The record-union., 1898-10-08
CONDUCT OF The
LATE WAR,
Gen. Greene, Who Was in Charge
of the Troops al Manila,
Appears Before and Gives Testimony to
Investigating Commission.
Surgeon General Sternberg Sends a
Letter to the Commission Con-
tanning Memoranda Relating to
the Workings of the Medical
Department During the War.

Department During the War.
| WASHINGTON, Oct. General F.
V. Greene, who was in charge of one
Of the divisions of the United States
troops at the battle of Manila, was be-
fore the'War Investigating Commission
at it's forenoon session to-day. He sail
ed from San Francisco to Manila on
the steamer China, an excellent vessel,
he said, which was inspected by a
board Of officers before it was charter
ed. He found the ship in good condi-
ton, but that the men necessarily were
crowded Four months provisions and
a large quantity of Quartermaster's and
medical supplies We're carried. With
a few exceptions the loading was care
fully done, though there was some mis-
placement, owing to haste.
General Greene said that there was no
complaint during the voyage of scarcity
of supplies, but during the first two
days out there was some dissatisfaction
with the cooking. This was soon i'm
proved, and no criticism was heard af-
| terWard.
The details of the ocean trip and of
the battle of Malate We're related in a
manner calling for the closest atten-
ton from the Commissioners, but COW
ering the same ground as his report to
the War Department recently made
public.
He spoke of the insurgents which lay
between his forces and the Spanish
lines. 1t was, the witness said, impos-
sible to give an estimate of their num-
Der, but he thought it was about 10,-
600. They were we'll supplied with
Mauser and Remington rifles, many of
which they had captured from the
| Spanish, others they had purchased
abroad
The health of the troops was excel
lent and the commissary supplies were
abundant, but difficulty in getting
I them ashore on account of the storm
caused some hardships. Only on one
day were they without food, but dur
ing the other twenty-four days they
| had sufficient food to sustain life,
though there was a shortage, due en-
tirely to the inclement weather. He
considered the surgeons efficient.
1t had been impossible to properly
supply the men with shoes. and as a
consequence about 300 of the troops
marched into the city barefooted after
the capitulation.
General Greene thought the army
regulations should be adapted more to
campaign exigencies than at present.
Since the civil war the regulations had
been refined until they had been gotten
down to so fine a point that you could
hardly move under them.
The site of Camp Merritt, San Fran
cisco, was very poor. The location was
made by General Otis, and General
Greene felt safe in denying the report
that there had been collusion with the
railroad officials in choosing the site.
| The most fragrant evidence of neglect
that he had seen during the war was
the case Of transports at New York
Their condition was of a character that
should be remedied He had also seen
green coffee used, both in Florida and
at Manila.
Major Henry B. Hersey of Santa Fe.
n. NJ, of the Roosevelt Rough Riders
said the camp at Tampa, Fla, was
low and fat, and toward the close of
his stay there in July there was an in
| crease of fever and kindred diseases.
The troops We're, he said. we'll supplied
from the commissary and other Depart
ments but there We're some complaints
of the bearing Of the physicians who
| We're left with the squadron at this
point. He ascribed the sickness of the
men in Cuba to the climate and the
hardships Of the campaign
He had come north to Wikoff on the
Miami, which was considered one of the
worst transports, but the voyage was
not characterized by any special dis
comforts. Camp Wikoff was the most
perfect camp he had ever seen
Colonel James G. c. Lee, Chief Quar-
termaster at Camp Thomas, said that
his estimates for supplies had been all
| met with remarkable degree of
promptitude Colonel Lee dwelt upon
the natural difficulties of supplying an
army of $4,000, who seemed to expect
to be able to- turn a faucet and get ev-
erything they wanted ION the spur of
the moment" He had contended for
this right and it was conceded to him.
He did not believe that any actual
suffering had arisen on account of the
| inefficiency of officers
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE
ARMY
WASHINGTON, Oct. Z. - Surgeon
General Sternberg has sent to the COM
mission investigating the conduct of the
war, the following memorandum relat-
ing to the Medical Department of the
army:
The number of medical officers al
lowed by law is inadequate in times of
peace. The total number allowed is
1872. There are at present thirteen va
cancies. The administration of the
Surgeon Generals office and the army
medical museum requires six Eleven
are on duty at medical supply depots,
and as chief surgeons of military de-
partments. One is at the Soldiers
Home, fifty-five at general hospitals. on
hospital ships and at garrisoned posts.
Four have been disabled since the, com
mencement Of the war by sickness.
Five are on duty as chief surgeons of
army corps. This leaves ninety-seven
medical officers available for duty with
troops in the field OF these thirty five
have been appointed brigade surgeons
of volunteers, and are distributed
among the various army corps Since
the declaration of war the loss by
death has been two. and twenty-three
are now absent from duty on sick leave
This deficiency in regular medical