The times., 1898-12-14
CAMPS REEK WITH FILTH.
Chief Surgeon Hartsun's Picture of
ChickamauSa Park.

was an apparent disposition on the part |
OF witnesses to be generous and not throw
too heavy load upon that branch of TIE
Government in its conduct of the war. it
YVES equally apparent that there had been
many mistakes made that were mex
cusable.
commissary General Charles Patici.
Eagan. who occupied the time of the COM
mission the greater part of Monday and
part of yesterday morning, was emphatic
in his Assertions that while the War De-
partment had done well in its efforts 10
supply food for the soldiers, it had shown
deplorable lack of judgment and good
management in getting supplies TO the
soldiers, and by Inference admitted that
there had been much misery and discon-
tent in the army because OF this dis lay
of ignorance.
Gen. Eagan's forced admis SONS abb
the lack of food. however, were mild as
against the testimony of Lieut., Col Al
bert Hartsuff. deputy surgeon general L.
S. A. regarding the medical staff, medi-
cines, nurses and sanitary conditions at
Camp Thomas. Ch!ckamauga Park. Col
geon of the army at Chickamauga from
April 25 until July q. 1t was at Gen.
Brooke's request that he was sent there
in that capacity.
Col. Hartsuff started off with the d c.
laration that he had nothing to do with
the selection of brigade or regimental sur
geons. They were appointed by WIS.,
ington authorities and assigned to duty.
when regiments began to arrive at
Chickamauga there were very few that
brought with them medical supplies
Nearly ali were entirely without medI-
cines. He asked for a big lot of m di-
clnes to properly equip these regiments
on April 26. He got some goods May -.
But not nearly enough to answer require
ments.
May II Col. Hartsuff wrote the surgeon
general that he understood that ioC1 men
were to be concentrated at Chickamauga
and urged that medicines in sufficient
quantities to care for such an army be
at once forwarded to him. His request
was ignored. The medicines were not sent.
No provision was made for so great I
camp and in no case did a regiment get
what its needs called for. He wrote and
telegraphed almost daily to Washington OF
the deplorable condition of affairs, but
his pleadings were Of no avail. When
medicines We're sent he got them after
days and sometimes weeks of waiting.
One instance Of the sorry need of medi-
cines cited was that of the First New
Hampshire volunteers. The regiment had
from $50 to go men on sick call every
morning for two weeks from June 20. and
they were almost destitute of medicines Of
any description. A similar condition pre-
vailed in the Sixth Ohio Infantry.
Speaking of the sanitary condition of
some of the brigade ard regimental camps
Col. Hartsuff emphatically declared that
1t was absolutely outrageous" Dirt and
filth reigned supreme and all efforts TO
bring about 4 more cleanly- healthful
state of things failed.
one prime reason for sickness at Camp
Thomas was that men were permitted
TO remain in one camp too long. He had
recommended marches and frequent
change of ground but these suggestions,
like others made by him. were allowed to
go unheeded. He suggested that hospitals
should also be moved from time to time
Nothing come Of that. He deplored the
condition of the water supply; asked that
hucksters be excluded from the camp and
wanted the canteens and suffers shops
restrained. He personally appealed to Gen.
Brooke with regard to all of these things,
but no practical. methodical steps were
taken to remedy them and they continued
to the day he left the camp. As far as he
farther. He did the best he could when
he appealed to higher authority There
was plenty of room in Chickamauga Park
to have removed the camps every two
weeks. If this one of the many sueges-
tions made had been carried out there
would have been ! greatly improved con-
dition in health
When sickness once took hold at
Chickamauga the hospitals were greatly
overcrowded. Col. HartsuG called at
tention to this. but there was not enough
tentage. In some instances there were
eight sick men in a tent. though the
rule was about six. For the shortage of
tents the quartermaster's department
was solely to blame.
The nurses at the hospitals were in
experienced and as rule poor in efIi-
cheney. The acting stewards were will
ing, but. they, too. were inexperienced
and the sick of course suffered I'm con-
sequence He always honored requests
for medicines II they were on hand.
| whether acquisitions were in proper form
| or not.
There were numerous complaints Of ne
| slect of sick soldiers and evidences of
such neglect We're apparent Men died
| from improper care. but nothing was
done in the way of procuring better
nurses. The Red Cross Society had pro-
vided many comforts for the sick and
suffering
Long drills before breakfast in scorch-
| ing hot weather. Col. Hartsuff said. he
succeeded in breaking up. These
drills were wholly against good health
| conditions.
There was no good reason for the
| scarcity of medical supplies at any of the
camps. If he had had the work of OBJ
| tanning medicines in hand he would have
resorted to big establishments in Ciucin-
natl. st. Louis. Chicago. and other cities
| They might have been obtained there in
| abundance.
Col Hartsuff expressed emphatic con-
| demnation of the action of Gen. Brooke
in taking division hospitals out of the
hands of division commanders and plac-
ing them In the hands of the medical de-
partment. The order was the result of
a conflict of authority between the divi-
sion commanders and the medical men.
The whole transaction was radically
wrong. If this step had not been taken
the sick would have Jared much better.
Col Hartsum said he told Gen. Brooke il
was a bad move.
In his testimony on Monday Gen Eagan
said that the 90 cent ration Communication
| order, about which there has been much
discussion. applied to sick men in quar-
ters or well or sick in hospitals. Col
| Hartsuff said he did not interpret the or
| der to apply to sick in quarters. In in
Vulnerable cases a change of diet such
| as the sixty cent provision would have
afforded would have prevented serious
sickness IL it had been given sick in
| quarters.
Returning TO the subject of the location
| of camps, Col. Hartsuff said Gen. Brooke
never consulted him in such matters.
And as to Gen. Brooke's daily inspection
of camps, if he made them he knew moth
| ing of them Col Hnrfs sIIff-s succession