Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-11-16
EXAMINED
fiCers for Much of Camp
Thomas Trouble.

Washington, D. c., Nov. lathe war
investigating committee resumed the eX-
animation of witnesses today with DR..
Il. S. Huidekoper, Northumberland of
volunteers, on the stand. He said that he
had occupied the position of chief medical
officer Of the First Army corps at Camp
Thomas, Chickamauga park, until the 3d
of July, when he had gone to Porto Rico
with Gen. Brooke.
Speaking Of the supply depot he said
there was a leak of quantities of some
articles and q Su~perabundance Of others
at the beginning of the history of Camp
Thomas, but that this condition of affairs
did not long continue. He had immedi-
ately undertaken to regulate acquisitions
so as to equalize them in the various di-
visions of the command. At one time he
had to appeal to Gen. Brooke to get the
supplies necessary, the department sur
geon-general insisting pom being guided
by the supplies on the table, which was
not a fair test.
DO you not know" asked DR.. Con.
ner, that there was a full supply of med
ical stores at the depot at Lyttle?"
Il know that many articles were lack
ing the doctor replied, and added: 1T
is not true, as has been stated, that there
was a full supply"
Proper Authorities Notified.
He continued by saying that he had
made constant representations to the sur
~geon-general of the shortage of supplies.
He had never turned down any requlsi-
ton from the division hospitals except
on one occasion, when he knew that the
articles were not on hand. Also he had
refused his sanction to a reQuisition for
flooring for hospital tents when Gen.
Brooke had expected to move. He con-
tended that there had been a suficiency
of tentage, saying that no patients had
been compelled to lie without covering
for any length &C time. 1t was true,
which the sick men had been kept for
several days at q time under the tent
flies.
"The Second and Third division hos
pitfalls were," he said in reply to a ques-
ton, always clean and well ordered"
Both institutions were well built, but they
had suffered throughout for proper at
tendance. There was never a sufficient
number of hospital corps men. On the
other hand the First division hospital was
not so well conducted, for lack of disci-
pine due to the prospect of removal. He
had repeatedly called attention to the
lack of nurses. and about the LIST of July
there was an increase of hospital corps
men in response to his representations,
but the supply was never equal to the
demand.
Reverting to the question of tentage
Huldekoper said he knew of his own
knowledge that the surplus tentage at
the reserve hospital was turned over to
the division hospital and that tents had
not been held there to the detriment of
other hospitals. However, he stated that
there were always unoccupied tents at
the reserve hospital.
Biames Regimenta1 Officers.
Speaking of the condition of the camp
in general he said that some of the sinks
were excessively filthy. Some of them
were never in proper condition.
WHO was responsible for hat condi-
tiOn!' asked DR.. Conner.
The officers of the regiment respond
ed DR.. Huidekoper.
Did not the commanding general have
a duty to perform in that connecticut
the questioner continued.
The reply to this question was not sat
isfactory and DR.. Conner insisted upon
knowing whether anything had been lone
by the commanding general to secure the
punishment of regimental officers who had
refused to obey orders for the proper
policing of the camps, but DR.. H~uidekop-
er declared that he knew of no instance of
the prosecution of any Offense of this kind.
Col. HuidekOper said he had succeeded
in getting supplies only by being the first
on hand. as the medical depot was run
III q very paIsimOniOus manner. There
was not only a great scarcity of impor-
tant drugs. such as quinine and opium,
but a disposition on the part of the pur-
veyor not to give out what there was.