The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-11
CON ES
Taking Of Tes-
tinlony on
CONDUCT OF WAR
Three More Witnesses Ex.
amined BY Commission.

/
tigating commission had three wit
nesses before it today. Capt. Culver
Of the Grigsby rough riders. DR.. Hysell,
chief surgeon Of the Cd division, To-
Gated at Camp Thomas. and Maj. Gal
lagher, who was in charge Of the vari-
GUS commissary depots in the Santi-
| ago campaign. DR.. Hyselfs testimony
dealt with the sanitary and hospital
conditions at Camp Thomas. He said
that there was less typhoid fever in
the troops of the I'd division than in the
other divisions, and stated that upon
his advice the division had secured its
water from outside springs instead of
from the Chickamauga river, as he
considered the river water liable to be
| impure.
Maj. Gallagher detailed the process
Of supplying of rations to the troops
in the field. He said that at one time
there was q deficiency in coSfee and SUI
gar for two days. and he expressed the
opinion that this shortage would have
proved serious If 1t had continued for
any length Of time He said the supply
of lighters was not sufficient TO permit
the accumulation Of any considerable
quantity of food at any one time.
Captain G.. H. Culver, troop A,
third United States volunteer cav
airy, (Grigsby's rough riders), was
before the war investigating
commission today. He had been sta
toned at Camp Thomas Chickamauga,
from May until he was mustered out,
on the 18th of September.
The food generally was abundant
and good. At first they received fresh
meat only two or three times week,
and for week the bread was hard, but
this was soon rectified. On one occa-
sion the meat was tainted, but it was
condemned and exchanged.
Capt. Culver mentioned an instance
when the bacon was wormy, and
when the command first arrived there
was a shortage Of tentage, but these
defects had been speedily remedied.
Capt. Howell interrupted the proceed
ings to inquire the object of the ex-
animation Of the witness, to which
Ex-Governor Beaver, who was conduct
ing the examination, replied it was to
show what the different bureaus of the
war department had done and how
they did it, and he thought the inquiry
very pertinent.
To this Mr.. Howell responded: 1.-THE
proper men from whom to secure this
Information are the officers who sup
piled the equipment"
Gen. Dodge stated that there had
been some complaint as to delay in
supplying the regiment with its equip
ments.
This explanation satisfied Capt. How
ell and the investigation proceeded.
Capt Culver stated that at one time
% of his men were sick. He thought
the proportion. not excessive; no great
er than during the first days of the CT
vii war and until the men learned to
depend upon the army ration and not
to so outside for food
In conclusion, Capt Culver said Ae
had no complaint to make of the treat
ment except in the location of his
troop in the woods. He had protested
against this.
Capt. Culver was followed by DR..
James Hysell, who was chief surgeon
Of the Sd division of the 1st army corps
and who was located at Camp Thomas,
Chickalnauga, from the 7th Of June to
the 21st of August.
All the carly cases of typhoid, he
id. were treated in the regimental
lospitals, anG the patients We're not
isolated until after the construction of
the division hospital, when the typhoid
and suspicious cases were isolated and
the men were well attended by physi-
clans and nurses, though at times one
nurse would have charge of 80 men.
The sinks were kept covered with
earth, but DR.. Hysell said that no spe-
cial precaution was taken to disinfect
vessels going to and from the sinks.
According to his opinion, the men in
his division had not had as much water
as they should have used, though the
men did not complain. This was due
to the fact that he had been suspicious
OF the water from Chickamauga river
and had the water hauled to the camp
in barrels from outside springs.
At the afternoon session, the commit
tee examined Maj Hugh ]. Gallagher.
He had served as depot commfssary
at Siboney, San Juan and Santiago, and
recently occupied this position at Mon
tauk Point, having been made chief
commissary of Ger. Skaters corps.
The rations, he said, were forwarded
Almost as rapidly as they were landed
only very small quantities could be
accumulated, Yet the comnlissary. dur
ing the stay st Siboney, had been able
10 meet all acquisitions made for RAJ
lions by the troops, and no one was
ever refused.
He heard the complaints of lack of
rauons at the front. Pack trains were
first used and afterwards wagons.
Ihere was shortage in coffee and
sugar, which continued for two or
three days. It was due to the difficulty
IN landing supplies because Of the high
surf at Siboney.
Maj. Gallagher said there was a
shortage Of lighters. but he was not
able to say why this was so. Speakins
of the facilities for landing the men in
Cuba, he expressed the opinion that if
the war was to be fought over again,