Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-11
CAPTAIN OF CRICSBY'S TROOP
Had Little Complaint Excepting the
Location of His Camp.
EVIDENCE HEARD BY THE WAR COMMISSION
Major Gallagher Explains that Short
age of Lighters mt Santiago
Caused Trouble - Pointer
from Mrs. Lnnge.


fore 1t today-Captain Culver OF Grigsbys
Rough Riders, DR.. Hysell, chief surgeon Of
the Second division, located at Camp Thomas.
and Major Gallagher, who was In charge of
various commlssary depots in the Santiago
campaign. r'.@ ... r.'.1 -s
DR.. Hysells testimony dealt with the
sanitary and hospital conditions at Camp
Thomas. He said there was less typhoid
fever among the troops OF the Second div-
sion than among the other divisions and
stated that upon his advice this division had
secured its water from outside springs in
stead Of from the Chickamauga river, as he
considered the river water liable to be i'm
pure.
Major Gallagher detailed the process of
supplying rations to the troops In the field
He said that at one time there was a de-
fciency in coffee and sugar for two days
and expressed the opinion that this shortage
would have proven serious il 1t had contin-
ued for any length Of time. He said the sup
ply Of lighters was not sufficient to permit
the accumulation Of any considerable guam
tity OF food at one time.
Captain Culver stated that at one time
twenty-five OF his men were sick He
|, thought the proportion not excessive-no
greater than during the first days of the
civil war--and until the men learned to
depend upon the army ration and not to
go outside for food. He thought the pies
sold to the men were unwholesome and said
that much stale fried chicken was sent
to them. In conclusion Captain Culver said
he had no complaint to make Of treat
ment except in the location of his troops
in the woods. He had protested against
this location. ..,...
Captain Culver was followed by DR.. James
H. Hysell, who was chief surgeon of the
Third division of the First army corps
and who was located at Camp Thomas
from the 7th Of June to the 21st OF August.
He had been surgeon In the civil war
and since then said he had been in general
practice. All the early cases of typhoid
fever were treated in the regimental hos
pitfalls and the patients were not isolated
until after the construction of the division
hospitals, when typhoid and suspicious cases
were isolated and the men were we'll at
tended by physicians, and nurses There
had been LOO cases of all kinds of diseases
| treated in the hospitals and fifteen deaths
" DIR. Hysell on the Stand.
DR.. Hysell thought typhoid fever had
been imported into the camp from the out
side and that it had been due to the failure
| to properly cover the sinks. He does not
| think 1t possible to effectually isolate ty-
nhoid fever cases, as typhoid was SO diff
cult to detect in its early stages. All reason
| able precautions had been taken in locating
the camp to prevent the development of
disease. He admitted that in case of another
war by the experience of the past most
effective means could be provided.
The examination of DR.. Hysell was con-
Quoted by DR.. Connor of the commission
and was very searching from medical
standpoint. Dn- 90 ,.N o-letv,.4h .,.r Gt.sr
At the afternoon session the commission
examined Major Hugh IT,. Gallagher. He
served as depot commissary at Siboney, San
Juan and Santiago and recently occupied
this position at Montauk Point
At Siboney the rations, he said, were for
warded almost as rapidly as landed. Only
very small quantities could be accumulated
yet the commissary during their stay al
Siboney had been able to meet all require
ments made upon them for provisions by the
troops and none of them was ever refused
He heard no complaint OF lack of rations, as
they were able to forward about 10000
rations per day. From Siboney the depot
was removed to Ell Poso, seven miles in
land. At this point there was never enough
rations on hand for even a day ahead ant
it was impossible to fill all acquisitions
There was a shortage in coffee and sugar
which continued for two or three days be-
H cause of the high surf at Siboney. All the
rations were good but in some cases the
hard bread would be injured by sudder
showers When this happened the bread was
thrown aside and not issued. Some pota.
toes onions tomatoes and canned beef hat
been thrown away at Santiago. being
spoiled.
Needed More Lighters.
Major Gallagher said there was a shortag
OF lighters, but he was not able to say wh
this was true.
Colonel DENLY pressed the witness for in
formation as to the shortage of coffee an
sugar and Major Gallagher stated tha
there were probably two days when tn
men were without these articles A storm
was the cause OF this deficiency, but l
there had been suffciency Of lighters thi
deficiency would not have occurred. Tn
major said their was not to his knowledg
shortage in any other article Of food dur
ing the campaign Mr. DENLY told hin
there was complaint of deficiency covering
months time. but Mr.. Gallagher said h
knew nothing of it.
Suppose" asked General McCook, "thi
shortage of rations had lasted for seve
days instead OF one, what would have bee
the result2'
I'VE probably would have had to fac,
back" replied Major gallagher. Men can
not fight on short rations."
Major Gallagher said that of the fivt
civilian assistants he had two were ineffi
cient and indifferent to their duties. The!
were Captain Lord of New York and Cap
tain Ryan OF Kansas. Mr.. Gallagher sal,
the commissary supply at Montauk wa
abundant and good while he was at tina
point.
Pointer from Mrs. Lnnge.
General Beaver today received a lette
from Mrs, Hugo Lange of Brooklyn, VIII
participated in the relief work at Montaul
Point relating to her interview with Presi
dent Mckinley when he visited Cam
Wikoff.
She was reported to have said to tn
president that some OF the men were "car
ried out in dying condition in order t
get rid OF them"
This. she says, she did not say, but sh
asked II, In passing through the wards, tn
president did not notice the number o
empty cots. He replied that he had notice
them and she then requested him to ask VIII
the men were without care In the detentio
and in some OF the regimental hospitals
The letter continues.