The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-08-11
Traced By the Hand of
Edward Wingerter.
LETTER TO HIS PARENTS
That Gave No Thought of Impending
Calamity.
HE TALKED OF COMING HOME

the beaF races OF IhOse lie Loved
Was in Excellent Spirits and Good
Health when the Mlssive Was
Written In Far-OT Cuba
Memorial Services Were
Held Monday at st.
Peters Church.
The letter, which is herewith append
ed, was the last one ever written by Ed
ward wiugetter, Of Company 1, Eighth
regiment. 1t was received by his parents
last Sund Y evening when many other
letters from the front reached anxious
parents in this city. Mr.. and Mrs.
Wingerter had every reason to believe that
their son was In the best of health. On
Thursday, however, a cablegram was re-
ceived from Santiago conveying the sad
intelligence that Edward wingerter had
died Wednesday. No Further informa.
tion has been received by the family, who
can hardly realize that, now that peace
is So near at hand that their
gallant boy will not soon be restored
TO them. The return Of the Canton COM
panies will have with 1t a sad recollec.
tion for them.
Memorial services because of the death
Of the young soldier-hero, were held at
ST. Peters church Monday morning
at 1880 standard time when Reqiem
High Mass was observed. The, re-
mains of deceased can never be returned
to his native country. The body was
doubtless hurled within an hour after
was ever penned by the hand now. life
less-is treasured by the grief-stricken
parents. 1t reads as follows:
Camp Lookout, Santiago de Cuba,
July II, 1898. Dear Parents:--T will
write you letter to let you know that
we are camping in Cuba. We so far have
not shot Spaniard, as long as we
have been here. These Cubans that are
here are just like the Spaniards. They
steal everything they lay their hands on,
and are as black as coal. The same
way with the Spanierds, both parties
are black. Well, guess that we will be
home before long, because they do not
need US. All the soldiers that are need
ed now are the regulars and battleships
We now have about 200 Spanish pris-
oners down at this seashore, and today
the Spanish in Santiago are going to be
sent back to Spain. There were about
300 Of our boys who went over to see them
leave. Now when come home you must
have good meal for Inc because we do
not get anything but hsrdtack and
small piece of meat snd some coffee and
so we connot get fat on that, and the
fruit we get Is coooanuts and pine ap-
plies, and today for dinner We are going
to have rice, tomatoes, bareback, some
coffee and also onions. We have to get
our meals ready ourselves. Mamma,
II our boys get sick we will have 10 stay
here till the snow falls, and If there Is
no Que Gets sick, we will be home in
about two months, because some OF the
regulars are going home next week.
Ono Of them said 1t twice already that we
would be home soon. Now, will tell
you how we came here since we left
Camp Alger. We left there on Tuesday
evening and got on the train about
o'clock at night. We arrived at New
York late and went on the St. Paul
about sun down, and on Sunday the
regiment got off and 1 had to stay on
till last Wednesday. had TO stay and
help work on the boat, and on Thurs
day heard that our boys were going to
fight, so l thought would go with the
boys and left there that day. We walk
ed in mud up to our knees till we got to
the regiment, and when We did get there
they said that we were not going to
fight.
Now dear, parents, / viii tell you what
the Cubans do when they fight They
leave our boys go up and fight and they
stay in the back and steal all that the
boys leave behind them, aud when any
of our boys get shot they go through
their pockets and steal their money.
Every boy wishes he were home on 40
count of the Cubans. Some of them are
too lazy TO eat. Well, guess l will
have to stop and get my dinner ready.
Goodbye.
EDWARD wINGERTER,
Co. I, Eighth Regiment, o. VI.
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