Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-05
THE PRESIDENT
Visits the Soldiers at Camp
Wikof, Montauk Point.
He lnspects the Well and Personally
Visits the Sick.
Cheered BY Soldiers Thanks Them in Address
for Their valor.

SdHip HWlkoI, MOHtaVk IOlnt, sept.
4.-Pres. Mckinley spent five hours in
the camp, Saturday, bare-headed most
Of the time, visiting the sick in the
hospitals and inspecting the well.
He made speech to the assembled
infantrymen, reviewed the cavalrymen,
expressed his opinion of the camp to
the reporters. and issued an order di-
recting the soldiers to return to their
stations east of the Mississippi.
With the President were Vice Pres.
Hobart, Sec. Alger, Atty Gen. Griggs,
Senator Proctor of Vermont, Brig. Gen.
Eagan, commissary Of the army; Brig.
Gen. Luddington, quartermaster of the
army; Col. Henry Hecker. and secre-
taries to the President, Porter and Cor
telyou.
The women OF the party were Mrs.
Col. Hecker.
Gen. Wheeler, his staff and nearly
every officer of prominence in the
camp met the President at the station,
except Gen. Shafter. who is still in de-
tention. and Gen. Young, who fell and
broke an arm, Friday night.
After greetings and introductions on
the railway platform, the President
took Gen. Wheeler's arm and went to
a carriage.
Col. Theodore Roosevelt of the Rough
Riders was among a group of horse
men near by. Mr.. Mckinley saw him
and got out of the carriage to speak
with him. Col. Roosevelt hastily dis
mounted and tussled with a gauntlet
for 10 seconds so that ungloved he
might shake hands.
The column of carriages wound up
hill, escorted by the Sd Cavalary
Regiment and the mounted band of the
9th Cavalry. The party paused a mo-
ment on the hill and the President
looked out on the wide undulating
cape, water bound on either side and
whitened on the levels and hilltops by
the tents of $4,000 men laid out in geo.
metric lines.
Mr.. Mckinley drove to Gen. Shat
ter's tent in the detention camp. The
general. who was flushed and weak
from mild case of malarial fever,
was in full uniform sitting in a chair
at the door of the tent. He tried to rise,
but Mr.. Mckinley said:
Stay where you are, general, you
are entitled to rest"
The President congratulated Gen.
Shafter on the Santiago campaign, and
after few minutes rest proceeded to
the general hospital The soldiers, re-
Gently arrived on transports and de-
tanned on the detention section of the
camp, lined up irregularly on each side
of the road and cheered.
Mr. Mckinley took off his straw hat
then and scarcely put it on for more
than minute or two at time through
the camp.
Miss Wheeler, daughter of the gen.
eral, happened to be in the first row
of the hospital tents, and she showed
the President through the division.
Gen. Wheeler announced in each ward,
Boys, the President has come to see
you," or Soldiers. the President of the
United States has come to see YOU"
Some of them slept on unconscious.
some listlessly raised upon their ell
bows, others feebly clapped their
hands. Mr.. Mckinley gently shook
hands with many, and at every cot he
paused an instant. and if he saw
man looking at him he bowed in a d.
rect and personal way.
In the second ward as the President
entered Sergt. John A. Alexander, Co.
D, list Illinois. who has a fever, was
rather startled by hearing Gen.
Wheeler announce the President. The
sergeant half raised up on his cot. Mr..
Mckinley, attracted by the movement,
took Alexander's hand and said: Il am
sorry to see you SO sick: hope that
You are getting better
do you wish for anything?" in
CURED Gen. Wheeler.
mo, have everything good for me.
I guess Alexander replied. YEARLY, |
but wish were home''
Il hope that we may soon get you
there" said Mr.. Mckinley. He had
had such bits of talk with the men and
seemed to be in no hurry. He almost
outwore the patience OF all his party |
by his slow going through ward after
ward. When seemingly all the wards
Of the general hospital had been
through and the President was about |
to get into a carriage. Atty. Gen.
GriggS detained him.
Miss Wheeler has told me-" said he.
.of Lieut.. Prado. who is In a tent
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