The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-05
Starving Soldiers Would Not Eat
Canned Stuff.
NURSES DETAILED MEN
SICK SENT TO QUARTERS FOR
FULL DUTY.
Session OF War investigators at Gin
cinnai Discloses Rank Condi-
tions-one Volunteer Who Died
From Neglect-stories About the
Hospitals at Chickamauga.

Cincinnati, Nov. 4.-The war investi-
eating commission had an interesting
session today. 1t had among the wit
nesses officers who served in the San
tiago campaign. one of them being Cen
eral II. C. Egbert. who, as lieutenant
colonel of the Sixth United States in
fantry was shot down at San Juan hill
by bullet piercing his chest. The gen.
eral appears entirely recovered. Lieu
tenant Colonel Miner, now in command
of the Sixth infantry, was another in
teresting witness. Perhaps the most
suggestive testimony was that given
by Major Griffith of Kansas City, who
was in charge of the Third division
hospital of the First corps.
The commission expects to complete
its work here tomorrow evening and
to resume it in Chicago on Monday
morning.
Lieutenant Colonel Miner, command
ing the Sixth infantry, regarded the
Tampa camp as excellent. The trans
port Miami in which his regiment went
to Santiago, was not fit for troops. The
men would have died in their quarters
il the voyage had not been mild so
that the portfolios were left open, and
air thus supplied.
Speaking of the attack at San Juan
hill. he said he found when they reach
Gu int SUMMIT AsOlOHe1 GSDGTI ndQ
been wounded and he was in COM
mand. That night no supplies came,
and the men were without food or
blankets, except such food as they had
in their haversacks.
The morning after the surrender the
witness took the regiment to higher
ground, and kept them in camp. BY
Personal appeal to General Kent, he
secured one wagon and cooking utensils
and change of clothing for the men.
Capitalization was the trouble-cen-
trallzation in staff departments, he
meant. If the witness could have got
one wagon after the surrender he could
have kept his regiment supplied. But
nothing could have prevented the sick
ness that followed the eXigencies of
the Cuban campaign.
CANNED BEEF WAS NAUSEATING.
Being asked about the diet, he said
he would recommend pickles and vege-
tables for Cuba. The canned beef was
nauseating. and men who were almost
starving would not eat it It seemed
TO be beef that had been boiled for eX-
tracts and was as free from nutriment
as chips.
General H. c. Egbert was the next
witness. He is now brigadier of volun-
teers and colonel Of the Twenty second
United States infantry He commanded
of Colonel Cochran until he was wound
ed, July l. He had no fault to find with
the camp at Tampa, or the supplies. or
even with the transport Miami. except
with the ventilation. He found troops
abundantly supplied for the campaign.
Fred ]. Flueger of Newport KY,
was next examined. He went to Chick
amauga Aug. l to bring home Albert
Boedelker of the Second Kentucky who
was lying in the hospital. He found him
in very bad condition. He was in a
tent with four other patients, the space
between the cots being so narrow that
witness had to walk sideways in going
through. In an adjoining tent he heard
grooming, and, looking in. he saw a
man with a quantity of maggots on his
body. He reported this Immediately to
the attendants. who said they did not
know it had happened. They carried
the man out, washed him off and took
him back The next day he died
TWELVE DAYS ON A BLANKET.
The witness detailed Boedekers case.
how he took cold from marching
through the rain. and was taken sick
the day he reached Chickamauga. He
was at first refused admittance to the
hospital, but finally the captain got
him in. He lay there IL days on
blanket on the ground, with one blan-
llet over him. Then he was sent to his
quarters for full duty, and next day at
inspection he stood in line three hours.
when he again broke down. He reached
home Aug. and died Aug s.
The examination was postponed until
9 o'clock tmoIrow morning.