Washington, the "State of Texas" left Key West and proceeded to Port
Tampa. There we lived among the transports until the fleet sailed for
Cuba. There is hardly space to tell in detail all the work done on shore
and in the harbor. The impression that the "State of Texas," with the
insignia of the Red Cross on either bow and on the smokestacks, was a
hospital ship had become general among the troops, though she was really
loaded with medicines, clothing and general supplies for the
reconcentrados of Cuba. As this impression prevailed, and the Red Cross
was desirous of assisting our own men whenever necessary and adding in
every possible way to their comfort, the spacious smoking room on board
the ship was fitted up as an operating room, and the purser's room
converted into a dispensary. No hospital staff in any of our great
institutions could have been more proud than this little band of
workers with their emergency hospital equipment, and its outfit of
instruments and appliances--unsurpassed by the equipment of many a
first-class hospital.
Many of the cases treated were of a character that required rest, quiet
and watchful care, and these patients were given rooms on board the
ship, and nurses were assigned to regular duty. The following is a
summary of the cases treated: cynovitis of knee joint, 5; necrosis of
bones of leg, 12; scalds and burns, 29; ear affections (including one
case of removal of the bones of the ear. This patient was chief engineer
of transport No. 7, "The Comal"), 14; eye injuries, 19; tumors removed,
11; miscellaneous, sickness and minor injuries, 197.
On June 17, following instructions from the Navy Department, the "State
of Texas" again weighed anchor and proceeded to Key West, and after a
stay of two days continued her voyage to Cuba, and anchored in the bay
of Guantanamo, on the south shore of the island, in the Province of
Santiago, at sunset July 25.
A quantity of jerked beef and other supplies were left at Guantanamo, in
charge of Captain McCalla, for distribution among the reconcentrados in
the country. Leaving Guantanamo the next day we proceeded with the
"State of Texas" to Siboney, reaching that place the evening of the same
day.
A severe engagement was fought at Aguadores, where the Spaniards were
strongly entrenched and guarding one of the roads leading to Santiago.
Our warships shelled the fortifications and silenced the batteries; and
our troops made a gallant charge, but were repulsed with heavy loss, and
had to fall back. The wounded began to arrive, some in ambulances, in
army wagons and on litters. Those who were able walked into Siboney, in
order to allow their more seriously wounded comrades to ride. Major La
Garde, who was in charge of the army hospital at Siboney, welcomed the
Red Cross surgeons and gave them quarters and opportunity for working
side by side with the hospital staff of the army, and extended every
courtesy within his power.
Previously, the services of the nurses of the Red Cross were tendered to
the surgeon in charge of the American hospital, but the offer was
courteously declined. The aid of the Red Cross nurses was then offered
to the Cuban hospital, and gratefully accepted by General Garcia. Under
their direction the insurgent hospital was thoroughly cleaned,
disinfected and put into excellent order. Their good work attracted the
attention of the American wounded, who inquired why the Red Cross "had
deserted them and gone to the Cuban army."
That evening, however, the nurses were called to the operating tents to
assist in the care of the American wounded, and remained constantly on
duty till all the injured were cared for.
Immediately after the first battle, fought on July 1, a Red Cross
hospital was opened, and rapidly filled with American troops. In this
hospital the nurses worked incessantly until, one by one, worn out by
overwork, with reduced vitality, they could no longer stand the terrible
strain, and were obliged to succumb and pay the debt which an exhausted
nature demanded.
These young women were the first volunteer nurses or "Sisters" of the
Red Cross who served in the war, and too much cannot be said in praise
of their untiring devotion. Faithfully and constantly they worked. Nobly
and unselfishly they labored, and their greatest reward was the
gratitude of those they helped to save, and the satisfaction of a duty
faithfully performed. The names of these nurses were, Sister-in-chief
"Bettina," Sisters Minnie Rogal, Anna McCue, Blanche McCorristen and
Isabel Olm, assisted by Mrs. Trumbull White, of Chicago.
At daylight on the morning of July 2 everything was in readiness for
messengers of the Red Cross to proceed to the front, and in company with
Mr. George Kennan, preceded by the Cuban guides, furnished by General
Garcia, we set out for the firing line.
