Evening star., 1898-09-13
got up and excused himself by saying that

got up and excused himself by saying that
he had fallen asleep.
The first man to be taken sick in Com
pany D was Private Giovannoni, who be-
came i'll with fever July %. Giovannoni
spoke Spanish quite yell, and after the sur
render of Santiago was Of considerable ser
vice to the company. He acted as trans
lator on many occasions, and was frequent
ly in communication with, the prisoners. 1t
was generally thought at first that his ILL
ness was due to that fact, but the doctors
Were satisfied that it was mere accident
that Giovannoni should be the first man
stricken down.
Capt. Youhe's secret.
A story is told of Capt. G. B. Young Of
Company K which shows his efforts to
prevent his family from knowing of his ILL
ness in Santiago until he had become con-
Valescent Capt Young was dangerously
Ill at Santiago, where he was treated In the
hospital, but he declined to allow any of his
comrades to write of his condition to his
friends at home. He cautioned them against
doing so, saying that it would only tend to
worry his people, while they could do moth
ing to help him. At one time his life was
almost despaired of, and before he became
convalescent he had lost from thirty-iive to
forty pounds of flesh. 1t was only after he
recovered and returned to this cour try that
mis- family knew anything Of the severe ILL
ness through which he had passed.
Col. Harr1es has a patented ,anteen,
which ne carried through the Cubtln cam
paisn, and which was extremely useful in
moment of great necessity. This canteen
LAD been presented to him before leaving
the United States by its inventor, First
Lieut. Guy Preston Of the army. 1t can be
taken apart 80 as to form two frying pans,
and in case of necessity, these pans can be
put together so as to carry cooked food.
Another portion Of the canteon can be de-
tacheo TO form a cup IN which coffee can
De made After receiving this present Col.
Harrles put it among his effects, but never
1ully appreciated the convenience of hay
ing 1t until July 10, when, with his regi-
ment, he was in the trenches in front of
santiago Inere was nothing in which to
make coffee or to cook anything, but he re-
hempered the patented canteen that his
friend Preston had presented him, and pro-
ceeded to investigate lust now it worked.
Inc result was large amount of coffee
was boiled. and those who helped to con-
sumo 1t say no words can express their
gratitude to the inventor whose genius
made 1t possible for them to get a VAIN
drink on that occasion
First Aid Packages
1t has frequently been asserted that the
first aid packages for wounded soldiers
were supplied to all the troops that were in
front of Santiago uefore the surrender
The advantage of the first aid packages has
been fully recognized for after battles that
resulted in the woundng CT a small army
OF men they saved The life of many a one
Ihe distribution of these packages did hot,
however, include the 1st District of Column
bla or the 1st Illinois Regiment, although
the former, before the surrender Of San
tiago, was stationed where the men were
closer to the Spanish lines than any other
regiment there, and was where the men
would have been cut down like sheep had
the city been defended.
CHAS Il KERN