The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-28
CHiCKAM auGA NEXT.
War Investigation Commission Completes
Inspection at Huntsville.

Huntsville, Ala, October THE wal
investigating commission began its worl
today with Capt Augur, who was in tn,
quartermasters' department. at Tampa
He said that for time the department
was swamped there, and he attributed the
congestion to the railroad. CAPT. Cullen
a volunteer surgeon, said there was q
shortage of ambulances at Tampa land
that the camp conditions were bad.
Col. Duffy Of the Goth New York, said
his command had never lacked commits
sary supplies, but that there was some de-
lay in furnishing quartermasters' stores
The sick had been well cared for and he
had heard no criticism from the men.
Capt. Parkhurst of the second artillery.
detailed the participation of the artillery
in the seiRe of Santiago. There were tim So
when his men did not have time to eat,
but there was no time when they didn't
have food.
First Lieut.. Colkin of the second artil.
Iery, who WAS in the Santiago campaign,
said the only material defect in the sup
plies was in the powder, which he thought
should have been smokeless. He said that
in going to Cuba the guns anishorses
were separated, but he understood that
this could not be avoided. He was the
only member Of his battery who had not
been sick as a result of the Cuban cam
paign, but he did not think the sickness
could have been prevented.
Major Lobe, in command of the sixth
cavalry. complaineda of the difficulty of
securing lumber, firewood, horseshoes and
avr% hA N, Ln
the tents were of poor material and
leaked. He also said there had not been
sufficient medical supplies in Cuba, and
that the transport Gate City in which the
command came North, was poorly suited
for the purpose.
Capt. Stretch of the 10th infantry gave
in detail the hardships Of that regiment
during the San Juan fighting. Ho said
there was no time when the men had
nothing to eat, but he did not remember
having drawn a full ration while in
Cuba. He said the sick of the command
were fed at Montauk better than they ever
had been before in their lives.
The commission devoted the afternoon
to an inspection of the Damp at this place.
The camp was found in good order
throughout. The men generally were
putting things in order very much as
though they expected to remain all winter.
There were several complaints Of poor
tents and portion Of the first Florida In
fantry which is camped here, was clamor.
ing for stoves and understanding. A
large majority Of the men at this point
are regulars who participated in the
Cuban campaign and their camps gen.
orally were clean as we'll kept homes.
DR.. Conner and Gov. Beaver, who Wis
tied the general hospital, found very
interesting patient there in man in
whom life had been kept for the past
three weeks by keeping him immersed In
water heated to 81 degrees. The mans
leg had been amputated at the hip joint
because of the severing OF the femoral
artery.
The commission held session at night
and after examining few witnesses left
for Chattanooga at IL o'clock.
Tomorrow will be devoted to an in
spection of the site Of Camp Thomas at
Chickamauga.
The principal witness at the night ses
sion was DR.. Charles NJ. Lee, who was
executive officer at the Detentiona hos
pital at Montank Point. he said the
hospital was crowded, that on occasions
when large numbers of new men were
received it was necessary to remove men
from their beds and put them or the floor
in order to make room for them all. He
said there was . def cheney of medical
supplies and he did not think their treat
ment was such as the patients should have
had SO near New York. Tho inspection
commissioners who visited the general
hospital hero today found the institution
without stoves. They took the matter
in hand and by night the depot quarter
master had secured 80. with the promise
that they should be put up tomorrow.