The Press., 1898-08-25
LErrER PROM SANTIAGO.
on the held before santiago ds cuba,

lever and dysantery. However, l will trJ and take up my story from the sur render of the city. The formal surrender did not take place | until Sunday, July 17th. Now this was omething I wanted to see. So early on Sunday morning I strolled casually out bf camp, with an axe on my shoulder, as sf going for wood. easily found place ko get through the guard line, and, drop bling my axe, hustled for the city. was entirely unarmed, but did not feel at all |timid, as several others had been into the |city the day before. I got a good look at |the Spanish outworks and their barbed wire obstructions. These were made so thick and close together 1t would have been impossible to have assaulted their although our artillery had |a fine range on most all of their works. Crawling through these obstructions, l Hound myself in the midst of thousands of Spanish soldiers, for the point I entered was directly at their barracks. Twas not greeted with single hostile glance, but was at once taken into one of the officers quarters and treated to rice, curry cakes and wine. Although I could speak no Spanish, yet a very friendly spirit was manifested towards me. soon tired of them, and started to explore the city. l had entered the lower part, which was very dirty and filthy, and I was glad to get up into the cleaner part of the city. The construction of the city buildings are almost entirely of sun-dried brick, very little woodwork being seen except in partitions. found many fair-sized stores open, mostly clothing and drug stores. Grocery stOres were nearly all closed out. saw also many places throughout the town where our shells had struck during the bombardment the Sun day previous, I tried to get into the ca- thedral, but could not seem to find an en- trance. then strolled down to the water front. Here there was Spanish gun boat which could not go out with Ger. vera's fleet, and SO escaped destruction.
 then visited the bull ring, where by using my imagination could seem to see how a fight would be carried on. By this tune 1t was 12 o'clock, and as attempted to get near enough to see the surrender of the city was driven back by one of our guards, and so did not see the cere- mony after all. But saw the city just the same. got by the guards all right, and arrived safe in camp.
 wish could pass over the next three weeks, but cannot. A few days later we were surprised one day by an issue of fresh beef. What God-send 1t seemed to the boys, but they reckoned without cost. This Issue continued three days, and then not 6 man in camp would touch reaction vas too great. The boys began to fall sick; not many from the beef, but mostly from malarial fever and dysentery. Our camp Is located In a low, swampy spot. The other regiments soon secured their big tents and moved back on higher ground, but were held of with the prom. ise that we would soon be sent home. Days passed, and the rumors kept flying thick and fast, but no movement was made. We even could not get our large tents. Our hospital filled up with sick, and the men began to die. Eighteen men have died in the hospital, and haR oi them from lack of proper food and care. Our surgeons seem unable to cope with disease at all, and not until our transport was unloaded about a week ago have we had hardly anything in the medicinal line except quinine. Some of our big tents have arrived and been put up just about the time that they commenced to send some of the first division home.
 It Is now stated that we will be sent home within @ week, but we don't take any stock in such promises. The boys feel that there has been gross misman- agement in the regiment, and some searching questions will be asked when our people hear of our treatment. suf- fered four days and nights with severe pains in my head, and when going to the surgeon for relief was given two cathartic pills. That is about the way we all get treated. He refused to give me any mor- phine to quiet me, so sent to town and got 1t for myself, and in one night was 90 much better that I did not have to 20 near him again.
 Since the arrival of the Clara Barton relief ship the sick have fared much bet ter, and have had nourishing soups and food Issued to them. am living much of the time now on matted milk cooked over a candle flame in my tent. It rains three or four times every day, and a man can't get a good fire more than once a day. Wood Is very scarce. There are no Virginia rail fences or forests here. Barbed wire fences, put up on green sticks which root and leaf out, making an impregnable net work, Is what you find.
 My company has lost three men in two weeks, and ten alone have died from Wor- caster. Our loss from disease far out numbers those killed in battle, and a great proportion of the former loss will always reflect on the management of this regiment. Officers as we'll as men are all i'll, but the officers get sent on board of hospital ships at once, while the men only as last opportunity. We have s4 in the regimental hospital to-day, and the number increases every day. It would not he surprising to me to find we have left 50 brave boys here on the island by the time the powers that be" see it to withdraw us from this disease-stricken territory. ......
 We are to have new suits throughout when we leave, and all camp equipage will be left on the island. We are now supplied with . pound of fresh bread every day, and that Is batting new life in. to the men. Well, we can simply wall and hope for a chance to leave this coun
 try. Respectfully, Fl. T. CHAPIN.