Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-14
ARMY'S RATIONS
Subject Of Gen. Egan's Test.
mony Before Investigation.
Poor Beef in Porto Rico Was Not
Caused by His Department.
Unhealthy Conditions Of Chickamauga Camp
Due to the Higher Officers.

Washington, Dec. 13.-Commissary
General Egan in his testimony before
the war investigation commission, to-
day, urged that the subsistence depart
ment should control the transportation
of all its own supplies and the furnish
ing of means for the cooking and eat
ing. He said. the secretary of war, to-
day, approved a bill authorizing the
subsistence department to build and
furnish bake ovens, mess equipments,
ETC., which were much needed. He
thought the quartermaster general
department was over burdened with
duties innumerable. He pointed out
that the British army was not as well
fed by any means as our own, ana that
ratiOns already provided the United
States soldiers were satisfactory with
the possible addition of dried fruits.
He spoke of the constant and ur-
gent opportunities, which he said
sometimes amounted to persecution,
that various articles of food be added
to the regular rations. These impor-
tunities We're backed by strong support
and heavy capital. One we'll known
senator. whose name he withheld, had
proposed and insisted on one article
being added, which he claimed would
cost only about one cent ration.
While this might be so, for the whole
army it would amount to an amazing
figure. He said he believed beer should
be furnished the men in such quanti-
ties as the commanding officers may
decide to be best and in the interests
of the men he would be willing to in
cur the hostlities Of the blue ribbon
societies.
Referring to a complaint of the beef
given in Porto Rico at the outset of
that Campaign. Gen. Egan said the res
possibility rested on other shoulders
than his own; he had purchased the
best of beef. but after the contract
was entered into and the beef aboard
Gen. Miles had telegraphed him that
he would get the beef on the island.
Consequently the beef he shipped re-
mai on the ships, except for a
smalNhmount that was brought back
to New York and thrown over board.
The beef, of fine quality, was there,
he said, and should have been taken.
mo one,' he said, with any sense
could hesitate to favor refrigerator
beef IS against native beef" He said
he had now sent refrigerator plant
to 50 Juan.
Referring to the ignorance in the vol
unteer army as to rations, Gen. Egan
said there should be one eommissary
sergeant with each regiment to IN
struct the others as to the use and ex-
tent of rations.
Liuet. Col. Hartsuff, chief surgeon at
Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, under
Gen. Brooke, was recalled. Were the
various regiments that arrived sup
piled with such medicines as they ned
ed in such quantities as were wanted?"
DR.. Connor asked.
I'm some instances, was the reply
Witness said because of the deficiency
supplies had to be peddled out very
scantily, giving only just enough to
last from day to day. He said there
was instances when his recommends
tions wer disregarded by the COM
man1ing general. He said all recon-
men htions as to sanitary matters
were practically only paper manifes-
toes and the evils complained of were
not eradicated. The responsibility for
the unsanitary condition of the Chick
dIIiduSd camp TtStcu Oh higher siipul-
ders than the medical department.
That department had exerted every eff
fort, -but he was reluctant to name
Gen. Brooke, who was in command as
responsible, though not hesitatlng TO
say his reports and recommendations
repeatedly We're unaVailing.
Surgeon Hartsuff testified that
though he had found many cases of
overcrowding, he had taken no official
cogmZance of this state of things and
had not recommended the removal OF
any of the surgeons responsible be
cause1he did not want to do any in
justice to the surgeons in charge, all
of whom were new to their business
and who might have become efficient
men after sufficient training.
The care of the sick by the nurses as
a rule. was very poor owing to the in
experience and inefficiency. DR.. Hart
stuff denied that he ever had refused
to honor acquisitions because they were
not technically perfect in form but
said there was frequently shortage of
medicines and supplies and in such
cases he had supplied what he had
where the need was most pressing. He
was asked why ne had not purchased
medicines as authorized by the sur
aeon general according to the latter
testimony. He replied that he had net
been so authorized. but had only been
given limited authority to buy certain
things and those were often not to be
had in Chattanooga.