Evening star., 1898-11-15
Hospitals at Camp Thomas,


Hospitals at Camp Thomas
Gen. Breckenridge also testified that the
administration of the hospitals at Camp
Thomas was far from what it ought to
have been, saying that in his opinion Sur
geon General Sternberg did not fully realize
the condition that confronted the medical
department.
After The Stars report was closed Col.
DENLY asked Maj. Thomas T. Knox, 1st
United States Cavalry, If there WAS any
preparation for a fight on the part of the
medical department when the expedition to
Cuba left Florida.
Maj. Knox: Il was not in a position to
Know anything about that. l received my
orders from my immediate superior officer,
but what orders he had l do not know"
Col. DENLY: Il would like to find out
whether, in your opinion proper care was
taken TO provide for contingencies thai
might arise after the expedition reached
Cuba?'
Maj. Knox: Il think, with the materials
we had, everything was done. | suppose
they could not get any more, according to
law"
Col. Denby: You say you suppose they
could not"
Maj. Knox: We'll, 1 know It. The law
says a regiment shall take two surgeons"
Col. DENLY: Il suppose it is well known
that two surgeons for a regiment is not
sufficient to go into battle with?'
n,
The law is probably to blame"
Col. Denby: do you imagine there is a
law to prevent sending enough surgeons in
the field with troops to give ~ oper medic al
assistance when battle is aatici ipated""
Maj. Knox: Yes, sir. The law provides
for so many"
Col. Denby: Should they not have had
ambuiances in Cuba?'
Maj. Knox: Yes, they should have had
horses also, but the reason they failed to
have many things on the transport was
they wanted to take every man they could
get. A great many things wer. left behind
to make room for men,.
Great Haste to Blame.
Col. DENLY: II do not presume to criticise
military operations, but it is within the
puryiew of our duty to find out whether
proper precautions were taken to care for
the men and TO provide IN every possible
manner for them, no matter what the tao
ties might indicate
Maj. Knox: The expedition was hastily
orga nized at an extremely important time
Great haste was made in getting started
and after landing. If we had had mor9
material and more time there might have
been Improvements
Col. DENLY: If you had had more time,
could more care have been taken?"
Maj. Knox: Il do not think l said care.
1T would have been better to have had
more ambuances and more litters."
Col. DENLY: Should there have been field
hospital tents for the Wounded?'
Maj. Knox: Il do not think that was nee
essary. They took the men back to the
hospitals. They were kept in the field hos
pitfalls but short time
Gen. Wilson asked the witness if he knew
how seriously Ia had been wounded after
he was struck and how long he had re-
manned on the firing line.
Maj. Knox: Il knew the wound was Sc
rtCus as the ball had gone through nv
ha Ton
minutes; some say tifte3n rIi:lutes. In the
excitement of the fight rather forgot my
self
Gen. Wilson: why did you stay there SO
lCng?'
Maj. Knox: II knew the position we oc-
cupied was an extremely important one to
mold. We were under very heavy fire,
and if we had given way at that point and
the Spaniards had followed up their sue
cess, they would have broken through our
lines"
Gen Wilson: That's exactly what
wanted to know"
The witness testified that the ship on
which he had gone to Cuba had lald about
a mile from Tampa for six days before
starting, but he did not know whether that
gave time to supply everything they need
ed before embarking.
Could Have Taken More.
Dr. Conner-"Was it absolutely necessary
that ambulances should be left behind, or
stores on the ships? If twenty medical
officers had been needed, would there have
been any serious overcrowding to take
them on board?'
Major Knox-"No, sir; it would not have
made any material crowding."
The witness said that the camp at Lake
land, Fla, where he had been located previ-
Gus to going to Cuba, was in every respect
good camp.
Major General Joseph w. Breckinridge
was then placed upon the stand and testi-
| fled that previous to his appointment as
major general in the volunteer army he
was a brigadier general and inspector gem
| eral of the regular army. He said he had
assumed command of Camp Thomas,
Chcka mauga Park, August 2, and remain
| ed there until the camp was disintegrated
| about the middle of September. When he
assumed command there were nearly Al, 1000
| troops in Camp Thomas.
Their health condition. he said refer
| ring to the troops, seemed to Indicate that
| they were just on the beginning of an epi-
demic of camp fever. Their condition grew
worse until the camp was abandoned
The witness said that a great deal needed
| remedying when he assumed command, and
| that the condition throughout the camp
varied a great deal with the regiments. He
said there was scarcity of water and that
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