New-York tribune., 1901-02-21

Washington. Feb. 20.-General Charee has sent
the following report to the War Department in
relation 10 published charges that his troops we're
poorly supplied with eommissary stores and trans
portation during the operations In China:
Peking. China. December .. 1870.
To the Adjutsnt-GeneTal. china Relief Expedition
1900 note reported interview with John F. Bass.
pedition during bsTt Of its march TO Pekins MT
Bass is reported as stating: The Quarterma steT =
posoa ana li. t6e were f oaded down Win
baggage in excess OF their carrying capacity THIS
persons rides cartridge belt with one hundred
rounds Of ammunition. eanteen. hsversaek with WITH
across the shoulders. Owing 20 excessive heat many
In The advance e on Pekinr PACK trains imms-
oiately followed the troops With smmpnito1, a. Lhs
an extra supply. Wagons carried the rations which
sp ssTla aSs HsTries eomnSbr eoo
tns utensils and most OF the ohloers' bsegsge, etc
nlsls supplemenred The whole carrying forage and
small rolls for Officers who were not provided With
% S9ees Inc sHppeS % cSIrie9 ar; &C. 9y S isns 2 aoa yb
one when through a misunderstanding they went
a mile OF tNo beyond the camping place OF the
Mr Bass is reported as saving: The Comm!s
sary Department furnished only % per cent OF the
aeTi1s has no nes 6 or fresh vesetables
In this connection would state that each orsani-
in haversacks, four days on wagons and ten days
q the }2nks & f9t2l OF f,een days ra9ons
cornponents bread meat coffee sugar salt ana
ennsri 2smS iasi aRd sogs 81 81 NJ F {T f
the hrst time thst The hard bread was Incomplete
brought only I'VE 5eogssn1 Taiions Of haI3 bread
ration ] reported the facts 70 the n1ing
combine an rations Prom This time August 10
August y, the issre 70 TIE whole command of that
bers ~ 1o ro.,srfs' raSsSfiop ~ Ne o,bsr
~
while it was not always possible TO issue one Kind
Of Of oI % 52osS s. 9TnSa % , 9[ ,, aDe M ass sa PtTSSn'ase
Within my experience troops have always been
70 Feng and % on account =. The serty nj We 3. G
soil hey EeyeE lived better while on an active
regarding rations came 10 ne as follows;
About September General Chaffee directed
70 investigate a complaint made by Colonel Dag
gett that his troops were receiving not moro than
/ mel Coion@l pseseit : lew moments lsier Hs
referred Captain Martin. ~ his reeiment. the
sonal investigation and inquiries of the depot
connlissary Lieutenant Munson, and the acting
failed 10 md any foundation for the COMPLAINT.
psny auarterraaster sergeant. upon whose STATE
sergeant Admitted that ne could have drawn the
but complained of the lack of fresh onions ana
potatoes. As a matter Of fact. some Of the veee-
table ratiOn carried and issued route: the
oountrv however. furnished such hountful sup
toes. beans, lettuce. etc.-that the vegetables
brought the trains were transferred 20 the
1unks and extra staple components taken IN their
Flace. I reported these facts at Colonel DaFgetts
headquarters. requesting that he change his re-
port 10 the general Tne complaint of Captain
Martin that fresh onions and potatoes We're not
issued appears frivolous IN view % the fact that
Oreauized foraging parties sent out daily and
secured large variety and plentiful supply OF
other vegetables.
! am recentiy. Informed that Mr; Bass was init
Csptain Martin. and 81 fair 10 presume that
this article is tainted with the latteTs complain
snes.
While know that the foregoing contains no in-
formation unknown to the mSjor-eeneral COM
manding ] submit IL 20 make the facts OF Official
record Very respectfully.
FRANKLIN W RAMSEY.
Captain. Quartermaster. 9Th Infantry.
Late acting chief quartermaSter In the field and
chief cou'mssaTy. China relief expedition