The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-12
THEY WRITE FROM SANTIAGO.
sAVANNAHIANS TELL OF CONDI-
TIONS EXISTING THERE.

Health Conditions Greatly Improved.
Col. Rays Georgia Men in Good
Spirits-NOt Believed That They
VIII SufTer Any bad ResuIts-Maj.
WyIly Writes of the spaniards.
Says They Can Not Understand the
American Way of Fighting.
A letter received by a Savannahian yes
terday from his son. who is a Lieutenant
in Col. Rays Third United States Volun-
teer Regiment, would indicate that health
conditions have greatly improved at San
tiago, and that there are good reasons to
believe that with proper care the regiment
will escape any illness Of a serious or gen.
erai nature.
Mails between that port and this coun-
try seem to be of an extremely uncertain
character. Up TO Aug. 26, when the letter
referred to left Santiago, not a single let
ter or paper had been received from this
country. though no doubt hundreds of
each had been written and sent from Sa-
vannah alone during the several weeks
which had passed since the regiment left
this port for Cuba.
In his letter, the officer says:
"The report as to the unhealthiness
Of this place must be exaggerated. 1t is
true that there are deaths every day, but
they are principally Spaniards, poor devils,
who have been starved to death and are
suffering from diseases contracted from
other circumstances than climatic condi-
tons. The fever here is not yellow jack,
but climatic fever, corresponding to ma
laria. In symptoms, it is like broken-bone
or la grippe OF course 1 am not saying
that there is no yellow fever here, nor that
they do not have it, but situated as we
to believe that we will suffer any bad
results.
I'm the first place, the rainy season is
over, and so far, while the middle of the
day is exceedingly warm, the mornings,
afternoons and nights are delightful We
are on the south side of a valley running
east and west, out camp occupying the
upper part of the slope, headquarters be-
ing just behind the ditch in front of the
| entrenehment of the Spaniards. My tent
is on top of the embankment behind the
ditch and not more than ten feet from
one Of the Spanish guns. This is the
| largest among the number here and in
good condition. 1t is said that volley fir
ing by the troops on the hills across the
valley killed seventeen men al this gun,
all of whom are reported buried under or
near the majors and my tents.
while there was some fighting done here
where we are camDed, the most desperate
and deadly charges were made further
around to the right at San Juan hill. Just
to our right, between our camp and San
Juan, Is Ell Caney pronounced Ka-nay).
In fact, we are on the extreme left of
the Spanish line of Ell Caney, the block
house which gave so much trouble and
did such damaging work being just off
to the left. 1t would be more correct to
say, what is left of it, as the field artll-
| lery demolished the building entirely. All
of the battlefields have been pretty well
searched and cleaned up of souvenirs by
our boys and others. They are continu-
ally. bringing in something of interest,
ranging anywhere from a Mauser to a
hattened bullet.
THE city of Santiago is most interest
ing place--so delightfully."- foreign in every
way that the presence of the few Amer
| leans here but assists in setting that fact
| off. The buildings are old and peculiarly
! Spanish having the windows all barred.
What few women you see are usually
| behind these bars. There are no inter-
esting buildings in the city except the
palace, now occupied by department head
! quarters of Gen. Lawton, and the Cathed-
raj, the latter being magnificent in exte-
rior and very handsome in the interior"
! A letter was also received yesterday by
friend from Maj. T. s. Wylly, also with
Rays regiment. Maj Wyly has been
looking somewhat into business conditions
| since he has been down there, and he
considers them good. He gives some in
| teresting observations on the Spaniards,
| as fOllows
THE Spaniards are suspicious race
and cling with almost desperation to the
| groundless hope that in some unaccount-
able manner Spain is going to send help
! that will enable The balance of the island
to defy the world. They are ignorant, of
course, and, therefore, hard to convince
/ They sincerely believe that Spain is the
most powerful nation in the world. Amer
lea they think, is a small, weak power
with more crazy people in the army than
| soldiers. They say we do not know how
10 fight. The Spaniards and Cubans shoot
| quick and run to cover. The Americans
! shoot, yell and run at the enemy all the
time. They can't understand it."
There have been few reports from Col
Rays men, but from all accounts, they
are in good condition and quite healthy