The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-03
WOUNDED BY.
THE CHINESE
GallantAmericansFrom
Tien-T sin.
ARE HERE ON THE SOLACE
Brave Marines Tell the Story Of
the Desperate Battle
in Orient.

Among the wounded aboard the Unit
ed States navy transport Solace, now
in port, are four marines who saw ac-
tive service at Tien-Tsn. They helped
capture the walled city; they can tes-
tify to the military ability of the Chi
nese, for they have felt their bullets
and smelt their gunpowder, and fought
with them desperately. The names of
the four are, Larson, Matthews, Van
Horn and Sutton.
| They belonged to the marines former
| ly stationed at Cavite under Colonel
Meade. Colonel Robert Meade COM
manded the American forces at the
battle of Tien-Tsin. The Colonel Is be-
ing invalided home after a severe at
tack of rheumastism; he declares he's
all right now, however, and wants to
return to China and fight. The four
marines are recovering from bullet
wounds received in the engagement be-
fore Tien-Tsin. Larson was shot in the
right forearm, while firing from
trench within $50 yards of the walls of
Tien-Tsin. He cannot yet use the limb.
Matthews was shot in the left neck. the
bullet entered his neck and passed
out of his right side. They have
lsharpshooters among the Chinese. there
is no use denying that fact" said one
of the men. Why! when we were In
the trenches we would stick hat on
the end of a bayonet and shove it just
labovethe earthworks to see IL they were
watching us. Immediately there would
be two or three bullet holes in 1t. The
Chinese can shoot all right, and they
a. a. oh tr1a 10
Il. s., Sutton covered himself with
glory before Tien-Tsin. Under heavy
fire from the enemy he succeeded in
carrying a wounded officer off the field.
and for this heroic deed he was men
toned for distinguished gallantry on
the field of battle. Sutton enlisted In
the Vermont regiment when the Span
ish war broke out and served in the
West Indies. After the war was over,
; and his regiment had been mustered
out, he went to serve his country In the
; Philippines.
When the last detachment of marines
arrived IN Tien-Tsin, the detachment
in which were the four men above men
toned, all of the missionaries had fled
the city and 1t wasn't many days after
wards that the allies took Tien-Tsin.
It's pretty rough getting wounded
so early in the game" said one of the
boys regretfully. but 1 guess we plug
ged our share of yellow men before we
dropped our guns. / remember seeing
the disfigured bodies of the dead Of the
different powers lying upon the field
The Chinese, when they get a chance
. dismember and behead. and otherwise
brutality put an end to the wounded
and they hack to pieces the dead. TheSs
; things helped us to shoot tsraight and
3 TO kill, 1 assure you.''
: When the trouble began Colonel
Meade was in charge of the marine
ut 10 nrIa 4
China, and when the assault on TEN
Tsin was made he took command of the
: American troops, being the ranking
1 officer on the scene. He Is an old sol
: der. has been through the civil war
\ and has long and faithfully served hi:
r country in the military service HI
: Is just as anxious to return to where
the trouble s.going on as he is to defy
the rheumatism. He expects to be or.
8 dered back to China pretty soon. The
Y lColOnel has never been here before, anC
I is naturally in love with the country
n intending to make the most of his shor
stay here.
Captain Herbert Winslow command
the Solace. He had charge of United
;. States vessel during the Cuban block
$ ade. The Solace left Yokohama on Au
: gust 18th and went to Guam, where sh,
stopped for one day. There are seven
. teen sick and wounded aboard. Man.
q of the officers aboard and many of tn
y men also, are expecting their dis
= lcharges in San Francisco, their term o
a enlistment having expired.
The Solace has been on duty in TIL
Orient ever since she passed through
here over year ago. She carrie,
wounded soldiers from China for trans
fer to the transport Thomas, which vii
take them home. Many OF the me-
aboard are suffering with peculiar an
: painful injuries. Bullets play quee
fCEd FDfA xf< q n
body in a miraculous way. One MAJ
aboard has his left side paralyzed, an
other Is temporarily deprived OF tn
power OF speech. Nearly all. however
are on the road 10 recovery The Solac
IL was at one time hospital ship. Sh
Is was originally the steamship Creole O
e the Cornweli line. plying between Ney
" York and New Orleans, and was a wei
s, appointed passenger vessel. She wa
lie one OF the earliest purchases made b
Is the Government at the breaking out Q
l. the Spanish war. AS a hospital shi
n she flew the Red Cross flag and had
ell green stripe painted around her hui
IN Just above the ports Of the main decl
The principal hospital ward was for
Df ward on the main deck. In ordinar
OF weather this was well lighted and we
A. ventilated from the hatch and tn
Id ports. But in addition to this, a com
ig plete ventilating apparatus was put II
ic which carried fresh air withou
= draughts. to every part Of It. Their
~ were accommodations here for 100 pa
OF TENTS. Hot and cold water was on tai
b. and every convenience of a first-clas
n hospital was at hand.
&, What Is now the ward room, an
n when the Solace was a passenger shil
E. was the main saloon, was In her hosp
We tai ship days the operating room.
tx was admirably adapted for that pul
W pose. 1t Is roomy, well lighted and we
at ventilated. 1t was provided with opei
1g ating tables, sterilizers and all the Z;
u cillties OF an operating room.
re The after part of the main deck we
IS htted up as a convalescents' prone
er made and lounging place. 1t was she
re, tered from the sun by canvas awning
Below what Is now the sick bay was
he small ward for special cases.
OF Throughout the ship was fitted wit
ok every convenience and appurtenance
ty a hrst-class hospital. In fact. she W;
at Disseminated "a floating hospital"
ny Aboard the Solace are fifteen office
ng and go men. The officers are as 10
Ike lows: Commander Herbert Winslo1
tn Senior Commander +. w. Coffin, SEMI
- Commander G., s. Willets, Lieutenal