The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-14
CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY
Alger Didn't Approve General
Miles Recommendation.
HIS PLANS WERE IGNORED
Wheeler Was Ordered to Succeed shafter
In Case the Latter Was Disabled
by Sicknsss-Leaman Will Be
the Next Witness.

the forenoon to hearing the testimony
Of DIR. Hon. a chief surgeon Of the Third
army corps. stationed at Camp Thomas.
the war Investigating commission gave
the remainder of to-day to the reading
of papers submitted by Secretary Al
ger with his statement concerning the
conduct OF the war.
The documents reveal the fact that
General Miles recommended the occu-
patton OF the Isle OF Pines about the
time OF the battle of Santiago and that
Secretary Alger disapproved the sug-
gestion. II also appears that General
Miles recommended that some points
between Santiago and Porto Rico be
taken previous to the beginning Of
either campaign. The correspondence
also developed the fact that there was
an apparent conflict of authority be-
tween Generals Miles and Shafter at
Tampa before the Santiago campaign
was inaugurated. II also shows that
orders were issued by the secretary of
war that In the event that General
Shafter should be disabled by sickness
or other cause the command OF the
troops at Santiago should devolve upon
General Wheeler.
The commission has summoned Major
a
volunteer engineers. To appear before
IL. and he Is expected to testify at to-
morrow's session. He has recently been
quoted as saying that 200 men had died
daily because of the maladministration
Of the quartermaster's department.
Lieutenant Colonel l.. j. Hon was be-
fore the war investigating commission
at the forenoon session. He is a regu-
lar army officer and was chief surgeon
af oIa-
mauga. Hon didn't consider the camp
TO have been I'm the best sanitary con-
dition. but expressed the opinion that
II could not have been better under the
circumstances. In the beginning the
camp was short OF medical supplies. due
to the expectation that arriving troops
would bring a supply of medicine.
Continuing. DIR. Hon said the capac-
ity OF the division hospitals was often
doubled and trebled. 1t sometimes oc-
CURED that there were eight men in
tents which were intended to accomo-
date six. because of delay I'm securing
tentage to care for the increase OF dis
ease, which was unexpectedly rapid.
On one or two occasions patients were
necessarily placed In beds upon the
floors, because OF a temporary defic-
iency In cots. As a rule. the nurses
were without training. and this fact oc-
casioned some difficulty In dealing with
typhoid cases. Yet he knew Of no spe-
cific cases OF suffering on this account
He specified the case of a man affiict-
ed with an infectious disease. who had
been compelled to lie in the open air
one night on account OF lack of tentage.
The captain was sure that no injury
resulted, as the weather was pleasant.
DIR. Hon said that the shortage in med
ical supplies had continued for several
weeks, but there was generally suffi-
cient to meet the immediate demands.
He also said that some requisitions had
been returned by the Washington au-
thorities because improperly filled out
and he was under the impression that
there had been complaints Of some suf-
fering on this account. There was con-
delay In securing flooring for
the tents.
Was there any deprivation on ac-
count of the shortage of tents?" asked
Governor Woodbury..
1T was so reported" responded DIR.
Hoff.
Whose fault was it?" was asked.
Not mine." he replied. II did all I
could do. The troops OF the third corps
were more closely crowded than they
should have been"
DIR. Connor stated that the governor
Of Arkansas had complained OF the
neglect OF the troops from that state. |
. -
troops received the same medical care |
and attention that had been given TO |
)ther soldiers under like conditions. He |
knew OF no case In which men in the /
hospitals had been compelled to lie on /
The ground. but he thought there were
cases when sick men had been |
Kept under flies for several days. He
was asked II IL was true that at night
here was an average of only one nurse
20 each 40 patients In the hospital
II the second division OF the third
,orps. and said this could not be true.
DIR. Connor read an extract from a
etter of the Arkansas governor. saying
hat he had made a personal examina-
ion OF the conditions in this hospital
md had found "the conditions deplor-
Ible-simply disgraceful" He charged
hat the doctors In the institution were
III northern men. unfamiliar with dis
'ases incidental TO the South that
here were cases OF fever in which
ever patients had gone without wa
er for "a hours and in which sick men
vent without attention from a surgeon
n without receiving a dose OF medicine
or a week. Replying. DIR. Hoff said
hat several Southern physicians were
ngaged at the hospital and that he did
Tot think IL possible that men could
ave been neglected as indicated by
he governors letter. He had heard OF
10 such cases. He said that during
he last few weeks of the second divi-
ion hospitals existence Il had been so
that IL was found neces-
airy TO stop receiving patients then.
'ut that the congested conditions were |
elieyed as soon as the Sternberg hos- |