Evening star., 1898-08-08
RED CROSS AT SANTIAGO
The Story of Its Operations One of Great
Heroism.
The Suffering Incidental to the Cam
pafgn Was HeartreudIng-Mr.
kennan's Graphic Story.
From the Philadelphia Press.


The story of the Red Cross work in Cuba
since the opening of the Santiago CAM
paign, is a tale of gracious chasity that in
Its magnitude ha. never been approached
in the history of the Red Cross Society, i'm
portant as has been its precious work. The
suffering Incidental to the Cuban campaign
has been great and heartrending but with
out the assistance Of the Red Cross it
would have been appalling. Here is the
story of that work told by George Ken
nan, who has been one of the leaders of the
expedition. and who has actively superin-
tended, with Miss Clara Barton, its opera
tons:
I'VE arrived off Santiago June 25 from
Key West. On the State of Texas" said
Mr. kennan, "and reported to Admiral
Sampson He told US there was no possi-
bility of landing any supplies there, and
suggested that We go to Guantanamo and
advise with Commander McCalla of the
MaTblehead who was in communication
with General Perez of the insurgeut forces
In the interior as to the best method for
getting relief to the Cubans, who were at
that time most in need.
We returned to the ship to report, and
Dr. and Mrs. Lesser, with a half dozen
nurses, went ashore, carrying cots. bed
ding, pillows and other comforts The sur
geon in charge, whose name there is no
use in mentioning. inasmuch as subsequent
Iy our aid was accepted refused the serv-
Ices OF the nurses. saying they were not
wanted. So We then went to the Cuban
| nospltai, where We found a most revolving
condition. The floors on which the sick
were lying, bare of any covering had not
even been scrubbed, and our nurses went
TO work and thoroughly scrubbed them.
tp1v rt,. Il
Cuban had been bathed and made com
Portable with clean bedding. There We're
no lights in our hospital, but otherwise
matters were soon in good condition.
On the way to Guantanamo we ran into
Siboney, having heard there had been fierce
nghting there, and many killed and wound
ed. We were informed. however. that
there had been only a skirmish, and We
proceeded to Guantanamo and reported to
Commander McCalla, who Immediately
wrote to Perez asking If he could furnish
transportation for our supplies
While awaiting the reply from General
ferez we ran back to Siboney, arriving
there on June %. and learning that the
skirmish had been far more serious than
mad been reported to US, DR.. Lesser and /
went to our advance line and found the
condition of the sick very bad indeed The
SICK, sixty or seventy in number were ly-
ing on filthy floors in the houses that had
been turned into hospitals. They had no
bedding of any kind, not pillow on which
lights at night.
The next day, June -, we opened our
own hospital at Siboney, and then the hos
pltal force got really to work. We left Dr.
Lesser and nurse on shore there, and a
plentiful supply of matted and condensed
milk and canned food
We then returned to Guantanamo to
give food to the refugees. Commander Nc
lana Iurnished large lighter and steam
launch and We soon landed 5000 rations
We came back to Sibouey the same day
and lay there until the battle of Santiago
July l the wounded began tc come in,
and before night we had more than 300 to
care for. The army had four long operating
tents, and DIR. Lesser, Dr. Gardner and DR.
Egan of our forces went in and materially
assisted the army SUI geons, By that time
the hospital corps was doing very good
work. The next day DIR. Egan and / went
to the front AMI visited the field hospital
about two miles back of the firing line TAX
Ing with us such provisions as we could
carry.
I'VE told Lieut. Col. Pope, chief surgeon
OF the 9th Army Corps, we would bring aid
IL furnished transportation. He communi-
Gated with General Shafter and the latter
sent word to seize on any wagon at Sibo-
ney. This order was promptly carried ont
and Sunday morning Miss Barton came in
person with wagon load of supplies.
drawn by a six-nlule team. We then open-
ea Red cross station there, and Major
Wood Of the 1st Division gave us two tents
together with cooking utensils We at once
set to work making cornmeal Cruel matted
milk and invalid food, and before night
were feeding all the wounded in the hospi-
tai. 'Il6
Miss Barton herself was four times over
the road from Siboney to the front twice
In the night Any one who ever travelled
that road knows what that meant 1 have
nyseif Travelled the road in army wagons
on tne pack or a mule and on foot, and it is
rar from pleasant any way you make IT,
Meantime the State of Texas returned to
Guantanamo and landed 10000 more ra-
tons, and then proceeded to Port Antonio
for a supply of ice. From July to July -
we were constantly at work both at the
front and at Siboney. Then yellow fever
broke out. and DR.. and Mrs. Lesser and on
OF the nurses were taken down with It Oh
the 18th they were transferred to the army
hospital.
"We then began supplying food to the ref
ugees from Santiago at Caney fifteen miles
flom the city. These refugees numbered
between 10000 and 5000 A Red Cross dis
tribution station was established at Caney
and a committee Of which the British con-
SUI was chairman. organized to regulate the
distribution. Leading citizens of Santiago
made up the committee One pound of food
a day was allowed each person.
Last Sunday learning of the surrender
we brought the State of Texas to the north
OF Santiago harbor and asked permission to
enter. Admiral Sampson quickly granted
permission, although the mines were not
than all out OF the channel, and with an Of
hcer from the feet and a Cuban pilot we
steamed In, being the first ship to enter the
harbor after the surrender. We arrived at
the wharf at O'Clock Sunday afternoon.
ana Monday morning at daylight began to
unload our remaining 1,400 tons of provis-
ions.
The same morning We began the distri-
button of food, which at the end of four
days was all stored on shore. Leading mer-
chants OF the city competed with US in
opening soup kitchens, and at these kitch-
ems 10000 persons were being fed two DAYS
ago. Those persons were on the verge of
starvation when We began to feed them
and In day or two more the condition
would have been terrible"