New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-06
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION
MORE TESTIMONY HEARD AS TO CON
DITIONS IN CAMPS
COLONEL LEE SAYS THERE WERE AMPLE TENT
AGE FACILITIES AT CfIIcKAMAtGA-Dh'
BROWN on CAMP wIKOFF.


AGE FACILITIES AT CHIcKAMAuGA-DR.
BROWN on CAMP wIKoFF.
Washington Dec. 5-Colonel Lee. chief quarter
master Mt Camp Thomas Chickamauga, testn'"
before the War Department investigating commits
sion to-day regarding the tentage facilities AT
Chickamauga Colonel Lee insisted that the sup
ply OF all kinds Of tents was fully adequate ana
that acquisitions for hospital tents were filed az
made though other acquisitions for the regular
tents for officers and men were sometimes cut down
owing 10 the indlscrimnate and extravagant way
OF calling for tentage supplies.
Was there at any time n lack OF shelter for any
Of the troops. sick wc?" asked Ex-Governor
Beaver
I'm the main tho reply. THE troops were
adequately sheltered with good canvas. There was
no canvas that was not OF the standard qua"F
except a small quantity bought In Chicago
Colonel Lee charged that in some Instances or
fcers misused hospital tents He recalled the com
plalnt ~ surgeons Of the 9th Pennsylvania tegl-
mont that Colonel Lee refused To give them II mess
tent stored in his headquarters and absolutely nee
essary for the sick. Colonel Lee read an or'er Oh
Secretary Ager reducing tentage OF incoming troops
AZ the camp owing to scarcity 20 field allowance
He said the regiments under the regulations. were
required to care for their own sick until DIVISION
bospitals were established and added that this
regiment already had exceeded It's snare Inc pr
, va,e tent he said could not be issued because IL
tanning the supplies of seventy-one regiments Co'o-
mel Lee referred to Ex-Governor Beavers pup
lishcd remark that for this the Pennsylvamnns
should have taken him Ghe witness) by the neck
and thrown him OUT .
NO not that interrupted Mr.. Beaver, nut ina
they should have taken YOU by the neck II """
been in command OF a regiment and my sick were
I'm need of shelter | certainly would nave got d
tent"
Colonel Lee declared the lumber for tents issued
had in Instances been converted wrongfuly 10 std-
bic use and said that when the Colonel OF sne 'oa
Pennsylvania called regarding inc pIlvate I'm,
tod him then ha ne b ,tns one to i've in and
the other mess tent - .,,, ..,orr,,, tho
issue Of hospiia tents to officers for living in or
m ..vn
Pressed on this point he testified that General era
Brooke had brought such tents win MN 'In laid
cot his from Tampa in some way. while General
breckenridge received them from the witness re
admitted ne had no right under the regulations 10
issIIa such tents 20 Genera Breckenridge, bui ne
believed ne acted under special Instructions -.
genera! hospital at Montauk said tnr ln''ux fa OK
visitors created some SonfS1n re hnt soders
were buried nude and some other stories "nch ne
sdge Of ne Gs in disnection and said
was no time in the history OF the camp wheh ,h.l
were not sufficient drugs for proper care OF the
After recess Or. Brown described the system Of
disposition OF the dead at Montauk. He said that In
not more than perhaps half dozen cases had men
been sent away on furlougn who were IN no condl-
securing freight due railroad congestion at Mon
taun
Colonel J. c. Martin. OF the Quartermaster Gen
erals Department. who located Camp Ager. was
asked about the lease % that site. but said he did
not know whether General Miles approved the selec-
ton not. A. the various volunteer camps several
million feet OF lumber had been used FOR floors The
Department now, he said. has contract secured
for spU0O fee: OF lumber for the OF the troops In
cuba His Office had expended altogether for hos
pital purposes bout $4,000. Detailing hospital
building operations now going on at several points
in the country. the witness said that with these
completed the ,ul hospital capacity Of the Govern
for caring for sick soldiers this winter in this
country will be between 5000 and 5000
clinton Smith. architect OF the Quartermayer-
Generals office also testified saying the water sup
ply at Montauk ample