The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-30
IN DEFENSE OF CAMP THOMAS.
,.sr,,,oyY BEFORE THE WAR IN
vEsTIGATION COMMISSION.

,,,xeIves and Colonies and
-,.on,s Were to Blame for the
,ot,ness Lieut. Arrasmith
rnourht Discipline Was Rather
s,,ct.. and Volunteers Were Negli-
ont of Cleanliness and sanitation.
-.,t,snooga, Tenn, Oct. 29.-Maj Ed
ri, Comegvs was the first witness
,fors the war investigating commission
,,r He was medical puryeyor here
-, the life of Camp Thomas. He stat
- here had never been any delay in illi-
,,g mis- acquisitions on the surgeon gen
.~,l and that he had always been able TO
NO., all requisitions on himself Maj. CO.
Omitted that he had refused to
-, s.,,a realrisitions from the hospital
the Second Division of the Third
80 because satisfied the articles de-
-..15ad were not needed. He accounted
tbe sickness In Camp Thomas by say
~, the men did not know how 20 take
,r. of themselves. He thought the col
lis and regimental surgeons were to
blame
riart lanes NJ. Arrasmith, who acted
.bi.f commissary of subsistence for
INN Thomas. said that, while in the be-
Zinc there had been some congestion
On ,be transportation lines, there had
-. been any shortage Of supplies
~, was constantly on hand an average
-oo oO0 rations The rations were the
Isst he had ever seen issued IN many
,sors' experience. He thought the prin-
mi rouble in regard to the rations was
IN Inc matter of cooking. Lieut.. ARA
smith also said the sinks We're very badly
oarsd for. and that the stencil near the
camn at night was simply sitting lie
aTso said the discipline was very slack.
trbe witness considered Chickamauga a
,,t,ral camping site. but thought there
rare more men in it than there should
have been Some of the volunteer regl-
,nsnts never took, down their tents during
t5eir entire stay, and there was general
negligence Of cleanliness and sanitation.
T4a did not accept the theory that the
formation of the ground was such that
the sinks could not be made deep enough.
There was, he said, a general improve
ment in the camp after Gen. Breckenridge
took command.
prs. Bs eter and Boy5, local physicians,
were called to testify in regard to the
case Of Sergt Frank, who died here dur
inc the summer as the result of a rail-
road accident Dr. Baxter said that, not
Withstandng the man was in a state of
profound shock after the accident, DR..
SAMUEL D. Hubbard, surgeon of the regi-
ment. insisted upon removing the wounded
man to Chlckamauga Park. The man
died on the way out as he Q3axter) had
predicted he would.
Dr. Baxter told OF one train load Of
Wisconsin sick, which he had seen on its
way home without a medical officer or
medical supplies
The commission closed its sitting here
tonight by hearing the testimony of some
residents, stating the observations of the
condition at Chlckamauga Park while the
troops were there, and giving their con-
victions as to the cause of the sickness
of the soldiers. They defended the climate
as salubrious and healthful, and gener-
ally attributed the prevalence of disease
to the habits. of the volunteers.
At midnight Gen. Dodge's private car
was detached from the special train to
permit the train TO depart for Knoxville
with all the commissioners on board ex-
cept Gen. Dodge and two others. These
members Of the commission remain In
Chattanooga until tomorrow night, when
they will leave for Lexington. KY, pro-
ceeding thence to Cincinnati, Chicago and
Detroit, and taking testimony at each
place in turn The majority of the COM
mission expect to spend two days at
Knoxville and then proceed to Washing
ton direct.
manga Park commission, gave the par
tculars of the establishment of the water
supply system of the park for the army.
He said there was an ample supply of wa
ter for the troops at all times, and that
there would have been space for 1900
more troops on the pipe lines.
J. c. Howell railroad station agent, told
of an instance in which fifty-four sick
men, being part of a Wisconsin command,
had been placed on a train and started TO
their homes without medical supplies or
physicians and without furloughs and
transportation papers. They were taken
of the train at Chattanooga and their
wants administered TO by members of the
relief societies.
Ira Haines, a private, acting as a men,
Der Of the hospital corps, who said he
rad been under a physician at Louisville,
ny, for eight years, was examined on the
INES OF a communication In which he had
charged that patients had been treated for
typhoid fever when they plainly had pneu-
monla.
Upon being pressed, he modified his state
meuts, saying that he had had no consul
talilns with the physicians as to their line
Of treatment. He said, however, that he
considered some of the physicians incom-
petent. He also charged that appointments
influence
Capt Daniel e. Mccarthy and M G.
Aaihsh of the quartermaster's depart
HiShl at this point gave testimony as to
the conduct of this office They agreed
thdt The administration of this depart
tAent had been as efficient as could be
expected under the circumstances.
~. f. Is Stapp a local physician, de-
taIied a visit to the hospital OF the Sec
ohd Division of the Third Corps in Au-
sus'' saying he had found It overcrowded
- ulity' ana with no physician in at
tendance at the time. Or. Stapp said he
Iidu seen great deal OF drunkenness
among the soldiers in the city, but that
ne mad neyci heard of any especial effort
70 close the saloons and other places of
~ zee: lie had seen drunken soldiers lying
>" 'ne streets and he was sure that sick
habits of the men.
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