Part 8 (1/2)
The Cubans who had just come into camp expressed a desire for any a.s.sistance we could give them. They would be glad to have the Red Cross Sisters in their little hospital, but begged us to wait just a day until it could be put in better order. The Sisters were not the persons to grant that day of preparation.
On the contrary they at once went to work, thoroughly cleaned the little three-room building--Garcia's abandoned headquarters, to be used as a hospital--and when the day closed the transformation showed clean rooms, clean cots, and the grateful occupants wondering whether Heaven itself could be more comfortable, or anything more desirable than the palatable food prepared for them by the Sisters.
Three days later the following letter was received:
”To MISS CLARA BARTON, President,
”American National Red Cross:
”I have the honor to request your a.s.sistance in caring for the patients in a so-called hospital near the landing at this point.
”The orders are to the effect that all patients now under treatment on the sh.o.r.e shall be transferred to the Iroquois and Olivette, but the facilities for carrying out this order are apparently inadequate. In order that the division hospital may remain unhampered for the care of the wounded in the engagement about to take place, it is necessary for me to request this favor of you, and I trust that you may find it possible to comply with said request.
”Your obedient servant,
”LOUIS A. LE GARDE,
”Major and Surgeon, U. S. A., Commanding Hospital.”
To this the following reply was immediately returned:
”Steams.h.i.+p State of Texas,
”SIBONEY, SANTIAGO DE CUBA, _June 30, 1898_.
”DR. LOUIS A. LE GARDE,
”Major and Surgeon, U. S. A., Commanding Hospital.
”Major: Permit me to express the pleasure given me by your letter inviting the a.s.sistance of the persons here under my direction in the care of the sick and wounded of the engagement about to take place.
Although not here as a hospital s.h.i.+p by any means--not legitimately fitted for the work--still we have some hospital supplies, a few intelligent workers, skill, experience, the willingness to serve, the readiness to obey, and I believe the true spirit of the Red Cross, that seeks to help humanity wherever its needs exist. I send them to you in the hope that they may be of service.
”Cordially yours,
”CLARA BARTON,
”President, American National Red Cross.”
Our surgeons and a.s.sistants went on sh.o.r.e, where Dr. Le Garde and Dr.
Lesser secured a small house, and in a few hours this had undergone the same transformation and by the same hands as the Cuban hospital. The Red Cross flag was hoisted, Dr. Lesser placed in charge, and scores of our soldiers who had been lying on the filthy floors of an adjacent building, with no food but army rations, were carried over, placed in clean cots, and given proper food. From that on, no distinction was made, the Red Cross flag floating over both the American and Cuban hospitals.
A few feet away, all the available army tents were put up as additional accommodation for the ”wounded in the engagement about to take place.”
It did take place the following day, and, as will be well remembered, in those two days, Friday and Sat.u.r.day, the first and second of July, the tents were more than filled with wounded in the battle of San Juan Hill.
Three of the five Sisters went into the operating tent, and with the surgeons worked for thirty hours with only a few moments' rest now and then for a cup of coffee and a cracker or piece of bread. We heard nothing more about a woman nurse being out of place in a soldiers'
hospital.