Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-11-09
FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Corporal CheadIe Writes Interest,"
ingly of His Voyage and Our
New Possessions.
CAvITE, p. T., Sept. 20. 1898

SANlIEr -, sOtpI- ~. 1890.
EDIroR ARGUS: 1t is announced
here that the steamer City of Rio de
Janeiro will leave Manila for the
United States on the 22d inst, carry
ing mail, and this prompts me "a
write some account OF the doings and
endurings Of Co. l., First Montana In
fantry Volunteers, since it's departure
from the village OF Lewistown, now
so far distant, and to send il to you
for publication, should it he thought
of sufficient interest.
After twenty-oue days of mud and
damp in Helena we departed thence
on the 25th day of May, and the 18th
day of the same month sa W us in San
Francisco. We were there encamped
on the sand lots in the nurtherly por-
ton of the city. The camping ground
was not the best possible in regard
to sanitary condition and arrange
ments, but it was, in my opinion,
better than we had i'm Helena.
The work OF drilling the troops
vas diligently prosecuted in San
Francisco, and that of equipping
them var finally accomplished, al
though tardily. AT length, on the
10Th day of July, with all our i'm
perfections," and those of other per
sons, "on our heads" we went aboard
the steamer Pennsylvania, and on the
following day steamed out between
the rocky portals of the Golden Gate,
the big steamer turned her Prov to
the westward and our long voyage
of more than 1000 nautical miles was
begun.
There were on board the whole
Montana regiment and 300 recruits
for the First California regiment, a
total far too great for the capacity
of the ship. This fact soon became
uncomfortably evident in several
ways, and particularly in respect of
the vessels facilities for cooking the
rations of the soldiers. This, how
ever, was not SO noticeable the first
two days OF the voyage. The course
OF the Pennsylvania brought hercon-
tinuously in the trough of h sea-,
and, a tolerably strong wind prevail
ing, the lateral motion of the ship
soon called a majority of the volun-
teers to the duty OF paying tribute to
Father Neptune, the performance of
which proved sufficiently engrossing
for the X As Oh 50 hours. The ship
showed great capacity for rolling
and fully Illustrated the meaning of
the time-honored phrase, half seas
over" The bridge stood about 80
feet above the sea, IN on the second
night out the vessel rolled until the
bridge was under water. The Penn
sylvania proved herself ii stanch
boat, however. and the alarm which
was at first felt by some who were
making their first voyage soon sub
sided.
Whe all the tribute had been paid,
and the appetites of the men resumed
their natural sway. the trouble be-
gan. The cooking facilities were not
adequate for cooking enough, or for
cooking well. The food was often
insufficient in quantity, and was
oftener i'll cooked. In my opinion,
the lack of room and facilities was
the main cause. Our officers certain
ly seemed to do all in their power to
procure for their men the quantity
and quality of food to which they
Were entitled. Furthermore, there
was not room enough for comfort
either in the sleeping quarters or IN
the decks. There were, undoubtedly,
many discomforts; yet any one who