Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-07-07
WENT WITH SHAFTER
LIEUT.. JOHNSON OF THIS COUNTY
WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
AT SANTIAGO.
Description Of the Sea Voyage of the
Troop Transports From Tampa to
the Scene of Action-Men in
Best Of Spirits.

a. 20 a bars tt the SSs.-Sc6 into
the gulf, where they anchored to
await the arrival of the remainder.
As the Second Massachusetts Volun-
teers were transferred from the Oriz-
aba to the Knickerbocker yesterday,
we could cot take our horses and
mules on until this morning, when, at
1880, we steamed up to the dock. At
s:15, having all cargo, we steamed
down the bay and In two hours we
joined the others at anchor by the
gulf, twenty miles from Port Tampa.
Here we are still, but the signal has
just come to steam up.
Gen. Skaters transport is the
.Seguranca. The City of Washington,
which carries the Twenty Fourth U. s.
Infantry (colored), is the one that
witnessed the destruction of the
Maine In Havana harbor. The Orig
aba, being third in size of the trans
ports, was the last steamship to get
her departure papers from Havana
the day after the declaration of war.
The Saratoga, however, which is with
US, was the last to leave the harbor-
leaving q few hours after the Orizaba.
All the men were anxious to leave.
Holding them back only made them
the more anxious to 60. As the last
horse came on, one of the men said,
"Now, boys, we are about off; get
your shoes ready to throw in the air."
The best Of spirits prevail (notwith-
standing the declaration made by one
to the contrary-that the best aboard
is beer). They all declare that the
"dons" will see q hot time in that old
town this month.
The transports will be delayed at
Key West, where they will be joined
by stronger conveys. By the way,
we are moving now. May the Mexico
boys soon follow. Those left tn sre
will, of course, kindly take care Of
the girls (till We RETURN.
The transports are now filing out
singly into the gulf.
Up. m.-The sailing formation is q
column, three abreast, about 800 yards
apart and each three about 800 yards
ahead of the next. The report now
is that we meet fourteen more men
of-war at Key West.
received q letter yesterday from a
class-mate at Fort Mcpherson saying
that Castellanos, the Cuban, was re-
leased. They still hold Melfar, the
Englishman.
With the kindest regards to my
friends, through the courtesy Of the
LEDGER, and with very best wishes
for the welfare of Uncle Sam, I am
His Most Obedient Servant and a
Loyal M~issourian,
]. O. JOHNSON,
Second Lieut.. Fourth U. 8. Artillery.
P. S.-Hurry the LEDGER to me.
j. Q. j.
STEAMSHIP ORIzABA, June 20.-The
transports are now off the southern
coast of Cuba, twenty or thirty milei
east of Guantanamo (Gwan-ta-na-mo)
where the marines are supposed to bt
l-or were supposed to be a week ago
Since then We have heard nothing
We do not know now even where We
are to land, but we suppose either a
Guantanamo and march forty miles
overland, or on up neare Santiago
We know nothing of our course ofdc.
~islly-only by the course taken and ru'
mors. We were simply ordered te
embark and we haven't heard a wore
from headquarters since. We do moi
even know how many troops are EN-.
barked-probably a smaller numbel
than were given by the newspapers
week ago.
Yesterday evening at shutdown WI
rounding Cape Mayri, at the eastern
extremity of Cuba. I couldn't keel
from initiating the school-boy b.
climbing as high up the rigging a
possible to view that "Promises
Land" Over it foated one of tn,
finest collection of clouds / have eve
seen. We saw monkeys, a camel, al
Irishman, q helmeted warrior, Morr,
castle and a railroad bridge; but tw'
of the plainest were two human forms
on which probably every eye o.
board the transports was fixed. On
was very small; one of the men de
clared IT. an angel bringing us goo
tidings OF the dons; another declares
1t to be Cupid, but couldn't make GU
his mission on this trip. The othe
was larger and some declared her t.
be COLUMBIA others "Senora Cuba.
Finally they agreed the two were on
own "Fair Columbia and "Littl
Cuba" side by side. It was a sunse
not many Of us will forget.
As to the rainy aso in Cuba,
cannot yet say; but since we lei
Tampa we have only passed throug.
one little shower and that while bac
In the gulf stream In the Florid
strait.
i The sea has been behaving yer
well, but some have been sea-sick. /
the Windward passage we had th
toughest weather. The little torped
boats would plunge and roll, but tn
sailors worked away on deck, appar
entity paying NJ attention to tn
spray baths they so often got.
4, One very interesting thing to watc
Ii the fiying-ish. Along toward sver
! ing the little silvery things leap out {
|, the water and 60 several yards in tt
air. The other evening / saw
many a. 100 flying together.
Most Of the boys r writing lette
this morning, az we expect to lar
. this afternoon or tonight.
OFF SANTIAGO, June q, u o'clot
m.-The transports are now anchors
OF Santiago, about Ave miles fro
!, MORO castle, which can be plain
, seen. Two OF us climbed the riggin
: and, by the aid Of field glasses, cou
!, make out with ease MORO castle q
the right of the entrance, Socapa ca
: tie on the left, two batteries farth'
! In the harbor and Smith island ne
the entrance just inside. Seventies
u. g. war ships lie just outside.
Gen. Shafter and Admiral Sampss
are now arranging for q landing. v
NAV land this afternoon. or wait nm