The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-10-15

Miss Jennings, when she reached
New York, refused to criticise the SEN
eca further than to say that it was
not a hospital ship. She talked inter
estingly of the work CT the Red Cross
at Siboney and the front. Her story
is given as nearly as possible in her
own words:
"While at anchor in Guantanamo
bay we were Informed that the hos
pitfalls at Siboney were in great need of
help. Miss Barton ordered the Texas
to Siboney, and when we reached there
inquiries were made with a view to dis
covering what was needed at the hos
pitfalls. 1t was found that absolutely.
no provision had been made for the
care of the sick. We sent supplies of
food, bedding and clothing ashore. Two
OF the sisters also landed and found
the so-called hospital to consist of four
or i've rooms, as filthy as could be.
Seventy of our soldiers were lying on
the bare floor i'll of fever, d~ysentery
and measles. But two Of them were
wounded. They had been hurt in the
nrst engagement of the Rough Riders
on June "A. The hospital was in charge
OF a steward and two male assistants.
W offered our services, but AS
sistant Surgeon Winter, who was in
charge, declined them, saying that he
did not need them just then, but might
in a few days and would let us know.
When he declined II help, there were
seventy sick men lying on the floor,
with no comforts at all and fed on the
regular army rations. We urged the
matter and begged to be allowed to
stay and make the place at least COM
Portable, but DR.. Winter refused again.
Il went to the Cuban hospital and
then to the American hospital. While
l was talking to the steward in charge
of the hospital DR.. Harvard, the sur
geon in charge, came in, and l asked
him why he had declined the services
of the Red Cross.
"'Can you afford said l, to let this
story go back to the United States that
you have nothing in the way of
supplies and nurses, and yet when there
is help at hand you refuse it?' DR..
Harvard replied that he had not de-
clined it.
we went to work to get better quar-
tiers for the hospital. We got another
building, cleansed it thoroughly and in
stalled our cots. On Friday, July /,
the date of the battle of Santiago, the
wounded began to come down from the
tront-a distance of ten milestone
in wagons, some hobbling. We Joined
our forces to those of the regular sur
geons. During the first twenty-four
hours we cared for ATS wounded in the
operating tent, only stopping for a
drink of coffee that was brought in to
US.
Late on Saturday afternoon DR.. Lee
garde came to the Red Cross tent and
said he had an order from Gen. Shat
ter for Miss Barton to seize any army
wagons and send supplies to the front
in them. He added that there was alb
solutely nothing there to aid the
wounded. l turned to him and said:
"'Where are the hospital supplies
and service for the army? Have you
brought 10000 men to Cuba and rushed
them into battle without any provision
for the wounded?' Dr.. Legarde was
almost fearful. He said:
"'Our only hope at the front now is
the hope your people give us. Please
send them to the front
Miss Barton seized two wagons and
sent them on with supplies, going
ahead ip a third herself with three