The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-06

of the Hardships the Soldiers Now
at the Front Have to Undergo.
The following letter was received by
Miss Hannah Deacon, Of 513 Webster
avenue, from her nephew, James D.
Cook, formerly of this city. 1t is to
be regretted that The Tribune read
ers cannot be given a glimpse of the
envelope which enclosed the message.
1t is nothing but a piece of paper cut
and folded in oblong shane and la
boriously sewed on three sides with a
heavy cord like thread which looks as
if it might have been extracted from
some portion.ot the writer's clothing.
1t is seweA double. of course, man
fashion, and the ends are caught in
what is known in rural districts as a
granny knot looped and fastened
many times. The crooked, awkward
stitches so laboriously taken by the
boyish hands, weary from the long
march, the long fast, the furious fight,
c2n scarcely be seen without thrill
of emotion by even the most casual
observer 1t is safe to declare that no
woman could look upon this pathetic
effort to relieve the anxiety of loved
ones at home without mist of tender
ness In her eyes.
Much of the letter was written in
the trenches before Santiago, while the
writer was under fire. II is as follows:
THE LETTER.
Santiago de Cuba July 13
Dear Aunte: l got your letter night
before last and read it at the camp fire.
l wish you could have seen us all around
the fire reading letters from home. Well,
l am still alive, and only alive. Rainy
season is in for fair. / guess / wrote
you about battle of Caney. 1T was some
thing awful. Major Whipple who went
through civil war. says we are enduring
hardships that civil war vets never en-
dured-out in an open field with Spanish
In splendid breastworks. After ten hours
hard fighting, succeeded in defeating
them.
Six men wounded in our company and
our first lieutenant killed outright. Len
way ten feet to my right, hit and died
iiNe days later. He called out Goodbye
boys!' as he was struck. Lieutenant
Fields killed twenty feet to my left, and
the very next man to me. not three feet
away, hit in the leg. As we stood in the
roadway a. sharpshooter took off one of
our men ten feet away. 1t was some
thing awful to hear the groans and cries
of the wounded. We were in the thick
est of the fight, and Spaniards had those
rapid-hring, automatic guns, which shoot
fifty or sixty shots minute
The marching had fearful effect on us
and so had the weather. We all have
twinges of rheumatism. 7 got thoroughly
soaked yesterday and slept in wet clothes
all night TUenty-four sick in our COM
pany, not including wounded, and over
400 ont of possible 900 in our regiment
are at the hospital. Think of it! Cuba
is paradise! Cuba is hell.
DURING PART OF DAY.
The country is paradise during certain
| parts of the day. The soil rs great vegc-
| tables everywhere. Beautiful palm trees,
| cocOanut trees, banana trees, sweet pota-
| toes, grapes. all fruits one can think
| of. MangCes-l eat lots every day. We
are now away from coCoanut trees. but
| bananas not quite ripe on other hand.
| The rainy season kills the charm, for Two
or three hours everyday. Was in guard
| in rifle pits Nhe other night, three in
| pit one asleep, one in pit. one outside.
| Fellow in pit said to me: 81 hear a
| noise, report to Lieutenant" / had not
| got ten feet when a voley was fred and
| our troops attacked. We beat them off
in good shape. They say it's wonderful
how our troops succeeded in getting over
hills around Santiago. We had to dig
! trenches all around and hard work it
was. We are now up against the city,
| and our regiment is within 400 yards of
| the Santiago bull ring.
| All l get TO eat is hardtack and bacon:
| once in a great while a couple spoonsful
| of tomatoes or about a square inch Of
corned beef. During the days it is fear
| FULLY warm, and at night very cold, so
| when we get wet during the day, especial
| ly if it rains late, why the cold air at
night together with damp clothes,
creates havoc amongst us. In Caney bat
tie a bullet went through my coat sleeve
near the arm pit.
July 15-This morning, and a beautiful
morning 1t is, happiness regns. This
time yesterday morning we were hustling
and making preparations for the battle
| We went into the trenches at u noon, and
| did not expect to come out alive. Our
brigade occupied the most dangerous posi-
tion, and our regiment most dangerous
| i'll brigade. At we were ordered out of
trenches, and a few minutes later .he
| generals went along the lines with the
news that Santiago had surrendered with
| 1000 men, and on east side of us 5000
more and they to be sent back to Spain,
which means that we control this end OF
| the island.
HATS FLEW Up.
Out of respect to the enemy no cheer
ing, but how the hats flew. Grudges were
forgotten. | wish you could have seen
what l saw /. e., how the men acted.
/ went to my tent and cried like baby.
There were mighty few who could con-
troll their feelings. After the emotional
part had passed away we gathered in
groups and talked 1t over, and finally the
crowd got TO singing and a happy eve
ming was spent.
July lS-Nothing new. How money flies.
When one is half starved and clothes
wearing out, so IA month Is not much.
Our forced marches have been fearful.
have seen men throw away everything,
even to pocket combs. When one has
eaten crackers for a while, as we have,
well, there isn't man who wouldn't give
a dollar for pie, or for one square meal
s., If he had 1t, We are starved.
Yesterday morning the flag was raised
and we all lined all around the city and
stood at attention from to $50 while
articles OF surrender were being signed
then at II the flag was raised over San
tiago and the cheering must have been
heard in America. l believe we are to be
shipped to the United States.
Our brigade has borne the brunt of this
whole affair and if Havana is % be taken
] understand we are to have a hand in
it. Am sick today-been to Surgeon
Lovingly,
|