The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1898-07-05

this regiment Is en- guard. At st. Peters.
burgh there Is pond fed by large
streams, said to be the finest water In
Florida. 1t Is from here all water for the
troops Is taken. Thers is also large Ice
factory here. b. Go. guard the Ice fac
tory, the pond (they call 1t lake, but
as It's not larger than the Flat Iron block,
It's too much to ask US to call 1t that,
and the docks.
To begin with, might explain that
catamaran is built by taking two boats,
flat bottomed, little narrower and
little deeper than a common row boat.
rigging center boards on them, fastening
them together, side by side, little ways
apart, decking them over and iigging
sail on 1t. The one we had was about
| 20 feet over all on main deck and 10 feet
wide. No gunwale, cockpit or cabin;
carried jib, main sail, and jigger. The
characteristic of this class of boat is 1t
can't be upset, Also, unless wind and
tide is favorable, 1t won't run. Ours
looked like a cross between a fence
post and a threshing machine, and had
the sailing qualities of washtub. We
left here at 7 a. IN. and arrived at St.
Petersburgh at p. M, ten hours going
nine miles. Twice we went fishing and
swimming, having no trouble whatever
in keeping up; we caught lots OF jelly
fish, sometimes called sea pigeons and
sometimes ink fish. We made enough
ink 10 last the regiment a week. The
envelope on this letter Is addressed with
lit. After many trials and tribulations
the tide turned, and the wind went down,
and we literally drifted over to St. Peters
burgh. The old guard of Go. B. took us
out to supper, and afterwards we attend
ed church at the Congregational church,
where a military service was held foI
our benefit. The preacher was an eX-
confederate, an ex-union soldier led 10
prayer. The union man was an old Chi
cago man and wore G. A. K pin; the
preacher wore the badge OF his LOST
cause. These two men were on oppos
ing sides in the battle Of the wilderness
; 1t did me good to see the complete lack
of the old north and south feeling. The
! services were very nice, and one thing
could not help but notice was, tiat when
the contribution box was passed, they
did not go through where we sat at all
Guess they must know that we are al
broke or very badly bent. We saw ba
nanas and pineapples growing, both o
which we're very nearly ripe. A little
girl gave me an Alamander blossom,
have done the best could to press 1t ant
; enclose it to you; they grow on climb
! ing vine, looking good deal like climb
! ing ivy.
We are now brigaded under Brig. Ger
Hull, formerly Col. of the 4th U. ). Init
! stationed at TT. Sheridan. He Is an oil
u friend of Col. Turner, and no sooner wer
r we put In his brigade than there was
9 violent shaking up in the Q. M. depart
9 ment. Now we are getting fresh mes
r twice day, potatoes, rice, beans, har
;, tack, bacon and coffee and lots OF
II This to us, who had not had enough
g eat in a month, greatly endeared Bril-
l. Gen. Hull. He has increased our drill
u but the universal opinion is, If he onl
e keeps on feeding us we will drill all da
IT IL he wants us to; he has also increase
. our water supply, 80 that now we hay
Is plenty. It's time for mess and afterward
y must get ready for guard mount,
9 will close and go and get some good RI
j. tions; thanks to Brig. Gen. Hull.
d Tell Grace and Clare that | will wri
them in a day or two.
le Your Brother,
4, WALTER A. NASH.