New-York tribune., 1898-12-16
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GEN. BROOKE A WITNESS.
HE TEsTIFIEs REGARDING AFFAIRS AT
CAMP THOMAS.
STORIES OF BAD CONDITIONS THERE GREATLY
EXAGGERATED. HE SAYS

STORIES OF BAD CONDITIONS THERE GREATLY
EXAGGERATED. HE SAYS.
Washington. Dec 15-Major-General John r
Brooke was a witness before the War Investigation
Commission to-day. He said that the most OF the
troops at Camp Thomas. where he was In charge
were volunteers. They came supposedly with ten
days' rations but this the so-called field
ration. and az first they were hungry. This was
remedied by the Conmissary Department promptly.
The Commissary Department was always prompt
and efficient in its service. The volunteers had all
sorts Of tentage. most Of II antquated Their uni
forms were the National Guard uniform mostly
old and soon made by the severity Of the
service. Their equipment In general was what had
been accumulated through the parsmonious pol
ley OF the War Department through the preceding
TWENTY-FIVE years Some Of the unarmed
and some In their citizens clothes. with only
blanket The whole energies Of the commanding
officer bent on eQuipping this heterogeneous
mass Of men. but some Of the departments were
lacking in supplies. and the work was necessarily
slow Early in June the commanding general was
ordered 10 send eight of the best-equpped regi-
nents to Tampa and 10 DO this II was necessary
TO strip some Of the regiments to help out others.
Even with this expedient some OF the regiments
started for Tampa poorly equipped.
The War Department at this time had exhausted
all the and tentage in the country. and tents
OF all sorts were shipped to camp Canteens.
knives forks. cups etc. were also short and this
condition continued practically up TO the end Of his
administration at camp Thomas
General Brooke said that he had nothing to do
with the selection of the camp ground. but being
sent there he made IL his business TO look after
the water supply and to that the necessary
sanitary regulations were promulgated and en-
forced. He made personal inspections frequent
ly his time would permit. He said positively
that the criticisms Of the Cave Spring water supply
groundless.
II deem It proper TO say" continued General
Brooke. "n controversion OF certain reports that
have heard. that l did inspect the camp sinks and
Kitchens continually
I'VE have plenty OF testimony before US" said
General Dodge. that you did this frequently"
1T than frequently" said General
Brooke ut daily"
PLENTY OF SUPPLIES
General Brooke said that there in the begin
ming great many complaints OF scarcity OF med
icines. In this made practice OF relying
largely on the experience and advice Of my chief
surgeons but whenever | received a direct
plant and this not infrequently made
prompt investigation possible The supply
depots established myself ! have seen an army
Well Supplied in that regpeo e The Amy of the
Potomac IN 1861 was not nearly SO well furnished
We had abundant space in the commssary stores
for ten days rati3ls for sixty ihousand men We
sary and quartermaster's departments had all the
room they could I'LL with supplies and while there
clothing at times il was only what might have
been expected when three armies were being
He had never hesitated to assume all responsible
fly by concentrating authority in his hands
and enforcing obedience TO his orders among his
staff officers He had few instances whore
there not prompt and energetic compliance
with all his orders. He both surprised and
disappointed he said to notice the testimony o.
ore of his staff officers before the Commission that
the headquarters camp was In "a distinctly hlthy
condition" He said emOhaticaly that this was
nor the case. The Commissary Department was
well supplied. the only trouble with this Depart
ment being TO keep them from sending too much.
Dr Conner Did this trouble extend 10 the Med
ical Department?
General 'Brooke-Conrestion No sir: by no
means and this is shown in my daily reports
THE CAMP HOSPITALS
OF the hospitals General Brooke said IN justice
10 myself should say that the location OF the
First Division Hospital was not my own selection.
7 left this 10 Colonel Hartsuf my chief surgeon
and ii was the ore location ] condemned. visited
this hospital and it was working badly. due PROP
ably TO the surgeon directly in charge
Ex-Governor Beaver read report from James
Parker sanitary inspector OF the 18th New ork
Volunteers detailing disgusting state OF sanitary
affairs at Camp Thomas. and General brooks was
asked what he had say regarding H.
Il will say" he replied. that 1t Is not only un-
true but II YOU will give copy OF that iepof-
I will see that that young man goes before d
col,rt-martial for those statements uhess ne II
nrotected in his testimony by this Commission.