The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-25
THE CAMP AT CHICkAMAUGA
The War Investigation Commission I'm
Session at Admission Takes Testi.
mony Of Omcers AT Camp Thomas

mouy Oh OmcerD AT camp Bnofnas
Admission. Ala, October 22-The war
investigating commission began its
work here today by making an inspec-
ton Of the site Of Camp Shipp in the
forenoon and then devoting the after
noon to questioning General Frank,
commanding officer Of the camp and
his chief surgeon, Major Henry Hoyt.
Both were identified with Camp Thorn
as at Chickamauga, General Frank
having been in command of the First
division Of the Third corps at that
point, and Major Hoyt, his chief sur
geon there, was here. 1t was made
plain by the general trend of their
examination that the work done here
would pertain more largely to Camp
Thomas than to the camp here, as a
majority of the men here were remov-
ed from Chickamauga. There are how
ever. two regiments here which were
in Cuba and some of their representa-
tives will also be examined.
General Frank said he considered
Chickamauga park a good site for a
temporary camp, but not for perma-
nent camp for a large army. The chief
difficulty was in putting sinks down
w
nation near the surface, sinks could
only be made two or three feet deep
and they were frequently overfiowed
There were also a general impression
that the springs in the locality We're
impregnated by these sinks and it was
impossible to prevent the men from
drinking from the springs. He thought
the camp should have been moved as
early as July. He said he had heard
no complaint from the men in regard
to the food received while at Chicka-
manga, but because of the necessity
for getting the first corps ready for
foreign service, there was a shortage
in clothing for a time. There was also
for the time difficulty in securing hos
pital room for the men when sickness
began to increase, but this deficiency
was soon remedied. There has been
a constant improvement in the COM
mand since it's removal to Admission
early in September, and General Frank
thought it was due to the change of
site.
Returning to Chickamauga he said
the hospital tents were not f1Oored
when he went to the camp early in
July, though there had been sufficient
time to have furnished flooring for the
entire camp.
General Frank said that his corps
commander had never made an in
spection of the camp with reference
to sinks, drains, etc.
DR.. Henry F. Hoyt was also examin-
ed especially with reference to Camp
Thomas. He said the increase in sick
ness above the normal had begun
about the middle of July and had been
rapid from that time forward until
there were $50 patients in the First
division hospital on August 1st. At this
time it was impossible to receive new
a
hours. The increase in disease had be-
gun with the rainy season and he
thought much of the malaria had been
due to the fact that the men were COM
PEELED to sleep on the ground. He at
tributed the increase in typhoid to the
sinks, to the flies. to the fact that the
wells were infected and to the care
lessness Of the men. The command
used water taken through pipes from
Chickamauga river and the pipe was
located only a few feet above the
mouth of the stream which drained the
camp. The doctor thought that some
of the water from this tributary
stream had been forced into the pipes
by means of eddies. 1t had also been
impossible to prevent the use of sur
face we'll water by the men.
DR.. Hoyt expressed the opinion that
the surgeons in the division hospital
had been competent and in support of
HIS opinion lie duUuCeu Tie IdCl lIldl
there had been only twenty-seven
deaths out of ], $40 patients in the hos
pital for the entire three summer
months. The nurses of the hospital
corps, while faithful, were in most
cases, unsiklled and, therefore, incOm
petent. He said there had been GIG pa
tients treated in the division hospital
at Admission and of these twenty had
died. There had been an exceptionally
high degree of mortality here, but
many of the men who came here both
from Chickamauga and Santiago were
very much deliberated. He thought the
change of location from Chickamauga
had been very beneficial. DR.. Hoyt
said he was familiar with the COM
plants concerning the Eighth New
York regiment and especially with the
criticism made by Surgeon General
Terry, of New York. There was, he
said, an enormous sick rate in this
regiment and there were many cases
of homesickness yet. Circumstances
surrounding these men were the same
as those affecting others.