Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-07
SOLDIER IN PORTO RICO.
Corp. Harry Coyne Tells of Company AS
Trip Through the Island

writes interestingly OF the hoch ISL
and boys experiences in Porto Rico,
and talks enthusiastically of the beau
ties of the country. He says:
Our company has not had one
man sick yet. and don't think we
will from the looks of things, as this
place seems to agree with us. They
call this Gods country, and l think
they named it right, as it is the finest
place / have ever seen, and the eli
mate is excellent. There is no fever
here of any kind We have only seen
one battle, but were not in it, and
there was not an American wounded
fatally. or killed, and they say there
were $50 Spaniards killed and about a
dozen wounded; so you see We are
not so bad off. l will now try and
describe our trip since we first got
near land. When we first sighted
land on the 24th of July they sent
one of the boats into the bay at
Guanica and started to lombard the
Spanish, who were up on the hills
and who soon took sneak, but not
until three of their men had been
killed and some of them wounded,
and after this was over Git lasted
about two hours) we were transferred
to land in skiffs, and you never saw 4
happier crowd than we were when we
got on land, after being on the boat
for IL DAYS. We all thong hit
that we would have bat
tie as soon as we attempted
to get on land, but yOu can imagine
our surprise to find nothing there but
about a dozen natives and they were
scared to death of us, but when they
found out that we were Americans
they were glad to see us and would
do anything or give US anything they
had. We then marched up Il couple
of blocks and were getting some CO.
coanuts, which are as thick as flies
down here, when we received orders
to divide our company in two platoons,
and each platoon to 90 out on 4
different mountain and act as outpost
guard. | was in Lieut.. Hemenway'
platoon and we had the highest and
hardest mountain to climb. We had
all of our traps with us, too. The
mountain was about 800 feet above
the level of the sea and it took us
about an hour and half to get to the
top. We were all glad when we ar
rived there. The first thing we did
was to get something to eat, and then
those who did not 90 on guard pro-
ceeded to 20 to sleep, and / was one
of them. 1 did not have to 90 on
guard till 3 a. IN. Nothing happened
the night until daybreak.
when we heard several shots and then
some volleyS about u mile away, and
then we caught sight of where it was
and had chance TO see the whole
battle. 1t was between the Spanish
and two of the Massachusetts compa-
MES and Company &, of our regiment,
and lasted for an hour or so. We
thought we would have chance to
get in it, but they didn't need our
help, so we were left on the mountain.
But that night, about supper time, we
received orders to be ready for an
attack at any time. as they said we
were all surrounded. So we built
breast works and lay awake all night
waiting for the enemy to come; but
they must have lost their way, as we
have not seen them since. The next
orders came that we would
be relieved in the afternoon, and we
were not a bit sorry, as we were good
and tired of camping up so high. We
left up there about ! O'Clock in the
afternoon and arrived down where we
were TO camp at supper time, and AL
enioyed 4 good meal and then went to
bed. The next day we received orders
to move our camp up the road about
a mile, which caused everybody TO
kick, but that does not do any good
in the army, so we moved, and we
found that it was not Il nice place,
for when it rained we had TO bail tho
water out of our tents. We only
stayed there three days, when we
marched across the island to San Juan.
the capital of Porto Rico. We have
now marched about 81 miles and are
awfully tired. We passed through
some pretty nice cities, but they have
such funny names / cannot remember
them. When we enter a town all the
people run away until they discover
we are Americans, when they all come
out TO meet us.
You will see that it is about is
davs ago that / started this letter.
but we don't have much time to
write. | would not have time now
only my feet are sore. and we
were left here in Ponce for a couple
of DAYS. John Carse and Clay ton
Case are here with me. There were
eight members of our company here,
but five of them have started out
again. Don't think that | am sick.
for / am not, and neither is any of the
other boys. l have received no letter
vet. but received THE ARGUS and
Union. From the repor Is here |
think we will he home soon. i sup
pose there will be big time in Rock
Island Labor day, but we will miss
out on that guess. Well, this city is
2I miles from.where | started this letter |
and il is a fine place. The streets are |
lighted by electricity and it has
population of So, 900. We are in camp
With the 10th l.. ). regulars. |
and they are all nice fellows. and !
rood MANY of them are from Illinois. !