Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14
What Major Carlton, on General
Wilson's staff, Says.
SANITARY CONDITION OF CAMPS
As Good as Could Be Expected
Under the Circumstances.
A FEW MORE WITH SSES

When the public session of the war in
vestigation commission began this morning
Maj. H. II. Carlton. inspector general on
the staff of Gen. Wilson of the list Army
Corps, was placed on the stand. He stated
in reply to questions that he was at Chick
amauga and from that point went to Porto
Rico, and that while there part of his duty
was to inspect the supplies. He also stated
that he had been practising physician
and that he had also served in the civil war
under Gen. Longstreet. From his expert
ence as soldier and physician he would
say that the result of his inspection of
the food supplies was that q good quality
was furnished. He said that the food was
served on his own table and he found that
canned beef made elegant hash.
He went on tC say that when he found
that fresh beef, vegetables, etc, could be
secured on the island he recommended to
Gen. Wilson. that such supplies be issued
to the soldiers, as he thought it would be
better for the soldiers and also would save
the regular rations for an emergency. Such
an order was made. He knew of COM
plant having been made in regard to the
condition of the food supplies. OF course
soldiers will complain, he said but that did
not amount to much as it was more in the
nature of grumbing than anything else He
said the refrigerated beef was excellent.
Sanitary Condition Good.
camps and hospitals the witness said it was
good as could be expected under the
circumstances. In further evidence he
said that many of the volunteer officers
seemed to think that their sole duty was
to teach the men how to march and shoot,
and the care of the camp grounds was apt
to be overlooked and also the physical con-
dition of the men. Such irregularities, he
thought were largely corrected as the cam
paign wore on. On account of the rainy
season in Porto Rico and the general eli
matte situation the witness said 1t was
more difficult to maintain the sanitary con-
dition of the camps than was the case at
Chickamauga. However he said that the
condition was better then might be eX-
pected. At any rate, he added, that in
respect to supplies the army was so much
better off than was his experience during
the civil war that they seemed to be
abundant. The witness said that in speak
ing to a friend on this subject he said to
him in a joking way that if the confederate
army had such quantities of supplies II
would probably have still been fighting.
Mai. Smiths Testimony.
The next witness was Major Frederick A.
Smith, who stated that he issued the first
cargo of beef received at Santiago, and said
that the character of the meat was good
and continued to be so. He thought that
canned beef was suitable to be issued in
lack of other meat supplies.
General Humphrey of the quartermaSter
department, who had charge of the en-
barking of the troops at Tampa during the
war was the next witness. But it was de-
cided that his testimony would be heard
at the session Monday morning.
The commission then went into executive
session.
But Few More Witnesses.
1t is stated that there are but few wit