The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-01

staff at Chlckamauga, gave some SenSa-
tional testimony concerning the condi-
| lions there.
when the camp was first established
there" he said, Il did not inspect a
single hospital, but what l found it in
| filthy condition. Reports were made
| of this to the commanding general and
improvements could be observed for a
few days. But in a short time matters
would get as bad as ever. About the
time the camp was broken up this had
been corrected to a large extent
Colonel Baldwin further said that he
had known acquisitions to be made fire.
quently and not to be honored. This
was especially true in regard to the
Second division, Third corps.
DIR. Conner of the commission, said:
.There has been more disgrace
brought upon the United States hospital
system by the Second division, Third
corps, than by any other in the service.
/ can readily see how this was, since no
sort of attention was paid to the COM
plants made"
Colonel Baldwin said, so far as he
knew General Compton, commanding the
Second division, only inspected his COM
mand on Sunday morning, and that he
did not know of either General Compton
or General Wade, the corps commander,
having inspected the Second division
hospital.
Colonel Baldwin said that he knew of
one Mississippi regiment which did not
get its clothing when it should and suf-
fered greatly in consequence, as the
weather was wet and nasty.
Il do not consider Chickamauga Park
suitable place for large number of
troops for many reasons. My observa-
tions was that sinks could not be dug
over six feet without striking rock.
The only water supply was Chicka-
manga creek. On two occasions | OBJ
served the water entering the pipes to
be in exceedingly bad conditions, on ac
count of filth and refuse. 1t was ex-
pected that the breaking of dams caused
this. | saw the creek nearly every day,
and / never saw the water in such condi-
ton that l should have liked to drink it.
Moreover. the park has entirely too
much timberland to make good camp.
GENERAL Sangers' division had to send
three or four miles for water. | know
positively that no regiment remained two
months and half without striking it's
tents and raising the floors, or else
changing its encampment
Asked if the men were allowed to drink
water from certain spring. Colonel
Baldwin said:
PERFORATED WITH SINKS.
at is true that they were not, but. as
an officer humorously remarked. TO
keep the men from drinking water from
any pool it was necessary to put SEN
tinel over the pool and then put anoth-
or sentinel over him to keep him from
drinking"
Colonel Baldwin stated that no such
arrangements were made to take care OF
the sinks as have been made at Camp
Hamilton. He said that the ground
finally got so perforated with sinks IN
the timber portion of the park that it
was really unsafe to ride through 1T,
that his horse had gone in up to his
belly.
Colonel Baldwin said that it was COM
mon complaint that regiments frequent
~ dumped their worst men off on hos
pitfalls for nurses. He said that the camp
of the First Mississippi was one OF the
worst he had ever seen, largely on ac-
count Of the leniency of the Colonel
with his men. He stated further that
there was great difficulty in getting
lime due to the inefficiency of the quart
ermasters department.
On one occasion he said he was noti-
fed that there was an abundance OF
lime. and that he in turn notified sew
eral regimental commanders. They
made acquisitions and were given one
barrel of lime each and notified that that
was all that could be granted them.
The next witness was Captain Benja-
min Johnston, now depot quartermaster
at Camp Hamilton. Captain Johnston
served as assistant TO the chief quarter
master of the Fifth corps at Santiago,
from July 18th to August 22nd. He
came away with General Shafter and
served at Montauk Point until that
camp was abandoned, when he came to
Lexington. He had no criticisms to
make.
COLONEL BOUGHT MEDICINES.
Colonel William A. Pew, Of the Eighth
Massachusetts, was called. Inc pfin-
cipal complaints he made were OF tne
difficulty his regiment experienced IN
securing medical supplies. He SAID ms
surgeon would make out requlsltlon
and hand it to the superior Officers, ana
they WOULD feluTH IL, say ."SAN
were no supplies and it was of no use
to make requisition. Colonel Pew said
that his regiment had difficulty in Sc
curing it's wagons. At Chicamauga Park
he said his camp ground was very poor.
Colonel Robert w. Leonard, Twelfth
New York, testified that the surgeon Of
his regiment was continually clamoring
for medicine to give the men in quarters
He could not secure these, he said, so
the Colonel spent $500 out of his own
pocket for medicines.
Colonel Leonard admitted that his
men were sometimes not sent to division
hospitals because they were so much
opposed to them.
Colonel Leonard said the commissary
supplies had been good and so abundant
that the men could not consume them;
in consequence each company has a fund
of $50 or more obtained by selling SUI
perfuous supplies. The Colonel com
planned Of the quartermaster's supplies,
especially of the shoes. He said that he
had spent nearly 5000 out of his own
pocket for shoes for his men.
He said that the supplies were issued
-, 1nn1n ,,I