a party consisting of twelve trained nurses, one
immune nurse, and one assistant, was sent from New York to Tampa in
charge of Miss Laura D. Gill, with orders to proceed to Santiago at the
first opportunity. This party was reinforced by a second, consisting of
three physicians and eleven nurses, who left New York on July 4 in
charge of Miss Isabel Rutty. A third party of two physicians, thirty-two
nurses, and six orderlies was sent forward the same week, and reached
Tampa on the evening of July 9. The first available steamer for Santiago
was the U.S. transport "Lampasas," which was taking out Col. Black and
his engineering corps, and through the kindness of General Coppinger and
Col. Edmond Rice, five physicians, twenty-nine nurses, and two orderlies
were given transportation upon that ship.

The "Lampasas" reached Santiago just after its surrender, but owing to
the recent outbreak of yellow fever in the city, a strict quarantine had
been established, and none but immunes were permitted to go ashore. The
steamer thereupon proceeded to Porto Rico, and on reaching the harbor of
Guanica was converted into a hospital ship. The plan of landing the
nurses was abandoned, and they immediately devoted themselves to the
care of the 112 soldiers, most of them typhoid fever patients, for whom
accommodation was provided on the vessel. Two of these patients died at
Guanica, two at Ponce, and four on the homeward voyage. The remaining
104 were safely landed at Fort Monroe early in August. Miss Mary E.
Gladwin, who was with the party, spoke for all the nurses when she said
that this "Lampasas" trip was the opportunity of a lifetime, and that
the two weeks of absorbing work "were worth years of ordinary living."

In the meantime the rest of our party at Tampa had embarked on another
government transport, the "Nueces," also bound for Santiago. But within
a few hours after the "Lampasas" left the dock at Tampa, and before the
"Nueces" could get away, a telegram was received telling of the outbreak
of yellow fever in Cuba. By direct