USA > Ohio > The Fourteenth Ohio national guard- the Fourth Ohio volunteer infantry > Part 13
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Patients could not be retained in the regimental hospital for more than several days, when they were removed to the general hospital. Matters here were in a most deplorable condition as may be seen from the following extract from a written statement by an officer of the Fourth Ohio:
"On the eighth day of August my brother was taken sick with the fever, and reported to the sur- geons of the Fourth, whose quarters were then in the old Spanish barracks, and at my request he was later moved to the Red Cross hospital, where he received
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very good treatment from our surgeons. Upon the arrival of Colonel Hidecooper they were ordered to move the sick men to an unprepared hospital on the hill, close to the city, regardless of the fact that the men were in no condition to be moved at that time. Colonel Coit ordered the men to be left where they were, and insisted on his orders being obeyed, but Colonel Hidecooper then got an order from General Brooke and Colonel Coit was powerless to retain the men.
"While this dispute was going on the sick men were loaded and unloaded several times from the am- bulance. The men were finally moved, while it was raining, and that evening there came to me an inti- mation that they were not being properly taken care of. I immediately went to the hospital, where my eyes were greeted with such a sight as I hope never to witness `again. Men in all stages of fever and other kinds of sickness were lying on the ground with noth- ing to lie upon save their own blankets, and a large portion of the men were not under even a tent, but were lying beneath a fly, where the rain was dripping in upon them, and for over a week the men had noth- ing to eat except regular army rations, unless some kind hearted comrade would spend some of his meagre salary for food for his friend."
In a quiet spot in one corner of the cemetery at Guayama is a little lot belonging temporarily to the United States. Here under the sweltering rays of the southern sun lie buried the remains of those noble sons of Ohio who were unable to withstand the
BURIAL' LOT OF THE REGIMENT AT GUIAYAMA.
DYNAMITE GUNS GOING INTO ACTION.
NATIVE PORTO RICAN FUNERAL
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hardships of military service. They had fought bravely the enemy of their native land, they had braved the dangers and the hardships of the march and the watch, but they had been stricken from the ranks in the still watches of the night by the hand that no military power could stay. Each of these was tenderly laid to rest on beds of beautiful flowers and the last sad rites were performed with the same reverence and tenderness which marks the part- ing of loved ones in the Christian home. Each time the muffled notes of the drum announced the muster out of a comrade, heads were bared and to the slow, mournful step of the funeral march, the remaining members of the company of which the dead soldier had been a member, followed the rude bier to the little cemetery where a beautiful funeral ceremony was performed and with the last sound- ing of "taps," the departed one was left to know no more of the cares of military life or the sorrows of a world where men meet men at the point of the sword.
The graves of all the deceased members of the Fourth Ohio were plainly marked with wooden slabs and as this account goes to press, arrangements are being made for their transfer back to the soil which gave them birth and which they left to fight for the honor of their homes and native land.
The seasons of the year in Porto Rico are sup- posed to be the "wet" and the "dry" seasons, but the experience of the Fourth Ohio at Guayama failed to teach any of its members "which was which." On one day the rain would fall in torrents and the next
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day it would seem as though no rain had fallen for months. Some times the men would answer the first morning roll call in a driving rain, but before noon the sun would beat down upon the canvas tents with such unrelenting force that the occupants were com- pelled to spread their blankets on the canvas to pro- tect themselves from the terrible heat. Again it would rain for four or five days at a time, in which case all the food and clothing in camp would be thoroughly soaked. After this the sun would break through the clouds, and beating down upon the well soaked ground, evaporate all the moisture so rapidly that it was too cold on the inside of the tents for the men to remain, and so hot where the sun shone, that one would be unable to stand but a moment without suffering sun stroke. The heavy rains would fill up the streams and springs so that they were unfit to wash clothing or for bathing or drinking.
