The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-01

finest camps in the world" said General
Wilson. Il never saw its superior unless IL
is Camp Hamilton. here in Lexington"
Asked if he could make any suggestions
as to beneficial changes, the general said
that he is much in favor of regimental hos
pltals, which have already been recon-
mended and are now being established His
observation has been that civilians have
made good officers, proficient and obedient
to all commands. He believed one of the
principal causes of sickness among the vol
unteers was that they We're unused to camp
life, and TO the climate of Georgia
Captain Charles w. Golden comnissary
of the Second Brigade, Third Division, First
Corps testified that on nearly all occasions
he had found the rations good and in suf-
ficient quantities, and that all acquisitions
made had he thought, been honored as
promptly as possible. He said at one time
lot OF bacon was found that had become
infected with maggots, but that as soon as
i was brought to the attention of the all-
tnrlues 1t was promptly condemned lie
said that there was some fault to be found
with the cooks and culinary department
inexperience.
spector general on General Wilson's staff,
and who was on General Wade's staff at
Cht~%amauga, gave some sensational tes-
tin unY concerning the conditions there.
''Waen the camp was first established
there he said, Il did not inspect q single
hospital but what I found 1t in a filthy con-
ditiOn. Reports were made of this to the
commanding general, and improvements
could be observed for few days. But in a
short time matters would get as bad as
ever. About the time the camp was broken
up this had been corrected to Il large ex-
tent" Colonel Baldwin further said that
he had known acquisitions to be made FREE
quently and not to be honored. This was
especially true in regard to the Second Di-
vision, Third Corps.
DR.. Conner, of the commission. said:
There has been more disgrace brought
upon the United States hospital system by
the Second Division. Third Corps. than by
any other in the service. can readily see
attention
was paid TO the complaints made"
Colonel Baldwin said that so far as he
Second Division only inspected his COM
mand on Sunday morning, and that he did
not know either General Compton or Gen
eral Wade the corps commander having
inspected the Second Division hospital.
Colonel Baldwin said he knew of one
Mississippi regiment which did not get it's
clothing when it should and suffered greatly
in consequence, as the weather was wet and
nasty. Il do not consider Chickamauga
Park suitable place for a large number
OF troops Tor many reasons, he said. My
observations were that sinks could not be
dug over six feet deep without striking
rock. The only water supply was Chicka-
manga creek. On two occasions / observed
the water entering the pipes to be in ex-
ceedingly bad condition on account of filth
and refuse. 1t was explained that the
breaking of dams caused this. / saw the
creek nearly every day and / never saw
the water in such condition that l should
have liked TO drink 1t. Moreover, the park
has entirely too much timber land to make
a good camp General Sanders's division
had to send three or four miles for water.
/ know positively that no regiment re-
manned two months and a half without
striking its tents and raising the floors or
else changing its encampment."
Asked if the men were allowed to drink
water from a certain spring Colonel Bald
win said: ut is true that they were not,
but, as an officer humorously remarked, to
keep them from drinking water from any
pool IL was necessary to put a sentinel over
the pool and then put another sentinel over
him to keep him from drinking"
Colonel Baldwin stated that no such ar
engagements were made to take care of the
sinks as have been made here at Camp
Hamilton. He said that the ground finally
got so perforated with sinks in the timber
portion of the park that it was really UNI
safe to ride through it, that his horse had
gone into them up to his belly.
Colonel Baldwin said that it was COM
mon. complaint that frequently regiments
dumped their worst men off on the hospitals
for nurses. He said that the camp of the
First Mississippi was one of the worst he
had ever seen, largely on account of the
lentency of the colonel with his men. He
stated further that there was great diff
Guilty IN getting lime, due to the ineficiency
of the quartermaSter'S department. On one
occasion he said that he was notified there
was an abundance of lime and that he in
turn notified several regimental command
ers. They made acquisitions and were
given one barrel of lime each and notified
sfsdt that was all that could be granted
re next witness was Capt Benjamin
Johnston, now depot quartermaster at
Camp Hamilton. Captain Johnston served
as assistant to the chief .quartermaster of
the Fifth Corps at Santiago from July IL
70 Aug Y. He came away with General
Smarter and served at Montauk Point until
that camp was abandoned when he came
TO Lexington. "At Santiago" said Captain
Johnston, from the time I landed until I
left there was an abundance of clothing.
Many OF the troops had only dog tents, but
IN my opinion these were good and healthy
NO complaint could be found with the trans
I IN Ibo or. hat IN
which returned. At Montauk Point Wis
tied both the retention and division hos
pital and, though not a competent judge
IN such matters, considered both excellent.
There Is an abundance of clothing and other
supplies here, all of good quality. Winter
clothes have been issued. / have no COM
4 plant To my knowledge there is no regi-
ment here now whose men are wearing un-
lined blouses. Some of the tents here have
been condemned and they will be immo date
" replaced. There is a great deal of cloth
ing in the depot and an abundance on the
way. Requisitions have always been
The commission adjourned at $50 for din
ner and resumed its session at s o'clock
Colonel William A. Pew, of the Eighth
massachusetts, was called. The principal
complaints he made were of the difficulty
his regiment experienced in securing medi-
cal supplies. He said his surgeon would
make out requisition and hand it in to
the proper officers, and they would return
It saying there was no supplies and it was
of no use to make requisition. Colonel Pew
said that his regiment had difficulty in
securing its wagons at Chickamauga Park
He said his camp ground was very poor.
Colonel w. r. Leonard. of the Twelfth
New York, testified that the surgeon of his
regiment was continually clamoring for
medicine to give to the men in quarters. He
could not secure this. he said, so the colonel
spent 500 out of his own pocket for medi-
cine. Colonel Leonard admitted that his
men were sometimes not sent to the di-
vision hospital because they were so much
opposed to it.
If you would not send your men who
needed medicine to division hospital, how
can you lay blame for not receiving medi-
cine?" asked DIR. Connor.
If we had sent all our sick men to d.
vision hospital" replied the colonel Eve
would have had no need for our surgeons. "
Colonel Leonard said the commissary sup
plies had been good and so abundant that
the men could not consume them. In con-