The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-09
REAL WAR STORIES.

The disposition Of the average American to
see something funny in the most serious sit
uations in life helped many poor fellow to
forget his troubles even in the hospitals in
Cuba and at Camp WikoR and on the trans
ports The men Of the Third infantry cana
north from Santiago on the Yale. good
many of them very Ill, but when 1t was
announced that orders had been received di-
recting the return of the regiment to this
country the fellows who were in hospitals
dragged themselves out and made a brave
front before the examining surgeons. These
who were the worst off physically made al
most superhuman efforts to stand up before
the surgeons and show that they were not too
badly off to be removed They knew that If
they were left in Cuba their chances for life
were reduced.
An incident Is told Of one who crawled off
his blanket and made shift to stand upright
to meet the surgeon. The examining surgeon
was closing his eyes as far as he could, for
he had no desire to leave any of the men be-
hind. but when he got to this particular case
he saw he would have to keep his eyes closed.
The poor fellow who was being examined
could scarcely speak, but he insisted that he
had never felt better in his life, that his
fever had left him and he had a good appe-
tite. The surgeon shook his head but passed
the man. He had not turned his back before
the poor fellow had fallen in a faint and an
hour later was in the grasp of a delirium
that could only have one result.
The sailors on the Yale were generally Eng
lishmen, members of the usual crew used in
the transatlantic service They didn't like
their job of acting as stewards to a lot OF
sick Yankees. They were overworked and
kept up night and day, and were not in the
hos A Of IN he
main deck of the ship condoling with each
other and condemning the eyes and limbs of
all Yankees, particularly of sick Yankee SOL
diers. They stood just in front of where
Drum Major McGufin, Of the Third, had
stretched his six feet and odd of very sick
Yankee soldier. He was reposing on his
knapsack and blanket in the shade, and his
gun lay alongside Of him. In spite OF his
apathy he was bothered by the remarks OF
the Englishmen. When they had exhausted
his patience he raised up his elbow and
remarked.
Get to - out of here the pair of you, or
I'll break your British heads"
"Hullo, BILL" said one Of the sailors. the
bloomin' old ghost Is gettin cocky fer
'imself." McGufin made one effort, grabbed
his gun and made a smash with the butt Of
1t at the sailors. Fortunately 1t missed them
and he escaped being held for murder-whioh,
ne says, ne WOulQ glauly nave COMMITTED LII
his then frame Of mind.
On the Yale the scarcity Of decent drinking
water caused a great deal Of suffering. A
ration Of water was served to every man, and
the water served was of an awful quality
and warm that the only way it could be
used was to hang it up in a canteen in the
wind until it had cooled to the temperature
Of the air. Once a day all the men lined up
and went past the spot amidships where the
water was served. One of the men relates a
joke that was played on him by one of the
sailors. He was waiting in line, when a
sailor came along and asked him why he
didn't help himself out of tap that stuck
out of bulkhead. He answered that he
thought it would not be permitted.
"That'u be all right" says Jacky, and the
soldier filled his canteen from the tap. He
took it up to his quarters and hung it in the
wind When he tried to drink it a couple Of
hours later he found that it was sea water.
He had to go without water for twenty-four
hours, so the joke was a brutal one.
There has been very little said or written
about the army chaplain at the front, but
the men of the Third are full of praises for
Father Hart, post chaplain at Smelling,
Father Hart did not go with the regiment
to the front, being assigned to another COM
mand, but he frequently with the boys