The times., 1898-10-07

-ooNNNs eAAD ASNcA outbreak WOQlQ nave
been much less virulent In his opinion.
colloquy ensusd between Gen. Boyn
ton and DIR. Connor as to the location
or responsibility for failure to observt.
these representations. Gen. Boynton said
that IL rested with the regimentaL. bri-
gade. and division commanders. He ex-
planned. however. that he did not desire
10 criticise officers who came into the
army from civil life.
you are all veterans, gentlemen ha
said. land know that there Is much for
civilian 10 learn when he comes into the
army
Later Gen Boynton was asked by Capt
Howell regarding The quality and condi-
ton Of the food supplied to the troops.
which brought from the witness this trib-
ute 10 the Southern soldier. with which
he closed his statement:
NO Southern soldier or officer ever
spoke of the supplies furnished the army
except to express his wonder and surprise
that the Government had been able 10 ger
together such vast quantity and bewfi-
dering variety Had the soldiers a Can1u
Thomas been all Southern men this com
mission would have nothing 70 do 50 far
as that camp was concerned
The commission then took a recess.
Gen. Lee on the stand
Gen Lee appeared before the commits
sion upon the resumption Of the inquiry
in the afternoon.
He had no complaint TO make about the
supplies furnished his troops Soldiers"
he said. "are like school boys: and Oc-
casionally when fresh meats would not be
received there would be a little complaint.
but generally speaking, everything was
all right"
II suppose. " inquired Mr. Beaver. that
you have no objection to stating whether
your corps is 10 go out of the United
States?''
Il am Informed that my corps is to go
TO Cuba"
rs your corps organized efficiently for
campaign in a foreign country"
1T is"
He was next asked: IF you were shor.
of beef and had only the pork and other
food of the regular army ration would
you think that proper food for men serv-
ing In Summer in a tropical cIimate?"
Not II IL were used exclusively"
Gen Lee stated that sickness in his
camp amounted TO only about per cent.
The diseases were particularly malariaI.
and fever called dengue- There were
also some cases of typhoid fever
Il had the chief OF nv staff go around
among the brigade and regimentaI Of
ficers and hold schools. 50 that they
would all be informed as TO what 10 do
Mr. Beaver asked about the condition Of
the food.
Gen Lee answered: CAS- general
thing 1t was good Sometimes a very
large piece of meat would be slightly
tainted on the edges and the part would
be condemned"
About Volunteers.
When asked as 20 the effectiveness of
volunteer officers and men. he testified:
Il had always thought that II they had
taken one regular regiment and placed il
with two volunteer regiments the latter
would profit by the association but vol
unteer regiments were Jbrigaded together
and regulars brigaded together"
Don't you think that was done be
cause of the occasion requiring the regu-
lars to go Immediately TO the 'front.'"
We'll. / always thought that volunteers
could be made very good soldiers in
very short time. They would make good
soldiers particularly if placed before an
enemy. The civil war was fought prin-
cipally by volunteers
Mr.. Beaver called Gen Lees attention
TO a letter received by the President N
which it was stated that the food the men
had eaten was filthy and that there was
not enough tentage. and that the officers
and doctors were often intoxicated
In response. Gen. Lee said: Il have
seen some statements. not exactly Ike
that but in each case there was a gTiev-
ance. II you viii give me the name of
the writer l will investigate it. and l am
satisfied il viii be found that the man has
grievance
Gen Lee was informed that the letter
was written by man in New York. who
said he had a very dear friend who gave
him the information on which the COM
municatiOn was based. The friend claimed
membership in q Maryland regiment OF
lmmunes-
'aThere Is no Maryland regiment of i'm
munes.' answered Gen Lee. Il have
frequently received complaints from the
relatives OF enlisted men. but, upon in
vestigation, I have found that the state
ments were always greatly exaggerated" 1
"Then you always investigated all COM
pIaints?" ne was asked
Il did"
Gen. Lee thought the volunteer sur
geons were not all up in their profession.
and not as good as those trained in the
regular army.
Inquiry was next made if there was
any lust cause for criticism OF the de-
partment or the President. and the wiz
ness replied:
Not as far as my command Is con-
! cerned''
Gen. Lee said he did want TO go TO
Cuba, but he did not expect to lead the
| troops at Santiago; neither did he de-
sire TO go with Gen. Miles 20 Porto Rico
Il did want TO go back 70 Havana was
| not allowed TO stay there. and. OF course.
| wanted TO go back with force large
| enough 10 keep me there
| He explained that the President recently
| told him that had IL been found neces-
| sary TO make an assault upon Havana, he
/ was 10 lead the assault.
"I told him." said Gen Lee. that j
was glad no assault was 70 be made
Little Cause for Complaint.
Recurring again to sickness il camp
| Cen Lee called attention to the fact that
| the One Hundred and Sixty-ffth Indiana
| had an unusually small percentage of
sickness. while regiments all around Il
had large number of sick. An investi
| cation was made. and it was discovered
| that Col. Curgin. in command of the regi-
ment, had secured an old engine and
! burned up the refuse and offal matter in
| his camp. Gen Lee said he often visit
| ed the hospitals and listened TO whatever
| complaints the men might want TO make
| Much laughter was evoked over a deS-
| cription of a man who saw Gen Lee and
called him TO his cot: Il am glad YOU
have come" he said, II have something
| TO tell you
| ..Au right, what do you want2"
II want a furIough." was his answer.
| Col. DENLY inquired into the difference
| between the efficiency of volunteer civil
| appointees and regular army officers. and
was>told that the latter proved more efl-
cient and that many cases have arisen
| where a civil appointee had to be re-
| moved and his duty performed by 4 regu-
/ lar army officer. He said several of his
| officers were regular army men and they