Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-07-28


up to ones shoulder, SO Igot pretty
wet inspecting the piokets 9. night,
but feel all right. Il blanket is
necessary at night, toward morning
it gets quite cold. A good many Of
tho mon threw them away to Tighten
their load.
The rainy season seems to have
set in in earnest. I have my shelter
tent up, so keep comparatively dry.
They arc not very much protection,
however. III. MI. ... ....... ~.,.<
We have to carry everything on
our back. We have no pack mulos,
only very fow to bring up ammuni-
ton and provisions; not enough for
that purpose. Each man carries, in
addition to arms and ammunition, n
roll containing blanket, shelter
(picce of canvas 5x6), a poncho or
kind of rain coat and rubber blanket
combined, and change of under
clothing, also canteen holding two
quarts, and havorsack, which is
quito heavy when it contains three
days ratiens. We have coffee, sugar,
hardtack and bacon, and after long
march I'll tell you | have never eaten
anything better. l have n splendid
appctitc--in fact, | can hardly got
enough to cat, but would be glad to
| vary it II little. There ere IL good
many guineas, but We cannot shoot
them. All this country has gone
wild again, as no one has lived hero
for three years. There arc no cattle
around at all.
The Spaniards have rounded up
everything. Several Of the soldiers
arc sick from eating too many man.
groves, otherwise the health of the
army is splendid. l have never felt
better; am pretty thin, but that's
rather al advantage.
Gen. Shafter and staff landed at
Siboncy to-day and have established
headquarters near hore. The roads
arc being built and fixed 80 that the
artillery can como up suppose we
will remain here until the artillery
gets its position. l am battalion ad-
jutant and also have some company
duty, as we are short of officers.
We now have only II for tho regi-
mont. Scouts have been to within
mile and half of the city. Near
ly every house has red cross flag
on it, the barracks, etc, and even the
block houses in the line of fortifica-
tions. reckon they intend to make
an unlawful and deceptive use of
them, and fire from buildings from
which they fly. At Caimanera thcy
they made use Of light house for
that purpose, for there is kind of
tacit agreement among all navics not
to fire on lighthouses, but as soon as
they were sure the fire came from
these it was knocked to pieces, and
so will all the Red Cross flags. The
men arc using rosewood for fire.
shall sund this whenever | get a
chance, adding on as keep it if any
thing happens. l am in great luck
to have piece of paper about ne,
rs every little weight counts. The
envelopes got wet and arc useless. |
have written at odd times all day
and very umconncctedly, just as
everything crossed my mind. The
regulars get along better than tho
volunteers, as they know better how
to take care Of themselves, and so do
The officers Of them. But they arc
all well satisfied and are learning
rapidly. Six thousand moro troops
are to come to-day. Cannot say
when the final advance on Santiago
will begin, but it cannot be very far
off. Besides Santiago is almost
without anything to eat, so we can
starvc them out very easily if ncccs-
sary.
June 3O-Up as usual quite carly
and muster at $50. More ratons to
be issued this afternoon. We break
camp and move further in toward
Santiago some time this afternoon,
as soon as certain batteries come up.
1t is expected that the attack on the
city will begin tomorrow, so that on
The fourth Old Glory will almost
surely be flying over the city. Per-
sonally, Judging from the way the
enemy has acted so far, do not
think there will be much trouble in
taking the city. The First Infantry
is to be the support of Capron's bat
terry, and it will move forward about
two miles some time this afternoon,
and we go where it does.
| shall seal this and try to get it
sent to the boats. Am very anxious
to hear from you all but have re-