The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-01
IN a NEW LIGHT.
(Conclndea from First PageA

COncluded from FIRST PaEe.D
Of the State Of New York in reference to
the condition of the camp of the Eighth
New York. General Terry is reported in the
New York Herald 10 have said, as he was
leaving Camp Thomas: General Terry
found the camp in a bad sanitary condition.
1t is situated in an open field in the hot
sun, with no water TO be found wl.44n five
miles The water the men drink is hauled in
barrels and is of a kind that in New York
would be refused as bathing water. This
stuff is what the men drink daily and is
declared TO be the chief cause of the sick
ness General Terry told me that it was
the most terrible sight he had ever Wit
messed. ard that not in the slums of New
York city could be found a place so filthy
and dirty He said he would insist on the
Eighth Regiment being returned to New
York, and had wired Governor Black and
the secretary Of war of the situation If the
soldiers are not soon taken from Chicka-
manga Park they will soon follow the TWEEN
ty-four who died yesterday and nearly as
many to-day
Camp Thomas hospitals are uncean and
badly located. The food is regular army ra-.
tons badly cooked. More than TWO hundred
patients have often been made 70 get along
with $50 narrow cots. They are simply laid
on filters not six inches from the ground.
Few if any. Of the hospital tents have
plank floors
This camp was removed to the open field
at the special request of the officers con
cerned, as they were inclined to think that
their camp in the open woods had some
thing to do with the increasing sickness of
their men. Here it may be pertinent to re-
mark in passing that this regiment had al
the time of its moving. and had maintained
one of the f1lthiest and most disgusting can
teens to be found in the entire army. From
personal observation of this canteen some
two weeks since, | am prepared to assert
that it was little better than serving beer
to the soldiers of the Eighth New York
in a hog pen. 1t is also true that the re-
ports show that since this regiment moved
its health conditions have improved
ONLY TWO MILES TO WATER
Instead of there being no water within
five miles of this regiment, two of the
largest and finest springs of clear water i'll
this entire country, pronounced by compe-
tent medical and chemical authority to he
pure water are less than two miles from
their camp.
THE Eighth New York has been camped
upon the ground where General Terry OBJ
served it less than ten days. 1t was per-
fectly clean ground when they occupied it
and had not been previously occupied by any
troops. If it had been transformed within
this brief period by the troops of the Eighth
New York into place flthier and dirtier
than can be found in the slums of New
York it will become the officers of that regi-
ment and the men to explain how such d
transformation could have been made by
them in this brief space of time.
Whether General Terry means that
twcnty-four died in the camp of the Eighth
New York or twenty-four in the entire camp
in one day. and that nearly as many would
die the day of his departure, cannot be ex-
acty determined by his form of speech but
on the day that he is quoted as making this
remark the deaths in the entire army en-
camped here were seven, and the deaths in
the Eighth New York, two days before his
visit (being the last report numbered only
one, which had been the rate for several
days.
AS to the hospitals being unclean, and
there being a lack of food, and the only
food being regular army rations, badly
cooked, and other similar condition. a suffi-
cient answer is found in the critical exam
ination of the hospital of the First Division
of the Third Army Corps, General Frank
commanding, set forth above This hospital,
in charge of Maj. C. NJ Drake, is one of
the cleanest and most complete which any
veteran Of the civil war would expect to see,
and this is the division to which the Eighth
New York is attached.
In closing beg leave to express my opin-
ion that most of the interviews with chap
lains, regimental surgeons and others, both
officers and men, now appearing al the
North in many of the newspapers in regard
to this camp are reckless and false, except
as to the filthy conditions which their own
criminal neglect has caused. In my judg-
ment the recent increase in the outcries
against water and the persistent assertion
that the park is unhealthy have been largely
and deliberately used to stir up sentiment
and influence which would be exerted to in
sure their relief from service. Very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
II. V. BOYNTON,
"Brigadier General u. S. Volunteers"
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THOSE STARVATION COMPLAINTS.