The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-10-12
ANOTHER WAR HORROR.
Colonel Gibson's Story Will Startls
the Country
SAD PLANT OF A VOLUNTEER.

lie Claims That the Begulars were
/ Properly Cared For, but That volun-
teers Were Brutally Negiected-The
Obdam Brings Sensational Report.
New York, Oct 12.-The United States
transport OLDHAM, which sailed from
Ponce Sept. 20, via Santiago Oct. 5,
arrived at quarantine shortly after 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The
transport brought $50 sick and con-
valescent soldiers and $50 passengers
all well on board. The OLDHAM sailed
from Santiago for this port on Oct 2.
but when two days at sea fire was dis
covered in her coal bunkers and she
was compelled to return to Santiago.
where the fire was extingushed. The
transport sailed again on Oct. S. and
experienced fairly good weather. The
fire was still smouldering when the
Obdam reached quarantine. Among
the sick and convalescent soldiers
brought by the Obdam are 20 men Of
the Sixteenth Pennsylvania and nine
from the Fourth Pennsylvania voun-
teers.
On board the Obdam as a passenger
from Santiago is Colonel Charles II.
Gibson, field commissioner of the Ma
tional Relief association, who brought
dispatches for the president. Colonel
Gibson went to Washington last night.
Among the other passengers is Lieu
tenant Evan A. Johnson. of the Nine
teenth Infantry and Major Il. o. Sum-
mers. surgeon of the staff at Santiago.
Speaking to Governor Hastings, of
Pennsylvania. who went down to the
Obdam last night on the steamer
Fletcher, Colonel Gibson said that he
had been the means of saving many
soldiers from starving.
"Governor." he said, after an ex-
change of greetings. II have a story
to tell that will startle the country"
AS a result of this remark there was
q conference between the commissioner
and Governor Hastings. after which
the governor decided to take off the
Pennsylvania soldiers and have them
sent to a hotel for the night.
TO reporter Colonel Gibson said:
'The newspapers will have to wait for
my reports to ascertain the exact con-
dition of affairs at Santiago, where
have been. They have been stirring
things up here so much that if l dared
to open my mouth l would use con-
siderable cuss words to back up their
mild language. l have been in San
tiaEo three months, and in that time |
have learned many things. l cannot
tell you what Is in my report at present.
but you may be sure that it is very
strong My duty in Cuba was to look
after the sick and wounded"
"Did you report to the government
as TO what the men nceded?"
II fed them But for the relief as
sociation many of them would have
starved"
Ralph Harwick. of Dubois, Pa. a
member of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania
volunteers, told narrowing story Of
the treatment he and his companions
had received while in Porto Rico. 1--WE
got there on July 2S," he said, ''and
were landed from the transport Mobile.
Many of us had contracted fever in the
military camps in the south. The trop-
lcal climate developed the disease, but
notwithstanding our weakened con-
dition the Sixteenth made good fight
when it encountered the Spaniards.
The regiment was under fire for over
an hour, and at the close of the en-
kagement 10 Spaniards had been killed
and 65 wounded. We deserved better
treatment than We got when Porto
Rico had been taken. The regulars
were well looked after, but the volun-
teera were starved When finally the
men were forced to succumb to the
fever and were sent to the hospitals,
they were treated shamefully. AL
though delirious, we were forced to get
out OF our cots TO watch some poor
brave fellow dying Some of the men
went mad under this strain. Only think
Of It. delirious men nursing the dying"
Harwick's story was but a sample Of
the complaints which were recited by
the men to Governor Hastings after
they had been transferred from the
Obdam to the Fletcher.
Besides the members OF the Fourth
and Sixteenth Pennsylvania volunteers
the Fletcher brought to this city two
iieutenants and about dozen privates
Of the Third immune regi tent, 16 Of
The Thirteenth United States infantry,
on furlough. and four members Of the
Fourth Ohio regiment.
Governor Hastings was reluctant to
make public his Views regarding the
treatment the soldiers from his state
claimed to have received. But there
was some significance in his farewell
remark as the Fletcher cast loose from
the Obdam. One of the soldiers aboard
the transport shouted: "For Gods
sake, governor. don't leave u.s."
~ am sorry to do so. my brave fell
low. but II ] had my way would take
all of YOU wit me-"