The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-08-24

tack. For one we get good cigar, for two
good cocoanut and for three half mango.
We get dozen sweet corn for dozen hard
tacks. If we had money we would get two
Spanish dollars for an American one. But
you see, we have nit and don't know when
we will get any. We are as we'll of without
IL. They say there are 10000 Spanish
soldiers on this island, but we have failed to
see them yet Yesterday afternoon the
9TH Ohio and 3rd Illinois went up
the ocean from here about four miles and had
hot scrap with the Spanish They killed
four Spanards and five of our people were
wounded, but not badly. The Spaniards are
poor marksmen Last night our regiment
was taken up there. and it is there
yet We had to stay in camp with only two
companies as guard. | wanted our captain TO
take me along but he said he wanted the
two cooks to stay and guard the tents and
sleep in his tents 50 when he comes back
am going to quit cooking and take my gun
If he don't like it he can send me home.
wont be a cook soldier and stay back. Our
colonel told me when he was down to camp
that our company would be- back for
supper 1t is now nine o'clock here
and ten o'clock at home, but there
Is no company yet. The battleship Cincinnati
is about two miles of the camp and about a
quarter Of a mile out in the ocean, throwing
her search light all around hunting and
trying to locate the Spaniards When she
strikes our camp it is as light as day. They
have only thrown it on the camp once, but |
guess they didn't know we were lying here,
or they would not have turned it on us
That would be bad for us if the Spaniards
are up in the hills, for we are just between
the mountains and the battl0ship. She keeps
the light on the town above us, and up and
uOWn the ocean, and over the mountains
The people here are very dark
ana don't know anything but Spanish
and Porto Rican. There are some
rleh half Spanish people here. You ought to
see Their One-stOry houses But talk about
handsome yards, plants, cocoa trees and
cactus We have large cactus plants in our
streets III camp. There are five PottsyiIe
boys in the hospital here but half of it is
lallness and cOwardice. They are no more
SICK than am. Just think of it! We are
cut OIL from the world There is no tele-
graph OF cable here and the only way to com
municate is the way | am doing and wait for
some snip to come and take it, This is the
hrst time | have eyer been cut off from the
WOrlu. There was a sad occurrence wheD we
landed here. young man from Lancaster
ana member of our regiment was attacked
by fever. lie was sick all the way during
the voyage aud died five hours before we
landed. They waited until we had landed and
the funeral took place on shore as they call
II. They marched up the beach about 200 yards
ana then waded out and dug a hole down
under water, about two feet, for grave. One
OF the men of our company, while on guard,
pulled up his gun and shot a COW. The bullet
entered at the cows nose, passed through
INTO its shoulder, clean through its body. out
at the rump and through the tail. making
six holes in all. We are going out on picket
duty tonight for twenty four hours. The
spsniards are in the hills and we expect an
attack at any time. The regulars are coming
down from Miles camp until we 60 to take
the city of San Juan.