Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-09-09
THE TRUTH WILL COME.
A KANSAN WRITES ASCORCHING LETTER.
The Writer is Probably Judge TheO. BOtkin.

The Republican papers are making superhu
man efforts to make the people believe that the
reports OF suffering among the soldiers are un
true. Pretended Investigations have been made
and the investigators have reported that the
stories are untrue or exaggerated. Brigadier
General H. V. Boynton pretended to make ar
investigation, and he reports as follows:
"Have completed investigation of hospital:
under secretarys order. Result exceedingly
favorable in all essential features. The facts ef-
fectually dispose of all recent sensational ad-
verse criticism
This report of General Boynton has brought
out stingng reply, in the form of an open
letter, which appeared in last Sundays Kansas
City Star. The letter was written over nom
de plume, because the writer's rank is below
that of the officer addressed, which, had he
signed his own name, would have rendered him
liable to be court-martaled. 1t is stated by the
Star, however, that there is little doubt that
Judge TheodociuS Botkin, who was commander
of the Kansas G. A. R., and is now assistant
acknowledgement, lately stationed at Chicka-
manga Park, wrote the letter. We wish we
could re-publish the letter, but its extreme
length prevents it, and we shall only me ntion a
few points.
The writer says:
81 have in my possession abstract of the
official report of an eminent surgeon to the sur-
geon-g general of the army. The report is an
explicit and fearless statement of facts that
came under the observation of that surgeon.
He is man who is known to his profession,
both in Europe and America, and whose reputa-
ton as a man of probity, veracity and honor is
co-extensve with the continent. His report is
now in Washington. He did not furnish
copy of it to the press, for the reason, he said,
That would be unmiitary.'
'"rhe abstract in possession of the writer was
not made by authority or with the consent of
the surgeon in question. How obtained it is
not important.
Imagine, if you can, division hospital
where there arc more than 500 patients, and
where for many weeks there was only one drug
clerk on duty at time. Ottentimes prescrip'
tions that | wrote at in the morning were not
filled till late in the evening, and the men laid
there all that time neglected and suffering
Yet, General, the words quoted are the exact
language of this surgeon, who was OH duty in
that hospital for many weeks.
''He says, further, that there was on hand
absolutely nothing which could be construed
by the most fertile brain as fitted for large
number of sick soldiers then under treatment
''1'hc surgeon says: Everything which we
needed to make sick and helpless men comfort
able was either altogether wanting, or was on
hand in such limited quantities that only a.
fraction of the men could lie provided for and.
made comfortable
"The surgeon says: AT no time was there
sufficient room to make the sick al all comfort
able, tor they had to be crowded together like
sardines i'll box, with their heads against the
side of the tents, where the burning rays would
almost scorch their han. The cots
were so crowded that there was no room to
stand between them, and the physician and
nurses were obliged to reach the men from the
foot of the cots At no time were
there sufficient cots to furnish each man with
comfortable bed. Every hour of the day, and
every day, men were obliged to lie either on
the GROUND OF on the litters on which they were
brought 10 the hospital. Men were often obig-
ed to remain in their dirty camp clothing for
hours, and in some instances longer than days,
for the want OF anything to cover them with
except their blankets
"rhe surgeon further says: There was,
every day, shortage of milk and ice. 1t was