The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-08
4 GROSS INCARCERATION.

trossod at the wide spread and
| persistent story OF neglect and in
capacity on the part Of the War Depart
mcnt. whereby disease and pestilenoe and
death were permitted 70 ravage the
ranks Of the soldiers enlisted in the Gu
ban invasion. Indeed IL was not an easy
matter 10 repross the rising feeling OF
I resentment. until the actual facts could
( Doe automatically established. The recital
/ o. Che shocking details excited a senti-
mcns Of Indignation at the bare POSSIBLE
Nv that they could be true.
IL is therefore with sincere gratihcs-
ton. and with a feeling Of partial, II not
entire. relief that we have noted in the
! past three days evidence which satisfies
us that tho matter was greatly, very
greatly. exaggerated. The vehement ar
ralgnmcnt OF General Alger, Secretary
Of War, by John Sherman, could not,
| Of course. make a very deep impression.
since tho motive for his accusation could
be easily traced 10 the prominent part
! the Secretary took. or IS supposed 20 have
| taken. in defeating tho Presidential as
| pir1tions OF honest john And then,
/ too. the heart rending story was given
10 the public through the always du-
bious. II not totally discredited, medium
| Of the yellow journals Of our great
metropolis.
And now we have testimony Of q very
| high character 60 show that the condi-
ton Of the camps IS not, and never
has been. such as represented in the ex-
! cruciating accounts started by the New
York Journal. and with undue haste. as
it would scom. circulated by the news
paper press OF the country. General II.
V. Boynton was detailed by the Secre-
tary of War to make a thorough inves-
| ~tigation Of the camps at Chickomauga
that were so scathingly criticised. Prob
ably there was no man in the country
more competent than General Boynton
/ TO make a rigid and exact scrutiny into
the actual facts OF the case. He wa a
conspicuous soldier. on the Union side.
in the civil war: and ne is a journalist
| of long and successful experience. II
was not possible 20 mislead or sway him
in the matter Of ascertaining the precise
| conditions I'm the camps. His report TO
| the war Department shows that he made
e. most pains-taking investigation, ana
completely. absolutely. cxonerates the
War Department at Washington from
the charge of neglect or incniciency. Not
only this. but IL shows that the sanitary
conditions Of the Chickamauga camps
were exceptionally good. lie takes mp
ina detail the two permanent hospitals,
/ Letter and Sternberg, and states with
! the greatest minuteness. the exact facts
of their administration. In the matter
Of ventilation, cleanliness, purity OF
water. nurses. supplies of suitable food
| ana delicacies. attendance Of competent
! and faithful surgeons. these hospitals
were as near q perfect state as 1t was
uossible 10 secure. Indeed the report
! absolutely d"issipates and sends to the
/ drifting winds. the sensational accounts
OF the yellow journals. lie does. indeed,
/ find fault with the neglect Of some regi-
| mental commanders I'm allowing filth to
| accumulate in their camps. But this
| has nothing TO do with the conduct OF
( line war Department at Washington, OF
with the management OF the hospitals.
We cannot forbcar to quote. in this con-
| nect.on one paragraph from his report,
as follows: .
$50 Ear from believing, as q result OF
my observations. thar medical onlceIa
have been hcartcss or negligent, pc
! le,c that these officers and the hospital
attendants. as a whole, nave eAeIteu
themselves 20 ~chars thclI uuue'
| faithfully. It would seem as If this were
! su0iclentlv shown by the fact that they
/ have worked INCREASINGLY until "a quarter
of tho whole force has itself been strlch-
en- bv disease resulting from their eA-
| hausting labors.
And next comes the interesting state
ment OF Fighting Joe Wheeler" He
| completely oxonerates the War Depart
ment at Washington from any blame
whatever. for the suffering Of our brave
boys in the assault upon Santiago. Here
are his words:
zone reason why our army was lack
ing in some respects in equipage was
that a telegram was received from Ad-
mirsl Sampson stating that II the army
reached there Immediately they coUld
"A tho city al once. but II there should
be DELAY. the Notifications of the span
iards would be so perfected that there
might be great difficulty In taking H. on
receiving this dispatch from Admiral
Sampson the War Department directed
tho army 70 move AT once. and as al con-
nectod with tho army will recall, the or
ders were received after dark, and the
army was i'm motion. had travelled nine
miles. and was on the ships at day
lieht."
This simple statement sheds a flood OF
light upon the accounts we have of the
suffering Of our brave boys in the brill
liant march and manoeuvres against San
tiago. They were rushed forward with
out adequate time for the necessary sup
plies TO follow them. This was occasioned
BY what seemed to Admiral Sampson a
military necessity. and surely we ought
not 20 c~rit!clse and condemn this gallant
sailor who stood 50 nobly at his post or
duty. and whose admirable management
OF his fleet reflected such lustre on our
American arms.
We have been much impressed by a
laconlc statement Of the case from the
Cleveland (ohio) Leader; and We Viii