Figure 4. — Office of the Central Cuban Relief Committee in New York, 1898. Left to 

 right: Stephen E. Barton, chairman; Hon. Chas. A. Schieren; Miss Mary Agnes Coombs; 

 Geo. C. Bolt; and Fred L. Ward. (Photo courtesy Library oj Congress.) 



York Ambulance Red Cross Equipment Society, in 

 addition to the five just presented, had two more 

 with harness and other equipment. Stephen Barton 

 suggested sending these latter two ambulances to 

 Cuba to aid in the hospital work being carried on in 

 the Havana area. Instead of two ambulances, 

 however, six were sent by the New York Committee 

 aboard the Port Victor in July 1898. Later that 

 month, the Committee purchased forty mules in New 

 Orleans and sent them to Miss Barton to enable her 

 to distribute supplies. These mules, with fodder and 

 ten sets of harnesses, were purchased by the First 

 New York Ambulance Equipment Auxiliary Com- 

 mittee and were to be used in drawing the ambulances. 

 The animals, pack mules weighing from 1100 to 

 1200 pounds each, were shipped in transport no. 2, 

 U.S.A. Quartermaster's Department, for Guan- 



tanamo or Santiago under the direction of Red Cross 

 agent, Charles D. Cottrell. 



Meanwhile the six ambulances arrived in Cuba 

 July 22, 1898, aboard the Port Victor. Loaded under 

 other goods they were finally discharged, after a 

 47-day delay, and, as the result of an urgent appeal 

 from the Secretary of the Navy to the Quartermaster's 

 Department, were immediately reloaded on the 

 schooner Mary E. Morse at Santiago on September 7, 

 and sent to the northern coast of Santiago Province. 

 There they were landed at Baracoa and Gibara on 

 September 22, 1898, by the agents of the Red Cross. 



Owing to the delay in unloading, the six ambu- 

 lances could be put to no use in Cuba, and on October 

 24, 1898, following the signing of the armistice, 

 Stephen Barton directed that they be brought back 

 to New York. The feelings aroused by the Army's 



PAPER 50: RED CROSS AMBUL.\NCE OF 1898 



171 



