The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-29
TEXAN VOLUNTEERS HERE.
THEIR GROUND ROBIN" ABOUT THEIR
H0YAGE FROM KEY WEST

| Not n Man on Board the San Marcos Not
HunRry-.Water Unfit to Drink-Treated
Like C~attls-Capt. Merrill, U. 3. A.,
Fires a Pistol at n Tug in the Harbor.
The United States transport San Marcos mo,
1Sl. formerly q Mallory liner plying Between
this port and Galveston, anchored yesterday
morning within a few cable lengths Of the
Statue Of Liberty. after n six days trip from
Key West. Two hundred stalwart young
Texans, members OF the Third Texas Volun-
teers, Razed at tho Brobdingnagian bronze
young woman with the lofty torch and swore in
an undertone. One ofthe volunteers, Sergt. Nc
Cloud, who in piping times Of peace is city edi-
tor OF the Daily Enterprise OF Beaufort. Tex.
was inspired to quote Nine. Roland with vigor.
Interpreted with dashes: 20 Liberty how
many crimes are committed In thy namel"
From this 1t may be inferred that the Texans
had a plant also. that they are not altogether
without knowledge OF the classics. They are o
well-educated and patriotic lot OF Americans.
Some Of them are lawyers. a few doctors. seve-
raj newspaper men and q dozen graduates Of
colleges. West and East. They declare that they
are willing to fight for Uncle Sam and endure
necessary hardship In the pursuit Of glory. but
they do not see why they should be permitted
to go hungry In time OF peace, sleep six nights
three together In q bunk that would disgrace
q Bowery lodging house. and be restrained
from exercising the rights OF ordinary soldiers
under an ordinary commander.
A Sun reporter. who went out to the San
Marcos in q Battery boat, was greeted by the
men forward who had gathered at portfolios
and rails with: Have you got anything to eat
aboard2' They hailed the boat in o subdued
voice.
Later the reporter found out the reason.
Capt. Abner II. Merrill OF Battery B., First Ar
tillery. U. s. A.. had military command OF the
transport. When she was q day out from Key
West Capt. Merrill. according to the Texans.
swore at a waiter attached to the ship. The
waiter swore back and threatened to punch the
Captain. Thereupon the waiter was arrested
and put In irons.
Thu Texans have nothing but praise for
their own (volunteer) officers, and all the other
regulars on the transport except Capt. Merrill.
Among the invalids were men Of the regulars
who had gone to Santiago on the San Marcos
in the latter part OF June. They had
been sent to hospital on the ship suf-
fering from wounds received at tho storm
ing Of San Juan hill. This was their
third trip on the transport. Others Of the sick
and wounded belonged to the rough riders.
These men. the Texans say. were well fed. but
they slept three in o berth. The berths are
more like bins. They may be described as
shelves OF rough. whitewashed boards. about
q feet long and 3k feet wide. There are three
shelves. one above the other. in each section.
The men. sick and well, slept on these shelves.
with only blankets between their bodies and
the boards.
Private Charles Coleman OF Company D.
Texas volunteers. after a talk with his friend,
SerRt. McCloud Of the Beaumont Daily Enter
prise. and with the approval Of his fellow SOL
diers. addressed this letter to the newspapers
of New York while the reporter was looking
over the transport:
"oN BOARD THE TRANSPORT SAN MARCOS.
Aug. %. 1893.
1T is only right that the public and our peo-
pie at home should Know the treatment we
have received on board this transport since
leaving Key West last Monday. Aug. %. There
is q total on board somewhere near $50 men.
Quite a number sick were well provided for,
but the officer in command OF tho two bat
teries and two Texas volunteer companies
should be, II 1t is his fault. severely
repremanded by the head OF the War Depart
ment for not sufficiently supplying us with
food; for God knows there. Is not a man on
b bespd u MaE L e p dgin hRun and ;w fls2' w ssf wa Ms a aid
patients: + Is also a common sight to see
the wounded men. who would come on deck to
eat their meals; Here, damn you. get down
He GLASSES us ali as il we were a lot of cat
tie, and we were certainly treated So"
th Tee rs sGlaisrg At v saeR' neral and eSp5 siSESalpF e o ons
mall piece 81 bacon about 2S Inches square.
two PIECES Of hhiardtaek; one "sinker" Ia half;
S SieS the of @ea{, TX" s RII'G men P0 ssGe 0s W@eiHl
1 fSs 9 Wsts sRe p Sde S sSme say eE the they m s6S T EIf& q Po It;
s ses st SsceISas { tReiiF food TGs sj1 msR d 5OF tRs da IN line ne
order OF Capt. Merrill, to eat on deck. and as
all space below decks, was filled with hunks.
between the hunks or sitting on the edges OF
hunks. Some of the men were seasick and
could not eat anything in the close atmosphere
WhepHsysF a pan vas seen eating IN the open
lieut.. ,Chenauit o'Brien Of tho Texans, was
called aft one day on the voyage by Capt, Mer-
much pilii H dign hssu as Is fpo s:iBPse On G a roflin Tlt shi fs
He was startled to hear his superior ohicer
'" %God II damn you. rum"
The Lieutenant refused to run. and said he
didn't see why he should. He was put under
Cited cit ST q case to prove that CAPT M FG1fh'S %as
T&e. sass m mSti be sH Tarla & ilfb' S the fhiso rSeo4ds a;
tWsshiinGtoMH; Y. sergt denhihon. who was on
Capt "a Merrill for not hi" having Heo his RRaih!S e9t clo SS
e enogS Saa r TRS 3 SeGt9b5 H f BTis.. & G. ae PennIn0 The
language that had been used the punishment
of the Sergeant would DO q fine Of 81. Incl
Capt. Merrill.
Before coming into port Capt. Merrill issued
an order prohibiting talking except in q whis-
per on deck. That order appeared to be In
effect when the reporters boarded the San
Marcos; The Tsxsns are full blooded, big
They, had been six days afoat, and they
hoped they would have a chance to let them
selves loose In an outburst of appreciation OF
the glories ofour harbor and the boats therein. |
A tug came alongside OF the San Marcos as she
steamed up the bay yesterday morning. Two
pretty n IN the PilothousSs waved their
couldn't restrain themselves. and started to
cheer. The cheering was cut short by this
order from Capt. Merrill:
Any man thSt cheers ean or makes any noise on
There was a surprised tugboatman q mo- |
Iment later Capt: Merrill pulled his revolver
"shser on t6erei"' The tps6oat Sheered on.
and the women in the pilothouse looked blank.
The reporters wuo went aboard the San
ahiD'a Kindly Md aktDDAF- GaDt Tt1an Vvhn lie |