We reached the First Division Hospital of the Fifth Army Corps about
four in the afternoon, over a rough, miry road, fording extensive lakes
of deep mud, but the hearty welcome extended by Major Wood repaid us for
the hard journey. The First Division Hospital was established some
distance ahead of the firing lines, and it was several hours before the
lines were moved beyond the hospital.
Major Wood assigned an operating table to the Red Cross. Not a light was
permitted to be shown the night of the second of July, lest it should
attract the fire of the enemy, particularly of the guerrilla
sharpshooters who were stationed in the trees about us.
The operating tables were moved out into the open, and the operations
were performed by the light of the moon. All through the night the
scattering fire continued around us; generally the sharp crack of the
Mauser, occasionally the louder report of the Springfield, and sometimes
a heavier explosion, as of a shell or the firing of light artillery. At
daylight, the firing had ceased.
[Illustration: Copyright, 1898, by Clara Barton.
STARVING IN THE PLAZA.]
[Illustration: LOS FOSOS.]
No pen can describe the horrors of that night and the silent suffering
of the wounded. Long rows of them, nearly a thousand, lying in pools of
water and on the damp ground, for the heavy rains had fallen every
day. Then, at night, the tropical dew fell like rain, adding to the
general discomfort. In the morning, the great burning sun came out and
the mists began to rise. Hotter and hotter it grew, until almost
unbearable. To shelter the wounded, palm leaves and branches of leafy
trees were placed over them.
The bravery and determined resignation manifested by the men waiting for
treatment, and in the hospitals under operation, was worthy of comment.
Many times, as the surgeon or nurse was proffering attention to a
wounded man, or offering him water or nourishment, he would say, "Oh,
give it to Tom first, he's worse off than I am." This spirit of kindness
and grim courtesy was noticeable all through the campaign.
On our arrival there was no food for the wounded, no tents, no blankets.
The men were without change of clothing, and in some cases what little
they had required to be cut off on account of the character of the
wound.
A message explaining the condition of things at the front was sent back
to Siboney, from General Shafter's headquarters, and immediately army
wagons were loaded with supplies by the Red Cross, and the next morning
they rolled into the hospital lines, with Miss Barton and some of her
staff, accompanied by Private Hassett, who had been detailed from the
Thirty-fourth Michigan, all seated on top of the wagons, which carried
food enough for the patients in the hospitals for several days. They,
too, had to come over miry roads that lead from the coast; of the wheels
no spokes could be seen, nothing but one circular, solid mass of mud,
like great massive car-wheels.
There was many a moist eye and many shouts of welcome and surprise as
the train came into camp. "There's a woman!" "It's the Red Cross!" "My
God, boys, it's Clara Barton!" "Now we'll get something to eat!" And
they did. Miss Barton, Mrs. Gardner and others prepared condensed milk,
malted milk and other delicacies, and within an hour every man was
served with hot gruel, milk and fresh soda biscuits. Later in the
evening well-boiled and seasoned rice, fruit, canned meats and other
things, including beef tea, were passed around. As the patients from the
hospitals became convalescent, they were sent to the transports bound
for home.
On July 5, Dr. Gardner and I, after securing an ambulance and loading it
with canned meats, crackers, pilot bread, milk, rice and other foods and
delicacies, walked beside the loaded wagon, drawn by army mules, until
we reached El Caney. We arrived just as the refugees were coming in from
Santiago, from which city they had fled, fearing the bombardment that
was threatened by the American forces around the place and the ships of
the North Atlantic Squadron, lying off the mouth of the harbor.
At El Caney there was not even water to drink, food was very scarce.
Hundreds of hungry refugees were coming in. There were poor women with
children in their arms, and there were men with hands full of gold which
they offered for the food they could not purchase.
A distributing committee was formed at once, including Mr. William
Ramsden, son of the English consul at Santiago, the French consul, two
Cuban officers, and other gentlemen whose names I do not now recall, and
the relief of the refugees began. Following close behind this first
ambulance of supplies for the refugees at El Caney, came a well-loaded
army wagon in charge of Mr. C.C. Bangs of the Red Cross staff, who
worked here, as he always had, with great vigor. He finished his work at
El Caney, superintending the relief of the refugees until they could
return to their homes, and then joined the Red Cross party at the First
Division Hospital. Mr. Bangs was always a hard and enthusiastic worker,
but he could not withstand the climate and the constant fatigue. He was
at last taken ill and never rallied. He died and was buried on the
field, faithful to the cause to which he had pledged his service.
