Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-01

| for preparing Il have been present, and
the only reason for depriving the pa
| tients OF what so many OF them have
| camorod for has been the necessity OF
| such dieting ne the disease demands.
| Il am constrained TO believe that there
| has been no neglect on the part OF either
| the medical or the quartermaster' de-
| partment to furnish such supplies as
should have reached the camp.
INCONvENIENcES AT TIMES.
Undoubtedly there have been serious
| Inconvenience, and at times the great
| est crowding, lack OF conveniences, and
| full attendance, which go TO make Up
| that painful condition Of affairs which
| as every veteran knows, are inseparable
| from the field hospitals OF great armies,
even when all concerned exert themselves
| to secure the comfort OF the patients
| These are conditions which in times OF
| rapid increase OF dlsease-a condition
| which was reached at this camp solely,
| in my judgment, from the filth which too
| many OF the reg1mental officers allowed
| to dominate their camps, in spite of or
| ders which would have prevented all this
| trouble, from the surgeon-general and
| from the commanding officers OF this
| camp-create a situation which cannot
| be Immediately ameliorated.
ct is nv observation that medical Of
| ficers have not been negligent. L be-
| lieve that these officers and the hospital
| attaches have discharged their duties
faithfully. 1t would seem as II this were
sufficiently shown by the fact that they
have worked increasingly until a quarter
Of the whole force has itself been stricken
with disease resulting from their exhaust
ing labors.
REMARKS OF GENERAL TERRY.
"My attention was especially directed
I'm the order which received to some re-
marks credited 10 General Terry, Sur
geon- General Of the State Of New York,
in reference TO the condition Of the camp
of the Eighth New York. General Terry
is reported in the New York Herald to
have said as he was leaving the camp.
General Terry found the camp in q
bad sanitary condition. IT is situated
in an open field, in the hot sun, with no
water 10 be found within five miles. The
water the men drink is hauled in barrels,
and is of a kind that in New YORK
would be refused as bathing water. This
IS what the men drink and is declared
to be the chief cause Of sickness
According 10 General Terry. the hos
pital was the most terrible sight he had
ever witnessed. and not in the slums of
New York could be found a place so
filthy and dirty. He said he would in
sist on having the New York regiments
returned to New York, and had wired the
Secretary of War his opinion Of the
situation.
of the soldiers are not soon taken
from Chickamauga Park. they will soon
follow the twenty-four who died yester-
THE Camp Thomas hospitals are I'M
clean and badly located. Nourishing food is
lacking, as well as proper medical atten-
ton. The food is composed Of regular
army rations badly cooked. More than
200 patients have often been made to get
along with $50 narrow cots. They are
simply laid on litters not six inches from
the ground, and few. If any, of the hos
pital tents have plank floors
A DISGUSTING CANTEEN.
"This camp was removed TO the open
field at the special request Of the officers
concerned, as they were inclined 10 think
that their camp in the open woods had
something 10 do with the increasing sick
ness of their men. Here it may be per-
tinent to remark in passing, this regiment
had at the time Of its moving, and had
maintained, one of the fithiest and most
disgusting canteens TO be found in the
entire army. From personal observation
Of this canteen, some two weeks since
am prepared to assert that it was little
better than serving beer TO the soldiers
of the Eighth New York in a hOg-pen.
II is also true that the reports show that
since this regiment moved, its health
condition has improved. Instead Of there
being no water within five miles OF this
regiment, two of the largest and finest
springs Of clear water In this entire coun-
try. pronounced by competent medical
and chemical authorities TO be pure water,
are less than two miles from their camp.
"The Eighth New York had been camp
ed upon the ground where General Terry
observed 10 less than ten days. II was
perfectly clean ground when they occu-
pied IT. and had not been previously oc-
cupied by any troops. II 1t had been
transformed within this brief period by
the troops OF the Eighth New York into
a place filthier and dirtier IMAM can be
found in the slums of New YORK, II VIII
become the officers of that regiment
and the men 10 explain how sucn a
transformation could have been made by
them in this brief space OF time
THE DEATH RATE.
'"Whether General Terry means that
twenty-four died in the camp OF the
Eighth New York or twenty-four IN the
entire camp in one day, and that nearly
as many would die the day OF his de-
parture. cannot be exactly determined by
his form of speech, but on the day that
he is quoted as making this remark, the
deaths in the entire army encamped here
were seven, and the deaths in the Elghth
New York two days before his visit (be-
ing the last report numbered only one,
which had been the rate for several days.
"As 10 the hospitals being unclean,
and there being a lack Of food, and the
only food being regular army ratlons'
badly cooked and other similar condi-
tions. a sufficient answer IS found In the
critical examination OF the hospital of the
First Division Of the Third Army Corps.
General Frank commanding set forth
above. This hospital. in charge of Major
c. NJ. Drake. IS one Of the cleanest and
most complete which any veteran OF the
civil war would expect to see and this
is the division TO which the Eighth New
York IS attached.
INTERVIEWS FALSE.
"In closing. 1 beg TO express my opinion
that mosL Of the interviews with chap
lains. regimental surgeons, and others,
both officers and men, now appearing AT
the North, in many of the newspapers,
I'm regard TO this camp, are reckless and
false, except as to the filthy conditions
which their own criminal negligence has
caused. In my judgment, the recent in
crease I'm the outcries against water
and the persistent assertion that the park
IS unhealthy, have been largely and de-
liberately used TO stir up sentiment and
influence which would be exerted to insure
their relief from service.
VERY respectfully your obedient SER
want. (Signed) II. V. BOYNTON,
"Brigadier-General L. ). W
ALAS, THEY WILL NOT MEET!