The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-06
NOT NOW ABLE TO TAKE PART I'M
WARFARE
MEMORIES OF BRAVE DEEDS
0evived by the Arrival at New York
of Some of the Wars
Victims
Associated Press Special Wire

The ambulance ship Solace came into port
today. having on board fifty-four wounded
and sick, some of whom had been trans
ferred from the American warshps in Gu
ban waters and others taken from the hos
pitfalls at Key West
Her after decks had been tented off with
canvas, and in swinging hammocks lay
half a dozen of the more seriously Ill of
the patients. The convalescing room was
the basking place Of a score or more of
the poor fellows who had not given up
the fight without struggle, while the
privilege of the decks had been accorded
all those who were able to move about or
anxious to watch the green hills as the
good ship moved in shoreward.
The Solace anchored off Tompkinsville
early this morning where she was boarded
by representative of the Associated Press.
She left Key West Wednesday afternoon
last and made the run to New York without
incident until Saturday night. when the
gale tumbled her about for while and
made things to some extent uncomfortable
for the patients she carried. But the sea
voyage was a tonic to the NEIL. They had
left behind the swelterlng heat OF the trop-
les - had exchanged suffocating and ex-
hausting winds for refreshing breezes.
Many were nearing home; almost all were
to rest in the heart of the great country
they had been fighting for
The Solace brought many little band
of heroes among the fifty-four. Many
time they had gathered together in little
groups on the voyage up and told again the
story of brush with the spanlards or
night on watch at the blockade. Four OF
the heroes from the Nashville and the
lab mai M
Solace. Robert Volt of San Francisco, and
Henry Hendricksop, John Davis and Fl.
w. Kuchmeister of New York. They are
the wounded of that gallant band of vol
unteers who cut the cable at Cenfuesos
nearly month ago. 1t is u tale that has
been told before, but that noble effort will
live in history side by side with the Merr-
macs Journey down into the narrows at
Santiago harbor.
Commander McCaila Of the Marblehead
called for volunteeiS to man the boats.
Every hand wen. up, and the men begged
for call to the place Of danger. Lieut..
Wlpslow, Lieut.. Andersen and Ensign Ma
gruder were in charge the seamep swept
the boats with easy stroke inshore. In the
rifle pits 1000 Spaniards had gathered.
Shells from the warshps were directed
along the coast line, and then, with every
man at his gun, the Marblehead, Nash
willie and Window sailed. Watching for the
voice that all kenw was inevitab BILE.
The small boats made straight in A few
hundred yards from shore and the men
were at work. They dragged up the first
cable and hacked through the heavy
strands; then found the second. This was
the Spaniards' signal and they opened
fire. For half an hour the gallant sailors
worked amid a rain of bullets. Mean
while, this American watshps were hurting
shells and shot into the enemy, who, new
ertheless, kept up fierce fire.
The men in the boats kept coolly at their
work. Never for moment did they falter.
Lieut. Winslow lost three fingers of his left
hand by the explosion of SHE'LL but he Is
still at Key West ready for duty again.
John Reagan, on the Marbehead boat,
was shot through the chest. AS he fell
Private Marine Kuchme'ster stopped to as
sst him. At that instant rifle ball struck
kuchmester In the jaw and passed out OF
his mouth The marine, hardly realizing
how badly he was injured, bandaged up his
law with a handkerchief and tried to stop
the flow of blood from Reagan's wound, but
poor Reagan died a moment later. Gun
ner's Mate Davis of the Marblehead was
torn with a bullet in his thigh. and mo-
ment after q one-pounder from shore had
sent shot close enough to Craze his arm.
Hendrickson aud Votz. the former from
the Marbehead and the latter from the
Nashville, are the others of that gallant
expedition who will carry the marks of
heroism to the grave. When the revenue
cutter Window brought Hendrickson and
Voltz to Key West, the hospital surgeons
said both would die. Voltz had three bull
let wounds 22-caliber bullet had passed
through the skull at the base of the brain
and out. Compared with this the other
wounds were Insignificant, He was un-
conscious for several days al the barracks
hospital at Key West. but gradually they
brought him around. Now Voltz looks
well. TO be sure, he is still thin and hag-
pard. wears the bandages and says that
his head troubles him somewhat. but
yoltz Is a hero like his three mates. and
there are, many heroes in the American
navy.
Hendrickson was shot through the abdo-
men. The bullet passed completely out, SO
great is the velocity of these tiny steel
missiles under the new method of propul-
sion. Hendricksop, when seen aboard ship
today. however, said he would be fighting
month, If there was any fight left in them.
The Winslow sent one man here to re-
mind the people north Of that now famous
torpedo boat, and Of the terrible engage
ment at Cardenas, when Ensign Bagley
was killed-the first officer Of the, Ameri-
can navy to fall in this war. with four of
his men. He is Robert T. Grubb, lands
man. 1t was on that memorable occa-
sion that Lieutenant Bernardou, in COM
mand of the Winslow, under orders from
Commander Todd of the gunboat Will
mingtoa, attempted to force Cardenas
harbor for the purpose Of drawing the
fire of the masked batteries. The fire was
hundred-fod more effective than ex-
pected, and the first shell from shore ex-
ploded over the plucky little boat. Lieu
tenant Bernardou being the only man
wounded. A piece of shell cut nasty
cash in his leg but tying bandage around
It, he ordered his boat still farther in.
H-pound shell crushed through the boilers