The herald., 1898-11-01
CONCLUDE THEIR TOUR OF THE
SOUTHERN CAMPS
DOCTORS SEEM TO DISAGREE
As to the Nature of the Prevalent
Disease and the Cause OF Its
- Outbreak
Associated Press Special Wire

in9ton. expectinq to arrive there about 2
O'Clock tomorrow afternoon. 1t Is the pres
ent intention that the commission snall go
to Camp Meade soon after arrival at Masn-
inpton. and Ex-Governor Woodbury. will pro-
ceed directly to Vermont as a subcommittee
to take testimony there.
The commission devoted the forenoon to
taking testimony. They found DIVISION OF
troops here under the command OF Col.
Kurtz, of the Second Ohio, and while they
had no personal criticism to express agalnst
him, some of the commissioners expressed
the opinion that the command was TOO large
to be entrusted to an officer below the rank
of brigadier. The transfer of Col kurtz to
the command of the division leaves the
brigade of which his regiment is part IN
command of Colonel Young, the colored col
onel of the Third North Carolina.
The first witness before the commission
was DIR. J. c. Martin, a contract surgeon
from Ohio, who was at Chickamauga. he
repeated his expression OF opinion that the
water in the pipe line, system at Chlcka-
Cave Spring creek He said that after he
had first expressed this opinion, saying at
the same time that the facts in regard to the
existence of typhoid were being suppressed,
he had been summoned by General sheridan,
and told that he must retract immediately or
submit to a courtmartial. he had then
written a letter of retraction. but he de
clared that he had done this to promote dis
cipline, and not because he had changed his
opinion as to the pollution of the water. He
read a statement from the pumping station
engineer to the effect that the new channel
of the Cave Spring creek was not completed
until August 6, and that previous to this
time the current emptied into Chickamauga
river just above the mouth of the in
take pipe of the pipe line system. He also
expressed the opinion that the Jay Mill
spring at Chickamauga was contaminated
tho crYrrn1tDIiDn sinEs
DIR. Park l.. Triers, who was engaged in
the hospital of the Second division of the
First corps at Chickamauga, differed with
most of the physicians in his estimate, of
typhoid. He said that while, many be-
lieved ninety per cent of the sickness at the
camp to be typhoid, he did not believe that
to exceed 20 per cent was of that character:
He also took issue with those who charged
typhoid to the agency of flies, attributing it
to the water. He thought most of the dis
eases at Chickamauga as miasmatic.
Col. H. G.. Hughes, division superintend-
ent of the Southern railroad, gave the COM
mission information as to the trouble en-
countered in moving troops. He said that
as rule the soldiers co-operated in the work
of the railroad company, but there had been
some disorder at times. He mentioned
one instance in which Company +, of the
Fifth Pennsylvania, had broken up all the
furniture of two cars near Lexington, KY,
on the plea that the coaches were not fit for
soldiers to travel in.
Returning to town about 8 O'Clock the
commission went into session at the COM
mittee rooms at the Phoenix hotel, and be-
gan hearing of testimony. Major Gen
eral James H. Wilson, now commanding the
First army corps, was the first witness The
general said he was in charge OF the First
division of the First corps at Chickamaugaa
Park. He left there with his command
about July l, bound for Porto Rico. At
Charleston 1e ufnS Eart zx-patyc or
more; he did not know whether it was on
account of a lack of transports or what.
Here typhoid fever broke out, and when he
did get off, he wanted to leave seventy cases
of it behind. The Decentralization at Porto
Rico. he said, took eleven days, when it
should have been accomplished in two
This it is claimed, was on account of not
having steam launches, for which he asked
the department in vain.
In Porto Rico the health of his troops was
good on the march, but as soon as they came
to a standstill sickness broke out.
General Wilson said he had found the gov
ernment rations good and sufficient. The
most of the sickness among the troops was
caused by men eating fruit and trash.
81 consider Chickamauga Park one of the
finest camps in the world" said General
Wilson. sT never saw its superior unless
it is Camp Hamilton, here at Lexington"
Asked if he could make any suggestions as
to beneficial changes, the general said that
he is much in favor of regimental hospitals.
which have already been recommended, and
are now being established. His observa-
ton has been that civilians have made good
officers, proficient and obedient to all com
mands. He believed one of the principal
causes of sickness among the volunteers was
that they We're unused to camp life, and to
the climate of Georgia.
Lieutenant Colonel Frank d. Baldwin, of
Inspector General Wilson's. staff, and who
CapOro1 LNoJafe etoG Go+ Nh Oh
ga, gave some sensational testimony concern
ing the conditions there.
"When the camp was first established"
he said, 81 did not inspect a single hospital
but what | found it in filthy condition
Reports were made of this to the command
ing general, and improvements could be OBJ
served for a few days. But in a short time
matters would be as bad as ever. About
About the time the camp was broken up
this had been corrected to a large EXTENT
Colonel Baldwin further said that he had
known acquisitions to be made frequently,
and not to be honored.
This was especially true in regard to
the Second division, Third corps.
DIR. Connor, of the commission, said
"There has been more disgrace brought
upon the United States hospital system 10y
the Second division, Third corps than by
any other in the service. | can readily see
how this was, since no sort OF attention was
paid to the complaints made"
Colonel Baldwin said that so far as he
knew, General Compton, commanding the
Second division only inspected his command
on Sunday morning and that he did not
know of either General Compton or Cen
eral Wade, the corps commander, having in
spected the Second division hospital --.-
Colonel Baldwin said that he knew of one
Mississippi regiment which did not get its
clothing when it should, and suffered greatly
in consequence, as the weather was wet and
nasty.
81 do not consider Chickamauga park
suitable place for large number of troops
for many reasons My observation was that
sinks could not be dug over six feet without
striking rock. The only water supply was
Chckamauga creek. On two occasions !
observed the water entering the pipes to be
exceedingly bad on account of filth and
refuse. 1t was explained that the breaking
of dams caused this. I saw the creek nearly
every day, and ! never saw the water in
such condition that should have liked to
drink it.
Moreover, the park was entirely too
much timberland 10 make good camp.
Gen Sanger's division had to send three
or four miles for water. know positively
'het no regiment remained two months and
a hall without striking its tents and raising
the floors or else changing its encampment."
Asked If The men were allowed to drink
water from certain spring, Col. Baldwin
said:
1T is true that they were not: but as one
officer hnmoIonsly remarked, to keep the
men from drinking water from any pool, it
was necessary to put a sentinel over the
rool and then put another sentinel over
him to keep him from drinking"
Col. Baldwin stataa fbot No ,,,aL