The people at Guayama, it has been stated, were very friendly to the soldiers when they first landed in the city. Anything that was in possession of the people could be secured by the soldiers for the mere asking. For every American dollar a soldier pos- sessed, he could secure two Porto Rican dollars or "pesos" as they were called. Current prices on all the commodities which the market afforded were far below those at home and the men felt that they had certainly reached a home for poor men, but as the acquaintance with the soldiers increased, the people began to feel sorry that they had been so liberal and it seemed that they were determined to "make up"
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for the mistakes they had made in the past and prices began to rise. An American dollar began to depre- ciate in the native markets so that when the regi- ment left, all a soldier could get for the "good old American stuff" was one "peso" and sixty "centavos." Milk advanced in price and eggs could not be bought for less than eight cents each. Merchants doubled the price on everything they offered for sale and wo- men who did laundry work advanced their rates to many times the original figures.
This led to more or less ill feeling against the natives, and determined to "break even" with them, all sorts of Yankee tricks were played by the soldiers. There was very little serious trouble between the sol- diers and the natives, but there were several small fights and the privilege of the camp was denied a cer- tain class of merchants.
The better class of citizens, however, those who owned property or those who were intelligent enough to appreciate the advantages of the change in gov- ernment, remained loyal in their friendship for the Americans. Banquets, receptions and other social functions in honor of the officers and men remained the order of the "society" side of life at Guayama as long as the camp was maintained. Even after the regiment had returned to Ohio letters were received from people at Guayama expressing the friendship of the people there for the Fourth Ohio.
There was one class of citizens which was not benefited by the change of government and which did not benefit the United States by its acquisition.
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This was the lowest type of Porto Rican. He was black, dirty, lazy, ignorant, immoral, naked and dis- eased. He would steal the clothing from a corpse and while the regiment was in the field before Guayama, some of these fellows robbed the knapsacks of the soldiers who were fighting for their liberty. He profited only by the increase in the population, thus receiving a broader field in which to operate his ne- farious method of securing a livelihood. The mili- tary authority paid little attention to this class, ex- cept to give them scraps from the camp mess and to aid the civil authorities in arresting and imprisoning them. They did not live in houses, but existed more as the lower animals. There was little hope for their improvement and as it was dangerous to get near them on account of disease, the soldiers remained away from them as much as possible.
Aside from the digging of sinks and other fa- tigue duty in keeping the camp clean, there was lit- tle duty to perform at Guayama. There was a camp guard maintained, but at first it was dangerous for the men to get beyond the limit of the outposts and after hostilities had ceased there was little temptation for the men to leave camp except to go into the city. Passes were issued to a few each day and those who went without passes were liable to arrest by the pro- vost guard on duty in and about the city. This made camp guard duty very light and it was often taken off at night in bad weather except at one or two posts for the purpose of keeping watch over things in general.
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Guard was mounted in the morning, one company going on at a time.
The first several weeks, provost duty was per- formed by the companies of the Fourth Ohio, the different commands taking turns as in camp guard. This duty was at one time assigned to the Fourth Pennsylvania, but after a few days was returned to the Fourth Ohio. Companies A and E were then de- tailed to perform this duty and Lieutenant Colonel Adams was made provost marshal of the town. These companies remained at this duty until they boarded the Chester to leave the island for home.
Porto Rico was sometimes referred to by the boys as the "land of vile cigars." Tobacco was grown on the island quite extensively and the tobacco was a very fine grade, but it was rolled up into cigars in such manner that they were unfit either to smoke or to smell. The fault lay altogether in the making of the cigar and not in the quality of the tobacco. The redeeming feature of Porto Rican cigars, however, was their price; for any one who cared to smoke could get a fine cigar, at first for part of a hard tack, then for a whole one and finally the price was raised to two hard tacks, the quality of the goods decreasing as rapidly as the price increased. The cigars were brought to camp in baskets of bark or in muslin bags and peddled after the fashion used by the appleman in the cities at home. There were other peddlers ad- mitted to the camp at first, but they were stopped later on because of their method of doing business.
