Evening star., 1898-12-22
C0RB|N QUESTIONED
The Adjutant General of the Army
Testifes.
ITS EQUIPMENT AND PROVISIONING
Before the War Investigating
Commission.
A D V E II s E TO lies

sworn by General McCook acting in the
absence of General Wilson. Colonel DENLY
assumed the examination of the Witness
General Corbin stated that Camp Alger
was originally recommended by CAPTAIN
Seaburn Cf General Miles staff He was
OF the opinion at the time that it was not
good place because there was not enough
range for rifle practice. He had understood
from Secretary Alger that General Miles
was in some way concerned in the selec-
ton He was certain as to Captain Sea-
burn part in the matter. but he believed
the officer had been sent by General Miles
to inspect the site of Camp Alger
Colonel Denhy-"In point of fact, was
anything done by General Miles to prevent
the location of that camp?'
General Corbin-"Not to nv kuowledse"
Colonel Denhy-"You had nothing to do.
then, with the question of determining the
camp?"
General Corbin-''I simply obeyed orders"
Asked if there had been any recommenda-
ton by Gen. Miles for the removal of Camp
Alger, Gen. Corbin said: mo recommended
ton of that kind ever existed"
Col. Denby-"Were any complaints ever
made by any of the officers at the campo
Gen. Corbin-"No. sir
Gel. Denby-"Then the removal of Camp
the Secretary of War;
Gen. Ccrbin-"I believe it was
The INQUIRY next touched upon the condi-
ton of Camp Thomas
Gov. Woodbury-"What information
reached you after the occupation of that
camp as to its sanitary condition.
Gen. Corbin-"I don't think l ever heard
of any complaints until about July
Gov Wccdbury-"By whom were they
mads?'
Gen. Corbin-"There may have been some
thing in the reports to me from there. My
recollection is. however. that the first thing
we knew was through the complaints in
the public press. The Secretary of War di-
rected me to ask the commanding general
If the complaints were founded fact. In
vestigation showed TIE presence of typhoid,
and finally the camp was ended.
Memory at Fault.
Gov. Woodbury-"W was the camp
abandoned?"
Gen. Corbln-'T can't say. ! haven't
good memory for dates
Gov. Woodbury-"Wa there any special
complaint that there were too many troops
there?"
Gen. Corbin-'I have no recollection"
Gov. Woodbury. then inquired if witness
had any recollection of Gen. Miles recon-
mendation for the removal of the troops
and their distribution in other camps.
Gen. Corbin-"l have no recollection.
remember his recommendation for the
sending of men to Tampa"
Capt. Howell then read from reports
showing that June Is Gen. Miles recon-
mended the sending of men from Chicka-
mauga to Tampa.
Gov Woodbury-"Win you state why it
was Tampa was selected as camp?'
Gen. Corbin-"It never was selected as @
camp except for the purpose of embarking
the Santiago expedition. Afterwards it
was held for the purpose of providing rein
forcements, if necessary. After it was de-
torn ftla in IN
Secretary of War directed the immediate
abandonment of the camp
Inspection of Camp Wikoff.
Concerning Camp Wikoff, Gen. Corbin
stated that early as June, Cen Ran
dolph inspected the end of Long Island,
where the camp was later located. He re-
ported that there were water facilities suf-
ficient for two armies. He said there
limit to the number of ships that could
land men there. He aid that the troops
and horses that reached there about Au-
gust We're those left in the south after
the dispatch of the expeditions to Cuba
and Porto Rico. There were from G,000 to
5000 in all. He did think the trans
porting of the man congested the railroads
at the camp, or led to the obstruction of
the transporting of supplies for the troops
that arrived later. He said that the Long
Island railroad was not given exclusive
privileges except to prevent the landing of
excursion boats there.
"The tact was that we wanted untram-
meled way by railroad and water for the
troops and supplies"
Regular Army Was Ready April 10.
Col. DENLY asked the witness when he
apprehended hostilties with Spain, and Gen.
Corb;n replied that war was not seriously
contemplated by him till actually declared.
Up to the very last moment he had hoped
and expected that it would be averted. On
ADril 10 the we'll
conflict In fact, there never was an army
better equipped, better fed with a better
morale than the American army possessed
at that time
Col Denby-"At what time did the War
Department begin preparations for con-
fiict?
Gen. Corbin-"The very moment the call
for volunteers was made the machinery of
the War Department was put In motion to
| provide for equip them and form them
for action"
Col. Denby-"How many were there in
| the field?'
Gen. Corbin-"In exact figures, 2741SO
Outside the regular army there was
round quarter of a million men to provide
for who had never before been provided
for"
Col Denby-"That was a serious problem
| was it rot?'
Gen. Corbin-'Serious, Of course; but not
1nSurmounta table"
| Col DENLY asked if there had been any
difficulty in obtaining the supplies for them
Gen. Corbn replied that it was one of the
curious conditions in connection with the
war. There was shortage of uniforms
canvas and tentage. The factories had not
made the advance preparation that had
been expected.
Col. Denby-"Was there any trouble con-
| cernipg provisions?"
Gen. Corbin-"Never."
Col. Denby-"I believed you introduced
! canned beef and refrigerated beef into the
army"
! Gen. Corbn-"The army had used it he
! fore but not extensively
! Col. Denby-"But your opinion is that
| fresh beef is better?'
Gen. Corbin-''I have no doubt about it,"
Col. Denby-"How about the refrigerated
beef?"
| Gen. Corbin-'I believe that all the beef
| in commerce today is refrigerated
Col. Denby-'Prior TO the war there was
never any complaint as to the canned beet
or the refrigerated beef?"
Gen. Corbin--"NoDe. They were used
| throughout the American army, and. in
| fact by the armies of the world In fact
| Mr. Armour tod me when 1 was looking
| Continued on Eleventh Page.l