Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-30

and n Greeted and Feasted on His Ar
rival-Leaves Porto Rico With the Sick
But is Vow Almost Entirely Recovered
Comrades Anxious go Return.
Howard w. johnson. who marched
away from Rock Island with his COM
rades four months ago to defend his
flag and country. weakened from i'll
ness contracted on the fields of Porto
Rico, arrived home last night on fur
Tough, his instructions. being to return
to his regiment Sept. 20. The south
ern sun has left traces of its heat on
Towards counteRance, although the
poor rations have not made any per-
ceptible effect on his rugged constitu-
ton.
Howard, dressed in his uniform,
was accompanied from Chicago by his
mother, Mrs. Harriet f. johnson.
and his younger brother, Milton, his
uncle, A. H. Pollard, joining him at
Aurora, and his cousin, Harvey Pol
lard, at Alpha. There was a large
delegation at the Burlington depot to
meet and greet the returned soldier.
There was royal reception arranged
by neighbors for him at his home,
1928 Third avenue, which was decor
atsd inside and outside, a row of
Chinese lanterns extending from the
gate to the doorway. and eight little
girls attired in white and each earry-
ing a candle and singing patriotic
songs. This reception was arranged
without the knowledge of Mrs. John
son and proved as much of a surprise
to her as to her son. A table laden
:, f,ta Of iali
awaited the Young soldier. He con-
fessed that he had almost forgotten
how to sit at the table. He ate heart
lily, and expressed regret that his
comrades in Porto Rico were not there
to enjoy the feast with him.
The johnson home was besieged
during the evening by the friends and
loved ones of the members of Com
pany A, anxiously inquiring about
the boys. Howard was truly hero.
He was embraced, caressed and kissed
by the ladies, and the boys and men
shook his hand.
Tells About His Comrades.
Howard says. now that the
war is over, the boys are all anxious
to come home. He left them all in
good health. He was taken sick with
malarial fever at Ponce after the
march from Guanica,
which told on many of the soldiers.
He WAS placed i'll a hospital from
which a French flag floated, his COM
panions all being Spaniards. Not even
the attending physician could speak
English. After remaining there
three days he was visited by DR.. Mich
ohs Sem, who recomzonded that the
patient leave Porto RIGS at once. as
he would be taken with typhoid fever
if he did not leave that climate. Tho
day he left on the hospital
ship Relief for New York. Howard
says save for slight weakness he
now feels ar well as he ever did. He
states the severest trial the Rock Island
boys had was on the Yale, on which
they travelled from Charleston to San
tiago and thence to Porto Rico. They
were hungry during the entire voy-
age. They landed at Guanica July %,
and the following night had their initial
experience, being assigned
to guard duty in the mountains.
Howard, Louis Rosenfield and Ben
Sears were detailed to the hospital
corps, and accompanied an expedition
of the 9th Massachusetts,,
two companies of regulars and Com
panies l. and G, 9th Illinois regiment,
sent out to rout force of Spaniards
moving in the direction of
Guanica. After marching three miles
The Americans were fired upon. 1t
was about 3 O'Clock in the morning
The fight lasted 45 minutes. Five
were wounded and five
Spaniards were killed and ii hurt. The
Ions retreated. leaving their dead and
behind to he cared for by the |
Red Cross society.
johnson paid THE ARGUS a visit |
.oday. He said: Il thought | |
vas well received in New York, |
Dut my, it was no comparison |
o the manner in which l was
reated last night. just got out of |
Porto Rico in the nick of time, for |
hat country. Nineteen poor boys |
lied on the ship on the way to New |
York. and 10 of them were buried at |
ea.
When 1 left, our boys were
'amped in the mountains outside |
'once. All were well. Harry Coyne /
ell out of the ranks, suffering with /
IN injured foot, on the march fro IN /
iuanica. and we were greatly worried /
bout him, but he soon turned up all /
light, coming TO Ponce by train.
'orto Rice is chOck full of malaria, |
,ut our bows have stood the climate |
well. | expect they viii
,e in America before another week /
,asses, and will probably be home in
month -
Capt. McCOnOclje Getting Fat.
Mrs William McConochie has a
etter from her son. Capt. McCono-
HE. in which he states he has gained |
en- pounds on the Porto Rican atmos-
,here. He also saws 70 mail has been
eceived by himself or any of the boys