The National tribune., 1900-02-01
RED CROSS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
A Veterans Experiences in Caring for the
Wounded and Sick.

Our readers will be interested in the
following report to Miss Clara Barton by
Gen. W. 7. Bennett, who, after two years
service in the ranks, entered the 1st q. S. G.
/. as Captain, became Colonel of the
33d U. S. c. T., and was brevetted for gal.
Agent for the Red Cross in the Philippines
FIELD STATION, MANILA, PHILIPPINE
| ISLANDS, Dec. 20, 1S99
| DEAR MISS BARTON: The emergency
| hospital which l established on Sept. q
has done and is still doing great work
! The books. which are tabulated and accu,
| rately kept, show 1,29S cases have been
treated, and the patients either discharged
or sent to the Military Hospital, or Filipino
Hospital at San Juan de Dios, or Chinese
Hospital at La Iona, according to ma
tionality.
have erected six large tents, and this
week will be compelled to erect another,
with board sides, doors, and flooring.
On the 10th l left for the front joining
Lieut.. Wheeler's command at BAN Ban
with such supplies as could get together
nutritious foods from Miss Henshall, and
paJamas, sheets, shirts, underclothing,
bandages, etc, sent by California Red
Cross. Transportation was very difficult,
rain pouring in torrents for a week; yet the
army kept advancing. One day, from
a. m. to p. m, an advance of only q
mud, and men were up to their waists in
mud while unloading and reloading them.
| accompanied Gen. Macarthur, who
entered Tarlac, the insurgent Capital, at
$3.50 a. m. Monday, Nov. 13; Col. Bell, OF
the Beth Inf, having occupied the place
tlon, machine-shop, and 80 cars had been
fired. and were still smoldering. The shop
was too hot to approach. Every house was
abandoned. The buildings were mostly
new, which, together with very extensive
barracks, were of nipa, but of modern
construction, with boarded flooring. There
were no Notifications or rifepits at Tarlac,
as Aguinaldo had evidently expected that
the extensive Notifications at BAN Ban
would stop the American army. Their
capture by the rapid strategic movement
OF Col. Bell left Tarlac easy to enter.
Aguinaldo's headquarters, formerly the
residence of the Governor-General of the
Province, is an extensive building of stone
and wood situated at the junction of the
Tarlac and Cat Cat Rivers, and facing a
large square. On a street at a short dis
tance. running parallel to the Tarlac River,
is the cathedral, a modern building, only
25 years old, tastefully decorated, facing
the public plaza.
1t is over mile to the railway station,
the street thence being fairly occupied by
houses. We there found four engines,
which had been wrecked by allowing them
W Dulb tfiCll otllcl pairs Wllut dI
full speed, while 42 more cars were found
burned. While at BAN Ban l had counted
nine engines wrecked by running them of
the bridge into the river, and piled over
them were dozens of cars.
At Tarlac, in one cemetery, l counted 800
newly-made graves Their sick had ali
been removed. The surrounding forests
were filled with frightened natives desirous
Of returning to their homes. On returning
walked alone from BAN Ban 10 Anyle,
16 miles, on the ruined railroad track, en-
countering only a few natives, who were
frightened and half-starved, many women
and little children showing by their ema-
ciated limbs and protruding stomachs that
starvation was doing its deadly work.
They were afraid even to gather rice which
was ripening in the fields This, however,
will soon be over, as upon my representation
Gen. Otis has issued orders to Gen. Grant
to allow the natives to gather their crops
and protect them. =, ~.
Notwithstanding the appalling condition
OF the road, and the almost constant down.
pour of rain, and crossing of swollen rivers
and creeks with no bridges, the health of
the army at Tarlac is good, owing to the
splendid management and supply OF the
CommiSSariat, so different from Cuba and
Puerto Rico. Every squad of soldiers
has separate house, and chickens, eggs,
and calf carabao are plentiful.
On return to Manila / found the Red
Cross Emergency Hospital going on well
under the supervision of DIR. Bride and
Hospital Steward Looney, and patients
Increasing in number daily. / am anx-
ously awaiting supplies and funds, but with
low, and must have patience before ex
tending its work to the relief Of the suf-
fering victims, especially orphan children.
w. L. BENNETT.