Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-11-16
CUBA AND THE CUBANS.
MIR. Gosman Writes Another Letter-Finds
the Lot of the Soldier to Be Hard
One-Was In Close Place at Manza-

MANzANILLo, Cuba, October l5.-
I have not been able to write for some
time on account of my right arm being
in the hospital. got it burned sew
eral weeks ago with acid, and have
since been carrying it about in sling.
A burn or a cut in this climate, is a
dangerous thing, so the doctors say.
If one is not exceedingly careful gan
creme is almost sure to set in, and l
have been trying to be careful.
After remaining in Santiago for five
weeks, l am back with my company.
Thanks to liberal expenditure of
Uncle Sans money and the cost of
the lives of several of his volunteers,
the sanitary conditions around Santa
90 have been very much improved. l
was ordered back to my regiment on
September %, and found only 20 men
in my company fit for duty. l have
been quite well myself, SO far, not
having lost a single day from duty,
even on account of my burned arm.
Up to date, we have lost five men
from our company by death. One
shot himself accidentally through the
head. The others died, of what, pro-
bably nobody will ever know. They
were buried in their blankets at night
without prayer or salute, and the bal
ance of us have not been able to get
particulars as to the cause of death.
have been at Guantanamo and also
at Baracos. Baracoa is the healthiest
and cleanest place of the two. l was
there first about 16 years ago. did
not notice much change on my recent
visit. There seems to be more fortifi
cations. That is about all.
1 forgot to say that the United States
government is building an ice factory
and water plant at Santiago for the
use of the soldiers. Both plants ought
to be finished by this time.
We have been at Manzanillo since
the first of October, when our regi'
ment was ordered here to take charge
of the town. There came near being
serious happening on our arrival
The Spanish commander, Colonel Par
ron, l believe his name is, wanted US
to leave the town until the 10th of the
month. Colonel Ray refused TO do
anything of the kind. The Spanish
bugles sounded to arms, and within a
few minutes about 500 Spaniards liued
up in front of us. Behind US there
was some Spanish cavalry. There
were only 2l0 men of us in all, and
we were in a trap. The rest of oul
men were sick on board the transports
or taking care of the mules. Every
minute we expected an opening of the
ball. The Spaniards were terribly ex
cited but our boys generally were COO
and determined 10 give good account
of themselves. Colonel Parron aver
ted the trouble by withdrawing bis
demand. We aterward learned thai
the Spanish force IN the town number
ed 1,400.
A young man by the name of Rivers
died few days ago. He was related
I have understood, to Mr.. lizard, o.
Rock Hill.
General Rabi, the Cuban command
er, came into town today at the head
of about 200 followers. This is tht
largest Cuban "army" I have seen yet
One reads in the papers occasionally
about the Cuban "army." There is ne
such thing in Cuba. The term car
only refer to scattered bands of vaga
bonds, too lazy to work, but not toe
honest to steal. Rabi is coal black
Negro. Among his followers are fiv.
Americans and two Russians. We took
these fellows to our camp and fed them
They told US that they had been in the
Cuban army for several years, and thai
the Cubans did not have one-fourlh a:
many men as they claimed 10 have
Their tactics have been to make al
assault on an outpost or commissary
train, and then run. Sometimes they
get together again, and sometimes they
keep wandering about until they fal
in with other bands.
I think our government is making q
great mistake in feeding this kind o.
people. 1t might be we'll TO furnish
them with tools with which to till the
soil and then drive them out Of the
cities. If they lived while the Span
iards were in control, they can surely
do so now. / never saw such soil in
my life. Any vegetable we can raise
at home can be raised here, aud ol
most vegetables it is an easy matter to
raise five crops year. But these
people do not want to raise anything,
except the devil, and they are laughing
in their sleeves at Uncle Sam for giving
them such soft snap.
Our boys are pretty we'll whipped,
and l confess that am, too. 1t looks
like we have to do about all the dirty
work that is to be done, and we would
be glad to quit. There is not man in
the regiment, l venture to say, who
would not willingly give up the two
months pay now due him and all
other claims on the government, foi
his discharge. 1 would.
Manzanillo is the cleanest town we
have been in. We like it here better
than anywhere else, and would be glad
to remain here during the balance ol
our terms of service. But this is not
to be. We leave for Guantanamo to.
morrow. F. A. GosMAN.