Evening star., 1899-03-31
WITH THE RED CROSS
Work Among the Dead and Dying
Soldiers.
TEE HORRIBLE side OF WARFARE
F. A. Blake Describes Scenes About
Manila.
BRAVERY OF THE FIGHTERS

Mr. F. A. Blake of the Red Cross of Cali
fornia, in charge Of the Red Cross work
at Manila, has written to this city as fol-
| lows regarding hostilities on Luzon Island:
| Just one week ago today did the fight
ing actually commence, and the past week
has brought about changes little dreamed
| Of. The insurgents have been pushed back
on all sides, until our circle and outposts
have advanced in some directions as much
| as twelve miles. Our boys fought like
tigers and made such name for them
| selves for bravery, endurance and strict
| discipline as will be handed down to pos
| terity for ages to come. With the thirty
! three wounded last night at Malabon it
| brings our total dead and wounded up to
| date trifle under 200.
Il never saw such execution in my life.
! and hope never to see such sights as met
| me on all sides our little corps passed
over the field, dressing wounded-legs and
| arms nearly demolished total decapitation,
horrible wounds in chests and abdomen,
showing the determination of our soldiers
| to kill every native in sight The Filipinos
did stand their ground heroically contest
| ing every inch, but proved themselves un-
| able to stand the deadly fire of our WELL
| trained and eager boys in blue. | myself
counted seventy-nine dead natives in one
| small field, and learn on other side of
| river their bodies were stacked up for
breastworks. The block houses filled with
natives were stubbornly held, and only
| taken after a bayonet charge. Here is
| where we had SO many wounded. You see
| they seek shelter behind the densely- wood
| ed localities, while we must advance in the
open, and many times only guess at their
| location.
Il witnessed many daring deeds of indi-
| vidual soldiers and officers, absolutely de-
| tying death under perfect shower of bull
| let's This kind of fighting and pushing
| forward has completely paralyZed the ma
| tives, as the Spanish would simply make
| short sortie and return for siesta and
| smoke, wait for another week or month
| and repeat A Spanish officer surveying
| the field made the remark that the Ameri-
cans had no etiquette in warfare, not al
| lowing the troops to stop for a week after
| an attack. This rush is putting the fear
| OF God in the natives. and l think when
Aguinaldo's headquarters are attacked they
| will cry enough and surrender l believe
| our troops will reach them tomorrow
shall not go further into the fray, as doubt
| less you fully acquainted with the de-
| tails through the papers.
The firing commenced at about o'clock
| last Saturday night, and from the rapid
| move and the volleying We all knew the
spell was at last broken. Our first move
was to get emergency bags together L
mad our force ready to accompany Dr.
Cabell, while went to the firing line with
Surgeon Shields of Washington (Washing-
| soii "oiuiitSciSj anu Ildue our way to the
outpost of Company B, 1st California, re-
| naming with hospital corps arranging
cots and general preparations for an as
sault After a four hours wait the firing
ceased With us, and the attack yeered to
our left flank; so at 1:30 am. returned
hve miles on foot to supply certain drugs
badly needed This brought me into hos
| pital early Sunday morning, and immedi-
ately detailed one nurse to remain with
| our two fever patients here one to Ermita
and balance to division hospital. where
they were assigned to operating room and
wards. our wounded having already been
brought in by the score Then prepared
Tor the day attack, converting our private
conveyance into kind of ambulance suit
able Tor carrying in our wounded Dwight
Ianner and night nurse, Burrows, and self
Went TO front, arriving just as firing be-
gan. 1T was our first baptism of fire and
an event not soon to be forgotten
Inc Americans were shelling a very
| large stone church, full of insurgents who
were blazing away from parapet at our
small force on bridge not seventy-fve
yards away, when cry came: Red Cross,
Red Cross: We three made a rush with
cases and stretchers, secured one poor
brave soldier who was struck with a Maui
ser and mortally wounded After binding
MS wound under fire, removed him to am
buiance and took him in. On the way
This rig was actually fired upon and bears
two Mauser bullet holes above letter. Re
turning, our line had advanced and with
aid of artillery drove hundreds of natives
oil " sta Ana, Two miles 1urther on. and
| after brilliant charge in the open Sta
Ana fell and by 10 am our wornout SOL
diers were resting un Ter shelter Of 1nsurgent
| generals house, vacated by him just one
| hour before.
I'VE first attended to their wants by
carrying water, giving stimulants to wound
| ed and where really required, then returned
| over field to dress wounds of enemy in field
| and behind intrenchments Here we met
| faithful Wage, now superintendent of Cali
fornia Convalescent Hospital at Ermita,
| and DIR. Mccarthy, with sleeves turned up,
working like Trojans
This humanitarian work lasted the bal
ance of Sunday, and as our boys We're be-
| ing removed to hospital tent our assistance
was given in transferring and protecting
| victims from deadly heat of burning houses
| as we passed through narrow streets. The
order came to return for night to Sta Ana,
| so came home. recuperated and early next
| rdorring started for Malate, where the Mo-
nadnock did such terrible execution
Again we found all We could do dress
| inS wounded Filipinos, after first satisfy
| ing ourselves our own had been attended
! to. l mu:S say the general hospital corps
acted most heroically, working early and
| late until really exhausted. 1t was mar
| velous the rapid manner they got our
wounded in, and lastly all the enemy. The
moral effect it had on the natives to see
| their wounded being humanely looked
| after was electrfying, and l trust will
make them realize the greatness of the
| Anglo-Saxon race Had the order of things
been reversed our wounded would have
been treated to a machete stab.
THE fate of our surgeon Dr. Young
| Utah), while actually dressing a wounded
man on field, was entrapped and throat
cut from to ear. fingers cut off and
| otherwise most cruelty slaughtered, shows
| the treachery of the native and utter dis
regard for Red Cross attaches. | gave my
arm badge to surgeon and trusted to
luck. Too much praise cannot be given
Dwight and Tanner for their fearlessness
| and willingness throughout the fight. The
| girlsonurses-God' bless them-worked like
| beavers and won well merited praise from
| their individual surgeon and general thanks
! fl ON Maj. Crosby. They worked up 10 l and
| 2 every morning, within a sea of blood in
| the operating room, amid most sickening
| sights that would make many man vince,
| then after operations dressing wounds and
| all without word as to being tired The
| general hospital is so full of sick, wounded
! and dying that tents resorted to, but
| Withal the officers have it all so well man
| aged and regulated as to cause most worthy
| commentator. If medals are ever pre-
| sented, / trust the -everworked and ever
| willing surgeon in this grand institution
| won't be forgotten.
And now as to what has been done
since l last wrote. We only got rid of our