Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-28
WORK COMMENCED.
Nature Of Inquiries Of the
War investigation Board.
All Persons Knowing Of Abuses Re-
quested to Forward Complaints.
Army Officials Also Requested to Send Con-.
plants Received BY Them.

Washington, Sept. 27.-The war in
vestigating committee resumed it's
labors. at 10 o'clock today, in the
Lemon building and at the close of
the morning session gave out a num-
Der of documents bearing upon the
work undertaken. These comprised
the letter of Secretary Alger to the
President requesting that the investi-
cation be made, a brief address to the
public in the shape of a resolution,
letter from Chairman Dodge to the
secretary of war enclosing a list
OF inquiries to the secretary
and to the head of the various d.
visions of the war department calling
for specific information bearing upon
the conduct of the war.
With the letter to the secretary Of
war was enclosed questions indicating
the character of information desired at
the hands of the surgeon general, the
quartermaster-g general, the subsist-
ence department. the ordnance de-
partment and the adjutant- general.
The resolutions adopted by the COM
mittee are:
Resolved, first that the secretary of
war. the adjutant- general, the quarter
master-general, conlmissary-g general
and the surgeon general be requested
to transmit to this commission all COM
plants that have been received By
them since April l, 1898, touching the
conduct of the war.
Resolved, second, that this commits
sion invites and is ready and will re-
ceive and consider all complaints
about the management of any of the
various branches of the war depart
ment from any person or persons
That we respectfully request that such
complaints be made in writing stating
facts that the party knows of his
knowledge plainly and in detail, CIV
ing names of any officers or enlisted
men who may be charged with incom-
potency, addressed to the secretary of
the commission at Washington.
The request of the adjutant general
calls for specific information as to the
number Of volunteer troops for the war,
including officers and men, and as to
their distribution. Specific information
is asked concerning the expeditions to
Santiago, Porto Rico ana the Philippines,
the inquiries in each of these cases cali
ing for the number of regiments of regu-
lars and volunteers. with maximum
number of troops operating in each cam
paign, specified with the organization of
the command, its commanding general
corps, division and brigade commanders
the number of officers and enlisted mer
killed and wounded and the number who
have died from wounds or disease.
The adjutant general is also requested
to supply the following information: 10.
cation of the camps in the United States,
by whom selected. number of regiments
and number of officers and enlisted men
Of regulars and of volunteers at each
camp; organization of camps. names OF
commanding generals, together with
names of division and brigade comman-
ders, length of time each camp was MAIN
tanned and number of deaths by disease
at each camp.
The commission adjourned, at 1880, I'M
til tomorrow at 1880 O'Clock.
1t is not expected that the commits
sions will make much progress until
the returns begin to come in from the
inquiries sent out. Later committees
will be appointed to take testimony in
different places in the country.