Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-09-01
SOLDIERS At HOME,
TON DAVIS WRITES OF THE
H0NEWARD TRIP.
Hard Fare on shipboard and Evi-
dsncss Of Mismanagsmsnt- Many
Soldiers Are Sick at xontauk.
Special Reflector Correspondence,

special henect0r Correspondence,
MoNTAuK PoINr, l. l., Aug. 26.--
Once more nearly the entire army is
on American soil and 1t is with un.,
bounded joy we again set foot on our
native land where we can enjoy the
best climate and the hest OF every.
thing the world can produce.
On Aug. 7, just two months from
the time we left Lakeland, Florida,
we marched two miles to q railroad
and in few minutes were on the
docks in Santiago where we boarded
the transport Matteawan. Before
leaving camp all clothing, bedding,
etc. except what was actually needed,
was burned. We we're allowed to
keep one blanket and In this were
packed all our personal effects, letter
writing material, relics from the bat
tlefeld and in fact everything. These
packs were fastened to mule and
started for Santiago. They have not
been seen since. had many valua-
BILE relics among my collections in
cluding very fine machete.
The railroad on which We we're
taken to Santiago is q narrow guage
but the engines are Of the modern
American type and the trainmen are
all Cubans. We saw but little Of
Santiago, enough, however, for us to
see that 1t is city far behind the
times, dirty and filthy. The harbor
is certainly fine one and il properly
fortified no nation could gain an en-
trance. As we steered out by the
sunken Merrimac, the masts and
smokestack only visible. the band
played the "Star Spangled Banner"
then as we passed out Of the harbor,
almost under the battered walls o. Fl
Moro castle, "Home, Sweet Home"
suppose Hobson did sink the Merri-
mac with the intention of blocking
the channel but where she now lies it
would take twenty ships Of her size
to do it. The batteries along the har-
Dor could be plainly seen and the one
opposite El MORO Of some six or
eight guns was torn all to pieces by
our fleet.
With light heart we bid adieu to
the scene Of strife and bloodshed
where SO many Of our boys lost their
lives, the scene Of hardships and pri-
vations the effects OF which | can see
while writing this, little pine boards
which mark the resting place of those
who withstood the torrid climate, the
enemies bullets and all the hardships
Of a soldiers life only to be brought
home TO die.
Our ship was not crowded, only the
First Cavalry and one battery OF the
Fourth Artillery being on board, but
our rations were something disgust
ing. Given no chance 10 buy any
thing in Santiago we were compelled
to live for nine days on roast beef,
canned beans, one can to nine men
day, tomatoes and stale, wormy hard
tack. ! have never yet seen a man
who could eat the roast beef unless
he was starving. Thy water WAS sim
ply awful, did not drink a drop
while on board. We we're allowed to
make coffee byletling hot water run
over the ground coffee and thus color
the water. This is what sick men
had to live on, men who had raging
ievers and so weak they were carried
aboard.
Notwithstanding all OF this we lost
but one man and be died the night we
came to anchor. Two jumped over
board and were lost
We landed two days after arrival.
Not satisfied with a seven days trip,
two days longer than any other trans
port, we were kept housed up with
nothing to eat for two davs more be-
cause no boats were to be had to un-
load US. We finally got ashore the
18th and were marched about a mile
to detention camp where we found
tents up, aoored and everything
nice, much to our surprise. Here
we had Hygeia water, mineral water
for cooking purposes, good wood and
plenty to eat.
We we're kept in this camp four
days in strict quarantine and on Sun
| day we moved some distance east to
the extreme end Of the Island. Here