New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-06
GLIMPSES OF CAMP LIFE.
VIVID ACCOUNT BY A ROUGH RIDER OF
THE LAST DAY OF THE REGIMENT IN
CCBA-How A SOLDIERS MONEY
WAS BURNED AND RE-

STORED TO HIM
Camp Wikor. Montauk Long Island y Y Sept.
(SpeciaD-He was a Rough Rider. ard was Sit
ting IN the station waiting-room waiting for
train. He had been relating incidents OF the va.
in Cuba. and had just finished thrilling story Of
the charge up the San Juan hin But tell you,
SIR he said. starting in afresh. what impressed
me most was our last day the Island or rather.
the day the orders came for us TO so North. You
must understand that were lying in one OF the
most miserable camps YOU saw. and when
say miserable l all the word implies.
have camped in the worst sort Of places in the
West and in other countries. but this was posi-
lively the wretched place in. The
sun would shine burning hot from carly in the
morning until along in the afternoon. when the
rain came-and II always raned in the afternoon.
No matter how clear rhe day was. there was
always that afternoon storm which lasted from
half an hour TO an hour. and II would rain 30 hard
that the mud would he hand thick in time.
Then tho would come ont again hotter than
ever, and the wet ground and trampled vegetation
seemed to fairly steam. The air was filed with
the haze and with evil odors from the decaying
vegetation-but you've heard al about that" with
a doprecaory sort Of gesture our men were fall
Ing sick every day. and nearly every one OF us
had the fever. II peculiar sort OF fever. ard
when you were first taken down you became doiri-
Gus or your mind full OF vaEaries.
We'll. under such conditions the spirits OF the
men sank lower and lower every day They were
living on the hope OF getting away from the island,
but as day followed day without orders 10 move
II had a most depressing effect upon them When
ever any ~ returned from trim 70 Santiago
the would crawling out of their day
tents and ask: Any news? Any prospect OF our
leaving this place. And YOU couldn't tell them
you hadn't any news You just had To lie TO them
aid saw. Yes, they think we'll get away pretty
soon something 81 that sort
Some time before the day speaking Of
la1t -
Island as soon the were able to move. ana
this had most cheering effect but on Tuesday
morning. August 2 the rumor came that the seore-
tarv Of Wal had ordered Ms 10 be moved eighteen
miles further back into the country. The rumor
had the immediate effect Of knocking the spirits
out Of the men. who had been sustained BY the
prospect Of getting away. ard they got worse again
right away and all hope seemed 10 he gone
Following that there came all sorts OF conhict-
ing rumors some TO the effect that we were going
back 10 the high ground of the island 10 remain
there until fall. others that were going back
home But SO conflicting were they That We hha!V
became almost reconciled TO staying where we
were
Sunday morning. however some one came up
from SANTIAGO with material which seemed 70 nack
up the assertion that the War Department W'S
going to order us back TO the United states Ihat
aroused fresh hope IN inc o0>s' ''' "
that for a week
al 70 o'clock on the saturday might before We
started Colonel Roosevelt was seen TO so TO MS
tent with a quick step We all felt somethihe vas
going 70 happen Shortly afterv3rd the regmeh'h'
,run,neers sounded the officers call II was quiek
and energetic and seemed 20 inspire every one OF
ms The men in their tents came crawling out Ike
So many prairie dogs on a prdiFle-dos he'' ana
they stood or sat around waiting to SEE what was
going 70 happen. When The officers came away
one Of them said % a man standing near MN Inc
orders have come. We are going tomorrow noon
,ho n-ho a
thousand wards squa.e. seemed 10 catch The news
by instinct, and veil broke out tina; showed how
deeply the men were affected l. almost brought
tears to your -4yes. for there hadnt been cheer
lei loose Axe that since the battle ~ san Juan
Then the % Cavalry seemed 70 eaton the import
NJ the cheering and yell went NJ from heir camp
and II followed through the camps OF the
9th 10Th % and 6th Cavalry. who were JUST along
side or beyond us in the Cavalry Brigade and they
cheered and yelled Just IS we had done
The news at first seemed TOO good ~ be true
bu, II was backed up shortly after b. ne issuance
OF new clothes Then men who we're dead SICK Win
a temparature Of 10 degrees 20 log degrees.
wouldn't GO near the doctors FOR fear ih'i9 eond1-
ton might reflect the condition q the regiment,
and qulnne borrowed from every quarter u
could he obtained. while men not ael~ - get out
pulled themselves together ard were sustained
simply by their nerves
The day dragged along slowly enough, ana A.
night the men gathered In groups IN Tho moonlight
and you could near an occasional laugh ana some
light talk which showed the nervous condition the
men were in. for II had been 4 long time since
any ono had laughed In that camp. When We mrs;
went 10 Cuba there had been plenty Of singing.
1oking and laughing but We mad almost forgotten
how in that miserable camp IN which We had been
lying
When Sunday morning came II was Ike one Of
those hot August mornings IN New.York CITY. when
the air is laden with humidity and there Is no
breeze. bur the men pulled out 10 nTcdkfaSt ana
every seemed lighter
After breakfas; there was another guarantee
that We were surely gorS homo. Tor The scrgeants
ordered Us 10 burn our Old clothes and put on our
he The @ondi6n Of the men made the march back
from our camp near FL Caney 10 Santiago mpos.
sibe and General Shafter made use OF the railroad
for the first time The train was one OF the most
primitive affairs you ever saw just like the pictures
OF some OF S,ephensons carly productions. but the
| thing could 60 and answered our purpose. We sue
camp where the troops could be embarked. ana all
that morning the effort care for sick mates was
| such ambulanceS az they cou!d ior comIades 700
weak TO march. and those fellows who had pnr-
! able 10 march. turned the animals over 10 those
| who were too weak 10 stand the short journey
| There many conspicuous acts OF Kindness dis-
played that morning but do not think u would De
fair 20 cite instance without relating all. ana
! that would take 100 much time nov a.
About II 80 o'clock that sunday morning the ON
GERS call rang out again and when the officers re-
| turned they announced TO the sergeantS THAI the
! troops must be ready 70 move at clock ma
I stimulated the men again right away. and AZ
! o'clock they pulled themselves up az assembly and
| aance Than ihey had presented IN days. Only
rarrled hu, The absolute exhaustion 81 ne men was
shown by that short march OF two miles TO the
! railroad We went in column OF twos. but a
/ funeral procession woul1 have paled AT the pace
went and have left US miles behind Every
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