The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-27
General Carpenter Says That It IS An
Ideal One.
ONE HARD TACK FOR TWO DAYS.
This Was What Captain Cartwright
Had at Santiago, But Under the
Circumstances the Commissary
Department was Efficient.
The Hospital Service at
Montauk Point.

War Investigating Commission to-day
postponed the inspection OF Camp Forbes
owing to a rain storm and very muddy
roads. The camp here is a large one
with about fifteen subdivisions OF troops
TO say nothing of the hospitals. There
are a great many regulars here and
among them many who participated In
the Santiago campaign. Many OF these
will be examined by the commission.
The investigation here will be directed
especially 10 the procuring of facts con-
cerning the management of the hospi-
tails and the care of the sick while the
army was I'm Cuba.
WHEELER'S SUBSTITUTE.
The commission began the examination
of witnesses to-day with General Louis
tx. Carpenter. who Is In command during
General Wheelers absence. Ho had
been at Chickamauga. Tampa. and Fer
nandina previous TO coming here. lie
said the camp at Chickamauga vas too
crowded That at Tampa was nsat-
isfactory but il was not intended TO be
permanent That at Fernandina was
ideal. The food supply had been ample
throughout. but quartermasters supplies
were generally slow and there had been
especial trouble in securing tents. There
was more difficulty In getting supplies
at Tampa than elsewhere because of rail-
way congestion.
PLENTY MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
Major Charles w Candy, the surgeon
who was in charge Of the medical supply
depot at Tampa. said he had been able
TO hll all reasonable acquisitions for med
ical supplies with pTomptness. hut many
bulky articles Tor which substitutes
could be had were not supplied. IeGu-
lar troops were easily satisfied but the
volunteers were exacting. still there W -
delays and he mentioned one instance -
supplies ordered from New York that
were noe received for two months. He
had fitted out the Shafter expedition t'r
Cuba and thought that I'm the main the
expedition was fairly supplied. This was
especially true Of the first rcquisition.
He had afterwards heard thar many of
the stores came back TO Tampa IN the
hold OF the lrOquois. lie gave the
name OF Captain NIunson as authority
for this latter statement and he was sure
that Captain Munson would testify will
ingly and fully.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES SHORT.
During the afternoon session OF the
commission 4 number of officers who had
served IN the Santiago campaign and in
Florida were examined
General G. 3. Carpenter said the sick
at Santiago had suffered somewhat on
account Of the deficiency OF medicines
and medical supplies. but this was tho
only deprivation Of which he spoke. The
troops did not receive the entire ration
while in the aeld. but he was quite suro
that no man IN the command had gone
hungry.
Captain George s. Cartwright who had
been aide TO General Kent In the San
tiago campaign. said that doubtless some
Of the men had been hungry at times.
but he thought the excitement OF battle
had sustained them. on the night of
July lst he hads had half a hard tack for
supper and the remaining half the next
morning. lie thought that under tho
circumstances the commissary depart
ment had been quite efficient AZ Santiago.
TAMPA AND FERNANDINA.
Lieutenant FarnswOrth. General Law
toms quarteraster at Santiago. gave the
details OF forwarding supplies. and Lieu
tenant Grierson, superintendent OF COM
missary az Tampa, and Captain Thomp-
son, who held the position at Fernan-
dina. tod Of the supplies at these two
points Mr.. Farnsworth said that for
time 1t had been impossible TO get full
rations TO the front Messrs. Grlerson
and Thompson said the principal COM
plants they had heard about supplies
concerned the bacon furnished.
Major II. ID. Thomasson. surgeon OF the
Thrty-thrd Michigan. who had served
in the general hospital at Montauk Point
after August 18th. said that IN August
there were six hundred patients In the
hospital and that there were often eight
In tent There were In the beginning
OF his service not sufficient cots. and
some men had % sleep on the blankets
Some OF the momoers OF tho hospital
corps were without training but be had
known OF but one instance In which hos
pitai refuse was thrown out on the
ground beside the tent There were times
when there were not sufficient number
OF attendants.
CAPABLE SURGEONS.
As a rule the surgeons were capable.
but when he went into the institution
there was a sad deficiency In numbers
He had heard no complaint Of I'll treat
ment from patients. bur there was crio-
cism from outsiders. lie thought deaths
we're caused by the removal Of patients
before they We're in condition to be
moved. Yet the removals were made TO
make place for others who were sLlli
sick and who otherwise would not have
found place I'm the hospital In one
instance he had been told 20 get three
hundred ready for removal. but when
going through the hospital he had found
only seventy ut 10 be removed and had
demanded a written order. This order
no cid not get. and therefore removed
only the seventy. He estimated That
from two hundred 10 five hundred haf
been thus prematureiy removed.