The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-10-08
WITNESSES
FOR DEFENSE
Still Being Examined BY the Board
Of Inquiry
GEN. GREENE ON The STAND
Was in 6 s se of a Division at
theg : tile of Manila.
IS
THE HS 81 OF HIS COMMAND
/C.A
On II 2 ole Was Good, Although
Cases of Suffering Existed.
On II 2 ole Was Good, Although
Cases of Suffering Existed.
THE SURGEONS WERE EFFICIENT
The Site of Camp Merritt Was Poorly
Selected-Most Flagrant Evidence
of Neglect of the First
New York

Washington, October 7-Three witnesses
were before the war investigating commits
sion today. General Greene, who partici-
pated in the battle of Manila; Colonel Lee,
chief quartermaster at Camp Thomas and
Major Hersey, who was for a time in COM
mand of the Roosevelt Rough Riders. Each
admitted the possibility of individual cases
of suffering and discomfort, but all said
that the vast majority of complaints were
exaggerated if not without foundation.
They agreed in saying that no army was
ever SO abundantly and luxuriousy sup
piled as was the American army in the
Spanish war.
General f. " Greene, who was in charge
of one of the divisions of United States
troops at the battle of Manila, was before
the war investigating committee at its FORE
noon session today. He sailed from San
Francisco to Manila on the steamer China,
an excellent vessel, he said, which was
inspected by board of officers before 1t
was chartered. He found the ship in good
condition, but the men necessarily were
crowded. Four months provisions and a
large quantity of quartermasters and med
ical supplies We're carried. With few ex-
ceptions the loading was carefully done,
though there was some displacement, ow-
ing to haste. General Greene said that
there was no complaint during the voyage
of a scarcity of supplies, but during the
first two days out there was some dlssatis-
faction with the cooking.
No Complain II card
This, he said, was improved and no
complaint was heard afterwards. The de-
tails of the ocean trip and of the battle of
Manila We're related in a manner calling
for the closest attention from the COM
missioners but covering the same ground
as his report to the department re-
Gently made public. He spoke of the ir>
surgents which lay between his forces and
the Spanish lines. 1t was, the witness
sad, impossible to give estimate of their
number, but he thought it was about 10,-
900. They were well supplied with Maui.
ser and Remington rifles many of which
they had captured from the Spaniards and
others they had purchased abroad
The health of the troops was excel.ept
and the commssary supplies were atdnd-
ant, but difficulty in getting them ashore
on account of the storm caused some hard
ships. Only one day were they without
food but during the other twenty-four
days they had suffered to susta life
though there was shortage due entirely to
the inclement weather. He consider.1 the
surgeons efficient. 1t had been impossible
to properly supply the men with shoes and
as a consequence about 300 of the troops
ndrcneu INTO the city DareIOoteu a1ter tnc
capitulation.
Camp Poorly Selected
The site of Camp Merritt San Francisco.
was very poor. The location was made by
General Otis, and General Greene fe.t safe
in denying the report that there had been
collusion with tn railroad authorities In
chosing the site. The most fragrant evil
dence of neglect that he had seen during
the war was in the case of the First New
YORK. had coffee issued both In
Florida and in Manila. Comparing the ex.
perience of his troops with those of Tur-
key and Of Russia he said he had seen
more suffering in the Turkish army in a
day than he had seen in the American
troops in a month. He spoke from obze:-
walton and said the comparison at every
point was favorable to the American
troops.
The officers appointed from civil life were
willing, but as q rule without experience,
and the great difficulty was that there
were not enough regular officers to 80
round.
Major Henry B. Hersey, of Santa Fe. N.
NJ, of the Roosevelt Rough Riders, said
the camp at Tampa, Fla, was low and
fiat and towards the close of his stay there
In July there was an increase of fever and
kindred diseases. The troops were, he said,
well supplied from the commissary ard
other departments, but there were some
complains of the physician who was left
with the squadron at this point. He II.
cribed the sickness of the men in Cuba TO
the climate and hardships of the campaign.
He did not believe that actual suffering
had arisen on account of the inefficiency Of
officers
1.-THE continguity of Chattanooga with its
saloons and the freedom with which the
selling of pies and cakes and beer in the
camp was permitted was" he said, "a far
more prolific cause of disease to my mind
than the sleeping of the men on the ground
or any other cause that has been suggest
ed"
Colonel James M. c. Lee, chief quarter
master at Camp Thomas said that his
estimates for supplies all had been met
with remarkable degree of promptitude
Colonel Lee dwelt Upon the natural difficult
ties of supplying on army of $4,000 men
who seemed to expect to be able to turn
faucet and get everything they wanted
upon the spur of the moment