The Portland daily press., 1898-10-27
CBICKAMAUGA CROWDED.
10 Gen. Carpe ter FELL I1yestigatiOn
BOard.
COMMISSIONERS GREETED BY
SNOW At HUNTSVILLE.

Surgeon Candy Testified That Mediss
Supplies Shipped to Santiago Came
Back in the Hold of the Iroquois.
Huntsville, Ala, October 26 The war
investigating commission today began
the inspection of Camp Forsee. perpara-
tory to the inquiry which will be insti-
tuted here later. There are great many
regulars here and among them many who
participated in the Santiago campaign.
Many of these win be examined when the
commission begins its sittings. The in
vestigation here will be directed especial
" to the procuring of facts concerning
the management of the hospitals and the
care of the sick while the army was in
Cuba. The commissioners were greeted
by a mild snow storm and very muddy
roads, and decided to postpone camp in
spection and to begin the taking of testi-
mony today.
The commission began the examination
of witnesses today with Gen. Louis II.
Carpe uter, who is in command in Gen.
Wheeler's absence He had been al
Cniokamauga, Tampa and Eernandia
before coming here He said the camp at
Chickamauga WAS too crowded. That at
Tampa was unsatisfactory. but it was not
intended to De permanent. That It Fer
nandina was ideal. The food supply
had been ample throughout, but quarter
master supplies were generally slow and
there had been especial trouble in secur-
ing tents. There was more difficulty in
getting supplies at Tampa than elsewhere,
because OF railway congestion.
Mr.. Charles M Candy the SurrpOu.
who was i'll charge of the medical supply
depot at Tampa, said he had been able to
fill all reasonable acquisitions for medical
supplies with promptness, but many
bulky articles for which substitutes could
be had, were not supplied, Regular troops
were easily satisfied, but the volunteers
were exacting. He had fitted out the
Shafter expedition for Cuba and thought
that in the main the expedition was fair
ly supplied. This was especially true of
the first requisitlon. Half of the supplies
he had on hand had been packed for
Cuba. and he had afterwards made sup
Elementary shipments of two wagon
loads. He had afterwards heard that
many of these stores came back to
Tampa in the hold of the Iroquois. He
gave the name Of Capt; Munson as au-
thority for this latter statement and he
was sure that Capt. Munson would testi-
fly willingly and fully.
During the afternoon session a number
of officers who served in the Santiago
campaigns.and in Florida, were examined.
Gen. @. S. Carpenter said the sick at
Santiago had suffered somewhat on ac-
count of deficiency OF medicines and medi-
cal supplies, but this was the only depri-
vation of which ne spoke. Cap. Geo.
Cartwright, who had been aide to Gen.
Kent in the Santiago campaign said that
doubtless some Of the men had been
hungry at times, but he thought the ex-
of battle had sustained them.
On the night of July 1 he had had half
a hard tack for supper and the remain
ing half the next morning. He thought
that under the circumstances the commits
sary department had been quite efficient
in Santiago.
Lieut.. Farnsworth, Gen. Lawton, IS
quartermaster at Santiago said that for
a time it had been impossible to get full
rations to the front.
Major H. S. Thomasson. surgeon of tt .
33d Michigan, who had served in the gen
eral hospital at Montauk Point, after
August l. said that in August there were
900 patients in the hospital and that there
were often eight in tent. He had heard
no complaint of ill-treatment from pa
tients, but there was criticism from out
siders. He thought death was caused by
the removal of patients before they were
in condition to be moved. Yet the re-
moYaIs were made to make places for 9TH
ers who were still sick and who other
wise would not have found place in the
hoSDit8l,