Evening star., 1898-10-07

lection of the ground for Camp Merritt
At the same time he knew that Gen. Otis
had selected that camp. and he was salts
fed that there was no truth in suoh i
charge. The cause of trouble at Camp
Merritt. he said was chiefly on account oi
the sinks, and he added that lots of trouble
was experienced by "all the people of Sar
Francisco going out to the camp with pies
Transports in Bad Condition.
When he was asked If he knew of any
fault on the part of the quartermaster's
department. he said the condition of tran
sports in New York was not such as it
should have been. He did not know who
had hired these transports who was re-
sponsible for such contracts
General Greene suggested that in the fu-
ture coffee used in the army during times
OF active campaign should be roasted and
ground and issued in tins. The soldiers in
barracks. he said, prefer green coffee, be-
cause 1t retains its strength. They can
roast and grind it in barracks. But they
We're given green coffee in Manila, and
there was no way to roast and grind it in
the trenches, where it was raining con-
stantly.
General Greene did not think the army
would be well off without fat meat in
tropical climates. He said certain amount
or fat meat was necessary for cooking the
soldiers food
Speaking of hardships suffered by the
troops at Manila he said he did not con-
slider the hardships they suffered as very
severe They were considerable on account
of the rain, but nothing like the hardships
he had observed in the Turko-Russian war
for instance, where at Constantinople the
Russians had 10000 men sick in hospitals.
He spoke of the campaign of the Turks
across the Balkans when the men had no
blankets, slept in the snow without cover
ing and fOrded rivers filled with ice.
General Greene said he thought very few
mistakes, if any, had been made in the
Manila campaign. The troops had run out
of shoes. but they had bought all the shoes
they could get on the Pacific coast, and
other shoes arrived after they got into
Manila
Speaking of the character of officers ap-
pointed from civil life. he said they were
not experienced and We're generally with
out knowledge of discipline. He said so
many regular army officers had been put in
the volunteer service that the regular
troops were without enough regular officers
to be in their best condition. He didn't
think retired officers would have been able
to stand the strain of the campaign had the
law allowed them to be in the service. The
older officers We're completely worn out by
the hardships. he said.
Major Hersey Testifes.
Upon the conclusion of General Greene's
testimony at about l. o'clock, Major Henry
B. Hersey of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry
trough riders) was called and began his
testimony.
Maj. Hersey stated that he was from
Santa Fe, N. NJ. Testifying regarding the
way his sQua dron of the 1st Volunteer Cav
airy was taken care of prior to leaving for
Sa ntiago, ne said they had been well sup
piled with food. There was some com
Paint about one of their surgeons, but he
found upon making an investigation that
the surgeons unpopularity was brought
about on account of his manner ana bear
ing toward the men, and not on account of
failure to attend TO his duties.
Major Hersey said that at Tampa his
squadron was camped between two regi-
ments of regulars, and the officers of these
regiments offered to have their quarter
master sergeanJs instruct the men of his
squadron i'll the details of their duties, and
in that way he had received a great deal
of assistance from them. The health of
his squadron appeared 10 him to compare
favorably with the health of the regulars
camped alongside of them.
Transportation Was Bad.
In his opinion there was no reason to
in regard to the supplies, &c, of
his squadron while at Tampa. His squad
ron went to Santiago. but did not. get there
until after the surrender. His squadron
sailed on the Nanita, and that transport
was in perfect condition. At Santiago they
we're quite well supplied with subsistence
and medical supplies. their only difficulty
being on account of the transportation
facilities being so poor which was chiefly
due to the muddy roads.
ihey always got their ratiOns, but at
times they got them late. or some portion
OF the ration was omitted. They always
had plenty to eat. They had good fresh
beef
When asked what was the cause of the
poor transportation, he said he supposed
II was on account Of the hurried starting
of the expedition to Santiago. which was
not determined upon, he understood until
after the Spanish fleet was known to be
in the harbor at Santiago.
At E:i5 o'clock the commission took the
usual recess, to o'clock, when Major
Hersey resumed his testimony.
He said there was some yellow fever
among the Rough Riders, but the men were
well cared for by the medical officers
While Col. Roosevelt was doing brigade
duty Maj. Hersey was in command of the
regiment.
The Rough Riders went to Montauk Point
ON the Miami, which was regarded as one
of the worst Of the transports. He did not
speak OF the conditions on the transport as
bad: not worse than would be
expected on ship that had not been fitted
up as passenger steamer.
The water they had on this ship was not
particularly agreeable TO the taste. but
they all drank ii, and got along very well
There was ice enough on the trip for the
sick but not for all.
Maj. Hersey said their camp at Montauk
Point was = model camp. The water sup
ply. he said had been criticised a great
water came from wells. There was plenty
of water. There was break in the pines
at one time that made trouble for a short
time. The sinks he said, received excel
lent attention; there was plenty Of disin-
fectant. He had never seen sinks given
more attention than those at Camp Wikof
The sinks were not offensive at any time
The sick of the Rough Riders the wit
ness said. were taken to the general hos
pitsl when they were i'll enough to go there
There We're some sick in the regimental
camp who were cared for and given special
there The sick of the regiment
at Camp NikOf reduced in number. The
first ten days in camp saw an increase Of
fever cases. Men who had fever in their
systems showed its effects after they got
there. But after the first ten days they
improved rapidly.
About 30 per cent of the Rough Riders
the witness said, were cowboys or men ac-
cUstCmed TO camp life.
Mr.. DENLY asked the witness to indicate
any cases of incompetency of any kind
that had come to his attention.
Maj. Hersey: Under the circumstances
l think the arrangements were first-class
The men expected hardships. They got
what they expected, but nothing that could
have been avoided"
Medical Force Inadequafe.
Surgeon General Sternberg has sent to
the commission investigating the conduct
of the war the following memorandum re-