The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-16
HOW BROOKE WORKED
To Get the Rag Tag-and-Bob-
tail Volunteers
INTO SOLDIERLY SHAPE
Threatens One of His Ira
ducers With Court-MartiaI.

|
first they were hungry. This was rene
died by the commissary department quite
promptly. The volunteer uniforms were
| old and their equipment in general was
what had been accumulated through the
| parsimonious policy of the war depart
ment through the preceding twenty-five
years" Some were unarmed and some in
their citizens clothes, with only one olan-
ket
The whole energies of the commanding
| officer were bent on eqWpping this hete-
rogeneous mas sof men. but the work was
necessarily slow. Early in June the
commanding general was ordered to send
eight of the equipped regiments 20 Tampa
and to 90 this it was necessary TO strip
some of the regiments to help out others.
Even with this expedient some of the reg
iments delft for Tampa poorly equipped
General Brooke noticed the 18th Indi-
ana regiment, which left Tampa with its
belts tied together with strings. The war
department at this time had exhausted all
the canvas and tentage in the country.
| Canteens, forks, knives, cups and the like
were also short, and this candition, he
said, continued practically up TO the end
of his administration at Camp Thomas.
| General Brooke said that he had moth
| ing to do with the selecting of the camp
ground, but, being assigned there, he
made it his business to look after the wa
| ter supply and see that the necessary
sanitary regulations weer promulgated
and enforced. He made personal inspec-
tons as frequently as his time would per-
I
! late the entrance of hucksters TO the
camps, and as a result of this he said that
the sick report fell off from 80 TO so per
| cent.
az deem it proper to say" ontinued
| General Brooke ''in controversion of Ger
tain reports that have heard, that I did
! inspect the camp sinks and kitchens con-
tinually."
1--WE have plenty OF testimony before
US" said General Dodge. "that you did
this frequently
1T was more than frequently" said
General Brooke. at was daily"
General Brooke said that there were in
the beginning a great many complaints
of scarcity of medicines. but that the
army had abundant supplies. The army
of the Potomac, in 1861, Re said, was not
nearly so well supplied. While there was
some shortage in shoes and some varie-
ties of clothing at times, it was only what
might have been expected when three
armies were being rushed to equipment,
at three points, Chattanooga, Tampa and
San Francisco. He emphaically denied
statement by one of his staff officers
that the headquarters camp was in dis
tinctly filthy condition.
Speaking of the hospital. he said: "In
justice to myself. 1 should say that the
location of the F'irse division hospital was
not of my own selection. 1 left this TO
Colonel Hartsuff, my chief surgeon, and
it was the one location I Condemned. l
visited this hospital, and it was working
badly, due probably to the surgeon di-
rectiy in charge
General Brooke testified that he gave
his personal attention to the sinks. the
care of the camps. the striking OF tents,
policing the sinks. etc, and by this means
got things under control.
Governor Beaver read a report from
James Parker, sanitary inspector OF the
Twelfth New York volunteers, detailing
an unprintably disgusting state of sani-
I
eral Brooke's administration, and Cen
eraI Brooke was asked what he mad to say
regarding it.
4 VIII say" he replied. that It IS not
only untrue. but If you viii give me
copy of that report I viii see that that
young man goes before a court-martial.
unless he is protected in his testimony by
this commission
General Brooke said he thought he had
an efficient staff az Chickamauga- DR..
Haidelooper, who had been subject 10 Sc
we're adverse criticism before the COM
mission and elsewhere. ne considered one
of the best examples of tine volunteer
medical officers. He had been criticised
because he carried out distasteful orders.
The food furnished TO his command n
Porto Rico. General Brooke said, was OF
excellent quality. The hospitals at Camp
Thomas he occasionally walked through.
but as a rule he did not disturb the men
by personal visits. The only hospital ne
ever seriously criticised was the first d
vision hospital. established by Colonel
Hartsuf
In Porto Rico. General Brooke said that
al one time. with between 15.0o9 and 1900
men he had list OF sick of $50. When
he left the island the list was down from
200 70 80.
REGARDING Colonel Hartsuffs statement
that part OF the sickness az Camp Thom-
as was due 20 drills before breakfast.
General Brooke said he never issued any
such order. He said r.ns mens visits 70
The neigbboring towns were most demon
allzlng and were finally restricted; in fact.
3 10 nj
much.
General Brooke said there were nuner-
ous complaints as 20 Dr. Har:suns admin
istra,ioa cf the hospitals and ne CBrooksl
was forced repeatedly to take oognizance
of them.
General Brooke denied that he had a
any time taken away the control OF the
division hospitals fro-a the division COM
manders
Dr.. Conner. taking up the inquiry. ask
ed whether Official proceedings ever had
been instituted against any hospital Tor
malsdminissrsiion.
General Brooke never heard any nal
administration alleged.
Dr. Connor-Genefai ~ a matter 81
fast. tie condition of the Tnird divis on
hospi1al A. least. was abomfnable.
General Brooke-D5 Yea mike that
st4temen; up4n personal kaoEie-ige or IN
formation
Dr. Connor-l make IL ~ a rrsaitlrude q
testimony. All ~ Whie-s goes % show that
the hospital vas 20 o continual turmoil
for lack - ns1Tses medicine and attend
ants and from overcreWGing
General Broake-Tnere vas a back -
nedstsns from ;tme 10 tine hsI toe maj
,or Vas aroagat n ire attention OF re
department nos; promptly.