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By an order issued from General Brooke's head- quarters, a mail route was established between Ponce and Guayama. Mail was received from Ponce on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of each week and mail could be sent to Ponce on the remaining three days. The mail wagon made the trips regularly, but mail from home was only delivered about every two weeks. The quickest time that was made from Ohio towns to Guayama was ten days. This was satisfac- tory, but there were many instances in which letters were delivered that had been mailed weeks and even months before, and many letters were not delivered until after the regiment reached home. These had been mailed long before the regiment had received orders to leave Guayama. It was not unusual for the mail clerks to find mail in the regimental budget ad- dressed to soldiers in Cuba or the Philippines and it was only natural to suppose that mail for the Fourth Ohio was often sent to those places. There was no regular mail line from the United States to Porto Rico and mail was only taken to the island by hospi- tal or quartermasters' boats.
At Guayama the mail was distributed among the regiments and then turned over to regimental postmasters. At Camp Thomas, Private Irvin, of M company, took care of Fourth Ohio mail, but he was succeeded early in the Porto Rican campaign by Cor- poral Harmount, of K company. It was quite a while after the regiment had been at Guayama that mail reached camp at all. As soon as it was delivered at the regimental postoffice, it was distributed to the
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companies where the first sergeants took it for distri . bution among the men. Letters and newspapers wer gladly received as can easily be imagined, but when they came they were from ten days to many weeks old and even after the regiment had reached Colum- bus and had been mustered out of the service, mail that had been addressed to soldiers in Porto Rico, long before the regiment was ordered from Guayama, was delivered to those for whom they were intended, some of them having made a tour around the world.
During the stay at Guayama, when news from the states was always old, rumors circulated in camp with more rapidity and with less foundation in fact, but with more believers than they had at any time since the regiment left the auditorium. A group of soldiers would often arrange a story, as far from any- thing plausible as they could make it, then separating to different directions, would promulgate the "news" to all whom they met. Given a start thus, the rumor would circulate to every part of the camp in a phe- nomenally short time and cheer after cheer would go up from the company streets, at the thought of going home or doing duty of another nature. Some times the rumor makers would make the news of a discour- aging nature, but the result would be the same as to its general belief and rapid circulation.
Sickness, bad weather, disgusting natives, bad rations, lack of funds, slow news from home, the fact that the war was over and no duty to perform that seemed "necessary" in the minds of the members of the regiment, an inconvenient camp, discouraging ef-
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fect of the constantly circulating rumors, slow action on the part of the war department to make any head- way in the occupation of the island, a desire on the part of those men who had employment awaiting them at home and who were obliged to maintain fami- lies on the meager. income of fifteen dollars and sixty cents per month and a desire of the college men to re- turn to their regular duties were causes which com- bined to create a general feeling of dissatisfaction in the regiment. There was nothing to do practically but exist; and existence under such circumstances as those which attended life in the camp at Guayama was not a sweet one by any means. Everybody wanted to go home and everybody was free to express this desire. There was a few exceptions to this rule however, but they were men who had no considerable employment at home and who were earning far more wages as soldiers than they had ever earned before in their lives so they were desirous of holding to their places as long as possible. These members soon found themselves held in severe contempt by the other members, for the regiment was made up of pro- fessional men and mechanics who were actuated by patriotism only in leaving their homes, their employ- ment or the college to represent their state on the field of battle.
Time drug heavily and the men began to look about for amusement of some sort. Fre- quent excursions were made to the seashore or into .. the mountains and every opportunity that was af- forded to while away the time was grasped eagerly by
CALLE, BUENA VISTA, GUAYAMA
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all. Applications were made for furloughs and discharges, but only a few were granted. The lucky fellows were permitted to go home on the hospital ships that left quite frequently, loaded down with the sick and dying. Men who were in the hospitals with little hope of recovery in Porto Rico were given sick leave and they too were permitted to go home. None of these ever returned, for as soon as their leaves ex- pired the time was extended, so that they did not re- join the regiment until it had reached Columbus.
About the first of September there was a change in commanders of the brigade. General Haines, who was a colonel in the regular army, was needed else- where in the service and he was relieved by General Fred Grant, son of the "Silent President." General Grant took great interest in the welfare of the men and his personal talks and quiet inquiries with them soon made him a popular officer with the men of the command. The dissatisfaction continued, however, and the desire to go home was as apparent as ever.
