The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-26
is LEFT BEHIND.
of Corp. Marvin
f. Ames Cannot Be
Disinterred.
ORDERS FORBID 1T.
No More Yellow Fever Vic
Tins to Be Taken Up
at Present.
In Camp siboney. cuba. AprlI 5.

In Camp Siboney, Cuba, April 8.
To the Editor of The Spy:
We have this day completed our
work in this locality disinterring
about 200 bodies. This work took us
to Daquiri, Las Guasimas. sevila and
Siboney at the four places of burial
here. We took about 155 cases of yell
low fever at Las Quasinas, the grave
of the rough riders, made so famous
from the fact of all the soldiers in the
trench being killed in the first battle
and where Hamilton Fish was buried.
We have been put through disin-
| fecting process today, but | am of the
opinion that it was farce. Absolutely
no precautions were taken to prevent
us from contracting the dread disease
While we were doing the disinterrihg.
Army surgeons were sent out to at
tend to that part of the work, and,
while the remains were thoroughly
soaked In bi-chloride of mercury,
which would destroy germs, it was not
done until after they were taken from
the ground and carried hundred
yards or so; the laborers working day
after day in the graves, and our party
handling the bodies were allowed the
freedom of the town, and even slept in
the clothing worn while at work.
Our orders were to bring nothing
along we did not wish to lose, as all
goods would be burnt up. Well, it's
done. In a week or so we will know
who has it.
At Daquiri, where the troops first
landed we took up the remains of
Corp. E. P. Cobb and Private George
English of troop B, Tenth cavalry,
who were drowned in the surf while
disembarking on June % last.
That Cuban laws need revising was
evident to us all last week. All plans
! were settled to leave Santiago for Sib-
oney on Friday. The wagon train left
on Thursday Baskets were shipped
and laborers forwarded. We went to
the depot ca for our special train early
Friday forenoon, and after wait of
over an hour we learned that, being
Good Friday, no trains would run;
| consequently we left Saturday.
Secretary Alger came out to Siboney
on Wednesday to see how our work
was progressing. Some one must have
said. yellow fever" for neither he nor
any of his party left the car.
Siboney shows the marks left by the
army, most of any spot here, being
RACED to the ground by hre, by order
of Gen. Miles; many ruins, once homes,
meet the eye; a few cheap shacks have
sprung up, phoenix-like, from the
ashes.
7 met a little fellow on the beach the
other day; he was shrilly whistling the
"Houchy Couchy." They learn quick
ly-things of no value to them.
This trip has been a queer one, run
of sorrow and sadness, happiness ana
gayety; gruesome and beautiful; dan
gerous and peaceful; adventurous ana
monotonous. Guns have been useo'
church has been attended. we nave
lived in the best hotels to be touno anu
slept out in the rain, lived IN camps
and in wagons, Travelled in escort Wag-
ons. in an1bulances, on mules and on
] foot: through swamps, cocoanut
groves and beautiful tropical growth;
over mountains and hills, through
brush and tangle, been baked in the
bIistering sun and bleached by the peIt-
| ing rains.
Guasimas the ambulance in which MI.
Dean and myself were riding dropped
| into a gully in the track and turned bot
| tom side UP. No serious damage result
| ed Two escort wagons went over too,
spilling the four empty baskets out ana
completely running three OF them. IN
some places we are compelled TO trans
mort the bodies on the shoulders of the
men long distance over the roughest
kind of country. 1t seems as though
pains had been taken to hide the
graves.
April 9-We arrived in Santiago this
morning and found that all the bodies
which had been lying in the govern
ment warehouse awaiting shipment had
been removed to the yellow fever nos
pital across the bay. An order has been
received which Will prevent any more |
remains going north until next fall. The \
same order prohibits the disintermentl
Of any more yellow fever cases until
after the rainy season. This will pre-
vent the body of Corp. Marvin f. Ames
from being sent home. l have tried to
get a separate permit to secure the re-
mains, but without avail. Mr.. Dean and
1 went yesterday to the yellow fever
island and made number of sketches
and drawings, showing location or this
grave as well as those of two members
Of the Ninth Massachusetts, we
found buried there. In case the head
boards are disturbed or burned out
graves may be easily found.
The expected rain will prove a bless
ing to the people back in the country, |
fearful fires are raging and it is dan
gerous to travel along the trails. We
had an experience while working in
Siboney which will suffice for all time. /
While out some two miles from town,
fire started and we were forced to
run our mules through a furnace hot
enough to blister the paint on the am
balances. The mules got frightened and
It was quite exciting for few mo- l
ments.
We expect to go to Guantanamo on
Thursday, but the work may be stopped /
as Gen Wood Is opposed to the con- 1
tinuance OF the Disbursements.
l want to go on record as saying that
if there is an epidemic of yellow fever
here this summer, 1t viii be because Of
the wholesale digging of the streets
here, and not from our work. The 1
ground is simply rotten and hundreds
of laborers are at work paving. fitting |
in sewer and water pipes; the air is
foul now, and it will be a miracle if
there is no trouble from it.
April 10.-We are still awaiting or
ders One minute we hear we are GO
ing home on the next transport, and the
next we are told we viii go to Guanta-
namo and the north coast right away.
We are all ready to leave at short |
notice and hope the orders viii say
Come home A. F. Dunkerton.
VISION OF ST. JOHN.