Evening star., 1898-09-06
THE RETURNED VOLUNTEERS
Members of District Regiment, Stricken by
Disease, Reach Their Homes
Sergeant Jesse i Owen of Company
e and OtheEs Relate Their
Experiences.

AAptHACB@es.
Weak and emaciated. fbut with his heart
beating a tattoo Of thanksgiving. Sergt.
Jesse ]. Owen of Company E of the Dis
trict Regiment returned to his home S13
Vermont avenue. yesterday. He tottered
up the steps of his home uIannounced.
With the same courage that he fought dis
ease in Cuba he kept his home coming
secret from mis- family and gave them a
joyous surprise. Too ill to talk save at
intervals he was carried to his room and
there loving hands are nursing him back
to health. How well they are succeeding
is told in the bright eyes and the returning
color of the man, who, for upward Of four
months. has endured hardships that no
description can do justice to. But the
spirit that carried him to the front to fight
for his country still animates him. and in
reply to a query by reporter of The Star
today he said:
There is no money that could buy from
me the experiences I have gone through.
time thought another week In that fever
stricken country would end me. but with
all the hardships, all the sufferings 1 would
not exchange for any earthly consideration
my struggle for my country. had a pref
ty good constitution when 1 enlisted, and
although 1 went for sevepty-two hours
Without sleep or 1OOu L pulled through all
right until the last day in Cuba.
Il must have had the fever, for my tenn
perature was high and 1 felt as though
was burning up. 1t was not, however. I'M
til two days after being put aboard the
transport that 1 had to go on the sick list
and be transferred to the hospital ward.
Then 1t was because l could not get proper
I'food and thought little beef tea would
help me back to strength. The transport
was badly managed. Perhaps it was be-
cause, at the last moment, we were re-
quired to take on thirty-six sick regulars,
but, however that may be, the fact re-
mains that the boys did not have enough
to eat on the trip home
Position In the Line.
"At Montauk the hospital arrangements
were good with the exception of the sani-
tary arrangements, and those 1 encounter
ed were horrible.
The Star knows about our trip to Cuba
and of the bad position we were put in.
Had the enemy decided to cut it's way out,
not many of the District boys would be
here now to tell the story. We all thought
General Shafter was ignorant of bad
equipment, but all of us were proud of the
distinction of having such a difficult posi-
ton to guard. | cannot begin to tell you of
the sufferings of our boys in the trenches
before Santiago. We We're starving there.
There was some food. but the meat served
my company was spoiled and the coffee
miserable. The hardtack was all that We
could eat. 1t seemed hard when we heard
that the government had sent 80 900 rations
during that time to Ell Caney to feed the
Cubans when we were literally starving to
death.
Then came the surrender No pen can
describe the glories, of that day. Every In
cident will live in my memory when all
diers and the patriotic music of our band
is still ringing in my ears. We did not
boast company OF. finished musicians. but
every man was a soldier and their music
h.a hrov~
old Star Spangled Banner was played as 1
never heard 1T before. 1t seemed to re-
echo the music of our very being. But you
know all about that. Your loyal corre-
spondent at the front, Mr. Mercier, told it
well. He was in the thiekest of it all the
time. -
Capt. Graham's Devotion.
"One thing, however, has not been men,
toned, and no story of the District regi-
ment would be complete without it. 1 refer
to the loyal. self-sacrificing devotion of
Captain Graham of Company E. The mon
of his company honored and respected him
when we went to the front After we be-
came better acquainted with him we loved
him. and today there is, l vent,ke to say,
not man of that company who Would not
lay down his life for Captain Graham. He
watched over his boys with such an inter-
est as ore would expect from his father
He nursed his sick comrades when he could
ministered to their wants at all times and
was also true of Leutenants Griffith and
skinner. They came to US when we most
needed a kindly word and oheered US in our
misfortune.
God bless them ALL" he added fervently
Doesn't Regret Experience.
Martin E. Gleeson, youngest son of the
Old war horse of republicanism in Wash
ington, has returned from Cuba, where he
went as Private in the Emmet Guards.
Although L..
son of hardships. he is nevertheless cheer
ful. and under the loving care of a devoted
Hfother ana sister Is rapidly gaining
strength A reporter of The Star found
the young soldier resting sofa in the
front parlor Of his home, S02 1st street
northwest.
Yes, l am glad to get home once more,
although am glad of that experience and
would not have missed it for anything in
the world. 1t was tough all through No
one can realize what the boys suffered.
what with exposure. inadequate clothing
and very poor quality and a very little
ferlng. But, as l have said l have no COM
plant to make, although there were times
when my heart grew sick. Fortunately
Weathered the difficulties in Cuba and did
not give up until 1 landed at Montauk
POINT Our transport, the Minnewaska was
poorly supplied with food, and we suffered
accordingly.
The first night after we landed in Cuba
we pitched our camp on the spot where the
Rough Riders had their gallant fight, and
l slept at the foot of the grave of Hamil-
ton Fish.
Yes. | saw the surrender of Santiago,
and tell you it was a fine sight with our
troops iined up all around the city, and the
pand playing patriotic airs. Several of US
stole INTO the city to get look at the town.
we mad suffered enough and travelled far
enough TO see something of the Spanish
possessions and We're determined not to go
nome without having seen Santiago. 1t is
olrty little town. not worth fighting for,
We noticed the intrenchments, both out
side and inside the city. and 1 tell you
many an American would have fallen be-
fore we could have captured it,
Praises Col. Harries.
First Sergt Roy L. Quackenbush of Com
parry B. 1st District Regiment, has return
ed He luckily escaped sickness of all kinds
and never enjoyed better health in mis- life
In discussing the situation with a reporter
of The Star today he said
1T would be waste Of time for me to