Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-10-13
THE WAR INQUIRY.
Gen. Wheeler Completes His Test.
mony Before the Commission.
Gen. BOYy1oy TAKES The STAND.
Ne Declares the Location nj Camp Thomas
In Chickamsugs Park to he Most
Healthiul Sp0t-supply Meth.
DDS Enlogised.

- hbvScpE 0Whk tOhhtSoaVh yNSvSi
day and was followed by Gen. II. '
Boynton, who was still on the stan
when the days session closed. Ger
Wheeler's statements Of yesterday deal
entirely with the conditions at Cam
WikoR and Gen. Boynton's with thos
1t Camp Thomas, where he is now II
command. Gen. Boynton described II
detail the provisions for supplying TIL
Georgia camp with water, and toll
many interesting facts about the loca
tion Of the troops and the precautions
taken to care for and protect them
whether sick or well.
When the investigating commission
began work Gen. Wheeler resumed hi
testimony on the line Of the New York
World charges lie said that il there
were any camp horrors" on the eth
Of August, as charged, the commander
Of the camp was responsible, for he
had full. power to furnish relief There
probably were individual cases Of sui.
tsring, but rs rule he knew the SOL
diers were well cared for. There was
certainly no lack Of food.
Gen. Wheeler said 1t was true that
many soldiers would fall on the streets.
He thought that oil Of them had been
weakened by their experience In Cuba,
and most OF them had the germs Of
fever In them. 1t was not strange,
therefore, ifs some OF the men had fallen
to the ground at Wikoff. The general
took up a statement attributed to DR..
Sem concerning the sinks He said the
sinks we're covered every hour with
earth or lime He had examined the
ground and found that the soil was not
porous He also found that other ply.
sicians did not agree with DR.. Sem as
TO the danger from typhoid. lie ad.
mitted also, In reply to charge attri-
buted to Dr. Cyrus Edison, that small
percentage OF the men In hospitals
were without cots and were lying on
the floor on August 90 They were,
however, supplied with BEDS and In
no case was there complaint on this
account He said he had seen state.
ment from DR.. E. E. Smith to the effect
that the drinking water was contain.
mated. He had had an examination
made, not only by the surgeons, but
BY Col. Smart, noted expert, and
they had informed him that the water
was pure. He admitted that, before
the steam laundry was put to work,
there was scarcity Of clean bed linen
for typhoid and other patients.
Gen. Dodge asked the witness for
general expression Of his opinion as to
the conduct Of the various bureaus OF
the war department Replying, he
praised the work Of all the supply de.
partments, saying they were actuated
by zeal and characterized by intelli.
gence. He had found the medical de.
partment, from Gen. Sternberg down,
TO be efficient and anxious to promote
the best interests Of his department
The same was also true OF the ord.
nance, commissary and other depart
ments
Gen. II. V. Boynton took the stand
In the afternoon. Since the 9Th OF
July he had been on duty at Camp
Thomas. Recently his especial duty
had been that of looking after the
water supply Of that camp and still
more recently and at present he was
In command OF the camp, which was
entirely within the limits of Chicka.
manga park. He said the park had
always been considered one Of the
most healthful spots in the country.
He said that while there was plenty Of
water and Of good quality for the camp
considerable water had been brought
In recently In barrels from springs
four or FIVE miles outside, This was
done because OF the suspicion Of some
Of the surgeons concerning the water
In the camp When the men began to
get sick the surgeons insisted upon
going away from the camp for water,
and this was done, Notwithstanding
the analysis showed the water to be
pure.
Gen. Boyuton said he had given espe.
cial attention to the hospital Of the
Second division Of the Third corps, as
1t had received the special attention
Of the able and influential sensational
press. He had found that out Of ., 400
cases Of illness in this hospital, there
had been only 270 cases Of typhoid.
The fever had In all cases been OF q
mild character
Gen. Boynton had never seen such
efficiency In the supply department Of
the army in the field as In the case Of
Camp Thomas. All the officials had
worked day and night to render the
system effective and had succeeded.
The storehouses were so full toward
the last as to render an overflow
house necessary. Sufficient medicines
were sent to Atlanta from Camp
Thomas to supply 80 regiments for
. campaign. There was no lack Of
rations and the rations were all
good. The variety was equal to that
supplied by a family grocery. Each
man had loaf Of bread daily. Fresh
meat was supplied. Sometimes some
Of the meat was spoiled, but as rule
1t was good. He believed that there
was more food left over every day than
the army Of the Cumberland had for its
entire Chattanooga campaign. mo
army was ever SO well supplied with
fnnd and n the man did not Lno,y ho,,,