Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-06-30

1D%>t- country's call for
volunteers from
this city. He is a member of Co. b,
32d Mich. Ia Grand Rapids company.
TAMPA Florida, June "a, 1898.
My DEAR FRIEND:-In keeping with
my promise | shall try to give you an
idea of our life, etc
With much disgust we are still en-
camped at Tampa. We have been
ordered to Cuba and Porto Rico at
least five or six times and each time
the orders have been countermanded.
| This has caused great deal OF fret
ting among the boys as they are all
very anxious to get into action. We
do not now know where we are going
nor when we will move. Many rumors
of course reach us daily. No doubt
| politics has much to do with our delay.
We have been here and ready to move
for month; but you have perhaps
noticed that the Massachusetts regi-
ments have had good deal of prefer
ence. General Miles is bucking Gen.
Alger so you see Michigan troops | am
afraid will not share much in victories
unless change is made. Our regiment
is acknowledged to be the best equip
ped and drilled of any volunteer regi-
ment in camp and to be compelled to
bear this delay gives us much chagrin.
But no more of my worrying. | will
tell that this Land of flowers and sun
shine" is not just what we had expected. |
Kentucky and Tennessee, what we saw
OF those two states, we liked very |
much.
Here comes wench down the road. |
She is right out in the hot sun and |
carries on her head great bundle of |
some kind. They seem to carry these
bundles on their heads with such ease,
no matter how hot it is, that think of
hiring one TO carry my load of blankets
and provisions and ammunition. 1t
would be nice to be soldier then.
Well, back TO my story again.
Georgia is a hot state full of big fat
coons and thin lean white people. We
have a regiment of Georgia troops
camped on our right flank. They are
a poorly drilled and equipped regiment.
We stopped about three hours in At
lanta, Georgia, and saw many old land
marks that had been SCARED by the
batteries of Sherman on his march to
the sea. We marched through the
streets and many Of the old southern
mammas stood in their doorways and
frowned on us for suppose it recalled
to their mind the recollections of the
dreaded blue coats who marched
through their streets thirty years and
more ago. We saw many fields OF corn
and cotton and what looked queer to
me was the way they rowed their corn
and cotton. 1t was not planted in long
straight rows as we plant at home but
was planted in rows which were semi
circular. The work is all done by /
mules and negroes.
But of all disgusting places it is
Florida. 1t may be all right in mid
winter, but in midsummer il is only
lit for coons. We arrived here during
The dry season and everything was all
dried up and so hot and dusty we could !
not keep clean were we in water all
The while. Our shade consists OF tall &
Palmetto trees which grow very tall
without single branch or limb reach ;
ng out until at the top small round {
bunch, giving relief TO the uniform |
igure OF the tree. They are very '
much in contrast to the great bushy !
naples which we still retain in our +
maginations. Honestly, / have not |
een any state in the south so far as 9
ny knowledge goes that | would prefer =
% Michigan and | would not trade a |
home in Montana for all the south and )
Ne compelled to live there
The only thing | really enjoy is the :
inc bathing in the bay. The water is 2
'ery salty and is very good for the d
atarrh. The rainy season is now on ?
n full blast. IL rains every afternoon I
nd rains hard too. More rain falling
han have ever seen in the same
mount of time in Michigan. After =
he rain the sun comes out hot and the q
arth sweats and steams and we all II
eel just like lot OF stale bread that is q