New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-27
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION.
TESTIMONY TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION
IN HUNTSVILLE


Huntsville. Ala. oct 2G-The War Department
Investigating Commission to-day postponed the in
specton OF Camp Forsee, owing to n mild snow
storm and muddy roads. The camp here Is a large
one. with about fifteen subdivisions OF troops 10
say nothing OF the hospitals. There Is a large
number OF Regulars here, and among them MANY
who were in the Santiago campaign Many OF
these will be examined by the Commission The
investigation here Will be directed especially To pro-
curing facts concerning the management Of the hos
pitfalls and the care OF the sick while the Army was
In Cuba. I'VE know all about the landing and the
way the battles were fought" said General Dodge
What want to know is how the sick and
wounded We're cared for"
The Commission began the examination OF wit
nesses to-day with General Louis H. Carpenter
who is in command in General Wheeler's absence
lie had been at Chickamauga. Tampa and Fer
nandina before coming here. lie said the camp at
Chlckamauga was too crowded That at Tampa
was unsatisfactory but It was not intended TO be
permanent That at Fernandlna was ideal The
supply Of food had been ample throughout but
quar,ermaster's supplies generally slow and
there had been especial trouble in securing tents
There WAS more difficulty I'm getting supplies at
ton
in charge of the medical supply depot at Tampa.
said he had been able TO fiji an reas BILE requi-
sltOns for medical supplies promptly, lut many
bulky articles for which substitutes could be had
were not supplied Regular troops were easily sat
there We're some DELAYS. and he mentlrred one in
not received for Two months lie had fitted tied
out Skaters expedition for Cuba, and thought
that the expedition was fairly supplied This was
especially true OF the first requsition Half the
supplies he had on hand had been packed for Cuba
and he had afterward made a supplementary ship
ment Of two wagonloads He had heard that
many of those stores came back TO Tampa in the
tain Munson as authority For this statement. and
was sure that Captain Mnnson would testify will
In the afternoon a numbe- OF officers who served
IN the Santiago campaign and in Florida were ex-
at Santiago had suffered somewhat on account Of
f ss 4 6 o1 aRd of whpR he
knew The troops did not receive the entire ration
in thu field. but he that man in the
command had gone hungry.
Captain George S. Cartwrieht who had been ala
TO General Kent in the Santiago campaign said
that doubtless some OF the men had been hungry
at times but he thought the excitement OF battle
had half hard tack for supper. and the remain
Ing half the next morning He thought inat under
had been eHicien: in Santiago.
Lieutenant Farnsworth. General Lawtons quar-
termaster Santiago gave the details OF forward
ing supplies. and Lieutenant Grlerson. CHER com
missary at Tampa and CAPTAIN thompson VINO ho
supplies at these points Lieutenant Farnswortn
said that for time il had been mp2:siols TO ge
Thompson said the principal complaints they had
Major II. s Thomasson. surgeon Of the 33d Mich
igan who had served in the general hospital at
gust there six hundred patients IN the hos
pital and often eight in tent In the beginning
Of the had to sleep on blankets. some
members Of the Hospital Corps were without tram
ing bat he had known OF only one instance IN
which hospital refuse was thrown out on me
ground beside the ten: There were, tlmes Wnen
there was not sufficient number Of attendants
AS a rule the surgeons were capable, but when he
went into the institution there was sad dehcienGy
IN numbers He had heard no complaint or III
treatment from patients. but there was criticism
from outsiders. He ,noueht deaths were caused
by the removal Of patients before they were III
condition to be moved. Yet the removals We're
made to make place for others who were still sick
and who otherwise would not have found a place
in the hospital. In one instance he mad been tod
TO get three hundred ready for removal. but When
going through the hospital he had found only
seventy fit to be moved. and he had demanded
written order This order he did not get ana
therefore removed only the seventy. he estimated
that from two hundred To five hundred had been
thus promaturely removed.