The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-29
Fiat Denial of the Alleged Acrim0nf-
GUS Scene I'm Breckinridge's Head
quarters at Lexington.
COMPLIMENT FOR HoOsIERS
SECRETARY ALGER PRAISES cox
DURBIN's REGIMENT.
Investigation Commission Waiting
for Answers-CoI. DENLY Made Vice
Chairman-Notes from the Camps.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S,-Secretary Al
ger has returned to Washington. He cams
to the War Department Immediately after
breakfast and was soon besieged by a NUM-
ber of persons who had been waiting for
his return. The secretary looked much inn
proved by his trip, although 1t was filled
with hard work after he left Detroit. Later
he made a verbal report to the President
on the inspection of the army camps which
he had just concluded. He was occupied
with the President for two and a half
hours. During the interview Secretary
Long came over from the Navy Depart
ment and Joined the party in the Cabinet
room.
On leaving the White House Secretary Ale
ger said he was much gratified with the
conditions of the camps generally. He re-
Trained from specifically charging exagger-
alton of conditions of camp life, but said
the results of the trip of inspection were
quite satisfactory. He had visited, he said,
every one of the camps, the hospitals and
the sick. He was gratifed especially to find
the men in the hospitals steadily improv-
ing and that there were so many convales-
cents where the odds against them from
their maladies had been great. Most of the
men in the hospital, he said, were III good
SplA1lSt CASc1luA dlAu Aluply dill 0AASANA%i
looking forward to the time when they
would be we'll again.
In general way the camps were kept
satisfactorily but there were. he conceded.
points which might have been improved
upon, citing particularly the unsatisfactory
condition of the sinks at some places. At
Jacksonville, he said, the reports seemed
to show a fairly large proportion of sicks
but he said the percentage was to be ac-
counted for by the fact that the sick of all
the regiments departing and mustered out
were kept in the camp.
1.-THE main trouble, l found" said SecEe~
tary Alger, was, perhaps. the lack OF care
the troops took of themselves. This was one
of the great difficulties encountered. Tents
outside the camps, conducted by private
enterprises, proved too tempting for the
soldiers and the results of improper and
injudicious eating soon manifested theIn-
selves in the general condition Of the men.
These were things which sometimes could
not be helped and where there was most
rigid discipline along these lines the inn
proved state of affairs was evident" The
secretary said the reforms or changes
which might result from his inspections
would be discussed later.
Secretary Alger says the report Of a
scene IN CeQeTdl bT6ChlIiTtuEtS ICdQQ1dA~
ters at Lexington, when he was inspecting
that camp, is absolutely without founda-
tion There was no scene, no high words
and no excited language. The secretary
SAYS the story was made oat of whole
cloth Secretary Alger and Generals Lud-
ington and Sternberg each have letters
from Gen. John A. Wiley, who was re-
ported as having made accusations against
them, expressing his regret that any such
report was circulated. That to Secretary
AIger from General Wiley is dated Head
quarters First Brigade. Third Division.
First Army Corps, Camp Hamilton. KY.
Sept 22.' 1t follows:
my Dear General Alger-I hear that
some of the Northern papers are making q
great display of headlines showing how I
pitched into Generals Alger. Ludington
and Sternberg at General Breckinridge's
headquarters on the goth inst; how called
you down. etc.'-a lot of untruthful trash.
Every word / said was directed to you per-
sonally and we were within four or five
feet of each other, and you. no doubt,
heard every word of it. Not a word or sem
tence was uttered at that, or any other
time, with reference to yourself General
Ludington or General Sternberg, except In
expression of the highest regard and re-
spect for your successful and faithful per-
formance of a great task"