Evening journal., 1898-10-07
LEE ON THE STAND.
Testimony on Camp Condi
tions at Jacksonville.
NO COMPLAINT AGAINST ALGER
Plenty of FOOd-some Tainted Meat
Found, which Could Have Decn
Easily ExchEnged-Lee Ex-
poets to Go to Cuba.

WASHINGTON, oct. General Lee
appeared before the army inquiry COM
mission yesterday afternoon. After TAX
ing the oath he explained his rank and
the location of his camps. General Lee
said he had no complaint to make about
the supplies furnished his corps. Occa-
sionally when fresh meats would be re-
ceived there would be a little COM
plant, but generally speaking every
thing was all right.
Il suppose" inquired General Weaver,
that you have no objection to stating
whether or not your corps is to go out OF
the United States?"
Il am informed that my corps is to go
TO Cuba"
rs your corps organized sufficiently
for a campaign in a foreign country"
MY troops" he replied. ARE in con-
dition to go to Cuba-or, if necessary, to
Madrid"
There was often delay in supplying
food in the early days Of the war, he
said, but none recently. Occasionally
tainted meat had been received, and
rotten potatoes.
In his Judgment it was a mistake to
brigade regulars and volunteers by
themselves. Had two regiments of vol
unteers been brigaded with one of reg
ulars it would have increased the eff
cheney of the volunteers very quickly.
He denied charges that the food was
filthy and insufficient and that officers
and surgeons were often drunk.
While the expeditions to Santiago and
Porto Rico were being organized, Cen
eral Lee said, acquisitions for his COM
mand We're not filled promptly. He did
not want to go with either of those eX-
peditions, he said, adding:
Il did want to go back to Havana.
was not allowed to stay there, and OF
course I wanted to go back with force
large enough to keep me there"
He explained that the president re-
Gently told him that had it been neces
sary to make an assault on Havana h'
was to lead the assault.
Il told him." said General Lee, "tha
was glad no assault was to be made
Complaints against regimental sur
geons were read to the general from
members Of the Fourth Virginia volun
teers, but he replied that he could no
speak definitely Of the regimental doc
tors in this case. Some of them, h
knew. We're not as competent as the.
should be. The surgeons of higher ranl
were all competent men. General lie
expressed the belief that division hos
pitfalls We're too large. He advocates
brigade hospitals as a compromise be
tween the division and regimental hos
pitals. He expressed the opinion tina
the site Of the camp at Jacksonville wa
well selected.
General Lee dwelt upon the impor
tance of taking proper care Of the sink
rs a preventive of disease. He said tn
healthiest regiment in his camp was tn
One Hundred and Sixty-first indiana
which burned all its effete matter Mos
of his troops were anxious TO go to Gu
ba, but some of them desired to be dis
charged. He said, in conclusion, that h
knew Of no case of distress, starvatio
or death from any neglect or that wa
due to any inefficiency on the part {
government officials. He said he ha
no complaint to make against the wa
department and knew of none of hi
command who had.
General Greene, who participated
the Manila campaign, will be heard tC
day. and he will be followed by a nun
Der Of staff officers who have been ol
dered to Cuba.