The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-11
He Gives His Views to
the Commission.
FOR HAVANA OR MADRID
Lee Says His Corps IL Ready to Go to
Either Place Promi>ed the Com.
mand OF the Troops TO be Sent to
Havana-He Refute~ the Charges Of
lneompeney and Neglect OF Army On
cers and Surgeons General Boyn-
toms Praise OF Southern Soldiers

Washington, October 6.-The war
investigating commission held two ses-
sions today. In the forenoon General
H. Y. Boynton concluded his testi-
mony. which he had begun yesterday
and General Fitzhugh Lee was heard
in the afternoon.
General Boynton dwelt today upon
the causes of disease at Camp Thomas,
charging the increase toward the close
of the camp to the lack Of sufficient
care on the part Of the regimental
and brigade commanders in covering
the sinks. He said there was no foun-
dation for n reasonable complaint
in regard to food. He also denied that
there was any intentional neglect in
the hospitals.
In discussing with Captain Howell
the question of rations, supplied TO
camp Thomas, General Boynton vol
unteered the suggestion that there had
been no complaints from southern SOL
diers in the camp, and" he continued,
Il do not believe we would have heard
half of the outcry that has been raised
if all the soldiers lac been from the
south"
General Dodge said that only two or
three charges had been received from
the south and they were not from sol
diers.
GENERAL LEES TESTIMONY.
General Fitzhugh Lee was before
the commission at it's afternoon ses-
sion. He had no complaints to make
in regard to the supplies. In Jun
while the expeditions at Tampa were
being gotten off, there was some de-
lay, but this was natural and since
then supplies of all kinds had come
with regularity and in abundance.
There have, of course" he said,
been some complaints. Soldiers are
like school boys: they sometimes COM
plain even when there is no occasion
for complaint" He thought the army
ration was abundant, in the main, we'll
suited to a campaign in a tropical
climate. Yet he though some changes
might be made. He was of the opin-
ion that it would be better to send live
animals to Cuba thar to send refrig-
orator meat as at present. According
to his ideas, the men should have more
fruit and less meat.
. During the course of the questioning
it developed that General Lee had been
notified that he would be expected to
move his corps to Cuba in the vicinity
of Havana about the first of Novem-
Der and that he considered his troops
properly equipped for the campaign.
He considers the Spanish uniform the
better adapted to a tropical climate
than ours, as they We're cool and could
be washed. He was fearful that the
shirts and blouSeS of our men would
! be found to be too heavy for comfort.
Genera Lee made the significant an
> nOuncement that he was counting upon
landing in a friendly country as he had
received direct information that the
! American troops WOuld be welcome,
not only by the Cubans, but by the
. Spaniards as well. He said the con-
sentative and property owning Span
iards were especially desirious to have
the American troops to come for the
preservation of order.
! Speaking of his command, General
Lee stated that the health of the
troops had been gOod-only about 2
per cent. being sick. He had insisted
upon a very thorough inspection of
the camp and upon having his forces
thoroughly instructed by the staff Of
ficers, who had practically organized
schools for hat purpose.
He aid the meat was received in re-
frigerator cars and that as a rule it
was good. In a few instances the
oulCI VI IS ID &c plCCcS VI IIlSdl
were spoiled, as was also the hard
; tack, in one or two cases. A shipment
of potatoes was reported to be in bad
condition and a board was appointed
which condemned all the goods.
AS to the efficiency of officers APP
pointed from civil life, General Lee
said some of them learned duties very
promptly, others were very slow TO
learn; others never learned, but a ma
jority did. He believed that volun-
teers would always become effective,
especially when confronted by the enc
my.
Governor Beaver read a letter COM
planning Of h situation in the Jack
sonville camp. The letter stated the
camp was filthy, the bread moulded
the doctors generally drunk, etc.
rs that from my commando Gen.
! eral Lee asked in evident surprise
When informed that it was, he said
he was astonished and asked for the
name of the author. He aid in this
connection that occasional complaints
had come to him, which he examined
and in every case found them to be
unfounded.
Then" said Governor Beaver, af-
ter some further questioning, you
consider yourself in good condition ir
every way to start on the expedition
to Cuba"
Il do" replied General Lee. Touch
q button and we are prepared Y !;
go to Madrid"
Complaints against regimenIal sur
geons were read TO the general from
members of the Fourth Virginia vol
unteers, but ne replied that he coulC
not speak definitely OF the regiments
doctors in this case. Some OF them h
knew were not as competent as they
should be. The surgeons OF highe
rank We're all competent men. He ex
pressed the belief hat division hos
pitfalls were too large. He advocated
brigade hospitals as a compromise be
tween the division and regimental hos
pitfalls. He expressed the opinion tina
the site of the camp at Jacksonville
was we'll selected.
Captain Howell asked General Lee i
he considered that he had been sid
racke in the campaign
Il don't think So" he replied. Il hav
from time 10 time seen something il
the newspapers to the effect that
was the intention of the authoritie
that I should not have ar o~pportunit.
for active participation in the cam