The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-19
FLOATING LIVERY STABLE.
Sergeant "BOb" divers Characterize
ton of the Transport.

Sergeant "BOb" divers Characteriza-
ton of the Transport.
DIR. Reginald Oliver received a letter yes
terday from his brother, Dr. Robert T..
Oliver, who is quartermaster sergeant of
Battery A. The letter bore this address:
Latitude 10 degrees, So minutes; longitude
81 degrees, As minutes" Among other things
he said:
Am getting very tired of the scenery
on the southern sea. We have been on
this old floating livery stable since last
Wednesday. We have had a pleasant voy-
age as far weather and sea are con-
cerned, although almost everyone on board
Hatteras. Since then everything has been
lovely, except this blamed old boat and its
s baad e o we haIe So
ing crew, niggers, dogs or goats, the last
two being mascots. We are still living on
the army travel rations, consisting OF can,
hard tack, and you can imagine how tired
we are of it by this time We have been
Thomas July "a. On Sunday last we did
get a little change in the shape of a ship S
boiled dinner. 1t was not as good as a
home meal, but 1t was relished by all on
account of the change and variety. We
are now about $50 miles from the north
shore of Porto Rico and expect to see land
tonight Our orders are to pass to the west
of the island and land at the southwestern
corner, which we will do If not intercepted
by one of SIMPSONS war ships with diff
ferent orders.
I'VE have not seen any other of the trans
ports since the day we left. and then we
lost sight of the st. Paul and the Massa-
chusetts at dark. We have passed several
ships on the way; one, a large steamer. is
just going CUT of sight now on the eastern
horizon. Yesterday we passed full-rigged
American schooner about a mile off. She
was a beauty too What a yell we sent up
she up the old stars and stripes and
dipped them three times. We did the same,
and could barely hear a faint cheer far off.
1t was a. glorious sight indeed, and one
never to be Forgotten. Every one of the
boys is sorry 'Redge' is not here. If / were
he l would get an honorable discharge on
account of disability and then re-enlist with
not he will be thrown with the Twenty
eighth Indiana or else one of the Georgia
batteries that not far advanced nor well
Differed. / do not know when you will hear
seventy miles TO the outskirts of San Juan
and no telling how long or how fierce the
fighting will be there. but with Sampson s
fleet on one side and Miles's army. with the
old /. l.. A., on the other, surely the Span
iards can't last very long. So keep your
eye on Battery A. for she will be credit
20 you ALL Was just now interrupted by a
tropical storm of about half hour s duration
short but very hard. 1t was fun to see the
boys scatter from the decks. Last night
stellation of five stars in the southern sky.
II is equivalent TO our Big Dipper which
can barely be seen way down low on the
horizon in the early evening"
Sergeant Oliver. in concluding his letter
gave the proper address for sending mail
to the battery. which is as follows: "Care
Curtis's Twenty-seventh Indiana Battery
Volunteer Artillery. Care Adj. Gen. Corbin
Washington D. c."