Evening star., 1898-08-10
TIOlNGS FROM COMPANY A
Corporal Duffy Tells of Experience in the
Enemy's Country.
Arrival of the District Troops Mt
the Front-Ip Mud and
Rain.

The following letter from Corpl. Peter j.
Duffy, jr., of Company A, list District Vol
unteers, to his father. Capt. p J. Duffy,
formerly of the w. L. /. c., gives closer
insight into the inner life of the home boys
in front Of Santiago than has been hitherto
obtainable. He says:
I'VE arrived in Cuba the 10th instant and
marched three miles toward Santiago be-
fore camping for the night. The morning
of the 1lth we received orders to proceed in
light marching order to reinforce the main
line of troops. which was to attack Sanu-
ago. We had to leave everything behind
US, as it was supposed We would go into
battle Immediately upon arrival at our post,
We did not make as good time as usual on
this march, and the officers, whose horses
had been left behind On the transport, We're
Obliged to hoof il out with the rest of US.
There was but one mule for the use OF the
officers of the regiment, ana Col. harr1es
and Maj Urell took turns riding him.
I'VE arrived on the firing line about III
o'clock. our march having been over the
same road on which the previous battles
had been fought All along the line were
the newly made graves of the dead Amerl-
cans. The first we saw was that OF ham
ilton Fish We camped within about loo
yards of his last resting place. The tortln-
cations over which the Americans fought
We're natural ones, and the work OF driving
the Spaniards the fifteen miles from the
harbor of Siboney to the city OF Santiago
was terrific in the extreme. IL Is hard 10
ascertain their loss, but II must surely
have been at least eight TO our one.
THE night before We got here the coll
ored troops had severe engagement Inc
Spaniards tried to get out through their
lines, but the Gatlings drove them back IN
a hurry, with at least 700 lost. The next
night and day the buzzards circled over
the battle-ground by the thousands, but
we could not get at the bodies to bury
them, as they were directly between the
firing lines.
when we arrived at the firing line we
were stationed just to the left of the list
New York. That night We went into the
rifle pits and occupied them until Santiago
surrendered. When our company went INTO
the pits ii occupied the nearest position OF
any troops on the ground to the Spanish
line.
About half-past IL o'clock that night
Capt. W alsh came out to our picket line and
told mel was in command of one of the
pits-not to halt the party behind him.
This was a working force of about 100
men, and Captain Walsh led them out to
where ditch was to be dug between our
lines and the Spanish. All went well from
then until about daybreak. when a sharp
shooter-they seemed to be everywhere
got our range and commenced shooting
into the party. Major Hine then led the
way back after the work laid out had been
completed.
AT o'clock in the morning was sent
out with a squad of six men TO prevent, IL
possible, any OF Nne spanish SOluleFS from
straying out to see what work we had
done, so close had we been to them during
the night. About o'clock four officers
rode out from the city and dismounted.
One of them handed his arms to
derly and made signs to me to meet him
half way, but my orders were not TO allow
them to come any closer than possible,
because 1t was desired they should not
learn of what had done during the
night. Should they want to parley / was
TO send them around to the right in front
OF Capron's battery. When they saw that
was not disposed to grant their request
they mounted again and rode off.
AT II o'clock of the 18th instant-the
above incident happened that morning
Company A was ordered into the pits again
and remained there until the adtutant came
out and told us the Spaniards had surren-'
dered; also that there was to be no cheer
ing and no demonstration.
The next day We had fatigue duty. and
marched back to our first camp, twelve
miles away, starting at 4:45 In. without
breakfast. When We reached the camp We
found that the troops that had been there,
before US had appropriated most of our,
stuff, and had thrown into a pile what
they had not found fit to take The cap
tain had TO take each article and have.
some one identify II. / got my shoes. one
suit of underclothes a pair of socks, but
some one had ransacked my blouse and hadi
taken all my papers and maps, and had
even stolen the chevrons from the sleeves.
All my medicines and powder had gone the
same way. With what / saved from the
wreck, however, I Jared better than any
one else in the company. =
The first night We were in the camp we
had the hardest and fercest thunder
shower 1t has ever been my unfortunate
lot to witness 1t rained SO hard that
rubber blankets were discarded as useless
as the rain went right through them. We
had no shelter of any kind and the wealth
er was as cold as 1T is home in November.
You can imagine what we went through. d
I'VE had some hopes of drying out in the
morning, but as soon as the sun had per-
formed that service for US Il rained again
and kept IL up this time for four days dur &
ing which time We got thorough soaking