The sun., 1898-07-17
BOYS IN BLUE COME HOME.
LANDING THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS
At KEY WEST

LANDING THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS
At KEY WEST.
Their Appearance Tells What Midsummer
Fighting in Cuba Msans-worn Out by
Pain and Fatigue, but Undnuntsd In Spirit
IRON. Ne Torsnto Mall and E~ptrs
KEY WEST Fla. July s.-The boys in blue I"
are coming home. couple Of weeks ago
watched splendid army embark. bands play
ing. coors flying. people cheering. on the mile
OF great ships that lay along tho wharves. gang
ways out Last night, by the light of q few Lam
terms. watched an army Of wounded men in
ragged and faded uniforms, with arms. heads.
feet swathed in bandages, disembark and pass.
llmpinR halt. bowed over-on litters, in ambu-
lances. in cabs-through lines Of people who
stood there silent. looking at them. No bands,
no flying colors, no cheering. Pride and grief
filled every heart too fullto permit the tongue to
give expression. Never in the whole course OF my
life. never at any pageant, any procession. did
feel anything like the thrill that passed through
me when the first man. with the sleeve and
side Of his shirt cut away. and half his body
wrapped about by linen cloths moved slowly
and painfully along between two stalwart ma
rines.
Armed with war passes, 1 was permitted to
pass by the soldier who was guarding the long
dock. At its further end lay the transport Iro-
quois with her load OF broken down men. The
hospital corps. aided by marines and volun-
teers. was moving hurriedly forward. carrying
litters. At the foot OF the wharf the Red Cross
ambulances stood In bunch. supplemented by
street cars, cabs. open carriages, wagons-every
vehicle that Key West could turn out. Very
few but those engaged in the work Of moving
the wounded men were allowed at the side Of
the big transport. There was no bustle no
clamor. no confusion. Lieut.. Mark OF the
marines would call out an order. two men
would mount the steps Leading to lower deck.
while two more waited at the foot OF the ladder
These were so placed TO aid the wounded and
ments. At little table on the lower deck sat a
couple OF men taking down names and issuing
tickets, Each man got his billet to the convent
The poor fellows could be seen descending
painfully. the little ticket caught between their
had, many OF them. walked fifteen miles from
10 9nder She Se
Cuban sun. And now they were done up.
Tired. broken. weary men. coming home to
them More Tns than half the poor fellows sVS ReTe
keeping up bravey. 70 show, how little they
to me personally their hope that they would be
made made well quickly and & sent % down to the front front
nificent courage. and many. many wounds
Again one saw in the sporadic light of moving
wharf; guns, cartridge belts, eanteens., and
everywhere; lying crouching; thrown down
Gubatli' Not singing. e.. or laugRInS, or cheering
as they toiled on. sweating and dusty, in the
heat of a southern midsummer day. These
bundles. their forms dropping, their limbs
bandaGed. presented thousand times more
a.. the sp in na aa9
was siEhted-Iust one long cheer-after that
6 aPf ID wSns sSs Etf tb qSsEGa to
individaaIy Every, man spoke to gave me
word Of SIadness at sight Of home. or said
cheerily how he hoped TO be all right In acouple
courage. Bodily pain and sickness overcame
many, and the inert; listless figures on the
inE, heart was here. and the brave spirit and the
unflinching front. l take of my hat to you.
Moving about among them heard many .
little story Come over to the e.. light and i ~
white cloths. We stopped to the lantern. "See
this" He took something from his pocket
In his belt and imSedded dit Itself there. forming
perfect Cross That cartridge saved my
up up but / wouldn't be talking to you here TO-
hH tSo NseE T6a6S ad Ed Wb6 my es bs
stagger along some how were marched 70 the
waiting cars. What a march! They fell into
line. indeed. and faced about at the word OF
command-but the step! This man hopping on
one foot. holding the other bandaged one well
UP from the ground; that one on crutches i'm
provised out Of his Krag- -Jorgensen and a
small. weak stick which some one had lent
him. Another stumbling forward with droop:
and and moving aiss sioWfy and painfully The @ son OF
millionaire-one Of the famous rough riders
passed with his shirt literally in rags that
The faces Of al! the men were covered with
heavy Growths OF hair. and what you could see
OF these faces was pale and peaked. 1t seemed
incredible that a few short weeks could so
seemingly aged and decrepit creatures. You
can have no idea OF the dreadtuIness of war
until you have seen these things.
Three hundred and fifty manned and wounded
Those who were able to hobble were taken OF
first. Then came the call for litters. Had you
been there shudder would have passed
through you as you saw those poor helpless
from rom the deck. and laid out there. un-
der the light Of the moon. on the wharf.
They lay Just as they had been placed-some
doubled up some stretched out straightly, with
their campaign hats laid on their breasts and
some with bare feet. many under the gray army
blanket. bearer stood at head and foot of
each each litter. with the straps cast about his neck
sad little regiments tramped down the wharf.
Some OF the poor creatures lying there seemed
dead. all but the eyes, which burned with fever
brightness; Those eyes turned hither and
they told!