The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-25
eIvKs CAUSED THE SICKNESS.
,,ru TESTIMONY REGARDING
ro>oITIONs AT CAMP THOMAS.

- Large Army-Maj. Falk Says
.1r,..r. was Never a Sufficient Sup
of Tentage, Attributing the
rro,,b!c to the Red Tape in the
,..,rtermaster's Department.
u,.ton Ala, Oct. 24.-The war
,-..sdeating commission sat from
1,,o.k until $50 to-day and examined
dozen witnesses, including num-
,-oIunteer officers. 1t is now ex-
.5 ,bat the commission will leave for
r,,orsvfiie tomorrow night.
Mai David Vickers, who was inspector
~ for the Second Division OF the
81 Army Corps at Chickamauga, at
--,,,,,sa the troubles in that camp TO the
". .ifoq-ness of the sinks. He said also
49,, soroa of the regimental officers insist
"a an making poor selection of camp sites,
"a il, one instance a Mississippi colonel,
Tho had nut his men in a swamp, had in
sisted upon remaining on the ground that
D1ssissippans had a natural affinity for
.u.,p,Ds. nevertheless, his men were taken
e;.t Mai. Vickers also complained that
.bs drinking water was poor. He thought
,bs camp site unfit for SO large an army,
bot so far as food went the privates were
s.d better than the officers. He said that
A. one time the beds OF all the patients
we're on the floor and there were some
cases in which some of them were on the
Ground. Asked as to the competency Of
The surgeons at the hospital, he said there
mas one man in the hospital whose prone
moss to profanity untitled him for the SER
vice This man was Maj. Hubbard, sur
econ Of the Ninth New York. His pro-
fsritv was of such a villainous character
said Mai Vickers. as TO pretty nearly
make me sick, and l know it could not
have had a pleasant effect upon patients.
rjeut. Col. Bisbee, in command of the
First Infantry, told the story of the trans
portation of his regiment to Santiago,
briefly describing the fighting about Santi-
4 ago spoke of his experience in Cuba, of
a tha return to Montauk Point, and of the
n STAY at that place, and the transfer South.
n Asked if the landing at Santiago could
n have been accomplished if opposed, he re-
nied: THE facilities were so poor that
a think not, at least, 1 should say if had
y been on shore no enemy would have been
a permitted to land. I cannot say how it was
n with the Spaniards."
He said there was considerable difficulty
q IN getting food while in front of Santiago
+ but we had enough. He said if there
had been more to eat the men would
probably have been sicker."
He expressed the opinion that the only
deprivation had been in not having proper
n food for the sick. They could not take
the food in their condition. he said. He
thought the ration contained too much fat
e meat for the climate Col. Bisbee stated
n that himself and sixteen men were the
4 only members of his regiment who had not
. been in for some time during the Santiago
campaign 1T had been impossible to Sc
cure medical supplies" said the witness,
land if we had them we could not have
carried them" He added that "the army
s. was badly broken up in that respect, and
it did not set into shape promptly for
some reason. He said the men were just
beginning to break in health when Santi-
ego surrendered, and the capitulat.on came
at Just the right time. After the sur
render of the city there was plenty for all
10 eat
Speaking of the Spanish troops Col.
Bsbee said Il think about three-fourths
Of them would have been enlisted with
US but for their home ties They found
that we We're giving them bet
Ter treatment than their own gov
eminent did. I am satisfied their
own officers were swinding them.
The officers were fat and slick looking,
but the men were i'll and pale and appar-
n emily underfed."
lie did not believe there was a sufficient
q NUMBER OF doctors in the Cuban campaign.
he thought the contract surgeons We're
4 capable doctors, but they were not famil-
lar WIN army methods, and did not know
now TO set the necessary medicines.
Speaking generally of the Cuban eXpe-
Renee he expressed the opinion that the
supplies had been as liberal as could have
oeen reasonably expected. Col. Bisbee said
ne mad no complaint of the voyage North.
The regiment was held at the detention
camp for three days He said, in reply to
questions from Gen. McCook that a dis
uess signal had been put out for food
WAlle they lay out to sea, and when some
Il vessel came alongside he said he had call
q "a out to those aboard to bring them
1000. He stated, in explanation, that the
1000 was wanted for the officers mess
4 The men had enough" he said, "such as
4 Was-the usual onstipating dose At
Ter this, and while at Montauk. they got
more than they needed. We got 1T from
the people of New York, relief associa-
lions and citizens. They sent us every
lnlns, including whisky and champagne,
Iar more than we wanted"
He said he knew of no deprivation at
Montauk THE raw recruits were howl
ing 10 get into a house" he said, but
mat was ALL"
Mai Dempsey of the Second Regular In
ian'ry, covered very much the same
sIoNud as Col. Bisbee. He said that his
Command had never during the Santiago
! campaign suffered for want Of supplies.
MOT mad sometimes at night felt the want
81 covering, but not of food. Not more
man half the men in the regiment We're
u, lor duty a the time of the surrender
ol santiago. He heard a doctor say mat
n qhAlhe and castor oil We're the only medi-
d c'3eS ne could get Maj. Demsey said the
olF deficiency he discovered az Montauk
"t~ IN the matter of transporta ton facil-
4 NeS which seemed to be taxed He had
a'su heard a doctor say there were rot