The Red Cross in Peace and War

by Clara Barton

Mr. Kennan rolled himself up at right angles with Sir Alfred Paget on the floor of the veranda. We were all up at break of day. A call from Captain McCalla for 50,000 rations for Guantanamo met with an immediate response. The “State of Texas” was dispatched, but on arriving there the surgeon in charge of the fleet asked if any of the relief party had been on shore, and on being answered in the affirmative, he refused to allow the goods to be landed, being afraid, as he said, of infection. The vessel returned to Siboney and there continued to land and store what was needed at that place, preparatory to leaving for Santiago.

On July 17, the “State of Texas” while lying off Morro Castle, Santiago, at the entrance to the harbor, was boarded by Admiral Sampson, Commodore Schley and Captain Cook, who came to pay their compliments to our commander. Never was there an action more gallant and graceful than the voluntary offer of these commanders to allow Miss Barton and her staff, with the “State of Texas” to enter the harbor of Santiago first, as the Red Cross and the relief ship represented the principle for which the war was waged—humanity.

Those on board will never forget the experience of that afternoon as the good ship steamed in, past the “Merrimac,” past the sunken ships of the once proud navy of Spain, on to relieve the hungry and despairing people who crowded to the wharves to look at the ship with the insignia of good will flying from her masthead. As the vessel steamed slowly in, from her forward deck floated the strains of the “Doxology” and “My Country ’Tis of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty.”

The cargo of the “State of Texas” was quickly unloaded and stored in spacious warehouses, under the supervision of Mr. Warner, and the good ship, under command of her captain, F.A. Young, who had grown to be a Red Cross man at heart, accompanied by Mrs. J. Addison Porter and Sister Blanche McCorristen, steamed away to New York. For the warehouses the Red Cross is indebted to Dr. Douglass, who also placed at our disposition his residence and corps of clerks to assist in the work.

A distributing committee was at once formed by Miss Barton and staff, consisting of Mr. Mason, Mr. Michaelsen, Mr. Wm. Ramsden, Jr., who was also on the committee at El Caney. Mr. Ramsden, as chairman of the committee, gave his entire time to the work, and his courtesy and executive ability did much to prevent confusion and misunderstandings, and thus kept the way smooth for effective work. Through the co-operation of this committee, nearly 40,000 people were fed and made comfortable in four days.

The army were unable to get their provisions, owing to the inability of the Commissary Department to fill the orders. Two men were kept constantly employed in the warehouse of the Red Cross issuing foods, medicines and delicacies to fill requisitions from the officers of the army. To the soldiers themselves a large quantity of food of all description was given, sometimes singly, but where it was practical they were given as much as they had transportation for, to provide for the sick in their locality.

A dispensary was opened in Santiago by the Red Cross, where some 400 patients were prescribed for daily. This dispensary was in charge of Dr. J.B. Sollosso, the assistant surgeon of the Red Cross on the Cuban field, assisted by five others. Their work brought comfort to many a sick soldier and was a great credit to all connected with it.

At the Red Cross headquarters, an Out-patient Department was established and placed in charge of Dr. Gill. This department developed so rapidly that local doctors were brought into the work, and all applicants reported to headquarters, requiring medicine or medical aid, were at once referred to one of the visiting staff. Medicines and instruments for all were furnished by the surgeon placed in charge of the Supply Department. In this department were treated many American soldiers who had been stationed away from their regiments and who consequently could not get to their regimental surgeons.

When the Red Cross staff left on the transport “Clinton,” bound for Havana, the remainder of the supplies were left in charge of Mr. Warner. On August 27 we arrived in the harbor of Havana. The following day the Civil Governor and his staff came on board the “Clinton” to pay their respects to Miss Barton, and expressed their gratitude for the work of the Red Cross among the reconcentrados.

The weather was very warm, and with forty mules between decks the situation was not all that could be desired for a protracted stay in a harbor like Havana. An effort was made to land the cargo of supplies, but we were met with a refusal to allow the goods to enter without payment of duties, and, because of some technical oversight in clearing the vessel from Santiago, a fine of $500 was imposed. The fine was promptly paid, and with no hope of being able to land soon, the “Clinton” was ordered by Miss Barton to weigh anchor and proceed to Egmont Key, where we would go into quarantine before proceeding North. The stay of five days in quarantine at the Key would not have been unpleasant, except for the gnats, mosquitoes, sand fleas, snakes and the daily storms, which made it necessary to call all hands at all hours to hold down the tents.