Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-13
GRAHAM'S STORY
Of Camp Alger Before War
Investigation Board.
The Volunteer Officers in a Great Meas
ure Cause Of Disease.
They Didn't Know Their Duties and Many Were
too Old TO Learn.

Washington. Oct. 12.-General Ora
ham continued his testimony before the
war investigating commission, today.
He furnished the commission with a
statement showing the percentage of
sickness in his command from the first
of May to the 30th of September. The
statement showed gradual increase
for the entire period, the highest per-
centage being per cent. toward the
end of September. Gen. Graham be-
lieved that the proximity of the tents
to one another at Camp Alger was re-
| sponsible more than any other cause
for the sickness there and said the
medical officers also were of this opin-
ion. He thought the want Of water for
bathing purposes and the habits of the
men in eating other food than that pre-
scribed by the regulations had had a
deleterious influence. In the beginning
of the history of the camp there We're
no bathing facilities, but later the men
were marched seven miles in brigades
once week for baths.
The division hospitals were soon es-
tablished and he considered these hos
pltals prior to the regimental hospi-
| tals, as they We're always in the hands
OF experienced army physicians. There
had been no lack of medical supplies,
| but some of the medical attendants
were inexperienced and inefficient A
portion were especially negligent in
furnishing descriptive lists when pa
| tients were sent from regimental to di-
visional hospitals, and these were very
| essential in promoting the welfare of
| the men.
| Gen. Graham stated that while the
commissary supplies We're plentiful the
men were often without the prescribed
| food because the regimentaI officers
were not sufficiently impressed with the
Importance of drawing their food. This
was especially true in the matter of
fresh meat. In one case an officer of
Kansas regiment had refused to draw
the fresh beef ration until he could
have saw with which to cut it up.
The general also found many of them
to be ignorant of the methods of pre-
pairing acquisitions.
Gen. Graham said that in the case of
most of the regiments there was con-
siderable delay in supplying them with
arms and ammunition, first attention
being given always to the troops to be
forwarded to the front. The command
was, however, fully armed and in every
way equipped to take the field before
this camp was abandoned for Camp
Meade. For time during an epidemic
of measles there was shortage of hospi-
tai linen for the beds, but the def
cheney was only temporary In many
instances men declined to have sheets
on their beds being used to sleeping be-
tween blankets.
Secretary Alger had spoken 20
him personally about keeping up the
supplies for the sick, asking that he
Cthe secretary be personally informed
when there was a deficiency and as
surfing him that the demand should be
Immediately met. There was OCCASION
al shortages in other supplies, such as
ice. but he did not believe that any
deaths had been due to this cause.
Ex-Governor Woodbury. and DR.. Con-
nor examined Gen. Graham in regard
to the space occupied by the camp |
Originally it was much too small, and |
Gen. Graham had from time to time
extended it. removing the tents far
Their from each other. Dr. Conner said |
it had been definitely stated to him by |
a medical officer that the surface |
drainage had found its way into the |
wells.
Il positively deny it," responded |
Gen. Graham.
A letetr from Philadelphia complain |
ed of the presence of green fruit |
booths. Gen. Graham said he had or
dered the booths outside of the lines and
had tried to protect his men from |
them Tharp N ~ hpon v,Io iy,it orI
the hospital at Dunn Loring, charging
drunkenness on the part of the medical
attendants. The institution was in
spected, the result being that the at
PENDANTS were entirely INDICATED.
Taking it all in all, Gen. Graham
said he had no doubt that the medical
department at Camp Alger was admin
istered in competent manner. No
doubt there were individual instances
of neglect but they were not the rule
With the reforms inaugurated Camp
Alger would have been very healthful,
and the removal to Camp Meade was
largely sensational and in obedience
to public clamor. Gen. Graham de-
clared Camp Meade to be an ideal
camp. spiendidly located and we'll sup
piled with camp necessaries. 1t is on
the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad
and Gen. Graham said it's service had
been very prompt. All that was nee
essary to make the camp perfect was
the control Ct the weather. He thought
the camp would be especially desira-
BILE during the fall season.
At the afternoon session of
the war commission, General
Graham was examined with re- I
terence to some criticisms of Camp AL 81
ger. made by Col. Smart, deputy sur
geon general OF the army, to the effect ,
that the tents We're too much crowded. I
saying that in some coses entire bat
talions occupied no more space than
should be assigned to a company. He /.
had also charged that the sinks were
against the tents and had re-
ferred to the general condition in the
amp as being most deplorable, saying
hat it could not be held responsible for
me gross ignorance of the volunteer
officers.
Cen Graham said he remembered
col. Smart's visit, but the colonel had