Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-09-09
Burying Soldiers
Who Died At Sea
Almost Daily Duty on the Trip from
Santiago TO MOntauk.- Merton War
rem Writes of the Horrors in His
Usual Vivid Style.
Ny Dear Mother:
On TRANSPORT ALLEGHANY, ;
Aug. "a, 1898. I

of the morning and go over the river to
the flats, there to spread ourselves in the
shade and pass the day in quiet, cooking
our dinner with all its "fixins" and eating
the wild fruits which grow around there.
Monday (Aug. 22) after amusing our
selves all day and eating the fine dinner
that we cooked, we returned to the brook
for good bath after which we started for
camp. On reaching there we were electri-
fled by the news that Companies A, b, G,
d, L, F, and II were to leave in the
morning for home the remaining four
companies, |, X, l. and NJ, to leave on
Thursday.
Very few of us slept that night and at
o'clock yesterday morning we were up,
cooking breakfast and Strengthening things
out generally. We were ordered to buru
our uniforms, all of our old underwear,
etc, and save only our rubber and wooden
bla kets, which were to be put on teams,
and our haversacks and canteens to be TAX
EN- with us.
nearly broke my back bringing down
all of my ''junk," and then had to leave
much of it behind. Our new kharkee I'M
forms only served to set off the changes
in the men since we came here two short
months ago Clothes that would have
fitted us without a wrinkle then, hang in
folds around us now. Happily, am in
very GOOD condition when compared with
T. other mel.
over half the men were so weak that
they had to be carried down in mule
wagons, and the remainder tOttered along
beneath the blazing sky with no attempt
at battalion formation, more like a lot of
old decrepit men than soldiers in the prime
OF life. 1t seemed hard to see them so but
this salt air will brace them up, | hope. A
for me am feeling tip-top now.
We came aboard last night and have
nice little hunks made Of canvas, three
deep, running the length OF the ship on
either side. Between them posts are erect
ed for hammocks, Of which there are
Ileuty. All brand new.
This morning We pulled up anchor and
after an hours backing and twisting, start
ed out of the harbor, running within sc
feet of the Merrimac. Nothing is to be
seen Oh heI ouI 'he very UP Vi 'Ie s'h"he
sack ana Tue TWO iliaslS, one % llltl'l nav
ins peeh sho' away anu lei' ""ns,ns W
le" ropes a suort Instance l"rthcl Hnu
Vhe wreck oi the I'e'la MtIcrues ii!ee1s ,ne
1S', loiieu On one sue WIN nan vi Hei
ueck suoiheISeu, anu hei runners i'u"le"
ny iahhee sn'iS; One lonS gun va '''I
stai ooaiu ooM sun remains uioun'eu' an"
s'lohe up III INC an as vain " any
one "no uaIes U"chIe olo'e '"uI navy
lhen comes the greatest slght OF all
MORO Castle, lowering ABOVE us as We
pass LOT huhdrtds Oh Ieel' 1t Is lruly
castle and mighty one at that some oi
its batllements are shattered, but II IS
built on solid rock and would stand ter
rlble siege. Very few o: our shells struck
the fort and its moss-grown, UNCOVERED
fine; and here ended my last close view OF
Cuba. Now and then as | glance out of
the opposite port holes | can still see the
green hills and mountains, but they hold
no charm for me. | have seen all | care
to see of that death trap and hope that |
may never light the coast again.
We have just lad dinner of bread.
corned beef and coffee, so | will now lie
down and have a smoke. Good bye till
tomorrow.
Tru.p.n,v Am, -
w, ,,,.il IN r,,,.h n'.,,.r s,i,i,9 ,,,lo,
and tha Sal, air saa,us ~ be hracino w.
I,n,'s ~, h,,t thar, ara rue, ~, ,broo nf ~.
fsIIou,sf ,.bo v,ill never re,ch land aI1ve
It,1,. II ;s ,..r,' ,I,.'r ,oI,, and Ii,''.l,
b ~''' r1ays ,hr,n%h rho omen Norris giy
| ina, ',s pi"1tr nf air. and cbins tbn sea ~,
| so tha, The roliing If The hnat causes tIe
! lI,'''Ii'o n ''i"' ''V nv" ~ w w
Mneit ~ Io'H ' IVA" anu ioi w"tu a.
lhousn nloNeu ny h' lI"'I ual'uS, We nave
very 'lPa'on ~ 'iie s''pe
VI "e"' i'ii S ~ ~ Nv ~, ,l.,
s,i'G A. 'IeV 'io"' iu
we are Pas1l"s n",i"r,i" tsi1l'us ~" neiS
PIetlS, uae l pay very .iY'i1 al't eyp, W
Inelii anu an TatiS Is u mii Ga, eau 'e"S' my
eyes upon 'ne i"iiu Vi Olu "'oiy'
Fprn,v Aug oG
A broad exn.nsa of watar oIimmering IN
the Morning SUNLIGHT and broken into Ii1tle
waves by the gentle breeze that playfully
tosses th1 GU VI al T.u piaih
VINO pehus III prayer oii t s ueIA vi troop
snip nolne"alu oouru iloni 'oielSn wal wal
Inc sup coinee W eUoP' anu 20 siie ioiIs
genlIy on 'ne ooean o,eesu sne SUiV low
Hotes Vi ouSle arc I Ie'' souLuins ISPs'
haluiy mas 'ne is'I ions s"eo' no 80 sV'ihu,
Gu Mneh IiSlG is. ioiin, se%eu Isnuy ~
canvas uioPS S"l.VIy ny .ne "a.I', anu
MIN spiasn ~. ilOn nioed Ia niem'
peiI ilnsS, .ne ST." ie'oioes' anu as W., we
gaCneI ne"u%Sy all Clilnss se ', i NJ VI nIe
anu anu soou In stn; Cne VI ens OUSs ION
company ~ uieu AZ asy o'eaA' "ehly-
Cw TWO ol Us n"'e sono 'nu' i"i' anu lhoie
Will ioHo"' Nu ie'o"'
SATURDAY. Aug. d.