The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-02
POOR ARMY SUPPLIES.
General Sanger Gives Evi-
dence Before the War IN
vestigating Committee.

LEXINGTON, KY, NOV 2, 1S9S.-The
first witness before the War Investigation
Commission today was General Joseph
r. Sanger wha has had command Of the
Third Division He said the Second Div
ision camp at Chickamauga was badly To-
Gated, being in rocky ground, where sinks
could not be deeply dug.
When asked why the Quartermaster' 5
department could not furnish articles
necessary for supply the army he said
THE complex system of furnishing sup
plies to our army is at fault. II there
was one department to supply all wants
of the army there would be no clash and
these complications could not arise.
"At Chickamauga the control of my
division hospital was taken from me and
taken by the chief surgeon of the corps "
The General then went into disserta-
ton on the complex system of our war
regulations the taking away of regimen
tai surgeons and the naismanagement
which led up to the overcrowding of the
division hospital and the great spread of
typhoid General Sanger said he con-
sidered the weak point in Camp Thomas
was its bad sanitary condition
..The men had plenty of clothing, did
not need much and had plenty to eat. 1t
was bad sanitary condition There were
over six hundred licensed hucksters who
was sold | believe General Brooke trle1
to do all he could to bring the CAMP to
good sanitary condition, but he was sur
grounded by a medical board who did not
appreciate the serious condition of affairs
DR. Huidekeper especially though Df.
Griffith was unnecessarily alarmed. Dr.
Griffith insisted that a case diagnosed as
I,r,f 1.ar spl
typhoid fever. He had examined Chicka-
nallga creek, where the water Supply IN
take was located. An engineering officer
also had examined it and pronounced 1t
bad.
When asked whether high medical Off
GERS at Chickamauga paid close attention
to their duties, General Sanger said -
II don't know about the others, but /
saw a great deal Of DR.. Huidetkoper,
who came through our division FREE
quently.
would have been d healthy place for
camp had the proper precautions bes5s
O'Clock General Sanger closed
Major Henry Romeyne, q retired army
officer said that he had asked at the
beginning of the war for mihtary as
signment to go to the front IN his capacity
as an Officers but it was refused, and he
then went as correspondent of weekly
newspaper
His testimony covered the enbarkation
paign III Cuba He said that when he
went to Fort Tampa the bank of the can
al there was covered with troops He had
wanted to SO over with the 10th Infantry,
which was his old regiment. but no one
could tell him where the regiment was
is be found He asked staff officer
and several others for this Information
hut none knew nor did any one appear to
know on what vessel any of the particu-
lar troops were to embark.
There was great confusion, as con-
sequence Of which a part of command
would go on one vessel and part on
another and the commands We're in
some cases separated from their stores.
He had seen no order for the systematic
en,barkation Of the troops. and he had
heard Ii said that they were told to go
aboard helter-skelter8
When asked to EXPRESS an opinion as
10 the preparations for the enaba riSation
the witness hesitated. saying that to do
SO would Involve criticism OF his slpefiors.
The Commissioners Insisted upon q reply
and Mr. Romeyne replied that he did
not think the preparation was such as it
should have been.
ssThare was, he said. a lack Of surf
boats and also or order and OF prepara-
tfon for landing. When the landing was
undertaken the troops left the ships ms
t1iserip4i That ely. parts n6iug alone TO me
and other parts ct other times.