The herald., 1898-10-11
Does Not Satisfy War Inquiry
Commission
A FULLER REPLY Will Be REQUESTED
Testimony Taken at Washington Reveals Lack Of Prompt
in Handling Food Supplies for the Troops
Engaged in the Santiago Campaign

river, as he considered the river water liz.
BILE to be impure.
Major Gallagher detailed the process Of
supplying rations to the troops in the field.
He said that at one time there was de-
fciency in coffee and sugar for two days,
and expressed the opinion that this short
age would have proven serious II It had
continued for any length Of time. He said
the supply of lighters was not suff. Client to
permit the accumulation of any considerable
quantity Of food at one time.
What Culver Thought
Captain ]. H. Culver. Troop A Of the
United States volunteer cavalry (0rigsby's
Rough Rders). had been stationed at Camp
Thomas. Chickamauga, from May until he
was mustered out, on the 11th Of September.
The food generally was abundant and good.
Captain Culver stated that at one time
twenty-five Of his men were sick. He
| thought the proportion not excessive, no
greater than during the first days Of the
civil war, until the men learned to de-
pend upon the army rations and not 60
outside for food.
He thought the pics sold to the men were
unwholesome, and also said that much stale
fried chicken was sold to them.
In conclusion, Captain Culver said he had
no complaint to make Of treatment except
in the location Of his troop in the woods.
He had protested against this location.
Captain Culver was followed BY DR..
James H. Hysell. who was chief surgeon Of
the Third divisionlof the First army corps
| and who was located at Camp Thomas from
| the 7th Of June to the 21st Of August, He
had been a surgeon in the civil war and
| since then said he had been in general
practice.
All the early cases Of typhoid fever were
treated In the regimental hospitals, and
| the patients were not isolated until after
the construction Of the division hospitals.
when typhoid and suspicious cases were
isolated and the men were we'll attended
by physicians and nurses.
DR.. Hysell thought typhoid had been i'm
ported into the camp from the outside, and
that 1t had been due to the failure to
properly cover over the sinks. He did
rot think 1t possible to effectually isolate
typhoid fever cases, as the typhoid Is so
difficult to detect in its early stages.
All reasonable precautions had been
taken in locating the camp to prevent the
development of disease. He admitted that
in case of another war, by the experience Of
the past. more effective means could be
provided.
Major Gallagher
At the afternoon session the commission
examined Major H. ]. Gallagher He had
served at Siboney San Juan and Santiago
and recently had the position of commits
eary sergeant at Montauk. At Siboney
the ratons, he said, were forwarded almost
as rapidly as landed. Only very small
quantities could be accumulated, yet the
commissary during their stay at Siboney
had been able to meet all requirements
made upon them for provisions by the
troops, and none Of them were ever refused.
He heard no complaint Of lack of rations,
as they were able to forward about 80, 600
rations per day. From Siboney the depot
was removed to Ell Poso, seven miles in
Hand. At this point there were never
enough rations to fill all requisitions There
was a shortage in coffee and sugar which
continued for two or three days, because
Of the high surf at Siboney. All the ra-
tions were good, but in some cases the