The times., 1898-09-11
CAMP THOMAS HORRORS
Testimony Before the Board
of Inquiry.
WHY THE SICK MEN DIED
Typhoid Fever Patient Naked I'm the
Sun-Patients Covered With ver-
min-Lack of Medicines, Ice and
Watershed of Nurses Eighteen
Days without Medicine.


neglect that have marked army admin
istration during and since the war with
Spain. They were charged with sensa-
tionalism when they protested against the
abuses at Camp Thomas. in chickamauga
Park and the unhealthfulness that was
preyentable, but not prevented, and which
cost so many valuable lives.
When the report OF Gen. Boyn5on was
made public, denying the worst charges
against the camp and the hospital, and
charging the sickness, after the manner
of Hanna and Secretary Alger, TO the SOL
diers' Indulgence in dainties and TO the
carelessness of the regimentaI officers,
the whitewash journals announced that
this was the end of the scandals that had
been manufactured by wildcat newspa-
pers," etc.
The increasing sickness caused Gen.
Breckenridge to appoint board of reg
ular army officers TO investigate. the
members consisting of Generals Roe, San
ger and Mattoek, a summary of whose re-
port has been published, having been sup
pressed for some time by Gen. Breckin-
ridge II gives the lie in every detail to
the statements Of Gen. Boynton.
Another Inquiry.
The latter report having caused the War
Department TO continue the camp, Gen.
Breckenridge appointed another military
commission. composed of Major and Bri-
gade Surgeon Milo b. Ward. Major
James J. johnson and Major Emil S
Heilbrun TO make further investigation.
This board has just completed its labors
and handed in is report.
The commission more than supports the
findings of the regular officers. and the
testimony reveals state of things so far
beyond the widest fears Of the public as
TO be almost incredible. 1t more than JUS
titles the fiercest Indignation Of the Amer
ican people over the cruel abuse and
murder of the sturdy young men who Of
fered themselves TO fight the Spaniards
only TO be laid low by home enemies.
Following are extracts from the evidence.
some of which is too horrible to be prin.-
ed:
Some of the Testimony.
Lieut.. Powers, of the Second Kentucky
Regiment, testified: Il found men lying
on litters on the ground between the cots
The men I-visite told me that they had
not had their clothes off in all the time
they had been in the hospital, and rarely
ever had the opportunity to wash their
faces. The men spat on the floors, which
never had the appearance of being
cleaned. Sick men were compelled 10
take their blankets to the hospital, and
this their only cover. There was not
a sheet or pillow in the hospital that I
saw.
Il found that the ice water provided
for the day gave out about 2 o'clock in
the afternoon. Frequently L went al 9
O'Clock TO see my men. None had had
breakfast. Frequently / happened in
when orderlies were distributing the
meals. They would stop at the head of
the tents and call out. Who wants heavy
diet and who wants light? The heavy
diet consisted of bread, beef, beans and
coffee; the light consisted OF bread, oat-
meal and milk.
Il never saw any medicine adminis-
tered 10 the men. The stencil from the
sinks was sickening and the condition of
the floors and the men was foul. The
meals in the hospitals We're served 10 pa
tients in tin meat pans and cups After
the patient finished eating he wiped his
pan the best way he could and stuck it
under the head of his cot until the next
meal. as there was no provision for wash
ing the dish
Capt c. H. Price, also of the Second
Kentucky, testified: lon August % I was
visiting members of my company in this
hospital. when my attention was direc ed
TO shrieks from the Ninth New York
ward. / went there and discovered Major
Hubbard attempting TO administer medi-
cine TO a patient
Il saw the surgeon take the patient by
the shoulder and press him to the cot
with great force. Then he caught the ra-
tient by the throat and held him down
After this he wrenched the patients arm.
i went into the tent and said to the sur
geon, i don't know your name or rank,
but this brutality must be stopped
The harsh treatment of the patient
stopped, but the surgeon remarked that
that was the way to humor patients
The patient was delirious, which was tie
reason he would not take his medicine
This piece of brutality was seen by sew
eral other persons
Private John Hastings. of the Second
Kentucky, volunteer nurse, testified in
part as follows: Il have been a nurse
in the hospital for eight weeks. The sick
have been very poorly nursed. and the
sanitary condition is wretched. ] saw ore
Ninth New York man with insects al
over his body. took a towel and brush
ed them off"
The rest of this mans testimony is too
revolving to print, but it shows a state of
affairs most appalling. Private Reed w
patient with his hips and back cover ed
with bed sores. in which were maego s.
He found Private Johnston. of his COM
pany. on a cot without shirt and lying
in filth. This patient had typhoid fever
and afterwards died. Private Freeman
was found in practically the same oondi-
ton.
''Terrib1e and DamnabIe."
Lieut.. C. j. Hardy, of the Ninth New
York Regiment, testified: ''I found Pri-
vate Leibgold unconscious. He was ly-
ing nude and unwashed on a cot in the
sun. His body was rolling from side to
side. and his eyes were CLASSY. Insects
were crawling on his body 1t was ter
rible and damnable piece or neglect
Col Green, of the Ninth New York,
gave the following testimony:
-'The hospital has been in a most un-
sanitary condition. The stencil from the
sinks was abominable. They were
not properly constructed or inclosed
Wards were overcrowded. On Sun
day, July II. / went to the hos
pital TO see a man from my regi-
ment. 1 found Private Renner uncon-
scious, with froth issuing from his
mouth, and his face and mouth, which
was open, literally black with flies.
asked the attending surgeon if that was
the way dying men were treated, and he
stated in reply that every patient could
not be furnished a nurse. The fever ward
contained large number of patients. and
I saw only one attendant Nine men died
I'm it that week We have had as many
as thirty-five men detailed from the regi-
ment at one time as nurses, and have
spent more than $500 for the care of our
sick 1t has been common for sick men
In my regiment to plead not to be sent to