The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-18
WAR COMMISSIONERS WORK.
THEY ADJOURN AT WASHINGTON
TO MEET IN NEW YORK.

mr.. ForVvOod Concludes His TeStimo-
nv In Defense of the Camp at Mon
tauI< Point, Where He Was Chief
surgeOn-He Thought the Newspn-
per Men We're Under orders to
Criticfze-NIaj. Gen. Young Relates
His Experiences at Santiago and
MOntauk.
washington, Nov. 1.-THE war investi-
eating committee adjourned at o'clock
to-day to meet at the Fifth Avenue Ho-
eel New York, tomorrow. After conclud-
ing the work in New York, the commits
sion will proceed to Boston. and, return
ing will stop at Philadelphia, to make
certain inquiries there. 1t Is also expect
ed that a number of witnesses will be
called after the return to Washington,
and if the commission does not go to Cuba
some persons will be asked to come here.
Col. DENLY will remain in Washington
while the other members of the commits
sion are absent, and will take the test-
mony of such persons as may ask to be
heard.
Or. Forwood concluded his testimony
to-day concerning conditions at Montauk
Point where he was chief army surgeon.
He defended the camp and hospitals at
that pace, denying a number of charges
made against them. DR.. Forwood said the
newspaper men at the camps were gentle
men, but they appeared to be under or
ders to critcise the camp. He knew of
two instances in which the reporters had
received orders to ''roast everything" He
had told them not to spare when they
found criticisms justified.
Maj Gen. S. M. B. Young was before
the commission at its afternoon session,
relating his experience at Santiago and
vicinity, and afterwards at Montauk. He
said he had landed at Daiquiri on June q,
and that by the morning of the 23rd his
entire brigade had been put ashore. He
had notified Gen. Wheeler Immediately
and had received orders to move on four
or five miles and secure a good camp. He
accordingly had pushed on to Siboney. He
had asked Wheeler where the good camp
ing ground was and he had replied that
the Spaniards occupied it.
Il then" said Gen Young, asked per
mission to go out to see the ground, to see
if I should like to get it for our own troops,
to which Gen. Wheeler assented.''
In accordance with this arrangement nc
moved out at 5 o'clock next morning to
fight the battle of Guasima, sending the
and the regulars by another. He declared
that there was no surprise in this fight,
and no ambusCade as had been reported.
He had reconnoitered the Spanish camp
with a glass for half an hour before the
fight began, and he had attacked the
Spanards and not the Spaniards him.
Speaking of the Rough Riders, he said
that they were allowed to be ambuscaded
was due to, ne said, entirely 10 the de-
TqOTaliyp6 n a
jutant of the regiment, who had left the
service soon afterwards"
Gen. Young said he had occupied the en-
emy's camp that day-"and it was a very
good camp" ne said naively. In reply TO
a question as to what aid he had secured
from the Cubans in this fight, he replied
none whatever.
Cen Young said that Immediately after
the Guasima fight, he had looked over the
ground towards Caney, and had informed
Gen. Wheeler that he was confident he
could take the place that night with his
brigade if allowed to do so. Gen. Wheeler
had replied that hts orders from Cen. Shat
ter were not TO advance without notifying
him. and that he would notify the general
of Cen Young's wishes. He had not heard
anything more officially in regard to the
matter
With this, Gen. Young's service in Cuba
ceased, and he-was taken down with fe-
yer on June 30 and sent back home. After
period of sickness he was sent to Mon
tauk Point 10 establish Camp Wikoff. He
detailed the difficulties of the preparation
Of the camp. He said it had been impossi
bic to get in floors and that he had not
considered them necessary, either for
health or comfort. Il gave them lumber
and hammers and nails. however, and told
them 10 make themselves floors if they
wanted them. l thought they were being
treated too much Nike babies"
Regarding the commissdry supplies he
said they were abundant and that food
enough had been allowed to spoil to feed
100 men daily. The hospital and quarter
master stores were also ample. He had
never in all his experience seen any army
hospitals so well supplied with medicines
and stores of all kinds
The controlling motive in selecting Mon
tauk was that of securing proper quaran-
tine and a very strict quarantine was OBJ
served. He considered the camp very
heaithful and the site desirable. GAS to
what was done there for the soldiers" he
said, Il think l deserved more credit for
what | did at Montauk than for what 1
did at Lau Guasima. think more was done
than should have been done for the SOL
diers"-
Telling of the hardships of one command
which had just arrived from Cuba, he said:
They were not the heroes, being only reg
ulars.' He said the privations of the war
We're not so serious as Indian campaigns
he had been engaged in. He was satisfied
that most of the complaints against the
camps were unfounded. Many Of the COM
plants were made by men and women who
had never seen men. in camp. Approaching
the situation the soldiers had played il
on the visitors, making complaints that
were without foundation in order TO get
deiicacies. Soldiers like to be made babies
Of" he said, ''and some of them soon got
so they would not eat their regular ra-
tons"
Gen. Young concluded his testimony with
the statement that the soldiers were far
better cared for than they had been in the
civil war.
WHO SELECTED CAMP SITES.