The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-06-21
ON THE HIGH SEAS
Interesting Letters From the
Soldier Boys Who Left
Tampa.
Correspondence to The Leader.
OK BOARD YUCATAN,

tan. the largest fastest and best ship
in the feet. At 7;30 last evening the
anchor was raised, and as the big ship
began 20 move slowly around the boys
felt for the FIRST time that at last we
were about to start on the long looked
for voyage. Not since the beginning
OF the war was SO much enthusiasm
manifested. Ours was the eighth boat
TO leave her moorings, and as each boat
turned her head towards the ocean her
passengers greeted the visitors and
comrades on shore with their last fare
wells. The boats moved out according
TO number and 500 yards apart making
line 90, 900 yards in length. The dis.
patch boat has just passed MS and
nhouted Move your boat to the head
OF the column SO l guess we will
take the lead Of the transports, next
to the gunboat Helena.
We are now (7:45 q. m. June l4) about
IA miles from Port Tampa, lined up
waiting for orders, The light house
at the entrance 10 the bay is three
miles to the west.
There are FIVE gunboats with us at
present, besides several dispatch boats
the correspondents boat, the pleasure
boats, water barges, etc making a
fleet Of about iO0 ships. The Hucatan
is passenger and mail steamer that
ran between New York and Havana.
She is 800 feet long, % feet wide, and
has three decks. Her speed is 10 knots
an hour. The hold is loaded with oats,
hay, coal and water. The lower deck
a,,T ltau
for both the soldiers and the ships
crew. There are now on board 900
soldiers, and the crew and deck hands
number 100 more.
Compeny is on the upper deck, on
the larboard side, most pleasant and
airy place, but as 1t rains at least once
day we have to hustle TO keep our
luggage dry. We had regular okla
homa drouth- breaker Sunday night.
We all got wet, and @ number OF hats,
blankets, etc, were blown overheard.
The wind blew with the rain, We
were told that the lower deck was the
safest, and we moved to that point as
soon as possible. As the white caps
began TO send foam aTd spray on deck
most OF us wished we were safely on
shore. Lieut.. Kane, OF X troop, showed
his nerve by going all over the boat,
giving orders and helping the boys 10
save their baggage. When he came In
he was as wet as a rat, Tut he said he
dk1 not mind il. We now keep all our
baggage tied up so it can he moved at
moments notice.
The men have been notified % report
TO the doctors In the hospital (smokingl
room and be vaccinated, as we will
soon be where smallpox is raging.
Private Thomas is in the hospital, and
is feeling some better this morning
The sick boys on board are receiving
much better attention on board than
an land All the Oklahoma boys, ex-
f:ept Shockey and Cease, are on board
Cease was cut by horseshoe crab and
is in serious condition. Seven Others
who were mustered in at San Antonio
are there taking care OF the horses
Col. Woods says the horses are TO b
brought as soon as possible. That may
be a week or several months. The
troops are divided into squads, and
each sergeant has a squad.
The boys bought an extra lot Of
canned goods, jellies, pickles, sauce
towels, soap, etc. We had fine din
ner Sunday. Our menu for breakfast
wss Coffee, lemonade, roast b sef, TO
matoes and beans, with hard tack and
jelly on the side.
The payment was Sergeants, SIS 20;
corporals, Si5 80; privates, sls So Most
OF the boys sent money home. Some
are broke, and few have plenty TO
run them.
Our coffee on board is made in a big
barrel and cooked by steam from the
boats boiler. Each mess makes It's
coffee ia turn, All our grub is canned
goods, nothing being cooked by the
soldiers Bread and pies can be bought
from the chief cook Ton the sde) at %
cents net Beer 25 cents per small
bottle.
The ship is washed every morning
and all clothing is hung out and aired.
Inspection az 1880 a. m. guard mount,
G:a0 p. m. We have dynamite gun,
with 500 pounds OF gun cotton, and
= 20 rapid fire guns but don't intend
TO challenge any Spanish war ships
just have them for bluff. The armor
on the ship is half an inch thick, and
would not stand anything larger than
a 32-caliber.
number OF the boys are fishing and
have good luck, having pulled every
thing from a crab TO a Jelly f-h. The
boats stop long enough for the boys TO
go swimming, and nearly all take ad
vantage OF the opportunity 10 refresh
themselves by plunge in the briny
deep.
The last mail was received on board
this morning. The boys are all wait
ing anxiously for the "Oklahoma box, "
and will be very thankful for the kind
remembrances Of the people Of Guthrie
aad other towns who have sent them
needed supplies
We are now in bett9r shape than we
have been on the trip, and the little
experience already gone through with
las been the means Of teaching us what
we need and what we do not need to
make things pleasant in army life,
'Get all you can and keep all you get
is the motto.
GAS a. m-The entire fleet Is now
anchored al the mouth OF the bay
Wen 20 In 80 minutes. Last mail boat
Is ready tog go. Goodbye. Join all the
boys 10 friends in Oklahoma
PAUL w. HUNTER.
Mr. l.. F. Leach is in receipt OF the
following letter from his son:
PoRr TAMPA, Fla, June IS, 1895.
NJ DEAR FATHER;-i have been in
tending 10 write you for some time,
but for various reasons, not the least
of which Is the eneryating influence OF
f:.s Florida climate, have neglected 10
do 50.