The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-02
HE MADE AN ADDRESS
AT the Meeting of the Soldiers OF the
Late War With Spain.
EFFORTS TO GET MEDICINE
yare Fpt,,e and Many Boys Were Pros
trated Because of n Lack of supplies
That should Have Been Furnish
ed by Those Having Matters
In Charge.

In Charge.
THE regular session of the Military
order of the Spanish war;
held in the assembly room of the city
hall, Tuesday night, was not very
largely attended. but it was decidedly
the most interesting session which has
been held since the forming of this or
ganization. The feature of the meet
ing was an address by Captain A. V.
Smith, who was on the medical stan
and with the local boys in Camp Alger'
Cuba and Montauk Point, and his re-
marke were devoted to the war as seen
from a medical standpoint He pre-
faced his address by stating that there
were probably a number of matters
during the late war which needed eX-
PLANTATION, and that there was propaply
not a better time for him to explain
matters than before the meeting at this
time.
He referred to the leaving of the boys
from their home-ties and their trip to
Akron and through to Camp Bushnell
at Columbus, and forward after their
enlistment to Camp Alger, where hne
prospects and q somewhat easy LIE In
camp was held in view of the boys: but
when they arrived here they learned
that things were entirely different from
what had been described to them, and
there was nothing but hard drilling
and some privation on account OF piac-
ing the boys in a physical condition SO
as to be enabled to endure the hard
campaigning in Cuba. He said there
was one error especially that was made
by the boys in Camp Alger, and that
was the persistent manner in Which
they secured lemonade. ice cream
strawberries and other delicacies, either
purchased or some of them sent to them
by kindly friends, which worked havoc
with the stomachs, and that the dispen-
sation Of this stuff was accountable for
some of the disease which prevailed
there. He said this ought never to have
been sent to them, as there was suff1-
cient food of more heauthy nature given
to the boys by the government. He re-
ferred to the disease which followed
at Camp Alger, and the manner In
which the soldier boys were stricken
down, and how he made requisitlon
upon the medical store keeper for cal
omel, the remedy which he believed was
most needed at that time by the sick
men, and that he was unable to secure
it. He stated that morning after morn
ing he sent an assistant to the store
keeper, but he was told that the calomel
had not yet arrived. When appeal was
made to the officer in command, the
doctor stated that the official simply
stated that there was no use in the
boys being sick, that they must get
use to it." The doctor stated that he
believed that if the general sanitary
and other conditions of Camp Alger
cautions taken. there would not have
been much of the sickness which pre-
vailed at that time. He stated that had
it not been for the position which he
held under the government he might
have used some some strong words con-
corning the reply received from the
officials at the medical store house.
Reference was made to the transfer
of the boys from Camp Alger to Cuba,
and their landing at Siboney. The
speaker said that afar in the distance
he heard the booming of the cannon,
as the bombardment on Morro Castle
was taking place, and he could see in
the distance the puffs of the gun at sea
on the warships as they thundered
their discharge of the shells against the
fort on the land. He said it was sight
he would never forget. He spoke Of the
location Of the camp in palm grove
near Garcia's residence. and relate
some of the humors of the camp. He
said there was employed by one of the
tered one of the tents with hands
thrown out in CONSERVATION and fright
saying that here was a big turtle in
the tent, and that there wasn't enough
room there for "'him and me-" which
created great laugh to pass through
the camp. But 1t was afterward the
experience of others that their tents
had been infested with these turtles
also. He spoke of the first march which
the boys made through the rain and
along muddy roads to their destina-
tion, and that the soldiers spent mis-
cradle night in sleeping in the damp
ness and with the rain falling down
all around them. This also caused much
sickness and the speaker stated that al
one time about 80 per cent. of the sol
diers, including officers, were Ill or al
most incapaciated for field service He
spoke of the first death in camp, a mem
ber of Company A. of Shreve, and the
gloom which 1t cast over the remainder
OF the boys. He said there was suffi-