Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-02-13

yet to be made the first charge of defalca-
ton against an army officer, regular or
volunteer. 80
There have been very few complaints
against this department. The records and
testimony show that 1t has been prompt In
its work and has added greatly to the
efficiency of the army.
sInxpector Generals Department.
Brigndier General J.. c. Breckin-
ridge, Inspector General, U. 8. A.,
in Charge.
"The commission finds that the inspector
generals department was not as efficient
as it ought to have been. There seems 70
have been questions as to authority oy
which Inspections were to be ordered. On
at least one occasion. May H. the secre-
tary of war instructed the major general
commanding the army to inspect certain
camps, viz: Those at Chickamauga, At
lanta, New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa, Miami
and Key West. The major general did not
act upon such instructions. stating 1t to
be his place to order inspection.
Further. the commission finds that, al
though several of the officers of this de-
partment were assigned to duty in COM
mand of troops in the field, still competent
officers were left in charge of the depart
as were assigned to them. The organiza-
ton in the field was ample. and the in
spectors made reports to the commanding
officers to whom they had been assigned
These reports were often not acted on and
were not forwarded to the war depart
ment.
s.The Quartermaster's Department, U.
S. A., Brigadier General M. 1. Lud-
inEton, Quartermaster General, U.
S. A., in Charge.
"on March 1. 1888. with the possibility Of
war with Spain. the quartermaster's de-
partrnelt found itself charged with varied.
numerous and important duties, its appro-
priation small. and facing the probability
of large army being soon organized for
field service.
1.-The department. up to March l. 1898,
found itself confronted with sections S5t9,
1882 and 3709 of the revised statutes, which
prohibit any government department from
expending money in excess of appropria-
tions; that purchases shall not exceed the
necessities of the current year. and that
all proposals shall be advertised.
Want of Preparations.
''It will thus be observed that the declara-
tion Of war threw upon the quartermaster' 8
department an amount OF labor and re-
| sponsiblity for which it was neither phys
ically nor financially prepared.
'"The department has reported that on
April /, 1885, it was amply provided with
| all necessary clothing and equipage sup
plies for three months for the army then
| organized. 1t appears that within few
weeks it became necessary to provide for
clothing and eauipping an army of more
| than $4,000 men.
$50 soon as funds were available, so soon
/ as war was inevitable. so soon as law per-
| mitted. the Quartermaster's department un-
| dertook this enormous work. That the
| auartermaster general threw the energy of
| his department into this work. when funds
were available, was evident, and that his
officers labored faithfully in their efforts to
aid him is plain to those who have care
! fully studied their work.
In spite of every effort there were occa-
| sions where troops suffered from poor tent
| age or lack of tentage and absence OF
straw for bedding, where clothing was
scarce and troops suffered discomfort for
| lack of Shoes shirts and other articles OF
| apparel. This was noticed even as late as
| October In the camps at Admission, Hunts.
Vile and Lexington, while at Huntsville
Ala, and Fort Monroe, Va, in spite OF
cool nights, there was lack of stoves ir
the hospitals, and at Huntsville the supply
| Of wood was short. With some of the
troops sent from San Francisco to Manila
the deficiency in shoes Of proper size con.
| tinued even up to August 81.
"At Santiago the deficiency at the front
| appears to have been caused rather from
lack OF transportation from the coast thar
from lack of clothing and tentage, sup
ply Of which was on the transports.
| Great complaint was made of lack o.
transportation facilities at the camp a
| Montauk Point, N. Y.
Many complaints were received in ref
erence to unnecessary delays and lack O.
promptness on the part of the quarter
masters department in moving regiments
and in the care of sick and convalescents
Great complaint was made Of the rail
road congestion at Tampa and the absolut,
lack of ability to bring order out of chao.
| at that place during the early part Of tn,