New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1898-09-17
LETTER FROM LIEUT.. J, B. LOBDEI.L

The following interesting letter, ad
dressed to friend by Lieut.. j. b. Lob
dell, of Co. |, Hoods Regiment, is handed
for publication
GUANTANAMO, DE CUBA, |
August 7th, 1898. T
Dear--AS you are aware, our regi-
ment left New Orleans on the 28th inst
for Santiago, where we arrived safely af-
ter three days and % hours sailing, OuI
trip across the Gulf of Mexico and thence
through the Yucatan channel, and down
the coast of Cuba on the Carribian Sea,
could not have been surpassed in the way
of beauty, comfort, and | may say gran
deur. The nights were beautifully illum-
ined by the moon and the wind was al
ways just high enough to make the ship
plunge little and cause you to think al
ways that shortly you would be seized
with that delightful CD sensation of deliv-
ering to the brny deep your meals just
eaten. This in some measure was the
case: Some of the officers and a few OF
the men were sea sick
Santiago is just 1861 miles from the east
jetty and the Berlin, a fine and grand ship
$40 feet long, was an ideal one for us to
come over on. Many times l thought of
you and my dear ones-how you all would
have enjoyed the trip. We had the entire
ship to our regiment. Hood would not
leave with Richie's on account of the
crowded condition and the absence of dis
cipline among his men then too it made
it very crowded, and as We had 60 days
rations and the lst only two weeks, why
the Government gave us the ship.
1t is absolutely impossible for me to
give you description of Santiago, its har-
Dor and it's surroundings. We saw all the
work that had been done by Shafter,
Sampson, Schley and others saw the
work of Hobson and the Merrimac and
other ships sunk. The work of the Ameri
cans was certainly desperate, and it looks
to me only such men AS ours could have
rendered unto their country, such deeds
of bravery, fortitude and valor. Upon ap-
preaching land from the sea to enter the
harbor of Santiago, which looks impossi
BILE, you can see from a distance the grim
and awe-inspiring MORO Castle. 1t is at
the eastern entrance to the harbOr and is
on an elevation of some 1900 feet, and is
built from summit to bottom, ending
where the waves of the Carribisn sea dash
and break upon its masonry, throwing
high into the air its spray. The Castle is
built Of rock, brick, cement and God only
knows what other material we could see
but few holes where the shot had pene
trated, but umumunerable places where
they had struck. The country is nothing
but one continuous range of mountains
and for eight miles on either side of the
harbOr, from it's entrance, which is about
800 yards wide is situated upon every hill
=. l. .Inl 10
kerry, and added to this natural formation
that nature has given to this Spanish race
of people there was built the block houses
which you have read so much about This
is out Of logs, bricks and con-
crete, making the house which is square,
to any bullet; only cannon
can penetrate its walls. These houses are
with several wire fences, and
are also trenched and have rifle holes for
the men in them to shoot out of. Shafter
deserves much credit for his work.
Santiago is situated at the base of q
range of mountains that tower $500 feet
above the city, which starts itself at an
elevation Of some 500 feet above the har-
Dor and runs down to the water, being
built down to the waters edge, ending
with an immense piazza almost the entire
width of the city; then comes the wharves,
which are large in proportion to the city.
There is in the harbOr some 81 ships,
many of which are prizes surrendered to
Shafter when the city was taken.
Everything here is grand and only awaits
civilization to make it one of the grandest
places on earth. You find here nothing
but Cubans, Spsniards and the half breeds,
all in cavotic state. People who have
capital are commencing to reap the har-
vest Smith Bros, of New Orleans, in
The Lead have already two ship loads Of
goods here and they are selling as fast as
they can unload. l was in Santiago only
IL hours, but this was long enough to see
was primitive, and almost in
the dark ages, only awaiting enterprise.
The regiment is divided up: ten OF the
are in Santiago. | and l. have
been sent out here to take charge Of this
place and do police duty. hsd charge Of
This place and l. has been stationed on
the sugar plantations in the neighborhOod.
Sixteen men under Lieut. Stafford have
charge of Caimsnera, and we call him the
military governor. Broussard occupies
place Of 10, 900 inhabitants.
We reached here yesterday. Our batal
ion so far has done all the work we un-
loaded the ship Berlin and were sent right
off, only staying 12 hours in Santiago af-
Ter getting ashore. l am now delivering
70 the Spanish prisoners and starving Gu
bans, $4,000 rstiOns, and will join my
company tomorrow, which is IA miles in
and. Our trip so far has been hard work.
have not had my shoes of for three
nights, but the boys every one of them
keep perfectly well, and are enjoying the
very best Of health. The climate is fine
no heat, not near what we had at Camp
Cahery. This will seem strange after all
you have heard Of the tropical heat, but it
% no exaggeration there is . fine breeze
al the time and we have had no mosqni-
.oes. The medical part of the regiment is
as imperfect as when we left and have
heard that there was bound to be some
change. will write to you when can
md would be very grateful to you at any
lime for a newsy letter. We do not know