The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-16


imenr an Important Witness-Relate es
SOM OF the Abuses of Camp Thomas
Gen. Il eaver Severely Criticizes Quar-
master.
WashinQton, November Is Gen Breck-
inr1dae continued his testimony before
the war investigating commission today.
His testimony today dealt with the cam.
palgn in Cuba and the transportation of
troops to that island. He had gone to
Cuba ar inspector general. He had OBJ
served casually the preparation for the
disem barkation of troops before the ex-
petition left Tampa, and had concluded
that they were quite inadeq uate.
81 made NO report, however, he said,
aas Gen. Miles was on the ground and
could observe for himself.
Continuing. he said, that there was no
preparation for landing in the face OF an
enemy other than which the navy might
furnish.
Asked as to his opinion as to the re-
suits of the Santiago campaign, he said
he thought it was consistent with the
character of the men who conducted it.
What was to be expected from the Hmita-
tions of Gen. Shafter. I think it would
have been different if Gen. Miles had been
in comnand--that it would have been
more satisfactorily conducted. / think
he has more Of the spark and genius of
command than any man in the army land
I am sure that if he had charge he would
have been in the front rank.
battle i'll front of San Juan has been
fought and the victory won within eight
days of landing. Gen. Breckenridge in
reply said that the victory had been won
when Gen. Toral's nerve gave out. - He
believed that the war WAS the Lords war
and that this wonderful success was due
to his supervision.
character, Gen. Rreckinridge expressed
the opinion that there had not been
enough lighting to obscure other results
common to war. He thought the evils
which had been. experienced were inevi-
table under our American system. de
condemned this system as most reprehen-
sible and said the volunteer soldier must
always suffer the worst of the conse-
quences.
He traced all the trouble to the want
of preparation and mobilization in time
of peace and that ir turn to the failure
of Congress to appropriate the necessary
money for reforms.
Replying to a question from MIR Wood
hurry, he said that "Considering the sys-
tenn, he thought the government had
done far better In it's conduct of the war
than anybody had expected, and just
about one-fourth. Of what it should have
done.
Gen. MoCook asked Gen. Breckinridge
if he had visited Gen. Shafter in his tent
when the latter was at Santiago and Gen.
breckenridge replied that he had done so.
"Did he then offer the command of the
army to you, as has been. reported in the
presFY'
Gen. Breckinridge replied: II very
much prefer not to answer that question.
You should ask Gen. Shafter. Such d
conversation as occurred between Gen.
Shafter and myself on that occasion is
not OF character to be spoken lightly. |
fail to see how reply from me would
promote the object of your inquiry
& AS a matter of fact. he did not turn
the command over to your" suggested
EGov Beaver, to which Gen. Breckenridge
responded:
No, he did not. and do not think
there is any impropriety in my saying
that he could not have done SO. -
With this the matter was allowed to
drop and Gen. BreckiDridge was excused
Capt. Robert w. Dowdy, who was mas
ter OF transportation at Montauk, stated
that at the beginning of the history of
the camp the supply of transportation
facilities was inadeq nats though they
had been much criticism OF the railroa d
running to the camp he thought iU h ad
answered the demands upon 1T very satis-
faotorily He said there was not suf1ic-
iency of anbuiances, but that there were
enough Of them to carry all sick soldiers
who were not able to walk 1t was not
true that these vehicles had been used for
purposes other than those for which they
were intended.
DR.. q. L. Magruder, local physician,
testified to visiting Camp Alaer on three
different occasions. He said he had fonnd
the tents too near together and the sinks
very near the Kitchens in many instances.
The surface water was bad and he also
thought the presence of so many huok-
sters about the camp was responsible Tor
about SO per cent of the sickness
DIR. William q Weaver of the ninth
volunteers, testified at the
afternoon session and proved an impor-
tant witness, az he gave detailed informa-
tion concerning the conduct OF q regi-
nsntal hospital at Camp Thomas. DIR.
Weaver said that typhoid had broke out
about the 18th of june and thatsit had in
preased from that time until the Goth OF
August Thsre had been a oout 600 cases
Of this disease In the regiment and 2S or
30 deaths. The doctor said there was
an insufficient supply of drugs and that
1t tim he failed to get what was need
sd. Ouinine was one of the articles OF
which there had been a scarcity and 10y,
BOO pills were secured from home. he
said that at one time there were 56 ty-
phoid patients in the regimental hospital
because there was no accomm odation for
them in the division hospital. AT another
time there were 81 fever patients in the
company tents for whom admission could
not be secured in any hospital, division
or regimental In summing up the cause
Of disease in the camp, DR.. Weaver includ-
adj oyerworking the men as one. The
drst rereille sounded at 4.38 and after
tnat time men were kept quite constant
Iy engaged with drills and other exercises
until 6.15, Notwithstanding the weather
was intensely hot. he also expressed the
opinion that the water from the Chicka-
lnauga creek was polluted. He considered
the water in this stream as har1ly lit to
bathe in, much less to drink His infor-
nation was that there were sources of
above the intake pine Of
the pipe line system.