The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-11
ECHOES OF THE WAR.

Benjamin Sheerer, of Parsons, has re-
ccived a lettei from his brother, ". T..
Shecrer a member of Company ID, Sew
enty-first New York volunteers. Firth
Army corps The letter is descriptive
Of how the boys fare in front of Santiago
and is as follows.
Siboney, Cuba, June %. 1895.
Brother Ben: Wei. | am here and alive
yet. We landed Thursday night about 20
p. m. l wrote you that night. but got
the date wrong on the letter head. There
was n hot fight on the mountain about
one mile east of here. The next morning
early Roosevol.s Rough Riders ran into
an ambush and lost quite a number of
their men, several wounded also The
Tenth cavalry, the First cavalry and the
Rough Riders We're the ones who suffered
loss. At o'clock We Were ordered out
to reinforce and retire them but after
climbing to the top of the mountain
tower two miles, we advanced about two
miles farther and then waited three
hours and were ordered back again. It's
hell climbing that mountain with all our
stuff, and this a. m. we climbed up again
only to be ordered back again as soon
as We had reached the top. We leave
again sometime between now and morn
ing on our march TO Santiago about ten
miles distant and | expect good many
of the boys will bite the dust before We
get there. We will be about 10000 strong
on the march and there are 5000 in the
mountains new. We are in need of water
and yesterday l filled my canteen wlth
water that | wouldn't wash in at any
other time and | swear | thought it the
sweetest drink | ever had in my life.
have thrown away my blankets and coat
and now carry nothing but my haversacN
with $50 rounds of ammunition ana four
days rations, my rubber ponCho, my can
teen and my rifle and | tell you that is
enough. | am still rather weak from the
bronchitis and | feel the marching more
than | would usually. But / guess by
this time the Spanards have found out
that Uncle Sans men can fight hard
and never know when they are beaten.
7 he expectations are that We will be all
around and have the Spanards cooped up
in Santiago by Sunday or Monday night
and then the real ball will open from all
sides. Ben | tell YOU war Is hell" and |
am standing moy now than l ever
thought | could. | am doing my own
cooking, / have one and One-half' pounds
of SOW belly for four days. meal rations
and seventy-one hard tack. but | Just
| swiped nice fat piece of bacon weighing
nearly ten pounds and | kept one-fourth
| and divided the rest with my comrades
! used to be honest but now | will steal
anything in the food line.
Well, | must close now, | am ordered
out tor picket duty. Goodbye. love TO
all the folks. Write to
Private w. f.. Shccrcr.
Co. u. list y. Y. Vols,
Fifth Army Corps. Cuba.
County Commissioner John Quincy, of
Wilkes Barre, has received word that lis
| brother, Dennis Quincy. VINO is a mem
| Der of the Sixth infantry, Fifth corps
| First brigade. was wounded in the knee
! in the engagement before Santiago He
| has been eighteen years in the service
| He will probably be taken to the Key
| West hospital and in that event Mr.
| Quincy will leave at once 10 see him.
| The people of EaSton ale asked by the
| Daily Express of that city TO contribute
\ to fund for bringing tho remains of Col
! onel Charles A WilIof from the front at
| Santiago where he lost his life at the
! head of a brigade In the assault, and tor
| erecting Il suitable monument over his
| remains. Colonel Wikoff was AN Easton-
| ian whose memory Eastonians will de-
| light to honor, He was a patriot soldier
who was always in the front when there
was lighting TO do, modest, brave, true