The herald., 1898-08-29
OUT FROM THE JAWS OF DEATH

On . slope in the Preside which catche:
tho nrst beams Of the morning sun an6
which the setting sun. shining through the
hill gaps of the Golden Gate battles with Its
crimson benediction lie asleep the soldier
boys who have died at the government
reservations in and about San Francisco,
Until this year 1t has been a small grave
yard. and with one exception unmarked by
monuments other than the simple head
stones that tell who and what the sleeper
beneath was In his lifetime.
The one exception in the marking OF the
graves II the monument reared in memory
Of the soldiers who lost their lives in the
railroad strike, and it bears this inscription
following the names and records OF the
dead-'Murdered by Strikers"
The Preside graveyard is no longer
village of the dead. 1t has within the past
four months grown into silent city. To
the right of the monument is a long line OF
graves, almost three hundred in number.
on which the grass has not yet begun to
grow.
These are the resting places of the SOL
diers who have died in camp at San Fran
cisco since the beginning of the war with
Spain. Almost as many deaths and bur-
lals at the Preside in four months of 1893
a. there have been in the ten. yes, fifteen
years preceding, and when the people come
70 realize the horrible crimes that have
been committed and which have caused
the deaths Of three hundred brave boys
while in camp, there will be another monu-
ment erected, and after the record Of the
names Of the dead will be chiseled the in
scription, Murdered by the Neglect. In
competency and Inefficiency Of Their Com
manding officers ard the secretary OF
War"
Graves Of the Seventh
In the long line of new-made graves ten
men of the Seventh California are at rest,
ana the bodies Of three other members of
the regiment who have died since it went
into camp were brought back to their homes
and inferred.
At the beginning of the war, at the first
call for volunteers. California furnished
two regiments within less than week. the
First and the Seventh The latter was the
frst to start for San Francisco, and would
have been the first in camp but for delay
enroute, and even then were but a half hour
behind their comrades from the north.
The First regiment was ordered to Ma
nila with the first expedition that sailed.
The Seventh has been in camp for four
months. Although the First regiment has
sailed half around the world and been in
two fierce battles, leading the advance in
one. ITS LOSS IN DEAD, KILLED
IN BATTLE OR BY DISEASE, is LESS
THAN THAT OF THE SEVENTH REGI-
MENT THAT HAS NEVER SEEN A
DAYS ACTIVE SERVICE.
Why?
That Is what l am going to try ~-d ell
you. and in telling you lay bare a career
Of wanton neglect, heartless intolerance,
mexcusable ignorance, unbearable arro-
gance and utter incompetency on the part
of those in direct and indirect command of
the Seventh California. which lays the
deaths in that regiment at their doors and
makes their actions little less than actual
crime. The information given was gath
cred on the ground from the sick and suf-
fering soldier boys and from those conva-
lescent and the more fortunate who have
thus far escaped the consequences of the
selfishness, carelessness and ignorance of
their needless commander and a war de-
partment that is a worse disgrace to civil
ization than was Weyler,s reign in Cuba.
It is a long story but 1t is well worth read
Ing. and 1t will appeal to the mothers and
fathers. the wives, sisters and sweethearts
Of the boys in the Seventh. since the regi-
ment was raised in the southland and was
the glory and pride of Southern California.
Its Present Condition
wbeo tho Savapth rooi-art u,z r,,.
tered into service a healthier body of men
could not be found in the United States
Three times were the men examined and
every one with the slightest ailment mus
tered out until those that were left were
pronounced physically ft to undertake a
trying campaign in far-off Manila.
On Saturday last there were ninety-one
men of the regiment on the hospital rolls
irg fever alone rather than report their
the regimental hospital being full. And
right here, that no injustice may be done
Major Choate and his assistants In the
regimental hospital, be 1t said that he has
done all he could for the men and that
all the deaths in the regiment but one have
occurred at the general hospital.
When first mustered,in the Seven TIL was
sent into camp at the Preside. Here they
Jared well enough except for the lack of
clothing, but no one grumbled. because the
war had just commenced and the govern
ment was short of supplies; but contracts
had been let and the boys were willing 10
wait for their flannel shirts, their under
wear and overcoats, although they felt the
need of them, coming from a warm
re ha vutn Nd 90 NJ =, "a