The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-12-23
TALK
,1iutant General Of the Army
Tells His Story to the
Committee.
10 Was So Noticeably Cautious
That 1t Was Commented
Upon.
,loncd the War Would Be Avert.
ed Until 1t Had Been
Declared.
Selection and Abandonment OF
Camps-.-General Skaters
Expedition.

WASHINGTON. Dec. a3. - Adjutant
c,,.ral Corbin was the first witness be-
.or, the war investigating committee
AMI was rigidly questioned regarding
| m. selection Of Camp Alger. Va. He
,.,rf,d that the removal Of Camp Al
-er was dictated by the secretary of
war himself. and that its original es-
nhE,hrnent was recommended by Cap
.aIn seaburn Of General Miles staff.
H.. General Corbin. had said at the
,jme j. could not bea good camp ground,
| I,gau,c there was not sufficient range
.a- rifle practice. He had understood
.ra,u the secretary of war that General
| Mil, had something 10 do with lis Sc
| ,egtiun He was not certain of Captain
Sahurns exact status. but he had un-
d,r>,ool Captain Scaburn had been sent
iy General Miles To make the inspec-
non of the camp site.
Did General Miles protest against or
iaany,hing against the selection of the
eamE" he was asked.
Not to my knowledge, was the an
swer
Didn't Know the Reason.
General Corbin added that he did not
sl5w the reasons for the discontinnance
q the camp. Questioned as TO Camp
Wikof. General Corbin said that tn,
troops and horses that arrived ther,
about Aug. +. were those left behind II
tn south from the expeditions to San
'iago and Porto Rico and that the trans
iortation Of these had not as he knew
III t. railroad congestion or interfere'
N any way with the carriage OF supple
.or the troops subsequently, arriving
H. denied that the contract with tn
Long Island railroad gave exclusive con
'rol, and said that the only RESTRICTION
made in that arrangement was the de
sirahlc one Of prohibiting excursion
steamers landing ut the camp. tie SAL
Che reason for its selection was the eN
eellent facilities for water transportation
he said the camp at Tampa was neve
designed for anything but point @
embarkation and said the first CON
plants he heard from Camp Thomas
lAlckamauga. We're in the press.
Hoped War Would Isc Avcrted.
Asked when he first seriously appr'
henaed there would be hostilities, Ge'
eral Corbin said he might say he did nj
seriously contemplate war until 1t was
tact for he had hoped to the last M
Ment that it would be averted. y
April 10. the army. for one of Its siz
Was well equidped and thoroughly su
pied. There never was an army,
snd, better equipped, better ciotne'
better fed, or with better morale tha
our regular army at that time. lie s''
PRIOR to the war there had been no COZ
plants Of refrigerated or canned pee
and that they were used by the ARM
o. the world, and in commerce. II !"
no new experiment.
Seriously speaking" said dener
Vorbin, II do not think the war depa,
ment contemplated war until it w"So
elared by congress, and appropriate
We're thought of, but there were no g
eral appropriations except 80 far a. u
a'epartment was able to meet the pos
Utilities that confronted 1t.
Noticed Corhin Was Csutious'
Colonel DENLY, who conducteo
Examination, here suggested to .fenc'
'orbin that he observed the iatter y
cautious and reticent, and explsin'
1T is not our object to criticize str :
eSy. That il not our business.
strategy Of the war may have been rlt
and may have been wrong. But our