The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-30
WITH THE u. S. FLEET
DAVID THELEEN WRITES OF Do
INGS AT SANTIAGO.
HOT sKIRMIsHEs WITH DoNs
Stories of Small Engagements With the
spaniards Of santiago-Routine Life
On Ships Becomes Monotonous
to Kenosha Boys.
q. S. S. Massachusetts, ]
Off Santiago, Cuba, June 9, '96. s

OFT Santiago, Cuba, June y, Us.
MY Dear Folks-The weather here
is warm and at night it is something
very difficult to get a few hours sleep.
The decks below are very warm. We
left the Roads as you know on the 18th
of May and since then we have had no
laundry done for US. Most Of US have
come down to washing our own clothes
or having the mess boys do it for u.s..
1t is no easy job to scrub clothes when
everything is hot and disagreeable
Our supply of fresh water is also rather
limited. But thank heaven we have
an ice machine that works, so that we
can get cool drink during the day. l
tell you we all appreciate that blessing
very much.
The feet is still here, and taking it
al in all we are we'll and contented.
We have the Dagos penned up in San
tiago and we are all watching them
closely. At night three steam launches
are sent out, in charge of cadets, to lie
close inshore near the entrance ready
to give the alarm if anything attempts
to come out The small boats lie
about three quarters of a mile from
the entrance; then outside of these
about one and one half miles are three
of our yachts, and still farther out
about four miles are the ships of the
fleet. The launches have to leave the
ship at $50 p. NJ, and report first to
the flagship for orders. We return to
our own ship at about 6 a. m.
1t is quite an interesting experience
but we don't get any sleep. Mac went
out the first night and went out the
second might before last). We can
see old MORO loom up in great style
and every time our boat moved we
could see the sentries flash their signal
lights till we stopped. The night l
was out guess was about 1900 yards
west of the Castle, and at times about
500 yards from the shore. The boats
have a 1-pounder gun and each man
has a good Navy rife with plenty OF
ammunition. Our ship sends out six
men with the cadet. l did not see
anything the night | was out, and
believe the enemy are afraid to fire
on US because they have to save their
ammunition, and then they can't hit
anything when they do try. In case
they should get funny the feet would
not be slow in letting them hear the
whiz of shot and shell. had to laugh
the night 1 was out. My fireman "a
big Norwegian l guess) was not feeling
very much at ease part of the time.
Whenever we would run close inshore
to take our position against the tide he
would imagine that the dash and dull
roar of the breakers was the firing OF
guns sure. He was sure that the Span
ish were fighting the insurgents and
that we were only 100 yards from the
shore. He said he bet he could throw
stone ashore. Last night a classmate
of mine was out and about eleven
o'clock little wave dashed over the
boat and wet them slightly. The en-
gineer, who is a col0red fellow, got
excited and was heard to remark:
Lord, I wish I knew how to pray"
1t was quite comical and still serious
too when one thinks of it. When Mac
was out his engineer would gently hint
every once in while that: We are
getting pretty close, Mr.. Mccarthy"
I don't mean to infer that our men are
afraid to go out or are towards far
from it-only they are q little ticklish
on the first trip out, you know. There
is little real danger-just enough to
keep one awake. One good remedy
has been suggested for those who can't
keep awake in the boat. Run closer
in to Moro Castle" But tell you we