The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1901-01-01
THE ARMY FOOD WAS GOOD
This Was Proven But 1rrepara0le
Damage Was Done.
NILES ALLEGATIONS RUINED EA6Af
And False Impression Has Been Created as t
the Food furnished the Army Which
May Never be Removed,
Winds Up AIger.
Bv the Associated rress.)


New York Dec. 2o.-Ihe North
American Review in its next issue VIII
contain an article on The Food OF the
Army During the Spanish War" by
former Secretary Of War, Russell a
Aleer. The articles cites the creation
of the War Investigation Commission,
and says:
.'On the 21st day Of December, 1898,
the major general commanding the
army of the United States appeared be
fore the commission, then sitting III
WASHINGTON. and made his statements
with respect to the canned fresh anG
refrigerated beef furnished to the
army during the war. The article
says:
"'General Miles refused to be sworn
or affirmed, as every other OF the 40
witnesses had been done, declaring
in substance that he would make his
statements without being sworn ana
was responsible for what he said
.'Although the commission had been
sitting nearly three months, the
charges with respect to canned and re
frigerated beef were now made Tor
the first time, and stranger and more
inexcusable and more unsoldleriy
still, during all these months, with
this pretended knowledge OF facts,
which, if they existed, should have
been made known to the Secretary
of War, for the protection Of the army,
General Miles never mentioned the
subject. nor did [ ever hear a rumOr
of chemically treated beef being lur-
chased for the army until the gener-
ais testimony was given before the
commission. In answer to inquiries
as to how the canned beef became
part of the army ration, General Miles
said:
You had better ask the Secretary OF
War or the Commssary General, think
they can tell you. | know it was sent
20 the army as food, and the preteGse IS
that it was sent an experiment.
There was sent to Porto Rico 337 tons OF
what IS known as, or called refrigerated
beef, which you might call embalmed
beef Now, if you want to as
certain the cost to the Government OF
this so-called refrigerated beef-embalm-
ed beef-take the original cost.
l do not know what may have been in
iected into it. The under
standing is that this is a secret process Of
preserving beef. 1t may be that
they are still sending the stuff down there
| don't know = II I was furnish
ed for any expedition in this country or
any other. with such stLf, Wcuiu pro
hlDit the men from taking 1t. .
| do not think that beef such as was scnt
to Cuba and Porto Rioo would be good in
any country in the stomach of any MAJ.
= They could get some bacon, but
that is not suitable food for the tropics
You ask about food? In my
judgment that was of the serious
causes of so much sickness and distress
on the part Of our troops.
mot content with these grave and
scandalous charges titus made public for
the first time before the War Investiga-
ting Commission, General Miles permit
ted himself to be interviewed on the fol
lowing day at Cincinnati, Ohio, when nc
made similar charges.
The allegations that unsuitable food
not part of the legal rations, had beer
furnished to the army under pretense o
an experiment, and that refrigerated
beef, treated with poisonous chemicals
had been and was being supFlied to oul
army of 275, 900 men, were indeed SER
Gus, implying as they did, criminal in
competency the part of the Commits
sary Department, Wilful negligence ant
dishonesty.
A BLOW TO EAGAN-
Upon Comnissary General Charles T
Eagan the charges fell with the sudden
ness and SHARPNESS of blow from a.
assassn's knife out OF the dark. Gen
eral Eagan had been an officer of tn
regular army fer thirty-six years. n
other supply bureau of the army had eS
celled the Commissary Department j
promptness, efficiency and successful ad
ministration during the war. The charge
of General Miles made so publicly and S
positively and the manner in which the
were for the first time made known, seem
ed to General Eagan in his nervous con
diton, the more magnifed ald horrible
General Eagan Immediately requested
re-hearing from the commission. Lashe
to the quick by the allegations contGine
in General Miles testimony and IL
subsequent interview given December 23r
III New York newspaper. General Es
@an's Indignation exceeded the limit
his self-control and in his efforts to den
the charges made, his language becan
Fituperative, eXtrava CANT and highly in
proper | believe that had ,.encr.
Eagans health not been seriously in
paired by overWork and anxiety, the tW
objectionable paragraphs-of 800 word
ont CT an aggregate of u 900 words COZ
tanned IN his reply-Would never have bee
written or uttered. Even yet Invested
us offensive adjectives in the two par;
graphs referred to. his reply to Gener
Miles remains unanSwerable in its log
and mconvertible liz its facts. The alle
cation that l had inspired or had ar
knowledge OF General Eagan's intende
attack ucon the statement Of Gener
Miles is absolutely untrue. He did n
make known to me the nature of his pr
posed answer to tie charges Meth
ala he consult me in the matter H.