The times., 1898-10-08

OF sinks of the utmost Importance, and
there was an inspection twice a day. in
Manila he found the water supply excel
lent and that gave no trouble. He said
that contracts had been made in Hong
Kong for suits for the men, but the uni
forms had not been delivered before he
lett for the United States
While in the Philippines the regular
troops wore woolen shirts and trousers
and the volunteers wore canvas suits.
There was scarcity of shoes, as the
department could not get enough in San
Francisco. AS result, when the troops
got TO Manila about 800 marched in bare
footed. Other shoes We're procured imme-
diately, however, in Manila.
In reply to Col. Denby's questi ms, Gen.
Greene suggested notifications of the
army regulations. They were not, he
said, adapted to active campaigning, but
more for times of peace. The regulations
did not provide for emergencies that
might arise in campaigns, He thought
the powers of the commanding officers
might be enlarged. Quartermasters and
commissaries have TO follow the regula-
tions, and if they issue anything not au-
thorized it is by the law charged to
their account.
Gen. Greene cited the instances of the
commissary issuing rations to a regiment.
The rations were lost overheard and the
regiment asked for more, but the COM
missary had no authority to make re-
issue until board of survey could meet
and, after an investigation, order the re-
issue.
Gen. Greene also believed that when ra-
tions were ordinarily adapted to post
work and ordinary campaigning, they
might be enlarged under certain circum-
stances, for example, when men are in
trenches Red tape, he said, was all right
so long as ii related to a system, but
army regulations were less adapted for
active warfare than post service.
Asked as to the report of collusion with
railroads in relation to the site of Camp
Merritt, San Francisco the general re-
sponded::
Il can say with certainty that that is
incorrect. Gen Otis had the selection of
the site, and ] am sure there was moth
ing as indicated
Another Suggestion.
Gen. Greene had another suggestion TO
make:
1T is with reference to the coffee" he
said In Florida and in the Philippines
we had green coffee. The army likes
green coffee, but when in trenches they
don't like green coffee because they have
no means of roasting it.
Il would recommend that roasted and
ground coffee put up in cans be issued TO
troops in the field" Gen. Greene spoke
in condemnation of the facilities provided
in New York for the transportation of
the Seventy-first New York to Florida,
but said the War Department on learn
7s.41 1s.,to o1, -o1a.
phoned him from Washington TO remove
trains He thought the Manila expedition
was very thoroughly organized, and he
contrasted the conditions at Manila with
those existing in the Russian army as
seen by him during the Russo-Turkish
campaign.
He said he saw more suffering in one
day in the Russian army than in one
month in Manila. He had seen the quar-
termaster's and commissary departments
go all to pieces. Troops went across the
Balkans in Winter without tents or blan-
kets; they slept in the snow without Gov
ering and lived off the country. AT Ma
Mia the commissary and quartermaster'
departments were far better than in the
Russian army The sickness in the lat
ter army was great. There were as many
as GO, 600 men in the hospitals at one time.
Gen. Greene said the officers from civil
life were anxious and willing, but lacked
experience and knowledge of the busi-
ness He thought there were not enough
regular army officers to go around, and
that the retired army officers could not
have stood the work in the field.
Major Hersey Heard Nothing.
Mai. Henry Blandford Hersey, of the
First Volunteer Cavalry, next testified to
the care of the regiment while encamped
at San Antonio, and said the men had
everything that was necessary.
At Tampa, Maj. Hersey said. the health
was very good at first, but later there
was quite a little sickness. Dysentery
and fevers were very common. Sinks
were located about forty or fifty yards
from the kitchen and they Were covered
two and three times day.
There was plenty of food and the men
made but few complaints. In Cuba there
was a little discomfort. The men had
only shelter tents. The regiment was then
all together and the camp site was ad
mirably chosen.
He ascribed the sickness among the
Rough Riders to the climate and hard
ships incidental to the campaign. The
men never suffered for lack of rations
Sometimes meal was late and at other
times some particular component would
be delayed.
Maj. Hersey stated that he visited the
hospitals in Cuba and heard not a COM
plant from any man. OF the camp at
Montauk he said:
Il think 1t the most perfect camp ever
saw. 1t was a model camp, well laid out
and easily policed."
Mai Hersey stated that he could not
designate a single instance of hardship.
privation or suffering that could have
been avoided.
4 Brief Tiff.
Col. James G.. c. Lee, an assistant quar-
termaster general. took the stand. Col. Lee
said the War Department had not in
terfered with his operations. but Junior
officers, he added, had attempted inter-
ference, though upon protest this wa
remedied.
Il considered the interference of Jun
iors unwarranted," he remarked.
who were these men, inquired Gen.
Dodge.
well, all dispatches were signed by
the quartermaster general
He is not your juniorv'
"No?"
'I would like to know whose those
juniors are
II viii say that when the proofs of the
dispatches came ] saw they were signed
by some one else
Gen. Wilson exclaimed: do you mean
to say that anyone else signed the quar-
generals name?"
II wish you would call for the papers,"
Col. Lee responded.
do you decline to answer" added Gen.
Wilson.
mot if you insist upon it. made a
protest TO the quartermaster general and
he remedied it,
What branch did the interference