The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-21

war investigating commission held
three sessions today, dealing during
the two day sessions with the general
staff officers Of the Seventh army corps
and at night hearing the testimony of
officers n men of the Second South
Carolina regiment. The general Off
GERS examined included the chief sur
geOn, the chief commissary, the chief
quartermaster and the inspector gen.
eral OF the corps, and all gave detail
ed information as to their respective
departments of the service. The meet
ings today were held in General
Dodge's private car, but the moving
trains made so much noise that it was
found necessary to secure other quar-
ters and hereafter the meetings will
be held in the city council chamber.
The subcommittee, consisting of
General Wilson and Captain Howell,
appointed to investigate the selection
of Fernandina as a camp site, return
ed tonight and reported their complete
dppIOFdl vi LHc OtlcCllOu. upH Wduc
special inquiry into the report that the
camp had been COATED there for the
purpose of enhancing the value of land
owned by a son of Secretary Alger,
going through the county records, as
part of their work. They failed to
find his name in any of these docu-
ments, and their investigation convinc-
ed them that he had never owned any
real estate in that vicinity or had been
IN any way interested in any.
Colonel Louis Maus, chief surgeon
Of the Seventh army corps, was the
first witnesses sworn in today. He is a
regular army surgeon and has occupied
this present position practically
throughout the history of the camp.
He said that When the order came for
the establishment of the division hos
pitfalls there was some delay in getting
supplies, such as tents. He made his
acquisitions on Tampa, but finding that
all efforts there had been directed to
getting the expeditions off he made his
acquisitions upon Washington direct.
After this they were promptly filled.
There was no suffering amOng the sick.
Still they did not have the luxuries
at the beginning of the war that there
were in the latter days of it. Nor"
added the doctor, edo I think that the
history of the world has ever seen a
parallel to our present care of the sick
Taking up the present condition of
the hospitals, he said there were 300
trained female nurses now at work
here. He said the employment of
these nurses had proved entirely salts
factory.
Replying to a question, DR.. Maus
said that after the first few days there
had been exceptional prOmptitude. He
nae never seen such utter disregard
of expense in caring for the sick SOL
diers. AS n mater of fact, the troops
had a greater allowance of rations
than they could use or dispose of in
any way.
He thought typhoid fever had been
introduced to the camp by Mississippi
and Virginia troops. Shallow wells
and surface drainage had done much
to increase the scOurage. He also
thought the fles had done much to dis
seminate fever.
DR.. Maus said he had found it diff
cult to prevail upon surgeons in the
volunteer service to learn administra-
tive duties of their positions. Often
early in the history of the war some
of the volunteer regimental surgeons
had been found negligent in the mat
ter of sanitation, but later on this be-
came the principal duty of everybody
about the camp. Much trouble had
been experienced in keeping the pub
lie from the hospitals. In many cases
they had surreptitiously carried food
tn tho sick Ho 1Wplt unOn tho npwS-
paper reports of the suffering in the
camp, saying that they had generally
grown out of exaggerated statements
from the men themselves.
DR.. Maus thought the fever was now
decreasing. He mentioned one in
stance, in which the sickness had fol-
said he had heard of a few other in
stances in which poor meat had been
issued.
DR.. Maus was questioned in regard
to the camp at Miami. He said he had
investigated it and found it to be I'M
suitable on account of the water,
which the analysis had shown to be
impure. He also thought Tampa un-
suited TO a large army camp. He said
in response to a criticism from a Jack
SOnVllle lady, that General Lee had
given the most careful attention to
the hospitals: that he made frequent
visits TO the sick men and did much to
cheer them up.
A letter was read from Mrs. Gordon,
wife of General W. w. Gordon, in re-
latiOn to the hospital at Miami, in
which she made serious charges, among
others, one to the effect that a hos
pitaI nurse had become intoxicated
and Sc fire to the patients bed, burn
ins him somewhat, and another that
flies were often found crawling into
the mouths of dying patients. Mr.,
Maus had a report from DR.. Villas, in
charge of the hospital, read, admitting
the statement concerning the burning
of a patients bed, but denying all 9th
ers. DR.. Maus expressed the opinion
that the charges were exaggerated.