
mtth"dS OF regulating an army he would
recommend. he said:
Medical ottice cers of experience should be
distributed through the hospitals in ,r,Ier
ntr do ttrS I-},., k,.,,
not had experience in army life though
they may be efficient professionally also
thlik there should be sufficient hospital
system In the regiments to take care Of
emergency cases 1t happens that men are
taken Ill in camp and they cannot be re-
moved distance of a mile or half mile
Tor treatment For that reason We shoIld
have small regimental hospitals l estab-
Corps
General Dodge asked the witness wbetb-
er he did not think officers from civil life
VINO had had experience in the civil war
would not be efficient for the army.
General Graham think they would be
excellent There officers in nv -orps
who went through the civil war and 7 1e-
gard them as excellent officers They are
thoroughly competent. l had no intention.
In speaking of the desirability of hayflt,
regular officers in command of regiments
TO speak disparagingly of experienced ON
GERS from civil life. My mind simply dweIt
on those who had no experience"
should Have Assigned Conn mis- s,rx
sergeants.
General McCoOk asked the witness
whether 1t would not have been well at
the beginning Of this war to have had
skilled and experienced commissary ser
g,ants assigned TO volunteer regiments To
give instructions about means for securing
rations. handling and cooking them.
General Graham-'I think that would
have had a very excellent effect While I
do not think these men have been made
sick with the government ration | think
these sergeants could have shown men
how To prepare their food to make it more
palatabie to them. and they would not
have been inclined to go outside their
messes to get something they liked 10 eat"
General Graham said such sergeants
would prevent men from violating estab-
hshed rules. Men had. he said, rode on
the tops of wagons loaded with fresh beef
or bread They had seen men lying at
fulI length on pile of bread. where they
had Ridden several miles. Trained com
missary sergeants would have controlled
such things He said there should also
nave been better cooks. The men forming
the volunteer army accustomed to
good food. and they Sho1lI bay had h.t