The record-union., 1898-11-01

In snort time matters would get as
bad as ever. About the time the camp
was broken up this had been corrected
to a large extent
Colonel Baldwin further said that he
had known acquisitions to be made
frequently and not to be honored. This
was especially true in reference to the
Second Division, Third Corps.
DR.. O'Connor of the commission said ::
There has been more disgrace brought
upon the United States hospital system
by the Second Division, Third Corps,
than by any other in the service. I can
readily see how this was since no sort
of attention was paid to the, complaints
made"
Colonel Baldwin said that SO far as
he knew General Compton, command
ing the Second Division, only inspected
his command on Sunday morning, and
that he did not know of either Gen
eral Compton or General Wade, the
Corps commander having inspected the
Second Division Hospital
Colonel Baldwin, said that he knew of
one Mississippi Regiment which did not
get it's clothing when it should, and suf-
fered greatly in consequence, as the
weather was wet and nasty. 'I do not
consider Chickamauga Park a suitable
place for a large number of troops, for
many reasons. My observation was
that sinks could not be dug over six
feet without striking rock. The only
water supply was Chickamauga Creek.
On two occasions I observed the water
entering the pipes to be exceedingly
bad on account of filth and refuse. 1t
was alleged that the breaking of the
dams caused this. I saw the creek
nearly every day, and I never saw the
water in such condition that I should
have liked to drink it. Moreover, the
PARK is entirely too much timber land
to make a good camp. General San
gers division had to send three or four
miles for water. know positively that
no regiment remained two months and
a half without striking it's tents and
raising the floor, or else changing its
encampment."
Asked if the men were allowed to
drink water from a certain spring, Col
onel Baldwin said: 1T is true that they
were not, but as one officer humorousiy
remarked, to keep the mem from drink
ing water from any pool it was neces-
sary to put sentinel over the pool,
and then put another sentinel over him
to keep him from drinking"
Colonel Baldwin stated that no such
arrangements were made to take care
of the sinks as have been made here
at Camp Hamilton. He said that the
ground finally got so perforated with
sinks in the timber portion of the park
that it was really unsafe toride through
it, that his horse had gone into them
up to his belly.
Colonel Baldwin said that it was a
common complaint that frequently rtgi-
ments dumped their worst men off on
the hospitals for nurses. He said that
the camp of the First Mississippi was
one Of the worst he had even seen,
largely on account of the leniency OF
the Colonel with hisNmen. He stated
further that there was great difficulty
in getting lime, due to the ineff1c1ency
of the Quartermaster' Department. on
one occasion, he said, he was notified
that there was an abundance of lime,
and that he in turn notified several
regimental commanders. They made
acquisitions, and were given one bar
rel of lime each, and notified that that
was all that could be granted them.
iamin Johnston, now depot quarter
master at Camp Hamilton. Captain
Johnston served as assistant to the
Chief Quartermaster Of the Fifth Corps
at Santiago from July 18th to August
22d. He came away with General Shat
ter. and served at Montauk Point until
that camp was abandoned, when he
came to Lexington.
"At Santiago" said Captain Johnston,
"frorn the time I landed until l left,
there was an abundance of clothing.
Many of the troops had only dog tents,
but in my opinion these were good and
healthy. No complaint could be found
with the transport in which I went TO
Cuba, or that in which 1 returned.
"At Montauk Point I visited both the
detention and division hospitals, and,
though not a competent judge in such
matters, I considered both excellent.
There is an abundance of clothing
and other supplies here, all of good
quality, winter clothing having been
issued. I have no complaints. To my
knowledge there is no regiment here
now whose men are wearing unlined
blouses. Some of the tents here have
been condemned, and they will be i'm
mediately replaced. There is a great
deal of clothing in the depot, and an
abundance on the way. acquisitions
have always been promptly honored.'
The commission adjourned at $50 for
dinner and resumed it's session at {
o'clock.
Colonel William A. Pew of the Eighth
Naesa achusetts was called. The princi-
nal complaints he made were of the
difficulty his regiment experienced IN
securing medical supplies. He said his
surgeon would make out a requisition
and hand it in to the proper officers
and they would return them, saying
there were no supplies, and it was of nc
use to make reQuisition. Colonel Pew
said that his regiment had difficulty III
securing it's wagons at Chickamauga
Park. He said his camp ground was
very poor.
Colonel w. z. Leonard of the Twelfth
New York testified that the surgeon OF
his regiment was continually clamorine
for. medicine to give the men in quar-
ters. He could not secure this, he said
so the Colonel spent $500 out of his own
pocket for medicine.
Colonel Leonard said the commissary
supplies had been good, and so abund-
ant that the men could not consume
them. In consequence, each company
has a fund of $50 or more obtained BY
selling superfiuous supplies.
The Colonel complained of the Quar-
termaster's supplies, especially the
shoes. He said that he had spent near
w 5000 out of his own pocket for shoes
for his men. He said that the supplies
were issued in piecemeal, and frequent
lv the Quartermaster's Department go
the reuuisitions bulled up.