The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-01
SOLDIERS AFTER THE BATTLE.

SOLDIERS AFTER THE BATTLE.
Much has been said about the courage and
daring of the troops that fought in that
three days engagement before Santiago.
There had been some questioning in adj
vance as to how they would act under fire,
few of Them even among the regulars, ever
having known actual war, and the attention
of the correspondents who were there to re-
port all that was done and the way it was
done was directed chiefly to their conduct
in battle. That they behaved like heroes all
the world now knows. All reports tell but
one story. The officers testify to the gall
liant conduct of their men; the correspond
ents are enthusiastic in praise, and the vic
tory struggled for under great odds is proof
enough if all else were lacking. But while
the soldiers are getting due need of praise
as fighters. less has been.said of their cour-
age under copditions even more trying than
those of battle Perhaps the correspondents
saw little of them after they were wounded
and carried from the field; perhaps the
scenes were beyond the power of their pens
to depict. 1t has remained for George Ken
nan to pay these suffering men the tribute
their patience, endurance and gentleness
deserve. KEENAN,, who followed the path of
Russian exies in Siberia and knows what
suffering is, is, member of the Red Cross
Society on duty at Santiago. In a letter in
the Outlook he describes in a graphic way
the narrowing scenes in the hospital depart
ment in the days succeeding the battle The
wounded men were laid on the ground in
rows and sometimes waited for hours before
the surgeons could even examine their in
juries. Says Mr.. KEENAN,:
A more splendid exhibition of patient I'M
complaining forttude and heroic sef-con-
troll than that presented by these wounded
men the world has never seen. Many of
them, as appeared from their chalky faces,
gaspng breath and bloody vomiting were
IN the last extremity of mortal agony, but
didn't hear a groan, q murmur or com
under the knife of the surgeon would swear
or beardless Cuban boy would shrek and
surgeons reduced compound fracture of
the femur and put his leg in splints, but
from the long row of wounded on the
ground there came no sound or sign of
weakness. They were suffering-some of
them were dying-but they were strong
He continues: ss4
Not single American soldier, in all my
experience in this hospital, has ever asked
turn on account of the severity, painful ma
ture, or critical state of his wound. On the
contrary they have repeatedly. given way
hes shot through the body. I've only got
q smashed foot, and 1 can wait" Even the
courtesies of life were not forgotten
neglected in this valley of the shadow of
death. If man could speak at all, he al
ways said, THANK you,' or II thank you
very much, when | gave him hard bread
water. If there has been any weakness
or selfiShneSS, or behavior not up to the
highest level of heroic manhood among the
wounded American soldiers in this hospital
failed to see it. AS one of the army sur
geons said to me, with the tears very near
his eyes, When look at those fellows and
see what they stand: am proud of being an
American. and | glory in the stock. The
world has nothing finer"
Mr. KEENAN, adds, what many others have
said and what was plainly shown. that the
medical force was entirely inadequate to
the work. The surgeons worked faithfully,
but there were too few of them Perhaps
some one was to blame for this lack. per-
haps it grew out of the general feeling that
the Spanish troops would be dispersed with
out great loss on our part. Mr.. KEENAN,
makes no charges and advances no theories
in which he is wiser than some of the ply
sicians in authority who, a means of
wardng off criticism from themselves are
throwing blame on others. Surgeon Cen
eral Sternberg, for instance, by way of
meeting the statements as to neglect Of the
Seneca, on which sick men were shipped
from Santiago, snarlS about women nurses
and objects to their presence on the battle
field; this in face of the fact that without
the supplies and attendance furnished by
Miss Barton, the sufferings of the wounded
men would have been tenfold greater. DR..
Sem also permits himself to blame Cen
eraI Shafter for the existence of yellow
fever among the troops. the chief grievance
being that the general did not compel the
men to obey the sanitary instructions.
which. included the boiling of drinking
water AS if mortal man, in all the confu-
sion Of those memorable days, could have
fought battles and at the same time looked
to it that the thirsty soldiers did not drink
from every wayside spring!
The battle before Santiago was as fierce
as any i'm modern history; the sufferings Of
the wounded were greater than they should
have been when the purpose of the govern
ment to meet every needful demand is con-
sidered. 1t is painful episode and one that
will not occur again. so it is Improbable TO
discuss responsibility 1t is wiser to look
upon the brighter side and to rejoice that
the American soldiers, some of them mere
boys who rad until then known nothing but
home ard luxury. stood test that proved
them possessed Of the highest qualities Of