The record-union., 1898-09-04

cnuSettS, the First Illinois, the Elghth
Ohio, the Thirteenth, Twenty first
Twenty y-second and Tenth Regular In
fantry were assembled without arms.
About 5000 men stood in close order.
General Wheeler said: THE President
OF your great country has come here
to greet the soldiers that marched SO
gallantly up San Juan hill on July 1st
He comes here to express the nation s
thanks to these brave men. l wish to
tell you that when the President sent
me here two weeks ago to command
this camp, he enjoined me in the most
emphatic language that l should, with
out regard to expense, exercise any ana
every authority necessary to make COM
Portable this body Of brave men, who, by
their courage, have raised this repub-
lie to the highest position among the
great nations Of the earth. l have the
honor and pleasure of introducing TO
you the President of the United States. "
President Mckinley said: General
Wheeler, Soldiers of the Camp, Sol-
diers of the Fifth Army Corps: l trust
that you will put your hats on. l am
glad to see you. l am hOnored to stand
before you to-day. l bring the graft
tude of the nation, to whose history You
have added by your valOr a new and
glorious page. You have come home
after two months of severe campaign
ing which has embraced assault, siege
and battle, so brilliant in achievement,
SO far reaching in results as TO COM
mand the unstinted praise of all your
countrymen. You had the brunt Of the
battle. You bore yourselves with sC-
preme courage, and your personal brav-
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 COM
manded by General Miles, and behind
you, to proceed at a moments sum
mons, were more than 100000 Of your
comrades, ready to support you, disap-
pointed that the opportunity which You
had had 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
III It's ne6u, anu Will serve II 50 lOIS as
they may be required, and all will 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 constancy in that far dis
tant field of operations have never been
surpassed by any soldiers or sailors The
world over.
ITO the army and the navy, to the
marines, to the soldiers, to the volun-
teers and to Providence which has
watched over them all, the nation to-
day is full of thanksgiving and praise
The brave officers and men who fell in
battle and those who have died from
exposure and sickness will live IN i'm
mortal history, and their memories VIII
be perpetuated in the hearts and his
tory of a generous people, and those
who are dependent on them will not be
neglected by the Government for which
they SO freely sacrificed their lives
The soldiers cheered many times. The
part of the field where the Eighth Ohio
stood, the regiment which is sometimes
called The Presidents own" was very
noisy. The party then went to the
detention hospital by a road that
passed in the rear of the general hos
pital The graveyard, in which sixty
or seventy plain new wooden crosses
stood, was near the road on the left.
The President solemnly raised his hat
as he passed.
Mr.. Mckinley went through all the
wards of the detention hospital in the
same careful way in which he had gone
through those of the general hospital
When he came to the last ward Ma
jor r. T Ebert said: This is a dan
gerous ward" and turning to Mr.. AL
ger inquired: DO you think the Pres
ident had better go in here?"
Mr. Mckinley, without waiting to
hear what General Alger's reply would
be, started into the ward. General
Alger and the others of the party re-
mained outside.
The Presidential party then drove
through lines of cavalry drawn up on
either side of the road. Among them
were the Rough Riders, the Second,
Sixth, Tenth and First Regular Cav
airy. The Third Regulars were still
acting as the Presidents escort.
Wheeler's headquarters, and sat under
the shade Of tent fly for awhile. Sec
retary Alger and General Wheeler were
with him. The President saw Colonel
John Jacob Astor in a group a few
yards away. and he beckoned to the
Colonel. who went over, shook hands
with the President, and remained a
few minutes in the party.
The President and those with him
took lunch with General Wheeler and
his staff. After lunch the President
Mr. Alger, General WheNer and Col
onel Hard of the Eighth Ohio were
photographed in a group.
The President then issued an order
directing that the regular troops at
Camp Wi1off whose posts are east of
the Mississippi should return with the
least possible delay to their posts.
The Prudential party then went
down to the station, and left on a
special train at 100.
on the train Mr.. Mckinley made this
statement: Il was very much pleased
to meet the heroes of Santiago and to
observe their splendid spirit. What
l saw of the care of the sick men in
the hospitals. and by those in charge,
and by the noble women engaged in
that work, was especially gratifying to
me-"
Vice President Hobart said: Camp
Wikoff is admirably adapted for army
purposes a this time as camp for
recuperation The hospitals and hos
pital service seems perfect in appoint
ments. and well adapted for the rapid
recovery Of the sick. The hospital
locations. their surroundings and their