Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-16
GENERAL BROOKE
Testifes Before the War In
yestigation Board.
Shortage at Chickamauga Not Greater
Than Could Be Expected.
Says Headquarters Camp Wasa't Filthy and
that He Daily Visited Sinks.

Washington, Dec. l5.-Major Gen.
John r. Brooke was the first witness
before the war investigating commits
sion, today. He said the most of the
troops at Camp Thomas, where he was
in charge. We're volunteers. They
came supposedly with 10 days rations,
but this was the so-called field ration
and at first they were hungry. This
was quite promptly remedied by the
commissary department. The COM
mlssary department was always
prompt and efficient in it's service.
The volunteers We're supplied with all
sorts of tentage, most of it antiquated.
Their uniforms were the National
Guard uniforms, mostly old and soon
made worse by the severity Of the SER
vice. Their equipment in general was
what had been accumulated through
the parsimonious policy Of the war
department through the preceding 20
years" Some of the men were un-
armed and some in their citizens
clothes with only one blanket.
Early in June the commanding gen.
eral was ordered to send enough of
the best equipped regiments to Tampa,
and to DO this it was necessary to
strip some of the regiments to help
out others. Even with this expedieIit
some of the regiments left for Tampa
poorly equipped. Gen. Brooke noticed
the 18TH Indiana Regiment which left
camp with it's belts tied together
with strings. Other men were with
out cartridge belts and had to use the
old cartridge boxes. The war depart
men at this time had exhausted all
the canvas and tentage in the country
and tents of all sorts were shipped to
camp.
Canteens, knives. forks, cups and
.the like were also short, ana this con-
dition, Gen. Brooke said, continued
practically up to the end of his ad-
ministration at Camp Thomas. He
said that the criticisms of the Cave
Spring water at the camp were
groundless. Il deem it proper 10 say"
continued Gen. Brooke, "in controyer-
sion OF certain reports that l have
heard, that Ibid continually inspect
the camp sinks and Kitchens"
we have plenty of testimony before
u.s." said Gen. Dodge, chat you fire.
quently did this"
1t was more than frequently" said
Gen. Brooke. 1T was daly." Gen.
Brooke said that there was in the be-
ginning great many complaints of
scarcity of medicines. The supply de-
pots l established myself have seen
an army of 100000 men in the field not
SO well supplied in that respect. The,
army of the Potomac in 1861 was not
nearly so well furnished. The commits
sary and quartermaster's departments
had all the room they could fill with
supplies, and while there was some
shortage in shoes and some variety of
clothing at times, it was only what
might have been expected when three
armies We're being rushed to equip.
ment at three points. 81
Speaking of his administration M
general, the witness saNAAhe had seeffs1
very few instances where there was
not prompt and energetic compliance
with all his orders. He was both sur
prised and disappointed, he said, tOtr1o-
tice the testimony of one of his staff
officers before the commission that the
headquarters camp was in "a distinct
~ fifty condition" Gen. Brooke em-
pha'tically said that was not the case.
Speaking of the hospitals, Gen.
Brooke said: THE location OF the 1st
Continued on page e.l