The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
has received letter from a Red Cross
nurse saying they cannot be fourd.
COPPINCER,s REPORT.
Volunteers and Their Omcers Criti-
cised by the General.

cised by the General.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 1.-Major General
j. j. Coppinger has made a. report to the
War Department as follows:
Subsistence Department
In my judgment the quality of subsist-
ence furnished by the department was
good, and the quantity ample. The regular
troops lived we'll. The volunteers in too
many cases messed badly, but this was ow-
ing to the ignorance of inexperienced off,
GERS who did not know how to procure and
care for the rations, and the ignorance of
cooks who did not know how to cook them.
have been especially impressed by the
comfortable messing of regular soldiers
close to my headquarters. while volunteer
troops in the adjoining field were subsisting
on chunks of ill-cooked beef and vile bis
cuit-an excellent field oven lying neglected
and unused close by
To sum up the subsistence department
did well. The volunteer troops in many
cases suffered for want of wholesome food
because they uld not know how to handle
the rations furnished.
-Quartermaster's Department
Clothing, camp and garrison equipment
were sometimes of poor quality, the natural
result of an effort TO equip some 225.0OO men
when supplies had been prepared for only
5000. This difficulty in supply was much
increased by the lack of knowledge on the
part OF staff officers fresh from civil life,
ignorant of the methods and manner of
supplying an army. At Tampa the diff
Guilty was again increased by the crowded
and congested condition existing along the
railroad tracks and storehouses scattered
over the sands. In many cases the men
suffered from lack of clothing when a good
supply was on hand within five miles of
their camps
The quality of team mules furnished by
the department was very good The treat
ment they received in many instances was
atrocious. Unframed and often brutal
teamsters. without proper wagonmasters,
serving under unframed regimental quarter
masters, amidst the Tampa sand hills,
under the burning sun, produced the result
that might be naturally expected-dead,
dying and disabled mules. This was the
natural outcome of a declaration of war
without organized trains. trainmasters, or
experienced regimental quartermasters, who
knew how to handle them. In my judg-
ment the horses furnished our cavalry were
good.
Clothing
The United States clothing on hand at the
declaration of war was good, but some of
the dark blue trousers and shirts were of
poor quality. On the whole, considering
the emergency, I think no blame can De
attached to the quartermasters department
in this matter
The Khaki clothing, the best service uni
form we have ever had, is not satisfactory
as yet. 1t is of inferior quality not we'll
cut. I failed to find in the quartermaster's
storehouse at Tampa, single infantry coat
large enough in the chest for fell-chested
man.
Medical Department.
While many complaints have been made
concerning medical supplies, my experience
with the Fourth Corps leads me to believe
that the surgeon general has accomplished
an arduous task under very trying crcum-
stances. 1t is difficult to provide a full sup
ply of medical stores when troops are or
dered to many unexpected places, and when
the movements are accompanied by serious
outbreaks of sickness. This difficulty was
increased in many instances by the fact
that most of the regimental. brigade and
division surgeons were entirely new to mill
tary work. I am well satisfied that the
surgeon general worked admirably to sup
ply my corps and was ably assisted by
Chief Surgeon Robert M. O'Reilly. to whose
ability and energy feel, on behalf of my
troops, deeply indebted.
Ordnance Department
At the outbreak of the trouble with Spain
we had about 24.5OO men, infantry, well sup
piled with arms, but short of ammunition.
A few days after we were called on to equip
for the field some 5000 men-simply an inn
possibility in the time allowed. We placed
many of these men in the ranks short of
cartridges, short of cartridge belts, armed
with muskets of antique pattern, interesting
in a museum but out of place in modern
battle. For this have no blame whatever
to attach to the chief of ordnance. He was
simply given an impossible task.
-A