Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-28
Commissary Sergeant Hill of the Dis
trict Regiment Examined.
War COMMISSION AGAIN AT WORK
The Witness Tells Why Rations
Had to Be Abandoned.
MEN WHO COMPLAINED

| the war investigation commission a
witness before that body today. The men,
hers present were Col DENLY. who presid-
ed; Gen. McCooh, DIR. Conner and Gen.
| Wilson.
Prior to the war Mr.. Hill was assistant
| superintendent of the local free delivery
mail service. He served during the war
with Spain alternately as commissary ser
geant quartermaster sergeant and first SER
| geant of Company L. LIST Regiment. District
| of Columbia Volunteers. He was mustered
| in May l and out on September 2S last
| In reply to questions, he stated that he
went with his regiment from here to Camp
Alger to Tampa, then to Cuba, returning
after the surrender of Santiago by trans
port to Camp Wikoff.
Col. Denby-"How many days rations did
you have when you landed at Siboney?"
Mr.. Hill."The remnant of five days ra-
| tions, / think"
Col. Denby-"Why do you say rem
| nant? "
Mr. HillL"Beeause some of it had been
left. When We landed L was left with
| guard TO protect the rations'
| Col. Denby-"You were left al Siboney?"
| Mr. Hill-"Yes sir; while the company
| Col. Denby-"How many men were left
with you?''
Mr. Hill-"Six at first, and then twenty
| one were sent TO guard the ratiOnS. Then
| We set out for Guasmas. We did not get
4 there till the morning the regiment left
| there. They left at o'clock
Abandoned Supplies at SIboney.
| Col Denby-"How did IL at affect the sup
ply?"
| Mr.. Hill-"We had to abandon more than
one-half OF the supplies at SDoney We
| left them to the reconcentrados and the
Rough Riders-that is, those who were still
there. We loaded all we could on the backs
of the men, but lad to abandon most of
the supplies. Finally We mad 10 abandon
| them altogether at the camp and leave
| them in charge of colored men and the sick
| men, When We marched out of camp the
| CUbaus and reconcentrados took ali we
! had
Col. Denby-"Then you lost all your pro-
| visions because you abandoned and threw
Mr.. Hill-'Yes SIR
Col. Denby-"what was the result of
| that?"
Mr.. Hill-"The result was when We got
| to the firing line there were only a few
| things left IN the haveTsacks."
Col Denby-"When did you get to the
| firing line?'
Mr.. Hill-"On the morning Of the llth."
Col; Denby-"How long were you without
| food?'
Mr.. Hill-"Well, we had only what was in
| the haversacks until within four or five
hours of the evening Of the 12th.'
Col Denby-"Tnat was two days"
Mr. .Hill-"Yes, SIR
Col. Denby-"Did the men make much
complaint? Did they seem TO look upon it
matter of course?'
MIR. Hill did not hear much, but of
course men needed food"
The witness was then questioned very
| thoroughly as TO the canned beef served
| to the army.
Mr.. Hill-"The first canned beef served
to us We found. when the cans were OPEN
| ed, was very dry and hard. 1t could be
| boiled, but there was very little substance
or nutrition to ii. Later the supply was
considerably improved. After it was boiled
| 1t was perfectly fit for use"
Did Not Eat Refrigerated Beef.
Mr.. Hill stated that the refrigerated
fresh beef also was served the men. The
men did not. however. eat it.
Col Denby-"Why not?"
Mr.. Hill-"The surgeon would not let US"
Col Denby-"Do you know why?'
Mr.. Hill can't say"
Col Denby-"Did the surgeon saw ANY,
thing as to the canned beef?"
Mr.. Hill do not know"
Col Denby-"Did the canned beef have a
bad odor?'
Mr.. Hill-"Yes, SIR
Col. DENLY inquired if the witness knew
anything as to the refrigerated beef hav-
ing been chemically heated. He replied
that he did not have personal knowledge
of 1t. He did not think ii had been He
thought this beef softened the mems bones
Col. Denb"-'Then the soldiers did not re-
gard the canned beef as very palatabI
Mr.. Hill-''They seemed to like il. But
they became surfeited by it,
AS commiss 1ry sergeant il was his duty
Mr.. Hill stated, 10 draw and inspect the
rations. He saw every can Of beef that
was issued Many were spoiled. and these
as fast as they were discovered were taken
back and a new issue obtained. At Tampa
before going to Cuba he found quite Iot
Of the spoiled canned beef
Col. Denby-"Have you ever used any OF
This beef in your own family?"
Mr.. Hill-"No, sir
He was asked if he had at any other time
heard any complaints from the men as TO
the food served to them.
Mr.. Hill-"The most of the complaining
was done at Tampa before We left for
Cuba, but think it was without cause aud
came from men who would complain any
where"
Col Denby-''Then you would say they
had plenty TO eat there?'
Mr.. Hil,-"Yes, sir"
Col. Denby-'That. In fact, they lived
well?'
Mr. Hill-"Yes. SIR"
Col. Denby-"Did You get anything to
drink"
the men made with materials sent from
their homes. The health of men there he
ascribed largely TO the use of lemonade.
DR.. Conner-"Did you see enough OF The
refrigerated beef 10 form an opinion as 10
the length of time 1t would keep in Cuba
by simply protecting ii with a tarpaulin
from tne dlrect rays OF the Sun?'
Mr.. Hill-"No. sir. / cannot tell YOU We
had no way TO protect beef in such a man
ner All We had to do was to get IL into
the pots as soon as possible to keep II from
spelling as soon as IL grew hot"
DIR. Conner-"Is il your opinion that beef
so protected win keep seventy-two hours
with tarpaulin over it?'
Mr.. Hill-"In its raw state?'
DR.. Conner-"Yes; just II came from
the ship"
Mr. Hill-''No, sir, do not believe IL pos
sible"
Shortage of Medical Supplies.
The witness was then led TO speak OF the
shortage of medical supplies.
Col. Denby-"Did any case come within
your observation where suffering resulted
from this condition."
Mr.. Hill-''Coming home on the transport
believe one man--Wiliiam Mcdonald
died because he could not be given quinine"
As TO Montauk. the witness said that
there was superabundance of everything
there, even inc .uding such articles as dress
Ing gowns, skull cans needles and