The times., 1898-08-01
FOOD AND WATER WERE BAD
Clifford Cross, of Company ID, First
District Regiment. Who Was Shot
Through the Arm. Says That His
Wound Was Not Dressed on Ship
board

SWinburne Island and the remainder were
sent to Hoffman Island TO undergo disin-
feetion before being disposed of else
where. Three of the latter were sent to
the Smith Inlirmary, Stapleton, Staten
Island, and arrangements were made for
ten others 10 follow.
The three men at the Smith Infirmary
yesterday were J. Mcmillan, Company f,
Thirty-third Michigan Volunteers; E.
Clifford Cross, Company d, District OF
Columbia Volunteers, and William Miller,
OF Company B, First District of Columbia
Volunteers. In telling their story they
united in denouncing the conditions that
prevailed on board the Leona.
1T was miserable-terrible" said Pri-
vate Mcmillan. Some of US needed doc
tors as badly as ever men needed them,
but there was none on board and our only
relief was TO try as best we could TO dress
one anothers wounds.
Il was badly hurt in the arm, but it
was not dressed once from the time we
left Siboney until last night at Hoffman
Island.
The crew did their best, but that
wasn't much-only one man helped US
anything worth while. He was a steward
and had been a nurse I think, or some
thing in that way"
"An the food We had was hard tack
and canned beef. We had canned toma-
toes twice, and they served out coffee
twice day. They called it coffee, but it
was miserable black, ugly-tasting stuff.
And the worst OF it was Mcmillan
continued, most Of US had just come
from the hospital, where we had been
treated pretty well and We were all feel
ing bad, so We felt the change, can tell
you If il wasn't that those of US who
were able TO walk around tried our best
TO help the others l don't know how we
would have got along"
Mcmillan tells d story of herOism on
the part of one of the young officers of
the Rough Riders that deserves its place
in the records of war fun of such in
stances of bravery. He does not know
the name of this heroic young lieutenant.
but he was watching him as he advanced
in front OF the lighting line of his COM
pany.
Suddenly he saw him fall to the bullet
Of a Spanish sharpshooter and the ambu-
lance corps rushed up to carry him TO the
rear.
mo! no, boys. don't take me out of
the fight, but just prop me up here, and
let me see the Spaniards fall cried the
wounded lieutenant. Twenty minutes later
he was dead.
E. Clifford Cross, District volunteer,
said:
My arm, through which a Mauser bull
let had passed, remained undressed for
seven and half days, and ! was suffer-
ing from an acute attack of rheumatism,
but Of care or attention 1 had none.
The water was undrinkable. II was
fearful all the way until we got TO New
port News, where some ice was taken on
board. That made il more endurable.
ITO single our individual instances of
the acknowledgement on the Leona would
be useless. The ship was everything thai
a transport for wounded and fever-strick-
en- soldiers should not be-
Before being shipped ON the Leona Cross
had a thrilling experience. With three
others, Cross, when brought TO Siboney,
was placed in the shadow of a freight-car
as a protection from the sun. Somehow
this car became Uncoupled and, an engine
coming along that line il bunked the
freight car right over the wounded men,
killing the three lying with Cross and
leaving him alive only by the narrowest
of escapes.
Like scores Of others interviewed, Cross
has nothing but praise for the gallant
Seventy-first.
They fought well, like trained SOL
diers,'' he said They were one and all
right good fellows and brave comrades,
and their officers were equally good.
II think the honors of the battle of
New York, the Second Massachusetts,
and the Rough Riders. They are three
splendid regiments
William Miller, a Pennsylvania boy,
also had his story to tell of the state
OF affairs on the LeOna- He said:
My wound was dressed by one of the
stewards of the boat, a man who was
the good angel of those on board. He is
known as ''Old Jimmie" and were it not
for him l couldn't say what would have
become of some Of the lads who We're
suffering torture from their wounds. He
was the only person on board to bestow
attention on the sick and wounded I
''Old Jimmy proved TO be Mr. James
Kermode. and he lives at No. 3l4 West
Twentieth Street.
Al first Mr.. Kermode was unwilling 10
talk OF his experiences on board the
Leona, but gradually he told what had
happened.
'-The 1.l0O troops transported TO Cuba
by the Leona bore the first brunt of
the ills born of mismanagement," he
said. THE water cisterns were calcu-
lated to hold $4,000 gallons of water, but
owing to the large number of troops on
board the amount was not considered
enough and further supplies were taken
on in barrels.
These barrels were of all kinds and of
any kinds. wine barrels, whisky barrels. /
vinegar barrels; in fact, the order was
for barrels, and barrels were supplied. |
but never thought seems to have been /
given TO their cleanliness, for later, when |
the cistern water come TO be unavailable /
the barrels were tapped, only to be found /
10 be absolutely unit for drinking pur- |
poses.
The men on board were reduced to the |
worst straits TO quench their thirst They |
begged and craved for liquid, but could /
not set ii. With their meager supply of !
money they bought beer on board at p |
cents per bottle, then when the beer grew
scarce those who were fortunate enough |
TO have it paid 20 or so cents a bottle /
Lemonade was bought up eagerly at SIM
liar prices.
"en the voyage home" Mr. Kermode |
declared, ''the state of affairs was SIM
ply outrageous. To see those poor boys |
trying 70 nurse their wounds would soften |
the heart of a stone. L tried my best |
TO clean and dress the wounds, and as j |
have had some experience in that way I |
dare say ! did some good, but doctor |
was absolutely necessary 20 the poor /
boys health.
'-The food was scarcely touched by |
many OF the men during the whole trip, |
and even the crew one day. robust as
they are, turned from the corned beef"