The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-04

after ward. When seemingly all the
wards of the general hospital bad been
gone through and the President was
about to get into his carriage. Attorney
General Griggs detained him.
Miss Wheeler has told me-" said he,
'of Lieutenant Prado who, is in a
tent back here by himself, and he is in
a dying condition. He has asked about
your coming, and Miss Wheeler has
promised that you shall see him."
Certainly. Let us go to him." Mr..
Mckinley said.
The others of the party diScreetly re-
manned outside the tent.
The President reappeared with the
nurse a minute or two later. His eyes
were moist and downcast.
AS it was inconvenient to go back to
the doors of the long tents Mr. .McKin-
ley would go through the framework
at the ends Of the tent and jump down.
The general hospital is on slope, and
the height of the floor from the ground
is increased at each ward. At Ward F
the jump was nearly six feet. Mr.. Nc
Kinley took it. Vice President Hobart,
who is bulky man, hesitated. II balk
here. Can't go over this hurdle" he
said. Neither would Secretary Alger,
who had taken all the jumps until then.
But General Wheeler sprang lightly
down.
The day was hot Mr.. Mckinley wore
a black frock coat with a waistcoat.
The perSpiratiOn Streamed from his
face. A glass of mineral water was Of
fered to him. but he declined to drink,
saying that he was too warm. He pro-
ceeded to the infantry plain as it is
called. The men of the Ninth Massa-
chusetts, the First Illinois. the Eighth
Ohio, the Thirteenth, Twenty-fi first,
Twenty-second and Tenth Regular In
70 ,+,-,r 1n1 rr,;41
About 5000 men stood in close order.
General Wheeler said:
THE President Of our great country
has come here to greet the soldiers that
marched so CALAMITY up San Juan hill
on July 1. He comes here to express
the nations thanks to these brave men.
l wish to tell you that when the Presi-
command this camp he enjoined me in
most emphatic language that 1
should, without regard to expense, ex-
ercise any and every authority neces-
sary to make comfortable this body of
brave men, who. by their courage, have
raised this republic to the highest po-
sition among the great nations Of the
earth. 1 have the honor and pleasure
of introducing to you the President Of
the United States
President Mckinley said:
General Wheeler, soldiers of Camp
Wikoff, soldiers of the Fifth Army
Corps: / trust that you will put your
hats on am glad to see you I am
honored to stand before you to-day.
bring the gratitude of the nation to
whose history YOU have added by your
valor new and glorious page. You
have come home after two months of
severe campaigning which has en-
braced assault, siege and battle, so
brilliant in achievement SO far reach
ing in results as to command the un
stinted praise Of all your countrymen.
You had the brunt of the battle on
land. You bore yourselves with SUI
preme courage and your personal bray-
cry, never before excelled anywhere.
has won the admiration Of your fellow
citizens and the genuine respect Of all
mankind while your endurance under
peculiar trial and suffering has given
added meaning to your heroism Your
exertions made easy the conquest Of
Porto Rico, under the army command
ed by General Miles and behind you to
proceed at a moments summons, were
more than 100000. of their comrades
ready to support you, disappointed that
the opportunity which you had did not
come to them yet filled with pride at
your we'll earned fame and rejoicing
upon your signal victory.
You were on the line of battle-they
no less than you were on the line Of
duty. All have served their country
in it's need and will serve 1t as long as
they may be required, and all win for
ever have the thanks and regard of a
grateful people.
I'VE cannot bid you welcome here to-
day without our hearts going out to the
heroes of Manila, on sea and land,
whose services and sacrifices. whose
courage and consistency in that far dis
tant field Of operations have never been
surpassed by any soldiers or sailors the
world over. To the army and the navy,
to the marines, to the regulars, to the
volunteers and to the Providence which
has watched over them all, the nation,