The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-02
C~0PPlNGER'S REPORT.
Volunteers Suffered Because They Didn't
Know How to Handle Food.

Know How To Handle Food.
Washington. Oct. 1.-Major General
Coppinger has mad a report to the
war department as follows:
Subsistence department.-In my
judgment the quality Of subsistence
furnished by the department was good
and quantity ample. The regular troops
lived well. The volunteers. in too many
cases. messed badly. but this was owing
to the ignorance of inexperienced Of
ficers who did not know how to procure
and care for the ~rations. and the ignor-
ance of cooks, who did not know how
to cook them. j have been especially
impressed by the comfortable messing
of regulars close to my headquarters.
While volunteer troops in an adjoining
field were subsisting on chunks of Ill
cooked beef and vile biscuit-an excel
lent field everything neglected and upset
neal by.
ITO sum up. the subsistence depart
ment did well. The volunteer troops In
many cases suffered for want OF whole
some food because they did no know
how to handle the rations furnished.
"Quartermaster's department-Cloth-
ing, camp and garrison equipment were
sometimes of poor quality. the natural
result of al effort to equip some ZZo'ooo
men when supplies had been prepared
for only %, 900. This difficulty in supply
was much increased by the lack OF
knowledge on the part of the stan of1-
GERS fresh from civil life, ignorant or
the methods and manner of supplying
an army.
AT Tampa III difficulty was again
increased by the crowded and congeste1
condition existing along the railroad
tracks and storehouses scattered over
the sands. IL many cases the men sur
fered from lack of clothing when a
good supply was on hand within hve
miles of their camp.
'Clothing-The United States cloth
ing on hand at the declaration OF war
was good. but some OF the dark blue
trousers and shirts were OF a poor
quality. or the whole, considering the
emergency, I think no blame can De
attached to the quartermasters depart
ment in this matter.
complaints have been made regarding
medical supplies. my experience with
the 4th corps leads me to believe that
the surgeon general has accomplished
an arduous task under very trying CIR
cumstances. IL is difficult TO provide a
full supply Of medical supplies when
troops are ordered suddenly to many
unexpected places and when the move
ments are accompanied by serious out
breaks OF sickness. This difficulty was
increased in many instances by the fact
hat most OF the regimertal. brigade
and division surgeons were entirely new
TO military work.
81 am well satisfied that the surgeon
general worked admirably 10 supply my
corps. and was ably assisted by Chiel
Surgeon Robert NJ. O'Reilly. 10 who's
ability n energy I feel. on behalf Of
my troops. greatly indebted. .
.'ordnance Department. At the outbreak
OF the trouble with Spain We had abou'
2i.5OO men. infantry, well supplied witt
arms but short of ammunition. A lev
days after we were called on to equip To-
the field some 225O0O men-simply an i'm
possibility in the time allowed. We place
many OF these men In the ranks short o
cartridges. short Of cartridge belts. arme'
with muskets of an antique pattern, IN
terestirg in a museum but out OF plac
4 I'm n modern battle. For this ! have NJ
blame whatever 70 attach to the chief o
ordnance. He was simply given an impos
sIble thsk."