Evening star., 1898-10-25
COMMISSION AT ADMISSION
Witnesses Testify as to Conditions at Chick
amauga Park.
Col. Bisbee Said There Was Scarcity
of Food in the Trenches
Before Santiago.

dispatch from Admission, Ala, last even
| ing says: The war investigation commits
sion sat from o'clock till $50 today, and
examined about dozen witnesses, includ-
| ing a number of volunteer officers
Major David Vickers, who was inspector
general for the I'd Division CT the Sd Corps
at Chickamauga, attributed the troubles in
| that camp to the shallowness of the sinks.
| Major Vickers also complained that the
| drinking water was poor He thought the
| camp site unfit for so large an army, but
| so far as food went the privates were fed
better than the officers. He said that at
one time the beds of all the patients were
on the floor, and that there We're some
| cases when there were some on the ground.
Asked IS to the competency of the sur
gecns at the hospital. he said there was
one man in the hospital whose proneness
to profanity untitled him for the service
Concerning Army of Invasion.
Lieutenant Colonel Bisbee, in command of
the LIST Infantry. told the story of trans
portation of his regiment to Santiago
briefly describing the fighting about Santi-
ago; spoke of his experiences in Cuba; OF
the return to Montauk Point, and Of the
stay at that place and the transfer south
Asked if the landing at Santiago could
piled:
The facilities were so poor that 1 think
not, at least, 1 should say. if l had been
on shore no enemy would have been per-
mitted to land. l cannot say how 1t was
with the Spaniards.''
He said there was considerable difficulty
in getting food while in front of Santiago,
but they had enough. He said If there
had been more to eat the men would prob
ably have been sicker. He expressed the
opinion that the only deprivation had been
in not having proper food for the sick.
They could not take the food in the con-
dition it was in, he said. He thought the
rations contained too much fat meat for
the climate.
Colonel Bisbee stated that himself and
sixteen men were the only members of
his regiment who had not been i'll al some
time during the Santiago campaign.
1T had been impossible to secure medi-
cal supplies" said the witness, 'and If we
had them we could not have carried them"
He added the army was badly broken up in
that respect and it did not get into shape
for some reason. He said the men were
Just beginning to break in health when
Santiago surrendered. and the capitulation
came at just the right time. After the
surrender Of the city there was plenty for
all to eat.
Not Enough Doctors.
Col Bisbee did not believe there was
sufficient number of doctors in the Cuban
campaign. He thought the contract sur
geons were capable doctors, but they were
not familiar with army methods, and did
not know how to get the necessary medi-
cines. Speaking generally of the Cuban
experience, he expressed the opinion that
the supplies had been as liberal as could
have been reasonably expected. He had
not complained of the voyage north. The
regiment was held at the detention camp
for three days. He said in reply to ques-
tions from Gen. McCook that distress
signal had been put out for food while they
lay out at sea, and when some vessel came
alongside he said he had called out to those
aboard to bring them food. He stated in
explanation that the food was wanted for
the officers mess "The men had enough"
he said, "such as 1t was" After this and
while at Montauk they got more than they
needed. I'VE got it from the people, from
New York relief associations and citizens.
They sent US everything, including whisky