Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-20
TIE WAR INVESTIGATION.
The Commission Getting Down to the
Point Where Fault Finding Begins.

THE WITNESSES ARE EXTREMELY
| GUARDED IN THEIR TESTIMONY,
BUT ENOUGH IS COMING OUT TO
| SHOW THAT THE PERFECTION
| TOLD OF BY THE MEN IN HIGH
| AUTHORITY IS IMAGINARY-HOS-
PITAL CORPS AND CONTRACT
SURGEONS DESCRIBED AS A
| SCABBY LOOKING LOT, UNFIT TO
| ADORN ANY WALK OF LIFE-IN-
COMPETENCY AND CARELESS
| NESS
| Jacksonville, Fla, October 19.-The
war investigating commission began its
work to-day with Major Noble H.
! Creager, depot quartermaster, on the
| stand. He said there never had been
any serious shortage of supplies in the
Seventh corps and he was sure there
| had been no suffering caused by a def
cheney of supplies.
! Major Creager was followed by Con-
| gresham James r. Campbell, colonel
of the Ninth Illinois volunteers, who
was questioned in regard to the general
| treatment Of the troops in the field an
asked for suggestions for the benefit
Of the service. There had been some
| complaints as to the character of the
refrigerator beef, but the difficulty was
| overcome by exchanging the beef for
ham, no fresh beef being now taken by
| the regiment. Col Campbell expressed
the opinion that the principal cause of
in the early morning when the dew
was on the ground, but they now had
secured a revocation of the order. He
! said there were very few of his men
who were now homesick. He did not
believe that to exceed per cent. of
! the soldiers would retuen home in
preference in going to Cuba if given
an opportunity.
! Lieut. Moore, acting cOmmissary of
| the Ninth Illinois, was questioned in
regard to the quality of rations. He
SAID there had been no difficulty except
as to the fresh beef and agreed with
Col. Campbell, that there had been no
trouble since the arrangement had been
made to take cured hams. He thought
the tent material poor, but had made
no requisition for other tents.
Commissary Sergeant Lay, of Co. A,
of the regiment, suggested there should
| be a greater supply or variety Of veget-
ables.
DR.. R. D. Frye, major and executive
o{3S of bo nd yicin
| said the Montauk patients had lacked
| for nothing and were excellently taken
! care of by both physicians and nurses.
At Fort Mcpherson there were at one
! time 925 patients. There was no ma
| terial shortage in drugs or food at this
point, but occasionally there was a
| slight deficiency, which was, however,
| quickly overcome.
Speaking of the hospital in which he
| is engaged he said the location was
as good as could be secured in the vi
| cinity, but that the general surround
| ings were not suitable to hospital SER
vice. At times the hospital had been
slightly overcrowded, as many as seven
or eight men being occasionally stored
| in one tent. This was due to emer-
| gency.
DR.. Frye said that in all the hospitals
with which he had been connected
| there had been a deficiency in bed lin
en-. This had been especially true at
Fort Mcpherson.
DR.. Frye expressed the opinion that
convalescents had been sent away
from the hospitals Nrs>h which he was
connected before they were sufficiently
Cd nO6 - -.
safety.
DR.. Frye spoke in very uncompli-
mentary terms of the men engaged
in the hospital corps, saying they had
been picked up at random over the
country and were generally "a scabby
looking lot" not fit to adorn any
walk Of life. He also spoke deprecat-
ingly Of the contract surgeons saying
| that he would not be willing to trust
his family or friends to fifty per cent.
of them.
Many of them" he said. care recent
graduates from medical institutions,
and l do not consider the average
graduate capable of taking care Of
from 25 to so typhoid fever cases"
There was, he said. no proper or
portunity for consultation with super
ior officers as the latter were. as a rule.
so generally occupied with their ad-
minfstrative duties as to prevent their
giving closer attention to professional
| matters unless specially called upon.
He considered this system wrong and
considered there should be more SUPER
vision in serious cases in the hospital
ON the part Of the experienced man.
Col. Bows, of the Forty-ninth Iowa
regiment, followed Dr. Frye and he
was in turn followed by various mem
bers of his regiment. Col. Bows sad
there had been no deficiency in the
| commissary supplies. The men have
| the regular army rations," he said,
''and if they have not had enough the
fault is theirs"
Gen. E. B. Williston, in command Of the
First Brigade. had been at Montauk
Point from the 10th of August to the 18th
I of September and superintended the de-
barkation Of the troops and the location
of the infantry regiments in camp.
Never" said he. was a prettier camp
pitched in the United States than was the
camp at Montauk."
He said there were tents erected for ten
thousand men before the men arrived
and all they had TO do was 10 walk into
them, and so far as the men who were