The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-05
WAR INVESTIGATION.
Heroes of Santiago Among the Wit
... nesses Examined.
SAD SCENES AT OHIOKAMAUGA.

Ten Days, and was Finally sent to
His Home, Where He Died soon Ar
ter His Arrival.
Cincinnati, Nov. 5.-The war inves-
tigating commission had interesting
sessions yesterday. 1t had among the
witnesses four officers who served in
the Santiago campaign, one Of them
being General II. G. Egbert, who as
lieutenant colonel of the Sixth United
States infantry was shot down at San
Juan Hill by bullet piercing his chest
The general appears entirely recovered.
Lieutenant Colonel Miner, now in COM
mand of the Sixth infantry was an
other interesting witness. Perhaps the
most suggestive testimony was that
given by Major Griffith, of Kansas City,
who was in charge of the Third division
hospital of the First corps. The com
mission expects to complete it's work
here this evening and to resume it in
Chicago on Monday morning.
Lieutenant Colonel Miner, command
ing the Sixth infantry, testified to the
movements Of his regiment from Fort
Thomas to Santiago and return. He re-
garded the Tampa camp as excellent.
There was difficulty in getting trans
portation from Tampa to Cuba. The
transport Miami, in which his regiment
went to Santiago, was not fit for troops.
The men would have died in their
quarters if the voyage had not been
mild so that port holes were left open
and air thus admitted. The supplies
of the men and Of the officers were the
from loss of horses. Speaking of the
attack at San Juan Hill he said he
found when they reached the sum-
init that Colonel Egbert had been
wounded and he was in command. That
night no supplies came and the men
were without food or blankets, except
such food as they had in their haver-
sacks. The witness said the command
began to break down about the 14th
They had dug trenches by night and
lay in the wet bitches all day.
Colonel c. B. Hunt, Of the First Ohio
infantry, testified that when his regi-
ment reached Chickamauga it was
poorly supplied with clothing and arms,
and never was fully supplied, never had
a requisition filled complete. If he
made a requisition for 500 blouses he
would get 150
General H. c. Egbert had no fault
to find with the camp at Tampa or the
supplies, or even with the transport
Miami, except with the ventilation. He
found troops abundantly supplied for
the campaign. The witness received
excellent care at the hospital. Recur-
ring to his return on the Seneca he saiC
the conditions on that vessel were moi
good, especially below, where the troops
were. He demonstrated against certain
conditions, and Captain Doughty RENE.
died them.
General Egbert said that while the
Seneca was not in good condition for
transporting troops its officers did not
seem to be in command during the
voyage as much as the surgeons. When
the Seneca reached Fortress Monroe
the surgeon telegra phed to Surgeon
General Sternberg, who ordered the
vessel to go to New York The next
day, to his surprise the vessel had not
gone. He asked why, and was told the
captain refused to go until ordered to
do so by the quartermaster's depart
ment. The witness called on the cap
tain and found this to be true. After
remOnstrance against holding the
wounded men in such place the wit
ness told the captain he would tele-
graph to the secretary of war telling
him Of the conditions and asking for
orders. Meantime he sent a note to the
quartermaster at Fort Monroe, and as
soon as the situation was understood
there an order was given foE the yes.
sci to sail at once to New York, anC
the captain obeyed 1t.
Fred j. Fluerger, of Newport, Ky.
was next examined. He went to Chick
amauga Aug. 1 to bring home Alber
Boedeker, of the Second Kentucky
who was lying in the hospital. He
found him in a very bad condition
He was in a tent. with four other pa
tients, the space between the cots being
so marrow that witness had to walk
sideways in going through. The nurses
were detailed men. In an adjoining
tent he heard groaning, and looking he
saw a man with a quantity Of mag
gots on his body. He reported this
Immediately to the attendants, who
carried the man out and washed him
off and took him back. The next day
| he died
The witness detailed Boedeker's cast
| how he took cold from marching
through the rain and was taken sicl
was at first refused admittance to the
hospital, but finally the captain got hin
In. He lay there 70 days on a blanket
| on the ground, with one blanket ovel
| him. Then he was sent to his quar-
ters for fun duty, and next day at in
| spection he stood in line three hours
when he again broke down. He was
| then in the hospital until witness
| brought him home. He reached home
| Aug, and died Aug. s.
| Major Griffith testified regarding the
camp conditions at Chickamauga anC
the hospitals. He had difficulty in get
ting enough tents, and when he Sc
cured the proper number he found the
last ones of poor quality. From privat,
and state sources the regiment wal
supplied with hospital tents. As
| rule the men detailed as nurses wer,
unfit. Witness asked DIR. Idof for fe
male nurses. This relieved the situa
tion. The staff of the division hospita
was inadequate when the increase o
sickness occurred, Sickness among tn
surgeons reduced the working force
He said there would have been no diff
ficulty in getting hundreds of compe
tent surgeons at Chickamauga within
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