Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-04
PROBE HARD AT WORK
War Conduct Investigators Do
Business at Three DIFF.
a. ferent Points.
OHIGKAKAUGA CAMP THE SUBJECT.

Witnesses Severe in Their Criticisms of
the Management of the Great Military
Rendezyous-Causes Alleged of the Sick
ness in the Camp-Fault Was in the
System, Says One witness-Colonel Con-
tradicts His Second in Command.
Cincinnati, Nov. 4.-The sub-commit-
tee of the war investigators arrived
here yesterday and inspected Fort
Thomas, finding everything all right
out there. Then the committee, which
is headed by the chairman of
the commission. General Dodge.
proceeded to take testimony about
Chickamauga. The first witness
was Major Z. F. Helburn, Second Ken
lucky, mustered out. The witness had
been on a commission to investigate
division hospital at Chickamauga. The
commission concluded that at first the
hospital was in a bad condition, but 1t
got better and during Major Smiths
control it was in good condition; that
the cause for its bad condition arose
from the fact that it was not intended
TO be more than a temporary hospital,
but the sick increased SO rapidly that 1t
was over-crowded.
Nurses Who Were Incompetent.
Another cause was the incompetency
of men detailed from regiments for
nurses. In many regiments the most
worthless men were detailed for that
duty. The detail was made according
to regulation. The fault was not of the
medical department. but of the system.
The commission found unnecessary suf-
fering because of lack of tents and OF
cots, SO that the patients were exposed
to the rain and compelled to lie on the
ground. This was the fault of the quar-
termaster's department. acquisitions
were not filed for from two to ten days.
and in some instances were not filled
at all.
Fatal Mistake in an Order.
When asked if there were many
deaths resulting from these neSlectS he
said there was an order from DR.. Hof
to Major Smith to send fifty of the
worst patients to Sternberg hospital. OF
these two died in short time after the
removal 1t was claimed by DR.. Hof
that the orderwas to send sixty patients,
and not fifty of the worst" patients.
The original order was not produced.
The witness admitted that he would NOT
charge these deaths TO neglect. but to
want of judgment in sending men out
not fit to bear the fatigue. The only
complaint against the medical corps
was in the case OF Major Hubbard, who
required the sick TO stand at attention
while attending sick calls. The medical
corps was rot neSlectful. but was dis
heartened because of Inability to get
supplies, medicine and proper nursing.
As instances of neglect the witness
said his commission had much testi-
mony that patients We're allowed to
remain filthy in their beds, and were
actually fiy-blown. The witness read
the statements of Major Smith and
Colonel Hof. made to his commission.
The former was a scathing arraign-
ment of the inefficiency of the supply
department.
sickness Came on With a Rush.
Colonel Hofs statement was read to
the committee. 1t dealt with a defense
of the field hospital, which he said was
originally intended to accommodate 200
sick. but the sickness increased so rap
idly and Unexpectedly that the supply
department was not prepared to meet
the demand. The witness being asked
his own opinion about the great amount |
OF sickness at Chickamauga said he |
thought that twc-thirds of it was due |
to negligence of the men themselves. In !
his own command men who were tenn
perate and reasonably careful of their |
health kept healthy Many of them |
drank stale beer after hot drills. and |
would lie about cooling off suddenly. |
There was a vast amount of unwhOle- |
some food and drink sold by hucksters |
until they were prohibited. The witness |
cited the Eighth and Ninth New York |
regiments. which had canteens. and he |
said almost the entire regiments were |
stricken by disease.
Says Major Hubbard Was Brutal.
The reading was interrupted by the |
appearance of Captain Price. of the |
Second Kentucky. and he was examined. |
The witness in describing action of Ma
jor Hubbard one day said that he |
choked a patient and forcibly pressed |
him down on the cot. He then caught |
the patients hands and then wrenched |
them until the poor man shrieked with |
pain. At this point the witness said to |
Hubbard: 4 do not know your name or |
your rank but this brutality must stop" |
Hubbard did not stop. but said some
thing about showing a patient how to |
refuse taking medicine
DIR. HARTSUFF ON CHICKA8IAUGA.
Finds That the Camp Lacked Many Things
1t should Have Had.
Washington, Nov. 4.-Dr. A Hart