Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-11
officers at Camp Alger Complain Of
Departments Delay.
REQUISIHION FOR ARMS NOT H0NORED
Col. Girard's Latest Circular Con.
corning the Hospital Troubles.
INCIDENTS OF CAMP LIFE
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star

commands are not being more speedily
equipped with ordnance. This feeling is
general, and it grows more pronounced as
the delay of the War Department becomes
greater. There Is hardly a colonel in the
camp who was not directed to wire the
Secretary of War the number of rifles, bay
onets, gun sings and other supplies neces-
sary to fully equip these commands. The
messages, although sent at once, have been
ineffective. Other acquisitions have been
sent the department from time to time, but
without any more pronounced success.
One issue of ordnance is said to be on it's
way to the camp, as indicated in yester-
days Star. This is to consist of 100000
rounds of ammunition and 5000 rifles, with
the appurtenant supplies. This it is sup
posed will place the entire first division on
a war basis. Until this issue is received
however the greater number of regiments
in camp must still be regarded as troops in
a training school, and not as troops ready
for war.
Col. c. V. Hard. commanding the regi-
ment Known in camp as the Hanna Vol
unteers," feels this lack Of proper equip
ment particularly. He gave expression to
his sentiments and those Of his associate
regimental commanders this morning, say
ing:
Il would not have anything I am about
to say misconstrued into INSTRUMENTATION
+ OF III HliIlu anu udHHeT L ueSlTe " Ue Dc
respectful as soldier should always be.
However, 1t does seem as though there
were somewhere broken cogs in the ma
chinery of our government. l was directed
by the War Department to telegraph the
number of rifles needed to fully equip my
regiment. After 1 had been in camp about
a week l went to the department to inquire
what had become of the rifles for the regi-
ment. We had lots of trouble finding the
kilograms. but we did so eventually. 1t was
on a file by the side of messengers desk.
Makes Formal RequfsitiOn.
"They told me at the department to make
out my requisition in proper form, and this
l had my ordnance officer do that same
day. The requisition went to Washington
by special messenger, but 1t has proved
no more effective than the telegram.
1T does seem strange that Rhode Island,
Massachusetts and New York can secure
all the rifles they need, while the national
government can't get any at all. think
it could if the methods were more like
those Of the successful business man. Why,
If any business man in our town wanted
500 rifles and wanted them badly he would
have them in his store within week. II
the government were not SO hampered by
red tape and useless routine it could GER
tainly do well.
1T is useless to talk of sending men into
the field when we cannot buy them arms.
1t is useless as it would be to try and
fight without arms. If any one cares for
the good will of the soldiers at Camp AL
ger he can secure it easily and certainly
by providing them with proper ordnance
supplies"
End Not in Sight.
From present indications u6eaend of the
conflict over the establishment of the d.
vision hospitals is not yet in sight. Yes
terday witnessed the appointment Of COM
mission to examine into certain matters
concerning the hospital of the LIST Division
the receipt of a letter from Col. Hoffman,
of the 18th Pennsylvania. protesting against
the management Of the division hospital
and the issue of circular conceding to
each regiment the right to use two cots.
Today, in order to clinch the previous order
for the abolition of the regimental hospi-
tails, Chief Surgeon Girard issued the fol-
lowing:
ITO the Chief Surgeons of Divisions:
You will inform the regimental surgeons
that the War Department Ia fully DETER
mined on aboliShing the regimental hospi-
tai system, which has proved a failure, and
caused much unnecessary suffering during
the civil war, and has been abandoned by
all nations which keep their armies pre-
pared for war.
An evasion or noncompliance with or
ders on this subject is, therefore, not only
prejudicial to good order and military disci-
pline, but unwise and unpatriotic, in pre-
tending to assume a superior knowledge to
that of the established authorities, and set
ting personal views and interests above the
common cause.
You will inform the regimental sur
geons. through their brigade surgeons that
the LIST and I'd Division hospitals are ready
for the reception Of patients. They are in
charge Of about one-fourth of the force of
volunteer surgeons, and if the patients do
not receive skillful care and treatment no
one but the surgeons of the volunteer army
will be to blame. To guard against neglect
or inexpertence, you are directed to send
to me a list of names of surgeons, promi-
nent in their profession, in your respective
divisions, from whom a consulting board
for each division hospital will be chosen.
They will be called in consultation in every
case Of severity, and their decision will be
final, subject to my approval.
You will report to me a list of equip
ments turned into the division hospitals by
the regiments, with list Of regiments con-
tributing.
you will also report in writing the
names of regiments and regimental sur
geons having failed to comply with General
Graham's orders, in order to enable me to
report them to the commanding general"
This was signed by "a. c. Girard lieu
tenant colonel and chief surgeon, I'd Army
Corps"
Col. Girnrd Objects.
Col Girard objects to the Statement that
a commission has been appointed to in
vestigate the division hospitals. The COM
mission to which reference was made in
yesterdays Star was appointed to investi-
gate certain complaints against the division
hospitals. The commission is still at work
Its report will not be completed, probably,
for several days. In the meantime the
work of dismantling the regimentaI hos
pitfalls and converting them into "dispen-
saries" is still in progress. So far no at
tempt has been made to sieZe the property
in the hospitals secured through Individual
contribution.
Arrests Made.
r. F. Perkins, a resident of West Falls
Church, was arrested last night about dark
for striking sentry and disobeying orders
The provost guard stopped the team Per-
kins was driving and ordered him to drive
more slowly. Perkins complied until he
had driven a few feet past the sentry.
when he whipped his horses into a trot,
When he reached the next sentinel the
holses were caught and held. The prisoner
attempted to whip the horses out of the
hands of the sentries. Failing in this, he
struck one of the guards across the face
with his whip. A few minutes later Per-
kins was in the guard house. He will be
kept there until tried by Provost Marshal
volrath. The details of the trial are not
fixed.
Six colored people were also arrested yes
terday. The party consisted of three men
and three woman and reported to the caYnn