The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-15
THE WAR INVESTIGATION.
COZ. HUIDEoKoPER TELLS or MS
EXPERIENCES AT CAMP THOMAS.

AO4pINhih buubTeu tut LICK % EIOpeT AN
PENDANTS and Lack of suppiies-Majo
Thomas T.. Knox on the Santiago Cam
paiGn-MInjor-Gen. Joseph w. Breckin
ridge Describes tho Awful situation nj
Camp Thomas When lie Took Command
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.-The War .Investlgat
ing Commission resumed its work this morn,
ing. and Col. X. 8. Huidekoper. Chief Surgeon
OF the First Army Corps at Camp Thomas
about whom there has been so much criticism
appeared for examination.
He said he organized tho surgical department
Of the camp at Chlckamnuga. but was not sat.
isned with the departments arrangement foV
the furnishing OF supplies. All acquisitions
had to 60 through the Deputy SurReon-Gen
eral In addition 10 the Chief Surgeon. Col
Hartsuff was the Deputy Surgeon General. He
insisted on putting certain medicines on the
supply list In accord with post regulations when
the drugs we're needed in larger quantities
There were enormous quantities OF certain
drugs on hand aud a shortage in other medi-
oines. To his knowledge there was not at all
times a full supply OF medicines at Lyttle Sta
tion. Preparations Of opium. calomel. salol
and auinine were constantly running short.
DR.. Connor-Is It correct that supplies were
not lackinRr Att Is not correct.
Odd you ever turn down acquisitions for
division hospitals? A.-only once. on c~onsulta-
Gion with the Chief Surgeon OF the division.
Col. Huidekoper said he visited all the hos
pitfalls every two days. The Second and Third
division hospitals were very clean. The First
division hospital was not in such good condi-
tion. but all HOSPITALS suffered for want OF a
proper plumber OF I'd endants and Hospital Corps
men. some OF the camps he declared TO be OK
tremely filthy. others were rather clean. He
sometimes reported dirty conditions TO ten.
pr0oka and tha lattar would oocaaionallv call
his attention to filthy camps. Some camps were
never clean. This. Col. Huidekoper charged.
was the fault OF regimental officers.
OFF sanitary regulations were disregarded.
what should the commanding ofiter have done ?
Ale tried to have his rules obeyed.
Q.-Somebody had the powerto punish. didn't
they2 Ayes. sir.
Q.-Was any one ever called TO account or
punished for neglect of orderssSA.-I don't
know. sir.
Q.-were charges ever brought against any
officer for repeated neglect Of sanitation Or
ders? A.-No. sir.
Col. Huidekoper remarked that he got more
supplies for his corps than others did. g.
DIR. Connor-How? A.-By getting up early
In the morning and being at the train when the
goods came In.
Q.-Then do you give us to understand that
you had to be on hand to grab your supplies2
Ayes. sir: I'll give you an instance: 1 was
in Col. Lees office when a telegram was re-
ceived stating that ambulances were on the
way; I prepared my acquisitions and had them
in before the train arrived. .
He repeated his charges about the supplies,
saying that the depot wan run rarsimoniously.
He said he had a friend in the Qu~artermaster's
Department who informed him when goods
were about to arrive. There was n great
scarcity Of important drugs. He inquired why
the articles were not on hand. and was told
they were coming. He said that the three
dirtiest camps ut Chickamauga were the Third
Illinois, 15Sth Indiana. and Twelfth New York
regiments.
food that they purchased outside Of the CAMP.
he said that boxes from homo caused lust as
mSc ios sicSSn nes o,d Men ae1 s ate pies that were three
before It Major Thomas I. Knox. an Inspector
napd went e Cuba. where he was wounded at
ssssSp being jSss below tSs hIll}r tSs Are S was nSt
a nnd he felt h eem msa ledps to ffeaue si1tIs R walk up
sa hTaaf9 ea lie i 51ss as. %sa Saf ;ro MousRES nd ars. he
ing station. and q Hospital Corps man and q
surgeon game 70 the firing line and dressed
Who was that surgeon ?" asked one Of the
a Cuban p By Birth. I Believe TsS etSm Nc" i0fk ana
Major Knox testified that It was only n short |
the, line. that . bullet struck him in the small
Of the back. Several OF his men offered him as |
s%tation. There was no table and. as far Iies as he
knew. no surgical INSTRUMENTS. The surgeon
Wound. This b1llet had passed p shrouEES t he
NTH t IiSf iirht H Was r cTea asa tS e. t t6S dstSt bSG
all been gathered In. He was then moved on q
litter to Siboney and placed on the Olivette. |
his clothing cut from him and his wound re-
dressed: he vas never operated on and It was
worth, He saw nothing at Fort Wadsworth to
: Spending 81 the fight at La Gaasimas. he said
no knew 81 no plan q campaign; 1t vas simply
sn0 %SHs i 10 5is opinio TnS Sns TIE Eef law mot Sss s To Si {
for this. as the army regulations provide for only
Eve spT rG ,pa to- to q SGIns th,, He , DECLARED that
days In the hold Of a vessel going to Cuba they |
%Ssre n The Ts most terrible condition when they
Col: DENLY pressed Major Knox closely about
out from sibonsy and an i ala So What orders a. m9 Ris
inapired about pr Tor the Ell light Rte aSg
said;o II yas known that there was going to
Fighting was expected. of course was the
Inc oxp0dlt10n was. he thought, hastily
organized. The landing was hasty. and tho
men were pushed TO the front without delay. |
There might have been more comforts and
eonyeniencea. and it would have been much
There were no ambulances so far as he OBJ
Gen. wilson-How. long did you remain on
the firing line after being wounded2 A.-Ten
.,o-Why2 A.-wen.. it was an important
time and suppose I forgot myself. II was a
critical period. because II my line gave way the
spsniaTds could break through. and / stayed
"Maior.Gen. Joseph W. Breckinridge. In.
spector-G General Of the, army. was the next
witness, He testified that he assumed COM
m,and Of Camp Thomas. chlekamaqga Park,
camp was dLsintegreted In September. When
he yentto Camp Thomas the troops seemed
on the verge Of an. epidemic OF camp fever.
There was z great deal that needed remsdymIng
sanitary condition ola regimental camp de-
pended on the Colonel In command.
Gen. Breckinriuge was asked to describe Con
ditions at Camp Thomas as he found them on
done TO remedy tho defects. He said ali he did
was 70 guard against the danger then existing
There was nothing Alaa IN do The ,nnn,.HAi |