The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-16
Gen. Brooke
Defends it
BEFORE WAR BOARD
Volunteers Came to Camp
Thomas Poorly Equipped.

Washington, Dec. 15.-Maj Gen. John
r. Brooke was before the war inves-
tigating commission today He said
the most of the troops at Camp
Thomas, where he was in charge, We're
volunteers. They came supposedly
with 10 days rations, but this was the
so-called field ration, and at first they
were hungry. This was remedied by
the commissary department quite
promptly. The commissary department
was always prompt and efficient in its
service. The volunteers were supplied
with all sorts of tentage, most of it
antiquated. Their uniforms were the
National guard uniform, mostly old
and soon made worse by the severity
of the service Their equipment in
general was what had been accumu-
lated through the parsimonious policy
of the war department through the pre-
ceding 25 years" Some of the men
were unarmed and some were in their
citizens clothes with only one blanket
The whole energies of the command
ing Ulcers were bent on equipping this
heterogeneous mass Of men, but some
Of the departments We're lacking IN
supplies. and the work was necessarily
slow. 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 regiments to help out 9TH
ers. Even with this expedient, some Of
the regiments left for Tampa poorly
equipped.
Gen. Brooke noticed the 18th In
diana regiment 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 all the canvas and tentage in
the country and tents of all sorts were
shipped to camp. Canteens, knives.
forks and cups, and the like, We're also
short and this condition. Gen Brooke
said, continued practically up to the
end of his administration at Camp
Thomas. During June orders came to
equip three divisions Of one army corps
for service in the West Indies, and this
was done with the First army corps,
which was more nearly equipped than
the other. Gen. Brooke considered that
when he left the camp, on June %, these
divisions were fairly well supplied
Gen. Brooke said that he had nothing
to do with the selection Of the camp
grounds but being assigned there he
made it his business to look after the
water supply and to see that the neces-
sary sanitary regulations We're pro-
mulgated and inforce1. He made per-
sonal inspections as frequently as his
time would permit. He said positively
That the criticisms of the Cave Spring
water supply were groundless. He had
verified this by personal inspection and
by frequent analysis at Washington.
He had made strenuous efforts to reg
ulate the entrance of hucksters to
camp, and as a result Of this, he said,
the sick report fell off from so TO so
per cent.
Il deem it proper to say" continued
Gen. Brooke, lin controversion of GER
tain reports that I have heard that I
did inspect the camp sinks and ktch-
ems continually"
we have plenty Of testimony before
US said Cen Dodge, that you did
this frequently"
1T was more than frequently" said
Cen Brooke. 1T was daily
There was in the beginning a great
many complaints of scarcity of medi-
cines," said Gen Brooke. I'm this I
made practice of relying largely on
the experience and advice of my chief
surgeons, but whenever I received a
direct complaint, and this was not in
frequently, l made as prompt an in
vestigation as possible. l have seen an
army Of 100000 men in the field not so
well supplied in that respect.
The army of the Potomac in 1851 was
not nearly so well furnished. We had
abundant space in the commissary
stores for 10 days rations for so 900
men We had abundant bake-oven ia
cilities. The commissary and quarter
masters departments had all the room
| they could fill with supplies, and While
there was some Shortage in shoes and
some variety of clothing at times, it
was only what might have been eX-
pected when three armies We're being
rushed to equipment at three points,
Chattanooga, Tampa and San Fran
cisco"
Speaking of his administration in
general, the witness said he had never
hesitated to assume all responsibility
by concentrating authority in his own
hands and enforcing obedience to his
orders among his staff officers. He was
both surprised and disappointed, he
said, to notice the testimony of one of
his staff officers before the commission
that the headquarters camp was in a
distinctly filthy condition.
Gen. Brooke said emphatically that
this was not the case. The commissary
department was well supplied-the only
trouble with this department being to
keep them from sending too much
DR.. Conner-"Did this trouble extend
to the medical Department."
Gen. Congestion? No, sir.
by no means, and this was shown in
my daily report"
Speaking Of the hospitals, Gen.
Brooke said: Tn justice to myself. I
should say that the location of the
| first division hospital was not my own
selection. l left this to Col. HartsiG,
my chief surgeon, and it was the one
location I condemned. I visited this
hospital and it was working badly, due
probably to the surgeon directly in
| charge.
| Regarding the complaints that the
| Eighth Massachusetts, TWelftn New
York and Twenty first Kansas were
camped on ground so rocky that they
| could not dig sinks or drive tent pegs.
Gen. Brooke said there was shale and
| limestone on the ground. but he in
| spected the ground and found il sat
isfactory Sinks could have been put
down 70 feet if they had so desired.
Gov. Beaver then took up the ques-
! ton of sanitation sinks and water sup
! ply. Regarding the failure OF men to
Use the sinks, Gen. Brooke said there
| were some regiments that gave trouble
| in this respect, but he gave it his per-
sonal attention, and by strenuous eff
forts the trouble was largely abated.
and before he left camp ne said the
! matter was practically under control.
Gen. Beaver asked what attention
was given to the recommendation Of
the medical staff officers. concerning
/ the care Of the camps. the striking of
J tents, policing the sinks, etc.
Gen. Brooke said there We're no such
recommendations uade to him. SO far
| as he could recollect. He said he per-
sonally, watched the airing of tents and
| bedding and felt safe in saying it was
| done almost every day.
GOV. BEAVER road q rennrt frnrn1 lam &c