Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-11-25
THE WAR INVESTIGATION.
Net Result of Ex-Governor Woodbury's In.
quires i'm Vermont.

Net Result of Ex-Governor Woodbury's In
quries in Vermont
Elk Gov U. a. Woodbury., who, as a
member of the war department investi-
eating committee, conducted branch
investigation at the Van Ness House,
Burlington, left for Boston Nov. II,
to remain over Sunday with his daughter,
and went from there on Monday to Join
the other members of the commission in
Washington.
The witnesses at the investigation in
Burlington came from the Third United
States cavalry, now stationed at Fort
Ethan Allen; from the Twenty-first in
fantry, stationed at Plattsburgh, n. Y,
and the First regiment of Vermont volup-
teers, now mustered out of the service.
The Third cavalry officers said there
were not enough doctors present during
the campaign in Cuba, and censured the
medical department of the army severely,
saying there was failure to cooperate
among the staff officers. One entire day
was taken up withthe examination of
Mai. James y. Jenne of st. Adams, who
was for time acting inspectOrof the
corps, and later had charge of the 1st
and I'd division hospitals. Major Jenne
testified that the Chickamauga camps
were filthy, and grew worse all the time
the troops were there; hospitals were
overcrowded, and nurses were very
inefficient and had bad habits; requisi-
tions for medical supplies were un-
honored or the supplies were sent so
late that they were of no use; the COM
handing general was not in close touch
with the organizations. In reply to the
criticisms Of himself made by DR.. Milo
B. Ward of Kansas City, who was a
brigade surgeon at Camp Thomas during
the summer, the criticisms being made
during DR.. Wards examination by
another branch of the commission at
Chicago, Mai. Jenne declared that DR..
Ward was very sensitive old man,
who invariably got very excited if he
had any complaint to make. He denied
DR.. Wards statements about the dirty
condition of the hospital. The witness
es from the Vermont regiment severely
scored some of their officers. Corporal
Burt of company NJ, testified that
he had seen half a dozen different
ailments treated with the same medicine.
He had never heard man say a good
word for DR.. Hamilton, the surgeon of
the regiment. Capt. G. NJ. BrOwnell,
who Is Just recovering from a run of
fever with which he has suffered ever
since his return from Chickamauga,
testified that the company commanders
did not believe Lieut.. Col. Mimms to be
a soldier, and that every commissioned
officer had signed a petition to prevent
Mimms from ever assuming any position
in the reorganized national guard. He
also testified that Colonel Clark, the
commanding officer, was absent most OF
the time, and exercised but little author
ity over the regiment. This, he said
was discussed at brigade division head
quarters, and even at corps headquarters
and was source of modification to
officers and men. One of the witnesses
was Frank A. Bailey, Montpelier law
yer, who visited the Sternberg hospital
when his brother was i'll there, and
wrote letter scoring the management
for the condition of things there. This
letter was published in the metropolitan
papers, and caused considerable com
ment. Mr.. Bailey reiterated the state
ments he therein made. The last witness
during the investigation was Capt.
George A. Dodd, Third cavalry. Captain
Dodd, who was wounded In the head al
Santiago, said that he had suffered more
in Indian campaigns and in other parts
of the west than at Chickamauga
Tampa or Cuba. Most of the poor
management was due to inefficient APP
pointments, particularly in the quar-
termaster's department.