The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-04
PRESIDENT AT CAMP WIKoFF.
,,r SPENDS HOURS IN VISITING THE
SICK AND DYING SOLDIERS.

san Juan HiII-Gen. Shafter, Still
sick In the Detention Camp, Con-
oratuIated Upon His Conduct of
she santiago CRmpaign-Presiden
.,cExinIey Thanks the Soldiers for
Courngeous Fighting and Great
victory at Santiago, Which Made
no CONQUEST of Porto Rico Easy.
1oidents of the Day In Camp.
rann WIlxoff, Montauk Point. Sept. g.
PRESIDENT Mckinley spent five hours In
,bo camp to-day, bareheaded most of the
,r,a visiting the sick in the hospitals,
ard inspecting the well IN their canton
ments.
He made a speech to the assembled in
f,otrvmen, reviewed the cavalrymen, ex-
messed his opinion OF the camp to the
renorters. and issued an order directing
the regulars to return TO their stations
east Of the Mississippi.
With the President were Vice Pres dent
Hobart. Secretary of War Alger, Attor-
pey General Griggs, Senator Redfeld Proc
tor Of Vermont, Brig. Gen. Egan, com
nissary of the army; Brig. Gen. Luddng
ton quartermaster of the army; Col.
Henry Hecker and the secretaries to the
President, Porter and Cortelyou.
The ladies' of the party were Mrs AL
ger and Miss Hecker, a daughter of Col
Hecker.
Gen Wheeler, his staff, and nearly every
officer of prominence In the camp met
the President at the station, except Gen
shafter, who is still in detention, and Gen.
Young, who fell and broke his arm last
night.
After greetings and introductions on the
railway platform the President took Gen.
Wheeler's arm and went to a carriage.
Col Theodore Roosevelt of the Rough
Riders was among the group of horse
men nearby. Mr.. NICK nley saw him ami
got out of the carriage to speak TO him.
Col. Roosevelt hastily dismounted and
tussled with a gauntlet for fifteen sec
onds 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 party paused a mo-
ment on the hill and the President looked
out on the wide. undulating cape, water
bound on either side and whltened on the
levels and hilltops by the tents of 1900
men, laid out in geometric lines.
Mr.. Mckinley drove to Gen. Skaters
tent in the detention camp The general
who was flushed and weak from a mid
case of malarial fever, was in full uni
form, sitting in a chair at the door of
the tent. He tried to rise, but Mr.. Nc
Kinley said. stay where you are, gem
eral. You are entitled to rest"
The President congratulated Gen. Shaf-
ter on the Santiago campaign, and after
few minutes rest, proceeded 10 the gen
eral hospital
The soldiers recently arrived on trans
ports and deta ned in the detention section
q the camp lined up irregula1ly on each
side of the road and cheered
Mr. Mckinley took off his straw hat
then and scarcely put it on for more than
minute or two at a time during the re-
hlalhder of his progress through the camp
MISS Wheeler, daughter of the General.
happened to be in the first row of the hos
pltal tents, and she showed the President
through her division.
Gen. 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 unconscious
some hstiessy raised up on their elbows,
Qtners teebFy clapped their hands. Mr. Nc
hihley gently shook hands with many and
a. every cot he paused an instant, and If
ne saw the sick man looking at him he
bowed in direct and personal way.
IA the second ward the President enter
T"' Selgt John A. Alexander, Company
~ First Illinois, who has a fever was
datAer startled by hearing Gen. Wheeler
%Hnouhce the President. The sergeant half
iaIsed up on his cot. Mr.. Mckinley at
Iacted by the movement, took Alexander's
Hduu ana said Il am sorry to see you so
s'Ch, 1 nope that you are getting better"
Ihank you, l think l snail get wen''
20 you wish for anything? inquired
zen. Wheeler.
NO, l have everything good for me.
guess, Alexander replied wearily; "but
wish | were home"
s,,5 nope n2 that we may soon get you there"
sara Mr. Mckinley.
re mad many such bits of talk with the
men, and seemed TO be in no hurry. He
a.nlost outwore the patience of all his
party by his slow-going through ward aft
"afu. When seemingly all the wards
u the general hospital had been gone
through and the President was about to
eet INTO a carriage, Attorney General
0rlggs detained him
Miss Wheeler has told me-" said he.
of Lieut. Prado who is in a tent back
Iele Dy himself, and he is in dying con-
ultloh. lie has asked about your coming.
ana Miss Wheeler has promised that YOU
snaH see him."
certainly. Let us go to him." Mr.. Nc
klnley said
me others of the party discreetly re-
NAMED outside the tent The President
appeared with the nurse a minute or
I|o later. His eyes were moist and down
AS it was inconvenient to 90 baolr n
eHe doors Of the long tents Mr.. Mckinley
e@'u ne would go through the framework
az the ends OF the tents, and Jumped
oo|h' The general hospital is on a slope,
sro,,-'i me hlght Of the floors from the
sronnd Increased with each ward. At
T3rd + the jump was nearly six feet. Mr.
--IAhley took 1t. Vice President Hobart.
VIC Is a bulky man, hesitated.
~ palk here. Can't go over this hur-
uie' said he. Neither would Secretary
-Aiser, who had taken all the Jumps unfil
zen, But Gen. Wheeler sprang lightly
today was hot. Mr.. Mckinley wore a
, IIock coat with a waistcoat. The
AEISDlrutlOn Strpgmq6 III