The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-11
THREE WITNESSES TESTIFY.
CAPT. CULVER, DR.. HYsEL AND
MAI. GALLAGHER PRESENTED.

One OccasiOn-He Thought Some
Food Sold to Soldiers by Civilians
Was Not WhOIesome-Dr. Hysel
Thought Typhoid Fever Had Been
Imported to Camp Thomas, But
the Sinks There Were Not Proper
Iy Cared for:
Washington. Oct 1O.-The war investi-
eating commission had three witnesses
before it to-day Capt. Culver of the
Grigsby's Rough Riders, DR.. Hysel, chief
surgeon of the second division located at
Camp Thomas and Maj. Gallagher, who
was in charge of various commissary de-
pots in the Santiago campaign.
Capt. Culver had been stationed at Camp
Thomas, Chickameuga, from May until
he was mustered out, Sept. II. The food,
he said, was generally abundant and good.
On one occasion the meat was tainted.
but it was Condemned and exchanged. He
stated, however, that the tainted meat
was not badly spoiled and that he would
have been glad enough to have had use
of 1t in the civil war Capt. Culver men
toned an instance when the bacon re-
celved was wormy, and when the COM
mand first arrived, there was a shortage
of tentage, but these defects had been
speedily remedied.
Capt. Culver stated that at one time two
of his men were SICK. He thought the pro
portion not excessive-no greater than
during the first days of the civil war, and
until the men learned to depend upon the
army ration and not TO go outside for
food. He thought the pies sold TO the
men we're unwholesome, and also said that
much stale fried chicken was sold to them.
In conclusion he said he had no com
plant to make of treatment, except in the
location of his troops in the woods, he had
protested against this location.
DR.. TIysel testified that he had been
surgeon in the civil war and since then,
said that he had been in general practice.
All tile early cases of typhoid were treated
in the regimental hospitals, and the pa
tients were not isolated, until after the
construction of the division hospital, when
typhoid and suspicious cases were isolated
and the men were well attended by physi-
clans and nurses, though, at times, one
nurse would have charge of thirty men.
The sinks were kept covered with earth,
but DR.. Hysel said that no special precau-
tion was taken 10 disinfect vessels going
to and from the sinks.
According to his opinion, the men in his
division had not as much water as they
should have used though the men did noc
complain. This was due to the fact thar
he had been suspicious of the water from
Chickamauga river springs and had water
hauled to the camps in barrels from out
side.
He had DR.. Martin of the First Brigade
examine the intake of the pipe line and
this surgeon had reported that it was $50
feet below the mouth of Chickamauga
creek, which received the drainage from
the camp. Dr. Martin had also reported
that the men were in the habit of bath
ing in the river above the intake.
DR.. Hysel thought typhoid fever had
been imported into the camp from the out
side, and that the increase had been due
TO the failure to properly cover the sinks
and to the prevalence of flies.
The examination of Dr. Hysel was con.
Quoted by DR.. Connor of the commission,
and was very scorching from a medical
standpoint.
At the afternoon session the commission
examined Maj. Hugh ]. Gallagher. He
had served as depot commissary at Sibo-
ney San Juan and Santiago, and recently
occupied this position at Montauk Point,
having been made chief commssary or
Gen. Skaters corps. The rations were,
he said forwarded almost as rapidly as
they were landed. He heard no complaint
of lack of rations at the front.
At first they were about to forward
about $1,000 rations each day. From ST.
honey the depot was moved to FL Posee
several miles inland, and al this point
there were never enough rations on hand
for even day head and at this point
it was impossible to fill all the requisitiopa
H..
which continued for two or three days
This was due to the difficulty in landing
supplies, because of the high surf at
Siboney.
Mai. Gallagher said there was one in
stance when the canned roast beef spoiled
and it was destroyed. Some potatoes and
onions and tomatoes were also thrown
away at Santiago for the same reasons
Indeed, when it was discovered that any
article of goods was defective, it was de-
stroyed
on one occasion it had been necessary
to issue green coffee to men on the firing
lines, but the issue had only been for
day, and the emergency was unavoidable.
Col DENLY pressed for information as TO
the shortage of coffee and sugar. and Maj.
Gallagher stated that there were probably
two days when the men were without these
articles He said the storm was the i'm
mediate cause of this deficiency, but that
if there had been sufticiency or lighters
this deficiency would not have occurred.
The major said there was not to his
knowledge a shortage in any other article
of food during the campaign.
Suppose" asked Gen. McCook, this
shortage OF rations had lasted for seven
days instead of TWO, what would have
been the result?''
I'VE would probably have had to face
back" replied Maj Gallagher. Men can
not fight on short ratons."
The witness said that IL was Cen
Skaters order that no formal requisit!on
for rations should be required, and that
food should be given to those needing it.
Nal Gallagher said that Of the five
civilian assistants. he had had two who
were inefficient and Indifferent TO their
duties They were Capt Lord of New
FORK and Capt. Ryan of Kansas.
MIR. Gallagher said the comm.ssary sup
ply at Montauk was abundant and good
while he was at that point.
Gen. Woods Health Report.
Washington, Oct. 1O-Gen. Leonard
Wood renOrtg TO the war 1apa foaraf 10