On the evening of the twelfth of July Major Wood announced his intention
of breaking camp and moving nearer to Santiago. Miss Barton and staff
then returned to Siboney, reaching that place after dark the following
day. The Signal Corps were unable to communicate with the ships in the
harbor, and so there was no way in which we could join the "State of
Texas" that night. Miss Barton slept in a room tendered her by
Postmaster Brewer, who subsequently died at the Red Cross hospital of
what the doctors said was yellow fever.
Dr. Hubbell and I lay on the floor outside, and enjoyed the sleep we
could get, when we were not troubled by a species of shell fish called
"land crabs," which are perfectly harmless, but have a body about four
inches wide, six inches long and three inches thick, with legs ten
inches long, and, standing erect on their legs, they go up and down
stairs at leisure. They always take the shortest road, never go around
anything, but hobble over every obstruction.
Mr. Kennan rolled himself up at right angles with Sir Alfred Paget on
the floor of the veranda. We were all up at break of day. A call from
Captain McCalla for 50,000 rations for Guantanamo met with an immediate
response. The "State of Texas" was dispatched, but on arriving there
the surgeon in charge of the fleet asked if any of the relief party had
been on shore, and on being answered in the affirmative, he refused to
allow the goods to be landed, being afraid, as he said, of infection.
The vessel returned to Siboney and there continued to land and store
what was needed at that place, preparatory to leaving for Santiago.
On July 17, the "State of Texas" while lying off Morro Castle, Santiago,
at the entrance to the harbor, was boarded by Admiral Sampson, Commodore
Schley and Captain Cook, who came to pay their compliments to _our
commander_. Never was there an action more gallant and graceful than the
voluntary offer of these commanders to allow Miss Barton and her staff,
with the "State of Texas" to enter the harbor of Santiago first, as the
Red Cross and the relief ship represented the principle for which the
war was waged--humanity.
Those on board will never forget the experience of that afternoon as the
good ship steamed in, past the "Merrimac," past the sunken ships of the
once proud navy of Spain, on to relieve the hungry and despairing people
who crowded to the wharves to look at the ship with the insignia of good
will flying from her masthead. As the vessel steamed slowly in, from her
forward deck floated the strains of the "Doxology" and "My Country 'Tis
of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty."
The cargo of the "State of Texas" was quickly unloaded and stored in
spacious warehouses, under the supervision of Mr. Warner, and the good
ship, under command of her captain, F.A. Young, who had grown to be a
Red Cross man at heart, accompanied by Mrs. J. Addison Porter and Sister
Blanche McCorristen, steamed away to New York. For the warehouses the
Red Cross is indebted to Dr. Douglass, who also placed at our
disposition his residence and corps of clerks to assist in the work.
A distributing committee was at once formed by Miss Barton and staff,
consisting of Mr. Mason, Mr. Michaelsen, Mr. Wm. Ramsden, Jr., who was
also on the committee at El Caney. Mr. Ramsden, as chairman of the
committee, gave his entire time to the work, and his courtesy and
executive ability did much to prevent confusion and misunderstandings,
and thus kept the way smooth for effective work. Through the
co-operation of this committee, nearly 40,000 people were fed and made
comfortable in four days.
The army were unable to get their provisions, owing to the inability of
the Commissary Department to fill the orders. Two men were kept
constantly employed in the warehouse of the Red Cross issuing foods,
medicines and delicacies to fill requisitions from the officers of the
army. To the soldiers themselves a large quantity of food of all
description was given, sometimes singly, but where it was practical they
were given as much as they had transportation for, to provide for the
sick in their locality.
A dispensary was opened in Santiago by the Red Cross, where some 400
patients were prescribed for daily. This dispensary was in charge of Dr.
J.B. Sollosso, the assistant surgeon of the Red Cross on the Cuban
field, assisted by five others. Their work brought comfort to many a
sick soldier and was a great credit to all connected with it.
