Evening star., 1898-12-13
THE ARMY RATION
Commissary General Eagan Says It is
Sufficient.
WHY The VOLUNTEERS SUFFERED
Surgeon Hartsuff Tells of Insuffi-
cient Medical Supplies.
A DIV ICE UN NHEED ED

miSsary general of subsistence, continued
his evidence from yesterday afternoon.
Col. DENLY presided for a time until Gen.
Dodge came, and Gen. Wilson cross-exam-
ined the witness.
Pursuing the line of recommenda tions
Gen. Eagan said that the subsistence de-
partment should have control of the trans
portation of all its supplies and the furnish
ing of means of cooking and serving He
said that Secretary Alger has to have ap-
proved bill authorizing his department to
build and supply bake ovens and mess
equipment. The quartermaster genera.
department has duties innumerable he
said, and is overburdened
Despite the claim that has been made"
said the witness, 'the British army Is not
as well fed as the American The rations
given our soldiers are all that is needed
win the exception possibly of dried fruits
Wnich should be added to the list of ar
ticles. l intend asking Congress for author
lty to add certain things in the discretion
of the War Department.
General Eagan said that the law defining
tne ratlons should remain the statute
DOCKS In view of the constant and urgent
opportunities submitted to him. These at
times reach the degree of persecution
Attempts have been made to have GER
tam articles of food added to the regular
rat1ons, said he, "and the opportunities of
the promoters of these articles have been
backed by strong support and heavy capi-
tai. one well-known senator, whose name
l withhold, proposed and insisted upon one
article which he claimed would cost only 1
cent ration. For the whole army the cost
would nave reached amazing proportions"
He Recommended Beer.
He recommended that beer be furnished
the men in such quantities as the COM
manding officers might deem best, and he
said he Is quite willing in this regard to
incur the hostility of the blue ribbon So
cieties. He considered this as highly in
the interest of the men in the army.
The subject of the beef given the SOL
GlerS in Porto Rico and the complaints
concerning 1t was next taken up. Gen.
Eagan said that for such bad meat he was
not responsible, as he had purchased the
best to be obtained. After his contract
was entered into and the beef loaded and
sent from Newport News, Gsn. Miles tele-
graphed that he could get the beef on the
island. Therefore the beef Gen. Eacan
shipped was brought back to New York
where it had to be thrown overheard. He
said the beef was of fine quality and should
have been used. Some of the beef pur
chased in Porto Rico, he said, still retain
ed animal heat when issued to be cooked.
AT least he has been so informed
No one with any sense would hesitate
to use refrigerated beef instead of the
fresh product said the witness.
Ignorance of Volunteers.
Referring to the ignorance in the volun-
teer army on the subject of rations General
Eagan said there should be one commits
sary sergeant with each regiment for the
sole purpose of instructing the others as
to the use and extent of rations.
1T seems to me- said General Beaver,
that if there had been a sergeant major
with each regiment there would have been
none of the ignorance upon the subject of
rations or the waiting around for the de-
livery wagon, of which complaint has been
made. When a volunteer regiment goes
into the field there ought to be nOn-com-
missioned officer with it, who would know
how and where to draw the ratons for the
regiment. The instructions seem explicit
enough he said,' holding up the army
manual upon the subject, but the trouble
seems to be that there is a lack of knowl-
edge with regard to them"
Surgeon Hartsuf n Witness.
Lieut.. Col Hartsuff, chief surgeon under
Gen. Brooke at Camp Thomas was next
examined DR.. Conner, usual, propound-
ed the first series of questions. He de.
scribed the character of his duties as pre-
scribed by the regulations and orders of his
sLperiors. He said he regarded that he
had the power to interfere with any orders
or actions undertaken by the chief sur
geons of the corps. Speaking of the divi-
sion hospital at Camp Thomas he said that
two surgeons we're in charge of 1t. These
We're detailed from regimentai service after
the order creating the division hospital had
been received. All of the volunteer sur
geons had had hospital experience before
entering the service. He stated the trouble
he went to in order to ascertain their fit
ness for the work.
Lieut.. Col. Hartsuff stated: "As soon as
l arrived at the camp, April %, 1 made an
immediate inspection OF the command Fol-
lowing it ! wrote the surgeon general that
the regular regiments were not supplied
with medicines. Through that communica-
hoy, Il
not know what was the status of things or
the departments information in the matter
i made my first effort TO obtain what was
needed"
Asked by Dr. Conner if he had exneri
enced any difficulty in the beginning in get
ting supplies, the witness replied:
Supplies Were Not Sent.
II asked for the supplies in bulk and i'm
mediately, and"
And they We're not sent?"
And they were not sent" repeated the
witness.
He said that it was necessary, on account
of the lack, to peddle out the supplies very
tenderly. giving only just enough to last
from day TO day. He told of his giving the
medical officers of the volunteer regiments
the blanks and other forms for reauisitions
and records.
Instead of using these FORMS" said he.
the acquisitions from these officers came
on bits of paper, anything that could be
written on. often without the signatur of
the surgeon. Nevertheless, they were
promptly filled as far as l was able. The
only authority | assumed was in substi-
tutlng certain articles of which we had a
falrly good supply for others with which
we were very little supplied or not at all
The supplies We had on hand from day to
day and from week to week to be disnensed
1or that vast camp were very meager'
fhe witness insisted that the regiments
sent to Camp Thomas were either wholly
without or inadequately supplied.
Were the regiments that arrived there
supplied with such medicines as they need
ed?'
IN no instance. The men had nothing"
Recommendations Unheeded.
DIR. Conner then led the witness to detail
his efforts toward changing camp grounds
or the regiments. Col. Hartsuff read a
letter he wrote the adjutant general. In