The Portland daily press., 1898-12-16
GEN BROOKE ON STAND.
Testifies Before War Investigation
Board.

WaSQluRUUu. 06C6lu DoI -uA6JOL oCa
eral John r. Brooke was the first witness
before the war investigation commission
today. He said the most oflthe troops at
Camp Thomas, where he was in charge,
were volunteers. They came supposedly
with ten days rations. but this was the
so-oalled field ration and at first they
were hungry. This was remedied by the
commissary department quite promptly.
The commissary department was always
prom pt and efficient in it's service. The
volunteers were supplied with all sorts of
tentage, most of it antiquated. Their
uniforms were the National Guard uni
form, mostly old and soon made worse by
the severity of the service Their equip
ment in general was what had been ac-
cumulated Through the Eparsimon1ous
period of the war department. through the
preceding twenty-five years. Some of
the men were unarmed and some in their
citizens clothes with only one blanket.
Early in June the commanding general
was ordered to send eight of the best
equipped regiments to Tampa, and to do
this it was necessary to strip some of the
reg iments to help out others. Even with
this expedient some of the regiments left
for Tampa poorly equipped. General
Brooke noticed the 18th Indiana regi-
ment which left camp with Its belts tied
together with strings. Other men we're
without cartridge belts and had to use the
old cartridge boxes The war department
at this time had exhausted ali the canvas
and tentage in the country and tents OF
all sort were shipped to camp. Canteens,
knives forks, cups and the like were also
short and this condition, General BROOKE
said, continued practically up to the end
of his administration at Camp Thomas.
He said that the criticisms Of the Cave
Spring water at the camp were ground
lsss.
ST deem it proper to say, continued
General Brooke, Sin controversion OF GER.
tain reports that I have heard. that did
inspect the camp sinks and Kitchens con
nuously.
eve have plenty of testimony before
us, said General Dodge, THAT you lld
this frequently"
sit was more than frequently said
General Brooke. cit was daily.
General Brooke said that there were IN
the beginning great many complain Is
of scarcity of medicines. Ihe supply
depots established myself. l have seen
an army of 100, 900 men in the field not SO
of the Potomac in 1861 was not nearly 50
we'll furnished. The commlssary ana
quartermaster's departments nad all tn5
room they could fill with supplies ana
while there was some shortage IN shoes
and some variety of clothing at times. IL
was only what might have been expected
when three armies were being rusned 10
equipment at three points.
Speaking of his administrator IN
general the witness said he had seen very
few instances where there was not prompt
and energetic compliance with all MS
orders He was both surprised and d1sap-
pointed he said, to notice the testimony
of one of his staff officers before he COM
mission that the headquarters OF the
camp was in distinctly hlthy con-
dition.
General Brooke said emphatically that
this was not the case.
Speaking Of the hospitals, General
Brooke said: 1.-The location OF the urst
division hospital was not my own selec.
tion. left this to Col. Hartsutf, my chlef
surgeon. and it. was the one location
condemned.
Governor Beaver read a report from
James Parker, ,nitary inspector OF the
twelfth New York volunteers detailing
an upprintable disgusting state of sani-
tarv affairs at Camp Thomas during Gen.
| Brooke's incum bency, and Gen. Brooke
was asked what he had to say regarding
| 1t. ..,
II will say" he replied. "that IL is not
only untrue, but il you will give me q
cony of that report l will see that that
vonna man goes before court martial 1oI
fbasa stataments unless he is protected IN
hiS tasrinonv by this commission.