Evening star., 1898-11-18
CAMP WIKOFF AMODEL
Gen. Young Tells of Conditions at
Montauk Point.
UNFAIR CRITICISMS WERE MADE
Queer Methods of Yellow Journal
of New York. .
TRICKS OF THE SOLDIERS

The war investigating commission heard
all the testimony of Major General S. B. n.
Young yesterday afternoon before adjourn
ment AT II o'clock last night members of
the commission, with the exception of Colo
mel DENLY, left for New York city to begin
the taking of testimony at the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel there at 10 o'clock this morning.
General Young continuing his testimony
said he told General Wheeler he was con-
tident he could proceed and take FL Caney
with his brigade. He said he would notify
General Shafter, as he General Wheeler)
had been told not to advance without Or
ders from him.
That was the last l heard of it, said
General Young, until 1 came back to this
country"
On the oath General Young said he had
a fever that gave him a tempera ture of
1O1 and 102 degrees, but he remained on
duty until his temperature got up to 1o5
degrees. He left the front on July l.
General Young-'I was not responsible
for myself on the night of the Sd. 1 was
in a raging fever, and by order of General
Shafter l was carried back
General Beaver-"Then the La Quasina
fight was the only one in which you took
active part except to make a sketch and
plan for the next campaign?'
Treated Like Babies.
General Young-"Yes, that is it,
He was brought home on the Cherokee
July D. arriving at Tampa on the 9th or
10th. He was given two months sick
leave, but, getting better, he reported for
duty, and August he was at Montauk, l..
l., ana took charge of the establishment
of the camp there.
He was ready for the reception of the
soldiers as they came back from Cuba
camps, which were later required, one a
detention and the other permanent camp.
General Beaver-"DiG you have tents and
floors for the men as they arrived?"
General Young-"When the rush came /
turned over tools and lumber to the men
and told them to act like soldiers and make
themselves comfortable. l thought they
had been treated too much like babies"
He said the soil was a fine one for a
camp, and he did not consider that floors
were necessary for the tents. He said he
would prefer the grass to the board floors.
"Rations were there he said, 'and a
great majority We're supplied. In many
cases officers sat down and supposed that
/ or some one of my staff officers should
take these rations and deal them out to
them. There was enough food destroyed
there daily to feed 1900 men,
He said the camp was one of the finest
he had ever seen.
Il think he said, II deserve more credit
for Montauk than for La Quasfna. i am
satisfied more could not have been done.
Every one worked until Il, ! or > o'clock in
the morning in order to get the men from
the transports. He spoke of regiment of
regulars that was brought ashore early in
the days of Camp Wikoff, and who came to
the wharf in small boats in the rain, were
thoroughly drenched and We're finally got
up to their camp at 2 or 3 o'clock in the
morning.
Regulars and Heroes.
1--WE never heard anything about that ii
the newspapers" said Gen. Young. They
were regulars, so nothing was said abou
it. They weren't the heroes
Gen Young said that ne thought a good
deal more had been done in preparing the
camp at Montauk Point than should have
been done. He said, in addition to the
Regular army ration, there was a pound OF
vegetables daily for each man, and plenty
of milk for them to drink and oranges Il
eat. LAS l have said, | saw enough food
wasted to supply 1.500 men daily
Gen. Young stated that on September
he left Camp Wlkoff. being ordered to CamI
Meade, which, he said, was a very charm
ing camp.
Mr.. Woodbury-"Are you of the opinion
that there was any ground for finding fault
with the government for what it did for the
soldiers in the past war;
Gen. Young-"That there We're mistakes
and errors made there is question, bu1
comparing this war with the war from
1861 to 1860 this was a model with regard
to supplies furnished and the treatment of
sick and wounded.
Gen. Sexton-"Did the men complaint
Gen. Young-"At Camp Wikoff my atten.
ton was called to letters printed in New
York paper, which were purported 10 have
been written by soldiers. There was nc
truth in them They were called to my at
tention by members of my staff, and L had
them investigated. We found these letters
were manufactured, and half of the time
the names We're not given. When names
were given We found they were not true
Orders to Roast the Camp.
Gen. Young said that a correspondent
told him that his paper ordered him to
roast the whole camp without regard to
facts. but this correspondent replied that
they had made a mistake in their man and
had better send another correspondent
there.
what paper was that?" General Young
was asked.
He hesitated, but when pressed for re-
ply said it was the World.
General Young, when asked what papers
misrepresented facts at Camp Wikoff, said
that for two three weeks he did not have
h. ht,s-H II, Of