The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1898-10-27
Letter from Santiago.

passed Morrow Castle, the Merrimac
and Spain's sunken vessels and anch,
ored in Santiago Harbor on Sunday
morning Sept. 1Stl..
Our monster vessel could not
launch at the warf and steam launch
came out to meet us and we were in.
formed that the company to which
am assigned had arrived about week
ahead of US and that the two captains
were in the Yellow Fever Hospital
and that there were but six able bod.
led men best in the camp.
Pointing toward the city of Santi.
ago our informant said "They are
dying like sheep there" We did not
realize how comfortably situated we
were, until we heard this discourage
ing news. We were brought ashore
during a severe rain storm.
SANTIAGO AS A CITY.
l may shorten my description of
the city of Santiago by calling it a
tomb of living skeletons. The streets
are wide as our alleys, but more FL.
thy and | have not seen a house in
which an American would wish to
live. A sickenig odor arises from the
streets and pours out of the doors of
the quaint old buildings. Instead of
windows they have air holes covered
with prison like bars and as the trea,
cherous inhabitant gazes out at the
pedestrian, he resembles vicious an
imal placed on exhibition Men wom-
ell and children smoke their cigars.
They are careless in their dress and
children go naked in the streets. We
are stringing telegraph and telephone
lines all over the city and as the
seemingly never firing yankee assends
a pole, the inhabitants gather in
groups and look as If saying "what
will these yankees do next?
Our two captains, two first GER
geants and two privates, fever con-
valescents were taken home yester-
day. Private VIM. r. Wagner Of
Nashville Tenn, one OF our best BOYS
died yesterday. Another comrade
named Sullivan has been missing
nearly three weeks and We fear he
has beed killed. He did not seem
like fellow who would desert and
no money with him, he having left it
with comrade, who still holds it.
As to my own salty l never felt bet
ter and am taking proper care of my
self. Will continue living on quinlne
and army ration until the rainy seas
on euds which will be the latter part
of next month.
We cannot be collier and cuff sol
diers as We were were in the States.
We have not seen a razor since we
left n. Y. and the boys resemble
commediaus of early classical type.
Some say l look like Populist stump
speaker from out West, | have not
seen myself to decide. l shall have to
shine the back of my mess pan in or
der to see the reflection of my ply
siognomy.
We are located just inside the city Oh
the side of the hill and each direction
We 60 from our tent we are shut off
by shrubbery and barb wire, back of
which are Spanish trenches while at
the foot Of this hill swamps are locat-
ed and it is here You find some of the
trees in which Spanish Sharpshooters
tied themselves and picked out some
of the bravest men that ever met an
enemy.
This country should be seen as it
is now, in order to realize what a
truly wonderful victory was accomp.
lished here. Relics are plentiful and
| wish l could send box of thropies
home and address it to all the citi-
zens of my native city so that each
could h ave something, coming from
this ever historic provine. My COM
ng home now looks so far distant
that l do not pretend to gather relics
learn. we are soon to go to the in
erior TO construct a few hundred
miles of telegraph lines.
Army telegraphy in this wild
isdone with pick and shovel
md is commonly known as fatigue
iuty. Tbs boys are all homesick and
express themselves freely.
A NIGHT IN CAMP.
After our days work is done, the
Joys fill their pipes and gather in a
ent dimly lighted: out of the fall of
he dew, which is equal to drizzling
ain at home. Each relates the amount
( work he has done during the day
nd expresses himself freely that he !
5 not home sick but that the war is
yer and we are entitled to DISCHARGE !