At the Red Cross headquarters, an Out-patient Department was established
and placed in charge of Dr. Gill. This department developed so rapidly
that local doctors were brought into the work, and all applicants
reported to headquarters, requiring medicine or medical aid, were at
once referred to one of the visiting staff. Medicines and instruments
for all were furnished by the surgeon placed in charge of the Supply
Department. In this department were treated many American soldiers who
had been stationed away from their regiments and who consequently could
not get to their regimental surgeons.
When the Red Cross staff left on the transport "Clinton," bound for
Havana, the remainder of the supplies were left in charge of Mr. Warner.
On August 27 we arrived in the harbor of Havana. The following day the
Civil Governor and his staff came on board the "Clinton" to pay their
respects to Miss Barton, and expressed their gratitude for the work of
the Red Cross among the reconcentrados.
The weather was very warm, and with forty mules between decks the
situation was not all that could be desired for a protracted stay in a
harbor like Havana. An effort was made to land the cargo of supplies,
but we were met with a refusal to allow the goods to enter without
payment of duties, and, because of some technical oversight in clearing
the vessel from Santiago, a fine of $500 was imposed. The fine was
promptly paid, and with no hope of being able to land soon, the
"Clinton" was ordered by Miss Barton to weigh anchor and proceed to
Egmont Key, where we would go into quarantine before proceeding North.
The stay of five days in quarantine at the Key would not have been
unpleasant, except for the gnats, mosquitoes, sand fleas, snakes and the
daily storms, which made it necessary to call all hands at all hours to
hold down the tents.
The general cargo of the "Clinton" was unloaded at Egmont Key, and as
the charter of the vessel expired in a few days, she was hurried away to
New Orleans, carrying the forty Red Cross mules in charge of Mr. C.H.H.
Cottrell, financial secretary.
Accompanied by Dr. Hubbell, I then proceeded to Tampa to arrange for the
shipment of the general cargo of the "Clinton" to that port, where much
of it could be used for the Cuban refugees at that place who are being
cared for by the Red Cross. The supplies were delivered to Dr. S.S.
Partello, field agent at that point, whose efficient service among the
Cubans, and in the auxiliary relief work in the army hospitals, has
elicited many words of satisfaction and praise.
A few days later Miss Barton and staff, accompanied by General Von
Schell, of the Belgium Red Cross, left Tampa for Washington.
Not long after our arrival, word came that the steamer "City of San
Antonio" was loading in New York with relief supplies. Mr. J.K. Elwell
was assigned by Miss Barton to go to Cuba with this ship in charge of
its cargo and I in charge of the medical and hospital supplies.
On the arrival of the ship at Matanzas, the large warehouse owned by
Brinkerhoff & Co., was placed at the disposition of the Red Cross. With
the large lighters, of which there are many at this port, the vessel was
quickly discharged and released.
The governor of Matanzas, Senor Eduardo Diaz, a man pre-eminently fitted
for the position of responsibility which he held under the Spanish
Government, contributed much of his time and means in furthering the
work of relief. Day and night he went about investigating the condition
of the people, placed at our disposal every facility, and furnished
special trains when needed. He was not only an able and just
administrator of public affairs, but a humanitarian as well. Taking him
all in all, he was a man among the men of his country.
In Matanzas women and children walked the streets day and night begging.
I suggested to the governor that it would be well to have all these poor
people collected in institutions where they could be clothed, fed and
cared for until they were able to care for themselves. In twenty-four
hours after the governor's order was issued, these people were all
housed and being fed from the stores of the "San Antonio."
At Matanzas we found a dispensary conducted by the Firemen's
Association. It was a model institution, and here 300 to 400 little
children were fed every day, but their scanty store of provisions was
running out, and so we left with them general food and delicacies and
medicines sufficient for three months.
All places in the western provinces were handled after the manner of
Matanzas. Twenty-two institutions, including hospitals and asylums, were
opened, and the sick, the women and the children, for the first time in
many months, were sheltered and made comfortable. The regeneration of
the hospital at Jovellanos will serve as an example of the work that had
to be done in many of the interior towns. The building itself manifested
signs of former prosperity and cleanliness. It was a stately edifice,
after the Doric style. The pillars were crumbling and broken, the patio
was a pool of mud, the yard in the rear was a laboratory of infectious
germs, and all in a filthy condition. A Chinaman lay in what was called
the "dead house." He had died of starvation; so they said. The three
coffins which had been repeatedly used to carry the dead to the grave,
stood up against the wall. It was a perfect picture of poverty and
filth.
