The state herald., 1898-09-30
OFFICERS TO BLAME.
NEEDLESS DEATHS in THE ARMY
Secretary Alger Disposed to Place the Re
sponslbiiity on RsEimentai Oncers-
Soldiers Have tn Bs Watched.

In his speeches at several camps, Sec
retary Alger has clipped or the policy
that will be followed by the admin
istratlon In the investigation Of the
conduct of the war. Commanders of
regiments and commanders of camps
will be held responsible for the condi-
tons and the suiferings OF their men,
and will be required to make 1t clear
that they exhausted every resource.
maintained the necessary discipline.
kept their camps in good order and
looked after the sanitary conditions
the cooking and the habits of those
who We're under their charge. As Sec
retary Alger says, the greatest trouble
seems to have arisen from the neglect
of sanitary regulations, and he will
hold that the commanders OF camps
were to blame II the commanders of
regiments did not do their duty, and
commanders of regiments We're to
blame for any delinquencies on the
part of company officers. There is IL
strong contrast between many of the
regiments. 1t is attributed to the DIFF
ference In experience, ability and
watchfulncss on the part of rcgimcntal
and company officers. The Seventh H.
llnoIs is referred to as good example.
/ While typhoid fever was raging in
Camp Alger while the men of other
regiments We're unable to march and
kept the hospitals full. the Seventh H.
linOis was In almost perfect condition.
| There We're fewer deaths and less sick
ness among the men than might have
been expected had they remained at
home. This was clearly due to the ex-
cellent discipline and the care cxer.
cised by Colonel Kavanagh and other
officers of the regiment. They made 1t
their business TO see that the men un-
der their charge took good care Of
themselves. ubcycd the sanitary laws
i and had plenty of good food, properly
I cooked
Regular army officers say that II ev-
cry regiment had been in command of
officers like those of the Seventh ILL
nois there would have been little com
plant. They say that any one who
has had experience with the National
Guard and volunteers knows that very
often when men put on uniforms and
20 into camp they lose all sense of re-
| spons!hilliy and II requires n strong
hand 10 keep them In order and compel
them To take care of themselves They
are particularly reckless about their
diet. which Is, of course. the greatest
cause of disease. There Is something
about soldering which seems TO excite
/ an appetite for pie and lee cream. The
man who kept the restaurant at Camp
Z Wikoif told me that he received LOO
pies from New York every morning and
always sold them out by noon. Most Of
them We're consumed on the premises.
and the purchaser usually ate n whole
pie. AT Camp Alger the pie business
was quite ms active. and the cOlsump-
tion of II miserable compound which
/ they called ice cream was so great dur
/ Ing the hot weather that General Gra-
ham forbade its sale. Most of Il was
| villainous stun. frozen milk and water,
| highly Favored with essences and syr.
ups. One can imagine how poor II must
have been TO be sold for five cents n
glass. yet men who at home would
never touch such stuff or permit their
/ families TO eat II, sat around all day.
| with the thermometer at ninety-six In
the shade. and iilled their stomachs
q with such poisonous substances. That
I was n prolific source OF disease until
/ the traffic was stopped. The soldiers OF
l the Seventh Illinois were forbidden TO
eat II. rs NIL other regiments ought TO
have been.
| II ~ u u'll'Htf uh'r'loH anu riuNfl
a great row In Congress, hut regulars
| who have observed the volunteer regis
ments closely, almost all agree that us
/ n rule II Is prejudicinl to discipline to
have the officers OF company come
from the same town or ncIghborhood as
the troops. OF course. there are eNcep.
lions To all rules. hut II IN claimed ilat I
the experience OF this war. MS well as
that OF the War OF the Rebellion. dem
. onsirated that officers of volunteer rcgl.
ments are In a great majority OF eases
more or less Influenced by personal. po.
| litlcal, social or business relations and
cannot enforce discipline as well as
strangers.
| Another interesting point which will
he brought out In the investigation FOR
the benefit OF Secretary Algcr is that
he recommended the assignment of n
number OF experienced officers from
the regular army 10 nll volunteer regI.
menis. hut the National Guards and
their friends In Congress raised such
violent objections that the recommcn-
dalton was not even considered. The
slightest suggestion OF this sort WIS ~
sentcd, and the congressman, the gov
b ernors and all concerned insisted that
/ each company and regiment should
have Its own officers regardless Of ex.
/ periencc or efficiency.
| The governors of the several stntcs
will bc held responsible for the appoint.
ment Of incompetent and inexperienced
men. and from n political standpoint
t they mus, share the blame. Of the for
! ty-four states twcnty-thrcc have Rcpub-
llcan governors. fifteen Democrats and
six popullsis
The policy Of the War Department
In throwing the responsibility upon III.
camp and rcglmontal officers Is strong.
ly sustained 10y n report which has lust
been received from commission con.
slstlng Of Surgeon Lee Of the Medical
Corps. Professor Gcrnn e. Vaughn Of
the University OF Michigan and Dr.
Shakespeare OF Philadelphia. who Is
regarded ns mn eminent expert on con.
tngious dlscnsps. These gentlemen
were appointed Ia make nm inquiry In.
TO the causes ana the trcnimcn, OF ~.
phoid fever In the different camps
Their report not only throws great ligh,
upon the subject of the present invcHil.
Cation. hut Is mn Important contribution
TO science because OF the gravity OF the
subject with which II deals. the .ml.
hence Of the men who make II nnd The
startling character of their discoveries
This commission visited the camps NJ
Jacksonville. Huntsville. frrnnndlni
nnd Chlckninnugn. where typhoid fever
had prevailed "a tile greatest extent
nnd In each place made n thorough IN,
vcstirnilon. They declare that the dis
cnse wns brought Into The camps from
the outside by the soldiers, nnd tint