Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-11-03

CnlckhmHugh ne Tcpebtcu HIS OK
preston Of opinion that the water In
the pipe line system at Chickamauga
was contaminated by the water from
Cave Spring creek.
DR.. Park L. Tryers, contract sur
geon from Ohio, who was engaged in
Q division hospital at Chickamauga,
differed from most Of the physicians
in his estimate Of typhoid. He said
that while many believed yO per cent
Of the sickness at the camp TO be ty'
, phoid, he did not believe that to ex'
coed 30 per cent. was Of that character.
He said 1t was true that on some occa'
sions it had been necessary to have pa
tients at this hospital lie on the ground
for as much as ten hours at time,
until provision could be made for
them.
Lieut. Col. Frank D. Baldwin, In.
spector general on Gen. Wilson's staff,
and who was on Gen. Wade's staff at
Chickamauga, gave some sensational
testimony concerning the conditions
there. "When the camp was first es'
tablished there" he said, II did not
inspect a single hospital but what !
found it in a filthy condition. Reports
were made Of this to the commanding
general and improvements could be
observed for few days. But in a
short time matters would get as bad
as ever. About the time the camp was
broken up this had been corrected to
. large extent"
Col. Baldwin said that he had known
acquisitions to be made frequently and
not to be honored. This was especial.
lv true in regard to the Second divi.
sion. Third corps. He said that SO far
as he knew Gen. Compton, command
ing the Second division, only inspected
his command on Sunday morning and
that he did not know either Gen.
Compton or Gen. Wade, the corps COM
mander, having inspected the Second
division hospital. u do not consider
Chickamauga park suitable place for
a large number Of troops for many
reasons My observation was that
sinks could not be dug over six feet
without striking rock The only water
supply was Chickamauga creek. On
two occasions ! observed the water
entering the pipes to be in exceedingly
bad condition. On account of the filth
and refuse it was explained that the
breaking of dams caused this. saw
the creek nearly every day and l never
saw the water in such condition that |
should have like to drinl, it."
Col. w. G. Leonard, Of the Twelfth
New York, testified that the surgeon OF
his regiment was continually clamor.
ing for medicine to give the men in
quarters. He could not secure this, he
said, so the colonel spent $500 out of
his own pocket for medicine.
Col. W. X. Caffee. Second Missouri,
stated that his regiment did not re-
ceive all equipment until few days
before leaving Camp Thomas for Lex
ington. Among the last things issued,
he said, were the boilers for boiling the
water, which were ordered more than
two months before. Col. Caffee said
that sinks could be dug at the Second
Missouri's camp at Chickamauga
only four feet before striking rock.
This, he stated, was represented to the
brigade commander and the inspector,
but no action was taken. sick men
from my regiment were sent to divi-
sion hospital and could not be received
because the hospital was already over
crowded." said Col. Caffee. 1--WE had
no medicine in the. regiment visited
the hospital daily while had men
there, and | frequently found the
tents unfoored, the cots crowded SO
close together that one could not pass
between. The tents were so leaky
that when it was Gaining the men in
the hospital had to be covered Win
ponchos and rubber blankets to be
protected from drenching."
Col. Caffee said that his regiment re-
ceived not only not enough barrels to
boil the drinking water, but not
enough to haul 1t the four miles neces.
sary, despite acquisitions made.
when we could not get men In the
division hospital, on account of Its
crowded condition." said Col. Caffee,
I'VE had no medicine to give the sick.
We made acquisitions for 1t, and they
were returned with this Endorsement
from the chief surgeon Of the corps;
Medicines are issued only To men In
division hospitals, and not TO those in
quarters In my opinion, 1t was a
great mistake to do away with the
regimental hospitals, but had the d.
vision hospitals at Chickamauga been
like the one here at Camp
Hamilton there would have been no
fault to find" Col. Caffee gave some
of the most valuable testimony OBJ
tainad nv the com mission.