The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-06

Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point, Sep
tember 3-President Mckinley spent
five hours in the camp today, bare
headed most Of the time, visiting the
SICK in the hospitals AMI inspecting
the well in their cantonmepts. He
made a speech to the assembled in
fantrymen, reviewing the cavahymen,
expressed his opinion of the camp tC
the reporters and issued an order di-
rcctinG the regulars to return to their
stations east Of the Mississippi.
General Wheeler, his staff and nearly
every officer of prominence in the
camp met the president at the sta
tion, except General ShafteT. who is
stu in detention, and General Young,
VINO fell and broke his arm last night
After greetings and introiuct;ons on
the railway platform, the president
took General Wheeler's arm and went
t. Il carriage. Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt Of the Rough Riders was
among the group of horsemen near by.
Mr. Mckinley saw him and got out of
the carriage to speak to him. Colonel
Roosevelt hastily dismOunted and tuS-
sled with a gauntlet for titeel seconds
so that unglOved he might shake
hands. The column of carriages
wound up a hill, escorted by the Third
cavalry regiment and the mounted
band of the Sixth cavalry. The par
ty paused a moment on the hill and
the president looked out on the wide,
LnGulating cape, water bound on eth
er side and whitened on the levels and
hih tops by the tents of 1890 men,
laid cut in geOmetric lines.
HIS MEETING WITH SHAFTIR.
Mr.. Mckinley drove to General
Skaters tent in the detention camp.
The general, who was flushed and
weak from a mild case of malarial
fever, was in full uniform, sitting in
q chair at the door of the tent. He
tried to rise, but Mr. Mckinley said:
Stay where you are, general. You are
entitled to rest
The president congratulated General
Shafter on the Santiago campaign and
after a few minutes rest, proceeded
to the general hospital. The soldiers
recently arrived on transports and de-
tanned in the detention section Of the
camp lined up irregularly on each side
of the road and cheered. Mr.. Kinley
took off his straw hat then, and scarce
ly put it on for more than a minute or
two at a time during the remainder
of his progress through the camp.
Miss Wheeler, among the sick SOL
diers d daughter of the general, hap
pened to be in the first row of the
hospital tents and she showed the pres
ident through her division. General
Wheeler announced in each ward;
Boys, the president has come to see
you, or Soldiers, the president of
the United States
Some of the soldiers slept on uncOn-
scious, some listlessly raised upon their
elbows, others feebly clapped their
hands. Mr.. Mckinley gently shook
hands with many, and at every cot he
paused an istant and if he the
sick man looking at him he bowed IN
a direct and personal way.
In the second ward the president en-
tered, Sergeant John A. Alexander,
Company d, First Illinois, who has
fever was rather startled by hearing
General Wheeler announce the presi-
dent. The sergeant half raised up on
his cot. Mr.. Mckinley. attracted by
the movement, took Alexander's hand
and said:
Il am sorry to see you 50 sick. I
hope that you are getting better"
Thank you. l think l shall get WE'LL
do you wish for anything?' in
Quired General Wheeler.
mo. I have everything good for me,
l guess" Alexander replied wearily.
but / wish l were home
there" said Mr.. Mckinley.
He had many bits of talk with the
men and seemed to be in no hurry.
He almost OutwOre the patience of all
his party by his slow going through
ward after ward
ALONE WITH a DYING SOLDIER.
When seemingly all the wards of the
general hospital had been gone through
and the president was about to get
INFO a carriage, Attorney General
Griggs detained him. Miss Wheeler
has told me" said he "of a Lieutenant
Prado who is in a tent back here by
himself. and he is in a dying condi-
tiOn. He mas asked about your COM
ing, and Miss Wheeler has promised
shat you shall see him
"Certainly. Let go to him." Mr..
Mckinney said.
The others of the party discreetiy
remained outside the tent. The presi-
dent re-aDpeared with the nurse a
minute or two later. His eyes were
moist and down cast.
The president proceeded to the in
fantry plain, as it is called. The men
OF the Ninth Massachusetts, the First
Illinois, the Eighth Ohio, the Thir-
teenth. Twenty-first. Twenty-second
and Tenth regular infantry were as
sembled without arms About 5000
men stood in close order. General
Wheeler said:
The president of our great country
that marched so gallantly up San Juan
hill on July 1st He comes here to
express the nations thanks to these
brave men. / wish to tell YOU that
when the president sent me here two