The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-18

Six Days AhOat and Only One Warm
Meal of Tainted Meat.

port leaving Tor Porto RHO.
ABOARD THE TRANSPORT RoUMAN-
IAN, Thursday, 10 a. m. July 2S.-Tha four
volunteer batteries. including the Twenty
seventh Indiana, all loaded aboard.
gangways pulled up and everything in
readiness to pull out into the river as soon
as the tugs arrive. The steamer is not a
handsome looking craft, neither does she
look clean. bat the men were informed that
everything is to be put in shipshape order
as soon as she is at sea. The boat was
formerly used by the Allan Steamship Com
pany as a frst-class cattle boat between
American ports and Glasgow, Scotland. 1t
IS said that she can make sixteen knots an
hour, but from what some Of the old tars
who are among her crew say she will do
well If she makes ten knots. Part of the
old cattle stalls on the upper deck have
been left to accommodate the horses of the
four batteries and the twenty horses be-
longing to General Hams and staff The
stalls in the deck below have been torn
out and being urable to clean the old floor
a new pine floor was laid over the old one
10 cover what dirt could not be thrown
out. Hammock posts have been erected in
columns eighteen inches apart. giving to
each soldier the large space of eighteen
inches by twelve feet in which to hang his
hammock. store his baggage, and go
through the farce of sleeping comfortably
There are twenty-seven pairs of hammock
posts across the steamer and from each pair
of posts hang two hammocks, one above
and one below, making in row places for
fifty-four men with ten-inch port hole at
each end of the row, from which the fifty
four men are to get their fresh air. There
are some members of the battery who have
made ocean trips before and one of them
predicts that the greatest howl that was
ever made by the battery boys will be made
inside of a few days, and another was heard
to remark that he had been on voyages with
as many as nine hundred emigrants on the
same steamer Of the lowest class of Italians
and they had more space and better accom-
modations than those provided for the vol
unteer soldiers.
ON EMPTY STOMACHS.
So far to-day no rations have been served,
and as the men were kept up all night load
ing four carloads of ammunition, the boys
think it about time that some notice should
be taken of the inner man, and that coffee
at least should be served. The boys realize
from their past experience during the last
three months that it takes some time to
set things in shape. The officers quarters
are located in the first-cass passenger
cabin, each man having an apartment to
himself, and to be served by the steamer
stewards the same as on the transatlantic
line. The boatswain was heard to remark
that the vessel is sailing with as large a
cargo as she ever carried before and the
smallest crew she ever had. 1t is also
known that fifty tons of ice were to have
been part of the cargo, but through mis-
management OF some one the boat is ready
10 sail with only four tons of ice on board.
ono rt-i1 ffnv Io-
fore the voyage is ended and it is certain
that the officers will not be the first.
The steamer is in charge of Captain Rigs
By, representing the United States govern
ment. He is a volunteer captain in the COM
pissary department. and. judging from ac-
lions and appearances, it was a pull"
more than ability. that got him his appoint
ment. and this is the man that about $50
men have to look to to be fed. The st.
Paul. City of Washington and Seneca are
lying OF in the river, ready to move at
g moments notice, and the Massachusetts
has just finished loading, and with the Rou-
manian, is waiting for the tugs to be
hauled out to the rest of the fleet.
SIX BOYS LEFT BEHIND.
At 70 o'clock two government tugs assist
ed the Roumanian out into the river, and,
after signaling with the flagship Of the
transports for some time, the big ship start
aed toward the open sea. Immediately after
starting down the river the batteries had
check roll call. and Privates Millkan, Gates,
found to be missing. 1t seems that the boys
had gone down town to get last square
meal before sailing, but either the meal was
100 good or the time too short; anyhow,
they got left, and every member of the
4Wenty-seventh Battery is shaking hands
with himself and everybody else that he
was not among the unfortunates About
half way down the river a tugboat was
seen approaching at a terrific rate in the
wake of the ship, and every one cried
There come the boys!" AS soon as the
officers on the bridge saw the tug the en-
gines were stopped until the little boat came
alongside. When she came near enough to
enable the men to recognize faces ii was
eeen that Privates Moore and Coffman, the
battery barber, were the only ones on board
that belonged to Captain Curtiss battery.
The two tardy men explained that when
took the electric line to Fortress Monroe
and persuaded the captain of the tug, with
the aid OF flve-dollar bill, to give chase
after the fast disappearing transport. Moore
and Coffman say they did not see the other
boys, but heard at Newport News, before
leaving, that there were some very badly
frightened Indianapolis artillerymen that
mad missed their boat. 1t is expected they
Will rejoin the command by the first trans
port leaving for Porto Rico.
After passing Fortress Monroe the pilot
was taken off by the government pilot boat
HeueI, and, In very short time, the bat
terry boys had their first sight of old ocean
The men, having worked almost continually
Tor forty-eight hours, were not long in find
ing their eighteen inches of space in which
10 rest their weary bodies, after having
their first meal of the day. consisting of
cold cornec beef and bareback, without cof-
Zee.
Friday. July 29-This morning the bows
were not called early, the officers were
considerate enough to allow them a few
hours extra rest. When the time came to
get up some of the boys found that it
wasn't time for them to get uD, and many
OF them passed the entire first day at sea
between decks in their hammocks. although
they claimed they were not seasick, they
admitted they were not feeling at
ell we'll Sam Sellers, Bookwalter Masters
Catherwood and Schellschmidt, who for the
last few days were continually wishing for
big storm at sea, are now perfectly will
ing that the rest of the voyage shall be
breeze than an ocean breeze. The meals to-
day have been the same supper yester-
day, with the addition OF black ships cof-
Zee without sugar. AS this is the same as
the travelling rations that the boys have
had every day since leaving Camp Thomas
commissary department as it is known to
be a fact that plenty of good food is on
board, at least good enough for the officers
TO have fried chicken and plenty of ice for
their drinks.
KICKED FOR ICE.
When the members of the battery kicked
TO the officers for ice for their drinking
water they were informed that the ice was
government property. and was to be used
only for the fresh meat that is on board
Nevertheless, the boys find that there is
enough ice for the chief steward to keep his
beer and liquors cool, which he sells to the
soldier boys at the very moderate price of
25 cents for a pint of cheap beer. Is cents
nd for