The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-02

half when he was at Camp Thomas he
knew OF DIR. Huidekoper, the corps sur
geon. having visited the camps of the
Sth Massachusetts twice. He had
great dificulty in securing medicines.
he said. and had to buy drugs out of a
private fund. The lest of medicines
which he made requisitions for, always
had about half Of the most important
drugs scratched OF by the higher au-
thorities. He told Of ''red tape which
required a reQuisition for medicine to
go through a dozen channels and then
back before the supplies could be sent.
He states that he was wholly con-
versant with the conditions connected
with the sailing of the transport OBJ
dam and that DIR. Seaman. who re-
turned in charge of that vessel, had
positive orders not to take any man on
board who was not entirely canvales-
cent.
DR.. Thomas c. Chalmers. captain and
assistant surgeon of the 18th New York.
who saw six weeks service in Porto
Rico. testified that at Chickamauga his
regiment could not only not get med
cine, but could not even get blanks
to make requisition for them. In re-
gard to the Massachusetts,. on which
he went to Porto Rico. DR.. Chalmers
said:
There was no regular cooking on
board and the men were unused to eat
ing cold rations. The reserve hospital
men were supposed to have been well
men. but subsequent events proved
that they did not have enough to eat.
The men could never get enough wa
ter to satisfy their thirst. Water was
sold at $1.25 a pitcher. The matter
was reported but the custom was not
stopped. The mules and horses on
board went for "a hours at one time
without water"
Lieut.. Col. James Parker of the 18th
New York, said that when the troops
arrived at Chickamauga the men had
to sleep on the wet ground, with only
one blanket and no change of clothing.
He said that the LIST South Carolina
regiment did not receive their rifles for
a month after their arrival at the park,
the men being compelled to do guard
duty without guns. The 21st Kansas
also had to do guard duty for two
weeks without guns.
when the volunteers first arrived at
Chickamauga," said Colonel Parker,
"their tongues were literally hanging
out for water. For three weeks they
could not get water enough to quench
their thirst. I have spent six years of
my life In tents, have been a captain in
the 4th cavalry, and think any regu-
lar armv officer will agree with me
that the camp was established on the
proper plans.
Hospitals Were Dirty.
General Breckenridge. when he
took command, did more to change
for the better the sanitary condition
than had been accomplished altogether
before. He had lumber. which had
been applied for in vain before. fur
nished the hospitals. He provided lime
In great abundance. he gave medicines
.k.an al he haI
piled. Upon my inspection I found the
hospitals Of the LIST division, third
corps, very dirty. The first was placed
alongside a dump heap. The dirt in
most cases, however. was due to the
overcrowded condition of the hospit-
ais. The surgeons were worked to
death, and too sick themselves to look
after the cleanliness properly. So far
as I knew. neither General Brooke nor
General Wade ever made a sanitary in
spection of the camp.
II think there was disinclination on
the part OF the government to pur-
,hase lime. 1t could have been secured
EASILY, or even burned by the troops.
rhe quartermaster's department might
have accomplished much during the
war that IL did not seem inclined 10
10. II would have been just as easy
% establish at Chickamauga the ideal
that prevail here at Camp |
at the cost of not more than |
Il per man."
Couldn't Get Supplies.
The night session began at s o'clock, |
Frank Strange, quartermas-
Ter OF the Sd Kentucky. being the first |
witness called. He was at Chickamau- |
ga park from June l until the 18th OF |
July, when he took sick and left. He |
testified that while at Chickamauga his 1
regiment was badly equipped. His reg |
ment was unable to procure quarter |
supplies, consisting of cloth |
ng, tentage. etc. because the supplies |
we're not on hand. but in small quanti- |
les. They had so many regiments TO |
squip that when they had supplies on |
iand they were distributed among all |
he regiments. The quartermaster did |
not have equipment, from a lack of |
as to what was required: |
then when the regimental quartermas-
ters went to the depot they were made /
10 wait for several hours.
Next were called seven non-commis-
stoned officers and privates. who stated |
generally that rations and clothing |
were good. The witness |
Ryan. from whom DIR. Connor expected |
10 obtain valuable testimony. was a |
former private in the Sd corps. signal |
service, who was sick in the first divis- |
on hospital at Chickamauga. He had |
written statements OF a serious nature |
70 the board. but was unable to sub |
stantiate but few. He stated that the |
surgeons were guilty Of criminal ne
ylect by not seeing that the orders they |
ssued were obeyed. that the medicines |
prescribed were not administered, that /
,n the day of General Breckinridge's |
review no surgeons visited the hospi- |
ais when men were dying from want |
" attention; that the water was bad; |
hat on frequent occasions meals were |
.aten when bed pans were sitting in |
he rooms, rendering the air foul: that |
he sinks were in bad order and that
,n one occasion a man was almost |
drowned in one.