The record-union., 1898-11-02


turned in charge of that vessel, had
positive orders not to take any man on
board who was not entirely conva-
| lescent.
DR.. Thomas c.. Chalmers, Captain and
Assistant Surgeon of the Twelfth New
York, who saw six weeks service in
Porto Rico, testified that at Chicka-
| mauga his regiment could not only not
get medicines, but could not get blanks
| to make requisition for them. In re-
gard to the transport Massachusetts,,
on which he went to Porto Rico, DR..
Chalmers said:
There was no regular cook on board,
and the men were unused to eating cold
rations The reserve hospital men were
supposed to have been well men, but
subsequent events proved that they did
not have enough to eat. The men
never could get enough water to sat
isfy their thirst Ice water was sold
at 81 % a. pitcher The matter was re-
ported, but the custom was not stopped.
| The mules and horses on board went
for twenty-four hours at one time with
| out water
Lieutenant Colonel James Parker,
Twelfth New York. said that when the
| troops arrived at Chickamauga the men
| had to sleep on the wet ground, with
| only one blanket and no change of
clothing He said that the First South
Carolina Regiment did not receive their
rifles for a month after their arrival at
| the park, the men being compelled to
| do guard duty without guns. The
| Twenty-first Kansas also had to do
guard duty for two weeks without
guns.
When the volunteers first arrived at
Chickamauga,'' said Colonel Parker,
their tongues were literally hanging
| out for want of water. For three
weeks they could not get enough water
| to quench their thirst. Then the pipe
| lines were laid, but the water the men
got was not pure in my opinion. There
were wells left at the park as land
marks which contained water that was
| bad for them to drink. The usual pre-
cautions that are taken with troops in
camp were taken there. I have spent
six years of my life in tents, having
| been a Captain of the Fourth Cavalry,
and 1 think any regular army officer
will agree with me that the camp was
not established on the proper plans
General Breckenridge, when he took
command, did more to change for the
better the sanitary conditions than had
| been accomplished altogether before.
He had lumber which had been applied
| for in vain before, and furnished the
hospitals He provided lime in great
abundance. he had new tentage sup
piled and he gave medicines when
needed.
$50 far as I knew, neither General
Brooke nor General Wade ever made a
sanitary inspection of the camp.
II think there was Discrimination on
| the part of the Government to pur-
chase lime. 1t could be purchased cas-
| lily. The Quartermaster's Department
might have accomplished much during
| this war that it did not seem inclined
| to. 1t would have been just as easy
| to establish at Chickamauga the ldeal
conditions that prevail here at Camp
Hamilton at the cost of not more tnan
| 81 per man.
The night session began at O'Clock,
Lieutenant Frank Strange, Quarter
master of the Third Kentucky being
] the first witness called. He was at
| Chickamauga Park from June list until
| the nth of July, when he took sick and
| left.
| He testified that while at Chicka-
mauga his regiment was badly equip
ped. His regiment was unable to pro-
cure Quartermaster's supplies, consist
| ing of clothing, tentage, etc., because
the supplies were not on hand, except
| in small quantities. They had so many
regiments to equip that when they had
supplies on hand they were distributed
among all the regiments. Often the
/ n have Qn1Iinmpnt II
| from a lack of knowledge as to what
| was required Then, when the Tegi-
mental Quartermasters went to the de-
pot they were made to wait for several
hours.
Next were called seven non-commls-
stoned officers and privates, who stated
generally that the rations and clothing
| furnished were good.
The witness Ryan, from whom DIR.
| Connor expected to obtain valuable tes-
| timony, was a former private in the
| Third Corps Signal Service, who was
sick in the first division hospital at
| Chickamauga. He had sent written
statements Of a serious nature to the
| board, but was able to- substantiate
| but few.
PART OF COMMISSION REACHES
WASHINGTON.
| WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-The mam-
| bers of the War Investigation Commits
sion who did not go to Lexington, Gin
| cinnati and other Western cities, reach
| ed Washington to-day, and will call
meeting tomorrow to arrange for the
| trip to Camp Meade, near Middletown,
| Pa, where they expect to procure tes-
timony bearing upon the conduct of
| Camps Alger and Wikoff.
The Southern trip consumed sixteen
days time. The camps at j. cksonville,
| Tampa, Fernandina, Annis m, Hunts
vile, Chickamauga and K 'xville and
| the hospital at Atlanta wei all visited
and inspected in turn, ar, witnesses
examined at each place.
The commission occupied the private
| train furnished by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, sleeping and eating
aboard if during the entire round, and
holding many meetings in its cars. The
run from Knoxville to Washington was
made over the Southern and the Nor
| folk and Western roads in the excep-
tionally short time of fifteen hours
| Chief Quartermaster Howard has rec
commended to the War Department that
! the warehouses and water system here
be not disturbed before next spring.
He is afraid the Southern camps will
| not be a success, and in that event the
corps may return North If it is not
sent to Cuba. He also recommends
the camp as one for instruction, which
if received favorably will bring large
| number of regulars here next year.
1t is not known here when General
~ ~ L. a