The Chinaman lay on a slightly inclined board, with no clothing, covered
only by an old blanket. Removing the blanket from his body revealed the
fact that the man was not dead, but still breathing. He was at once
bathed, removed to a clean bed and given light nutriment at intervals,
and the next day was sitting up smiling his appreciation, for he could
not speak English at all, and but little Spanish.
The following day the coffins that had done service for seven years,
formed the basis of a large bonfire, to which was added all the decayed
wood flooring, garbage, old clothing and bedding--the accumulation of
years. A band of workers, about sixty in number, carpenters, masons,
painters, cabinet-makers and representatives of other trades, were put
to work renovating and rebuilding. With only rations for pay, these men
deemed it a privilege to be permitted to assist. These men were in a few
days relayed by others, so that both the work and the food might be
divided. Great quantities of lime and paint were used, the building was
raised in some places, and in others completely rebuilt, and ventilators
put in. A marsh which had existed near the hospital and extending into
the yard, was drained and the dense vegetation removed. The land around
the building is now dry and clear, and is used for laundry purposes and
for sunning the bedding and drying the clothing.
After the building was repaired, painted, whitewashed and disinfected,
even below the foundation, new cots were placed in the "Salons" and the
wards arranged. The patients were brought in until the hospital was
filled, the women and children being first cared for. Thus the streets
were cleared of all mendicants. The institution was then provided by the
Red Cross with medicines and general provisions for three months, and a
good supply of clothing and bedding furnished. Dr. Mena, the city
physician, was appointed to take charge with a corps of select
assistants, and the hospital was left under the supervision of the
alcalde, or mayor, and we passed on to other places where assistance was
badly needed.
After opening all the institutions which our stock of supplies from the
"City of San Antonio" permitted, we returned to Havana.
Shortly afterward, in company with Mr. D.L. Cobb, of the Red Cross, a
final tour of inspection was made, and all the institutions left in good
running order. Through the efforts of Mr. Cobb, assisted by Dr. Sollosso
and others, permission was obtained from the Spanish authorities in
Havana to open a hospital at Mariano, a suburb some seven miles from the
capital. A Central Committee was formed in Havana, and the women of the
city interested in the work. A large amount of money and supplies were
contributed, and the hospital at Mariano is now one of the most complete
and practical in all the western provinces. In addition to the usual
wards, there are administration offices, a fine dispensary fully
stocked, a modern kitchen, bath rooms, operating room, a steam laundry
plant and storerooms. The sanitary arrangements are as perfect as could
be attained under the circumstances, and everything is neat, clean and
orderly. The institution was established especially for the sick,
wounded and enfeebled men who had served in the insurgent army, many of
whom had been without proper medical attention for months, with their
old wounds still open and in bad condition.
Over five hundred have been treated at this hospital, out of which
number but twenty-six have died, a remarkably good showing considering
the terrible condition in which the patients were brought from the
interior.
All the members of the American Evacuation Commission were always
courteous and kind; they were helpful in their advice and otherwise
assisted the work in many ways. To Mr. S.M. Jarvis, vice-president of
the North American Trust Company, the fiscal agents of the United States
Government in Havana, the Red Cross is indebted for valuable suggestions
and material aid. The tour of inspection being completed, I returned to
Havana with Mr. Cobb, and, in response to instructions by cable from
headquarters, we left for Washington on the "Mascotte" sailing November
30.
CLOTHING DEPARTMENT.
REPORT OF MISS ANNIE M. FOWLER.[G]
On July 26, in the large back room on the ground floor, and opening out
upon the flagged courtyard of the warehouse, Casa Buena Santiago, was
undertaken, under the direction of Mrs. Gardner, the work of the
Department of Clothing, to sort out the garments as to kind and quality,
and to re-pack them for distribution among the people of Santiago, and
the outlying districts and towns.
On August 1, Mrs. Gardner returned to the States, and the responsibility
of carrying out the work so ably directed by her, fell upon me.