The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-05-25
On board the Train.

On board the Train.
Dear Folks at Home:
started this letter at Cave City, KY,
and had 1t finished when we got to Nash
vile, but just as we were going into
the depot gust Of wind carried away
two pages, and will try to patch 1t up
as 1t was, and will let you know where /
mail this later on.
We stopped at Bowling Green, KY,
this morning and got coffee. We, or
the company are living on canned corn,
beef and bread. But N. and l got box
by express from Cleveland just before we
started filled with cake, pies, jellies, ETC.,
so a few Of US are living pretty high.
We are now in condition to appreciate
such gifts.
The last days Of Camp Bushnell were
very interesting. Company G was on
guard and we did our duty very we'll
there was not one person who got
through the lines, and usually the last
night is rather rough. Then came the
packing up and the striking Of tents,
which is very pretty. The ropes are all
loOsened; the buge blown, and as the last
note dies away the tents, 1870 in number,
fall together. Then begins the rush to
see which company can get theirs pack
ed first. Company G was first to get in
line after all was over. Then began the
march to Columbus amid crowds Of
cheering people, who threw flowers OF
all kinds in the street, or gave them to
the boys when they stopped amid the
ringing Of bells, booming Of cannon and
waving of flags. During the loading Of
the cars and preparing to start, there
was continual cheering by the people,
perched on anything that would COM
mand view Of the train. 1t is surpris-
ing the way the sentiment Of the people
has changed. Now and then we see
Cuban flag, but almost everyone shouts
Remember the Maine" That seems to
be the issue.
The weather is about like June day;
the scenery through Kentucky is very
pretty, everything is in full bloom; corn
is just out the ground; wheat ia foot
high above the second joint and some is
heading; oats are four to six inches high
and looking well. 1t must be tough
work to cultivate as the land seems to be
all stone.
At 0akdale, KY, pretty incident Oc-
cured. There was crowd of men, from
% to 40 years old, both eOlOrs,. on
the platform when the train stopped.
An old negro, with gray hair and beard,
came up, hat in hand, and in true south
ern dialect said, "See heah. you niggas,
take off those hats You .dOan't know
these heah boys of the moth, they done
cum down heah in 81 and freed US an
now there gOin' down to free dem poor
Cubans."
The reception we are having on the.way
is fine. They call us the Gallant Fifth"
II we can get a chance to prove it, we
are all right. They say the reason that
we are sent to Tampa direct is because
we have such good regiment, the best
in Ohio and because about so per cent Of
the Fifth is about the same stock as the
Seventh, one of the best fighting regi-
ments of the civil war.
This letter may seem disconnected, but
1t is just as l see the country passing
through it.
Our worst trouble in army life is get
ting stamps, as the people cannot make
any money off them and they do not bring
them to camp to sell, and we cameo get
out to buy them.
We just came to the Tennessee river; 1t
looks just the same as any other river
and just as muddy. Our First Lieut.,
B. 0. Squires, who has been sick nearly
to death with pneumonia, is on his feet
and with US. That is nerve for you. We
just passed military cemetery where
stood many soldiers with heads uncoy-
cred as we went by. Back aways, there
was an old gray headed negro on his
knees in a barn-dOOr way with hands
uplifted as we passed.
We just went by a field Of clover, all in
blOOm-it looks and smells fine. We
are now below Nashville, about 40 miles
south of Kentucky, it is getting a little
warmer. l will mail this at Chatta-
nOOga, Tenn. We expect to get to Tam
pa, Saturday at 3 p. m. We got out Of
the cars and had short exercise drill at
Nashville and will have another early to-
morrow morning. When we get to Tam
pa, Cleveland papers will be scarce and
you can send me one when there is any
thing worth sending.
Twill start another letter at Chatta-
nOOga and mail 1t when it gets big
enough. At all the stations the little
picaninnies give rs flowers. / will put
one in that an awful sweet little 'cOOn"
gave me at Watertown, Tenn. We get
into Chattanooga about 8 O. clock when