Middletown transcript., 1898-07-30
WAR ITEMS.

is the richest man in the United States
army. He is also patriot and man
Of nerve. He is at present with Gen.
eral Shafter and, although reared in
luxury, is enduring the same hardships
and eating the same food that fall to
the lot of the poorest private. He has
gone to the front as an officer, it is true,
but it is also true that his SIS, 600, ,00C
body is just as liable to stop Mauser
bullet as a body of the private soldier.
at the outbreak Of the war Lieutenant
Colonel Astor, as president of the Fort
Wayne and Western railroad, offered
free transportation to troops passing
over his lines, gave his private yatch to
the government and presented Uncle
Sam with the Astor battery which was
sent to Manila. Any man of means
could have done this, but Astor went
further and proved himself to be a rich
American that Americans should be
proud of. He was not only willing to
give his property, but his life as well,
for his country, if necessary.
In dispatch to the War Department
General Shafter reports that 500 new
cases of fever developed in his corps at
Santiago on Sunday. One more death
from yellow fever reported. About 45C
men who have reen i'll have returned
to duty. The fever is of an unusually
mild type, and Gen. Shafter thinks the
situation is improving.
Garcia is not dead. He is only dis
gusted. He doesn't like the way Shat
ter plays the game and he won't play
any more. He is just going off into
the mountains to fight all by himself
This may be best. His Cubans are wei
armed and have bsen fed up to such an.
extent that should enable them to live
on mangoes for the rest of the sum mer
and they will enjoy themselves more in
the freedom of the woods, hanging or
Pando's flank and picking off stray
Spaniards, than looking on while the
Americans boss the job. Garcia him.
self is brave old soldier and though
he may feel himself sighted he will
come around all right.
Major General William r. Shafter,
who captured Santiago, is, physically
at least, the biggest man in the United
States army. He weighs 305 pounds
and is as big of brain as he is big of
body. The editor of the New York
Journal, who saw General Shafter in
the field at Santiago, describes hin as
"a sort of human fortress in blue coat
and. flannel shirt" He also added that
Shafter was "bold, lion hearted and
hero eyed" He is now 63 years old,
within a year Of the retiring age, and
yet is as vigorous as man of 80. He
has suffered considerably, however, in
the hot, fever breeding climate of
eastern Cuba, but while he has been
somewhat indisposed the latest reports
indicate that he has nearly recovered
his usual health. When he rides from
point to point along the line of battle,
he is mounted on a massive horse 16
hands high, and is truly imposing
figure. Whether he does anything
more or not in the present war he must
at least be credited with having driven
the Spaniards pell-mell into Santiago,
despite tremendous difficulties, and
with having thoroughly prepared the
way for the speedy capitulation of the
ex-capital of Cuba.
Although yellow fever has broken
out in the ranks of the American
army, the work Of fighting it is in the
hands Of two experts, DR.. John
Guiteras and DR.. Nicholas Sem. DR..
Guiteras in ndoubtedly the greatest
authority on yellow fever in the medi-
cal profession. He has spent years in
fighting the disease and as the medical
representative of the United States
has prevented the spread of the fever
from Cuba TO the United States on
many occasions. As he has success
fully coped with six or seven threaten
ing epidemics he will doubtless be able
to prevent the fever from creating
havoc in The army. DR.. Nicholas Sem,
one Of the most distinguished surgeons
in the United States, is a native of
Switzerland, but has lived in this
country since he was years of age.
He has beeu president of the American
Medical Association.