The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-18
WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
Things He Should Know and the Many
Requirements of the Office.
Jacksonville Letter in New York Post.

Jacksonville Letter in New York Post
One of the staff officers of the commander
of an army corps bears the title of inspector
general. His duties SAVIOR Of red tape, but
they are, in actual fact among the most i'm
portant of the entire service. 1t is doubt
ful If there is any position which calls for a
man of such al-around qualities and such a
miscellany of information. He must be a
man of tact, or he will be in constant hot
water with those who are below him in the
same department. He must be of clear and
sound judgment. or he will be in trouble
with those above him. Inspectors of divi-
sion make their reports to him. He makes
his reports to the corps commander and TO
the inspector general of the whole army.
specifically, it would appear that the Of
nee is merely that of connecting link in
chain OF routine reports, or rather that of a
focusing medium through which the details
of the reports of three inspectors of division
are condensed and transmitted in more COM
pact form to the central office. In the hands
of an efficient and conscientious officer the
position is. as it should be. one of much
wider meaning. The proper and thorough
discharge of the duties of Inspector general
of an army corps calls for vast amount
of personal examination, lot of hard work
and an endless amount of miscellaneous
knowledge. There was little exaggeraton
in the reply of Colonel Guild, of General
Lees stan, to my question as to what he
everything" Before he had given me ten
minutes of his time | was satisfied that he
was very near the mark. 10 81
The inspector general must know about
foods ana their quality. He must see and
know how the food is cooked. He tries the
soup and experiments with the hash. He
tests the pork and considers the bareback.
He must know that it is all properly cooked
and properly served in the specified guam
tity. He may leave all that to the division
inspector, if he chooses to do so, and turn
his office into a kind of rest-cure for his
own benefit. but as he is in measure indi-
rectly If not directly, responsible for the
reports of the suboffice he will know all
such things from personal observation, If he
does his duty. or If his purposes include the
the uniform of the private soldier and notes
its general condition. He looks into the
tents and sees that they are fitted and ar
ranged for the greatest possible health and
comfort for the occupants. He sees that the
ground about the tents and along the COM
pany streets is as we'll ditched and drained
as 1t can be. He examines the tents and the
tent ropes. He notices whether or not the
camp is kept free from waste or rubbish
of all kinds that might prove unsightly to
the eye from the standpoint OF neatness. or
injurious to health on private grounds.
He has also to do with the hospital
service. If an undue number of men be
suffering from any throat or lung troubles,
the cause is TO be located, and the difficulty
remedied, if possible. Its source may be in
damp ground in some particular company
street. IL may be a lack of overcoats forean
entire army. IL there be fever or dysen-
terry in excess of a normal, they must be
traced back through food, water or any
other conditions from which such disorders
are in any way likely to arise. Hospital
stores, beds, and bedding, tents, and all
come under the general supervision of the
corps inspector. About them all he must
have some knowledge and information. Nor
is this all. If there be cavalry or artillery
attached to the corps his eye runs over the
horses, their shoes, brides, saddles and
bits. He notes the quality of hay and oats.
lie notices If any particular horse has been
badly Spurred. There is nothing In the
camp or pertaining TO the camp, which does
not belong TO the department of the inspec-
tor general. Whatever concerns the welfare
horses. affects
dition of the camp and those who live in
II, comes under the general and so far as
II Is possible, the particular, supervision of
the faithful inspector With a fully organ
lied corps of twenty-seven regiments a
total of nearly 10000 men, it is manifestly
impossible for any one man to investigate
all and everything in close detail But the
trained eye of the alert. watchful man. who
desires and seeks the faithful discharge of
his duty sees much that the casual otServ-
er would fail to notice.
One may sit quietly at home and read an
endless number of stories of camp life
which tell of drill and dress parade of
guard mount and so-called sham battles -
he may read the stories of the complaint of
men in the ranks concerning all that they
have TO eat and drink and wear and get
very limited idea of the vast amount of
work and detail involved in the purchase
and distribution of all the materials and
supplies required for the equipment OF an
army. from cannons and wagons and horses
down to tin cups and brass buttons Neither
will this fireside inspection convey any
sort of an idea of the methods by which are
determined the questions of what is wanted.
when IL is wanted and how The answer to
these questions is found in the various de-
partments Of the quartermasters service.
But along with and behind that service
stand this inspector and his department. The
whole thing savors of red tape. and there is
red tape about IL, but of a very necessary
kind for upon the efficient administra ton
OF these departments depend I'm large meas
ure the health. comfort and effective fight
Inc ufR or ~