Lindsey Graham

Because although the weather was still warm, soon cooler temperatures would arrive, making the housing shortage even more urgent.

Galveston's needs were far beyond what the disaster-stricken city could handle, and supplies were fast running out.

On Monday, September 10th, 1900, news of the hurricane in Galveston had reached Clara Barton, the 78-year-old founder and president of the American Red Cross, who was known as the angel of the battlefield for her efforts tending the wounded during the Civil War.

The Red Cross had led relief operations in the wake of other major natural disasters, including the 1889 flood that killed more than 2,000 people in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

And despite suffering from a lingering illness, Barton was determined to lend her expertise to Galveston, too.

So on September 13th, she set out from Washington, D.C.

with a team of Red Cross workers.

Four days later, they reached Galveston by boat.

Upon arrival, Mayor Walter Jones welcomed them and set them up at the Tremont Hotel.

And although Barton was used to scenes of death and destruction, the scale of devastation in Galveston shocked even her.

She wrote, It was one of those monstrosities of nature which defied exaggeration.

She was especially struck by the way the survivors moved around in a daze, writing, There was an unnatural calmness that would astonish those who do not understand it.

But once Barton and the Red Cross were on the ground, they immediately partnered with a local central relief committee, aiming to support rather than replace local leadership.

And drawing on prior experience, the organization implemented a two-phase plan.

For the first two weeks, they would focus on emergency relief, providing food, clothing, and household goods to families based on need.

The second phase was rehabilitation, which meant assessing what needed to be done to reestablish homes and livelihoods.

To assist in these efforts, a wealthy local resident donated a four-story warehouse to serve as Red Cross headquarters, where staff tracked donations, corresponded with donors, managed supply distribution, ran an orphanage, and operated a kitchen to feed the hungry.

Because Barton was a trusted national figure, her presence in Galveston not only generated publicity, but also reassured donors across the country that their gifts would be used appropriately.

She issued press statements confirming the devastation had not been exaggerated and urged Americans to donate what they could.

She also actively leveraged her networks, issuing appeals, wiring other relief organizations, and communicating with President William McKinley himself to secure much-needed supplies and funds.