The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-02
ALGER'S CAMPS WERE
BREEDERS OF DISEASE
Damning Testimony Given Before the Commission De-
partment Wouldn't Furnish Lime Officers Incompe-
tent-Gross Abuses and Criminal Negligence.

Lexington, KY. Nov. before the
war investigation commission to-day,
Chief Commissary Marshall of Camp
Hamilton denied the statements made
by Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell of the
LIST territorials last night. He said ev-
cry reQuisition had been honored from
the territorials. The second witness
was Gen. ]. c. Bates, who testified as
to the Santiago campaign, camps at
Mobile and at Chickamauga. He said:
THE day before we left Mobile we
got pretty well supplied with neces-
saries. At Santiago We mad bread and
meat always. Montauk Point was not
a proper place for q camp Of sick e.
diers at this time of the year. At Mon
tauk Point I learned the Long Island
Railroad company had an exclusive
contract to haul the soldiers to the city.
i issued orders to all other railroads to
come In and help take or the sick. In
Cuba medical supplies were wofully
short. I think the ambulances took
were the only ones ashore when the
Rough Riders fight occurred on the
24th of June"
When asked what, in his opinion, was
the weakness in the medical depart
ment, General Bates said he thought a
great mistake was made in not sending
medical officers in sufficient number
with the regiments ordered to the field
General Bates concluded by saying:
I think there is not sufficient excuse
for medical supplies being short in
Cuba. Better preparations could have
been made for transportation. We had
no way to shoe horses and mules /
have no recommendations to suggest as
to the Improvement of war department
regulations. nor regarding rations.
These matters have been subjected to
the consideration Of boards of officers,
and do not care to offer an opinion"
Camps Disease Breeders.
DR.. Edgar A. Mearns. surgeon in
charge Of Gibbs general hospital Lex
ington. was asked regarding the sani-
ne was brigade surgeon. He read
report on the condition Of the sites
there which showed they were disease
breeders He thought the men detailed
from the regiments to the division hos
pital were Incompetent. DIR. Mearns
condemned the water supply at Camp
Thomas because there was typhoid fe-
yer there. The order to boil drinking
water was generally obeyed when boil
ers could be procured. DR.. Mearns was
asked what recommendation he would
make. He said men in charge should
be given what they asked for, as has
been done here. With competent men
in charge there should be no waste and
nothing would be asked for that was
not needed.
After luncheon Major John ]. Back.
man Of the 160th Indiana was the first
witness called by the commission. His
testimony indicated that his regiment
had Jared we'll in every respect.
Major j. d. Glennan, who was cap-
tain and assistant surgeon in the reg
ular army and was made major and
brigade surgeon of volunteers June 4,
was called. Major Glennan was at
Chickamauga and Tampa with the 9Th
cavalry. He later returned to Chicka-
mauga as brigade surgeon. third divis-
lon, first corps. He said that he found
much larger amount of sickness
among the volunteers than he had been
used to seeing; that he found the sinks
left open and not dug deep enough to
make the camp healthy; that the water
supply was affected by this.
Couldn't Get Lime.
Major Glennan said he reported on
these conditions both verbally and in
writing and made certain recommended
tions. but that no attention was ever
paid to his reports. He said he tried to
get lime. that requisition was made on
the quartermaster's department, and
they said they did not furnish it: that
then the requisition was made on the
medical department. and DR.. Huidekop-
per- the corps surgeon. concerning
whom sensational charges have been
made since. disapproved the use Of lime
and returned the requisition. 4-.--
Major Glennan states that he knew
Of certain regiments where the sick
were kept for weeks because the divfs-
ion hospital had no accommodations for
them. He further said that he be-
lieved the water in every well in Chick
amauga contained the colon bacillus,
which indicated contamination by sew
age.
mo matter how many chemical and
meteorological examinations showed
that the water was not contaminated, I
should still maintain that 1t was not
mt for use," declared Major Glennan.
Asked by DR.. Connor whether the
tendency IN the medical service of the
regular army was not to deteriorate
from the day a man went in until his
retirement. Major Glennan said this
nad been his impression until he saw
the volunteer surgeons. when ne had
come to the conclusion that those in B
the regular army were as good as those /
IN the volunteer service.
Il have no doubt" said DIR. Connor. |
that the worst of the regular army
are great deal better than those OF |
the volunteers"
Major William Cogswell. surgeon OF |
the sth Massachusetts. said that when |.
his regiment reached CHATTANOOGA IL 1
was kept ir freight yards 1s hours, and /
L took them four hours 20 be trans
ported to the park. The men went two |
weeks without fresh meats and their
health was thus greatly impaired and a
arge number were taken sick.
Wouldn't Furnish Medicine.
Major Cogswell attributed the typhoid |
10 the water and lemonade drunk by ]
The men. He said that the clothing /
md blankets belonging to the men who /
lied Of yellow fever We're brought back
without having been washed or boiled /
md used by other men of the regiment.