While the boys in Company M were exchanging rumors and waiting for orders, the poetically inclined "got their heads together" and composed a song which soon grew into popularity with the entire regiment. It certainly voiced the sentiment of all the men. One verse and the chorus is given:
Lying in the guard house, awaiting my discharge-
To H-1 with all the officers, the provost and the guard- When we get back to Circleville, as happy as a clam,
To tell about the sow-belly we ate for Uncle Sam.
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Chorus-
Home boys, home, its home you ought to be! Home, boys, home, in your own country!
Where the ash and the oak and the bonnie willow tree- Where the grass grows green-in God's country.
Many verses were added to the song, nearly all of which contained "roasts" concerning some of the officers or some feature of the life at Guayama, the rhythm somewhat irregular in some cases of course, but the sentiment invariably true.
One of the most interesting diversions from the dull monotony of the camp was an entertainment or- ganized and completed by members of the regiment. Chaplain Schindel took an active part in the pre- paration and rendition of the program and the enter- tainment made a decided "hit" with the entire regi- ment and the people of Guayama who availed them- selves of the opportunity of seeing vaudeville as ex- hibited by Ohio soldiers. The entertainment was given on three evenings, each performance being given for the benefit of the different battalions. No admission was charged, hence the entertainment from a financial point of view was a failure. The program is given below, just as it came from the Spanish press, as to spelling and punctuation :
4TH OHIO INFANTRY VAUDEVILLE COMPANY, GAUYAMA THEATRE, PUERTO RICO, September 13-15 1898 EXECUTIVE STAFF.
George B. Donavan, Mounted (Prt. Ro. Stud with baskets) Capt .: and pro. of mule corrall in Puerto Rico. T. C. Radcliff, the only man who can make Dtails.
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J. L. Sellers, Major and manf. of cigars warranted no sellers. M. Lee Wilson, Reg. Ajt. a farmer lad and not the proprietor of a Chinese laundry as his name would indicate. J. B. Adams, Lt. Col. of regiment, Guayamo Provost marshall and Gran Jefe de Polícia.
Col. A. B. Coit, Commanding Staff. &c. &c. &c, &c,
Opening Selection 4th Regiment Band.
PART I
THE COLONEL'S RECEPTION.
Colonel-Serg. C. K. Crum.
Waiters S. Williams, B. Reynolds, W. Connell, Joe Johnson, Ed. Jones, E. Shoemaker.
Song, "Two Roses from Mother,,-M. E. Murray.
Comique, "Warmest Baby in the Bunch"-S. Williams.
Song, "Break the News to Mother"-Steve Henry.
Comique, "Guess that will hold you for awhile"-R. Rey- nolds.
Incidental Music, M. Co. Quarterte-Henry, Murray, Bales and Crum.
Selection-Poet and Peasant, Regimental Band.
PART II. MR. SAM WILLIAMS,
The Curbstone Comedian who wants a moment with you.
MESSRS. MARK TWAY AN TOM HILL, Ohio's Greatest Buck and Wing Specialists.
MESSRS. DAVIS AND LAMBERT,
In Feats of Juggling, Light and Heavy Balancing, Wire Act.
MR. JOHN GIBBONS, Terpsechorean Fantastic Toeist.
MR. MARSHALL MURRAY, Favorite Tenor.
MR. CELESTINO DOMINGUEZ, Puerto Rican Hymn.
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PART III.
H. BALES, Original Sketch Artist.
MR. CHARLES WOODMANCY, In Novel Singing Specialty.
PROF. JESSE WORTHINGTON, Cornet Virtuoso in Agparelle (which means real water.)
M. Company quintette, Messrs. Henry, Murray, Bales, Mowery and Crum.
FINALE
1. Uncle Sam and the Goddess of Libery review the army.
2. Uncle Sam and Puerto-Rico under the Stars and Stripes. R. Herod, Dominguez, Mercedes Bruno.
NOTES.
Eggs tendered as compliments must be scrambled and not over six weeks old.
The Mint Julep counter to the right as you enter under personal supervision of Lieut. W. B. McCloud, who is feel- ing better.
Palm leaf fans furnished by John Trent 20 centavos.
