New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-01
HOSPITAL WORK IN CUBA.
LIEUTENANT GoDFREY's REPORT OF
OPERATIONS AROUND SANTIAGO.
LANDING At slBoNEY CARE oF The oDHpAD
SPANISH sHARPsHooTERs IN 1HSfS
u.Pn WORK FOR THE CORPS.


SPANISH sHARPsHooTERs ~ 1RSks
-uaFD WORK FOR THE CORPS
WASHINGTON. Aug 81 -surgeon-General Stern
berg today made public the following EXTRACTS
from, q report Of Lieutenant Guy c. N Godfrey
Assistant Surgeon. United States Army. regard
ing conditions around Santiago
Santiago de- cuba, ruy -, 1873
To the Surgeon General Of the United 9'a''S
ARM. Washington, II 9
Sir. As commanding Officer NJ the Hospih'
corrs rornsnv Of tho Firsr Division. FIFTH Army
corps I have the honor 10 submit the following
report r,
rb,s corpsnv was organized ~ Tampa fla
81 Jur, s 1906 lust two DAYS previous '" w.
departure Of the troops Of the First DIVISION ~
the TRANSPORTS AT Port Tampa, Fla. ON The DAY ~
orgsnization the strength ~ the company Va
siehtean rrlyates No non -comniss oned otncer
vss assigned n II until June :. 1898 when Ac'lnS
pospItsl Steward Mcclure reported FOR ouN' -"
vas az once detailed as first sergeant ~ INC COM
rsnv which place he has held MP 70 the p'eSe"'
date 4 cook ard assistant cook. orderiie' '"r
tho medical officers ard a clerk we're ~ ontN
detailed.
When the order came - move. tho men OF the
company performed the work necessary thete'o'
and the enthusiasm, and esprit dn corps WIN Whl''
they lsbored added greatly to thu ooer''Y An' -
cUitv with which the task wos accomplished tn"
well as the hospital companv. were placed on board
the transport Santiago and arrived of the coast
Of Cuba near Santiago on juno o. lH". Tho ddV
before landing all Of the material was brought up
from ths hold by the men Of the company nn'
stored on the main deck of the shin near the for
ward starboard port. This was done by direction
Of Major NJ. W. Wood. chief surgeon OF thS
division and proved wise and ef1cient measure
UNLOADING THE STORES.
We landed on juno o. Mt sboney. Cuba. ard
pitched camp on the beach. on this day thirteen
NJ the rrivates Of the Hospital Corps OF the Ost
New-york Volunteers toined the company. pur
ing the night Of June q Acting Hospital Steward
Mcclure and i've of the men worked al night IN
loading the material for the hospital and storing
II upon the beach under canvas
on June IS the men had n short drill 10 perfect
organization. Hurried preparations were mace f"r
n forward movement, and - absolutely II" trans
rortaton could be obtained from the Quarter
masters Department these preparations consisted
principally IN selecting such necessary dressings
and drugs ss the could carry on their backs
and lI,ters On June - the First Division moved
forward and the hospital company followed IN me
rear OF the Third Brigade. taking tho ridge ROAD
toward Seville owing TO tho possibility OF an
immediate skirrnish battle. mono OF tho medical
officers rode their horses but made pack animals or
them and carried az large a number ~ dressings,
ETC. as they could. The division camped IN column
OF brigades and the hospital company and division
hospital pitched camp the headquarters OF the
division commander.
OFFICERS WITHOUT TENTS.
On tho following morning twenty men and tho
steward and two medical officers returned to 81
honey and brought up four filters and as many
medical supplies as possible. returning about 2
o'clock D. IN. After soaking rain the company
broke camp and was ordered to move forward two
miles This the did marching over rocky
yet muddy road. carrying the hospital supplies
with them. They pitched their shelter tents on the
soaking ground while the officers who had no smell
ter slept IN the open air exposed to Ganpness ana
poisoning. On June % the company moved forward
a quarter OF n mile further 10 a beautiful spot win
the Aguadores River on one side ana the SlDoh'J
road on the other. Here on the .sh the DIVISION
hospital was established. and mere It remained All
through the terrible carnage that followed on TINS
dav six wAgorloads Of supplies were brought
I'M from the ttach at Siboney. and tent files were
mitchell and everything arranged for tho coming
battle On June 90 the work OF establishing tho
division no. pital continued and more OF our sup
piles were brought from siboney
q Mol1NG TO THE FRONT
On ths nlnrh!na OF July the writer rode In me
direction OF the firing toward Fl 'aney ana WIN
searching for an ambulance rode to tho extreme
RICH. ard visited the nrlng-llne Of the l2th Inian-
trv Ho then returned and reported 10 Major
Wood who directed ambulance 10 p" AZ ono"
! cent In that direction Owing TO tho small hummer
OF hospital CORPS men present with IN" oNS'o"'
and a. the number 81 amhulances for tho entire
go, ,os limited IN three e was impossible 10
exnact ,hom 10 convey the total number OF
wounded from the collecting stations 10 the fn''
! Division hospital II was soon apparent 'nAI 'ne
! entire force Of the hospital corps would nave 10
be used N man the hospital, but about noon Acting
| uospital Steward Mcguire. two litter squads ana
| an ambulance went forward M the San Juan ROAD
Asthe Spanish shrapuel shells were bursting "fo"h"
| the hat,Ary on Fl Paso hill near IN" roah v wss
| no, deemed prudent 70 take the ambulance heyoho
; ,ho. noln, Therefore II remained. Will" IN" two
rtter souad- pushed forward Up the San iuan road
| IN. vounded man was found who was not able 10
,lk about fou, hundr ed yards before reaching the
| ,ur,hos, crossing Of the Aeuadores River. His
| wound vae AZ once dressed. and y" WA 'onveNc1
70 the rear by p litter squad. The other ht"r ana
tho steward advanced about four hundred YARDS
,rr,her n tho cas-. bank ~ IN. Asuador-s. end
! there found wounded man who could not walk
| pRAyERy r'HpYP 4 HOT FIRE
| A, ,h,e tim. the sth end the 18th infantry we're
,rr,edt,,el,. in front and vera making their ad-
vance toward San Juan hill. II osn therefore b"
seen ths. the hospital litter squad in The rear was
under the hotties. kind ~ fire. and the bullets ware
cutting the leavea all srourd but not ono of these
| r,en faitored or show ed the least sign ~ fear
! At this time the wounded we're coming back IN n
constant stream snh such az needed stimulation or
dressing wore a. once attended 20 b. the roadsi1s
Many ~ them returned alone. others walked snp
| rorted ny ~ some comf3f~, While tho
| more seriously wounded we're borne upon filters
| 81 various kinds few ~ those who returned hai
not received medical attention. nt the majority II
them we're dressed Nth frst-aia packages ~ the
regime ntsl surgeons and their hospital corrs mAn
Al about ! T m MaIor valery Howard. chief
surgeon o. the cavalry division, established
bulance station the east bank ~ tho hruadcre,
near II Paso At this station many dressings wer,
reasjusted aud few patients were drorse1 for the
| frs. time S'!muants medicines and dressings
constituted the stock ~ this station. which v'as
| about mile in advance Of the First Division hos
pital No roint further 10 tbs 'front.' safe from,
the enenys FIRE The amoulances were worked con
| stantly. and considering their number. di1 re-
Ill LIZ In 10 at,,k-I -