The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-23
HOW THEY LIVED IN CUBA.
William Hickey Writes to The
Times From Santiago.

| Gay.
Before Santiago, Aug. T.
For the benefit of our many friends
and relatives I write to inform them
through The Times that we are all well
We arrived In Cuba safe and sound July
IL and were landed at Altares. After
about four hours marching from there
we camped for the night on the top OF
mountain, which was formerly used
| by the Rough Riders, and was the burial
place of Hamilton Fish.
AT 1:S0 the next morning we again
started upon our tedious march, and in
| five and half hours reached our present
Il camp. After a miserable night spent in
the rain, we We're put to work digging
| trenches, within $50 yards of the Span
| fards and were fired upon several times
The bullets did not 'faze the boys, who
stuck to their posts until relieved the
next morning
'On the evening of the fourteenth we
were suddenly lined up and told of the
| surrender of the Spaniards.
There Were No Cheers.
The news was received without cheers
or applause. but we felt pretty good La
ter in the evening our regimental b md ar
rived, and when it played the national
anthems. tell you, we felt buoyant. and
! IL seemed as though We were back in the
land of the Stars and Stripes. After
| this, our camp was very tame with only
guard duty to relieve the monotony of
drill.
On July Is, Private Henery, on post
number seven, captured Spanish desert
| er, VINO was heavily armed, but his equip
| ments We're taken away from him by
| PrlVates Heipenstine, Davis, and Hickey.
and he was turned over to headquarters
where ne has been put 10 work
July IL marked the second month of
our service, during which time we have
mad lots of experience, and sufficient tut
| ton TO make us hardened and thorough
soldiers. We think that those who nam
| ed us tin soldiers will have to admit
that we are the real thing when they see
us again.
July II also marked another great day
lot US, for Santiago formally surrendered
| IN the presence of the entire American
army. When Old Glory was raised in
| place OF the Yellow Jack, which the
spanish flag is commonly called by the
| soldiers, the combined shouts of our ar
my and the music OF the band could be
heard echoing from mountain TO noun
| tain. And no one could depict the scene
OF enthusiasm that followed.
| After the ceremony was over our COM
pany was ordered to march back. and
| get the tents, blankets, and hammocks
| that We're left behind in our hurry TO get
| TO the front. AT this camp are the graves
OF many of the soldiers who were killed
! in the herce fight at this place. All along
| the road from Altares, over which we
! Travelled, can be seen the remains OF the
| Spanish forces and equipments. and the
| odor of the dead bodies can be detected,
| which makes the surrounding neighbour
| hood very undesirable for travelling Vul-
! lures can be seen as numerously as the
| little sparrows in the shade trees of
| Washington.
Begging for Food.
But these are not the only unpleasant
features Of the country. The traveller is
frequently accosted by groups of starry
| ing reconcentrados, who piteously beg for
| food. They Will give almost anything in
| their possession for a bit of bareback
| We do what we can for them, of course
and do not accept the little that is left
| them after the years of incessant strug-
| Cling, which has reduced them TO the last
stages of want and priyation. l know of
cases where dollar was offered for
J piece of bareback, and a five-dollar gold
! coin for two pounds of corned beef. but
! here the American soldier shows his man
| hood by refusing the money and giving
the coveted article to the beggar, often
| at great sacrifice.
|
| Santiago at the beginning of the bonn
| bardment are now returning TO the city
| The sight of these poor people passing
| along the road is beyond description.
| l spent two hours yesterday watching
this procession of starving humanity,
and some of these ! saw will be forever
| in my mind. The pictures displayed in
the shop windows of Washington give
| but a meagre idea of the condition of
| these unfortunates.
Eel Caney is within sight of our
! camp, and nearly all of the boys
have paid 1t visit. The inhabitants of
| the place are of the poorer class, ana
| have no personal modesty, going most
of the time with nothing on in the way
| of clothing. The Spanish garrison. re-
duced by our forces, is now mass of
| ruins The church San Luis de Gaudal-
| oupe is now used for a hospital for the
sick and infirm of the town folks, cared
| for by the surgeons of our army. Medl-
| cine and food is given out to the Spanish
| soldiers and subjects, or rather to those
who were Spanish subjects. For the peo-
ple here are enthusiastically in sympa-
| thy with the American army.
The District Boys.
THE District boys are noted for their
spirit of brotherly feeling, and each fell
low tries to make his comrade happy and
contented. AS l sit here writing the
hand is playing Dixie but you can
hardly hear it from the applause of the
BOYS. The only thing lacking to make
MS comfortable is the want of tobacco,
which is in great demand upon the island
Everyone old and young, male and fe-
| male. uses 1t here. 1t is common oc-
| currence for a beautiful Cuban girl 10
come into camp and beg for a cigar
cite. ,.,,,d
thair thanks to The Times for the last
| supply of papers. They were the only
| American papers here, and the feiiow
| who was fortunate enough to get hold OF
one. held fast to it and would only LEND
| il to a favored few. The account OF the
fight as stated in The Times was very
accurate as was also the map. The gem
| eral good health of the District boys is
| a matter of gossip with other regiments,
| and we hope to be sent back to the
| States now that there is no chance OF
| fight, before the fever sets in among u.s.
| colored cavalryman, George Preston,
| of Washington, was shot here While
| acting as peacemaker in a drunken brawl.
| He belonged to the Third Cavalry and was
| a barber on ID Street, near the Academy
| of Music. Rain continues every day, but
| we are becoming accustomed to these
| tropical downpours and make the best of
| them.