Evening star., 1898-10-12

was then short of such means for trans
portation. Twenty-four hours later he got
loo more wagons.
Ex-Gov. Beaver-"Did the guartermaster
generals department have mules, wagons
and harness on hand when the war broke
out. or did they have to purchase them
after the declaration of war;
Gen. Graham-"With reference to wagons,
I am quite sure they were not in the SER
vice before the war. / do not know in re-
gard to mules and harness.
Gen. Graham said that the tents of state
troops were of S-ounCe canvas (weighing
eight ounces to a Yard. while the tents
supplied by the United States government
were 12-OunCe canvas. AS soon as possible
he had replaced all the lghter-weight cam
vas with the heavier material
The Springfield Rife Praised.
Speaking of the supply of arms and am
muntiOn for his command, he said they
had 45-Caliber Springfield rifles which he
thought the very best class of arms for
green troops. The green soldier. he said
was inclined TO fire too rapidly If he had u
magazine gun, and he would waste too
much ammunition. The I5-caliber Spring
field was better than the 30-caliber. If it
were used with smokelesS powder he would
regar it as an ideal arm for green men.
Gen. Graham said that his entire army
corps WAS equipped ready to take the field
before they left Camp Alger. He said his
command was composed of men in splendid
physical condition, of athletic build and in
every way fitted for the campaign.
When asked in regard to the fltering Of
water In Camp Alger. the witness said that
his medical officers had ordered that fill
tered water be used. but far he
Individually concerned he would prefer
drinking the water directly from the wells
to taking it after it filtered. He had.
however. subOrdinated his own opinion to
the opinion of the medical officers. In re-
gard to hospital accommodations he said
that they were certainly adequate in every
respect, at least after he had been at Camp
Alger n week or ten days. He said they had
been short of linen in the hospitals there
at one time on account of a great demand
on the linen after the epidemic of measles.
That deficiency, however, lasted but a short
time
Ex-Gov. Woodbury-"You recall an in
stance when the nephew of the Secretary
of War sick with typhoid fever in
Camp Alger In his company tent? Were
there many such cases.?
Gen. Graham-'I do not know of any
other instances.
Gen Graham said that the nurses in the
hospitals at Camp Alger after he got there
were obtained from the regiments but that
the Red Cross Society had assisted them
a great deal
When asked how he regarded this soci-
ETY.. he said it was extremely efficient.
He knew of no suffering caused by a lack
Of medical or hospital supplies. and he did
not believe there were any such cases. At
one Tina there was a shortage of ice. which
ldSlSN Two udNS ana the doctors Complain
ed Of it. That was the only instance of the
kind he remembered.
CrowdinE the Tents.
Speaking of the crowding of tents at
Camp Alger the witness said that he had
at first placed the tents there according to
the tactics. but afterward spread them out
more because Of the representations of
medical officers. He said he was not re-
strtcted in the amount of space he could
occupy at Camp Ager. The Secretary had
instructed him TO extend his camp as far
as he thought IL was necessary. He said
that on June he moved the seth New
York and the 1st Rhode Island where they
would have more space, and after that had
continued to spread the regiments over
more ground In reply to question. Cen
eral Graham said he did not think there
was too much crowding of tents at Camp
Alger If the matter were to be judged by
the experience of troops under ordinary
conditions. But he thought they were
crowded too much for conditions prevail
ing at Camp Alger, where they remained
for a considerable time.
DIR. Smart's Criticism.
DR.. Conner read complaints that had been
made by Or. Smart regarding conditions at
Camp Alger.
In reply to criticisms made by DR.. Smart
of the locations Of sinks. General Graham
said the sinks were in closer proximity to
company kitchens than they should have
been and than they are now He said they
followed the tactics. but medical officers
condemned that system, he deviated from
the rules laid in the tactics. He denied that
battaliOns were given no more space than
would be necessary for a company. He
denied positively that any surface drain
age had got into the wells at Camp Alger.
In regard to the complaint that the 9th
Illinois Regiment had been camped near
a wood in which there was large amount
of refuse, General Graham said that the
ground had been occupied by another regi-
ment. and that some refuse had been left
in the woods. 1t was cleaned up, however,
very shortly after the 9th Illinois got there
Gen Graham said that while there were
probably instances at Camp Alger in which
medical officers did not otticiate with the
same degree Of efficiency as men who had
been thoroughly trained and knew just
what to do. yet he did not believe that
there any w1llfuI neglect on their part.
He thought they were efficient profession
ally.
DR.. Conner. asking the witness in regard
to the nurses in the hospital said he sup
posed that the men detailed from regiments
for such duty were rather worthless.
Gen Graham-'1 don't know. | know
that is the tendency. Regiments are apt
TO get rid of men in that way"
The witness was questioned regarding the
owners of the land on which Camp Alger
was located He knew Mrs Campbell and
Mr. Chittenden. He said he could furnish
other names from his records.
Removal to Camp Meade
This completed the testimony in regard
to Camp Alger and the witness was then
questioned in regard to Camp Meade, Pa
He said he thought the removal of the
corps from Camp Alger was largely on ac-
count Of popular clamOr based on the claim
that the conditions there were not health
full The change had been made by the
Secretary Of War. He had recommended
that he be allowed to put his men on a
march, going TO Antietam and Gettysburg
He thought march would do more to
shake out sickness and to discipline his
corps than anything else.
Questioned regarding the means of trans
portation he had at Camp Meade, Gen. Gra-
ham said they had the best facilities in
the world The railroad by which they
were camped afforded them every facility
Speaking of complaints among the men.
Gen Graham said he had personally inves-
tigated many of these complaints and had
not found them well founded.
The witness said that the only thing he
feared in his present camp was that bad
weather might set IN He had carefully ex-
amined weather statistics relating to that
region. and he believed. Judging from the
past. that they would have good weather.
so that they could remain there comfort
n hn mi Of