The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-21

Asked If he was still of the opinion
that there would have been a shortage
Of supplies for the sick but for the
great activity of the Red Cross So
ciety, Colonel Guild said he had chang
ed his opinion somewhat, as he had
since learned hat steps might have
been taken TO secure government sup
plies, but he was still Of the opinion
that there would nave been delay.
Here the commission adjourned for
dinner.
The evening session of the war in
vestigating commission was given up
to Colonel Jones and others Of the Sec
ond South Carolina infantry. Colonel
Jones, repeated his complaint about
the fresh beef. He also complained Of
the location of the camp as swampy
and said that the water was bad. He
said that Of 934 men in the regiment
186 were now sick and about two thirds
Of those were typhoid cases. He
thought that other regiments in the vi
cinity were just as badly off in point
of health as his own command.
Lieutenant Colonel Thompson said
he had seen spoiled meat only on n
occasion and that it was badly dis
colored. The men went without meat
that day. He complained that when
men were sent to the division hospital
it was impossible to locate them. He
thought the sickness of the regiment
was due to the proximity of stagnant
water.
Lieutenant Alexander G.. Davis, COM
rniccorr for tho ronironrt coiI +ha hoar
was good when it was issued to the
regiment, but that there were cases in
which the meat issued to companies
had spoiled, owing to the failure of
the company commissaries to come for
it promptly, thus leaving it exposed.
Lieutenant Edmond r. Tompkins,
acting quartermaster for the regiment,
complained that the clothing issued to
the regiment was of very inferior quail
ity. He spoke especially of the shoes
and trousers and complained of the
difficulty of getting proper sizes in I'M
derclothes for the men. He also COM
planned that the tents occupied leaked
and that he had failed to get requisi-
lions for others approved.
Captain Daniel o. Herbert, of this
regiment, complained of the monot-
ony of the ratiOns. He said much Of
the beef had to be thrown away be-
cause it was spoiled.
A number of non-commissioned Off
GERS and privates were also sworn. All
the members of this regiment eXamin-
ed complained of the issuance of four
days travel ratiOns to the regiment
when they left their state, which had
made a shortage in other rations for
two weeks. Sergeant Mooney of Com
pany A, complained that very little
fresh meat was issued.
Jacksonville, October 19.-The war
investigating commission held it's ses-
siOns in the city hall today, examining
a large numbe of regimental and 9TH
er officers. One of the most u%otspoken
witnesses of the day was DR.. Frye, Of
the Third division hospital. He con-
demned some of the methods in vogue
in the hospitals and said that in many
cases the contract physicians and
members Of the hospital corps were
incompetent.
The war investigating commission
began its work in it's new quarters at
the Jacksonville city hall today, with
Major Noble H. Creager, depot quar-
termaster, on the stand. He said there
AAStN Ai~'>h "NNH SiAo SoSS -
supplies in the seventh corps and he
was sure there had been no suffering
experienced by a deficiency Of sup
plies. In the beginning ne said there
was some poor quality of clothing, but
there had been an Improvement in this
respect in recent months. He had
some little difficulty in securing a
proper assortment of sizes, but had
been able to meet the demands Of the
men in this respect.
Major Creager was followed by Con-
gresham James r. Campbell, colonel
of the Ninth Illinois volunteers, who
was questioned in regard to the gen
eral treatment Of the troops in the
field, and asked for suggestions for the
benefit of the service. He spoke in
complimentary terms of the admins
tration of the officers of the army, say
ing that acquisitions of all kinds had
beer promptly filled and that the quail
ity of the articles supplied was gen.
orally good. There had been some
complaints, however, as to the charac-
ter of the refrigerator beef, but in
vestigation a developed the fact that
while the meat had been received in
good order it a spoiled because of
exposure in hot weather.. The Difficult
ty was overcome by exchanging the
beef for ham,, no fresh beef now be-
ing taken by the regiment.
Colonel Campbell expressed the opin-
ion that the principal cause of sickness
in the camp was the drilling in the
early morning when the dew was on
the ground. He had no suggestion to
make beyond a request that his regi-
ment be supplied with the Krag-Jor-
gensen rifles, as his regiment had TAX
en- first place for Workmanship. He
also complained of the red tape meth
DDS of the army, but made no specifi-
cations. He said there were very few
Of his men who were now hOmesick.
Lieutenant Moore, acting cOmmissary
Of the Ninth Illinois, was questioned
in regard to the quality of rations. He
said there had been no difficulty, eX-
cept as to the fresh beef, and agreed
with Colonel Campbell that there had
been no trouble on account of meat
since the arrangement had been made
to take cured hams instead of beef.
Lieutenant TOlliver, q~uartermaSteT
Of the same regiment, also testified ia
vorably as to the quality and quantity
of the supplies reaching the command
through his office. He thought the
tent material Door, but made no reuui-