The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-08-17
TELLS ALL ABOUT II.
Sergeant Hunter Describes the
last Days of Spanish
Santiago.
correspondenee 10 the LEApER.


correspondence TO the LEADER.
Is CANT Mills NE or
SANTIAGO. July 2s. 1s9s
Once more hnd time and paper with
which to let the people Of oklahoma
know of the health and whereabouts
of her sold ers. IL has been impos
sible to get piece Of paper even ia g
enough for cigarette wrapper sin {
the surrender OF Santiago, end only a
few Of the boys have been able 10 com
municate with their friends In Amer
lea " borrowed this from brigade
nentiy locet and have the super
vision OF 10 men, 40 head Of horses,
saddles, etc. but no paper.
The taking OF Santiago was no easy
matter. 70 the troops in front it was
days OF fighting and at nights digging
trenches, boom roofs, filling sacks ana
guard Several nights we worked ia
regular downpour OF rain, with only
the fash Of lightning to see BY and an
occasional Spanish bull.t to keep up
our courage.
On the ~ n Of July we moved from
our entertainments in front TO the main
road running into Santiago from the
no theast, and here pitched our tents
and again dug trenches. This was the
road over which the refugees ON
Santiago moved, aud the only ROAD
they could come in on after the surren
der. Az o'clock a. m. on the 18th the
French aud British consuls, with their
attendants, passed the guard and en-
tered the city. 90 the morning Of the
18th the refugees began passing, and
for two DAYS and nights a constant
stream Of people passed. Some were
well dressed, but the majority were
poorly clad and famine stricken, carry
ing all their worldly belongings on
tbeir heads. some begged piteously
for "visquit (hard tack and "ongwa'
lwaterl. We W re forbidden to speak
TO or give them anything, but, not
withstandiug the order many hard
tack was slipped into th- outstretcheu
hands and water from our canteens
refreshed the thirsty
bout IA 900 OF these people hso
been huddlvo together y miles from
; .ntiagC in little town called II
Caney, without shelter or food, living
on frnit called mango" which is 8
yellow fruit about the size OF a Bart.
lett pear, but shaped like an egg. ano
very injurious 10 digestion. No one
eau describe the misery and sufferiui
these people have gone through with
Many OF the m have money. but thet,
is not ing TO buy. / was offe' ed s. in
spanish gold for two hard tack, but ali
we could spare we gave to them.
Our flag was raised over the city at
~ o'clock on July 18th, after a salute
Of 81 guns and cheers by our soldiers.
who stood at attention in front OF
our breastworks The Spani h soldiers
marchet out and stacked their arms.
The American stars and Stripes now
hoat proudly over the city of Santiago,
and Oklahoma can Justly say that her
sons did their share in putting them
there.
The constant work completely ex-
hausted hundreds Of the bows, Only
few deaths from fever have occurred.
We are uow camped where there Is
plenty Of shade and spring water. Col
Roosevelt looks out for our regiment,
and we have Jared much better than
the regulars
The fondest hope OF the army here
D. that we viii soon return TO the
United States. have Just been in.
formed that we viii have light bread
and porter house steak for supper
which sounds better than the ng Of
the spanish bullets
! want 70 advise the boys In Okla
poma 10 bring their slickers Don't
trust the pon~hos II is a fake and
delusion, and not bat little better than
q mosquito net in wet weather, and
the sun melts IL 10 dry weather. IL
blows over your head just as a real
hard gast Of rain and wind comes, and
when the rain is over you can tell you
have been wet, but not dry spot 10
distinguish the sheltering fold Of the
pOnehO
AdjutaEt Hall has been relieved and
Is now az some summer resort ia the
South. No one has as yet been APP
pointed 70 MI the vacancy caused by
the wounding OF Lieut. Carr
SERGEANT T. w. HUNTER,
Troop ID, First L. $. Y. c.