The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-28
ARMY OFFICERS TESTIFY
WAR INVESTIGATING COMMISSION AT
HUNTSVILLE, ALA.
Examines Witnesses Regarding
Treatment of Soldiers and Inspects
the Camp-An Interesting Patient.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala, Oct 27.-The war in
vestigating commission began its work to-
day with Captain Augur, who in the
quartermaster's department at Tampa. He
said that for time the department was
swamped there and he attributed the con-
gestion to the railroads.
Captain Cutter an Ohio volunteer sur
geon, who had charge of the ambulance
corps at Tampa, said there was a shortage
of ambulances there and that the camp con-
ditions were bad.
Captain Duffy, of the Sixty-ninth New
York, said his command had never lacked
ccmmissary supplies, but that there was
some delay in furnishing quartermaster
stores The sick had been we'll cared for
and, while he had seen some criticism in
the New York newspapers, he thought most
of the sickness originated in the swampy
camp at Tampa. There they had to dig
only six inches for water, and there were
no tent floors. He said there had been six
teen deaths in the regiment.
Capt. Charles V. Parkhurst of the Sec
ond Artillery, detailed the participation of
the artillery in the siege of Santiago There
were times when his men did not have time
to eat, but there was no time when they
did not have food. There was also plenty
of forage for the horses. He was wounded
twice on the I'd of July and his wounds were
dressed within few minutes after they
were received.
First Lieutenant Conkln, of the Second
Artillery, who was in the Santiago cam
palgn, said the. only material defect in the
supplies was in the powder, which he
thought should have been smokeless He
said that in going to Cuba the guns and
horses We're separated. but he understood
that this could not be avoided He was
the only member of his battery, officer or
man, VINO had not been sick as a result of
the CUBAN campaign, but he did not think
the sickness could have been prevented
Major Lebo in command of the Sixth
Cavalry, complained of the difficulty of Sc
curing lumber, fire wood horseshoes and
stoves in the camp here. He also said the
tents were of poor material and leaked even
when new. He also said there had not been
su11lclent medical supplies in Cuba and that
the transport Gate City, in which the com
mand came north, was poorly suited to the
Captain Stretch, of the Tenth Infantry.
gave In detail the hardships of that regi-
merit during the San Juan lighting. He said
tnere was no time when the men had moth
ing to eat, but he did not remember hav-
ing drawn a full ration while in Cuba He
SAD the sick of the command We're fed at
Montauk better than they ever had been
in their lives.
The war commission devoted the after
NOON to an inspection of the military camp
at TINS place. The commission was divided
INTO four parties for this purpose and even
tnen the task was not accomplished until
the day was we'll gone. This is a large
camp Cd ana the Inspection was very thorough
The camp was found in good order through
out The men generally were putting things
IN order, very much as though they expect
ed to remain all winter. There were sew
eIal complaints of poor tents, and a portion
of the First Florida Infantry, which is
camped here, was clamoring for stoves and
Gnderclothing. large ma iority of the men
at this point are regulars who participated
IN the cuban campaign, and their camps
homes. The Fifth Cavalry, which has been
ordered to Porto Rico gave calesthenic
drill, which the visitors enjoyed very much
Dr. Conner and Governor Beaver. who
visited the general hospital. found a very
interesting patient there in a man in whom
life had been kept for the past three weeks
by keeping him immersed in water heated
to 80 degrees. The mans legs had been am
putated at the nip joint because of the sew
ering of the femoral artery.
The commission held a session at night
and after examining a few witnesses left
for Chattanooga at IL O'Clock. Tomorrow
Will be devoted to an inspection of the site
OF Camp Thomas, at Chickamauga Park
The principal witness at the night session
was DR.. Charles NJ. Lee, who was executive
officer at the detention hospital at MontauIl
Point. He said the hospital was so crowded
that on occasions when large numbers ~
new men We're received it was necessary to
remove men from their beds and nut them
on the fioOor in order to make room for them
all. He said there was deficiency of med
ical supplies, and he did not think their
treatment was such as the patients should
have had near New York city
The inspecting commissioners who visited
the general hospital here to-day found the
institution without stoves. They took the
matter in hand and by night the depot quar-
ternaster had secured thirty, with the prom
Use that they should be put up tomorrow.