The Colonel offers $5 reward for the petrified prayer the Chaplain lost in the attack on Guayama.
N. B. Major Baker will please occupy an amen pew in the synagogue so that he will be able to comprehend the Program.
"And the next day it rained "Genl Order No. 10.
A week after the change in brigade command- ers, there was a change in commanding officers of the First battalion. Major Speaks, who had been with the regiment longer than any other member, was granted a leave of absence and on September 8, he left the Guayama camp to go to his home in Colum- bus. Captain Vincent of E company, the ranking captain of the regiment, was assigned to the battalion and he retained command until the regiment arrived
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in Columbus. The association of Captain Vincent with the men and officers of the First battalion was mutually pleasant and while there was no important duty to perform except at Caguas, Captain Vincent proved to be a very competent battalion commander.
At the same time Major Speaks left Guayama, a number of other members started for their homes in Ohio. Among these were Corporal Williamson, of Company F, Principal Musician Rulo and several others, some discharged from the service, others on sick leave and some on furlough. These men took with them messages from nearly every man and offi- cer in the regiment.
One of the first things General Grant did when he assumed command was to clean up the camp and from all appearances arrange for a long stay at Guay- ama. He encouraged dress parades and as there was no fit place for parade at either of the regimental camps, the Third Illinois and the Fourth Ohio alter- nated in appropriating the Guayama plaza for a pa- rade ground. In the meantime, orders had been re- ceived for the occupation of the entire island accord- ing to the agreement made in the protocol which had been signed by Spain. One evening about September 15, General Grant directed that the companies turn out as full as possible as he wanted to view the actual strength of the regiment. He personally reviewed the parade which followed and expressed himself very well pleased with the appearance of the regiment.
The real object of the big parade, however, was to determine which were the strongest companies.
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D and M companies turned out with the greatest number of men able for duty and these two companies were at once selected to take charge of provinces. A few days later D company received orders to go to Humocoa in the eastern end of the island and then came orders for M company under Lieutenant Duffy to go to the island of Vieques. This was the begin- ning of the separation of the companies and before the end of the month all that remained at the original camp at Guayama were companies B, C, F, G and K. F and K companies were soon after detached and sent to other stations and later on B company was sent away and a part of H company was given a station.
The inconvenience of being without money, es- pecially when payment of hard earned wages from such employers as the government is past due, is an experiment hardly calculated to be enjoyed by many; at least it was an experience not enjoyed by the Fourth Ohio. One of the favorite subjects for rumors was the paymaster and he was reported every day. One rumor would have him in Guayama with the informa- tion that he had forgotten the money or that he had come as far as Arroyo and then changed his mind and had gone back to the United States. Another rumor impressed upon the minds of many that the regiment would not be paid at all in Porto Rico, but that pay- ment would be deferred until the regiment reached New York, but on the evening of September 22, Major Jones, one of the volunteer paymasters, arrived in camp with money with which to pay the regiment. The news spread like wildfire, but there had been so
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many similar stories exploded that the rumor at first was regarded with more or less suspicion, but the safes had been left at guard headquarters for the night and nearly every man in the regiment walked through a pouring rain to confirm the story for himself. The good news had a remarkable effect on the men and the benefit of good spirits among the soldiers could be seen before "taps" was sounded for the night. For the time being, the question of going home was aban- doned and the men spent the night in their tents, dreaming of the good things to eat which they had been denied on account of the lack of means with which to secure them, but which they could now en- joy to their hearts' content.
A brigade store had been established in Guay- ama for the benefit of the officers for they were not provided for as were the enlisted men, by the gov- ernment. They had to purchase all their subsistence with private funds and had not this store been estab- lished, the officers would have been compelled to de- pend entirely upon the native markets for their liv- ing. At this store there was offered for sale, tobacco and canned goods, dried fruits and vegetables and in fact everything that would not perish in transit from the United States to Porto Rico. While the store was intended for the convenience of the officers, enlisted men could purchase any article offered for sale so that when the paymaster made his appearance, every man in the regiment could see before him an oppor- tunity for at least one "square" meal.
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