The Press., 1898-07-14
(Erom the Monson Register.)
From Our Special war Correspondent.

From Our Special War Correspondent.
On board transport NO 49, or the northern
coast of Cuba, Monday, June Goth, 1898.
Mr.. EDITOR: believe my last letter
was written just as we were about to
leave Tampa on board the transport No.
IA, formerly the Ward liner Concho. Our
experiences still continue as interesting
and uncertain as ever. After lying from
Wednesday until Saturday In Tampa Bay
with about forty other boats, we, the Sd
battalion OF the Second Massachusetts
Volunteers, were transferred to new
transport, the Knickerbocker. Our
quarters on the Concho were about as
horrible as could be imagined The after
hold, where we were first placed, also ac
commodated three or four companies OF
the 25th regular infantry, NEGRO regi-
ment, who did not add to the cleanliness
or smell of the place. In fact, after the
first night not one Of the Massachusetts,
boys slept there. Instead, we bunked on
the upper deck, which was reserved for
us. We gladly welcomed change, and
moved with alacrity to the cleaner boat,
Knickerbocker. This boat was notnum-
bered, andjudge of our. surprise and al
most CONSERVATION, when we found 1t was
to be 13, a number skipped by all the
other transports. The superstition of the
boys asserted itself, and many wanted it
changed. The captain of the boat, how
ever, argued that there were thirteen let
ters in the name of the boat, which had.
weathered every storm for twenty years;
that there were thirteen officers aboard,
and that we were from Massachusetts, a
q ate of thirteen letters. Consequently,
with the best grace, the boys accepted his
arguments.
After several harrassing experienc s
and narrow escapes from running down, or
being run into by other boats, we found
our boat to be IS good sailor as any In
the feet. The next day was the 18th,
and we took on the first battalion and
headquarter officers from another trans
port and moved to the wharf Fifteen
carloads of supplies were put into the
hold and early the next morning joined
the other ships and proceeded to the low
er bay, where we anchored. In about
four hours we were again under way,
this time it proved for our destination,
Santiago de Cuba OF course, no one
knew our destination then, and 1t was the
constant subject Of our conversation.
Many inquiries were put to the ships
officers, who knew no more than we did.
We sailed In three divisions, each headed
by battleship, and there were also seven
gunboats and four torpedo boats along
our fanks and rear. We were No. In
the second division, or nearly in the CEN
ter of the feet, which made most inn
pressive sight as we sailed along. There
WeiFs auosat 20 s0glIl EE0ons ia the expedle
tion.
Everything was very pleasant the first
three days, and hardly any one on board
was sick, but oh, the next day, how the
boat did rock and pitch. We're we sick
Well, nearly every one had his side of the
boat reserved, and held his place amid
the rolling and pitching of the ship. We
have subsisted for sixteen days on canned
corned beef, canned roast beef, canned
tomatoes and black coffee. / don't think
that this feed was conducive to good
health when continued for such length
of time. We, OF course, did everything
In our power to secure what else we
could The steward sold soup at exorbi-
tant prices, and soon gathered in all the
change the boys had. But little iudic.
ious feeling of the sailors has kept us iI
fairly good feed, at least once a day
You can trust Chape to find feed II
there is one to be had. Sunday 1t was
better, and we have managed to stay on
deck nearly all day.
| We have been In sight of land many
times, but never so plain as to-day, when
we passed Santiago de Cuba, and stopped
near the coast, about thirty miles west oil
the city. We saw one or two Of the
squadron under Sampson, which Is guard
ing the entrance to the harbor, as We
passed. We are in hopes to be landed
soon, although think the undertaking
| will be hard one, not on account of any
| opposition, but because everything will
have to be unloaded by lighters. Haven't
seen anything of Spaniard yet, but ther
| we are four miles from shore.
Later-have just seen my first battleshiE
/ in action, but we are too far off to SEE
more than the smoke and hear the can
nonading.
Some of the boats have already landed
and am so much interested in what IL
going on and in preparing to land that
will close. Ell. T. CHAPLIN,
Musician. co. G, I'd Mass. Vols.