The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-25
NENTTCT DR.. A. e. BUCHANAN
UENllO1 aga wA.a Building.
HERoIsM of THE WOUNDED.
American Pluck and Endurance
Praise for the Red Cross People.

Siboney Letter in New York Post.
The wonderful pluck and endurance of our
soldiers ARE simply beyond expression.
,Trainlo2d after trainload of the wounded
arrive. from the front to this hospital base.
They are conveyed over the almost alpine
trail III heavy army wagons without any
shade save that in the way of limbs and
boughs of trees cut by the escorts on the
trail. These poor fellows stand this trying
ordeal without a murmur, without a groan.
They have been taken care of at the emer-
gency hospital, and when their turn comes
they are forwarded here. Then comes the
diagnosis of their wounds The serious cases
which are unable to reach the hospital ships
are kept here, while the minor cases-men
who, by pure American pluck, endurance
and bravery, are determiDsd to keep up,
hobble half mile by the aid of friends and
other willing hands to the beach, awaiting
the arrival of some of the hospital or trans
port boats to convey them aboard. Yester-
irving from the front. Each wagon con-
tanned from six totwelve wounded. Most of
Caney: Many of them were in fainting
condition when they arrived here. Load
after load they were taken to the hospital,
where the surgeons had been working with
herculean endurance almost continuously
day and night for three days.
wounded gave vent. Scores of Door fellows,
after having their wounds dressed, refused
to accept the cots and accommodations pro-
Vfded by the hospital and Red Cross au-
thorities, For four hours a procession of
wounded passed from the hospital to the
beach; Some were wounded in the head
some in the arm, and the great majority in
the foot and limbs. Picture to ones self
these men vending their way from the hos
pitals to the beach assisted by every form
of improvised crutck-a broken board, the
limb of a tree. A hospital crutch was a
thing not to be thought of. Arriving at the
beach the wounded had neither shelter nor
assistance Lying under palmetto, a palm,
or a few scrub trees they awaited the ar
rival OF the launches to convey them to the
HOSPITAL ships. Picture once more heavy
surf running and no wharf from which to
embark. They had to breast the breakers
as best they. could, the agonizing expression
on mary face telling only too plainly the
terrible agony they9were suffering.
AS | watched them embark l wondered
long had been clamoring for this war,
would have said had they seen this process
sion OF brave Americans. ] had seen at
Notre Dame de Lourdes in France and at
St Anne de Beaupre in Canada such pro-
ceSs1ons vending their way to the shrines,
but the latter had every kind of mechanical
journey, while our men were absolutely
helpless. save through their own pluck.
Back of the, hospital tents stands q long
line of probably one hundred cars. Yester-
day / saw the lame and crippled fellows
working their, way on one leg, clutching to
the cars and thus passing themselves along
would see men through sheer exhaustion.
fall to- the ground and lie there, often with
sum- Two hundred and fifty of these men
left on the transport Iroquois for Key West
s. visited the sick bay OF the Harvard yes
terday where some fifty Of the wounded
Spanish prisoners were confined, and could
not help comparing the stoical. scowling
faces of these Spaniards with the patient
intelligent countenances of our men. AL
though every attention and kindness had
been extended to the prisoners. there was a
was repusive and significant. When asked
Il they were being well cared for. they
shrugged their shoulders and, with an eff
fort allowed half-audible "Si senor," to
+ escape their lips. Many of the worst cases
lay groaning necessarily, and a mans
heart could not fail to go out in sympathy
for them. 81
If this war has accomplished nothing else
1t has proved beyond the shadow of doubt
that the American soldier is the bravest in
battle, the most heroic under awful torture
and suffering, and the most patient under
neglect and pTivation AS the British naval
attache. a man who has gone through four
campaigns. well said when he returned
from the front yesterday, II never saw such
heroism, such intelligence, in any lot of men
before. They are simply magnificent
The army and navy medical officers cam
not say too much in favor of the splendid
work done by the Red Cross people. AS DIR.
lie Gard said. I'VE owe all TO them"