The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-28
War Investigators Get to
Work.
A DEMAND FOR INFORMATION
DEPARTMENT CHIEFS CALLED
UPON.
Lines Upon Which the Inquiry Will
Be onducted-Committee to
Be Appointed to Take
Testimony.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

Special Dispatch to The Call
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27-The War
Investigating Commission resumed it's
| labors at 10 o'clock this morning in the
Lemon building and at the close of the
morning session gave out a number of
documents bearing upon the work to
be undertaken. These comprise the let
ter of Secretary Alger to the President
requesting that the investigation be
made; brief address to the public in
the shape of a resolution, and a letter
from Chairman Dodge to the Secretary
of War inclosing a list of inquiries to
the Secretary and to the heads of the
various divisions of the War Depart
ment calling for specific information
bearing upon the conduct of the war.
With the letter to the Secretary of
War We're inclosed questions, indicat-
ing the character of information desired
at the hands of the surgeon general, the
Quartermaster general, the Subsistence
Department, the Ordnance Department
and the adjutant general.
The letter of Secretary Alger to the
President asking for an investigation
of the War Department is as follows:
WAR. DEPARTMENT., WASHING
1
! have the honor TO ask that a board, con-
sisting of from five to seven members of
the most distinguished soldiers and civil
ians that can be selected, be appointed by
! you with full power TO investigate thor
t oughly every bureau of the War Depart
meht in connection with the mastering,
| clothing, supplying and arming of troops,
| transportation, the letting OF contracts
and chartering Of vessels and all expendi-
issued by this Observation-Disclosures. that
everything connected with the army be
thoroughly investigated for your informa-
! ton. r. a. ALGER,
Secretary of War.
! At the conclusion of the morning ses-
sion of the War Investigating Commits
sion the following letter to Secretary
Alger, outlining the scope of the pro-
posed work, was given out:
Office of Commission Appointed by the
President to Investigate the Conduct of
! the War with Spain, Lemon Building,
! Washington, Sept. II. 1S9S.-To the Secre-
tary of War-Sir: Pursuant to authority
conferred upon US by the President, we
! have the honor to request and direct the
adjutant general, the quartermaster gen.
eral, the commissary general the sur
| the chief of engineers to furnish us as
soon as practicable information as to the
condition of their several departments at
! the time of the declaration of the war
with Spain and the operation of these de-
partments from that time until the pres
! ent
! following, viz:
First-The times and places of the mo-
| bilization of the regular and volunteer
! troops.
second-The organization of these
/ troops into the various subdivisions of the
army, the personnel of the brigade. divi-
sion, corps and army commanders and of
! their staffs, whether appointed from the
permanent establishment, from the Ma
| tional Guard or from civil life.
Third-The amount and kind of garri-
son equipage and other supplies that
were on hand at the beginning of the war,
the amounts subsequently purchased,
when and where purchased, when and
where delivered to your department and
when and where actually delivered to
Fourth-Smilar information in regard
| to furnishing the troops with arms and
accouterments.
Fifth-Which of the volunteers were
armed and equipped in the various State
camps and which in the general camps,
on whose SoT nnaEa rande or
vous We're selected and the reasons for
! such selections.
| Seventh-Full particulars relative to the
transportation of troops by sea. giving
account of the provisions adopted for the
care Of the siok and wounded.
qag and knd of food fne ahadn tRe
! troops, and in case that any of them
failed of being plentifully and seasonably
| supplied state the reasons therefor.
| Nlnth-As to the proper tentage, beds,
! linen, medicines, food and other neces-
! sary equipments and supplies for the use
of the hospital corps of the army. If there
was any lack Of these things at any time,
! state the reasons therefor.
! Tenth-Whether the medical staff was
! efficient and sufficient at all times for the
! proper care of the. sick and wounded, and
| If not, state the reasons therefor.
! Eleventh-Such information relative to
! the condition and operations of the orn-
nance and engineering departments as
! will be of value to us in our investiga-
! lions.
We have outlined briefly portion only
| of the information we trust you will be
| able to give us. 1t will be satisfactory to
have 1t communicated to us in writing,
or by chiefs of the several bureaus in per-
son, with the submission of such records
confirming their statement as they may
! be pleased to hand US.
To aid you. in complying with this re-
quest there is submitted herewith list
of special questions, to which, as far as
possible; answers are desired Very re-
GRANVILLE M. DODGE, President.
| To Secretary Alger the commission
has also addressed six questions for
his reply, as follows:
1. Plan of campaign proposed imme-
diately after the declaration of war. Was
1t intended to move at once on Havana, or
that the campaign should be postponed
until autumn?
2. When was the Santiago campaign de-
3. When was Tampa selected as the
! base of operations?
4. Why were summer camps organized
| at Fernandina, Jacksonville and Tampa?
! 5. Why was the Porto Rican campaign
determined upon?
! 6. Why were the troops held on trans
| ports after embarkation at Tampa and
not permitted to sail for several days?
The resolutions adopted by the COM
mission were as follows
Resolved, First, that the Secretary of
War, the adjutant general, the quar-
termaster general, the commissary gen.
eral and the surgeon general be requested
! to transmit to this commission all com
plants that have been received by them
since April l, 1898, touching the conduct
| of the war.
| Resolved. Second, that this commits
sion invites and is ready and will receive
and consider any Complaints about the
management of any of the various
branches of the War Department from
! any person or persons; that we respect
! fully request that such complaints be
made in writing, stating such facts as the
| party may know of his own knowledge
| plainly and in detail, giving names of any
officer or enlisted men who may be
charged with misconduct or incompetency,
and addressed to the secretary of the
commission at Washington, D. c.
The commission adjourned at 1880
o'clock until tomorrow at 10 o,ciock