The record-union., 1898-07-29
LIFE OF
SOLDIERS AT
THE FRONT,
Aardships Borne by the
American Troops.
Notwithstanding Food Was
Very Scarce,
Troops at Santiago Have Little
Complaint to Make.
They Have No Praise for the Insurgents,
However, Who Are More Ready to
Eat American Provisions Than
TO Conquer the Enemy.

BEFORE SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
July 15.-The American soldiers en-
camped on the hillsides that fall away
from our intrenchments have been
waiting day after day for the result Of
the combined truces and conferences
between Spain and the United States
TO be made known. They learned yes
terday that Santiago had capitulated.
This news was sent along the lines to
right and left from General Wheeler's
headquarters by Colonel John Jacob
Astor, and with it went instructions
that our boys We're to make no demon
strations of joy in order that the feel
ings of the Spaniards in the trenches
a few hundred yards away would not
be hurt by the echoing of victorious
cheers. There was, however, some
cheering among the crowded tents when
our men learned that the object of their
fighting, hunger and hardship had been
attained.
During the afternoon men climbed to
the trenches TO look again at the city
they had taken, but were not allowed
to enter, and some We're glad for peace
and others called for more fighting. The
straining of the watching and waiting
was removed and the army resolved it
self into getting as comfortably fixed
in the camp as the conditions would
permit. AT sunset yesterday, as the
regimental bands all along the line
played national airs as is the camp
custom, and as a tired soldier boy
hummed the words Of The Star
Spangled Banner to the bands tune,
he chanted the victory he had not per-
mission to cheer.
The hardships of this campaign, let
alone the fighting that scattered the
graves of comrades side by side with
the tents of the living, have been spIen-
didly sustained by our men. Now that
the heavy rains of the first of this week
have ceased conditions are better but
rain clouds cover the sky every day and
any hour may see small rivers sweep
ing through camp, and it may be next
to impossible to start fires to cook food.
Then, food has been scarce: the roads
from here to SibOney have been almost
impossible during the rains. and at
all times they have been rough, and
teaming has been heavy When men
put up with three pieces of hard tack
and half q cup of coffee day, the ques-
ton OF nutriment is serious, and when
unseasoned soldiers go seventy hours
without sleep it can be truly said they
endure hardships. But they have borne
it all with fine courage and a good-na-
ture that We're never long absent
With the courage and determination
of our men, one notes the excellent
condition of our mules and
horses after three weeks of the heav-
lest kind of incessant labor. All day
long and far iDtA the night pack trains
and provision wagons toll up to the
front, and ambulances bring back the
sick and wounded.
Poor Cuban women, footsore, starving
and weary. drag themselves along the
muddy roads from Caney in a search
for food, and our men and ambulances
pick them up and succor them. At FL
Caney the food is insufficient. Weak
and children get none and star
vation is developing rapidly. An old
woman from FL Caney staggered into
camp this morning. She was pale and
and the ragged silk dress that
half covered her body spoke of past
luxury and refinement more than her
features and appearance. She did not
ask for food, but for work She wash
ed clothes at the hospital tent half
day in return for food and sat down
to the welcome army fare with hands
bleeding from the unaccustomed labor.
AT dusk she turned wearily back to-
ward Caney, six miles away, richer
by one meal.
The camps have up to this day been
pitched where bad conditions exist and
their locations have seldom been good
from the point of comfort and health.
Now that the game is over, our sol
iiers will be moved into locations where
these points are considered. The coun-
try affords good sites. and when once
evacuated conditions are settled and
the capitulation properly confirmed
changes will be made
An unsettled feeling pervades the line.
and men gather together personal be
cngings, and are looking over old bat
tlefields for mememtos of the three
lays fight and ten-days' weary wait
ing A farmers boy from Michigan
will secure the horn handled pocket
knife of a dead peasant from the Ac-
turias as a souvenir of the days he
fought to free Cuba. And if the Mich