The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-10-04
DODGE'S ELEVEN QUESTIONS.

~ At - -
fSigned.J RI. Y. ALGER.
Secretary of War
DODGES ELEVEN QUESTIONS.
The letter of Chairman Dodge to Sec
rotary AlgCr follows:
pursuant to authority conferred upon
Us by the President, we have the honor
to request that you direct the AdJutah'
General, the ouartermaster General, the
Commissary General. the Surgeon Gen
cral. the Chief of Ordnance and the
Chief of Engineers to furnish Us is
soon as practicable, information as to
the condition Of their several departments
;t the time of the declaration of war
with Spain. and the operations of those
DEPARTMENTS from that time until thu
present.
we desire tie information to include
the following:
VIZ: 1st.-The times and places Of
the mobilization Of the regular and vol
untccr troops.
"2nd.-The organization Of these troops
into the various subdivisions Of the
army. the personnel Of the brigade, di-
VISION, corps and army commanders, anl
Of their stalfs, whether appointed from
the permanent establishment, from the
National Guard or from civil life.
"3rd.-Ihe amount and kin of camp
and garrison %equippage and other sup
plies that were on hand at the beginning
Of the war, the amount subsequently,
purchased. when and where purchased,
when and where delivered. and when
and where actually issued to the troops.
Similar information i'll regard
to furnishing the troops with arms and
aCCoumtTemcnts.
"Jth.-Which of the volunteers were
armed and equipped III the various State
camps and which in the general camps.
"6th.-Upon whose recommendation or
judgment the various general rendezvous
were selected, and the reasons for such
selection.
'Ith.-Full particulars relative to the
transportation of troops by sea, giving
an account Of the provisions made for
the accommodation and care Of the sick
and wounded.
"Sth.--An account Of the quantity.
quality and kind Of food furnished the
troops, and in case that any Of them
failed of beng plentifully and season
ably supplied, state the reasons there
for.
-. AS to the proper t~entage, beds.
linen, medicines. food and all other
necessary equipment and supplies for
the use OF the hospital corps of the army.
II there WAS IN lack Of these things ut
any time. state the reasons therefor.
10. Whether the medical staff was
efficient and sufficient ut all times for
the proper care Of the sick and wounded.
and if not state the reasons therefor.
III. Such information relative to the
conditions and operations of the ord
nance and engineering departments aS
will be of value to us i'll cur invertiga-
tons.
I'VE have outlined briefly a portiGn
only of the information that we trust
YOU Will lie able to give us. II will be
satisfactory To have it communicated
to lis in writing or by the chiefs of the
several bureaus III person. with the SUBJ
mission OF such records confirming their
statements rs they may be pleased to
hand to us.
no aid YOU in complying with this
request there is submitted herewith Il
list of special questions to which. so for
us is possible answers are desired.'
\ FEW HARD NUTS FOR ALGER.
To Secretary .Alger. the commission
has addressed Xix queries for his reply.
|. Plan of campaign proposed imme-
diately after the declaration of war:
was it intended to move at once TO Ha-
vana, or that the campaign should be
postponed until autumn?
>. When was the Santiago campaign
determined upon?
;. Why was Tampa selected rs the
base Of operations:
/. Why were summer camps or
Ganized ut Tcrnandina, Jacksonville and
Tampa?
>. When was the Porto Rico cam
paign determined upon?
&. Why were the troops held on trans
ports for cmharkation ut Tampa. and
not permitted to sail for several days?
The resolutions adopted by the com
mission were as follows:
"~ltcS"ived, first, That the Secretary Of
War, the Adjutant General, The Quart
crmaHtor General, the CommiSsary Gen
cral and the Surgeon General be request
ed to transmit TO this commission all
complaints that have been received by
them since April 1st, 1898, touching the
conduct of the war.
"Ecsoiyed. second. That this commits
sion invites and is ready and viii re-
ccivc and consider any complaints about
the management OF any of the various
branches of the War Department, from
any person or persons, that we respect
fully request that such complaints be
made in writing. stating facts that the
party may know of his own knowledge
plainly and III details, giving names of
any officers or enlisted men who may
be charged with misconduct or incompe-
tcncy. addressed to the Secretary of the
commission, at Washington, y. c."
ANSWER THESE. DEAR DOCTOR.
Tho seventeen questions addressed to
the Medical Department are:
/. What was the organization of the
Medical department on April LIST, 1898?
How many officers. with their rank,
how many hospital stewards, and what
was the size of the hospital corps?
;. How many ambulanccs and littcrs
were available?
,. An army of what size was the De
partmcnt able to completely tit out with
medical officers. stewards and hospital
corps and necessary surgical inStru-
ments and supplies Of every character?
t. Between April 1st and August 31st,